A neo-Nazi march has been held in Sweden’s capital for the first time in 15 years, bringing together far-right white supremacist groups. Police gave permission for the rally to go ahead, to commemorate the killing of a 17-year-old with extremist ties, that used to be held annually in the early 2000s. Al Jazeera’s Nils Adler was there.
Published On 7 Dec 2025
US President Donald Trump has pardoned Timothy Leiweke, the former Oak View Group CEO, who was indicted by federal prosecutors for allegedly rigging bids on a University of Texas arena project.
The clemency document was released Tuesday (December 2), resolving criminal charges brought by Trump’s own Justice Department in July against Leiweke, who had served as CEO of the venue development company.
A federal grand jury accused him of “orchestrating a conspiracy” to manipulate the bidding process for what became the $338 million Moody Center arena in Austin.
Leiweke had pleaded not guilty to charges carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The indictment alleged he arranged for rival Legends Hospitality to withdraw from bidding in exchange for subcontracts on the project, leaving Oak View Group as the sole qualified bidder.
In July, Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, said: “As outlined in the indictment, the Defendant rigged a bidding process to benefit his own company and deprived a public university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding.
According to court documents cited by MBW in July, Leiweke learned in September 2017 that another venue-services company planned to compete for the arena contract. He told colleagues he wanted to “find a way to get [the competitor] some of the business” and “get them to back down.”
By November 2017, Leiweke informed others he was willing to talk to the competitor about not bidding in exchange for subcontracts, but had “no interest in working with them if they intend on putting in a bid,” according to the indictment.
In February of 2018, Leiweke allegedly reached an agreement with the competitor’s CEO, “pursuant to which the competitor agreed that it would stand down and neither submit nor join an independent competing bid for the Arena Project”.
The Moody Center opened in April 2022. Oak View continues to generate revenue from the venue, according to the DOJ.
In connection with the allegations, Oak View agreed to pay $15 million in penalties, while Legends Hospitality paid $1.5 million. A separate non-prosecution agreement between the DOJ and Oak View also detailed a kickback arrangement with a ticketing company, which TicketNews and Billboard identify as Live Nation-owned Ticketmaster.
CNN reported, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Leiweke’s legal team included former Representative Trey Gowdy, a Trump ally who lobbied the Justice Department to drop the case or grant him clemency.
Leiweke’s choice of representation was notable given his past criticism of Trump on social media, where he previously described the president as the world’s “single greatest Con man” and praised former Vice President Mike Pence for “standing up and fighting for the Constitution,” CNN reported, citing now-deleted tweets.
Most recently Leiweke spoke of his “profound gratitude” to Trump. In a statement to CNN, he said: “This has been a long and difficult journey for my wife, my daughter, and me. The President has given us a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards.”
David Gerger, Leiweke’s attorney, called the pardon “the right result,” the report said.
“This has been a long and difficult journey for my wife, my daughter, and me. The President has given us a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards.”
Timothy Leiweke, Oak View Group
The pardon marks another unexpected clemency decision by Trump in recent days, following recent pardons for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted on drug-trafficking charges, and Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife, who faced bribery allegations.
The clemency came one day after Oak View named Chris Granger as permanent chief executive following Leiweke’s resignation after the charges were filed.
“We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him. OVG has remained steadfastly focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients under the leadership of our CEO Chris Granger.”
Oak View Group Spokesperson
Following Trump’s pardon, a spokesperson for Oak View told CNN: “We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him. OVG has remained steadfastly focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients under the leadership of our CEO Chris Granger.”
Before co-founding Oak View Group in 2015, Leiweke spent years in sports management. He previously served as president of the Denver Nuggets from 1991 to 1995 and led several other professional sports franchises during his career.
Music Business Worldwide
Russia continued its aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “very constructive” phone call with Donald Trump’s negotiating team following three days of talks in Florida.
The mayor of Kremenchuk, a major industrial hub in central Ukraine, said the city was repeatedly struck in a “massive” attack. No deaths have been confirmed so far.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 77 Ukrainian drones in several locations.
Aerial assaults have continued even as efforts to negotiate an end to the war have intensified, including detailed Ukraine-US talks in Miami aimed at drafting a peace settlement acceptable to both sides.
On Saturday, Zelensky said he was “determined” to continue working with the US after speaking to Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at the conclusion of those negotiations.
Zelensky said they had discussed how to ensure that Russia stuck to any potential deal to end the war.
Hours later, Vitaliy Maletsk, the mayor of Kremenchuk, said his city had sustained a “massive combined strike” on its infrastructure. The extent of the damage was unclear as of Sunday morning but the mayor said water, electricity and heat had been cut off for some.
