Warnings of snow, wind and rain across the UK for New Year

Israeli farmers Aviel Leitner and Eran Braverman have resumed work on their blue agave fields along the Gaza border after the devastation caused by Hamas's October 7 attack. Despite the ongoing violence, they are hopeful about producing Israel's first tequila by early winter 2025, inspired by a family trip to Mexico. The community, supported by the NGO Volcani International Partnerships, is determined to recover and innovate in agriculture, although they face mental strain and lingering...

In a surprise victory, Scottish Labour, led by Davy Russell, won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, defeating the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) by 602 votes amid a turnout of 44%. The result, which shows Labour's vote share at 31.6% compared to SNP's 29.4% and Reform UK's 26.1%, boosts Anas Sarwar's leadership as they aim to challenge the SNP's 19-year dominance ahead of the 2026 elections. The campaign was marred by a racism controversy...

Michelle Mazzola faced challenges finding in-network therapists for her son Guy, diagnosed with autism, leading to frustrations with what are known as “ghost networks” that list providers who are unreachable or do not accept new patients. Despite spending two weeks contacting providers, Mazzola encountered long wait times and inaccurate information, prompting her to pay $7,000 monthly out-of-pocket for care. Legal actions against insurance companies like Anthem Blue Cross aim to address these deceptive practices, which...

Summary Award-winning author and Canadian Senator David Adams Richards has joined the Conservative Party of Canada’s Senate caucus less than two weeks after becoming a non-affiliated member. The 74-year-old expressed frustration with the Liberal government in a statement, highlighting dismissals of concerns faced by ordinary Canadians. Richards, an acclaimed writer with numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Giller Prize, focuses his fiction on the lives of working-class people in Miramichi, New...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned six accused drug traffickers, including four Guyanese nationals and two Colombians, for allegedly using boats and "narco subs" to traffic cocaine from South America to the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean. Paul Daby Jr. and Randolph Duncan are identified as leading the trafficking operations in Guyana, while others are implicated in facilitating drug transport, including a former police officer involved in an abduction case. Guyana's geographical advantages and...

Pilgrims are set to undertake the final major ritual of the hajj, the "stoning of the devil," on Friday, coinciding with the start of Eid al-Adha. Over 1.6 million Muslims will throw stones at three concrete walls in Mina valley, symbolizing the devil, commemorating Abraham's rejection of Satan's temptation. This year's hajj featured increased security and heat mitigation measures after last year's tragedy, aiming to prevent fatalities among pilgrims, especially those who illegally entered Mecca,...