'Regardless of Trump's fraud trial verdict, he remains a threat to democracy'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
Trump Is About to Hear a Big Fraud Verdict
Timothy L. O'Brien on Bloomberg
As Donald Trump's civil fraud trial in New York concludes, the irony is that the state where he made his fortune "may send him into financial exile", writes Timothy L. O'Brien on Bloomberg. His various trials are happening while Trump is "well on his way to securing the Republican nomination for the presidency". But regardless of the outcomes, he is a "threat to the rule of law and a threat to democracy".
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Jimmy Lai trial must reflect Hong Kong's judicial independence not political pressure
South China Morning Post editorial board
"The level of international interest" in the trial of former media tycoon Jimmy Lai "is unparalleled", says the South China Morning Post editorial board. But this trial "is not just about him"; the "judicial independence" of Hong Kong "will also be under scrutiny". The case is important for the city's "international profile, image and reputation", so the court must "carry out its duty… without fear or favour".
Lack of transparency
The Telegraph editorial board
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Four Conservative MPs are being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, but for precisely what "we do not know", writes The Telegraph editorial board. The official charge is "significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its members generally", which "on the face of it, sounds serious". But what is clear is that "constituents and the public" both "should be told" what is going on, for transparency's sake.
£600 for a Christmas day dinner? Rip off Britain at its worst
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on the i news site
It is hard to feel "merry, or full of festive cheer" given the "world is in such a perilous state", says Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on the i news site. But to make matters worse, certain establishments "charging £600 per person for Christmas lunch are fully booked up". This is the fault of "millionaires and billionaires" who have "distorted the leisure and hospitality sectors" with their excess. "That maddens me. And should madden you too."
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Border Patrol may be tracking drivers with secret camerasIn the Spotlight The cameras are reportedly hidden in objects like traffic safety cones
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Gen Alpha is worried about the futureThe Explainer American children are keeping up with current events, even when the news is upsetting
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Streaming: Get ready for more blackoutsfeature Disney finally struck a deal to get its television channels back on Google’s YouTube TV streaming service
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South Africa wraps up G20 summit boycotted by USSpeed Read Trump has been sparring with South Africa in recent months
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Trump pushes new Ukraine peace planSpeed Read It involves a 28-point plan to end the war
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Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
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Rob Jetten: the centrist millennial set to be the Netherlands’ next prime ministerIn the Spotlight Jetten will also be the country’s first gay leader
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Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
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Ukraine: Donald Trump pivots againIn the Spotlight US president apparently warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Vladimir Putin’s terms or face destruction during fractious face-to-face
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The UK-made Storm Shadow missiles Ukraine is using in RussiaThe Explainer Ukraine reportedly deployed the long-range British missiles this week, following a tense meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump
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Proposed Trump-Putin talks in Budapest on holdSpeed Read Trump apparently has no concrete plans to meet with Putin for Ukraine peace talks