The city, which is roughly halfway between Kyiv and the frontline in the east, has been repeatedly targeted since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The White House has pushed both Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a multi-point plan to end the war but there has been little sign of a breakthrough, despite both sides engaging with the US-led process.
“Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace,” Zelensky said on X.
“We covered many aspects and went through key points that could ensure an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a new Russian full scale invasion.”
The Russian strikes in the early hours of Sunday followed a wider attack 24 hours earlier, which drew condemnation from Kyiv’s European allies.
In a social media post, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to Zelensky and offered his “full solidarity”.
“France is determined to work with all partners to secure de-escalation measures and to impose a ceasefire,” Macron added.
Macron, Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are due to hold in-person talks in London on Monday.
Europe has pushed back against early versions of the US-led peace plan and has sought to win support from the White House for its own proposals, including comprehensive security guarantees for a post-war Ukraine, including the possibility of a peacekeeping force.
Sir Keir has led the push for a so-called coalition of the willing, a loose collection of Ukrainian allies who are committed to continuing to underwrite Kyiv’s defence in the event of a ceasefire to deter a second invasion. He has called that proposal “vital” for Ukraine’s long-term security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected the idea of such a force saying any troops deployed to Ukraine would be “legitimate targets”.
Also on Saturday, US and Ukrainian negotiators urged Russia to show a “serious commitment to long-term peace”.
The join statement was issued days after Witkoff returned from talks with Putin at the Kremlin which failed to produce a breakthrough.
Witkoff and Rustem Umerov, newly installed as Zelensky’s most senior negotiator, said they had “agreed on the framework of security arrangements” and “discussed necessary deterrence capabilities to sustain a lasting peace”.
Executives around the league are reportedly cooling on blockbuster trades for stars, and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo may be seeing the effects. On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the mood in front offices is clear: “not to give up four first-round picks for anybody.” That shift could drastically reduce what it takes to move a superstar.
Teams are wary of losing future flexibility under the NBA’s growing apron restrictions. Windhorst explained that since clubs can no longer reset their rosters easily, even elite players like Giannis no longer command wild trade packages. Teams are now prioritizing salary flexibility and younger contributors over high-cost veterans, no matter their pedigree.
Giannis remains among the league’s best players this season. He’s putting up roughly 28.9–30.6 points, 10–11 rebounds, and about 6 assists per game, depending on the source. But his contract — $54.1 million this season, and rising to $58.5 million in 2026–27, with a $62.8 million player option in 2027–28 — complicates trades for many teams.
The idea of four first-round picks exchanged for Giannis no longer holds as much weight in today’s NBA. As one executive told Windhorst, those high-end deals “just aren’t going to happen.”
Sources indicate that even if a trade occurs, Milwaukee would likely seek a mixture of young talent, favorable contracts, and future picks — rather than an all-pick haul.
That said, some teams remain intrigued. Clubs with cap space and long-term visions might still consider offering a mix of players and draft assets. However, no team appears ready to give up four first-rounders unconditionally.
Right now, the landscape suggests that any potential Giannis trade would involve flexibility, youth, and balanced value rather than stockpiling picks. If the Bucks follow through with trade talks, scouts say the return will likely include at least one player, maybe two, plus several picks — but probably not the kind of offer fans dreamed about when superstars shifted so freely in past seasons.
The conversation around Giannis has cooled from hype to careful calculation. And for now, it seems even the brightest stars must fit within a new, more cautious NBA economy.
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Looks like Norton wasn’t the only British motorcycle brand to get a new lease of life. Phelon & Moore is making a loud comeback after having been dormant for decades, with a retro-styled roadster called the Brighton-6 Roadster.
Modern classics seem to be all the rage in the motorcycle world of late, and Phelon & Moore seems to be sticking with the same winning formula that has fetched impressive results for the likes of Royal Enfield, Honda, and Triumph.
But before we highlight the new bike, here’s a bit of background on what the company is all about, considering few outside of the UK would have even heard of the brand name. Founded in Yorkshire’s Cleckheaton in 1904, the company was named after the two people who filed an important patent, Joah Carver Phelon and Richard Moore.
And not just any other patent, it was the first real patent where the engine acted as the frame’s down tube, effectively creating one of the first real motorcycle chassis – compared to the conventional powered bicycles of the time.
Phelon & Moore
Phelon & Moore’s best known range of bikes was called Panther. Big, heavy, low-revving single engines up to 600cc capacity sold in large numbers, all owing to their reliability. These motorcycles were so well-built that they were even employed in both World Wars, mainly as dispatch bikes and sidecar tugs for the British armed forces.
