Sheikh Hasina warns of rising extremism and constitutional collapse under the Muhammad Yunus regime, calling for free, participatory elections to restore Bangladesh’s democracy
Expressing grave concerns over the banning of the Awami League and shifting regional alliances, Hasina argues that only constitutional governance and inclusive polls can rescue the country from its current instability and economic decline. File pic/AFP
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has spoken out on her departure and the nation’s current crisis in an exclusive interaction. She characterises the 2024 unrest as an orchestrated insurrection by radicals rather than a peaceful student movement. Criticising the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, Hasina alleges it lacks democratic legitimacy, has emboldened extremists, and has systematically dismantled judicial inquiries into the August violence. Expressing grave concerns over the banning of the Awami League and shifting regional alliances, she argues that only constitutional governance and inclusive polls can rescue the country from its current instability and economic decline.
Could you share what factors influenced your decision to leave Bangladesh and what assurances you would need to consider returning?
What began as a genuine student movement was escalated by radicalists who led the crowds into violence, destroying state and communications infrastructure and burning down police stations. By then, this was no longer a peaceful civic movement but a violent mob.
My instinct has always been to protect our country and our citizens, and it was not an easy decision to leave while my country erupted into lawlessness. I regret that I was compelled to leave, but it was a decision I took to minimise any further loss of life and to ensure the safety of people around me.
For me to return, Bangladesh must restore constitutional governance and the rule of law. This means lifting the unlawful ban on the Awami League, releasing political prisoners detained on fabricated charges, and holding genuinely free elections. You cannot claim democratic legitimacy while banning the party elected nine times by the people.
How do you reflect on your government’s handling of the 2024 protests, and how do you respond to the concerns raised about the use of force and the legal cases that followed?
In the initial days, we allowed students to protest freely and accepted their demands. Then extremists transformed peaceful demonstrations into a violent insurrection. We responded as any government would when faced with burning police stations and attacks on state infrastructure; we acted to restore order and to prevent further bloodshed.
I attempted to gain a full picture of the events in August 2024 by establishing a judicial inquiry commission to investigate every death. The conspiracy behind these attacks became clear only later when Yunus immediately dissolved this inquiry, released convicted terrorists, and granted blanket immunity to those he now glorifies as “July warriors”. These same actors marched on the Indian embassy last week, no doubt emboldened by the protection of the interim government.
If there were genuine concerns about excessive force or wrongful prosecutions, why destroy the very mechanism designed to investigate them? The truth is that Yunus has consistently thwarted attempts to establish what really happened in July and August 2024, because an impartial investigation would reveal the orchestrated nature of the violence.
What is your assessment of the current Yunus-led regime, and how do you view Bangladesh’s future—both with the proposed February 2026 elections and in the longer term?
We cannot forget that Yunus governs without a single vote from the Bangladeshi people. He has placed extremists in cabinet positions, released convicted terrorists, and done little or nothing to stop attacks on religious minorities. The economy that quadrupled during my tenure is now stalling.
Yunus came to power promising reform, yet all he has done is sow division and ban the country’s oldest and most popular political party, thus disenfranchising millions. These elections can never be legitimate if the Awami League is banned.
My concern is that extremists are using Yunus to project an acceptable international face while they radicalise our institutions domestically. But Bangladesh and its people have extraordinary resilience and an unwavering belief in the power of participatory democracy. I trust that democracy will prevail and that we will set our great country back on the path to recovery and growth.
Looking back, how do you view the debate over democratic space during your tenure, and what reforms or new approaches would you prioritise if given another opportunity to lead?
I believe our greatest achievement as a party was the restoration of democracy in the 1990s. When I returned to Bangladesh following my father’s assassination, the biggest challenge facing our country was a lack of popular representation. Those years of military rule and unelected leadership taught us valuable lessons about the power of democracy that we never took for granted during our time in government. As a government, we encouraged political engagement and participation across the nation. Democracy thrives with healthy opposition, yet some of those parties chose to boycott previous elections, restricting the democratic choice of millions of ordinary citizens.
It is interesting that those who accused us of restricting democratic space now rule without a single vote, have forced judges to resign, and have detained journalists brave enough to critique their increasingly authoritarian grip on our nation. The question isn’t what reforms I would implement; it’s whether Bangladesh will retain any democratic institutions to reform.
We are proud of our record in government. During those 15 years, we helped to lift millions out of poverty, empowered women, and transformed Bangladesh into one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies. We consistently protected the rights of minorities and prevented radicalism from eroding our democracy. It takes a legitimate and strong government to forge our country’s place both domestically and internationally, and we did so by operating within constitutional boundaries. We were repeatedly mandated by voters at the ballot box.
How do you assess the country’s current political course under the interim government, particularly in terms of national stability and long-term strategic interests?
The Yunus government took power with a wave of Western support from those who confused economic success with political aptitude. Reality has now set in. International bodies condemn his actions, cabinet members have stepped down in protest, and our citizens face unprecedented danger. Hundreds of innocent people have been detained arbitrarily under Yunus, and journalists have been censored.
On the international stage, decades of carefully cultivated economic partnerships and regional stability have also been jeopardised.
This goes beyond mere incompetence; it is the systemic destruction of a once-stable country. Thankfully, such regimes never endure, and Yunus’ treatment of Bangladesh as his personal experiment will soon end. I can only hope that the international community will do its part in ensuring free, fair, and participatory elections so that the next legitimately elected government can rebuild what Yunus and his cronies have destroyed.
Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Meta are investing tens of billions of dollars into India’s digital ecosystem and highlighting the surging worldwide appetite for computing capacity and data storage.
US technology giants are investing huge amounts of money into India
US technology giants are investing huge amounts of money into India as the country positions itself at the centre of the global hub for data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure, according to a report by The New York Times.
Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Meta are investing tens of billions of dollars into India’s digital ecosystem and highlighting the surging worldwide appetite for computing capacity and data storage.
Microsoft has pledged $17.5 billion for AI-related projects in India, while Amazon has plans to spend $35 billion on AI-driven operations across the country over the next five years.
Google has committed $15 billion towards developing data centres in partnership with Adani Group and Bharti Airtel. Meta is setting up a large facility close to Google’s proposed sites, alongside several other projects being undertaken by domestic conglomerates.
In total, the pledged investments add up to at least $67.5 billion, marking one of the most significant capital inflows into a single sector in India’s history. “This is going to be one of the largest single-sector investments that India’s ever seen,” Somnath Mukherjee, Chief Investment Officer at ASK Wealth Advisors in Mumbai, told The New York Times.
The scale of spending shows that companies are betting on India’s expanding digital market and enormous user base. While the country generates close to a fifth of the world’s data, it accounts for only a small share of global storage infrastructure. “India is the largest consumer of data in the world, but with barely five per cent of American data capacity,” Mukherjee said.
Although trade tensions persist between the US and India, including high tariffs announced by Washington earlier this year, the report noted that the investment surge has continued.
India has been exploring measures to reduce reliance on foreign servers, including potential rules requiring local data storage. Since 2018, policymakers have debated laws requiring digital services to operate from servers within India, with sectors such as banking and messaging already governed by such norms.
Campaigners, Western diplomats and the UN’s rights chief have all condemned the phased month-long vote, citing a ballot stacked with military allies and a stark crackdown on dissent.
The second round of polling will take place in two weeks before the third and final round on January 25
A trickle of voters made their way to Myanmar’s heavily restricted polls on Sunday, with the ruling junta touting the exercise as a return to democracy five years after it ousted the last elected government, triggering civil war.
Former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed, while her hugely popular party has been dissolved and was not taking part.
Campaigners, Western diplomats and the UN’s rights chief have all condemned the phased month-long vote, citing a ballot stacked with military allies and a stark crackdown on dissent.
The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party is widely expected to emerge as the largest one, in what critics say would be a rebranding of martial rule.
The Southeast Asian nation of around 50 million is riven by civil war, and there will be no voting in rebel-held areas.
In junta-controlled territory, the first of three rounds started at 6:00 am (2330 GMT Saturday), including in constituencies in the cities of Yangon, Mandalay and the capital Naypyidaw.
“The election is very important and will bring the best for the country,” said Bo Saw, the first voter at a polling station in Yangon’s Kamayut Township near Aung San Suu Kyi’s vacant home.
“The first priority should be restoring a safe and peaceful situation,” the 63-year-old told AFP.
Slow start
Snaking queues of voters formed outside polling stations in the last election in 2020, which the military declared void a few months later when it ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power.
But this time journalists and polling staff outnumbered early voters at a downtown station near the gleaming Sule Pagoda — the site of huge pro-democracy protests after the coup.
Among a trickle of early voters, 45-year-old Swe Maw dismissed international criticism.
“It’s not an important matter,” he said. “There are always people who like and dislike.”
In total only around 100 people voted at the two stations during their first hour of operation, according to an AFP tally.
The run-up saw none of the feverish public rallies that Aung San Suu Kyi once commanded, and the junta has waged a withering pre-vote offensive to claw back territory.
“It is impossible for this election to be free and fair,” said Moe Moe Myint, who has spent the past two months “on the run” from junta air strikes.
“How can we support a junta-run election when this military has destroyed our lives?” she told AFP from a village in the central Mandalay region.
“We are homeless, hiding in jungles, and living between life and death,” said the 40-year-old.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has not responded to AFP requests for interview, but has consistently framed the polls as a path to reconciliation.
Electronic voting
The military ruled Myanmar for most of its post-independence history, before a 10-year interlude saw a civilian government take the reins in a burst of optimism and reform.
But after Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party trounced pro-military opponents in the 2020 elections, Min Aung Hlaing snatched power in a coup, alleging widespread voter fraud.
Aung San Suu Kyi is serving a 27-year sentence for charges rights groups dismiss as politically motivated.
“I don’t think she would consider these elections to be meaningful in any way,” her son Kim Aris said from his home in Britain.
Most parties from the 2020 vote, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s, have since been dissolved.
The Asian Network for Free Elections says 90 percent of the seats in the last elections went to organisations that do not appear on Sunday’s ballots.
New electronic voting machines will not allow write-in candidates or spoiled ballots.
‘Repression’
The junta is pursuing prosecutions against more than 200 people for violating draconian legislation forbidding “disruption” of the poll, including protest or criticism.
“These elections are clearly taking place in an environment of violence and repression,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said last week.
The second round of polling will take place in two weeks before the third and final round on January 25, but the junta has conceded elections cannot happen in almost one in five lower house constituencies.
The landmark test was conducted on a 400-meter experimental track and demonstrated not only ultra-rapid acceleration but also precise and safe braking.
Footage aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed the test vehicle—appearing as a streamlined chassis—racing along the track at high speed, briefly visible as a blur and leaving smoke in its wake. (Screengrab/X@ChinaDaily))
China has achieved a major milestone in high-speed transportation research by setting a new world record in superconducting magnetic levitation (maglev) technology. Scientists at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) successfully accelerated a 1.1-ton experimental maglev vehicle to a speed of 700 km/h in just two seconds, marking the fastest acceleration and peak speed ever recorded for a superconducting maglev system.
The landmark test was conducted on a 400-meter experimental track and demonstrated not only ultra-rapid acceleration but also precise and safe braking.
According to NUDT researchers, the vehicle was smoothly brought to a stop after reaching its maximum speed, underscoring the system’s control and reliability at extreme performance levels.
Footage aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed the test vehicle—appearing as a streamlined chassis—racing along the track at high speed, briefly visible as a blur and leaving smoke in its wake.
Researchers confirmed that the trial broke previous global records in both acceleration and speed for maglev platforms.
The breakthrough reflects progress across several critical engineering areas.
The test validated ultra-high-speed electromagnetic propulsion
Stable electric suspension and guidance systems
High-power energy storage solutions
The use of high-field superconducting magnets
Together, these technologies allow the vehicle to levitate several centimeters above the track, eliminating wheel-rail friction and enabling extreme speeds with reduced noise and vibration.
Professor Li Jie of NUDT said the success represents a major step forward for China’s ultra-high-speed ground transportation ambitions.
He noted that superconducting maglev systems are not limited to passenger trains but could support next-generation transport concepts and aerospace applications.
HOW MAGLEV TRAINS ARE DIFFERENT
Maglev trains differ fundamentally from conventional rail systems.
Maglev systems do not use wheels; movement is achieved through magnetic forces
Powerful electromagnets are installed both on the vehicle and along the track
Like magnetic poles repel each other, causing the vehicle to levitate above the guideway
The train floats a few centimeters above the track, eliminating physical contact
Alternating magnetic fields along the guideway propel the vehicle forward
The absence of wheel–rail contact greatly reduces mechanical wear and tear
Lower wear results in reduced maintenance requirements over time
Electric propulsion improves overall energy efficiency and supports cleaner operation
Beyond rail transport, experts see broader implications. Superconducting maglev technology could underpin hyperloop-style systems operating in low-pressure or vacuum tubes, where speeds approaching or exceeding 1,000 km/h are theoretically possible.
The same technology may also be used to provide initial acceleration for rockets or aircraft, potentially saving fuel and reducing emissions.
NUDT has been involved in maglev research for more than 30 years, having built China’s first manned maglev test system decades ago.
The team previously reached 648 km/h earlier in 2025, while Shanghai’s maglev line remains the world’s only commercial maglev service, operating at speeds of up to 430 km/h.
Manojh Sai Lella, a senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, was arrested by Frisco police on Monday. Police responded to Lella’s home after family members reported a mental health episode and alleged threats. Authorities said he allegedly tried to set the home on fire several days earlier.
A 22-year-old Indian-origin student has been arrested in the US on charges of arson and terroristic threat against family members. | X
A 22-year-old Indian-origin student has been arrested in the US on charges of arson and terroristic threat against family members, according to official records.
Manojh Sai Lella, a senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, was arrested by Frisco police on Monday.
Police responded to Lella’s home after family members reported a mental health episode and alleged threats.
Authorities said he allegedly tried to set the home on fire several days earlier.
ANGELINA Jolie is in a secret legal battle over her New York City studio as she continues her long-standing, vicious court battle with her ex Brad Pitt over their French vineyard.
The U.S. Sun has exclusively learned that Angelina, 50, has found herself in yet another protracted legal battle, this time over the name of her Manhattan art studio, Atelier Jolie, which opened in November 2023.
The U.S. Sun has exclusively learned Angelina Jolie is embroiled in a new legal battle over the name of her NYC art collectiveCredit: Getty
The Maleficent actress’s art collective is housed in a two-story graffiti-strewn building.
It encompasses a Bohemian mix of art residences, clothing design, workshops, and a cafe run by refugees.
At issue is that there is already a firm out there with the same name, and with a very similar function.
According to documents, Angelina applied to trademark Atelier Jolie in May of 2022, but when the application was finally published in the US Patent and Trademark Office gazette in March 2024, it was immediately opposed by another art business with the same name.
The other Atelier Jolie is based in Easton, Pennsylvania, and is also a trendy gallery for up-and-coming artists with an attached cafe.
The owner is Omnaia Jolie Abdou, an artist, curator and entrepreneur.
In a filing, Omnaia claimed to be operating her business, located in Easton, Pennsylvania, since 2021 under the Atelier Jolie moniker.
According to documents filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, Omania demanded that Angelina’s trademark application be refused.
The notice of opposition filing stated: “Since at least as early as 2021, Opposer has been regularly and continuously using the mark ATELIER JOLIE.
“Opposer’s ATELIER JOLIE mark is primarily used to identify and promote art and design studio goods and services featuring the works of Omnaia Jolie Abdou, managing member of Applicant, which include but are not limited to custom art pieces, apparel and luxury wear, paintings, sculptures, pottery, prints, posters, and other custom merchandise and artistic works.”
Omania added that her business “has created significant goodwill and consumer recognition in the ATELIER JOLIE mark through its continued use and expenditure of significant time, effort, and money in advertising and promotion.”
“Opposer’s and Applicant’s ATELIER JOLIE marks are identical in spelling and therefore are also identical in sight, sound, and commercial impression.
“Opposer, Atelier Jolie, LLC, respectfully requests that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board sustain this Opposition and refuse registration of the mark ATELIER JOLIE for Applicant’s goods and services.”
Angelina’s team has attempted to rebuff Omania’s claims, saying that there would be no confusion between the two businesses.
Now the lawyers for both parties are negotiating a settlement, which could mean Angelina will have to fork over money to use the name.
Angelina’s attorneys argued, “One or more of Opposer’s claims are barred on the grounds that there is no actual competition between Opposer and Jolie and it is virtually impossible for there to be a likelihood for confusion.
“One or more of Opposer’s claims as to its alleged common law marks are barred on the grounds that Opposer has failed to establish an earlier continuous and exclusive use of its alleged mark with respect to goods/services.”
Pennsylvania business records show that Omania’s business was formed on October 27, 2021 – while Jolie’s firm, Atelier Jolie Lifestyle Inc, was set up a few months later on May, 20, 2022 in Delaware.
For the last few months, the two parties have been trying to come to a settlement agreement.
The Easton gallery’s lawyer has asked for more time saying, ‘the parties have been and are currently actively engaged in settlement negotiations.’
Further adding: “The extension is necessary to allow the parties to continue their settlement efforts, and to move towards settlement and resolution of this matter.”
Last November, after a year of being open, Jolie spoke of her aspirations for Atelier Jolie’s future, telling Surface Magazine: “My hope is for Atelier Jolie to be a home for artists, and we want 57 to be a place where people can create, be inspired, and participate in the creative process.
“Doing this alongside artists, designers, and craftsmen who might otherwise be inaccessible is important to how we operate and see the world.”
The fight over the name of her art-collective isn’t the only legal battle Angelina is in, as she continues to face off against her ex-husband, Brad Pitt, over their French estate, Chateau Miraval.
HOW MIRAVAL CAME TO BE
The couple bought the estate in 2011 for an estimated $60 million, with Brad stating the intention was for it to be inherited by their children.
The property, featuring a 35-room manor and a vast vineyard, is now reportedly valued at approximately $500 million.
Brad, 62, has asserted that he was the primary reason for the winery’s success, investing significant time and financial resources into the project from the beginning.
In 2016, the couple separated but both kept their ownership interests in the business until 2021, when Angelina informed Brad she wished to exit the company.
She reportedly alleged that Brad utilized company funds to finance his personal interests.
The talks will address a plan that would stop the war along its current front lines and could require Ukraine to pull back troops from the east, allowing the creation of demilitarised buffer zones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday, Dec 27, 2025. (Photo: The Canadian Press via AP/Riley Smith)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sit down Sunday (Dec 28) with Donald Trump and seek to secure the US president’s stamp of approval for a new proposal to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.
The 20-point plan, which emerged from weeks of intense US-Ukraine negotiations, lacks Moscow’s approval, and the face-to-face in Florida comes in the wake of a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv.
The meeting, hosted by Trump at his opulent Mar-a-Lago residence, will be the pair’s first in-person encounter since October, when the US president refused to grant Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles.
During a stopover in Canada on Saturday, Zelenskyy said he hoped the talks would be “very constructive” and said Russian leader Vladimir Putin had shown his hand with the latest assault on the Ukrainian capital.
“This attack is again, Russia’s answer on our peace efforts. And this really showed that Putin doesn’t want peace,” he said.
EUROPEANS VOW SUPPORT
While in Canada, Zelenskyy held a conference call with European leaders who, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, pledged their full support for his peace efforts.
Russia has accused Ukraine and its European backers of trying to “torpedo” a previous US-brokered plan to stop the fighting.
EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, who participated in the conference call, said the European Union’s backing for Ukraine would never falter and vowed to maintain pressure on the Kremlin to come to terms.
Trump has so far been non-committal on the new peace proposal.
Zelenskyy “doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” the president said in an interview with Politico on Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
The talks will address a plan that would stop the war along its current front lines and could require Ukraine to pull back troops from the east, allowing the creation of demilitarised buffer zones.
As such, it contains Kyiv’s most explicit acknowledgement yet of possible territorial concessions.
But it does not envisage Ukraine withdrawing from the 20 per cent of the eastern Donetsk region that it still controls – Russia’s main territorial demand.
Trump has made ending the Ukraine and Gaza wars the centerpiece of his self-proclaimed second term as a “president of peace”.
But the Ukraine war has, by his own admission, proved far harder than he expected, and the president has repeatedly voiced his frustration with both sides for failing to secure a truce.
SECURITY GUARANTEES
In Canada, Zelenskyy told reporters that security guarantees would be a key focus of the talks in Florida.
“Security guarantees must be simultaneous with the end of the war, because we must be confident that Russia will not start aggression again,” he stressed.
“We need strong security guarantees. We will discuss this and we will discuss the terms.”
Ukraine insists it needs more European and US support in terms of funding and weaponry – especially drones.
The revision focuses on areas such as digital and green trade, along with intellectual property provisions — key improvements China needs to make to meet the standards of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
A Chinese national flag flies at a port in Beihai, Guangxi autonomous region. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
China on Saturday (Dec 27) passed revisions to a key piece of legislation aimed at strengthening Beijing’s ability to wage trade war, curb outbound shipments from strategic minerals to sex dolls, and further open its US$19 trillion economy.
The latest revision to the Foreign Trade Law, approved by China’s top legislative body, will take effect on Mar 1, 2026, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.
The world’s second-largest economy is overhauling its trade-related legal frameworks partly to convince members of a major trans-Pacific trade bloc created to counter China’s growing influence that the manufacturing powerhouse deserves a seat at the table, as Beijing seeks to reduce its reliance on the United States.
Adopted in 1994 and revised three times since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, most recently in 2022, the Foreign Trade Law empowers policymakers to hit back against trading partners that seek to curb its exports and to adopt mechanisms such as “negative lists” to open restricted sectors to foreign firms.
The revision also adds a provision that foreign trade should “serve national economic and social development” and help build China into a “strong trading nation”, Xinhua said.
It further “expands and improves” the legal toolkit for countering external challenges, according to the report.
The revision focuses on areas such as digital and green trade, along with intellectual property provisions, key improvements China needs to make to meet the standards of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, rather than the trade defence tools the 2020 revamp honed in on following four years of tariff war with the first Trump administration.
Beijing is also sharpening the wording of its powers in anticipation of potential lawsuits from private firms, which are becoming increasingly prominent in China, according to trade diplomats.
“Ministries have become more concerned about private sector criticism,” said one Western trade diplomat with decades of experience working with China. “China is a rule-of-law country, so the government can stop a company’s shipment, but it needs a reason.”
“It’s not totally lawless here. Better to have everything written out in black and white,” they added, requesting anonymity, as they were not authorised to speak with media.
Cambodia’s Defence Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit after the ceasefire was agreed during a special meeting at a border checkpoint in Chanthaburi province, Thailand
A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia has come into effect along the border, where almost three weeks of deadly clashes have forced nearly one million people from their homes.
In a joint statement, the defence ministers of the two countries agreed to freeze the front lines where they are now, ban reinforcements and allow civilians living in border areas to return as soon as possible.
The ceasefire took effect at noon local time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday. Once it has been in place for 72 hours, 18 Cambodian soldiers held by Thailand since July will be released, the statement said.
The breakthrough came after days of talks between the two countries, with diplomatic encouragement from China and the US.
The agreement prioritises getting the displaced back to their homes, and also includes an agreement to remove landmines.
Thailand’s Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit described the ceasefire as a test for the “other party’s sincerity”.
“Should the ceasefire fail to materialise or be violated, Thailand retains its legitimate right to self-defence under international law,” he told reporters.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said he hopes the ceasefire will “pave the way” for peace, while an EU spokesperson urged “good faith” in its implementation.
Thailand had been reluctant to accept the ceasefire, saying the last one was not properly implemented. They also resented what they saw as Cambodia’s efforts to internationalise the conflict.
Unlike the last ceasefire in July, US President Donald Trump was conspicuously absent from this one, although the US State Department was involved.
That ceasefire agreement collapsed earlier this month, when fresh clashes erupted. Both sides blamed each other for the breakdown of the truce.
The Thai army said its troops had responded to Cambodian fire in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province, in which two Thai soldiers were injured.
Cambodia’s defence ministry said it was Thai forces that had attacked first, in Preah Vihear province, and insisted that Cambodia did not retaliate.
Clashes have continued throughout December. On Friday, Thailand carried out more air strikes inside Cambodia.
The Thai Air Force said it had hit a Cambodian “fortified military position” after civilians had left the area. Cambodia’s defence ministry said the strikes were “indiscriminate attacks” against civilian houses.
How well the ceasefire holds this time depends to a large extent on political will. Nationalist sentiment has been inflamed in both countries.
Cambodia, in particular, has lost many soldiers and a lot of its military equipment. It has been driven back from positions it held on the border, and suffered extensive damage from the Thai air strikes, grievances which could make a lasting peace harder to achieve.
Disagreement over the border dates back more than a century, but tension increased early this year after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs in a disputed temple.
A Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash in May, and two months later, in July, there were five days of intense fighting along the border, which left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. Thousands more civilians were displaced.
Following intervention by Malaysia and President Trump, a fragile ceasefire was negotiated between the two countries, and signed in late October.
Israel on Friday became the first country to recognize Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia in East Africa. It wasn’t known why Israel made the declaration now or whether it was expecting something in return.
A growing number of countries on Saturday rejected Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation a day earlier, the first by any country in more than 30 years.
It wasn’t known why Israel made the declaration Friday or whether the country was expecting something in return.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 during a descent into conflict that continues to leave the east African country fragile. Despite having its own government and currency, Somaliland had never been recognized by any nation until Friday.
A joint statement by more than 20 mostly Middle Eastern or African countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Saturday rejected Israel’s recognition “given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole.”
Somaliland, which is arid, lies on the Gulf of Aden across from Yemen and next to small Djibouti, which hosts military bases for the U.S., China, France and several other countries.
The joint statement also noted “the full rejection of any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land.” Syria in a separate statement also rejected Israel’s recognition.
Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Israel had approached Somaliland about taking in Palestinians from Gaza as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan at the time to resettle the territory’s population. The United States has since abandoned that plan.
The U.S. State Department on Saturday said that it continued to recognize the territorial integrity of Somalia, “which includes the territory of Somaliland.”
Netanyahu’s office said Friday that he, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, signed a joint declaration “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”
That initiative, which started in 2020, established commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Trump sees it as key to his plan for bringing long-term stability to the Middle East.
Somalia’s federal government on Friday strongly rejected what it described as an unlawful move by Israel, and reaffirmed that Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia’s sovereign territory.
Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
It’s the biggest mystery in Georgia politics right now: Who’s paying for the attacks on Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones?
Someone operating under the name “Georgians for Integrity” has dumped around $5 million into television ads, mailers and texts. The attacks claim Jones, who already has President Donald Trump’s endorsement in his run for governor next year, has been using his office to enrich himself.
For any Georgian settling down to watch a football game, the ads have been nearly inescapable since Thanksgiving. They’re the opening shot in the public battle for the Republican nomination that will be settled in May’s primary election. But the ads also show how dark money is influencing politics not only at the national level but in the states, with secretive interests dropping big sums seeking to shift public opinion.
The Jones campaign is hopping mad, threatening legal action against television stations if they don’t stop airing ads that a lawyer calls “demonstrably false” and slanderous.
So far, the ads remain on air.
“They want to be anonymous, spend a lot of money, and create a lot of lies about myself and my family,” Jones told WSB-AM in an interview Dec. 16, calling the ads “fabricated trash.”
Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Jones’ top rivals for the Republican nomination, say they are not involved in the attacks. All three want to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who can’t run again because of term limits. There are also multiple Democrats vying for the state’s top office.
