As he prepares to take office in less than a month, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal, and he renewed calls to buy Greenland from Denmark. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.This post was originally published on here
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday shared the name of his chosen ambassador to Denmark. Compared with other high-profile appointments, Ken Howery’s naming won’t raise many eyebrows. What did elevate those eyebrows was Trump’s statement announcing Howery, in which Trump resurrected his past interest in taking Greenland off the Danes’ proverbial hands.“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump wrote in his statement. It was an unwelcome throwback to his first term when the policymaking came down to the president’s whims and a recognition that this time around there’s going to be even fewer people able to dissuade him from his most quixotic of ventures.But what to make of Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland in the first place?We probably should have seen this week’s resurgence coming given how long he’d pressed for American ownership of Greenland before that news became public. The Wall Street Journal first reported in 2019 that Trump harbored an interest in buying the immense ice-covered island. As the diplomatic spat between the U.S. and Denmark grew, The New York Times reported that “while Mr. Trump has long derided nation-building, his flirtation with nation-buying turned out to be more serious than many originally thought. He has been talking privately about buying Greenland for more than a year and even detailed the National Security Council staff to study the idea.”But what to make of Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland in the first place? There’s been a concerted effort to make the energy poured into his half-baked fantasy make sense. Maybe it’s about controlling the rare earth minerals that Greenland possesses and are crucial to high-tech manufacturing? Perhaps it’s about ensuring continued American access to Pituffik Space Base, the Pentagon’s northernmost military outpost? Or is Trump interested in countering Chinese influence in the Arctic as more waterways open because of climate change?As tends to be the case with Trump, the real answer is both entirely on-brand and deeply weird. In their book “The Divider,” The New York Times’ Peter Baker and The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser reported that the proposal originally came from his longtime friend Ronald Lauder, an heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune. As Baker wrote for The New York Times in 2022:Mr. Trump later claimed the idea was his personal inspiration. “I said, ‘Why don’t we have that?’” he recalled in an interview last year for the book. “You take a look at a map. I’m a real estate developer. I look at a corner, I say, ‘I’ve got to get that store for the building that I’m building,’ etc. It’s not that different.”He added: “I love maps. And I always said: ‘Look at the size of this. It’s massive. That should be part of the United States.’”But in fact, Mr. Lauder discussed it with him from the early days of the presidency and offered himself as a back channel to the Danish government to negotiate. John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, assigned his aide Fiona Hill to assemble a small team to brainstorm ideas. They engaged in secret talks with Denmark’s ambassador and produced an options memo.We can discern three things from Baker and Glasser’s reporting. First, even if Trump really did come up with the idea of buying Greenland himself as he claimed, the motivation of “it’s massive” doesn’t speak highly of his strategic vision for the United States — or his own business sense as a developer. Trump would eventually discard the options presented to him in favor of insisting that Denmark put Greenland up for sale. When the Danes insisted that was off the table, he lashed out at Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, calling her refusal “nasty,” and canceled an official trip.It’s especially fitting that a real estate developer whose properties have declared bankruptcy multiple times is besotted with this particular landmass. Greenland is one of the oldest bait-and-switch real estate cons in the book, named to encourage settlement on what is a mostly barren expanse of ice. And, as any cartography fan would tell you, the way Greenland looks on most common maps is extremely misleading thanks to the distortion needed to make a globe flat. Instead, the island — while still huge — isn’t quite as massive as Trump seems to think.It’s especially fitting that a real estate developer whose properties have declared bankruptcy multiple times is besotted with this particular landmass.Second, Lauder’s suggestion becoming an obsession for Trump highlights a habit that the president-elect has only leaned into further lately. More than ever, it appears that Trump is more easily influenced by his fellow billionaires than people with actual expertise. In his first term, he turned to the now-former head of Marvel Entertainment, Isaac Perlmutter, to act as a shadow secretary of veterans affairs. This time, he’s tapped Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to co-lead a glorified cost-cutting commission. According to The Wall Street Journal, the idea came out of a breakfast between Musk and Trump at the house of another billionaire, investor Nelson Peltz. Finally, the whole affair speaks to Trump’s inability to take no for an answer. The Danish government was exceedingly firm in 2019 that Greenland is not for sale. His own national security staff