Come the 1960s, production ceased for the company owing to the endless onslaught of Japanese motorcycles. The company remained in a coma until 2022, when a consortium of private European and American investors brought it back to life.
As of now, the company’s design and development is handled in Italy, and manufacturing in China – all under European supervision. Very similar to the strategy of Benelli, Moto Morini, FB Mondial, and so on.
Phelon & Moore
Now, let’s have a closer look at the motorcycle that’s spearheading this revival.
The Brighton-6 is a beautiful modern classic powered by a 550cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor that produces 60 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 41 lb.ft (55.5 Nm) of torque at 6,500 rpm. Gearing ratios are all short, in typical roadster fashion. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, with a top speed of 113 mph (181 km/h).
Not bad numbers for a sub-600cc motorcycle by any stretch. But what I don’t like about it is how heavy the thing is: 548 lb (249 kg) with a full fuel tank. That’s way too heavy, considering the likes of the Kawasaki Z650RS and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 – with bigger 650cc motors – weigh 412.3 lb and 478 lb, respectively.
The second thing I don’t like isn’t anything about the bike or its hardware. It’s the fact that Phelon & Moore has used AI-generated renders to show the bike in action. No, thanks – I’d rather not have any action images of the motorcycle than see how AI “imagines” it.
Phelon & Moore
Back to the bike, suspension duties are carried by an inverted fork up front, and spring-preload adjustable shock at the rear – both offering 6.7 inches (170 mm) of travel. For braking, you get 320-mm double discs with 4-piston radial calipers at the front and a 260-mm single disc out back, kitted with Bosch 9.1 ABS throughout.
The stunning 5.3-gallon (20-liter) teardrop tank comes painted in either an obsidian black or a rich, deep red colorway with elegant diagonal pinstriping across it. I love the minimal branding and the small, neat touch of the embossed Union Jack symbol on the side.
There’s diamond-shaped stitching on the curved two-up saddle, cut fenders, a neat tail, an old-school round LED headlight, and a 7-inch TFT dash with smartphone pairing. The windshield is adjustable, you get handguards from the factory, and features like Traction Control System and a tire pressure monitoring system all come as standard.
There’s also a scrambler version of the bike with the same name in case you wanted something more rugged. The difference is a change in tire type and the seat height. That’s about it.
Phelon & Moore
The road-oriented rubber on cast-aluminum wheels on the Roadster changes to Panther Adventure tires on tubeless wire-spoke wheels that offer a 70/30 street/dirt ratio on the scrambler. The 17-inch tire size, though, remains the same. Seat height increases to 32.3 inches (820 mm) on the scrambler from the roughly inch lower seat of the roadster.
As for availability, we’re looking at a mid-2026 launch timeline. We expect to see a European rollout initially, but considering how popular these kind of motorcycles are in the USA, I don’t rule out an American launch, too.
Take it with a pinch of salt, though. As for pricing, no details are provided in that department, yet. For now, what matters is that another iconic motorcycle brand has risen again.
Source: Phelon & Moore
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee urges the public to come out and vote amid expectations of a low turnout.
Voters in Hong Kong are heading to the polls to elect new lawmakers under China’s “patriots only” rules, though government efforts to drive turnout have been overshadowed by anger over the city’s handling of a major deadly fire.
Polls opened early on Sunday across the autonomous Chinese city to select 90 legislators, though only 20 of those seats are directly elected.
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The election is only the second time since the city overhauled the electoral system to ensure that only those deemed “patriots” can run for office.
Political campaigning for the polls was abruptly paused in late November, after a blaze tore through the housing blocks of Wang Fuk Court in northern Hong Kong, killing at least 159 people.
Al Jazeera’s Laura Westbrook, reporting from Hong Kong, said “there had been some questions” whether the voting should go ahead in light of the tragedy, believed to be the world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980.
“But Hong Kong’s chief executive, John Lee, said the vote should go ahead, as a way to maintain stability, and that he needed the newly elected legislature to help push through reforms as well as ensure the recovery and reconstruction efforts can move ahead quickly,” Westbrook said.
Lee had earlier announced a judge-led “independent committee” to investigate the fire, which devastated seven apartment blocks that were undergoing renovations.
He has also urged the people of Hong Kong to take part in the polls, saying their ballots represented reform and support to the fire victims.
On Sunday, a sombre-looking Lee was seen casting his vote in the city.
As of this week, police have arrested 15 people from various construction companies on suspicion of manslaughter.
Police also reportedly arrested at least three people for sedition for making public criticism of the government in the wake of the fire.
Among those detained was 24-year-old student Miles Kwan, who handed out flyers calling for government accountability. Kwan was later reported to have been released.