Dark money marches on
The Georgia Republican Party has filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission. The GOP claims the ads violate Georgia’s campaign finance law against spending on an election without registering and disclosing donors.
“I think there are far-reaching consequences to allowing this activity to go forward unchecked,” state Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon told The Associated Press. “And the consequences are much broader than the outcome of the May primary.”
It’s a further filtering down of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which led to dramatic increases in independent spending in U.S. elections, said Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel for the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center, which seeks to reduce the influence of money in politics.
“Dark money is becoming more and more the norm in races, up and down the ballot, and at early times,” Ports said.
Claims that Jones has been engaged in self-dealing are nothing new —- Carr has been making similar attacks for months. But things escalated after Georgians for Integrity was incorporated in Delaware on Nov. 24, according to that state’s corporation records. The entity identifies itself as a nonprofit social welfare organization under the federal tax code, a popular way to organize campaign spending that lets a group hide its donors.
The Jones campaign says the ad falsely leads viewers to believe that Jones enabled government to take land through eminent domain to help support his family’s interest in a massive data center development in Jones’ home county south of Atlanta. As a state senator, Jones did vote for a 2017 law that opened a narrow exception in Georgia’s law prohibiting governments from conveying property seized through condemnation proceedings to private developers. But eminent domain isn’t being used to benefit the $10 billion development that government filings show could include 11 million square feet (1 million square meters) of data centers.
Group’s records are a dead end
Georgians for Integrity lists its local address as a mailbox at an Atlanta office supply store east on some paperwork submitted to television stations. A media buyer named Alex Roberts, with a Park City, Utah, address, is also listed on those papers, but he hasn’t responded to an email from the AP. Neither has Kimberly Land, a Columbus, Ohio, lawyer listed on incorporation papers. After weeks of heavy spending, no one has proved who’s providing the cash.
The Republican Party contends Georgians for Integrity is an independent committee under Georgia law. That means it can raise and spend unlimited sums, but must register before accepting contributions and must disclose its donors.
Italian police have arrested nine people accused of raising around €7m (£6m) for Hamas over more than two years.
The money was ostensibly collected as humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, a police statement said, but was instead sent to the militant group via a “complex fundraising system”.
Alongside the arrests, police say they have seized more than €8m (£7m) in assets as part of the investigation.
Police say the suspects are “specifically accused of carrying out financing operations believed to have contributed to terrorist activities”.
The arrests were made as part of a joint initiative between Italy’s counter-terror police and financial police.
The investigation began after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack in southern Israel.
Police say they analysed “a series of reports of suspicious financial transactions” involving some of the suspects in the lead up to the attack.
Investigators uncovered a “complex” system of fundraising, which was headquartered in Genoa with branches in Milan, the statement adds.
“The suspects collected donations intended for the civilian population of Gaza, however, it emerged that over 71% of these funds were diverted to Hamas’s coffers to finance its military wing and support the families of suicide bombers or those detained for terrorism,” the police statement says.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the most well-known of the arrested suspects was Mohammad Hannoun, the president of the Palestinian Association in Italy.
Brooklyn Beckham and Victoria Beckham are exchanging pointed jabs once again as their family feud rages on.
The chef’s wife, Nicola Peltz, shared a message seemingly aimed at her in-laws, Victoria and David, in a Friday Christmas post.
The carousel of photos from their holiday festivities revealed that the couple spent the day with Nicola’s parents.
“We wish everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year filled with so much love, peace and happiness,” Nicola, 30, captioned the joint post.
Brooklyn Beckham’s wife, Nicola Peltz shared a pointed message seemingly aimed at Brooklyn’s parents, Victoria and David Beckham, on Friday. Instagram/nicolaannpeltzbeckhan
Their comments section erupted with responses from fans showing their allegiances.
“Why don’t you show love to the Beckham family?!” one follower wrote under the post.
“Everyone EXCEPT your in-laws!” blogger Perez Hilton commented. Meanwhile, a third netizen added, “Brooklyn go home and see your parents. Life really is too short.”
Victoria, 51, seemingly hit back with an equally shady Christmas message as she shared a video of her and David, 50, singing along to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb’s song, “Guilty.”
In clip, they swayed along to the music together as Streisand sang the lyrics, “We got nothing to be sorry for,” per The Independent.
She followed up the post with a sweet video of David dancing along with their daughter, Harper, to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Islands in the Stream.”
“Truly the best daddy,” Victoria captioned the clip.
In another post, she shouted out her youngest son, Cruz — who was also recently cut off by Brooklyn — as she showed off his bartending skills, saying he makes the “best dirty martini!!”
Reps for David and Victoria, as well as Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
The Beckham family feud — which reportedly dates back to Brooklyn’s 2022 Palm Beach wedding to Nicola — seemingly heated up once again when Brooklyn reportedly unfollowed and blocked his parents on Instagram.
Soon after, the former Spice Girl appeared unbothered by Brooklyn’s blocking as she shared a post promoting her brand’s latest collection.
Victoria and David have yet to publicly address the dig from their son. However, Brooklyn appeared to throw shots at his parents over the week.
On Thursday, he sent a pointed message aimed at the former soccer star and the fashion designer.
In a TikTok, he took a sidewalk stroll while the Lady Gaga song, “Telephone,” played — specifically, her singing, “Sorry, I cannot hear you. I’m kinda busy.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the recognition had been extended “in the spirit of Abraham Accords”.
“I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state,” Netanyahu said.(via REUTERS)
Israel became the first country to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, triggering backlash from nations in the Horn of Africa.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the recognition had been extended “in the spirit of Abraham Accords”, and on the initiative of United States President Donald Trump. The 2020 Abraham Accords had been brokered by the US administration during Trump’s first term. It included Israel formalising diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with other countries joining later, Reuters reported.
“I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. Together with Foreign Minister Sa’ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland, we signed a joint and mutual declaration,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Together with Foreign Minister Sa’ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland, we signed a joint and mutual declaration.
The Israeli PM said he had congratulated Dr Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallah, the President of Somaliland, and “praised his leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace.” Netanyahu also invited Abdallah for an official visit to Israel.
The Israeli PM said the country plans to immediately expand its relations with Somaliland “through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy.”
Significance of Israel’s formal recognition, backlash from nations
Israel’s decision to formally recognise Somaliland could reshape regional dynamics, and test Somalia’s opposition to its secession, Reuters reported.
While Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy and relative peace and stability since 1991, but had failed to receive recognition from any other country.
The move to recognise the country comes after reports emerged that Somaliland was among several countries who were in talks with Israel over the potential resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to the Times of Israel.
However, Somalia and Somaliland had denied receiving any proposal from Israel or US for the alleged resettlement, Reuters reported. Mogadishu categorically denied any such proposal.
After Israel’s recognition, Egypt said the country’s foreign minister Badr Abdelatty had held phone calls with his counterparts from Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti on Friday. Abdelatty discussed what the countries described as dangerous developments in the Horn of Africa, according to the Reuters report.
A fire erupted at the far end of the 50-car pileup, spreading to more than a dozen vehicles, some of which were completely burned.
Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash in snowy weather on an expressway, in Japan’s Minakami. (AP)
A massive crash on an expressway in Japan triggered a blaze that killed one person and injured 26 others on late Friday, as the country kicked off its end-of-the-year holiday season. The pileup of at least 50 vehicles began with a collision between two trucks in the Minakami town, according to police.
A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo died, police said. Out of the 26 injured, five were reported to be in serious condition, The Associated Press reported.
The crash of the trucks blocked parts of the expressway, and cars coming from behind them were unable to brake on the snowy surface. More than 50 vehicles were involved in the pileup, according to the Gunma prefectural highway police.
A fire erupted at the far end of the pileup, spreading to more than a dozen vehicles, some of which were completely burned. Nobody was injured from the fire, which was extinguished about seven hours later, police said.
As of 2 am (local time) on Saturday, the expressway was closed in both directions between the Yuzawa Interchange in Niigata Prefecture and the Tsukiyono Interchange in Gunma Prefecture, according to NHK World. It is currently unclear when the closure will be lifted.
A warning about heavy snow was in effect late on Friday, when many Japanese started their year-end and New Year holidays. Parts of the expressway remained closed for police investigation, removal and cleaning of the wreckage.
Singer James is known for performing the hit songs ‘Bheegi Bheegi’ and ‘Alvida’ in Bollywood movies.
Popular singer James’ concert was cancelled in Faridpur, around 120 kilometres away from Dhaka, amid attacks on artists, performers, and cultural institutions in Bangladesh.
According to local reports, the concert was scheduled to take place at 9:00 pm on Friday to commemorate a local school’s anniversary. A group of attackers tried to force entry at the venue and threw bricks and stones at the crowd. Locals said the students resisted the attackers, but eventually the concert had to be cancelled following instructions from local authorities.
Over 25 people have been reportedly injured in the incident.
Author Taslima Nasreen highlighted the incident and slammed the pattern developing in Bangladesh. In a post on social media platform X, she said, “The cultural center Chhayanaut has been burned to ashes. Udichi-the organization that was built to foster a secular and progressive consciousness through the promotion of music, theater, dance, recitation, and folk culture-has also been burned to ashes. Today, jihadists did not allow the renowned singer James to perform at an event.”
“A few days ago, Siraj Ali Khan had come to Dhaka. He is the grandson of Ali Akbar Khan, the son of the world-famous maestro Ustad Allauddin Khan. Siraj Ali Khan himself is a distinguished artist of the Maihar gharana. He returned to India without performing any program in Dhaka, saying that he would not come to Bangladesh again until artists, music, and cultural institutions are safe,” Nasreen added.
The exiled author said, “Two days ago, Ustad Rashid Khan’s son Arman Khan also declined Dhaka’s invitation. He too made it clear that he does not wish to set foot in a Bangladesh inhabited by music-hating jihadists.”
James is a Bangladeshi singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer.
He is the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the rock band ‘Nagar Baul’. He has performed several hit Hindi film songs, such as ‘Bheegi Bheegi’ from the film ‘Gangster’ and ‘Alvida’ from the film ‘Life In A Metro’. He is very popular in Bangladesh, and the attack on his concert is an indication of how emboldened radical elements have become in Bangladesh.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he would hold a key meeting with Donald Trump to work out a deal to end nearly four years of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine’s air force also announced a countrywide air alert in the early hours of Saturday.
Russia attacked Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine with missiles and drones on Saturday, ahead of what President Volodymyr Zelensky said would be a key meeting with US President Donald Trump to work out a deal to end nearly four years of war.
Before the overnight attacks, Zelensky said his talks in Florida on Sunday would focus on the territory to be controlled by each side after a halt to the fighting that began in February 2022 with President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Russia’s smaller neighbour, Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.
Explosions sounded in Kyiv as Ukraine’s air defence units went into action, and the military said on the Telegram messaging app that missiles were being deployed. The air force said Russian drones were targeting the capital and regions in the northeast and south.
An air raid alert remained in effect in the capital some four hours after being introduced. There were no immediate reports of damage or power cuts.
CONTROLLING TERRITORY IS DIPLOMATIC STUMBLING BLOCK
Russia made no immediate comment on the attacks.
On Thursday night, Russia struck Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and stepped up attacks on the southern region of Odesa, the site of Ukraine’s main seaports.
Amid the continued fierce fighting, territory remains the main diplomatic stumbling block. A 20-point draft in the U.S.-driven campaign to clinch a peace plan is 90% complete, Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv.
He said a security guarantee agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. was almost ready – a key element after guarantees in earlier post-Soviet years proved meaningless.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky told Politico.
Trump said the United States was the driving force behind the process.
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
Zelensky told Axios the U.S. had offered a 15-year deal on security guarantees, subject to renewal, but Kyiv wanted a longer agreement with legally binding provisions to guard against further Russian aggression.
Trump said he believed Sunday’s meeting would go well. He also said he expected to speak with Putin “soon, as much as I want.”
NUCLEAR PLANT, FREE ECONOMIC ZONE ALSO AT ISSUE
In addition to territory, a critical point is control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe’s largest, seized by Russia in the opening weeks of the war.
Moscow demands that Ukraine withdraw from the areas of the eastern region of Donetsk that Russian troops have failed to occupy in their drive to secure all of the Donbas, which also includes the Luhansk region.
Kyiv wants the fighting halted at the current lines.
Under a U.S. compromise, a free economic zone would be set up if Ukraine leaves parts of the Donetsk region, though details have yet to be worked out.
Axios quoted Zelensky as saying that if he is not able to push the U.S. to back Ukraine’s “strong” position on the land issue, he was willing to put the 20-point plan to a referendum – as long as Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire to allow Ukraine to prepare for and hold the vote.
He said he wanted more pressure applied to Russia.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Kyiv’s version of the 20-point plan differed from what Russia had been discussing with the U.S., according to Interfax-Russia news agency.
A view shows an interior of a damaged mosque after several people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect, as a Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said, in Homs, Syria, Dec 26, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Ali Ahmed al-Najjar)
Eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday (Dec 26), Syrian state news agency SANA said.
An ultra-conservative Sunni Syrian group known as Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah said on its Telegram channels that it carried out the attack. The group previously claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Damascus church in June that killed 20 people.
SANA cited Syrian Health Ministry official Najib al-Naasan as saying 18 others were wounded and that the figures were not final, indicating they could rise.
The city’s press office said an explosive device had detonated inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque and that security forces had cordoned off the area.
Local official Issam Naameh told Reuters the blast occurred during Friday noon prayers.
The Supreme Alawite Islamic Council, a body that says it represents Alawites in Syria and abroad, condemned what it called a systematic campaign of killings, forced displacement, detentions and incitement against Alawites for more than a year. It accused the Damascus authorities of responsibility, and said continued attacks risk driving the country toward collapse.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the blast as a “terrorist crime”. Regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar also condemned the attack.
Syrian state media SANA published footage of rescuers and security forces examining debris splayed across the mosque’s green carpet.
If Thailand and Cambodia can come to an agreement, they will make a deal in line with the previous pact brokered with the help of US President Donald Trump, said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Displaced people queue for food at a temporary shelter amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Buriram province, Thailand, Dec 16, 2025. (Photo: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)
Thailand’s defence minister will join ongoing talks with Cambodia on Saturday (Dec 27) that could lead to a truce, the Thai premier said on Friday, as border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbours continued for a third week.
If the defence minister is able to come to an agreement with his Cambodian counterpart, the two countries will make a deal in line with a previous pact brokered with the help of US President Donald Trump following a previous round of clashes in July, he said.
“What is important is that both of us have to keep the promises that both will not threaten, offend, and instigate, and to reduce hostility between the two countries,” Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters in Bangkok, referring to a potential deal.
A Cambodian defence ministry spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Thai and Cambodian officials have been holding parleys at a border crossing since Wednesday as hostilities between the two countries continued. The ceasefire broke down in early December, with at least 98 people killed on both sides and more than half a million on displaced.
Since the conflict restarted, neither Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – chair of the ASEAN bloc that facilitated the previous ceasefire – nor Trump have been successful in halting hostilities.
The warring sides have also been pressed by Beijing to put an end to the fighting, with China’s special envoy for Asian affairs Deng Xijun holding talks in Bangkok and Phnom Penh in recent days.
“I hope that this time will be the last time to sign such an agreement, so that there will be peace in the area and people can return to their homes,” Anutin said.
SIA cancelled four flights between Singapore and New York as well as two flights between Frankfurt and the US state.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) planes sit on the tarmac in Singapore’s Changi Airport, on Mar 3, 2016. (File Photo: Reuters/Edgar Su)
Singapore Airlines (SIA) was among several Asian carriers that cancelled flights to and from New York as the US state braced for a snowstorm on Friday (Dec 26).
The United States National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for New York early on Friday, cautioning that heavy snow was expected between 4pm local time on Friday (5am Saturday, Singapore time) to 1pm on Saturday.
According to an SIA travel advisory, these six flights have been cancelled. All times are local:
SQ23 departing New York (John F Kennedy) for Singapore on Friday at 10.05pm
SQ24 departing Singapore for New York (John F Kennedy) on Friday at 12.10pm
SQ25 departing New York (John F Kennedy) for Frankfurt on Friday at 8.15pm
SQ26 departing Frankfurt for New York (John F Kennedy) on Friday at 8.35am
SQ21 departing New York (Newark) for Singapore on Saturday at 5.45pm
SQ22 departing Singapore for New York (Newark) on Saturday at 5.30am
SIA said it will be contacting all affected customers to inform them about the cancellations, adding that other flights might be affected as the situation remains fluid.
“Customers affected by the flight cancellations will be reaccommodated on alternative flights or can seek a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket,” it added.
SIA customers who booked directly with the airline can seek a refund online. Those who made bookings through travel agents or partner airlines were advised to contact them directly for assistance.
New York City’s John F Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, as well as the Newark Liberty International Airport, were among the top four airports with the most cancellations on Friday, according to flight tracking platform FlightAware.
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific announced on Friday that it was waiving rebooking and rerouting charges for flights to and from New York in light of the snowstorm. This applied to the travel period between Thursday and Sunday.
Looking into age restrictions on social media is “more than justified,” Germany’s Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger told the dpa news agency, commenting on Australia banning the platforms for children under 16.
Wildberger, Germany’s first-ever digital minister, previously served as a head of a major tech retailer [FILE: May 5, 2025]Image: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa/picture allianceWith Australia’s social media ban for teenagers coming into effect this month, German Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger signaled he was opened to a similar move in the EU country.
“I can see a lot of merit in that,” he told the German dpa news agency in remarks published on Friday.
“I consider the question of an age restriction to be more than justified,” he added.
Australia goes against digital heavyweights
Since December 10., the Australian government has required social media platforms to remove profiles of users under 16 and prevent teens from creating new ones.
While the move was controversial, Australian officials say it was motivated by concerns such as cyberbullying, grooming and content that might be harmful to mental health.
The ban applies to multiple digital platforms and global corporate giants such as TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, Kick, Twitch, Threads and X.
EU Commission chief ‘inspired’ by social media restriction
Social media companies and civil liberties activists have criticized the law. At the same time, the decision prompted praise in other countries, where governments are closely monitoring Canberra’s efforts to implement and enforce its new policy; including its age verification systems.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “inspired” by the Australian ban.
Australia remains the first and only country in the world to impose such a restriction.
Germany waits for commission recommendation
Wildberger pointed to an expert commission appointed by the German government to address child and youth protection in the digital age.
“So now the question is: How do we enable them to have a healthy development, like earlier generations had without social media?” he said.
Japan is seeking to bolster its defense capabilities in the face of “the most severe” security environment since the end of World War II.
PM Takaichi had said in November that Japanese military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan (FILE: October 21, 2025)Image: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images
The Japanese Cabinet on Friday approved a record budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The 122.3-trillion-yen ($782 billion) budget will include more than 9 trillion yen for defense, setting an all-time record.
This comes as Tokyo looks to strengthen its coastal defense due to the rising tensions in the region, while seeking to double its spending on weapons to 2% of its gross domestic product.
The draft budget for 2026, which will officially begin in April and still requires the parliament’s approval, is up 9.4% from 2025.
Why is Japan increasing its defense budget?
The Japanese government pledged to reach its 2% goal by March, two years earlier than planned, also due to pressure from its ally the US.
A briefing document by the Japanese Defense Ministry states that Tokyo “faces the most severe and complex security environment” since the end of the Second World War, adding the situations required to “fundamentally strengthen” its defense capabilities.
Due to Japan’s struggles with manning its military, the country sees unmanned weapons as essential to its defense efforts, with drones playing a vital role.
To ensure quick weapons procurement, Tokyo plans on relying on imports, potentially from allies Turkey or Israel.
Right-wing activist Matt Forney has issued alarming warnings about potential violence against the Indian community in the US in 2026 and suggested they all must be deported back to India.
Right-wing activist and US journalist Matt Forney makes racist, hateful post against Indian community in United States
Right-wing activist and American Journalist Matt Forney has warned of targeted attacks against members of the Indian community and on Hindu temples in 2026 in the United States. Under the argument that he is someone who wants peace, Forney pushed his propaganda that all members of the Indian origin should be deported back to the India.
Matt Forney is an infamous American journalist for his anti-immigrant stance and has been fired from the job for making hateful remarks targeted against the Indian community residing in the United States.
In his latest post, Matt Forney took to X, formerly Twitter, and suggested that the United States must “deport every Indian”.
🚨 RED ALERT: A HOLIDAY FOR HATE. 🚨
Matt Forney is weaponizing Christmas Day to manufacture a race war. He is using today, not for prayers, but as a high-visibility window to launch a calculated psychological attack against the Indian American community as he also pits other… https://t.co/LPKHQH3ef3pic.twitter.com/k8f8O3PIJQ
Issuing a threat to Indian origin people in the US, Forney warned that in 2026, the hatred towards them (Indian-origin people) may reach a boiling point that would put their homes, businesses, temple far more vulnerable to violent attacks like mass shootings and bombings.
Boasting himself as someone who wants peace, Forney said that all Indian-Americans should be deported back to India to save their lives and preserve harmony in United States.
In his now deleted X post, Matt Forney said, “In 2026, Indian hatred will hit a boiling point in the form of anti-Indian attacks. Indians will be racially singled out for violence, Indian-owned businesses will be vandalised, Hindu temples will be hit with bombings and mass shootings. The perpetrators will be black, Latino, or Pakistani, not white, which will lead the media to cover up hate crimes they would otherwise eagerly blame on MAGA and Trump, like how the “anti-Asian” hate crimes at the beginning of COVID were shushed up when it was discovered that blacks, not whites, were assaulting Asians.”
MAGICIAN David Copperfield has been further embroiled in the Epstein saga as prosecutors reveal the notorious paedophile reportedly gave multiple victims “backstage passes” to Copperfield’s shows.
The famous illusionist was described by authorities as a “favourite cohort” of Epstein’s, with tickets to his performances doled out as “birthday gifts” for victims, according to explosive new emails.
Ghislaine Maxwell posed together with David Copperfield in new pictures released by the Department of JusticeCredit: Reuters
The latest claims released by prosecutors were dated back to October 2007, written a short time after the FBI raided a Las Vegas warehouse owned by Copperfield, according to the Daily Mail.
The sting came amid allegations the 69-year-old magician allegedly raped a woman; however, no charges were filed, and he has denied the claims.
The emails were amongst a collection of new documents released by the Department of Justice this week.
In the trove of files, three photos depicted Copperfield with Ghislaine Maxwell in matching white bathrobes.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking minors to Epstein.
Embracing each other in the photos, Copperfield and Maxwell can be seen playing with candy and smiling.
The fresh pictures give new insight into the closeness of Epstein and Copperfield’s relationship.
The magician – whose real name is David Kotkin – has once been previously accused of sexual misconduct and assault, however has always denied the allegations, and no charges were ever brought.
He has never been accused of sexual misconduct with a minor.
In the email, a prosecutor – whose name was redacted – wrote: “FYI FBI Seattle and FBI Las Vegas executed a search today on a warehouse owned by Epstein’s favorite cohort, David Copperfield, in connection with allegations that Copperfield raped an adult female”, in the October 2007 email.
The emails went on to allege Copperfield had spoken “with the girls at Epstein’s home on several occasions” where “backstage passes were a favorite ‘birthday gift’ for Epstein to give the girls“.
It has been suggested the email was written by a prosecutor working on the Florida investigation against Epstein, who served 15 months in a state prison after pleading guilty to child prostitution charges in 2008.
In 2024, The Guardian reported the Las Vegas investigation had stemmed from claims made by Lacey Carroll, who accused Copperfield of raping her in Musha Cay – an island in the Bahamas.
The island had reportedly been purchased by the magician for $50 million in 2006.
No charges were ever laid and the investigation was shut down after two years.
David Chesnoff – Copperfield’s lawyer at the time – said his client “categorically” denied the allegations.
“Mr Copperfield’s reputation precedes him as an impeccable gentleman,” Chesnoff told CNN at the time.
“We’re obviously disturbed that those kinds of allegations are being made, but we believe that that’s a common event now, unfortunately, for celebrated people to be falsely accused.”
Copperfield’s name appeared again in another document among the files, in a front of house manager’s reports for a 2005 show.
While there was no explanation for the FBI’s interest in the decade-old show, the 2007 emails indicate investigators could have been looking for proof that Epstein’s victims were getting free passes.
The notes included breakdowns of the first week of shows at the Au-Rene Theatre in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in February 2005, including audience satisfaction, as well as ticket information, detailing 580 complimentary tickets in total, in comparison with the 7,395 tickets sold.
This is not the first time Copperfield and Epstein have been mentioned together in documents relating to the case.
On notes written down on pads that were found by investigators in the paeodophile’s Palm Beach home, “Magic David called” at least 16 times.
Johanna Sjoberg – an Epstein victim – gave evidence in a 2004 deposition, where she said she had been to a dinner at Epstein’s home where Copperfield performed tricks for her and another very young looking girl.
A lawyer asked Sjoberg – who was in her 20s at the time – if the magician ever discussed Epstein’s “involvement with young girls” with her.
“He questioned me if I was aware that girls were getting paid to find other girls,” she replied, according to the deposition transcript.
She also said she had been invited to one of his backstage shows, where he showed her around his tour bus, however said nothing inappropriate happened.
A certain festive decoration at Kourtney Kardashian’s house has sent social media into a frenzy.
Many are interpreting it as a clue that the couple may be rekindling their romance.
Fans are buzzing with the latest revelation from the Kardashian clan regarding Khloé Kardashian and her ex, Tristan Thompson.
At the center of the speculation is Kris Jenner’s stunning gingerbread mansion, which features details that hint at family ties.
In the world of the Kardashians, nothing stays quiet for long, and eagle-eyed fans noticed something special in the gingerbread house.
Nestled among the decorations is a name that caught everyone’s eye: Tristan.
Right next to Khloé’s name and alongside their two children, fans are questioning whether this could mean they’re back together.
The gingerbread display is not just a tribute to Kris’ immediate family, but it also features names of her grandkids, including those belonging to Kourtney, Kim, and Rob.
Notably, Kylie Jenner’s relationship with fashion icon and marketing guru, Timothée Chalamet, is acknowledged in this sweet setup as well.
Tristan’s name also came back into the spotlight this week as his one-time kissing partner, Jordyn Woods, got engaged to New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns.
The intricate design of the house pays homage to all the loved ones in the Kardashian clan, making it a delightful centerpiece for the season.
Fans posted on Reddit with several questions, comments and theories.
“No Scott /Travis but TRISTAN????????” one commenter wrote. “He’s literally bottom of the barrel.”
Another commenter added, “Notice how everyone who is not blood related or considered a part of the “inner circle” does not have a stocking above their name.”
“Okay I thought it was something to do with the top row needed to be different but now I’m so confused lol,” a third fan wrote.
Another commenter added, “It looks like those 5 were added later after the house was already complete. Like the names were forgotten, and someone pointed it out, and they had to be added last minute! That’s why they have no stocking!”
India’s first gene-edited sheep was developed in Indian-administered Kashmir – Abid Bhat/BBC
India’s first gene-edited sheep recently turned a year old and researchers who developed it say it’s doing well.
Born on 16 December last year in Indian-administered Kashmir, the sheep has been named Tarmeem – the Arabic word for modification or editing.
Tarmeem is housed in a private enclosure at the Sher-e-Kashmir Agricultural University in the region’s main city Srinagar along with its non-edited twin sister.