was frustrated by the petulance on display that scuttled any chance of a deeper Danish-American security arrangement regarding Greenlandic territory. Greenland itself is pushing for total independence from Denmark, not for trading one overlord for another. And yet here we are, five years later, seeing Trump making the same demands all over again much to Greenland’s dismay.One mystery remains: Why bring back the whole Greenland boondoggle now? While it’s not apparent where Lauder first got the idea or why he was interested, he likely isn’t the one who replanted the seed in Trump’s head. Lauder said in 2022 that despite his long relationship with Trump, he wouldn’t donate to the former president’s election campaign. Federal Election Commission filings from this year seem to indicate that he kept his word, focusing instead on getting Republicans elected to Congress.Much like Trump’s threat to reclaim the Panama Canal, there may be something darker at work with his Greenland obsession — a desire to see American territory expanded under his watch, a neo-colonial bent that would fit all to uncomfortably well with his mercantilist worldview. But it’s also entirely possible that, having latched onto an idea previously, Trump is simply now unwilling to let it go, no matter how much people around him try to correct him. It’s a stubbornness that would be unbecoming in most children, let alone in the Oval Office. Now it has the potential to wreak havoc once returned to a seat of power on the world stage.
ST. CLOUD — The Great River Regional Library has released its most checked-out books in 2024.The list, provided by the library system, includes data from its more than 30 branches.
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This is what central Minnesotans have been reading in 2024:
1/10: “The Women,” by Kristin Hannah, was the top checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
2/10: “The River We Remember,” by William Kent Krueger was the second-most checked-out book within the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
3/10: “It Starts With Us,” by Colleen Hoover was the third-most checked-out book within the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
4/10: “None of This Is True,” by Lisa Jewell was the fourth-most checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
5/10: “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus, was the fifth-most checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
6/10: “Tom Lake,” by Ann Patchett, was among the most checked-out books in the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
7/10: “Happy Place,” by Emily Henry was the seventh-most checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
8/10: “First Lie Wins,” by Ashley Elston was the eighth-most checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
9/10: “The Exchange: After the Firm,” was the ninth-most checked-out book in the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
10/10: “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store,” by James McBride was the 10th-most checked-out book at the Great River Regional Library system in 2024.
Contributed / Great River Regional Library
“The Women,” by Kristin HannahA
historical fiction novel
that tells the story of Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young nurse who serves in the United States Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. The book was released in 2024.“The River We Remember” by William Kent Krueger A
fiction novel
set in 1958 in a small Minnesota town rocked by a shocking murder, pouring fuel on old grievances. The book was released in 2023.“It Starts With Us,” by Colleen Hoover A
romance novel
and sequel to Hoover’s “It Ends With Us.” The book was released in 2022. The movie, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, came out in August 2024.
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“None of This Is True,” by Lisa Jewell A
psychological thriller
about two women who, through a chance encounter, learn they are birthday twins. The book was released in 2023.“Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus Set in 1960,
this historical fiction novel
follows Elizabeth Zott, who becomes a beloved cooking show host in southern California after being fired as a chemist four years earlier. The book, released in 2022, has been adapted into a TV miniseries on Apple TV. “Tom Lake,” by Ann PatchettA
novel
that relates the story of three daughters who yearn to know about their mother’s youthful relationship with a famous actor. The book was released in 2023.“Happy Place” by Emily Henry
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A
novel
that follows a couple as they work through the complexities of a relationship and breakup. The book was released in 2023.“First Lie Wins,” by Ashley Elston A
book
that follows the story of a devious protagonist who becomes caught in a series of lies and deceit. The book was released in 2024.“The Exchange: After The Firm,” by John GrishamA
legal thriller novel
that serves as a sequel to Grisham’s “The Firm.” The book was released in 2023.“The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store,” by James McBrideA
novel
telling the story of Black and Jewish residents of the Chicken Hill neighborhood of Pottstown, Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 1930s. The book was released in 2023.
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The Great River Regional Library services Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in central Minnesota. The library system has a location in St. Cloud at 1300 W. St. Germain St. For more information about the library, visit
griver.org.
