As Rome Prepares for a Tourist Surge, Residents Fear Losing the City’s Soul

The Catholic Jubilee in 2025 is expected to draw 32 million visitors. Officials are proud of the city’s accompanying makeover, but residents lament soaring housing costs and changes in Rome’s character.

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Toxic spill fears follow deadly Brazil bridge collapse

Lorries containing pesticides and sulphuric acid plunged into the Tocantins river in the north of the country.
BBC News - 5h
Pope launches jubilee year expected to bring millions of visitors to Rome

The Eternal City has been given a facelift in preparation for the event, with monuments cleaned up and roads redesigned to improve the flow of traffic. Pope Francis opened the “Holy Door” of St ...
The Guardian - 5h
Sorting Fact From Fiction as Fear Engulfs Bangladesh’s Hindus

Reports of vandalism and mob violence are real, but wilder accusations emanating from India muddy the picture.
The New York Times - 21h
Assad’s Syrian stronghold prepares for life after the regime

At ‘settlement centres’, ex-soldiers hand in weapons and spit on pictures of former president amid fear of retribution
Financial Times - 21h
Bollywood is losing the plot

Also in this newsletter: Nandan Nilekani’s productivity tip, and my favourites from 2024
Financial Times - 1d
Cross loses as record number of seeds out of Worlds

Former champion Rob Cross is knocked out of the 2025 World Darts Championships as a record number of seeds fall in the second round at Alexandra Palace.
BBC News - 1d
Raiders ignore draft uproar: 'Don't do this to lose'

With fans upset over the team's draft slot slipping after a victory Sunday, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said winning matters and "we don't do this to lose."
ESPN - 1d
Liverpool fly towards Boxing Day with Premier League title theirs to lose; Man City, Man United keep strugging

Elsewhere on the Golazo Starting XI newsletter, don't miss all the Boxing Day EFL action on CBS Sports Golazo Network
CBS Sports - 1d
Starbucks strike expands to 12 cities

Workers have escalated the strike each day since it began on Friday.
ABC News - 1d