We spoke with experts in cult recovery and high-control groups, including those familiar with the tactics, language and emotional binds of movements like MAGA to bring you practical tools for navigating these encounters. Instead, they are strategies to help you make it through these (often exhausting) interactions and respond as best you can to those you love. “Remember that a lot of people are genuinely ensnared by manipulative systems of belief,” Daniella Mestyanek Young, cult survivor and author of “Uncultured,” said. Would you be open to reading a source I trust?”“I know this feels true, but it’s coming from a site known for disinformation. They respond to love and respect and kindness and praise,“And the good news is that it’s not a permanent condition,” said Hassan.

Wrap Up The Year With PurposeThis newsroom tells stories that reflect real lives and real stakes. Your support ensures that work continues. Join as a member today and close the year by strengthening independent reporting for all. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

Scott Jennings was called out on a CNN panel for claiming Republicans love President Donald Trump more than ever. CNNThe panel discussed Trump’s final rally of the year Friday, where he devoted far more time to discussing Melania’s “panties” than to affordability concerns. Bedingfield called Trump’s lack of focus on big issues a “missed opportunity” as the 2026 midterms approach, adding that his rambling speeches may be alienating independents and moderates. I love my panelists that are here on this holiday season, but nobody acknowledged the fact that Donald Trump’s old,” he said. The panel noted that Trump's rambling speeches might be pushing the divide between MAGA and moderate even further.

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Middle school principal transforms into Elf on a Shelf Principal Erica Cobb at Glenwood Middle School in Findlay, Ohio, transformed herself into an Elf on the Shelf to the delight of students.

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The new restaurant Provaré at 1523 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago pushes boundaries with its convergence of Creole and Italian cuisines. Provaré is the brainchild of chef and partner Jourdan Higgs, a native of suburban Oak Park. Our experience involved ‘crabby fries,’ shatteringly crisp calamari tucked with jalapenos and banana peppers, and tossed with cognac-splashed shrimp scampi,” Michelin writes. Entrees include lobster bisque pasta; shrimp cognac scampi; a seafood trio of alfredo, shrimp, lobster, crab meat and rotini; and “all vodka” rigatoni pasta with pancetta, vodka, marinara sauce and cream. Add-ons include crawfish, chicken, shrimp, lamb chop, crab meat, salmon, lobster meat and lobster tail.

Thousand of people gather in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 8 to celebrate the first anniversary of the fall of the government of President Bashar Assad. The assistance has become part of a vital lifeline for the province, and has empowered Druze militias and spiritual leaders calling for secession from Syria and an alliance with Israel. They started in early July as tit-for-tat kidnappings between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes but soon devolved into street fighting. Israel, which has made overtures to Syria’s Druze, mobilized. (Jalaa Marey / AFP via Getty Images)All that has made the Sweida militias more effective.

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Overnight, Trump puts his name on the Kennedy Center Newsnorman lebrecht December 20, 2025Some say the name change needs an act of Congress, but the impetuous president could not wait. In a matter of hours from the Center board’s decision, his name went up above JFK’s.

-- Aspect Health , the metabolic health technology company led by Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Gleb Babiy, today announced the launch of its flagship product, Aida. “Most people lose the battle for healthy eating the moment they walk into a supermarket,” said Gleb Babiy, Founder and CEO of Aspect Health. “They don’t know how to translate lab results or medical advice into a shopping cart. From Medical Crisis to Market InnovationBabiy’s vision stems from a childhood diagnosis of genetic hyperinsulinemia, which led him to study metabolic health and longevity science. About Aspect HealthAspect Health is a health technology company dedicated to making preventative medicine effortless through AI and biological data.

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-green-sleeveless-dress-standing-beside-christmas-tree-6236662/ Woman in green dress standing with Christmas tree. The Edward Pola and George Wyle song says that Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year” but when you’re having hot flushes from some of the ‘best’ parts of the season, it can suddenly feel like the most overwhelming time of the year. How to reduce menopausal hot flushes at ChristmasCentral heating and overheated homesGone are the days when having a warm home felt ‘cosy’. Shapewear and tight festive outfitsGorgeous glittery dresses with sheer tights, isn’t this what Christmas parties were designed for? However, Benjamin says that tight waistbands, shapewear, and high-compression fabrics don’t just trap heat, they can compress the abdomen and worsen bloating, reflux, or gut discomfort.

HENRY NICHOLLS via AFP via Getty ImagesThe Labour Party chair sparked a row on Sunday with her response after she was asked on live TV if the government would delay the next general election. AdvertisementSky presenter Trevor Phillips asked Labour chair Anna Turley on Sunday if Labour intended to postpone the next general election beyond 2029, too. The presenter replied: “What I’m not hearing is that this Labour government can’t see any circumstances by which you would choose to do what you’ve done in local authorities and delay a general election, which, I’ve got to say, I’m finding surprising, that you can’t just say, ’no general election will go beyond the five-year term.”She replied: “Of course a general election will come. There was only one answer: of course we won’t delay the next general election. Labour Chair @annaturley tells @TrevorPTweets there is "no plan to delay a general election."