By
Trent Abrego
Trent Abrego is a business reporter for St. Cloud LIVE and can be reached at [email protected].
In 2024, Black Americans encountered a series of political events that tested their resilience and commitment to justice. From court rulings affecting civil rights to landmark political milestones, 2024 was a year of challenges and pivotal achievements. Presidential Election and Kamala Harris’ Historic Nomination Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first Black woman…
New Age Palm technology and microchipped hands are the growing wave of the future but so are age-old Biblical prophecies of “The Mark of the Beast.”Burgundy Waller, recently known as “the Chip Girl” in her TikTok videos, has created a social media stir of 3 million followers by demonstrating how a microchip about the size of a grain of rice implanted in her hand serves as a key to unlocking doors, closets and storage areas in her Las Vegas mansion.While chipped hands might sound new, between 50,000 to 100,000 people globally are using implanted microchips as credit cards, or to store their medical and health information, gain access to gyms and use public transportation, says the Journal of Hand Surgery. Furthermore in 1998, British scientist Kevin Warwick (Captain Cyborg) made headlines using a hand-implanted microchip to operate doors, lights and heaters around his office at the University of Reading.@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 400px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 640px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}
For consumers looking for a nonsurgical way to free themselves of the hardship of reaching in their wallets for plastic or tapping their phones on scanners, Amazon is also rolling out a plan which allows customers to simply hover their palms over an Amazon One device to pay their bills. On May 24, 2024, Amazon and its company-owned Whole Foods introduced palm technology that can be used for payments in over 500 stores.Amazon uses consumers’ palms and their underlying vein structure to create a palm signature, which is produced with the help of generative AI and verified by Amazon One scanners for things like retail purchases and age verification. Amazon One scanners, once limited to Amazon stores, can now also be found in third-party locations including stadiums, airports and fitness centers. The new app lets users sign up for Amazon One through their phones instead of having to visit a physical location to take photos of their palms for enrollment.
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Along with the excitement over the new hand developments, however, are the age-old prophecies about a controversial “Mark of the Beast.” The Mark of the Beast refers to Biblical references that during the last days of history a mysterious autocratic and diabolical Anti-Christ leader would rise to rule over an evil empire where Christians who do not bear his mark on their hands would perish because they would be denied life-sustaining goods such as food or medicines. Although mostly ignored by mainstream news, social media are roaring aloud that in the future the hands of Christians whether chipped or scanned could play a role somewhat like the Star of David was used by the Nazis to identify Jews for death during the Holocaust.The specific reference of the Mark is found in Revelation 13:16-17: “He caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the 666 number of his name.”The story of the Mark and its role in today’s technology was featured in my recently published book entitled “The Rise and the Fall of the Techno-Messiah: Artificial Intelligence and the End Times.” This writer described how some respected theologians give credence to the Mark of the Beast prophecy as part of their eschatological doctrines dealing with the Second Coming of Christ in the Last Days of history.@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 90px;}}
Consider the warning of J.F. Walvoord, the late president of the Dallas Theological Seminary: “There is no doubt that with today’s technology a world leader in total control could keep a continually updated census of all persons and know precisely which people had pledged their allegiance to him and who has not. It is highly likely that chip implants, scan technology and biometrics will be used as tools to enforce restrictions on buying and selling without the Mark.”Too often when the End Times and the Mark are discussed it is usually contained in only conservative white institutions. Black churches and seminaries, however, also teach and preach the End Times prophecies resulting in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The recent pandemics, the possibility of nuclear wars, cataclysmic weather events, such as the frequency of hurricanes and flooding all fit in this apocalypse scenario.In fact, this writer, an African American woman, is among those who have taught on the End Times, including the Mark of the Beast at Calvary Bible Institute in Washington, D.C. Although it is surprising to some, there are 1,845 prophetic references to the Second Coming of Jesus, a factor of eight to one over references of His First Coming. In fact, Scriptures show Jesus speaking of His return 21 times.The Mark of the Beast and the spirituality around it have also made their way into political circles. Mark Cole, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, once introduced a proposal to prevent corporations from forcing employees to submit to implants. He also said his concerns were based on the Book of Revelation which deals with the Mark of the Beast. Referring to the microchips, he argued, “they just might be that mark.”Aside from the spiritual considerations, today, since the FDA approved an implantable chip last year, the chips are gaining respectability and will one day be as commonplace as using Siri to order dinner.@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 90px;}}
