Christmas is canceled in the land of Jesus' birth
Queen Rania Al Abdullah in The Washington Post
Bethlehem usually comes alive at Christmas, writes Queen Rania of Jordan in The Washington Post, but not this year. In the Holy Land, "celebrations have been canceled". In the occupied West Bank, one Bethlehem church's nativity scene has the infant Jesus among "the rubble of a bombed-out building". International organisations are calling Gaza "a graveyard for children. How perverse that the Holy Land should be described as something so profoundly unholy."
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Spate of Iranian executions cannot go unchallenged
Jawad Iqbal in The Times
Iran's mullahs are "waging an increasingly deadly war against their own people", says Jawad Iqbal in The Times. More than 127 Iranians have reportedly been executed since October, including women and children, despite international bans on the death sentence for minors. There is also "more than a whiff of suspicion that the regime is taking advantage of the world's focus on Gaza" to quietly crack down on opponents and dissidents.
Britain's declining birth rate is becoming a problem too big to ignore
Fraser Nelson in The Daily Telegraph
"Fears of a demographic decline are growing across Europe," writes Fraser Nelson in The Telegraph. But what should be a "dry, statistical topic" is being treated as a "dangerous conspiracy theory of the far right". Some believe that discussions of the "birth gap" should "not be allowed to take place", despite plummeting birth rates. But the "natalism debate" matters; it's about the future of society. Politicians who won't address these issues "may well end up forced to make way for those who will".
'It's behind you': Panto helped me beat depression
Beverley Callard on the i news site
"The fun and laughter of pantomime is the perfect antidote for the dark and cold weather outside," says actress Beverly Callard on the i news site. In 2010, "I struggled badly with severe clinical depression" and "the magic of pantomime is almost healing for me". Panto offers "a sense of escapism" and "a healthy dose of slapstick", as well as "an opportunity to shout and cheer. People always feel happier after a show."
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Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
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Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
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The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
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Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
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Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
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Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
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China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
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Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
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Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
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Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
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US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