Researchers at the university told the BBC that they used CRISPR technology – a biological system for altering DNA – to develop it.
Basically what it allows scientists to do is use it like a pair of scissors to chop off bits of a gene that cause weaknesses or diseases.
“We extracted a number of embryos from pregnant sheep and edited a specific gene – known as the myostatin gene – which negatively affects muscle growth,” researcher Dr Suhail Magray told the BBC.
The embryos or fertilised eggs were kept in controlled laboratory conditions for two-three days after which they were transferred to a female sheep – or the foster recipient.
“And then nature took over – 150 days later, lambs were born,” he said. “Our aim was to increase the muscle mass in sheep and by knocking out the myostatin gene, we successfully managed to do that,” he added.
After Tarmeem turned one earlier this month, Prof Riaz Shah, the dean of faculty of veterinary sciences and principal investigator on the project, gave the BBC a status update.
“It’s growing well, showing normal physiological, biochemical and physical parameters,” he said. “Tarmeem’s muscle growth has expectedly shown significant increase – about 10% – in comparison to its non-edited twin. I think it is likely to increase further with age.”
Experimentation is going on to evaluate its health and survival and the sheep is kept in a secure environment under strict surveillance, Prof Shah said, adding that they have submitted a research project to the government for funding support.
Sheep have been genetically modified and gene-edited for decades, mainly for research and medical purposes. Early experiments, like the 1990s UK sheep “Tracy,” produced therapeutic proteins in milk. Today, CRISPR is used to study traits such as muscle growth, disease resistance, and fertility.
The eight-member team that worked on developing India’s first gene-edited sheep had been at it for seven years.
“There were a few false starts. We tried multiple strategies, and the breakthrough finally came in December 2024. We did seven IVF procedures, we had five live births and two abortions. Gene-editing was successful in only one,” Prof Shah said.
“We started from zero. But we have now standardised the practice and I think the success rate would be high in future.”
The scientists are excited by the experiment’s success, saying it could help secure sustainable mutton production in the Kashmir Valley, which consumes around 60,000 tonnes annually but produces only half. That, of course, depends on government approval for farming or consumption.
“Land is getting squeezed, water is getting depleted, population is growing but space available for growing food is shrinking,” says Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, the university’s vice-chancellor.
“Our state is deficit in mutton, but gene-editing can raise a sheep’s body weight by 30%. This would be very useful for sustainable food production as it would mean fewer animals can provide more meat,” he says.
If the government grants permission for replicating this technology in large flocks, Prof Ganai says, they can use it to farm sheep and, later, other animals.
“Many institutions in India are working on pigs, goats and poultry. The future is bright,” he adds.
Discovered in 2012, gene-editing technology earned its co-inventors Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna a 2020 Nobel Prize and has revolutionised medical research. But it remains controversial, with ethical debates fuelled by its resemblance to genetic modification (GM).
Scientists emphasise that gene editing and GM are fundamentally different: gene editing tweaks existing genes within a plant, animal, or human, while GM involves introducing foreign genes.
Countries like Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia and Japan treat some gene-edited fish, cattle and pigs as natural, allowing them for consumption.
The US and China use the technology to create more productive, disease-resistant crops and animals; the US FDA recently approved a genetically enhanced pig, and the UK will allow gene-edited foods next year.
A campaign rally in Mandalay ahead of a controversial election being held by Myanmar’s military rulers on 28 December – Jonathan Head/ BBC
On a patch of rough ground near the Irrawaddy River, aspiring member of parliament and retired Lieutenant-General Tayza Kyaw tries to muster some enthusiasm from his audience with a speech promising them better times.
He is the candidate for the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), backed by Myanmar’s military, in Aungmyaythazan, a constituency in the city of Mandalay.
The crowd of 300-400 clutch the branded hats and flags they’ve been given, but soon wilt in the afternoon heat, some dozing off.
Children run and play in between the rows of chairs. Many of these families are victims of the earthquake which badly damaged Mandalay and surrounding areas in March, and are hoping for a handout. They disappear the moment the rally finishes.
A ‘sham’ election
On Sunday the people of Myanmar get their first opportunity to vote in an election since the military seized power in a coup nearly five years ago, setting off a devastating civil war.
But the poll, already delayed many times by the ruling junta, is being widely condemned as a sham. The most popular party, the National League for Democracy, has been dissolved, and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is locked up in an undisclosed prison.
Voting, which will happen in three stages over a period of a month, will not even be possible in large parts of the country still consumed by war. Even where voting is taking place, it is marred by a climate of fear and intimidation.
When the BBC tried asking people at the rally in Mandalay what they thought of the election, we were told not to by party officials. They might say the wrong thing, one man explained – they don’t know how to speak to journalists.
The number of plain-clothes military intelligence officers present there helps explain their nervousness. In a dictatorship which has criminalised liking Facebook pages criticising the election, or using the word revolution, even these staunchly pro-military party activists feared the consequences of allowing a foreign journalist the chance to ask uncensored questions.
The same fear lingers on the streets of Mandalay. At a market stall selling fresh river fish the customers all refused to answer what they thought of the election. We have no choice, so we have to vote, one said. The fish seller shooed us away. “You will bring me trouble,” she said.
Only one woman was brave enough to speak frankly, but we needed to find a private place to meet, and to conceal her identity, just to hear her view of the election.
“This election is a lie,” she said. “Everyone is afraid. Everyone has lost their humanity and their freedom. So many people have died, been tortured or fled to other countries. If the military keeps running the country, how can things change?”
She would not vote, she said, but she knew that decision carried risks.
Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was slapped with a savage community note on X after a $109,000, 3-carat yellow diamond ring she’s accused of buying with ill-gotten FEMA funds was conspicuously edited out of a photo.
Eagle-eyed X sleuths noticed the pricey, square-cut bauble was missing from a Christmas post from the South Florida Democrat, which bore her official congressional portrait — and a naked left ring finger.
“This portrait of Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick has been altered to remove a ring off of her left hand that she bought using $109K of stolen FEMA funds,” the community note said.
The three-term congresswoman, 46, was indicted last month for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds to support her 2021 congressional campaign. She has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee since December 2023.
The ring was missing from Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s finger in a Christmas post. Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, /X
She and several co-defendants, including her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, “conspired to steal” an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds their family health care company received in July 2021 as part of a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, prosecutors said.
The 3.14-carat “Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond” ring was purchased with a cashiers’ check by the scandal-scarred pol in September 2021 – about two months after the overpayments, authorities alleged.
Her spokesperson claimed in email to The Post that the photo alteration was done by staff and not signed off by their boss.
“This action was not directed, approved, or authorized by the Congresswoman. It was a staff-level decision made by well-intentioned individuals seeking to protect the Member’s reputation. It was unauthorized and should not have occurred,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“The image is the Congresswoman’s official 2025 portrait, and she has no intention of altering or editing it now or in the future.”
The Post has also sought comment from her legal team.
The FEMA overpayments came through a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, but the lawmaker instead used the money to also help fund her 2021 congressional campaign, federal prosecutors alleged.
Cherfilus-McCormick is facing charges of theft of government funds, making and receiving straw donor contributions, aiding and assisting a false and fraudulent statement on a tax return and money laundering.
She’s also facing a conspiracy charge attached to each of those counts, and could spend decades in prison if found guilty.
Her brother, ex-chief of staff and accountant are also facing charges in the alleged scheme that conspired to steal up to $5 million.
New York will get walloped by its heaviest snowstorm in years — with some parts of the Big Apple expected to see as much as 11 inches, forecasters and officials said.
More than half of the Empire State was placed under a state of emergency as the white stuff started falling just before 5 p.m. on Friday.
New York is expected to get blanketed with up to 10 inches of snow starting later Friday, the most in nearly four years. Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Post
The storm was then expected to intensify, with more than two inches set to fall per hour at times, according to the New York National Weather Service (NWS) — which issued a weather storm warning for the the city from 4 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday.
“New Yorkers should prepare for a significant snow event, beginning this afternoon and continuing into Saturday. Our current forecast is telling us we could get a range of 6 to 9 inches of accumulation citywide, and could be even more in Northeast Queens and northern New York City,” Mayor Eric Adams said Friday.
Should the Big Apple be blanketed with 9 inches, the snowfall would be the most since a whopping 16.8 inches in Central Park across two days in late January into February 2021, Accuweather told The Post.
The last time a storm came close to dropping that much snowfall was back in 2022, when 8.5 inches fell.
That’s still a far cry from any records, however. The most snowfall New York City has ever seen on Dec. 26 was way back in 1947, when the city was hammered with 26.1 inches.
Northeast Queens was expected to get the biggest dump in Friday’s storm — with as much as 11 inches predicted for the sections of the World’s Borough, Adams said.
Parts of the Bronx could get almost 8 inches, with some of Brooklyn, including Gravesend and Sheepshead Bay, seeing around 6.6 inches, according to the NWS’ precipitation portal.
Just eight states are on track to allow their residents to cash in fully on popular tax cuts from President Trump’s marquee legislation in 2026, experts told The Post, with several blue states unwilling to give workers an additional break.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act exempted federal taxes on tipped wages and overtime pay, but hard-working residents will still have to pay state taxes on that income — unless local elected leaders step up.
Democratic strongholds like New York, Illinois and California have so far declined to extend state-level tax breaks, Reuters first reported, citing billions of dollars in potential budget shortfalls.
Other blue and red states alike have yet to signal whether they will take up legislation in the new year to conform to the federal tax code by changing the definition of what qualifies as taxable income. States like New Jersey are open to some of the provisions like not taxing tipped workers.
Just eight states are on track to allow their residents to cash in on popular tax breaks from President Trump’s marquee legislation in 2026, experts told The Post.AP
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this month accused several blue states — including Illinois and New York — of playing Ebenezer Scrooge this holiday season by “deliberately blocking” the popular One Big Beautiful Bill Act provisions, which will begin taking effect on Jan. 1.
Those included “No Tax on Tips for dedicated service industry staff, No Tax on Overtime for linemen and factory workers, and a new tax deduction for seniors who depend on Social Security,” among others, Bessent charged.
Tax experts rejected the cabinet official’s claim that Colorado is snubbing the tax breaks, noting the state has what’s known as “rolling conformity” that aligns the Centennial State’s code with the Internal Revenue Code.
“Claims that Colorado is refusing to adopt the majority of tax changes from H.R.1 [One Big Beautiful Bill] are not accurate,” a spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis (D) told The Post. “Even before H.R. 1, Colorado’s tax code was coupled more than most states by virtue of being one of the few ‘federal taxable income’ states. In fact, our tax code is coupled to the vast majority of provisions in H.R. 1. Therefore, all tax cuts in H.R. 1 are automatically incorporated into state tax code unless there is specific action to decouple.”
Other states that automatically align with the federal tax code include South Carolina, Iowa, North Dakota, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.
“Some states start with federal taxable income, so most of the new deductions flow through automatically unless lawmakers opt out,” explained Adam Michel, director of tax policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute.
“Many more states—blue and red—start with adjusted gross income or run their own tax system, which means they don’t pick up these new deductions unless they affirmatively pass a bill to do so.”
Michigan — which is currently helmed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — is the only US state so far to have adopted the tax breaks for overtime wages and tips. States like Kentucky and North Carolina have floated similar proposals.
Currently, South Carolina, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho are the only four states that are entirely conforming with Trump’s personal tax breaks on qualified tips, car loan interest, overtime premium pay and the $6,000 enhanced deduction for senior citizens.
Oregon and Iowa will conform to three of those same provisions — without the enhanced senior benefit.
And Colorado will keep the senior benefit but nix the overtime premium pay deduction.
Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the non-partisan Tax Foundation, added that there’s good reason for the 42 others not to automatically conform to the federal code for the breaks.
A man was arrested after stabbing eight people and injuring seven others with what was believed to be bleach at a tire factory in central Japan on Friday, officials said. There was no immediate explanation of his motive.
Eight people were taken to hospitals after being stabbed by the man with a knife at a factory of the tiremaker Yokohama Rubber Co. in the city of Mishima, in the Shizuoka prefecture, west of Tokyo, according to the Fujisan Nanto Fire Department.
The fire department told The Associated Press that five of the people who were stabbed were in serious condition but other details were not available. All were conscious while they were being transported to hospitals, media reports said.
Shizuoka prefectural police said the attacker, a 38-year-old man, was arrested for alleged attempted murder at the factory, but did not give further details.
The attacker is believed to be a former employee at the factory, Kyodo news agency said, quoting investigative sources.
The suspect was carrying a survival knife and wearing what appeared to be a gas mask, the major Japanese newspaper Asahi reported, citing investigators.
Seven others were also injured by the bleach thrown at them during the attack, and taken to hospitals for treatment, the fire department said.
Rahman, who is now emerging as front-runner for Prime Minister’s post in the upcoming polls, also hailed the July Uprising of 2024.
Tarique Rahman addresses a huge gathering in Dhaka. Credit: Reuters photo
Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) acting chairperson Tarique Rahman — who is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia — returned to Dhaka after 17 years of exile to a rousing welcome.
Standing at the podium, Rahman addressed his admirers who had turned up in large numbers, where he invoked the words of late American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Junior, saying, “I have a plan”.
“American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr, in a public speech, said, ‘I have a dream.’ Like him, I want to say, I have a plan for Bangladesh” he said.
Amidst thunderous applause, Rahman, who is now emerging as front-runner for Prime Minister’s post in the upcoming polls hailed the July Uprising of 2024.
He said, just like Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971, people from all walks of life once again came together to protect Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty in 2024.
Bangladesh’s English daily, The Daily Star reported the 60-year-old leader saying, “Agents of various dominant powers are still engaged in conspiracies. We must remain patient. We have to exercise caution.”
He went on to say, “The time has come for all of us to build the country together. This country belongs to people of the hills and the plains, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man, and child can leave home and return safely.”
This year was one of the most violent on record for Israeli civilian attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, according to U.N. data.
Palestinians assess a damaged site after Israeli settlers attacked their village of Deir Dibwan, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer
The Jewish settler outpost of Or Meir is small. A handful of prefabricated white shelters, it sits at the end of a short dirt track on a hill leading up from Road 60, a major route that dissects the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Over time, similar modest dwellings have turned into sprawling Israeli housing developments, part of a plan that members of Israel’s cabinet acknowledge they have implemented to prevent the birth of a Palestinian state.
The process can be violent. A Bedouin family told Reuters attackers who descended from Or Meir hurling Molotov cocktails drove them off Palestinian-owned land nearby last year. They fear they won’t ever be able to return.
Messages posted on Or Meir’s channel on the Telegram social media platform celebrate chasing out Bedouin herders and show the new settlers’ determination to secure lasting control over what they call “strategic” territory.
This year was one of the most violent on record for Israeli civilian attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, according to United Nations data that shows more than 750 injuries and the rapid spread of outposts throughout land Palestinians hope will form the heart of a future state.
Israeli NGO Peace Now has recorded 80 outposts built in 2025, the most since the organization started its records in 1991. On December 21, Israel’s cabinet approved 19 more settlements, including former outposts. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the goal was to block Palestinian statehood.
For decades, groups of settlers have built outposts on West Bank land without official authorisation from the Israeli state. Israeli authorities in the West Bank sometimes demolish such camps but they often reappear, and in many cases end up being accepted by Israel as formal settlements. Smotrich has pushed efforts to formalise more outposts.
How Israeli settlers focus settlement plans on key West Bank routes
Most of the world considers all Israel’s settlement activity in the West Bank illegal under international law relating to military occupations. Israel disputes this view.
“Since establishing our presence on the land, we have driven away nine illegal Bedouin outposts, and returned 6,000 dunams to Jewish hands,” the account representing Or Meir’s settlers said in a post in September, using the dunam measurement equal to about 1,000 square meters, or a quarter of an acre.
Reuters could not independently confirm all the attacks on the Bedouins or determine who posted on behalf of Or Meir, which was established about two years ago. The settlers there declined to speak to the news agency.
In response to Reuters questions about intensifying settler violence in the West Bank, an Israeli official blamed a “fringe minority” and said Palestinian attacks against Israelis were underreported by the media. The Palestinian Authority did not respond to requests for comment.
Messages on the Or Meir Telegram channel, which is public, suggest a well-organized plan to take land, a finding supported by Reuters examination of a dozen other Telegram and WhatsApp groups representing similar groups, three interviews with settlers and pro-settler groups and on-the-ground reporting around Or Meir and a new settlement.
“The evidence shows that this is a systematic pattern of violence,” said Milena Ansari, a researcher based in Jerusalem for Human Rights Watch whose work includes research on settlements in the West Bank.
The Bedouin Musabah family said they were attacked at night in June from the direction of Or Meir. Charred remains of their home and a barn were still visible to a Reuters team in December.
“We were living here, sitting in God’s safety,” said Bedouin shepherd Shahada Musabah, 39, now sheltering in the nearby Palestinian village of Deir Dibwan. “They started to set fire and they destroyed everything. They didn’t leave us anything at all.”
In response to questions about the incident, Israel’s military told Reuters dozens of Israeli civilians set fire to property in Deir Dibwan on the night in question. It said all suspects had left by the time security forces arrived. An official in the Deir Dibwan council told Reuters up to 60 settlers were involved, throwing stones and burning the Musabah house and other property, along with cars. Several villagers were injured by stones.
In a telephone call, Or Meir settler Elkanah Nachmani told Reuters reporters not to advance up the track to the outpost from Road 60 and not to make contact again.
Nachmani responded to a Reuters request for comment but did not address the issues raised by the questions. In the Telegram channel, Or Meir settlers accused Palestinians of poisoning their sheep in November 2024, an accusation the Musabah family denies.
Israeli monitoring group Yesh Din said of the hundreds of cases of settler violence it documented since October 7, 2023, only 2% resulted in indictments.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits major munitions enterprises in the last quarter of 2025, in this picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on December 26, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signaled the country will continue to develop missiles in the next five years, as he visited major munitions enterprises in the last quarter of 2025, state media KCNA said on Friday.
Kim said “the country’s missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrent,” according to KCNA.
Tourists observe demolition of the East Wing of the White House during construction of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom from the top of the reopened Washington Monument, following the longest shutdown of the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak Purchase Licensing Rights
The White House will unveil new details on President Donald Trump’s planned East Wing ballroom during a hearing early next month, according to a federal commission tasked with reviewing the project.
The new ballroom, which Trump has said would cost $400 million and would dwarf the adjacent White House building, has been challenged in court by preservationists, while Democratic lawmakers have called it an abuse of power and are investigating which donors are supporting it.
The National Capital Planning Commission, chartered by Congress to manage planning for Washington-area federal lands, said on its website that the White House will provide an “information presentation” on plans to rebuild the East Wing during a commission meeting on January 8.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The commission, chaired by a White House aide and onetime personal lawyer to Trump, Will Scharf, has declined to review the demolition of the former East Wing, preparation activities at the site, or potential effects to historic properties, in what would mark the biggest change to the historic property in decades.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization chartered by Congress, is suing to halt the construction, arguing that the proposed 90,000 square foot (8,360 square meter) ballroom would dwarf the rest of the White House, at 55,000 square feet.
The judge in the case earlier this month declined to issue a temporary restraining order against work on the project, noting among other things that the size, scale and other specifications had not been finalized. Another hearing is scheduled for next month.
The president, a one-time real estate developer, has taken a hands-on role in what he has described as sprucing up the White House and the U.S. capital city ahead of celebrations next year marking the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary.
He has also proposed a new grand arch near Washington, while decorating the Oval Office extensively in gold leaf and installing plaques there offering his personal take on his predecessors’ legacies.
The United States carried out a strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria’s government, President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday, claiming the group had been targeting Christians in the region.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The U.S. military’s Africa Command said the strike was carried out in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities and killed multiple ISIS militants.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the British Broadcasting Corp the strike was a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists”, and it “has nothing to do with a particular religion”.
Without naming ISIS specifically, Tuggar said the operation had been planned “for quite some time” and had used intelligence information provided by the Nigerian side. He did not rule out further strikes, adding that this depended on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries”.
The strike comes after Trump in late October began warning that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.
Reuters reported on Monday the U.S. had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.
‘MORE TO COME’
Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the strike was carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.
A missile is launched from a military vessel at an unidentified location, in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released by the Department of War on December 25, 2025. U.S. Department of War Via X/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,” the ministry said in a post on X.
A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A U.S. defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government on X for its support and cooperation and added: “More to come…”
Nigeria’s government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and U.S. claims that Christians face persecution do not represent the complex security situation and ignore efforts to safeguard religious freedom. But it has agreed to work with the U.S. to bolster its forces against militant groups.
The country’s population is split between Muslims living primarily in the north and Christians in the south.
Police said earlier on Thursday a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured 35 others at a mosque in Nigeria’s northeast, another region troubled by Islamist insurgents.
The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it was replacing its longstanding lottery system for H-1B work visas with a new approach that prioritizes skilled, higher-paid foreign workers.
The change follows a series of actions by the Trump administration aimed at reshaping a visa program that critics say has become a pipeline for overseas workers willing to work for lower pay, but supporters say drives innovation.
“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew Tragesser.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee on highly skilled workers, which is being challenged in court. The president also rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a pathway to U.S. citizenship for wealthy individuals.
A press release announcing the new rule says it is “in line with other key changes the administration has made, such as the Presidential Proclamation that requires employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa as a condition of eligibility.”
Historically, H-1B visas have been awarded through a lottery system. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient, with more than 10,000 visas approved, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Apple and Google. California has the highest concentration of H-1B workers.
The new system will “implement a weighted selection process that will increase the probability that H-1B visas are allocated to higher-skilled and higher-paid” foreign workers, according to Tuesday’s press release. It will go into effect Feb. 27, 2026, and will apply to the upcoming H-1B cap registration season.
Supporters of the H-1B program say it is an important pathway to hiring healthcare workers and educators. They say it drives innovation and economic growth in the U.S. and allows employers to fill jobs in specialized fields.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland if Russia also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized, free economic zone monitored by international forces. (AP video shot by: Vasilisa Stepanenko)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end Russia’s war, if Moscow also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.
The proposal offered another potential compromise on control of the Donbas region, which has been a major sticking point in peace negotiations.
Zelenskyy said the U.S. proposed the creation of a “free economic zone,” which he said should be demilitarized. But it was unclear what that idea would mean for governance or development of the region.
A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, Zelenskyy said. He said any peace plan would need to be put to a referendum.
Zelenskyy spoke to reporters Tuesday to describe an overarching 20-point plan that negotiators from Ukraine and the U.S. hammered out in Florida in recent days, though he said many details are still being discussed.
Russia offers no hint it will agree to withdrawal
Russia has given no indication that it will agree to any kind of withdrawal from land it has seized. In fact, Moscow has insisted that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory it still holds in the Donbas — an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk — the two areas that make up the Donbas.
Asked about the plan, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Moscow would decide its position based on information received by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met with U.S. envoys in Florida over the weekend. Peskov declined to share further details.
American negotiators have engaged in a series of talks with Ukraine and Russia separately since U.S. President Donald Trump presented a plan to end the war last month — a proposal widely seen as favoring Moscow, which invaded its neighbor nearly four years ago. Since then, Ukraine and its allies in Europe have worked to pull the plan closer to Kyiv’s position.
Zelenskyy said figuring out control of the Donbas region is “the most difficult point.”
Meanwhile, on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the U.S. has proposed creating a consortium with Ukraine and Russia, in which each party would have an equal stake.
Zelenskyy countered with a proposal for a joint venture between the U.S. and Ukraine, in which the Americans would be able to decide how to distribute their share, including giving some of it to Russia.
Zelenskyy acknowledged that the U.S. has not yet accepted Ukraine’s counter-proposals.
“But we have significantly brought most of the positions closer together,” Zelenskyy said. “In principle, all other consensus in this agreement has been found between us and them.”
Zone would require difficult discussions
Creating the demilitarized economic zone in the Donbas would require difficult discussions on how far troops would be required to move back and where international forces would be stationed, Zelenskyy said, adding that it should discussed at the leaders level.
The working U.S.-Ukraine draft also proposes that Russian forces withdraw from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Zelenskyy envisions that international forces could be located along certain points of the contact line within the zone to monitor the implementation of the agreement.
Ukraine also proposes that the occupied city of Enerhodar, which is the closest city to the Zaporizhzhia power plant, become a demilitarized free economic zone, Zelenskyy said.
This point required 15 hours of discussions with the U.S., he said, and no agreement was reached.
For now, the U.S. proposes that the plant be jointly operated by Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia, with each side controlling a 33% stake in the enterprise — a plan Zelenskyy called “not entirely realistic.”
“How can you have joint commerce with the Russians after everything?” he asked.
Ukraine instead suggested that the plant be operated by a joint venture with the U.S. in which the Americans can determine independently how to distribute the energy from their 50% share.
Zelenskyy said billions in investments are needed to make the plant run again, including restoring the adjacent dam.
Details on security guarantees
The working draft ensures that Ukraine will receive “strong” security guarantees that would require Ukraine’s partners to act in the event of renewed Russian aggression. That would mirror NATO’s Article 5, which says an armed attack on one member of the alliance is an attack on all.
Zelenskyy said a separate document with the U.S. will outline these guarantees. It will detail the conditions under which security will be provided, particularly in the event of another Russian assault, and it will establish a mechanism to monitor any ceasefire. The document will be signed with the main agreement to end the war, Zelenskyy said.
“The mood of the United States of America is that this is an unprecedented step towards Ukraine on their part. They believe that they are giving strong security guarantees,” he said.
The draft contains other elements, including keeping Ukraine’s army at 800,000 during peacetime and making Ukraine a member of the European Union by a specific date. Limiting the size of Ukraine’s military is a key Russian demand.
A consortium led by a Pakistani investment firm acquired a 75% stake in state-run Pakistan International Airlines on Tuesday during a televised auction, marking a major step in the government’s long-delayed effort to privatize the loss-making national carrier.
The Arif Habib consortium submitted a winning bid of 135 billion rupees ($482 million) for the majority shareholding in PIA, which was once regarded as among the region’s top airlines but has suffered decades of financial losses and mismanagement.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, speaking at the bidding ceremony, said the privatization process was transparent and competitive. He hoped that the new owners would help revive the airline.
The sale fulfills a long-standing demand by the International Monetary Fund, which has repeatedly urged Pakistan to privatize the airline as part of broader economic reforms tied to bailout programs.
The auction comes two months after PIA resumed direct flights to Europe following a decision by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to lift a four-year ban imposed over safety concerns. The ban was introduced in 2020, after 97 people were killed when a PIA aircraft crashed in Karachi.
Gaza’s tiny Christian community is trying to capture some of the Christmas spirit as a fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war continues, but destruction and uncertainty remain unescapable.
An explosive device detonated in Gaza on Wednesday, injuring one Israeli soldier and prompting Israel to accuse Hamas of violating the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. It was the latest incident to threaten the tenuous truce that has held since Oct. 10 as each side accuses the other of violations.
The blast came as Hamas met with Turkish officials in the country’s capital, Ankara, to discuss the second stage of the ceasefire. Though the agreement has mostly held, its progress has slowed.
All but one of the 251 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war have been released, alive or dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The mother of the last hostage whose remains are still in Gaza called for their return before negotiators move to the ceasefire’s second phase.
That phase has even bigger challenges: the deployment of an international stabilization force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.
Israel vows to ‘respond accordingly’
Israel’s military said the explosion on Wednesday detonated under a military vehicle as soldiers were “dismantling” militant infrastructure in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. The lightly wounded soldier was in a hospital, the military said.