The most popular microchips use radio-frequency identification technology which for decades was used for tracking animals. It works like a barcode label to identify vehicles, animals and luggage tags. This technology can be used to monitor patient health, locate missing people, track people under house arrest and trace valuable items. As people become more comfortable with internal devices such as pacemakers, birth control rods and nerve stimulators implanted in their bodies, the fear factor is diminishing.In fact, microchipped hands could easily become an obsession, especially among those who see tattoos as fashion statements. On the plus side, the happily chipped person could glide through customs and waiting lines with a flip of the hand, have instant medical and education information in hand and abolish the need to carry keys, remember passwords or even carry a wallet.Microchips could speed the screening of passengers for air travel, subways could use them to collect fares. Bars could use microchips to “card” underage drinkers without concerns about fake IDs. An implanted microchip could also be used to ward off voter fraud or increase it by denying those without the chip the right to vote.While the future for chipped or scanned hands seems dazzling, there are other considerations, such as how long it would take for criminal enterprises to learn how to gain access to personal information by hacking off chipped hands of victims or hacking into their programs which continues to beguile users.The peer-reviewed Journal of Hand Surgery also recently warned that current implantation is typically not performed in a medical environment. “Implantation of these devices in humans can result in complications, such as infection and tendon attrition, and the relevant safety implications have not been extensively studied.”@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-4{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-4{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-4{min-height: 90px;}}
It looks like speed, convenience of microchips and palm technology, along with more safety guardrails could one day overrule fears of invasion of privacy and health concerns. As for the speculation of Bible believers about the eventual rise of an evil empire and the Mark of the Beast this is also a story that will be continued.
c.2024, St. Martin’s Press$29352 pagesThroughout history, when decisions were needed, the answer has often been “no.”No, certain people don’t get the same education as others. No, there is no such thing as equality. No, voting can be denied and no, the laws are different, depending on the color of one’s skin. And in the new book, “Resist!” by Rita Omokha, no, those things have not been accepted meekly.@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 400px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 640px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}
In 1995, after she and her brothers traveled from their native Nigeria to join their mother at her new home in the South Bronx, young Rita Omokha’s eyes were opened. She quickly understood that the color of her skin — which was “synonymous with endless striving and a pursuit of excellence” in Nigeria — was “so problematic in America.”
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That became a bigger matter to Omokha later, 15 years after her brother was deported: she “saw” him in George Floyd, and it shook her. Troubled, she traveled America on a “pilgrimage for understanding [her] Blackness…” She began to think about the “Black young people across America” who hadn’t been or wouldn’t be quiet about racism any longer.She starts this collection of stories with Ella Josephine Baker, whose parents and grandparents modeled activism and who, because of her own student activism, would be “crowned the mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” Baker, in fact, was the woman who formed the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, in 1960.Nine teenagers, known as the Scottsboro Nine, were wrongly arrested for raping two white women in 1931 and were all released, thanks to the determination of white lawyer-allies who were affiliated with the International Labor Defense and the outrage of students on campuses around America. Students refused to let a “Gentleman’s Agreement” pass when it came to sports and equality in 1940. Barbara Johns demanded equal education under the law in Virginia in 1951. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale formed the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in 1966. And after Trayvon Martin and George Floyd were killed, students used the internet as a new form of fighting for justice.No doubt, by now, you’ve read a lot of books about activism. There are many of them out there, and they’re pretty hard to miss. With that in mind, there are reasons not to miss “Resist!”@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 90px;}}
You’ll find the main one by looking between the lines and in each chapter’s opening.There, author Rita Omokha weaves her personal story in with that of activists at different times through the decades, matching her experiences with history and making the whole timeline even more relevant. In doing so, the point of view she offers — that of a woman who wasn’t totally raised in an atmosphere filled with racism, who wasn’t immersed in it her whole life — lets these historical accounts land with more impact.This book is for people who love history or a good, short biography, but it’s also excellent reading for anyone who sees a need for protest or action and questions the status quo. If that’s the case, then “Resist!” may be the answer.