Earlier this week, a university in the city also shut operations of its student union after messages were posted on campus expressing condolences and urging justice for the victims of the fire.
Legislative elections in Hong Kong used to entail boisterous clashes between pro-Beijing and pro-democracy camps, with the latter often winning about 60 percent of the popular vote.
But in 2020, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law after the city was roiled by huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests. The first contest held under the new rules later that year saw a record low turnout of less than 30 percent.
Some pro-democracy lawmakers have been jailed, including as part of a subversion case that concluded last year, while others resigned or fled Hong Kong.
Sunday’s race will once again be devoid of the two largest pro-democracy parties after the Civic Party disbanded in 2023 and the Democratic Party said it is winding down.
Before the fire, authorities had blanketed much of the city in promotional material and extended the operating hours of polling stations.
About a third of the outgoing cohort of lawmakers, including veterans such as Regina Ip and legislature president Andrew Leung, are not seeking another term.
China and Russia hold third joint anti-missile drills on Russian territory
At least 23 people have been killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in the coastal region of Goa, India, local officials say.
The majority of victims are believed to be staff at the club in Arpora, North Goa, while tourists are also among the dead.
Police believe a gas cylinder exploded in the club’s kitchen causing the blaze to rip through the venue at midnight on Saturday, local time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Goa fire “deeply saddening” in a post on social media.
“The fire was mainly concentrated around the kitchen area on the ground floor,” said Alok Kumar, Goa’s Director General of Police.
“The fire occurred around midnight. It has now been brought under control.”
Most of the bodies were found around the kitchen “suggesting that the victims were employed at the club,” Mr Alok Kumar added.
The Indian Express reports the fire broke out at a club called Birch by Romeo Lane at Baga, located at the one of the coastal region’s most popular beaches.
Rescue services were still underway in the early hours of Sunday morning, local media reported.
Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told journalists three people died from burn injuries while others died from suffocations.
He said “three to four” tourists had died. Their age and nationalities are not yet known.
A formal inquiry into the cause of the fire has launched, the chief minister said.
Dr Sawant said: “Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law – any negligence will be dealt with firmly.”
“I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.”
Goa is former Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea. Its nightlife, sandy beaches, and resorts attract millions of tourists annually.
About 5.5 million tourists visited Goa in the first half of the year, government data showed, with 270,000 visiting from abroad.
India has seen a number of deadly fires at entertainment venues in recent years.
A fire at a three-storey building killed 17 in the southern city of Hyderabad in May, while a hotel blaze in north-east Kolkata left 15 dead a month earlier.
Last year, 24 died at an amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat after visitors were trapped inside due to the collapse of a temporary structure at the entrance. An official review later found poor safety standards contributed to a higher death toll.
The National Park Service will offer free admission to U.S. residents on President Donald Trump’s birthday next year — which also happens to be Flag Day — but is eliminating the benefit for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.
The new list of free admission days for Americans is the latest example of the Trump administration downplaying America’s civil rights history while also promoting the president’s image, name and legacy.
Last year, the list of free days included Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth — which is June 19 — but not June 14, Trump’s birthday.
The new free-admission policy takes effect Jan. 1 and was one of several changes announced by the Park Service late last month, including higher admission fees for international visitors.
The other days of free park admission in 2026 are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27) and the anniversary of the creation of the Park Service (Aug. 25).
Eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans were emancipated, removes two of the nation’s most prominent civil rights holidays.
Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend.
“The raw & rank racism here stinks to high heaven,” Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks, a former president of the NAACP, wrote on social media about the new policy.
Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that while presidential administrations have tweaked the free days in the past, the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is particularly concerning. For one, the day has become a popular day of service for community groups that use the free day to perform volunteer projects at parks.
That will now be much more expensive, said Brengel, whose organization is a nonprofit that advocates for the park system.
“Not only does it recognize an American hero, it’s also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,” Brengel said. “Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition … For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn’t be.”
Some Democratic lawmakers also weighed in to object to the new policy.
“The President didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom,” said Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. “Our country deserves better.”
A spokesperson for the National Park Service did not immediately respond to questions on Saturday seeking information about the reasons behind the changes.
Since taking office, Trump has sought to eliminate programs seen as promoting diversity across the federal government, actions that have erased or downplayed America’s history of racism as well as the civil rights victories of Black Americans.
Self-promotion is an old habit of the president’s and one he has continued in his second term. He unsuccessfully put himself forwardfor the Nobel Peace Prize, renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after himself, sought to put his name on the planned NFL stadium in the nation’s capital and had a new children’s savings program named after him.
Some Republican lawmakers have suggested putting his visage on Mount Rushmore and the $100 bill.
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