Hamas senior official Mahmoud Mrdawi said on social media that the blast was a result of unexploded ordnance and the group had informed mediators. In a later statement, Hamas denied responsibility for what it called “war remnants” placed by Israel in an Israeli-controlled zone.
Israel’s military denied Hamas’ claim. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a violation of the ceasefire and said Israel would “respond accordingly.”
Israel has previously launched strikes in Gaza in response to alleged ceasefire violations. On Oct. 19, Israel said two soldiers were killed by Hamas fire and it responded with a series of strikes that killed over 40 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire by not allowing enough aid into the territory and continuing to strike civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry says that over 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce.
The ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its count and operates under the Hamas-run government, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.
Turkish officials meet with Hamas
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Haya to discuss the ceasefire’s second phase, according to ministry officials.
Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s efforts to defend the rights of Palestinians and outlined ongoing efforts to address shelter and other humanitarian needs in Gaza, the officials said.
The Hamas delegation said they had fulfilled the ceasefire’s conditions but that Israel’s continued attacks were blocking progress toward the next stage. They also asserted that 60% of the trucks allowed into Gaza were carrying commercial goods rather than aid.
According to the officials, the meeting also discussed reconciliation efforts between the Palestinian factions and the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, stressing that Israel’s actions there were “unacceptable.”
People in Indonesia’s Aceh province are raising white flags as a call for international solidarity
For weeks now, angry and distressed residents in Indonesia’s westernmost province have been raising white flags over the state’s slow response to a series of deadly floods.
Triggered by a rare cyclone in November, the deluge killed more than 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands across the island of Sumatra. In Aceh, the worst-hit province which accounted for nearly half of the deaths, many still do not have ready access to clean water, food, electricity and medical supplies.
In a sign of just how frustrating managing the crisis has become, the governor of North Aceh broke down publicly earlier this month.
“Does the central government not know [what we’re experiencing]? I don’t understand,” a tearful Ismail A Jalil said in front of cameras.
But President Prabowo Subianto has refused foreign aid, insisting the situation is “under control”. “Indonesia is capable of overcoming this disaster,” he told his cabinet last week. Prabowo has also so far ignored calls to declare it a national disaster, which would unlock emergency funds and streamline relief efforts.
Prabowo’s administration has increasingly been criticised as reactive, disorganised and out of touch – adjectives that some analysts say have come to define his presidency, which he won in February 2024 on the back of populist pledges.
Already this year, his flagship billion-dollar free school meals programme has been mired in controversy over mass food poisonings. In August and September, thousands of Indonesians took to the streets over unemployment and rising costs of living, in what were some of the biggest protests the country has seen in decades.
And now his government’s response to November’s floods has become yet another challenge for the leader, even as his approval ratings have held steady at about 78%.
Desperate calls for help
Last Thursday, dozens of protesters rallied in Aceh’s capital, Banda Aceh, waving white flags and demanding that the central government opens the door to foreign aid.
Standing among the crowd was a little girl holding a sheet of paper, which read: “I am just three years old, I want to grow up in a safe and sustainable world.”
Though typically seen as a symbol for surrender, the white flags that have popped up across the province – on broken rooftops, along eroded riverbanks and outside mosques – are a call for international solidarity, protesters say.
“The flags do not mean we are giving in. They are a distress signal to grab the attention of friends outside, to let them know the conditions in Aceh today are very bad,” Husnul Khawatinnissa, who was at the rally, tells the BBC.
Entire villages have been wiped out, while widespread damage to roads and infrastructure has also isolated many communities. Survivors have spoken of sickness and starvation.
“How long more do we have to wash ourselves in mud and floodwaters,” shouted Nurmi Ali, another demonstrator.
Provincial authorities have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring he welcomes help “from anyone, anywhere”.
Prabowo’s administration has said relief efforts are under way on a “national scale”, noting that it has disbursed some 60 trillion rupiah ($3.6bn) for reconstruction efforts.
Disaster strikes again
For some in Aceh, the situation brings back painful memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, one of the worst natural disasters ever.
A magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake unleashed a tsunami that triggered waves up to 30m (100 feet) high which slammed into the Indian Ocean coastline that morning, killing an estimated 230,000 people in more than a dozen countries.
Aceh, already ravaged by decades of civil war, was among the hardest-hit. Locals say they had only recently finished rebuilding their lives when disaster struck again in November.
Relief arrived more quickly after the 2004 tsunami, even though it was far more devastating, they say.
Various countries, multilateral agencies like the World Bank, and private organisations poured billions of dollars into the recovery effort. The Indonesian government then set up a dedicated agency to manage funds and aid projects.
“Everyone took action and the community recovered quickly after the tsunami. What we’re suffering now is worse,” said Rindu Majalina, who was a high-school student when the tsunami struck.
The mother of three has been struggling to feed her children since the recent floods swallowed their home. Residents “fight like zombies” for every bit of supply delivered to her village “because we are starving”, she added.
Several countries have offered aid. The UAE, for instance, sent 30 tonnes of rice and 300 relief packages to Medan, another city hit by the floods – but it was all sent back by authorities following what they described as “guidance” from the central government.
The president’s refusal to accept international aid is his way of asserting authority, said Vidhyandika Djati Perkasa, a senior politics researcher at Indonesia’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
“Opening the door to foreign assistance means inviting foreign scrutiny, which they do not want… [Prabowo] doesn’t want to be seen as a failure and is trying to maintain his image,” Mr Perkasa said, noting however that this could backfire politically.
Prabowo has prioritised the “symbolic performance of sovereignty” over crisis management, said Vedi Hadiz, an Asian studies professor at the University of Melbourne.
Heavy rain storms across large parts of California triggered floods and mudslides and left three dead as of Christmas night, according to local officials.
The storms – which were expected to continue through Friday – brought 11 inches (27 cms) of rainfall to some parts of Los Angeles County, prompted evacuations and shut down major roads.
Emergency responders have had to perform several rescues, including people stuck in vehicles as flood waters rise. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in Los Angeles and other southern California counties.
About 100,000 people in the state were without power as of Thursday evening.
The US Weather Prediction Center said on Thursday that “Numerous flash flooding events are possible”.
“In addition, many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers.”
A 64-year-old man from San Diego was killed on Wedesday morning by a fallen tree, the police department told US media.
Another person, a 74-year-old, died from flood waters over the weekend as police tried to rescue him from inside a vehicle in Redding, the town’s mayor told local news.
And on Monday, a woman in her 70s died after she “was knocked off a rock by a large wave and swept into the ocean” at MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Evacuation warnings were in effect for some residents of San Bernardino County in southern California, and flash food warnings were issued for those in the San Francisco Bay area on Thursday morning.
Wind speeds in the Bay Area topped 100mph (161km/h) at one observatory near San Jose, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
In Altadena, near Los Angeles, residents experienced a mudslide from flooding in a vegetation-stripped area that was less able to absorb water due to the wildfires that scorched the neighbourhood in January of this year, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has also declared an emergency from the storms and warned residents to be cautious on roads during a time of busy holiday travel.
Pope Leo has urged Ukraine and Russia to find the “courage” to hold direct talks to end the war during his first Christmas remarks to crowds in St Peter’s square.
He called for an end to conflicts around the world during his Urbi et Orbi address, which is traditionally delivered by the pontiff on Christmas Day to worshippers gathered in Vatican City.
Speaking about Ukraine, the Pope said: “May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
His plea comes as US-led negotiations on a deal to end the fighting continues.
The US has sought to put together an agreement acceptable to both sides, but direct talks between Russian and Ukraine have not taken place during this latest round of diplomatic efforts.
Pope Leo also decried turmoil and conflict plaguing other parts of the world, including Thailand and Cambodia where deadly border clashes have flared up despite a ceasefire in July.
He asked that the South East Asian nations’ “ancient friendship” be restored and “to work towards reconciliation and peace”.
During an earlier Christmas Day sermon in St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo lamented conditions for homeless people the world over, and the damage caused by conflicts.
“Fragile is the flesh of defenceless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” he said.
He said the story of the birth of Jesus showed that God had “pitched his fragile tent” among the people of the world. “How, then,” he asked, turning his attention to the conditions of Palestinians, “can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?”
Gaza has been devastated by Israeli bombardment in a two-year war, triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
It was edge of the seat stuff as the Game Changers Falcons and Aussie Mavericks Kites battled for supremacy, and a place in the final of the Iconik Sports Presents World Tennis League.
Dhakshineswar Suresh in action
It was edge of the seat stuff as the Game Changers Falcons and Aussie Mavericks Kites battled for supremacy, and a place in the final of the Iconik Sports Presents World Tennis League powered by SpiceJet. India’s star in-the-making Dhakshineswar Suresh, playing for the Aussie Mavericks Kites, delivered the knockout blow as he defeated Daniil Medvedev, a singles Grand Slam champion, 6-4 in the last set to take his team to Saturday’s summit clash.
The Kites, who had started the day at the bottom of the leaderboard, made a sensational comeback as they defeated the Falcons 24-19 to grab the second spot with 58 points. Facing them in the finals will be AOS Eagles, who defeated VB Realty Hawks 22-12 to finish at the top of the standings with 65 points.
India’s Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna also bid an emotional farewell on home turf. Playing for the Falcons, he teamed up with Medvedev for a high-profile men’s doubles showdown against Nick Kyrgios and Suresh. In a dramatic contest, Medvedev and Bopanna edged to a 7-6 win.
In its debut season in India, the World Tennis League has brought some of the game’s biggest names to Bengaluru. But it was the Indian players like Sumit Nagal, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Dhakshineswar Suresh who stole the show on the third day of competition at the SM Krishna Stadium, Bengaluru.
Tennis’ power couple, Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, opened the show on Friday. However, this time, Monfils and Svitolina stood at the opposite sides of the court in the mixed doubles contest. In an entertaining faceoff, Svitolina and Yuki Bhambri, playing for the Hawks, edged Monfils-Shrivalli 6-4.
But India’s leading singles player, Nagal, grounded the Hawks with a dominant performance in the men’s singles. The 28-year-old came out swinging against former Wimbledon finalist Denis Shapovalov, winning 6-1 to hand his team the momentum.
While Shrivalli cheered her team on from the dug-out on the first two days, she stepped into the spotlight effortlessly. After a competent performance in the mixed doubles, the 24-year-old locked horns against teen sensation Maaya, who trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy. Shrivalli quickly found her range, and wowed the Bengaluru crowd with her clean hitting as she beat the 16-year-old 6-2.
Shrivalli then teamed up with Paula Badosa to beat the Svitolina-Maaya combine 6-3. After the match, Badosa was all praise for her young partner.
“India, you have a future star here,” Badosa, a semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, told the crowd. “She carried the team today. Since the first day I hit with her, I have been impressed with her serve and aggressive game.”
Romanian Air Force F-16 military fighter jets escort a C-27J Spartan aircraft during a NATO Air Policing exercise above eastern Romania, on March 6, 2024. (Photo: AP/Andreea Alexandru, File)
Poland scrambled fighter jets on Thursday (Dec 25) to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea, while also reporting that dozens of objects crossed into Polish airspace overnight from neighbouring Belarus.
The Polish armed forces said the Russian aircraft was intercepted over international waters, visually identified and escorted away from Poland’s area of responsibility, adding that the incident occurred close to the country’s airspace boundary.
The developments come during the Christmas holiday period, with Polish authorities warning the timing and scale of the incidents could point to a deliberate provocation.
POLAND WARNS OF POSSIBLE PROVOCATION
Poland’s National Security Bureau said several dozen objects entered Polish airspace from the Belarusian side overnight, with four identified so far as likely smuggling balloons.
“The mass nature of the violation of Polish airspace, its occurrence during the special holiday season, the assessment of the Russian aircraft’s activity in the Baltic Sea, and the fact that similar incidents have recently occurred in Lithuania, may indicate that this was a provocation disguised as a smuggling operation,” the bureau said in a statement.
Countries on NATO’s eastern flank have been on heightened alert over potential airspace incursions since September, when three Russian military jets violated Estonia’s airspace for about 12 minutes, shortly after more than 20 Russian drones were detected entering Polish airspace.
SMUGGLING BALLOONS AND REGIONAL TENSIONS
Smuggling balloons launched from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in neighbouring Lithuania, at times forcing temporary airport closures in Vilnius.
Lithuanian authorities say the balloons are used by smugglers transporting cigarettes and describe them as part of a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Belarus has denied responsibility.
You push back from the table after Christmas lunch, full from an excellent feast. You really couldn’t manage another bite – except, perhaps, a little bit of pudding. Somehow, no matter how much you’ve eaten, there always seems to be room for dessert. Why? What is it about something sweet that tempts us into “oh, go on then”?
The Japanese capture this perfectly with the word betsubara, meaning “separate stomach.” Anatomically speaking, there is no extra compartment, yet the sensation of still having space for pudding is widespread enough to deserve a scientific explanation.
Far from being imaginary, the feeling reflects a series of physiological and psychological processes that together make dessert uniquely appealing, even when the main course has felt like the limit.
A good place to start is with the stomach itself. Many people picture it as a fixed-size bag that fills steadily until it can take no more, as though another mouthful would cause it to overflow.
In reality, the stomach is designed to stretch and adapt. As we begin to eat, it undergoes “gastric accommodation”: the smooth muscle relaxes, creating extra capacity without a major increase in pressure.
Crucially, soft and sweet foods require very little mechanical digestion. A heavy main course may make the stomach feel distended, but a light dessert, such as ice cream or mousse, barely challenges its workload, so the stomach can relax further to make space.
Hedonic hunger
Much of the drive to eat pudding comes from the brain, specifically the neural pathways involved in reward and pleasure. Appetite is not governed solely by physical hunger. There is also “hedonic hunger,” the desire to eat because something is enjoyable or comforting.
Sweet foods are particularly potent in this respect. They activate the brain’s mesolimbic dopamine system, heightening motivation to eat and temporarily weakening fullness signals.
After a satisfying main course, physiological hunger may be gone, but the anticipation of a sugary treat creates a separate, reward-driven desire to continue eating.
Another mechanism is sensory-specific satiety. As we eat, our brain’s response to the flavours and textures on the plate gradually diminishes, making the food less interesting. Introducing a different flavour profile – something sweet, tart or creamy – refreshes the reward response.
Many people who genuinely feel they cannot finish their main course suddenly discover that they “could manage a little pudding” because the novelty of dessert re-engages their motivation to eat.
Desserts also behave differently once they reach the gut. Compared with foods rich in protein or fat, sugary and carbohydrate-based foods empty from the stomach quickly and require relatively little early breakdown, contributing to the perception that they are easier to accommodate even when you are full.
Timing plays a role, too. The gut-brain signaling that creates the sensation of fullness does not respond instantly.
Hormones such as cholecystokinin, GLP-1 and peptide YY rise gradually and typically take between 20 and 40 minutes to produce a sustained sense of satiety. Many people make decisions about dessert before this hormonal shift has fully taken effect, giving the reward system space to influence behaviour.
Restaurants, consciously or otherwise, often time dessert offerings within this window.
Layered onto these biological processes is the influence of social conditioning. For many people, dessert is associated with celebration, generosity or comfort. From childhood onwards, we learn to regard puddings as treats or as natural components of festive meals.
Workers add Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center. Heather Diehl/Getty Images
A Christmas Eve jazz concert held annually for two decades at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was canceled by its host this year in protest of the addition of Donald Trump‘s name to the Washington, D.C., building.
Chuck Redd, a jazz drummer and vibraphonist who has hosted the annual holiday “Jazz Jams“ at the Kennedy Center since 2006 (he took over for previous host Keter Betts, a jazz bassist who died in 2005), told the Associated Press last night that he decided to drop this year’s event after Trump’s name was added to the venue by its Trump-appointed board.
“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told The Associated Press. The concert would have included performances from seven jazz musicians.
The addition of Trump’s name to the venue appears to be in violation of a 1964 law that prohibits the addition of names or memorials to anyone other than John F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated in 1963. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) filed a lawsuit on Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking a declaration that the name of the arts institution is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and that a board vote last week to change the name is null and void.
“Because Congress named the center by statute, changing the Kennedy Center’s name requires an act of Congress,” Beatty’s lawsuit stated. “But on December 18 and 19, 2025—in scenes more reminiscent of authoritarian regimes than the American republic—the sitting President and his handpicked loyalists renamed this storied center after President Trump. This is a flagrant violation of the rule of law, and it flies in the face of our constitutional order. Congress intended the Center to be a living memorial to President Kennedy—and a crown jewel of the arts for all Americans, irrespective of party. Unless and until this Court intervenes, Defendants will continue to defy Congress and thwart the law for improper ends.”
After Trump’s name was added to the venue, Roma Daravi, spokeswoman for the center, defended the board’s authority to change the name. “This action is in line with the precedent of the State Department adding President Trump’s name to the Institute of Peace. And the previous Administration renaming military bases.” she said in a statement. (The renaming of the military bases that had Confederate names was authorized by an act of Congress in 2021.)
Taylor Swift is celebrating Christmas at Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs game.
Swift was spotted arriving at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday night wearing an oversized red bomber jacket and a black skirt and tights. She also wore her signature red lip.
The singer was seen walking to her private VIP suite while joined by her dad, Scott Swift, and mom, Andrea Swift.
Taylor Swift looked festive as she arrived at Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs game on Christmas Day Thursday. The Sporting News, /X
She had a big smile on her face, and at one point, she gave her assistant, Erica Worden, a hug before making her way to her seat.
The pop star’s fiancé and his team are playing against the Denver Broncos at their home base.
Taylor has been a staple in the venue’s VIP suite this season alongside players’ family members and other celebs.
The singer last supported Kelce at a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers during her birthday weekend.
Taylor, 36, was spotted holding one of Kylie Kelce’s young daughters while sitting in a box on Dec. 14, sporting a chic ombré coat.
The previous week, the Grammy winner attended the Chiefs vs. Houston Texans game at Arrowhead Stadium with famous pals Selena Gomez and Lena Dunham.
Taylor has yet to show up to any away games this season and, additionally, has kept a low-profile while at Arrowhead Stadium.
When the NFL season kicked off in September, the “Opalite” songstress made a stealthy entrance into the Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles game from behind a large rolling screen.
She secretly attended the Chiefs vs. Ravens game later that same month to support her man, with even eagle-eyed Swifties unable to spot her.
Thursday’s Christmas game marks one of the Chiefs’ last home games of the season — and possibly one of Kelce’s last ever as rumors of his NFL retirement ramp up.
Page Six exclusively reported in March that Taylor did not want Kelce, also 36, to retire after last season.
The songwriter “wanted him to go out on a high note” following the Chiefs’ devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2025 Super Bowl.
Shivank Avasthi was found with a gunshot wound on Tuesday, in what the police said was Toronto’s 41st homicide case this year.
Shivank Avasthi, 20, was a doctoral student
A 20-year-old Indian student was shot dead near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus, with the police seeking the public’s help to arrest the accused.
Shivank Avasthi, a doctoral student, was found with a gunshot wound on Tuesday, in what the police said was Toronto’s 41st homicide case this year.
“On Tuesday, at approximately 3:34 pm, police responded to a call for an unknown trouble in the Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road area. Officers responded to reports of a person with serious injuries. Officers located a male victim with a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene,” the police said in an official statement on Wednesday.
“The suspect(s) fled the area prior to police arrival,” the statement said.
Anyone with information was asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
India On Shivank Avasthi’s Murder
India expressed “deep anguish” over the “tragic” death of Shivank Avasthi.
In a statement on X, the Consulate General of India in Toronto said it was providing necessary assistance to his family.
“We express deep anguish over the tragic death of a young Indian doctoral student, Mr Shivank Avasthi, in a fatal shooting incident near the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus,” it said.
We express deep anguish over the tragic death of a young Indian doctoral student, Mr. Shivank Avasthi, in a fatal shooting incident near the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. The Consulate is in touch with the bereaved family during this difficult time, and is extending…
“The Consulate is in touch with the bereaved family during this difficult time, and is extending all necessary assistance in close coordination with the local authorities,” it added.
Last week, a 30-year-old Indian woman, Himanshi Khurana, was murdered in Toronto.
The police located her body in a residence on Saturday, a day after a missing report in the Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street W. area was filed.
The police also issued a warrant for 32-year-old Abdul Ghafoori, the suspect in the case, for first-degree murder. Ghafoori is also a resident of Toronto, the police said.
Ghafoori and Khurana were reportedly in an “intimate partner relationship”.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed shock over Khurana’s death and said it was providing all possible help to her family.
The Russian leader’s views echoed India’s concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation, underscoring a shared international anxiety over regional security.
Bush later described Russia as “part of the West and not an enemy.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation during his private talks with his US counterpart, George W Bush, over two decades ago. In their first personal meeting on 16 June 2001 in Slovenia, Putin voiced his worries over Islamabad’s stability and unease over the control of its atomic assets.
A transcript of the conversation was recently released by the National Security Archive, which showed Putin labelled Pakistan’s army “just a junta with nuclear weapons”. The documents, covering unusually candid meetings and calls between 2001 and 2008, revealed that both leaders viewed Pakistan, under military ruler Pervez Musharraf, as a significant non-proliferation concern.
At their Slovenia meeting, Putin questioned why Pakistan did not face the same level of sustained international pressure as other countries accused of nuclear violations. He said, “It is just a junta with nuclear weapons. It is no democracy, yet the West does not criticise it. Should talk about it,” a remark that revealed Moscow’s scepticism about Western tolerance toward Islamabad despite its checkered proliferation record.
The Russian leader’s views echoed India’s concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation, underscoring a shared international anxiety over regional security.
The Russian leader contrasted Pakistan’s treatment with the scrutiny directed at Iran and North Korea, both of which featured heavily in the same conversations. The transcripts show that Bush did not dispute Putin’s characterisation, instead acknowledging that Pakistan’s role in illicit transfers remained a serious concern for the United States.
Bush later described Russia as “part of the West and not an enemy,” highlighting the tone of mutual respect that summed up their early encounters, before the American famously said he had looked into Putin’s soul and found him trustworthy.
Concerns Over AQ Khan Nuke Network
During the Oval Office meeting on September 29, 2005, Putin told Bush that uranium discovered in Iranian centrifuges was of Pakistani origin, a revelation that underscored long-suspected links between Islamabad’s nuclear establishment and illicit proliferation networks.
Bush immediately agreed that the finding was alarming, calling it a violation and saying it made the United States “nervous”, according to the transcripts.
“It makes us nervous, too,” Bush said, as the two leaders discussed the risks of sensitive nuclear material spreading beyond state control. Putin responded pointedly, “Think about us,” highlighting Moscow’s concern that such leaks posed a direct threat to Russian security as well.
Bush told Putin he had personally raised the issue with then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, explaining that Washington had pressed Islamabad hard after uncovering the activities of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme. Bush said Khan and several of his associates had been jailed or placed under house arrest but added that the United States still wanted to know precisely what had been transferred and to whom.
“We want to know what they said,” Bush told Putin, reflecting frustration over what Washington viewed as incomplete disclosures by Pakistani authorities. The exchange suggests that even years after the AQ Khan network was exposed, doubts persisted at the highest levels about whether its full scope had been dismantled.
US’s Pak Problem
The two leaders also discussed reports of ongoing cooperation between Pakistani elements and foreign nuclear programmes. Putin said Russian experts believed there had been continued interaction involving Iran’s enrichment efforts, while Bush confirmed that US intelligence shared similar worries.
Although Pakistan was formally a key US ally in the post-9/11 war on terror, the transcripts reveal that behind closed doors, both Washington and Moscow viewed its nuclear stewardship with deep suspicion.
The documents reflect that the Pakistani nuclear programme was not treated as an isolated problem but as part of a wider pattern of instability involving weak controls, opaque decision-making, and the potential for catastrophic leakage.
Putin repeatedly raised the dangers of nuclear weapons in the hands of regimes lacking democratic accountability, while Bush emphasised the need to prevent any further spread of sensitive technology.
During this rally, he called for the return of peace to Bangladesh and stated that as the leader of BNP, he has a plan.
Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)’s acting chairman waves to supporters after his arrival in Dhaka.(AFP)
Amid the widespread unrest in Bangladesh over the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chief Tarique Rahman marked his homecoming on Thursday.
Rahman, who is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, returned to Dhaka after 17 years of exile in London.
After receiving a rousing welcome in Dhaka from around 50 lakh supporters, Rahman addressed a rally at 300 Feet Road. During this rally, he called for the return of peace to Bangladesh and stated that as the leader of BNP, he has a plan.
Here’s a look at some of the top quotes from the BNP leader’s return to Dhaka.
Tarique Rahman marks homecoming | Top quotes
“Agents of various dominant powers are still engaged in conspiracies. We must remain patient. We have to exercise caution,” Tarique was quoted as saying by the Daily Star. While he made no mention of any external forces at play, the BNP leader urged supporters not to respond to any form of provocation.
“The time has come for all of us to build the country together. This country belongs to people of the hills and the plains, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man, and child can leave home and return safely,” the BNP leader said, adding that Bangladeshis want to regain their right to speak and want their democratic rights back.
The acting chief also recalled the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971 and the student uprising of 2024 and said that the people must repay those who have been martyred in these two conflicts and work towards building a Bangladesh “we all dream of”.
Tarique Rahman also invoked American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and his historic “I have a dream” speech. Speaking at 300 Feet Road, the BNP acting chief said he “has a plan” to build a better Bangladesh for the people.
“This plan is for the interest of the people, for the development of the country, for changing the lot of the country. To implement the plan, I need the support of all the people of the country. If you stand beside us, God willing, we will be able to implement my plan,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
For India, these declassified chats are not revelations but international confirmation of a long-held stance: Pakistan’s nuclear assets have always been a global security liability
In 2004, AQ Khan admitted to operating a global black market that supplied nuclear centrifuge designs and materials to Iran, Libya, and North Korea—a revelation that significantly strained the Bush–Putin relationship. Image: US State Dept
The National Security Archive has released a trove of declassified verbatim transcripts detailing the private conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George W Bush from 2001 to 2008. The documents expose a shared, deep-seated anxiety regarding Pakistan’s nuclear stability, with Putin famously describing the nation as “just a junta with nuclear weapons” during their first personal meeting in Slovenia in June 2001.
The ‘Junta’ and the Proliferation Headache
The transcripts reveal that while the United States was publicly building a close post-9/11 partnership with President Pervez Musharraf for counter-terrorism, both world leaders privately viewed his regime as a major non-proliferation liability. Putin was particularly blunt, criticising the West for its lack of democratic pressure on Islamabad. The shadow of AQ Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, looms large over these papers. In 2004, Khan admitted to operating a global black market that supplied nuclear centrifuge designs and materials to Iran, Libya, and North Korea—a revelation that significantly strained the Bush–Putin relationship.
Conversation Transcript
One of the most revealing exchanges took place during a discussion on Iran’s clandestine nuclear labs and their undeniable link to Pakistani technology:
President Putin: “But it’s not clear what the labs (Iran) have, where they are… Cooperation with Pakistan still exists.”
President Bush: “I talked to Musharraf about that. I told him we’re worried about transfers to Iran and North Korea. They put AQ Khan in jail, and some of his buddies. Under house arrest. We want to know what they said. I keep reminding Musharraf of that. Either he’s getting nothing, or he’s not being forthcoming.”
