Floodwaters surge across New York and New Jersey amid heavy rain and travel chaos

Why do so many people continue to endanger their lives like this? The answer lies in understanding the powerful grip of smoking addiction. The dangers of smoking are well-documented and clear. On average, a long-term regular smoker loses about ten years of their life, with only half living beyond 70… Read Details ⇢

Boats stranded after Cyclone Chido, Mayotte, December 16, 2024. MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES / VIA REUTERS Uprooted trees, gutted houses, piled-up boats, heaps of sheet metal and garbage. In just a few hours, Cyclone Chido left a devastated landscape in Mayotte. Authorities fear “several hundred” dead, perhaps “a few thousand” in France’s… Read Details ⇢

A partial government shutdown began at 12:01 on Saturday morning after Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure before the deadline and send it to President Biden’s desk. However, the Senate is actively working through amendment votes and other considerations in order to send the measure to Biden. The… Read Details ⇢

Demonstrators demand an end to Israeli military presence in border town in southern governorate. Israeli forces have shot and wounded a Syrian protester demonstrating against the army’s presence in a border village in southern Syria, the Israeli military says. Israeli fire injured the man, identified by local media as Maher… Read Details ⇢

Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues. What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands… Read Details ⇢

Competition policy seeks to ensure that markets are competitive, open and not subject to undue power by dominant firms. For this reason, it attracts much controversy and debate, as it should be.  A recent Sunday Times article however goes well beyond fair public comment and provides an unbalanced and unfair… Read Details ⇢

A Russian ship off Tartus, Syria on December 17, 2024. BAKR ALKASEM / AFP After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Russia is putting its back into it and working hard to save the furniture, two in this case: the Tartus sea base and the Hmeimim airport. Deployed… Read Details ⇢

As President Biden’s term comes to an end, he is reportedly considering commuting the sentences of most, if not all, of the 40 men on the federal government’s death row. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the move would frustrate President-elect Trump’s plan to… Read Details ⇢

Houthi forces carry out attacks on Israel since start of its war on Gaza. Israel has carried out air strikes on Yemen, and Houthi forces there have launched missiles at Tel Aviv. Attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and the removal of Bashar al-Assad in Syria have put the Houthis’ key… Read Details ⇢