36 minutes ago Faced with Trump and Farage, Britain’s natural ally is Europe | William Keegan

The Labour party’s determination to stick to Brexit simply condemns the UK to fight a lone hand against the far-right forces ranged against itThe sight of other world leaders toadying up to the US president-elect – the criminal Donald Trump – and his henchman Elon Musk is distasteful enough, but in the world of realpolitik they probably feel they have no option.The great American journalist HL Mencken did not live to see the fulfilment of his 1920 prophecy that “one day the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron” but he is no doubt turning in his grave. Continue reading...

Politics

2 hours ago We didn’t make it to the Paralympics, but we still have hope: the Gazan paracyclist

As part of the Guardian’s Gaza Voices series this year, Hazem Suleiman told of how the roads he trained on had been destroyed. Now, he’s raising money for other amputeesHazem Suleiman is a member of the Gaza Sunbirds, a paracycling team based in Gaza. A former footballer, he lost a leg as a result of being shot in protests at the Rafah border in 2018. We first spoke to him five months ago as part of our Gaza Voices series on everyday Palestinian life. At that time, Suleiman, who also photographs and documents life in Gaza, was dealing with the toll of displacement from his home in Rafah to the town of Khan Younis.He and the other Sunbirds had been training hard, hoping to represent Palestine in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, but after the Israeli assault on Gaza following Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023, they were unable to realise this dream. They did at least achieve their goal – to compete in an international competition for the first time – in May this year: the Para-Cycling Ro...

Politics

2 hours ago ‘She should have a bit of me’: the Dutch mothers fighting for their children to carry their surname

Women are challenging the law that prevents them giving their kids both family names without father’s consentWhen 43-year-old Rebecca Lee took her birth mother’s Korean surname, it was a revelation. “I was adopted and got a Dutch name but I never felt completely Dutch,” she says. “When, a few years ago, I first went to Korea, things fell into place. You don’t just go ‘one, two, three’ and change your name, but now I feel more whole.”The entrepreneur from Groningen split from her husband and wants to give her five-year-old daughter “Lee” as part of a double-barrelled surname – but she cannot, under a Dutch law that some women, a leftwing MP and legal experts believe is unfair. Continue reading...

Politics

3 hours ago Cardiff Bay is going to change beyond recognition over the next few years

Cardiff Bay as we know it could look completely different in the coming years

Politics

4 hours ago Resurfaced photos show how Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds rallied behind Blake Lively at height of Justin Baldoni 'smear campaign'

Blake Lively has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni - four months after the film premiered in theaters.

Culture

6 hours ago Victoria bushfire fight continues in Grampians as flood warnings persist in parts of Queensland

Firefighters battle to contain out-of-control blaze ahead of hotter conditions on Boxing DayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFirefighters battled to contain an out-of-control bushfire in Victoria’s west on Sunday before temperatures spike in the region on Boxing Day.The fire in Grampians National park, about three hours west of Melbourne, grew to 34,000 hectares on Sunday after it was ignited by a series of lightning strikes almost a week ago.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

9 hours ago Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds rallied behind Blake Lively in resurfaced photos amid Justin Baldoni lawsuit

Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds rallied behind Blake Lively amid It Ends With Us Drama four months before she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni.

Society

10 hours ago Scott Brown hails Ayr United after Livingston win completes big festive week

The Honest Men have found their form again and were winners on the road today.

Politics

10 hours ago Justin Baldoni's statement in full as he blasts Blake Lively's 'shameful' allegations

Justin Baldoni's attorney described Blake Lively's claims of 'sexual harassment' as 'shameful' and 'completely false' in a statement responding to the actress' shock lawsuit

Politics

11 hours ago Teachers in the UK should be permitted to work from home – Education Secretary

Bridget Phillipson spoke to the Observer about offering more flexibility in the profession.

Society