President Putin: “As far as I understand, they found uranium of Pakistani origin in the centrifuges.”
President Bush: “Yes, the stuff the Iranians forgot to tell the IAEA about. That’s a violation.”
President Putin: “It was of Pakistani origin. That makes me nervous.”
President Bush: “It makes us nervous, too.”
President Putin: “Think about us.”
President Bush: “We don’t need a lot of religious nuts with nuclear weapons. That’s what Iran has running the country.”
Intelligence Perspective: A Dangerous Precedent
For India, these declassified admissions are not revelations but international confirmation of a long-held stance: that Pakistan’s nuclear assets have always been a global security liability. Indian intelligence sources told CNN-News18 the risk is institutional rather than limited to the “rogue” AQ Khan episode. The transcripts validate the view that proliferation occurred under state protection and military control, with minimal civilian oversight.
Donald Trump said US forces conducted “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria for killing Christians in the country.
US said “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed in the attack
President Donald Trump said US forces conducted “powerful and deadly” strikes Thursday against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria, after he warned the group to stop killing Christians in the country.
The Department of Defense said “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed in an attack conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities, but few details were provided.
The strikes hit IS targets on Christmas Day, according to Trump.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“May God Bless our Military,” he said, adding provocatively, “MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
US Africa Command said in an X post that it conducted a strike “at the request of Nigerian authorities in (Sokoto state) killing multiple ISIS terrorists.”
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also took to X to praise his department’s readiness to take action in Nigeria, and said he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.”
The attacks mark the first by US forces in Nigeria under Trump, and come after the Republican leader unexpectedly berated the west African nation in October and November, saying Christians there faced an “existential threat” that amounted to “genocide” amid Nigeria’s myriad armed conflicts.
The diplomatic offensive was welcomed by some but interpreted by others as inflaming religious tensions in Africa’s most populous country, which has seen bouts of sectarian violence in the past.
Nigeria’s government and independent analysts reject framing the country’s violence in terms of religious persecution — a narrative long used by the Christian right in the United States and Europe.
But Trump, spotlighting what his administration says is global persecution of Christians, stressed that Washington was ready to take military action in Nigeria to counter such killings.
The United States this year placed Nigeria back on the list of countries of “particular concern” regarding religious freedom, and has restricted the issuance of visas to Nigerians.
It was a Thursday before dawn in Silicon Valley when Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan found himself under attack by the president of the United States.
“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at 4:39 AM Pacific Time on August 7. Before he was Intel CEO, Tan had been a prolific investor in companies in China.
Trump and Tan had not met. While technology leaders from Nvidia, AMD, OpenAI, Amazon, Google and Palantir had all recently traveled to see Trump, the head of America’s most storied chipmaker had not spent time with the president since joining Intel (INTC.O) in March.
Politics was not Tan’s top priority. It had been more than 20 years since Tan, 66, had donated to a presidential election campaign. Though he spoke with a handful of U.S. government leaders, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in April, the Intel CEO did not fill the company’s top policy job in Washington for months after its prior holder, a Democrat, resigned.
Almost immediately after Trump’s attack, Intel scrambled to lock down time with the president, two people with knowledge of the situation said. That culminated in the most pivotal, roughly 40-minute meeting of Tan’s decades-long career.
Previously unreported details about Tan and Intel show how a man Trump had accused of supporting China’s interests came away from the meeting with a commitment from the U.S. government to invest billions of dollars for a nearly 10% stake in the company.
The deal gave Intel a too-strategic-to-fail aura and opened doors to potential partners who might want to win the president’s favor. It also may pave the way for the government to take more equity stakes in businesses the administration deems strategic, in what some investors previously described to Reuters as ushering in a new era of U.S. industrial policy.
Intel’s share price has risen around 80% since Tan’s appointment, outpacing the percentage gains of the S&P 500 and Nvidia (NVDA.O) in that time.
Reuters spoke with around 20 people who are current and former Intel employees, government advisers, and Tan’s industry contacts. Some of them questioned whether Tan has the technical acumen to restore Intel’s lead in chip manufacturing and find a winning artificial intelligence strategy, even as his skills as a dealmaker served him well in the Oval Office and elsewhere.
Though Intel’s chips powered some of the first mass-produced PCs, years of dysfunction had allowed foreign competitors such as TSMC to eclipse Intel in high-end chip production.
In statements, an Intel spokesperson said Tan needed no persuading to engage with the Trump administration. Early on, he elevated government affairs, among other functions, to report to him. Intel announced in December that a Trump economic adviser would helm the unit.
“Lip-Bu Tan has a long, and well-established history of engagement in Washington, both before and after joining Intel,” the spokesperson said. Intel declined to make Tan available for an interview.
A White House spokesperson said President Trump was using his executive power to get “the best bargain for the American taxpayer” and safeguard U.S. security.
“The Administration’s historic deal with Intel is one of many initiatives to reshore semiconductor and other critical manufacturing back to the United States,” the White House spokesperson said.
40 MINUTES IN THE OVAL OFFICE
Before heading into the White House, Tan called on his own allies who had forged relationships with the president, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, to vouch for him, said two people familiar with the discussions.
Tan “spoke, as he does often, with confidantes who would have relevant insight and perspective ahead of his meeting with President Trump,” the Intel spokesperson said. Nvidia and Microsoft did not comment for this story.
Prior to the meeting, Tan strategized with his advisors on how to convince Trump he was an American patriot by discussing his personal story and his commitment to the United States, the two people said. He also prepared to discuss his China holdings, the people said.
Tan has made some 600 investments in China, some linked to the country’s military, according to Reuters reporting. Those connections to China are what ultimately landed him in the crosshairs of the president. Two of Tan’s investment firms — Walden International and Walden Catalyst — did not answer requests for comment. A third, Celesta Capital, said it had made one China investment that it exited in 2020.
His dealmaking acumen, Celesta Capital said, is a key reason Tan “is so well suited to lead Intel’s current moment.”
Just two cabinet members joined the meeting between Trump and Tan in the Oval Office: Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, one of the people said. Trump questioned the Intel CEO about how he planned to turn the company around, the person said.
Tan had already told Lutnick in a prior meeting that he did not want billions in handouts that the U.S. owed Intel as part of the CHIPS Act, the Commerce Secretary said in a video on X in August. Neither Lutnick nor Tan said why. The grant money had been offered to companies under the 2022 CHIPS Act in exchange for reviving domestic manufacturing so the U.S. could reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductor production.
The administration of former President Joe Biden had announced dozens of these awards to various chip-related companies.
So when Trump proposed that the U.S. receive equity in exchange for giving Intel more CHIPS Act money – an idea that two sources said Lutnick had talked about for weeks with government staff – Tan struck a deal. Intel declined to comment on the specifics of the private conversation, but Lutnick later said in the video that equity made the exchange “fair.”
The deal gave Intel a $5.7 billion cash infusion and set up the U.S. government to be its largest shareholder. After the initial meeting, Tan pledged to “make Intel great again” in the video that Lutnick posted on social media, with the caption, “The Art of the Deal: Intel.”
Within weeks of his White House coup, Tan finalized a partnership with Nvidia, securing $5 billion from its CEO Huang who called Tan his “long-time friend.” Unlike Intel, known for manufacturing chips called central processing units, Nvidia designs the world’s top chips for AI.
Trump celebrated the deal on social media, posting an AI-generated image of himself staring at a chart of Intel’s stock and showing how the value of the U.S. stake had risen by 50% after Nvidia’s investment.
INTEL’S VENTURE CAPITALIST CEO
Born in Malaysia to a Chinese-language journalist and a teacher, Tan started out in the hard sciences and had plans to become a nuclear engineer, but he ultimately went to business school and in or around 1983 got his first job in venture capital in California.
During his career, Tan established himself as a man with a golden touch with startups that successfully were sold to other companies or went public. He amassed an estimated personal fortune well above $500 million.
Tan’s dealmaking savvy is helping Intel only to a point, three people with knowledge of the company said. For instance, Tan’s bid to buy SambaNova was the subject of internal debate given how the startup makes application-specific AI chips while the market favored general-purpose ones.
Additionally, these people said, chipmaking requires more engineering expertise than a typical tech business. Factories that make advanced chips rely on tools so precise they could pinpoint a U.S. quarter-dollar coin as far away as the moon. Some of its most successful executives, like Nvidia’s Huang, are electrical engineers by training.
Still, some Wall Street analysts say Tan is an excellent choice for Intel CEO, with decades of chip-industry experience and a track record of delivering returns to shareholders.
“Lip-Bu is deeply involved in technical decisions, including product roadmaps,” the Intel spokesperson said. “These are technical, hands-on changes that highlight the depth of his technical leadership.”
Tan was also “keenly aware” of Intel’s challenges when he took the CEO job, the Intel spokesperson said, because he had served on its board from 2022 until 2024.
But once inside Intel – which had around 100,000 staff when he joined – the complexity of the chip manufacturer was unlike anything Tan had faced as a CEO before, said two of the sources, who worked at Intel.
The company was bleeding cash to build factories for chip manufacturing, an effort begun under his predecessor Pat Gelsinger , and it needed an estimated $20 billion or more to have a shot at winning customers.
Tan called on top executives in his network and asked how they did things, one of the sources said. He likewise called on big customers – cloud providers like Amazon and Google – and asked what they wanted, said two people familiar with the matter.
Tan shook up Intel’s management team, similar to when he led the chip design company Cadence. There, he had worked with a deputy to draft a list of executives to fire, a person familiar with his Cadence days said. Cadence declined to comment.
Tan is cutting deeper still: laying off around 15% of Intel employees per securities filings, many of them managers.
He bypassed middle managers to have technical talent brief him directly, two of the people said. Tan named Intel engineering veteran Pushkar Ranade as his chief of staff and in December elevated him to interim chief technology officer.
Despite the intensity of his task at Intel, Tan has split his time with his myriad other commitments, which include his investment firms. When evaluating potential deals for Intel’s venture arm, Tan would also ask his investment firms for their opinion, one of the former Intel employees said.
An alleged conflict of interest with his venture portfolio prompted Intel’s board to push back on Tan over an acquisition this year, Reuters reported this month.
His Intel employment requires that he spend “such time as is necessary” to perform his duties as CEO, a change from the prior Intel chief’s contract that had required “full business efforts and time to Intel.”
Celesta Capital said Tan’s time commitment to the firm is now minimal, and its team has received no request to review deals for Intel Capital. Walden International and Walden Catalyst did not answer requests for comment.
Intel said Tan is working daily on transforming the company and “acted decisively” to flatten its structure, adding he is a “highly engaged CEO” who is “helping to restore speed, accountability, and create an engineering-centric, customer-focused culture.”
A ‘LIFELINE’ FOR INTEL
So far, the U.S. investment has been a catalyst for Intel. Its Corporate Vice President John Pitzer said in a September interview that President Trump had just hosted top technology CEOs for dinner to discuss AI, and that their companies were potential Intel customers.
The deal was a “lifeline” for Intel, said technology lobbyist and Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. Without it, Intel could have been out a CEO if it had succumbed to Trump’s pressure, he said.
The same week as the White House deal, Intel announced a $2 billion investment from Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank, where Tan once was a board member.
Lutnick, who previously had no vested interest in phone calls to his office from business or government leaders about Intel’s manufacturing, now has an incentive to jump at them, said one of the sources, who is familiar with the administration. Lutnick has indicated that Americans have skin in the game for Intel to land a foundry deal that could bolster U.S. chip production, the person said.
Foreign chip manufacturers operating in the U.S. are concerned that government officials will tip the scales for customers to manufacture with Intel instead of with them, according to two sources familiar with these worries.
A Commerce Department official said the U.S. stake gives Intel a shot at success but not a leg up, and Intel is not “too strategic to fail.” The official said further that Secretary Lutnick talks to all parties rather than prioritizing calls for Intel’s sake.
A general view shows the White House on a cloudy day, in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 23, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu Purchase Licensing Rights
The White House has ordered U.S. military forces to focus almost exclusively on enforcing a “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months, a U.S. official told Reuters, indicating Washington is currently more interested in using economic rather than military means to pressure Caracas.
“While military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking (for),” the official said on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
While President Donald Trump has been publicly coy about his precise aims regarding Venezuela, he has privately pressured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to flee the nation, Reuters has reported. Trump said on Monday it would be smart for Maduro to leave power.
“The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on Maduro, and the belief is that by late January, Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.,” the official said.
U.S. SEEKING TO SEIZE THIRD VESSEL
Trump has accused the South American country of flooding the U.S. with drugs, and his administration has for months been bombing boats originating in South America that it alleges were carrying drugs. Many nations have condemned the attacks as extrajudicial killings.
Trump has also frequently threatened to start bombing drug infrastructure on land, and has authorized covert CIA activity directed at Caracas.
So far this month, the U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted two tankers in the Caribbean Sea, both fully loaded with Venezuelan crude. The comments by the White House official on Wednesday come after Reuters reported that the Coast Guard was waiting for additional forces to carry out a third seizure, first attempted on Sunday, against an empty sanctioned vessel known as the Bella-1.
Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada said on Tuesday: “The threat is not Venezuela. The threat is the U.S. government.”
HUGE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IN CARIBBEAN
The White House official did not elaborate on precisely what it meant for the military to focus “almost exclusively” on interdicting Venezuelan oil. The U.S. military’s footprint sprawls across the globe, and most missions and capabilities are unrelated to maritime interdiction.
The Pentagon has amassed a huge military presence in the Caribbean with more than 15,000 troops. That includes an aircraft carrier, 11 other warships and more than a dozen F-35 aircraft. While many assets can be used to help with enforcing sanctions, many others, like fighter jets, are not well-suited for that task.
On Tuesday, the United States told the United Nations it will impose and enforce sanctions “to the maximum extent” to deprive Maduro of resources.
Ribadesella, Spain – 04-26-2025: Statue (19th century) of Blessed Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus Christ in her arms. (Photo by Joan Sutter on Shutterstock)
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes is a line from one of my least favorite Christmas carols. Apart from being generally saccharine, “Away in a Manger” depicts baby Jesus as something truly exceptional – a baby that does not cry.
Most of us know the basics of the story of Jesus’ birth. According to the ancient sources, he was born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, Jews living in Israel in the first century CE. Traditional scenes depict him surrounded by animals, angels, shepherds and “magi” – possibly astrologers – from the east, who visited during the first year or two of his life. Then, most of these ancient sources go quiet, and Jesus does not appear again until he is an adult with a message and a ministry.
But what about his childhood? Do we know anything about Jesus as a child? Yes. And, no.
In the whole Bible, there are only a handful of verses that speak about Jesus as a child. Matthew’s gospel includes one story about Jesus’ childhood. Matthew says that Jesus’ family fled to Egypt to escape a decree of King Herod to kill all Jewish baby boys under aged two. Joan Taylor, author of Boy Jesus: Growing up Judean in Turbulent Times, argues this is historically plausible, given the political upheaval of Jesus’ time.
Similarly, historian Robert Myles told me: “There is quite a lot we can say about the social and economic forces in Galilee during Jesus’ childhood, even though the Gospels are mostly silent on these details. In 4 BCE, the Romans destroyed the nearby city of Sepphoris, close to Nazareth, and enslaved its inhabitants to suppress an uprising. If Jesus was born by then, he would have been a toddler, but stories about freedom fighters and the trauma of Roman retaliation would have circulated in Galilee for years afterward.”
The impacts of such events created economic pressures, as well as displacement, for many.
Childhood in antiquity depended greatly on one’s social status, much like today. Mortality rates were high. Boys were generally prized much more highly than girls, who usually stayed in the domestic sphere and could be married as young as 12 or 13. Poor and enslaved children were extremely vulnerable to exploitation.
As a Jewish child, Jesus was likely educated in his home and the local synagogue. It would have been normal for a child in Galilee to live in a multi-generational home, and eat a diet that consisted mostly of legumes, bread, and vegetables.
For ancient authors, this would have been so banal as to not be worth mentioning. Only in Luke’s gospel do we get a story about Jesus’ as a child. Luke describes that “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40) and tells one story to illustrate the point.
Twelve-year-old Jesus has been on an annual visit to the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem with his parents. When they leave, presumably traveling with a group, they don’t initially notice he has stayed behind and a search ensues. They eventually find him in the temple talking with the Jewish teachers who are “amazed” at his understanding. Despite Jesus displaying a lack of concern for his parent’s anxiety in this story, Luke explicitly states that he returned home with his parents and was “obedient.” That is the extent of insight into his childhood in the Bible: Jesus was both exceptional and obedient.
This lack of information about his childhood in the Bible did not, however, stop early Christians speculating about Jesus’ early life.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, dating to the second century CE, is a speculative story about Jesus’ life as a five to 12-year-old. In this text the child Jesus is, quite frankly, a brat. He uses his powers to make living sparrows out of clay, he rearranges water with his words, and he curses other children and adults to death. A lot of them. (Most are miraculously saved later.) When the parents complain to his father Joseph about these things, Jesus curses them and they go blind.
Jesus is simultaneously depicted as unteachable and astonishingly wise, eventually taking on his teacher and amazing him with his innate and perfect knowledge of letters and the law. He does heal people and raise others from the dead, but overall the depiction is not particularly flattering – at least by modern standards. In The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Jesus is like a tiny monster with endless power and no emotional regulation.
Such stories about Jesus’ childhood should not be considered history in any modern sense. They are a type of legend, told in the manner of ancient biography (bios), where a story about the childhood of a noteworthy adult might be narrated to point out the natural genius of the person.
Ancient biographies tended to be episodic and designed to highlight exceptional character or ability, although they did not often focus on childhood.
The intriguing question is why would early Christians think this is a good way to depict Jesus? It is quite a distance from the later “little Lord Jesus” who does not cry when he “lays down his sweet head”.
But like that hymn, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas makes a claim for Jesus’ exceptionalism. In its case, Jesus is depicted as having complete power over life and death and already knowing all things.
The Christian claim that Jesus was sinless has often been conflated with the idea of Jesus as perfect and possessing all knowledge. But what makes a perfect child? One who never cries? Who never has to learn anything? Such assumptions need to be interrogated.
THIS is the moment Trump tells a child he doesn’t want a “bad Santa infiltrating our country”.
The US President sat down with the First Lady to take part in their heartwarming annual tradition of tracking Santa’s flight and speaking to children calling in from around the country.
Donald Trump sat down with the First Lady to take part in their heartwarming annual traditionCredit: AFP
Trump himself will be celebrating the festivities at his Mar-a-Lago Club home in Palm Beach, Florida.
The President checked in with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) who are normally responsible for intercepting any threats in the sky.
The operation is also famous for indulging in a little holiday spirit, proving updates on Saint Nick’s movements on Christmas Eve.
In one humorous clip, Trump tells one child from Oklahoma: “We track Santa all over the world.
“We want to make sure that Santa is being good.
“We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.
“We found out that Santa is good, Santa loves you, and loves Oklahoma like I do.
“Oklahoma was very good to me in the election, so I love Oklahoma.”
Meanwhile Melania also takes phone calls in the background.
In another clip, Trump asks a child what gifts they would like to receive this year.
“Not coal,” the youngster jokes.
The President laughs in response: “You mean clean, beautiful coal?”
He turns to the cameras and adds: “Sorry I had to do that”.
“Coal is clean and beautiful, you remember that,” Trump says again to the kid.
While taking part in the tradition a previous year, Trump famously nearly risked ruining Christmas for a seven-year-old boy in an awkward gaffe.
He asked: “Are you still a believer in Santa?”
“Because at 7, it’s marginal, right? Well, you just enjoy yourself.”
The tracker has been monitoring Santa’s progress round the globe on Christmas Eve for 70 years.
Despite the gaffe, the President was heard laughing as he asked children about where they lived.
He asked one caller: “What’s Santa going to get you for Christmas? Who’s with you?”.
Adding to another: “Have a great Christmas and I’ll talk to you again, OK?
The NORAD has operated its Santa tracker since 1958 and today offers an interactive tracker on its website and mobile app.
The snowfall in the desert signalled to the world that something fundamental is shifting in the planet’s climate system, and the consequences are visible.
Camels stand upon on land covered in snow in Saudi Arabia. (Photo: X/@LiveStormChaser)
Snowfall in Saudi Arabia is rare, but what unfolded this winter across parts of the nation’s northern regions was exceptional and alarming at the same time.
Regions such as Tabuk and nearby mountainous areas saw temperatures plunge, hills turn white, and authorities issue weather alerts; all of these occurrences are often familiar to colder climates.
Videos of snow-covered desert landscapes went viral, not just for the beautiful view but for what they signalled. The snowfall in the desert signalled to the world that something fundamental is shifting in the planet’s climate system, and the consequences are visible.
It made clear that climate change is no longer a distant or abstract threat. It is unfolding in real time, often in ways that defy historical experience.
CLIMATE EXTREMES GROWING
One of the most persistent misconceptions about climate change is that it simply means hotter days everywhere. According to scientists, the opposite is true.
As the planet warms, the atmosphere holds more moisture and energy, destabilising long-established weather patterns.
It is the very reason why the world, including India, is experiencing intense heatwaves, extreme rainfall, and sudden cold events in unlikely places.
This year, India experienced this worrying trend first-hand.
The world’s most populous nation experienced record-breaking heatwaves across north and central India, followed by devastating cloudbursts in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. The same monsoon that arrived late and erratic in some regions caused deadly floods in others.
These are not coincidences; they are signs of a climate system under stress.
INDIA SHOULD PREPARE
For India, the warning is not about freak snowstorms but about a collapsing ecosystem.
Farming cycles, water management, urban planning and electricity demand all rely on seasonal norms. When those norms break down, losses multiply, from crop failures to urban flooding and heat-related deaths.
The urgency of adaptation is the need of the hour: from heat-resilient urban planning and stronger early-warning systems to flood-proof infrastructure and climate-smart agriculture. Mitigation remains essential, but adaptation is now unavoidable.
Saudi Arabia’s snowfall should not be dismissed as a viral curiosity. It is another data point in a world where the climate is becoming more volatile and less forgiving.
As warming accelerates, such anomalies are only expected to grow more frequently.
For India and the rest of the world, the message is clear. The climate crisis is no longer knocking at the door. It is already inside.
According to police, unidentified assailants threw a crude bomb from the Moghbazar flyover at around 7:10 pm, which landed on the road below. The improvised explosive device is believed to have hit the victim, Siam, 21, on the head, killing him instantly.
Dhaka: People gather outside the Freedom Fighters Parliament office after a powerful crude bomb explosion rocked the capital amid continuing violence across several parts of the country. (PTI)
Fresh violence erupted in Dhaka on Christmas Eve, just ahead of exiled Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Tarique Rahman’s visit, after a man was killed in a powerful crude bomb explosion near the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command at the capital’s Moghbazar intersection on Wednesday evening.
According to police, unidentified assailants threw a crude bomb from the Moghbazar flyover at around 7:10 pm, which landed on the road below. The improvised explosive device is believed to have hit the victim, Saiful Siam, 21, on the head, killing him instantly.
The attack also comes at a time when security in the city has been heightened ahead of Rahman’s visit. Son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Rahman, who has been in exile for the last 15 years, is returning to Dhaka with barely a month to go before Bangladesh’s elections, while his mother remains on life support.
The miscreants threw the bomb from the flyover onto the main road adjacent to the Assemblies of God (AG) Church, located at New Eskaton under Hatirjheel Police Station.
Ramna Division Deputy Police Commissioner Masud Alam told Jago News that a powerful cocktail bomb was hurled from the flyover. “The youth died on the spot after being hit by the explosive,” he said, adding that senior police officers were present at the scene and an investigation was underway.
Meanwhile, an unidentified miscreant in Dhaka University vandalised the famous Madhur Canteen while chanting the poems of Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Following the incident, the security guards took the man into their custody and handed him over to the police.
The canteen is known as a living memory of the Language Movement, the mass uprising, and the Liberation War. It was started by Madhusudan Das in 1921.
Streetside tea-stall owner Faruk, who was at the scene, told Jago News that Siam had come to him for a cup of tea. “I was preparing to wash cups when there was a sudden bang. Then I saw Siam had fallen to the ground. Blood was coming from his head, and his brains were scattered all around,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Christmas Eve Mass as pontiff, as Christians flocked to Bethlehem after “two years of darkness” during the war in Gaza. Follow for the latest Christmas news.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Midnight Mass in St Peter’s BasilicaImage: Marco Iacobucci/IPA/ZUMA/picture alliance
Pope gives first Christmas Mass
Pope Leo XIVgave his first Christmas Mass after being elected to the role in May.
The pontiff spoke about the holiday, calling it a day of “faith, charity and hope,” while also criticizing a “distorted economy” that, according to the pope, brings people to “treat human beings as mere merchandise.”
High-ranking Church figures, diplomats and around 6,000 faithful attended the mass.
Outside the St Peters Basilica, thousands of people followed the mass on large screens.
“St Peter’s is very large but unfortunately it is not large enough to receive all of you,” he told the crowd of around 5,000 people.
Ahead of Christmas, Pope Leo XIV called for “24 hours of peace in the whole world,” later expressing “great sadness” due to Russia’s unwillingness to accept the offer and halt the hostilities in its war in Ukraine.
Christmas festivities return to Bethlehem amid fragile Gaza truce
After two years of war and devastation, Christmas returns to Bethlehem, the city revered as Jesus’s birthplace.
A giant tree now stands in Manger Square, where locals and tourists gather in celebration. For a city that relies on tourism, the holiday marks a fragile hope for recovery.
Amid ongoing tensions, residents and church leaders call for peace and light after years of darkness.
Flash floods feared in Southern California as Christmas storm hits
Southern California has seen a heavy winter storm hitting the area ahead of Christmas, with experts forecasting the region’s wettest end of December in years.
Mudslides are feared in the wildfire-hit area due to the heavy rain, with snow coloring the mountains white, and flash flood warnings issued in the Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
“Severe, widespread flash flooding is expected,” the National Weather Service said, adding that “lives and property are in great danger.”
Those having to drive during Christmas have been warned of hazardous conditions.
“If you’re planning to be on the roads for the Christmas holidays, please reconsider your plans,” National Weather Service meteorologist in Los Angeles Ariel Cohen said.
Most of Germany set for cold, windy — but not white — Christmas
Much of Germany is heading into a frosty and blustery Christmas, but with little chance of widespread snow, according to the German Weather Service.
Forecasters said only parts of southern Germany are likely to see a light dusting of snow, while icy temperatures and strong winds dominate the holiday period.
The Weather Service said wind chill values could drop to minus 10 degrees Celsius during the day, and as low as minus 20 degrees at night and in the early morning hours.
Meteorologist Sebastian Schappert advised people to bundle up before heading outside.
Hopes for white Christmases are set to be disappointed in most regions. Only isolated areas in the south, including parts of the Black Forest and the Swabian Alps, may see some snowfall on Christmas Eve, enough for a thin snow cover.
Elsewhere, skies are expected to remain mostly cloudy, sometimes foggy, with persistent frost and brisk winds.
Freed Nigerian schoolchildren return home for Christmas
Families and villagers in north-central Nigeria have reunited with schoolchildren who were held for a month after one of the country’s largest mass abductions, with emotional scenes marking their return just ahead of Christmas.
The 130 schoolchildren and teachers were released on Sunday and brought back to Papiri community in Niger state, the final group freed since the November 21 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School.
Mothers hugged their children with tears in their eyes, while other youngsters were lifted into the air as villagers gathered around, checking them carefully and calling out their names.
