Which economy did best in 2024? Spain, Ireland, and Denmark. / The Economist

"How has this year been for you?" Some responses from Palestinians. / The London Review of Books

A photographic tour of Bashar al-Assad's presidential palace. / The Wall Street Journal [+]

Once again, a massive wildfire has erupted in Malibu, Calif. / The Los Angeles Times

"They're indifferent to the people that are buried there. They're indifferent to the history." Inside a Texas family's fight to honor its ancestors. / The Barbed Wire

David J. Morris: Male underrepresentation is an uncomfortable topic in a literary world. / The New York Times [+]

Some thoughts on trends from Pinterest's head of forecasting. "Escapism might become more of a reality." / The Trend Report

Unrelated: Salad dressings to avoid at grocery stores. / The Takeout

What exactly are college football's "cupcake games?" "If you'll allow me to use the industry-specific term here, they're all dogshit." / The New Yorker

Attending a premiere for AI movies, which aren't made with love, but "for TCL...as part of a pilot program designed to normalize AI movies and TV shows."  / 404 Media

There have been essentially no G-rated movies in recent years—does general audience entertainment still exist? / Tedium

The best movies of the year according to John Waters. "Stupid critics. Gaga so good. Joker so right. Die, dumbbells, die!." / Vulture