Florence Gillan, a name that has swiftly become synonymous with psychological thrillers, has just released her third book, Tangled Web, establishing herself as a leading voice in the genre.This latest release, like her previous works, delves into the dark, tangled web of human emotions, trauma, and manipulation, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
Having taught in a number of Louth schools over the years, Florence is now retired and lives outside Newry. She spends much of her time in her native Sligo in the foothills of Benbulbin.
In the run up to Christmas the Democrat asked her how she spends her Christmas.
What does a typical Christmas look like in your house?A typical Christmas in my home is noisy. Six people and two dogs create a chaotic environment. We are lucky to have the family all together this Christmas. My mother always had a high tea on Christmas Eve: salad, sandwiches, and cakes. I continue this tradition, and afterwards, we open our Christmas presents. In the last few years, we have done Secret Santa and have a set budget. It’s amazing how much effort is put into keeping who you’re buying for a secret and trying to figure out what they would like. Then we listen to Christmas music and play silly games. On Christmas Day, my husband, Eugene, and I cook the Christmas dinner, and my adult children usually produce the goods on St. Stephen’s Day.
Tell me about your favourite Christmas as a child.It’s difficult to single out one particular Christmas; they have all merged over time. But I have lovely memories of my six siblings and parents all sitting around the overloaded Christmas table, everyone laughing and stuffing themselves. This is particularly poignant as both my parents and two of my siblings have now passed away. So, I treasure the memories of us all squeezed around the table, and sometimes, I can almost hear the laughter. Christmas is a happy time for me, but it’s also a reminder of who is missing.What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received? My birthday is St Stephens’s Day, and although it wasn’t strictly a Christmas present, my children commissioned a painting by Petra Berenson of my family home in Sligo. The house no longer exists, so I treasure the painting. I must confess I bawled like a baby when they gave it to me.
What’s the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received? This question has me stumped. I have always liked my Christmas gifts. But as a child, I was a big fan of cowboy games and always requested a gun and holster from Santy, but Santy never obliged.
What’s your standard Christmas menu? We are very traditional in our house. We have turkey, ham, Brussels sprouts, and a secret family recipe for a unique potato dish. Then, we have a sherry or sambuca trifle, followed by a bought Christmas pudding. I no longer make one because I’m the only one who eats it. But I do miss the ritual of making it and having everyone in the house stir it and make a wish.
Do you help cook the dinner? Absolutely. I’m happy to cook with my husband, so long as I don’t have to wash up afterwards. My four children eventually get it done. Then we all veg out and watch Christmas movies and doze.
Brussels sprouts, yes or no?We always have sprouts, but we like experimenting by trying new recipes to cook them. They tend to be the least popular dish, but we must have them—it’s tradition.
What traditions are unique to your family?We open gifts on Christmas Eve, but I’m sure many families do that. For years, we would go to the pub on Christmas Eve and then on to Christmas Eve Mass. But one year, someone got a fit of giggles that spread to the entire family. I still remember the walk of shame as we had to exit the church.
Have you started any new ones in the last few years? A new tradition I’m trying to start is swimming on Christmas morning, but oddly, my children are reluctant to participate.
When do you put up your tree? When I was working, the tree only appeared on the 22nd of December. Since I’ve retired, it goes up a little earlier, but to be honest, I don’t like the tree up too early. It feels more special when it’s closer to Christmas.
Are you the type of person who tears all the Christmas decor down on January 1? How long should it be kept up? January 1st is too early to take them down, but I’m not a slavish follower of the tradition that insists decorations must be up until after January 6th. Decorations hanging around too long seem sad and hard for people to face once they return to work. Come on, the party is over, folks.
What’s the ultimate Christmas song? I love Silent Night and Adeste Fideles; all the traditional Christmas carols give me happy chills.
Have any Christmases devolved into funny disasters? Tell me about them. There have been so many, but one stands out. Our next-door neighbours had us over for a Christmas drink. I prepped the turkey, all ready to put in the oven once we returned. Unfortunately, we forgot about our cats. When we returned, they had consumed half of the turkey breast. We did our best to repair the damage, and when our guests arrived, we never told them what had happened in case they were reluctant to eat it. They still don’t know.