“This Christmas, since we are celebrating Christmas with our children, we are so glad. And this Christmas will be different from the others,” said Yusuf Timothy, whose daughter Rejoice was among those released.
Merz calls for unity, patience in Christmas message
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged people to pause, reflect, and draw strength over Christmas, while acknowledging the challenges of his first year in office.
“Christmas is a time to pause, to be grateful, and to draw strength in the circle of family and friends,” —Merz said in a Christmas message posted on X. “I wish you blessed, peaceful Christmas days and confidence for the new year. May this time strengthen and encourage us.”
In a separate video message lasting just over two minutes, Merz looked back on a year shaped by February’s elections, which brought him to power at the head of Europe’s largest economy. He said governing with his conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats had required compromise.
“There were discussions, and not everything went off completely smoothly,” Merz said.
“We need patience and persistence, just as much as the drive to continue to decide the best for our country every day,” he said.
Merz also stressed his government’s focus on Europe’s future, underlining peace, security, and prosperity as core priorities. “In these months and years, it’s about the peace, about the security and about the prosperity of our entire continent,” he said, reiterating his strong support for Ukraine.
Bethlehem sees return of Christmas crowds after war-hit years
Thousands of people have gathered in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve, as Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in the Holy Land, formally opened the celebrations.
Arriving in Manger Square, Pizzaballa said he carried greetings from Gaza’s small Christian community, where he celebrated a pre-Christmas Mass earlier in the week.
He said that amid widespread destruction, he also witnessed a strong desire to live and rebuild.
“We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” he told the crowd of Christians and Muslims gathered in the square.
Crossing the separation wall into the West Bank from Jerusalem earlier, Pizzaballa called for “a Christmas full of light,” saying, “after two years of darkness, we need light.”
Despite the festive scenes, the economic impact of the war remains severe in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In Bethlehem, about 80% of residents depend on tourism-related businesses, according to local authorities.
Most of those celebrating were local residents, with only a small number of foreign visitors present.
A nightly raid on the outskirts of Accra led to the arrest of some 50 Nigerians on suspicion of online fraud. Ghana has been rife with online scam incidents, as its youth complain of scarce economic prospects.
While Nigeria’s fintech sector has made a name for itself in recent years, the country has also become known for internet scammers as well as scamming crimes [FILE: Mar 30, 2020]Image: Tim Goode/PA Wire/picture allianceGhana arrested almost 50 Nigerians in an operation against online scammers, the government said on Wednesday.
The arrests were made during a raid on the outskirts of the capital city Accra.
Sam George, the country’s information minister said on his X account that the nighttime raid resulted in the arrest of “48 suspected cybercrime operations,” with the suspects believed to be Nigerian nationals. Those arrested include two women.
While Nigeria’s fintech sector has made a name for itself in recent years, the country has also become known for internet scammers, while also becoming a target for such criminals itself.
Earlier this year, almost 800 people were arrested in capital Lagos, with some 150 of them being Chinese citizens.
Following the 2021 coup and a divisive constitutional reform, elections are being held in Guinea. The frontrunner in the vote is junta leader Doumbouya, but experts criticize that opposition parties have been suspended.
Junta leader Mamady Doumbouya is the clear favorite for the first upcoming election in Guinea on December 28Image: CELLOU BINANI/AFP/ Getty Images
For more than four years now, General Mamady Doumbouya has been serving as Guinea’s “transitional president,” having led a coup d’etat against then-President Alpha Conde on September 5, 2021.
Doumbouya had originally promised to return power to civilians, but it appears that he has changed his mind, as he is now running for the election scheduled for December 28.
The country’s new constitution, which was adopted in September, will allow the future president to serve a seven-year term. Voters will get to choose between nine candidates, but Doumbouya’s eight rivals are largely unknown to the general public in Guinea, as the most important opposition politicians in the country have been excluded from the election.
Doumbouya’s main rivals sidelined by edict
Guinea’s new constitution also stipulates that presidential candidates must have their main residence in the country.
Using this new prerequisite, two opposition heavyweights living in exile were stopped from running for office in one fell swoop: Former Prime Minister Sidya Toure, chairman of the Union of Republican Forces Republicaines (UFR) party, and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, chairman of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) party.
Guinean authorities had suspended the entire UFDG at the end of August — alongside several other parties. The suspension was initially intended to last for 90 days, but in the case of the UFDG, that has now been extended: In a statement issued two weeks before the election, the Guinean Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization said that the documents submitted by the party showed “significant shortcomings” for its participation.
It added that the UFDG now has six months to “bring its political organization fully into line with the new legal provisions.” Otherwise, the party will lose its legal status.
Among various criticisms, the ministry underscored the fact that the UFDG has not held a party conference since Guinea’s junta dissolves government without explanation in 2015; however, authorities at the same time prohibited the UFDG from doing just that at the beginning of this year — again with little rhyme or reason.
A ‘climate of terror’
Since 2022, the military government led by Doumbouya has banned all demonstrations in the country and has arrested, prosecuted, or driven into exile several opposition leaders.
At the same time, reports of abductions and kidnappings of political opponents have increased significantly.
Amnesty International says that this has created a “climate of terror,” and has joined 24 other Guinean and international human rights organizations to call on “authorities to comply with their international human rights obligations, to which they committed themselves in April 2025 before the UN Human Rights Council.”
Presidential candidates: From 66 to nine
According to the election commission, 66 people originally submitted their presidential candidacies to the Supreme Court. However, the vast majority of candidates were squarely rejected.
Makale Camara, former foreign minister and the only woman among the remaining nine candidates, hopes to boost her chances by focusing on connecting with citizens: “My strategy is to mingle with the people, especially women. Wherever I can find young people,” says the chairwoman of the Front for National Alliance (FAN) party.
Ibrahima Toure, of the Union for Progress and Renewal (PRUN) party, is one of the candidates who was not approved to run — as a person who splits his time between Guinea and Germany.
His platform would have been the country’s education system — or rather a lack thereof: “The education system is a disaster. The classrooms are dilapidated and completely broken. Those who have no money cannot send their children to school.”
Dwindling support for Doumbouya?
Toure also criticizes the country’s judiciary, describing it as “corrupt.” “People are kidnapped, and there is no way to file a lawsuit. If one is filed, it is not taken seriously because the government simply has its hand in it.”
Together with several other parties, Toure has decided to support Faya Millimouno, chairman of the Liberal Bloc (BL) party, who is one of the total of nine approved candidates on the ballot.
Millimouno told DW that the initial support for Doumbouya right after the coup has long dwindled: “Very big promises were made. We know what we have today. We know what we are experiencing today under [Doumbouya’s] government. In fact, his team has come to deceive Guineans,” Millimouno explained, denouncing a “strategy of terror” which he says is aimed at suppressing dissenting voices.
Doumbouya’s political brand: Stability
On the other hand, there still is support for the strongman in certain camps: Alassane Diallo is a supporter of the controversial leader, who lives in Germany.
Diallo is optimistic about the December 28 polls: “I am convinced that Doumbouya is the right man for the job. He is the one who is capable of bringing Guineans together, uniting them across all their differences and getting them to work,” he told DW, saying he fully expected constitutional order to return to the country after the elections.
The meeting is the most significant step since fighting re-erupted and follows separate, unsuccessful efforts by Malaysia, China and the United States to bring the two countries to the table.
Military officials from Thailand and Cambodia began talks on Dec 24, 2025, after both countries agreed to discuss the resumption of a ceasefire. (Photo: Facebook/PR Cambodian Government)
Military officials from Thailand and Cambodia began talks on Wednesday (Dec 24), both countries said, days after the neighbours agreed to discuss resumption of a ceasefire after 16 days of fierce border clashes that have killed at least 86 people.
The talks come two days after a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur of Southeast Asian foreign ministers convened to try to salvage a truce first brokered by ASEAN chair Malaysia and United States President Donald Trump after a previous round of clashes in July.
Thai Defence Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said Wednesday’s meeting of the General Border Committee would last three days and could pave the way for an agreement.
The talks were held at a border checkpoint towards the southern end of their 817km frontier.
“If the secretariat meeting goes smoothly and leads to an agreement, then there will be a meeting between the defence ministers of the two countries on Dec 27,” Surasant told reporters.
Cambodian defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said the talks began at 4.30pm local time (5.30pm, Singapore time), led by generals from both sides.
The meeting is the most significant step since fighting re-erupted and follows separate, unsuccessful efforts by Malaysia, China and the United States to bring the two countries to the table.
CONTINUED FIGHTING
Cambodia and Thailand have each accused the other of aggression and violations of an enhanced ceasefire reached in October in Malaysia in Trump’s presence, during which they committed to demining and withdrawing troops and heavy weapons from areas over which sovereignty has been contested bitterly for decades.
In the run-up to Wednesday’s talks, Thailand and Cambodia have continued clashing, with both sides fighting at multiple points since early December, stretching from forested regions near Laos to the coastal provinces of the Gulf of Thailand.
At least 21 civilians have been in killed in Cambodia since the fighting, and more than half a million people displaced, according to national authorities. In Thailand, at least 65 people have lost their lives, with over 150,000 evacuated from their homes.
A spokesperson for the US State Department said that Washington was concerned by continued fighting and casualties along the Cambodia-Thailand border and that Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio remained in contact with their Cambodian and Thai counterparts, as well as Malaysia, to convey this concern.
“We strongly urge the immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians, and for both sides to fully implement the ceasefire and the other de-escalatory measures outlined in the Oct 26 Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adjusts the headphones during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (not pictured) in Jerusalem Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Photo: Reuters/Ariel Schalit/Pool)
Israel will retaliate against Hamas for what it says are violations of the Gaza ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday (Dec 24), after an Israeli military officer was wounded by an explosive device in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots, Netanyahu accused Hamas of refusing to disarm as required under the October ceasefire agreement, describing the group’s stance as a clear breach of the deal.
“Israel will respond accordingly,” Netanyahu said, adding that Hamas had made it plain it had no intention of laying down its weapons.
The Israeli military earlier said an explosive device detonated against a military vehicle in the Rafah area, lightly injuring an officer. Israeli forces continue to operate in parts of southern Gaza despite the truce.
Hamas denied responsibility for the blast. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi said in a post on X that the explosion was caused by unexploded Israeli ordnance left behind during earlier fighting, and that the group had informed mediators of this.
ISRAELI DELEGATION HOLDS TALKS IN CAIRO
Later on Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office said an Israeli delegation had met mediators in Cairo to discuss efforts to recover the remains of the last Israeli hostage still held in Gaza, police officer Ran Gvili.
The delegation included representatives from the Israeli military, the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service and the Mossad.
The current ceasefire stems from a 20-point plan put forward by US President Donald Trump in September. While the first phase, including a halt in fighting, hostage and prisoner releases and a partial Israeli withdrawal, has taken effect, negotiations on subsequent phases have stalled.
The plan ultimately calls for Hamas to disarm and relinquish any governing role in Gaza, alongside a full Israeli withdrawal. Hamas has said it would only give up its weapons following the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Israel has repeatedly rejected.
TRUCE UNDER STRAIN
Although violence has dropped significantly since the ceasefire came into force on Oct 10, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce began, while Israel says three of its soldiers have died in militant attacks.
Netanyahu said Hamas was “openly declaring” that it would not disarm, in direct contradiction to the US-backed plan.
NETANYAHU WARNS HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN
Netanyahu also warned that Hezbollah in Lebanon had no intention of disarming following last year’s fighting, which ended in a US-brokered truce.
He added that Israel still faced threats from Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and from Iran itself.
“We do not seek confrontations, but our eyes are open to every possible danger,” Netanyahu said.
Russia plans to put a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next decade to supply its lunar space programme and a joint Russian-Chinese research station, as major powers rush to explore the Earth’s only natural satellite.
Ever since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space in 1961, Russia has prided itself as a leading power in space exploration, but in recent decades it has fallen behind the United States and, increasingly, China.
Russia’s ambitions suffered a massive blow in August 2023 when its unmanned Luna-25 mission smashed into the surface of the moon while attempting to land, and Elon Musk has revolutionised the launch of space vehicles – once a Russian speciality.
IS THAT A NUCLEAR REACTOR ON THE MOON?
Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, said in a statement that it planned to build a lunar power plant by 2036 and signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association aerospace company to do it.
Roscosmos did not say explicitly that the plant would be nuclear but it said the participants included Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute, Russia’s leading nuclear research institute.
Roscosmos said the purpose of the plant was to power Russia’s lunar programme, including rovers, an observatory and the infrastructure of the joint Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research Station.
“The project is an important step towards the creation of a permanently functioning scientific lunar station and the transition from one-time missions to a long-term lunar exploration programme,” Roscosmos said.
The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, said in June that one of the corporation’s aims was to put a nuclear power plant on the moon and to explore Venus, known as Earth’s “sister” planet.
The moon, which is 384,400km from our planet, moderates the Earth’s wobble on its axis, which ensures a more stable climate. It also causes tides in the world’s oceans.
US ALSO PLANS A REACTOR ON THE MOON
Russia is not the only one with such plans. NASA in August declared its intent to put a nuclear reactor on the moon by the first quarter of fiscal year 2030.
“We’re in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon. And to have a base on the moon, we need energy,” US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said in August, when asked about the plans.
He added that the United States was currently behind in the race to the moon. He said energy was essential to allow life to be sustained on the moon and, thence, for humans to get to Mars.
International rules ban putting nuclear weapons in space but there are no bans on putting nuclear energy sources into space – as long as they comply with certain rules.
Two weeks after Australia’s social media ban for children under 16 took effect, debate continues over how effective and enforceable the new law will be.
Noah Jones shows a warning on his phone that says he cannot access a social media site in Sydney, Australia Dec. 9, 2025. (Photo: AP/Rick Rycroft)
It is the start of summer holidays in Australia and school is out.
For many teenagers, that usually means spending more time online. For 15-year-old Amber Hunter, social media was the main way she stayed connected with friends during the holidays.
But a new law that came into effect two weeks ago has changed that. It bans Australians under the age of 16 from major social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.
Amber said she used to “doomscroll” through social media excessively – referring to the habit of endlessly scrolling through online content.
“Like TikTok, I (used to use) most days. Snapchat as well. I used that every morning to check what’s going on, where my friends are and talk to them,” she told CNA.
“A lot of us don’t like (the new law). I know a lot of people are annoyed by it. Everything that I (used to) search for … things that I enjoy, they’re not going to be there anymore.”
Still, Amber admits the ban may have some upside – she hopes it will help her spend less time scrolling and more time on hobbies like dancing and reading.
Her mother Lindsay Hunter is broadly supportive of the move, saying it eases the burden on parents.
“(It) makes parenting much easier. It takes away those arguments you have to have. It takes away the risks,” she said. “If the government can do (that for parents) or the apps can do it, then that’s great,” she said.
But she also has doubts about how effective the law will be, saying that so far, the changes appear limited.
“I don’t know how they’re going to police it. How can you really tell that she’s (Amber’s) only 15?” she asked.
“Nothing’s changed on my apps yet, except getting certain scans. The kids who look young have been taken off, (but) anyone who can get past those verification scans are still on the apps. I find it hard to believe that it will work.”
BAN IS WORLD’S FIRST
Australia on Dec 10 became the first country in the world to ban social media for children.
Under the nationwide law, 10 of the biggest platforms are required to block users under 16 years of age, or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million).
Firms must enforce stringent age verification measures such as identity checks or facial scanning to comply with the new rules.
Platforms are using a mix of methods to determine users’ ages, including age inference based on online activity, age estimation through selfies, and official documents such as identification cards or bank account details.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the aim is to protect children and take back control from big technology companies.
The government said it understands the challenges but insists young Australians must be shielded from online harms such as cyberbullying, body image issues, grooming and addictive algorithms.
While the ban has broad public support, concerns have been raised about data privacy, freedom of expression and the risk of online harms moving to less regulated spaces.
UNDER GLOBAL SCRUTINY
Ross Tapsell, a researcher at the Australian National University, said the debate itself is already having a positive impact.
“The immediate benefit (is that) people are talking about the role that social media is having on young people,” the associate professor told CNA.
“From my experiences talking to university students, even at 18 or 19 years old, students are not necessarily able to critically reflect on the impact that social media has on their lives.”
However, he cautioned that government regulation could overreach, warning that overly strict enforcement could lead to unintended consequences.
Justin Bieber gave his fans a look at his holiday celebrations, including rare pics of his son, Jack Blues, dressed up as Santa.
The singer shared adorable snaps of Jack, 16 months, sporting a red Santa hat with a white puffball at the end.
The toddler wore a bright red sweater and gray sweatpants while he wandered around a private jet with leather seats.
The plane had holiday decorations, including a snowman figurine and a flower arrangement.
Justin Bieber shared pics of his son, Jack Blues, dressed up as Santa on Christmas Eve. Instagram/Justin Bieber
Bieber also shared a picture of his warm holiday surroundings outside of the plane, which included three cream-colored knit stockings hanging on a fireplace — presumably for him, wife Hailey Bieber and their son — as well as a Christmas tree.
The “Peaches” singer, 31, later shared what Christmas means to him.
“Christmas time is that time to reflect and ask yourself what you really want. What truly fulfills?” he wrote.
“Christmas is a reminder of Jesus and the free gift of forgiveness only he can offer,” he continued. “Reflecting on this reminds me of all I have went through. And how he has brought me through it all.”
He concluded, “Letting go [of] resentment is hard but when Jesus reveals hisself as willing and able, it’s hard to deny him. Hope wherever you are you can lean into this love that meets us exactly where we are no matter what.”
In the emotional post, he shared pages of notes tiled “A Message.”
“I grew in a system that rewarded my gift but didn’t always protect my soul,” the message reads. “There were moments I felt used, rushed, shaped into something I didn’t fully choose. This kind of pressure leaves wounds you don’t see on stage.”
He acknowledged that he “carried anger,” but said he had been “healed” by his faith.
“I’ve asked God why. But Jesus keeps meeting me in the middle of the pain – not excusing what hurt me, but teaching me how not to become bitter,” he wrote.
“I’ve been through pain that shaped me before I had the words to name it… I don’t want to burn the music industry down,” he continued. “I want to see it made new – safer, more honest, more human.”
Showing off his more playful side, he later shared two pics of him pulling funny faces.
Bieber has been spending plenty of quality time this month with Hailey, 29, and Jack.
Kim Kardashian’s eldest daughter, North West, was notably absent from her family holiday shoot this year.
Kardashian took to Instagram Wednesday and shared a series of adorable snaps of her and her three other children — Saint, 10; Chicago, 7; and Psalm, 6 — posing in Christmas-themed pajama sets from her Skims clothing line.
Her sister Khloé’s son, Tatum, 3, and brother Rob’s daughter, Dream, 9, were also included in the family shoot.
Kim Kardashian’s eldest daughter, North West, was notably absent from her family’s holiday shoot this year. Instagram/kimkardashian
“‘Twas the night before Christmas…” the reality star captioned the carousel of pictures.
But fans in the comments section could only focus on one thing — North’s absence. The 12-year-old was nowhere to be seen in the shots.
“Northie said not today lol gotta love teenagers!” one fan quipped.
“I guess Northie was in a mood and didn’t want to participate in pictures,” one guessed. “You gotta start paying Northie girl 😂 she’s not with the photos,” another joked.
Many fans in the comments weren’t surprised by the preteen skipping this latest shoot, as Kim already admitted she’d failed to wrangle North into her last attempt at a holiday photo.
The “All’s Fair” star admitted via Instagram Monday that she couldn’t get all four of her children to cooperate for a family Christmas photo.
“I really tried,” she captioned the chaotic carousel, where North can be seen walking out of the frame and was also absent from the first two snaps.
This isn’t the first time North has been uncooperative at Christmas picture time. When the “Kardashians” star posed with her children for 2022 holiday snaps, she revealed, “Most of the photos… were unusable because North was sticking out her middle finger.”
She told viewers of her Hulu reality show that the shoots are the “most stressful time of [her] life no matter what” because the siblings “always cry” and “nobody gets along.”
The “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” alum shares her kids with ex-husband Kanye West, whom she split from in 2021.
Travis Kelce revealed the thoughtful gift he gave fiancée Taylor Swift, which was “one of [her] favorites,” during Wednesday’s “New Heights” episode.
The athlete, 36, told brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce that he purchased a bread slicer for the pop star.
Travis Kelce described Taylor Swift’s “favorite” gift from him on Wednesday’s “New Heights” podcast. Travis Kelce/Instagram
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end picked out the present “because [his partner has] been throwing together so much f–king sourdough.”
He noted, “Gosh, I’ve got the best gut health there is. I love you, Tay.”
Jason, 38, applauded the choice on the podcast since something to help with “slicing is a big deal.”
The retired NFL player added, “It is true. One of the unfortunate things with making fresh bread is trying to cut that s–t. It’s hard.”
When Kylie, 33, claimed the “hardest part” is “the responsibility to eat it,” her husband disagreed.
“That’s the easiest,” Jason said.
Swift, who began dating Travis in July 2023, repeatedly gushed about her bread-baking obsession while promoting her “Life of a Showgirl” album in October.
“It’s a danger … because I cannot stop talking about bread when I start,” the songwriter said on BBC Radio 1. “And it has nothing to do with music.”
When the Grammy winner appeared on “New Heights” the previous month, she detailed the depths of her “granny” hobby.
“The sourdough has taken over my life in a huge way,” Swift explained to listeners. “I’m really talking about bread 60 percent of the time now.
“I’m just, like, always baking bread and texting my friends and being like, ‘Can I send you some bread? I need some feedback. Do you like this one better than you liked the other one? Like, I did the rise a little differently,” she continued.
The performer, who often reads “sourdough blogs,” said, “There’s a whole community of us and I didn’t know it. This is an underworld.”
Workers sell off cuts of meat during the traditional Christmas Eve auction at Smithfield meat market in London, UK
From skiing Santas in the US and Mass with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, to giant cuts of meat being thrown into crowds in London, Christmas celebrations around the world are in full swing.
Worshippers in Ukraine, China and Pakistan gathered for Christmas Eve services at their local churches.
While most Christians mark Christmas on 25 December, many Orthodox Christians do not celebrate until 7 January.
Here are some of the best images of the holiday cheer around the world.
Pope Leo holds a figurine of Baby Jesus during Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, ItalyTwo women take a photo in front of the Christmas tree in Nativity Square in Bethlehem, held to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the occupied West BankA woman lights a candle with her son during a Christmas Eve service in Kyiv, UkraineWorshippers attend a Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Saviour in Beijing, ChinaChristians attend midnight Mass at Central Brooks Memorial Church in Karachi, PakistanA man decorates a Christmas tree during Christmas Eve celebrations in Islamabad, PakistanGirls stand alongside a Christmas nativity scene at St Mary’s Church in the village of Uswetakeiyawa, Sri LankaWomen hold candles as they attend a Christmas Eve mass in Nairobi, Kenya
Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras’ presidential election, electoral authorities said Wednesday afternoon, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central American nation’s fragile electoral system. (AP Video: Elmer Martínez)
Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras’ presidential election, electoral authorities said Wednesday afternoon, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central American nation’s fragile electoral system.
The election is continuing Latin America’s swing to the right, coming just a week after Chile chose the far-right politician José Antonio Kast as its next president.
Asfura, of the conservative National Party received 40.27% of the vote in the Nov. 30, edging out four-time candidate Salvador Nasralla of the conservative Liberal Party, who finished with 39.53% of the vote.
Honduras’ president-elect
The former mayor of Honduras’ capital Tegucigalpa, won in his second bid for the presidency, after he and Nasralla were neck-and-neck during a weeks-long vote count that fueled international concern.
On Tuesday night a number of electoral officials and candidates were already fighting and contesting the results of the election. Meanwhile, followers in Asfura’s campaign headquarters erupted into cheers.
“Honduras: I am prepared to govern,” wrote Asfura in a post on X shortly after the results were released. “I will not let you down.”
The results were a rebuke of the current leftist leader, and her governing democratic socialist Liberty and Re-foundation Party, known as LIBRE, whose candidate finished in a distant third place with 19.19% of the vote.
Trump takes a spotlight in Honduras
Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on Wednesday, writing on a post on X: “The people of Honduras have spoken … (the Trump administration) looks forward to working with his administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere.”
The European Union and number of right-leading leaders across Latin America, namely Trump-ally Argentine President Javier Milei, also congratulated the politician.
Asfura ran as a pragmatic politician, pointing to his popular infrastructure projects in the capital. Trump endorsed the 67-year-old conservative just days before the vote, saying he was the only Honduran candidate the U.S. administration would work with.
Nasralla maintained the claim that the election was fraudulent on Wednesday, saying electoral authorities who announced the results “betrayed the Honduran people.”
On Tuesday night, he also addressed Trump in a post on X, writing: “Mr. President, your endorsed candidate in Honduras is complicit in silencing the votes of our citizens. If he is truly worthy of your backing, if his hands are clean, if he has nothing to fear, then why doesn’t he allow for every vote to be counted?”
He and other opponents of Asfura have maintained that Trump’s last-minute endorsement was an act of electoral interference that ultimately swung the results of the vote.
A chaotic election
The unexpectedly tumultuous election was also marred by a sluggish vote count, which fueled even more accusations.
The Central American nation was stuck in limbo for more than three weeks as vote counting by electoral authorities lagged, and at one point was paralyzed after a special count of final vote tallies was called, fueling warnings by international leaders.
After expressing democratic concern about the lack of results days before, Organization of American States Secretary General Albert Rambin wrote on a post on X on Wednesday that the OAS “takes note” of the results announced and noted it is “closely following events in Honduras”.
It also condemned electoral authorities for announcing the results while the final .07% of votes were counted with such razor-thin margins in the election.
Jeffrey Epstein and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell
US authorities have discovered more than a million more documents potentially related to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein that they plan to release in the coming days and weeks, officials say.
The FBI and federal prosecutors in New York informed the Department of Justice (DoJ) of the discovery.
“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the DoJ said on Wednesday.
The department said it could take “a few more weeks” before all the files are released. The DoJ has been under scrutiny after not releasing all Epstein files by 19 December, the deadline mandated under a new law.
The agency said it would “continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump’s direction to release the files”.
The statement did not specify how the FBI and the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York came across the additional material. Epstein had been facing charges of sex trafficking minors in the state when he died awaiting trial in a New York prison.
The news comes after the justice department released thousands of documents – some heavily redacted – related to their investigations into Epstein.
The department has been releasing the documents in batches and top officials have said hundreds of thousands of documents still are to be released.
The files were released after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act – signed into law by US President Donald Trump – that ordered the agency to share all the documents with the public while protecting victims’ identities.
Many of the released documents, which include videos, photos, emails and investigative documents, have heavy redactions, including names of people the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case.
The justice department has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over the amount of redactions, which the law permits only to protect victims’ identities and active criminal investigations.
In a post on X after the discovery of the additional documents was announced, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, a congressional panel that has been investigating the Epstein saga, accused the White House of “illegally” withholding the files.
“Every day we see lies, incompetence, missed deadlines, and illegal redactions,” Representative Robert Garcia said in a statement.
The law passed by Congress and signed last month by Trump states that names and information that might be embarrassing or cause “reputational harm” are not allowed to be redacted.
It specifically asks the DoJ for internal communications and memos detailing who was investigated and decisions on whether “to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates”.
Included in the documents are emails appearing to be exchanged between FBI personnel in 2019 that mention 10 possible “co-conspirators” of Epstein.
The emails said six of the group had been served with subpoenas. This included three in Florida, one in Boston, one in New York City, and one in Connecticut.
Possible co-conspirators in Epstein’s crimes are a major focus for his victims, and for several lawmakers who have demanded more transparency from the justice department.
Previous releases of Epstein documents have included revelations that reverberated across the Atlantic.
Peter Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US after details emerged about his friendship with the convicted paedophile, and that he told Epstein “I think the world of you”, the day before Epstein began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
Lord Mandelson said in a letter to staff that “I deeply regret” the circumstances of his departure from the British embassy in Washington DC. He said being ambassador had been “the privilege of my life” and he continued “to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein twenty years ago and the plight of his victims”.
In October, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost his prince title and was asked to leave his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, following prolonged scrutiny over his links to Epstein.
Zelensky said the 20 points agreed with the Americans offered Ukraine security guarantees that mirrored Nato membership
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has given details of an updated peace plan offering Russia the potential withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the east and the creation of a demilitarised zone in their place.
Detailing the 20-point plan agreed by US and Ukrainian envoys in Florida at the weekend, Zelensky said the Russians would respond on Wednesday once the Americans had spoken to them.
Describing the plan as “the main framework for ending the war”, he said it proposed security guarantees from the US, Nato and Europeans for a co-ordinated military response if Russia invaded Ukraine again.
On the key question of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas, Zelensky said a “free economic zone” was a potential option.
He told journalists that as Ukraine was against withdrawal, US negotiators were looking to establish a demilitarised zone or a free economic zone. Any area that Ukrainian troops pulled out of would have to be policed by Ukraine, he stressed.
“There are two options,” Zelensky said, “either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding all potential economic zones.”
The 20-point plan is seen as an update of an original 28-point document, agreed by US envoy Steve Witkoff with the Russians several weeks ago, which was widely seen as heavily geared towards the Kremlin’s demands.
The Russians have insisted that Ukraine pulls out of almost a quarter of its own territory in the eastern Donetsk region in return for a peace deal. The rest is already under Russian occupation.
Sensitive issues including questions over territory would have to be resolved “at the leaders’ level”, but the new draft would provide Ukraine with strong security guarantees and a military strength of 800,000, Zelensky explained.
Much of the updated plan resembles what came out of recent talks in Berlin involving US negotiators Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Ukrainian and European leaders. The setting then moved to Miami last weekend where US President Donald Trump’s team spoke separately to Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and then Ukrainian and European officials.
There now appears to be far more detail on the territorial issue, although it is clear the Ukrainian side was unable to reach a consensus with the Americans.
Zelensky explained that if Ukraine was prepared to pull its heavy forces back by five, 10 or 40km in the 25% of Donetsk it still held to create an economic zone, making it virtually demilitarised, then Russia would have to do the same “accordingly by five, 10, or 40km”.
Russian troops are currently about 40km (25 miles) east of Ukraine’s “fortress belt” cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, having captured the town of Siversk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to be impressed by the kind of compromise being proposed for Donetsk. He said this month that Russia would take control of the entire east of Ukraine by force if Ukrainian troops did not pull out.
However, Trump is pushing for a deal to end almost four years of full-scale war and the Ukrainian president believes Russia cannot afford to reject the US plan.
“They cannot tell President Trump, ‘look we’re against a peaceful settlement’,” Zelensky told reporters. “If they try to obstruct everything, then President Trump would have to arm us heavily, while imposing all possible sanctions against them.”
Zelensky made clear that if a free economic zone were established in Donetsk it would have to be under Ukrainian administration and police – “definitely not the so-called Russian police”. The current front line would then become the boundary of the economic zone with international forces on the ground along the contact line to ensure no Russian infiltration.
Russia has so far rejected a European proposal to police any peace deal through a Coalition of the Willing as a “brazen threat”.
A referendum would need to be held on the whole peace plan, Zelensky said, and only a referendum could decide on the idea of a potential free economic zone in Donbas.
He emphasised that an economic zone would also have to be set up around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant currently occupied by Russia, and that Russian troops would have to pull out of four other Ukrainian regions – Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv.
The current US proposal for the nuclear plant would be for Ukraine, the US and Russia to operate it jointly, but Kyiv disagreed with that, Zelensky said.
The main points of the plan reaffirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and propose a non-aggression pact between Russia and its neighbour with a monitoring mechanism.
As well as strong security guarantees mirroring Nato’s Article Five, which requires members to aid an ally under attack, Ukraine is to be allowed a maximum military strength of 800,000 in peacetime.
Discussions are still going on over a US plan to receive compensation in return for security guarantees, so Zelensky says it is not currently part of the document.
There is no reference barring Ukraine from joining Nato, which was in the original 28-point plan and something Russia has consistently demanded.
President Donald Trump flew on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported,” according to an email from a New York prosecutor that forms part of a new batch of documents about Epstein released Tuesday by the U.S. Justice Department.
In an email dated January 7, 2020, the unidentified prosecutor wrote that flight records showed Trump had flown on Epstein’s private jet eight times during the 1990s. Among those were at least four flights on which Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also aboard. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping late financier Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.
In a social media post in 2024, Trump said he “was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his ‘stupid’ Island.” There was no allegation in the prosecutor’s email that Trump had committed any crime. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the email.
On one flight described in the newly released records, the only three passengers were Epstein, Trump and a 20-year-old woman whose name was redacted. “On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case,” the document stated.
Trump knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump has said their association ended in the mid-2000s and that he was never aware of the financier’s sexual abuse. Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 of procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution. The Justice Department charged him with sex trafficking in 2019.
The Department of Justice posted a statement on X saying: “Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.
“Nevertheless, out of our commitment to the law and transparency, the DOJ is releasing these documents with the legally required protections for Epstein’s victims,” it said.
The latest release of Epstein files includes around 30,000 pages of documents, with many redactions, and dozens of video clips, including several purporting to be shot inside a federal detention center. Epstein was found dead in 2019 in a New York jail. His death was ruled a suicide.
In another email, an unidentified person wrote in 2021 that they had recently been looking through data the government obtained from former Trump aide Steve Bannon’s cellphone and found an “image of Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell.” The government redacted parts of the message indicating who sent and received it.
Another file in the government’s release included a grainy photo of Trump seated next to Maxwell. It matches an image of the two at a New York fashion show in 2000.
The disclosures included a scattering of other records that reference Trump, though they give little indication that the government considered them to be credible.
Ghislaine Maxwell and Donald Trump are shown in this image released by the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 23, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Justice Department/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Among them was an image of a card purporting to be from Epstein to Larry Nassar, a former gymnastics doctor who was convicted of sexually abusing girls under his care. A handwritten message in the card referenced Trump without using his name.
The Justice Department later labeled the card a “fake” and said it will continue to release Epstein file documents as required by law.
The government also disclosed several reports of phone calls to an FBI tip line that reference Trump, though they did not identify the people who made the calls or give an indication of whether investigators followed up on the calls or found them to be credible.
One caller claimed that he had driven a limousine for Trump in 1995 and overheard him making a phone call in the back in which he addressed someone as “Jeffrey” and at one point mentioned abusing a girl.
The government Tuesday also released a video that purports to show Epstein kneeling inside his jail cell, but a Reuters examination found it appears to be a computer-generated clip that first surfaced on social media in 2020, a year after his death. It was submitted to the Justice Department by a person who said it purported to show Epstein’s death, according to an email also released on Tuesday.
TRANSPARENCY LAW
The Trump administration last week published a large cache of Epstein files in an attempt to comply with a new law forcing disclosure on the politically fraught topic.
However, the releases on Friday and Saturday contained extensive redactions, angering some Republicans and doing little to defuse a scandal threatening the party ahead of 2026 midterm elections.
On Monday, Trump downplayed the importance of the Epstein files. Speaking to reporters, he said the material was “just used to deflect against tremendous success” by him and his fellow Republicans.
U.S. flag, H-1B visa application form and displayed company logos are seen in this illustration taken September 26, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by the largest U.S. business lobby group to President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, saying it fell under his broad powers to regulate immigration.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., rejected arguments by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the fee conflicts with federal immigration law and will lead many companies, hospitals and other employers to cut jobs and the services they provide to the public.
“The parties’ vigorous debate over the ultimate wisdom of this political judgment is not within the province of the courts,” Howell wrote. “So long as the actions dictated by the policy decision and articulated in the Proclamation fit within the confines of the law, the Proclamation must be upheld.”
Howell is an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Chamber’s executive vice president and chief counsel, Daryl Joseffer, said many small and medium-sized businesses will be unable to afford the fee.
“We are disappointed in the court’s decision and are considering further legal options to ensure that the H-1B visa program can operate as Congress intended,” Joseffer said in a statement.
The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with training in specialty fields. Technology companies in particular rely heavily on workers who receive H-1B visas. The program offers 65,000 visas annually, with another 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years.
Trump’s order would sharply raise the cost of obtaining H-1B visas, which had typically come with about $2,000 to $5,000 in fees depending on various factors.
The Chamber in its lawsuit says the new fee would force businesses that rely on the H-1B program to choose between dramatically increasing their labor costs or hiring fewer highly-skilled foreign workers.
A group of Democratic-led U.S. states and a coalition of employers, nonprofits and religious organizations have also filed lawsuits challenging the fee.
National Guard members walk at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Broadview facility in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., October 9, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Tuesday to let Donald Trump send National Guard troops to the Chicago area as the Republican president expands the use of the military for domestic purposes in a growing number of Democratic-led jurisdictions, a policy critics call an effort to punish adversaries and stifle dissent.
The justices let stand for now a judge’s order blocking the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops in a legal challenge brought by Illinois officials and local leaders. The U.S. Justice Department had sought to allow the deployment while the case proceeds.
“At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” the court’s majority held in an unsigned order.
The order said the president’s authority to take federal control of National Guard troops likely only applies in “exceptional” circumstances.
Three conservatives on the court said they dissented from the order: Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement that Trump “promised the American people he would work tirelessly to enforce our immigration laws and protect federal personnel from violent rioters” and that “(n)othing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the ruling “an important step in curbing the Trump Administration’s consistent abuse of power and slowing Trump’s march toward authoritarianism.”
HIGH COURT RULING A RARE SETBACK FOR TRUMP
It was a rare setback for Trump’s administration at the high court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and has frequently backed his broad assertions of presidential authority since his return to the White House.
The National Guard serves as state-based militia forces that answer to state governors except when called into federal service by the president.
Trump ordered troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and to Portland, Oregon, following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis and Washington, D.C.
The case has been characterized by starkly different portrayals of the protests against Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement in and around Chicago.
Trump and his allies have described Democratic-led cities as lawless, crime-ravaged and plagued with vast, violent protests.
His administration has said troops are needed to protect federal property and personnel at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility that has become a flashpoint for Chicago activists opposed to Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Democratic mayors and governors, along with other Trump critics, have said these claims are a false account of the situation and a pretext for sending troops, accusing Trump of abusing his power.
FEDERAL JUDGES SKEPTICAL OF ADMINISTRATION’S VIEW
Federal judges have expressed skepticism over the administration’s dire view of protests that local law enforcement officials have called limited in size, largely peaceful and manageable by their own forces – far from the “war zone” conditions described by Trump.
Trump has relied on a law that lets a president deploy state National Guard troops to suppress a rebellion, repel an invasion or if he is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”
Illinois and Chicago sued after the administration federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops and also ordered Texas National Guard troops into the state, calling the actions unlawful. Officials have since announced the administration was sending home hundreds of National Guard troops who were dispatched to Portland from California, and to Chicago from Texas.
Chicago-based U.S. District Judge April Perry temporarily blocked the move on October 9, finding that the claims of violence during protests at an immigration facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, where a small group of demonstrators had gathered daily for weeks, were unreliable.
Perry, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, found that there was no evidence of rebellion or that the law was not being enforced, faulting officials for “equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting or doing violence.”
A National Guard deployment would “only add fuel to the fire,” Perry said.
A three-judge panel of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift Perry’s order blocking the deployment, concluding that “the facts do not justify the president’s actions in Illinois.” Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, including one by Trump.
The Justice Department told the Supreme Court that the assessment by local officials of the protests was “implausibly rosy,” and that federal agents “have been forced to operate under the constant threat of mob violence.”
Lawyers for Illinois and Chicago told the justices that the local protests have “never hindered the continued operation” of the Broadview facility, and that state and local authorities have responded to every request for assistance and contained any sporadic disruption.
Officials from Portland and Oregon are pursuing a separate legal challenge to Trump’s planned deployment to that city. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, permanently blocked that deployment in a November 7 ruling. The administration has appealed that ruling.
The Supreme Court in October asked the administration as well as Illinois and Chicago to provide written arguments over how to interpret the words “regular forces” in the law at issue in the case.
Every year, millions of people sing the beautiful carol Silent Night, with its line “all is calm, all is bright.”
We all know the Christmas story is one in which peace and joy are proclaimed, and this permeates our festivities, family gatherings and present-giving. Countless Christmas cards depict the Holy Family – starlit, in a quaint stable, nestled comfortably in a sleepy little village.
However, when I began to research my book on the childhood of Jesus, Boy Jesus: Growing up Judaean in Turbulent Times, that carol started to sound jarringly wrong in terms of his family’s actual circumstances at the time he was born.
The Gospel stories themselves tell of dislocation and danger. For example, a “manger” was, in fact, a foul-smelling feeding trough for donkeys. A newborn baby laid in one is a profound sign given to the shepherds, who were guarding their flocks at night from dangerous wild animals (Luke 2:12).
When these stories are unpacked for their core elements and placed in a wider historical context, the dangers become even more glaring.
Take King Herod, for example. He enters the scene in the nativity stories without any introduction at all, and readers are supposed to know he was bad news. But Herod was appointed by the Romans as their trusted client ruler of the province of Judaea. He stayed long in his post because he was – in Roman terms – doing a reasonable job.
Jesus’ family claimed to be of the lineage of Judaean kings, descended from David and expected to bring forth a future ruler. The Gospel of Matthew begins with Jesus’ entire genealogy, it was that important to his identity.
But a few years before Jesus’ birth, Herod had violated the tomb of David and looted it. How did that affect the family and the stories they would tell Jesus? How did they feel about the Romans?
A Time of Fear and revolt
As for Herod’s attitude to Bethlehem, remembered as David’s home, things get yet more dangerous and complex.
When Herod was first appointed, he was evicted by a rival ruler supported by the Parthians (Rome’s enemy) who was loved by many local people. Herod was attacked by those people just near Bethlehem.
He and his forces fought back and massacred the attackers. When Rome vanquished the rival and brought Herod back, he built a memorial to his victorious massacre on a nearby site he called Herodium, overlooking Bethlehem. How did that make the local people feel?
And far from being a sleepy village, Bethlehem was so significant as a town that a major aqueduct construction brought water to its centre. Fearing Herod, Jesus’ family fled from their home there, but they were on the wrong side of Rome from the start.
They were not alone in their fears or their attitude to the colonizers. The events that unfolded, as told by the first-century historian Josephus, show a nation in open revolt against Rome shortly after Jesus was born.
When Herod died, thousands of people took over the Jerusalem temple and demanded liberation. Herod’s son Archelaus massacred them. A number of Judaean revolutionary would-be kings and rulers seized control of parts of the country, including Galilee.
It was at this time, in the Gospel of Matthew, that Joseph brought his family back from refuge in Egypt – to this independent Galilee and a village there, Nazareth.
But independence in Galilee didn’t last long. Roman forces, under the general Varus, marched down from Syria with allied forces, destroyed the nearby city of Sepphoris, torched countless villages and crucified huge numbers of Judaean rebels, eventually putting down the revolts.
Archelaus – once he was installed officially as ruler – followed this up with a continuing reign of terror.
A Nativity Story for Today
As a historian, I’d like to see a film that shows Jesus and his family embedded in this chaotic, unstable and traumatic social world, in a nation under Roman rule.
Instead, viewers have now been offered The Carpenter’s Son, a film starring Nicholas Cage. It’s partly inspired by an apocryphal (not biblical) text named the Paidika Iesou – the Childhood of Jesus – later called The Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
You might think the Paidika would be something like an ancient version of the hit TV show Smallville from the 2000s, which followed the boy Clark Kent before he became Superman.
But no, rather than being about Jesus grappling with his amazing powers and destiny, it is a short and quite disturbing piece of literature made up of bits and pieces, assembled more than 100 years after the life of Jesus.
The Paidika presents the young Jesus as a kind of demigod no one should mess with, including his playmates and teachers. It was very popular with non-Jewish, pagan-turned-Christian audiences who sat in an uneasy place within wider society.
The miracle-working Jesus zaps all his enemies – and even innocents. At one point, a child runs into Jesus and hurts his shoulder, so Jesus strikes him dead. Joseph says to Mary, “Do not let him out of the house so that those who make him angry may not die.”
Such stories rest on a problematic idea that one must never kindle a god’s wrath. And this young Jesus shows instant, deadly wrath. He also lacks much of a moral compass.
But this text also rests on the idea that Jesus’ boyhood actions against his playmates and teachers were justified because they were “the Jews.” “A Jew” turns up as an accuser just a few lines in. There should be a content warning.
Himanshi Khurana, a 30-year-old Indian-origin woman, was found murdered in Toronto. Police suspect intimate partner violence and have issued a nationwide arrest warrant for a man identified as Abdul Ghafoori.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Abdul Ghafoori in connection with Himanshi Khurana’s murder. (Image credits: Toronto Police)
A 30-year-old Indian-origin woman was found murdered in Toronto, police said, and a Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect they say knew the victim.
The woman was identified as Himanshi Khurana of Toronto. Police are searching for Abdul Ghafoori (32), also of Toronto, in connection with the murder. Police said the case appears to involve “intimate partner violence”, according to CBC News.
Toronto Police said officers were called late Friday night after receiving a report of a missing person. “On Friday, December 19, 2025, at approximately 10:41 pm, police responded to a call for a Missing Person in the Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street West area,” police said.
The investigation continued overnight. “On Saturday, December 20, 2025, at approximately 6:30 am, officers located the missing female deceased inside a residence,” police said, adding that the death was deemed a homicide.
Police said the victim and the suspect were known to each other. Ghafoori is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for first-degree murder, a charge that can carry a life sentence without parole if premeditation and intent are proven in court.
In a post on X, India’s Consulate in Toronto said it is assisting Himanshi Khurana’s family.
All the proceeds will go to the Superhumans Center, a specialist clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of war-wounded victims.
Before the war, Ukraine’s own “Dancing with the Stars” was a cherished and popular television show, dazzling the audiences with performances by celebrities and professional dancers. The show is now back on for one special episode — this time with Ukrainian wartime heroes as the stars, underscoring the nation’s resilience in difficult times.
Many still remember how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — then an actor — won the dance competition in 2006, the year that “Tantsi z zirkamy” as the show is known in Ukrainian, first debuted.
In the new, special episode, the dancers perform with prosthetic limbs, showcasing their strength in overcoming adversity. The lineup of participants includes public figures who rose to prominence since Russia’s full-out war on Ukraine was launched in February 2022.
But like all of present-day Ukraine, the show — which is part of an international franchise — has had to deal with a multitude of wartime challenges, including frequent power outages.
All the proceeds will go to the Superhumans Center, a specialist clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of war-wounded victims.
A new reality
During a prerecording last week, dancers spun, leapt and glided under the sparkle of lights, some seamlessly integrating their prosthetic limbs into the choreography.
For creative producer Volodymyr Zavadiuk, every segment of the show is precious, creating something special during tough times.
“It’s about our resilience and it’s about our future,” said Zavadiuk, who also heads Big Brave Events and the Big Entertainment Shows department at 1+1 Media.
Among the performers was Ruslana Danilkina, a war veteran who lost her leg in combat in 2022 and is now renowned in Ukraine for dedicating herself to helping injured troops adapt to life with prosthetics.
She delivered a passionate performance centered on reclaiming her womanhood following the traumatic injury.
Also back in the show is beloved dancer Dmytro Dikusar, this time as a competition judge. He juggled filming and serving with his platoon on the front lines.
Ukrainian rock musician Yevhen Halych sat in the makeup chair ahead of his number, reflecting on his own determination to bring back the show.
“We are filming this project in a country where there is a war. … We have power cuts, we may have an air alert, it could be bombing,” he said. “What do I feel? I feel a genuine desire to live a full life, no matter what happens.”
Wartime challenges
Producing the show’s special episode has been no easy feat in time of war. A live broadcast was impossible — a Russian attack can happen at any time. Then there were the technical obstacles: during last week’s recording, a key generator malfunctioned.
When the show airs on Sunday, audiences will vote for their favorite.
Danilkina, who was only 18 years old when she lost her leg and who today works at the Superhumans Center, enthralled everyone with her passionate performance, her prosthetic limb artfully integrated into her routine.
“Our dance number is about life. It’s about accepting love,” she told The Associated Press after her performance. “Because in reality, when your body is wounded, it’s very difficult to love yourself. And allowing someone else to love you is even harder.”
Her injury was not the end of her life, she said, and now she wants to show “thousands of wounded boys and girls who are starting their lives over again” that it’s not the end of theirs.
KIM Kardashian fans have applauded the star for her “relatable” holiday card disaster with her four kids.
The Kardashians star shared a slideshow of photos on Instagram of herself attempting to pose alongside her sons, Saint, 10, and Psalm, 6, and her daughters, North, 12, and Chicago, 7.
Kim Kardashian shared photos of herself attempting to wrangle her four children for a Christmas cardCredit: Instagram
However, Kim, 45, had a noticeably difficult time wrangling all her children for the photo op at her lavish Hidden Hills mansion.
The beauty mogul managed to get just her three youngest kids in most of the frames, although she struggled to gather them together and get them to smile.
Some of the pics showed the youngsters making silly faces at the camera, while another captured North and Saint dodging the lens while Kim tried to snap a shot in front of their decorated Christmas tree.
That was the only photo that included North, even though it partly captured her walking out of the frame.
The pre-teen, however, joined her mother in a video of the duo dancing and lip-syncing to Ken Carson’s track, Thx, which Kim added to her post.
North rocked black jeans, a black jean jacket, a full face of makeup, and her hair partly slicked back, leaving her teal highlights flowing down.
Kim donned skintight brown leggings, a furry brown cropped sweater, and oversized black sunglasses, with her dark locks in a sleek updo.
Her younger kids were also dressed nicely for the photo session, with Saint wearing white pants, a white shirt, a white jean jacket, and sneakers.
Chicago wore a black dress, a jean jacket with brown fur on the collar, and black boots, while Psalm sported tan camo pants, a red-and-white flannel button-down shirt, and sneakers.
Kim poked fun at her failed efforts to capture the entire group in a photo in her caption, which read, “I really tried.”
Fans praised the reality star for showing a more relatable side to parenting, rather than a perfectly crafted photo of the family of five.
“We all live the same lives (when it comes to pics with kids),” one person commented.
“Glad to see I’m not the only one who’s preteen son prefers to stand a whole arm’s length away from me,” laughed another.
“This is so relatable. The kids never want to take pics with me anymore,” remarked a third.
“Kim, you’re our superstar, but you’re still a mom,” stated a fourth.
“Is so hard to get a picture of our kids all together the more they grown,” pointed out a fifth.
“All mothers understand this struggle,” added a sixth.
Kim shares her kids with her ex-husband, Kanye West.
The exes agreed to joint legal and physical custody of their kids following their divorce in November 2022.
A PROTECTIVE dome which stops radiation leaking from Chernobyl could collapse after it was hit by a Russian drone.
The director of the defunct nuclear power plant has warned that the shelter is now at risk of falling down completely.
A large hole was punched in Chernobyl reactor four’s protective shield in FebruaryCredit: AP
Chernobyl director Sergiy Tarakanov said that a further Russian hit could even knock down the inner protective shell.
Tarakanov said: “If a missile or drone hits it directly, or even falls somewhere nearby, for example, an Iskander, God forbid, it will cause a mini-earthquake in the area.
“No one can guarantee that the shelter facility will remain standing after that. That is the main threat.”
The shelter was built to contain radiation from reactor four, which exploded in 1986, causing the world’s worst nuclear meltdown.
But a Russian drone strike hit the dome on February 14 this year, inflicting serious damage.
The attack punched a hole in the radiation shield, leading to fears of a radiation leak.
Director Tarakanov warned that fully re-building the shelter could take three to four years.
The hole from the drone hit has been covered with a protective layer, he said.
But the plant director warned that there are still 300 smaller holes in the shelter, made by firefighters as they tackled the blaze.
Tarakanov added that current radiation levels at the site are “stable and within normal limits”.
It comes after fears at the start of this month that radiation would leak through the damaged dome.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the protective cover had “lost its primary safety functions”.
The February hit punched a hole in the dome, triggering a warning from the IAEA.
Rafael Grossi, IAEA director general, said some repairs had been carried out “but comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety”.
The UN said in February that there had been no reports of radiation leaks and that levels remained stable and normal.
The shelter was designed to arch over a concrete sarcophagus, further sealing off radiation and allowing the safe dismantling of the reactor beneath.
It also acts as a containment zone to trap radioactive dust, using negative pressure and a sealed membrane.
But the outer shelter was never built to withstand the force of a brutal Russian attack.
AMERICAN Airlines is bringing the heat during the coldest months of the year.
The airline has begun rolling out flight deals that make chasing warm weather easier and cheaper than ever.
The airline is offering deeply discounted domestic one-way and round-trip flights under $100Credit: Getty
American Airlines has offered its customers deeply discounted domestic one-way and round-trip flights for under $100 on select routes and dates from January through early March 2026.
The deals give travelers a chance to book quick winter escapes, long weekends, or budget-friendly visits with loved ones from major cities across the US.
This includes warmer climates such as flights from New York to Miami, Florida.
One-way fares apply to select travel dates between January 6 and March 2 next year.
Meanwhile, round-trip bargains are available throughout January and February, depending on the route and availability.
Prices start as low as $46, though fares can change quickly.
These flights include New York to Miami and Atlanta to Miami, starting in January and going until February.
$46 flights from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale will depart on February 22, 2026.
The highest price for a one-way flight is $94, departing from New York to Los Angeles starting on January 23, 2026.
The latest discounts follow a similar promotion launched on November 28 for Black Friday and ran through early December 2, in honor of American Airlines gearing up to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
ICONIC filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner died of multiple sharp force injuries caused with “a knife, by another,” the couple’s death certificates have disclosed.
Reiner and Singer were found brutally stabbed to death in their home in the affluent neighborhood of Brentwood in Los Angeles on December 14.
Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner attend the Human Rights Campaign’s 2025 at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles in MarchCredit: Getty
The couple were both cremated at Mount Sinai Mortuary and their remains were given to their eldest son, Jake, according to TMZ.
Reiner and Singer died “minutes” after the brutal attack, the death certificates revealed.
The legendary director’s time of death was listed at 3:45 pm, while his wife’s was noted as 3:46 pm.
Reiner’s marital status was listed as “married,” and Michele’s was recorded as “widowed.”
Reiner and Singer‘s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has since been charged with his parents’ murders and could potentially face the death penalty.
After he allegedly stabbed his parents to death at their $13.5 million estate, Nick reportedly checked into a motel close to the Santa Monica pier.
GRUESOME SCENE
The horrific killings of Reiner, 78, and Singer, 68, were only uncovered after a massage therapist arrived at the couple’s gated home for a scheduled appointment on the afternoon of December 14, according to The New York Times.