Which of Santa’s reindeer represents you most as a person? That is a tricky question. But if I had to choose, I’d say Dancer. Not because I’m a great dancer but because I think I am. I have two left feet, but I love dancing. At Christmas, I dance around the kitchen to all the Christmas songs while my family smirks at my inelegant moves. But I don’t care; I’m having fun.
What is your favourite cosy Christmas read, and why?I love rereading old Agatha Christie novels. I know how they all end, but I enjoy the comfort of reading them and admire their clever, inventive plots.
What is your favourite Christmas scene from a book?I love the Christmas breakfast scene in Little Women. The family donates their meal to a poor family, and a kindly neighbour gives them a feast because of their generosity. Perhaps it’s a little sentimental, but then, at Christmas, we’re allowed to be sentimental.
Is Dickens’ A Christmas Carol overrated?It’s a masterpiece. But there have been so many movie adaptations that perhaps over-familiarity has spoiled it for readers. I reread it a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.
What books will you be giving as gifts this Christmas and why?There are so many books I would love to gift. Luckily, my family are big readers. On my list would be: l Trespasses by Lousie Kennedy.l The God of Small Things by Arundhati Royl Small things like These by Claire Keeganl Something Fresh by PG Wodehousel Memoir by John McGahernThis is only my starting point. I could keep on listing. There are so many books and so little time.
Morocco ranked in the 101st position globally in the 2024 AI Readiness Index published by Oxford Insights.
The index, which assesses 188 countries on their readiness to adopt artificial intelligence in public services, evaluates countries based on three key pillars: government, technology, and data & infrastructure.
Morocco scored 41.78 points, significantly lower than leading nations like the United States (87.03 points) and Singapore (84.25 points).
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has it in for Panama—he has called on Panama to reduce fees for the Panama Canal or return it to U.S. control, accusing the Central American nation of charging “exorbitant prices” to American shipping and naval vessels. “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair,” Trump told a crowd…
Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.The Bloom is Off
Following a press tour that managed to be more fraught than the rollout of Don’t Worry Darling, Blake Lively is suing her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment. Lively also alleges—with the help of damning private messages—that Baldoni launched a smear campaign intended to tank her career. This is a fantastic piece of reporting by the New York Times‘s Megan Twohey, Mike McEntire, and Julie Tate, and it’s well worth your time, both for the specifics of this case and the generally chilling details about what a Hollywood take-down effort looks like in the social media era. It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, who tends to avoid the spotlight, spoke out this weekend in support of Lively, encouraging her to “Never change. Never wilt.” (That’s a reference to Lively’s character, Lily Bloom, who owns a floral shop.)
If you missed it in theaters, It Ends With Us is streaming on Netflix now. And if you want to catch the vibe without actually watching the movie, we saw it so you don’t have to.
Goodreads Members’ Most Anticipated Books of 2025
As we get ready to turn the page on 2024, it’s time to start stacking up next year’s TBR. As measured by how many times they’ve been added to members’ Want to Read shelves, here are Goodreads’ most anticipated books of 2025. I’ve been deep in the 2025 catalogs for a few months now, but there were a few surprises even for me. S.A. Cosby’s next thriller King of Ashes is a Godfather-inspired story; Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child, will take us back to Alaska in Black Woods Blue Sky, a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast; Ali Hazelwood is switching it up again, this time with a sports romance in Deep End; and “hipster grifter” Kari Ferrell spills the juicy details of her life of crime in You’ll Never Believe Me.
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The Reader in Chief Weighs In
Barack Obama released his favorite books of 2024 last week to gasps heard ’round the bookternet. In a sharp departure from his usually-predictable reading lists, Obama skipped over the year’s biggest book—James by Percival Everett—and Hanif Abdurraquib’s There’s Always This Year, both of which seem factory-made for his reading taste. (Both titles were included on Obama’s summer reading list, but historically, that hasn’t prevented books from appearing on the end-of-year list.) If I have one broad complaint about best-of lists, it’s that they rarely include context or explanation for which books made it, and that has never been more true than it is with this particular list.
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