The therapist received no answer at the front gate from either Reiner and Singer and decided to call the couple’s daughter, Romy, who reportedly lived in the area.
When Romy arrived and entered her parents’ home, she discovered her father’s body and the grisly scene.
Reiner and his wife were found in their bed with their throats slashed and could have been asleep when they were murdered, the Daily Mail reported.
Romy, 27, told authorities when they arrived at the scene at around 3:30 pm that her brother Nick lived in their parents’ home.
However, Los Angeles police were unable to locate Nick on the property.
Nick was eventually arrested at around 9:15 pm near Exposition Park, about 14 miles from where his parents were found dead, said Alan Hamilton, the deputy police chief at the LAPD.
About an hour before his arrest, Nick was captured on a gas station surveillance footage acting nervously while buying a Gatorade.
Moments later, after exiting the gas station, video captured three police cruisers swarm Nick on a nearby sidewalk.
Nick was seen raising his hands and surrendering to police as multiple officers approach him and take him into custody.
‘FACING DEATH’
It is believed Nick stabbed his parents to death after the trio got into a heated argument at a holiday party on the night of December 13 that several guests in attendance overheard.
A source previously disclosed to The U.S. Sun that attendees at the Hanukkah party were “shocked” when they learned about the murders, but “once they heard Nick was implicated, no one was surprised.”
Nick made his first appearance in court on December 17 as he was seen shackled and wearing a blue anti-suicide vest.
Myanmar’s junta is set to preside over voting starting on Sunday, touting heavily restricted polls as a return to democracy five years after it ousted the last elected government, triggering civil war.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk delivers his speech at the opening of the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, on Sep 8, 2025. (File photo: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)
The UN said on Tuesday (Dec 23) that Myanmar’s junta was using violence and intimidation to force people to vote in upcoming military-controlled elections, while armed opposition groups were using similar tactics to keep people away.
“The military authorities in Myanmar must stop using brutal violence to compel people to vote and stop arresting people for expressing any dissenting views,” United Nations rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.
Myanmar’s junta is set to preside over voting starting on Sunday, touting heavily restricted polls as a return to democracy five years after it ousted the last elected government, triggering civil war.
But former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed and her hugely popular party dissolved after soldiers ended the nation’s decade-long democratic experiment in February 2021.
International monitors have dismissed the phased month-long vote as a rebranding of martial rule.
Turk, who last month told AFP that holding elections in Myanmar under the current circumstances was “unfathomable”, warned on Tuesday that civilians were being threatened by both the military authorities and armed opposition groups over their participation in the polls.
His statement highlighted the dozens of individuals who have reportedly been detained under an “election protection law” for exercising their freedom of expression.
Many had been slapped with “extremely harsh sentences”, the statement said, pointing to three youths in Hlainghaya Township in the Yangon region who were sentenced to between 42 and 49 years behind bars for hanging up anti-election posters.
The UN rights office said it had also received reports from displaced people in several parts of the country, including the Mandalay region, who had been warned they would be attacked or their homes seized if they did not return to vote.
“Forcing displaced people to undertake unsafe and involuntary returns is a human rights violation,” Turk stressed.
He said that people were also facing “serious threats” from armed groups opposing the military, including nine women teachers from Kyaikto who were reportedly abducted last month while travelling to attend a training on the ballot.
They were then “released with warnings from the perpetrators”, the statement said.
View of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane, taken through a glass panel, at Islamabad International Airport, Pakistan October 3, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo)
A Pakistani firm on Tuesday (Dec 23) won an auction with a US$482 million bid for a majority stake in the loss-making national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in a deal seen as a key test of the government’s privatisation drive.
The Arif Habib investment group emerged as the highest bidder, offering 135 billion rupees for a 75 percent stake in PIA, with an option to buy the remaining 25 percent in the coming months. The auction was carried live by state broadcasters, with three Pakistani firms participating.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said transparency was critical given the scale of the transaction. “It was essential to make this process transparent because the biggest transaction of Pakistan’s history is about to take place,” he told his cabinet as the bidding began.
COMPETITIVE BIDDING
Two other bidders took part in the auction. A consortium led by Lucky Cement offered 134 billion rupees, while private carrier Air Blue bid 26.5 billion rupees.
The sale follows a failed privatisation attempt last year, when the government received just one bid of US$36 million, far below its target range of US$300 million to US$305 million.
PIA has long been criticised for bloated staffing, mismanagement and persistent losses. Before being delisted from the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the airline reported a net loss of US$437 million for 2022 on revenue of US$854 million.
IMF-BACKED PRIVATISATION PUSH
Islamabad has pledged to divest dozens of loss-making state-owned enterprises by 2029 under a US$7 billion loan programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund last year. The government says repeated bailouts of poorly run firms have drained public finances and worsened the country’s balance-of-payments pressures.
Officials argue that privatisation is essential to reduce fiscal risks and attract private investment, though the policy has faced political resistance and labour opposition.
FALL FROM GRACE
Founded in 1955, PIA was once a symbol of national pride, pioneering international routes and even showcasing flight attendant uniforms designed by French couturier Pierre Cardin in the 1960s.
Its reputation deteriorated over the years amid mounting losses and safety lapses. In June 2020, a month after one of its Airbus A320 jets crashed into a Karachi neighbourhood killing nearly 100 people, the airline was banned from flying to the European Union, Britain and the United States.
FILE PHOTO: Paramount and Warner Bros logos are seen in this illustration taken December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Paramount Skydance’s latest offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery is still not good enough for prominent shareholder Harris Oakmark, the investor told Reuters on Monday.
Warner Bros’ fifth largest shareholder, owning 96 million shares or about 4 per cent of shares as of the end of September, said it would hold out for more from the Ellison family-controlled Paramount.
“The changes in Paramount’s new offer were necessary, but not sufficient,” Harris Oakmark portfolio manager and Director of U.S. Research Alex Fitch said in an email to Reuters. “We see the two deals as a toss-up, and there is a cost to changing paths. If Paramount is serious about winning, they’re going to need to provide a greater incentive.”
Paramount on Monday amended its $108.4 billion hostile bid for the storied Hollywood studio to bolster its financing.
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, whose son David owns Paramount, is now personally guaranteeing $40.4 billion of the bid to secure Warner Bros, which owns HBO Max and controls the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Superman franchises.
Questions about the financing, much of which was held in a revocable trust, had some Warner Bros investors unsure whether they would accept the offer.
Paramount also increased the fee it will pay to $5.8 billion from $5 billion if regulators don’t approve the deal, to match a competing offer from Netflix , although it didn’t raise its $30-a-share bid.
‘TOP SHELF MEDIA ASSETS’
Warner Bros investors now have until January 21, extended from January 8, to accept or reject the so-called tender offer.
The board of Warner Bros unanimously recommended on Wednesday that shareholders reject Paramount’s earlier bid in favor of Netflix’s offer, saying the financing didn’t provide a “full backstop”.
Even though Netflix’s cash offer of $23.25 a share is lower, the board said its bid was superior because the financing was more secure and it includes $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock as well as whatever Warner Bros can get when it spins out Discovery Global as part of the deal.
The bidding war speaks to the quality of Warner Bros assets, said Yussef Gheriani, chief investment officer of Chicago investment firm IHT Wealth Management, which owns 16,000 shares of Warner Bros, 6,500 shares of Netflix and 60,000 of Paramount.
“It’s really rare to get an opportunity to add top shelf media assets to your portfolio,” he said, adding that he’ll likely follow the board’s advice on the sale. “They know the business inside out and have a better grasp of the nuances associated with the deal than we do.”
Investor Thomas Poehling, who owns 484,000 shares of Warner Bros and 639,000 of Paramount, said he’ll likely take the revised offer if Netflix doesn’t counter because Paramount has a better chance of winning approval from regulators.
In his Christmas address, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has highlighted the importance of community and togetherness — which he says are glimmers of light when the world seems dark.
The transcript of Steinmeier’s televised address is distributed to media outlets, including DW, ahead of its airing on televisionImage: Bundespresseamt
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier used his Christmas address on December 24 to highlight the importance of community, communication and cooperation, and called on his fellow Germans to work together and help each other in difficult times.
“In der Dunkelheit erstrahlt ein Licht,” he said in a televised speech: “A light is shining in the darkness.”
For Steinmeier (Germany’s head of state as opposed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the head of the current government), many worries big and small can make the world seem dark: illness, loss, loneliness, job insecurity, or global crises and wars.
But he also said light could be found in “community”: family, friends, groups, clubs and any experiences which make people feel welcome and accepted — especially at Christmas, which he said “makes our lives more hopeful, happier, warmer and more optimistic.”
Steinmeier: ‘We need community’
In a world increasingly dominated by social media and individualism, Steinmeier reminded Germans that “we need community” and encouraged them to reach out to one another.
“I believe that if we join others in the search for goals and guidance, we can gain a great deal, provided that we allow others to speak and listen intently to what they have to say, rather than simply reiterating what we ourselves have always thought was right,” Steinmeier said.
“Finding a sense of direction by asking genuine questions, being open, engaging in dialogue and taking joint action can illuminate the path that lies ahead of us and give it a purpose.”
Steinmeier said that Christmas is a time when friendships, partnerships and family ties are renewed via visits or festive greetings, a time when people are reminded of how “essential reliable companions are” as we go through life.
“And we know that we can trust in lasting connections on both good and bad days,” Steinmeier said, while later adding that “we also know that being there for others gives our lives fulfilment and meaning.”
Solidarity with Ukraine as Russia’s invasion approaches fifth year
There was a political note to Steinmeier’s address, too, as the president offered his solidarity to Ukrainians whose suffering at the hands of Russian aggression is approaching a fifth year.
“In recent days, intensive efforts were made to find ways to end the war,” he said. “Most of us will have followed the events with hope, but also skepticism and concern.”
Heavy rainfall near the southern French city of Montpellier has unleashed widespread flooding, which local officials say could be the worst they have seen in 30 years.
Severe weather warnings remain in place in the Hérault region, including in the city of Montpellier seen hereImage: Sylvain Thomas/AFP
Torrential rains set off “exceptional flooding” near the French city of Montpellier, local authorities said on Wednesday.
The floodwaters appear to be receding, but weather alerts are to remain in place until December 24.
No casualties have been reported so far.
What we know about the flooding in southern France
Almost 1,000 homes were left without electricity on Monday evening in the department of Hérault on the south coast, including 520 in Montpellier where parks, gardens, cemeteries, the local zoo and the Christmas market remain closed.
Public transport routes were partly closed off, too, and the prefect of Hérault, Chantal Mauchet, said getting around the region remained difficult.
The highest water levels in the region were recorded just to the south of Montpellier in the coastal town of Agde, where the River Hérault reached more than 11 feet, leading to what forecasters said was likely the worst flooding the region had experienced since November 1994.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s charity is down to just two employees ahead of its much-publicized rebrand — as the couple is desperate to save cash, multiple sources told Page Six.
“Harry and Meghan have been forced to downsize the staff as it was costing them so much,” said one source.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced last week that their Archewell Foundation will become Archewell Philanthropies, claiming that “moving to a ‘philanthropies’ model signals something designed to grow and evolve over time, with more flexibility and less administrative burden.”
But we’re told Harry and Markle have, in fact, spent the past few months in deep discussion about the charity’s future as it has struggled with funding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s charity is down to just two employees ahead of its much-publicized rebrand — as the couple is desperate to save cash, multiple sources told Page Six. Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock
“The big question was, would Archewell close, or would another charity take it over?” the source said. “Harry and Meghan were looking to get a fiscal sponsor, someone to take on the outgoing costs and to keep things cheap.
“Really, it’s all smoke and mirrors.”
Page Six can confirm that three members — 60 percent of the charity’s staff — have been let go.
Only Executive Director James Holt, who’s been with the couple since they were working royals in Britain, and Vice-President of Philanthropy Shauna Nep will remain with the re-branded charity.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Markle said, “Currently, the same full team remain in place. This move does mean that some staff redundancies are inevitable, particularly with junior admin roles.”
Earlier this year, Page Six reported that the couple had cut ties with six personal employees as they focused on saving cash — and as their security bill is said to be around $2 million a year.
And new tax information reveals that money is flowing out of their charity.
Archewell recorded total expenses of $5.1 million, according to its latest 990 form, made public Friday.
Salaries for 2024 were listed at $913,000 — and expenses were up 54 percent year over year, soaring from $3.3 million. This may relate to the couple’s quasi royal tours of Nigeria and Colombia in 2024, as “other expenses” are recorded at $2.9 million; in 2023, that category totaled $1 million.
Meanwhile, donations and grants to the group dropped from $5.3 million in 2023 to $2.1 million in 2024.
Insiders are skeptical of how Archewell, which doled out $1.25 million in grants in 2024, can continue.
“If they’re shooting out grants, then that’s a net loss and they’re not bringing in that much money,” said the source.
Liev Schreiber flaunted his fit physique during a family getaway to Barbados following his mystery hospitalization.
During a family vacation in Barbados, the actor strolled along the beach on Tuesday wearing green swim trunks with a tropical pattern.
In photos obtained by Page Six, he was also spotted with two of his three kids Sasha, 18, and Kai, 17, and one of their friends before they hopped on a boat for water sports.
Liev Schreiber flaunted his fit physique during a family getaway to Barbados after his mystery hospitalization. @CHRISBRANDIS / BACKGRID
Schreiber, 58, was in high spirits as he went water skiing and enjoyed a boat day with his children.
The family vacation comes several weeks after the “Ray Donovan” star was hospitalized in New York City after experiencing a “massive headache.”
A source told TMZ that Schreiber’s doctor advised him to “immediately” seek medical help and stay overnight at the hospital for monitoring.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Liev went into the hospital for testing,” a rep for the actor told Page Six on Nov. 17. “And as of this afternoon, he has been cleared to return to work.”
Three days after his hospitalization, the director was spotted walking home in NYC with his wife, Taylor Neisen.
He appeared cheerful as he carried a few shopping bags and chatted with Neisen, who was smiling and walking their dog.
Bangladesh’s finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed moved for reconciliation as ties between Delhi and Dhaka seemed to be in a free fall. He said that the head of the interim administration, Muhammad Yunus, was personally working to mend India-Bangladesh ties.
The administration of Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh has decided to import 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from India.
The Bangladesh interim administration has no intention of allowing relations with India to turn bitter and is instead focused on strengthening bilateral ties and ensuring economic stability, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said on Tuesday. These were the first words aimed at reconciliation even as protests, cancellation of visa services and protests threatened to plunge the ties between India and Bangladesh to a new low. He said the head of the interim administration, Muhammad Yunus, was personally working to normalise ties.
Suspension of consular and visa services by Bangladesh and statements by Bangladeshi officials and leaders targeting India added to the chill in ties. As the historical relations between the two countries were in a free fall, the public remarks from finance adviser Ahmed seemed to be an olive branch. In the interim set-up, the finance adviser is functioning as the finance minister.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Procurement at the Secretariat, Ahmed stated, “The current interim government does not want any kind of bitter relationship with a big neighbour like India. Rather, the government’s main goal is to further develop bilateral relations and maintain economic stability.”
He noted that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus was personally working to ease existing tensions and normalise ties with New Delhi. The interim regime, he said, does not want relations with India to deteriorate under any circumstances, reported Dhaka-based Bangla daily Desh Rupantor.
Addressing recent anti-India remarks heard in some quarters, the Bangladesh finance adviser said these were political in nature and had no involvement of the interim administration. Regardless of political rhetoric, he stressed that the Yunus administration remained committed to maintaining stable state-to-state relations with India.
BANGLADESH TO IMPORT RICE FROM INDIA, BOOST ECONOMIC TIES
Ahmed also stated that the current political situation would not disrupt trade or economic cooperation. He confirmed that Bangladesh had decided to import 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from India, describing the move as a step that would further strengthen economic ties. He added that there would be no barriers to importing essential commodities, reported Dhaka-based Bangla daily Desh Rupantor.
Dhaka-based daily The Daily Star reported that the Yunus administration is also going to buy an additional 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from Pakistan.
He said the administration would not be drawn into any attempts by third parties to provoke or damage relations with India. The interim administration, Ahmed added, was handling the situation cautiously and aimed to advance bilateral relations by prioritising national interests.
His remarks came as India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties declined following the outbreak of anti-India protests after the assassination of anti-India radical leader Osman Hadi, who was contesting as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 seat.
The aftermath of his death saw radical protestors and extremists targeting Indian diplomatic missions in different Bangladeshi cities, leading to India temporarily suspending visa services in the country.
The US Homeland Security will replace the H-1B visa lottery programme with a wage-weighted system from 2026, prioritising higher-paid and higher-skilled applicants while keeping visa caps unchanged to curb abuse and protect American workers.
The new rule will prioritise higher-paid and higher-skilled workers.
The US government has decided to replace the longstanding H-1B lottery system programme for visas with a new scheme that ensures that skilled, higher-paid foreign workers are prioritised. The new rule is set to take effect on February 27, 2026, and will apply to the 2027 financial year cap registration season, with registrations expected in March 2026 for jobs starting October 1 that year.
The number of H-1B visas issued annually will remain unchanged, capped at 65,000 under the regular quota, with an additional 20,000 reserved for holders of US advanced degrees.
Under the revised framework, registrations will no longer be picked at random. Instead, they will be weighted by employer and wage level, a move designed to discourage duplicate filings and manipulation of the system. Applications offering higher wages will receive stronger odds of selection, while lower-paid roles will still be eligible but face reduced chances.
The change is particularly significant for Indian applicants, who make up a large share of H-1B approvals each year, and comes as US authorities step up efforts to tighten compliance and curb misuse of employment-based visas.
“On Dec 23, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) announced a final rule to amend regulations governing the process by which USCIS selects H-1B registrations for unique beneficiaries for filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions. The rule implements a weighted selection process that will favor allocating H-1B visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid aliens while maintaining the opportunity for employers to secure H-1B workers at all wage levels.This final rule is effective Feb 27, 2026, and will be in place for the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration season,” a statement from the US government read.
The DHS said the rule is intended to strike a balance — tightening protections for US workers while preserving access to foreign professionals in fields such as technology, engineering and healthcare, where demand continues to exceed supply.
According to the department, the change is part of a broader push to reinforce the integrity of the H-1B visa programme by discouraging misuse and tightening eligibility standards. It aligns with other measures introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration, including a presidential proclamation that requires certain employers to pay an additional $100,000 per visa as a condition for participation – which has created a massive stir since the announcement.
“The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by US employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages than they would pay American workers,” said Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The new system, he said, would “better serve Congress’s intent” and strengthen US competitiveness by incentivising employers to seek higher-skilled talent.
“We will continue to demand more from both employers and aliens so as not to undercut American workers and to put America first,” Tragesser said, adding that further changes could follow as the system’s impact is reviewed.
The overhaul follows years of criticism that the H-1B lottery had become vulnerable to gaming, with some employers flooding the system with low-wage applications.
Officials said the weighted approach is expected to push companies to rethink hiring strategies, rewarding higher wages and specialised roles while making it harder for low-paid applications to dominate the H-1B pipeline.
Indian EB visa holders in the US waiting for Green Cards have a new narrow window to file their permanent residency applications after a new USCIS bulletin. The USCIS January 2026 bulletin advanced the date of several EB visa categories. Lawyers and experts are calling for eligible applicants to avail this rare opportunity without delay.
The USCIS January 2026 bulletin advanced the date of several EB visa categories, with the biggest gains seen in EB-1 and EB-5 for Indian applicants. (Image: File)
Indian professionals waiting in long US Green Card queues have received a new opening after two back-to-back announcements from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The January 2026 visa bulletin showed sharp forward movement in several employment-based categories, with the biggest gains seen in EB-1 and EB-5 for Indian applicants. This comes after the December 2025 visa bulletin that had already advanced the dates for several EB category visas. Soon after, the USCIS confirmed that applicants could file permanent residency applications using either the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart.
Immigration attorneys say the combination has created a rare opportunity for many applicants who were previously shut out. By allowing filings under either chart, the USCIS has widened eligibility to include professionals whose priority dates are still not current under Final Action Dates. Experts are urging those who qualify to move fast, warning that such windows tend to be brief.
The January bulletin reflects progress across almost all employment-based categories. EB-1 advanced by nearly a year for Indians, while EB-5 jumped by close to two years. EB-2 and EB-3 also moved forward, offering some relief to applicants from heavily backlogged countries such as India and China.
Michael Valverde, founder of True North Pathways LLC and a former USCIS official, told the American Bazaar that the scale of the advancement was unexpected. He believes the agency may be trying to increase filings because it does not see enough cases in the pipeline to fully use available visas. Longer processing times and higher denial rates have also weighed on overall visa usage, he noted.
He said, “I would advise anyone who is now able to file their green card application to take advantage of the moment. Historically, big steps forward like this have often come with retrogression later in the year. You don’t want to miss the opportunity,” as reported in the American Bazaar.
Despite the optimism, lawyers cautioned against delays. Historically, large advances are often followed by retrogression later in the year.
January will be crucial because the filing window runs from January 1 to January 31. Applicants must ensure that paperwork is complete, including medical examinations, which the USCIS now requires to be filed at the same time as the I-485, or Application to Register Permanent Residence.
Sangeetha Mugunthan of Somireddy Law Group PLLC speaking to the American Bazaar said that this moment, especially with renewed momentum in both EB-1 and investor visa EB-5 categories, demands careful preparation. She advised applicants to review their professional record, identify their strengths, and thoroughly document achievements to build a strong case.
She stated, “Individuals need to initially invest time in looking back at their professional trajectory, focus on their niche areas of expertise, and list out their key achievements and contributions. It is also extremely important to carefully document everything and strongly develop their EB-1A case.”
Military vehicles carrying DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles travel past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People’s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
China is likely to have loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles across its latest three silo fields and has no desire for arms control talks, according to a draft Pentagon report which highlighted Beijing’s growing military ambitions.
China is expanding and modernizing its weapons stockpile faster than any other nuclear-armed power, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a Chicago-based non-profit. Beijing has described reports of a military buildup as efforts to “smear and defame China and deliberately mislead the international community.”
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he may be working on a plan to denuclearize with China and Russia. But the draft Pentagon report, which was seen by Reuters, said Beijing did not appear to be interested.
“We continue to see no appetite from Beijing for pursuing such measures or more comprehensive arms control discussions,” the report said.
In particular, the report said that China had likely put in more than 100 solid-fuelled DF-31 ICBMs in silo fields close to China’s border with Mongolia – the latest in a series of silo sites. The Pentagon had previously reported the existence of the fields but not the number of missiles loaded.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
China’s embassy in Washington D.C. said China has “maintained a defensive nuclear strategy, kept its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security, and abided by its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing.”
The draft Pentagon report did not identify any potential target of the reported newly placed missiles. U.S. officials noted that the report could change before it was sent to lawmakers.
The report said China’s nuclear warhead stockpile was still in the low 600s in 2024, which reflected “a slower rate of production when compared to previous years.”
But the report added that China’s nuclear expansion was ongoing and it was on track to have over 1,000 warheads by 2030.
China has said it adheres to a “nuclear strategy of self-defense and pursues a no-first-use policy.”
Trump has said he wants the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing, but it is unclear what form that will take.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden and Trump, during his first term, sought to engage China and Russia in negotiations on replacing New START with a three-way strategic nuclear arms control treaty.
The wide-ranging Pentagon report detailed China’s military buildup and said that “China expects to be able to fight and win a war on Taiwan by the end of 2027.”
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has never renounced use of force to “reunify” with the island.
Beijing was refining its military options to take Taiwan by “brute force,” the report said, adding that one option could include strikes 1,500-2,000 nautical miles from China.
“In sufficient volume, these strikes could seriously challenge and disrupt U.S. presence in or around a conflict in the Asia-Pacific region,” it added.
The report comes less than two months before the expiration of the 2010 New START treaty, the last U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control accord, which limits the sides to deploying 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads on 700 delivery systems.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Biden extended the pact for five years in February 2021, but its terms do not allow for a further formal extension.
Many experts fear that the expiration of the pact could fuel a three-way nuclear arms race.
“More nuclear weapons and an absence of diplomacy will not make anyone safer, neither China, Russia, or the United States,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association advocacy group.
Newspapers with articles reporting U.S. President Donald Trump’s message to Nigeria over the treatment of Christians hang at a newspaper stand in Ojuelegba, Lagos, Nigeria November 2, 2025. REUTERS/Sodiq Adelakun/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. has been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight tracking data and current and former U.S. officials, in a sign of increased security cooperation between the countries.
Reuters could not determine what information the flights are meant to obtain.
But the flights in West Africa follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats in November to militarily intervene in Nigeria over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities. The flights also are occurring just months after a U.S. pilot working for a missionary agency was kidnapped in neighboring Niger.
The U.S. contractor-operated aircraft used for the surveillance operations typically takes off from Ghana and flies over Nigeria before returning to Accra, the Ghanaian capital, the tracking data for December shows.
Flight tracking data shows the operator is Mississippi-based Tenax Aerospace, which provides special mission aircraft and works closely with the U.S. military, according to the company’s website. Tenax Aerospace did not respond to a request for comment.
Liam Karr, the Africa Team Lead for the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, has analyzed the flight data. He said the operation appeared to be running out of an airport in Accra, a known hub for the U.S. military’s logistics network in Africa.
Karr said the operation was an early sign the U.S. was rebuilding its capacity in the region after Niger ordered U.S. troops to leave a sprawling, newly built air base in the desert last year, and turned instead to Russia for security assistance.
“In recent weeks we’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr said in an interview.
A former U.S. official said the aircraft is among several assets the Trump administration moved to Ghana in November. It is unclear how many aircraft remain in Ghana, but the former official said the missions include tracking down the kidnapped U.S. pilot and gathering intelligence on militant groups operating in Nigeria. Boko Haram and its splinter organization, Islamic State West Africa Province, are among the militant groups operating in Nigeria.
A current U.S. official confirmed the aircraft has been flying over Nigeria but declined to provide details given the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue.
A separate administration official said Washington was continuing to work with Nigeria to “address religious violence, anti-Christian attacks, and the destabilizing spread of terrorism.”
The former U.S. official and the current administration officials all spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a statement, the Pentagon said the U.S. government held productive meetings with Nigeria following Trump’s message about the country, but declined to discuss intelligence matters.
Nigeria’s military spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Ghana’s deputy defense minister also did not respond to a request for comment.
DAILY SURVEILLANCE FLIGHTS
Nigeria’s government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians and that U.S. claims that Christians face persecution do not represent a complex security situation and ignore efforts to safeguard religious freedom. But it has agreed to work with the U.S. to bolster its forces against militant groups.
The country’s population is split between Muslims living primarily in the north and Christians in the south.
A Nigerian security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. agreed in a November 20 meeting between Nigerian National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy air assets to gather intelligence. A spokesperson for the Nigerian military did not respond to requests for comment.
The Tenax Aerospace aircraft was seen on November 7 by flight tracking data at MacDill Air Force Base, which is home to the headquarters of the United States Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida. It flew to Ghana on November 24, just days after the high-level meeting between U.S. and Nigerian security officials, according to flight tracking data.
The data shows the aircraft has flown over Nigeria almost daily since the start of the operation. The aircraft is a Gulfstream V, a long-range business jet often modified for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, according to the data.
Australia’s most populous state is set to pass tougher gun laws, ban the display of terrorist symbols and curb protests in an emergency sitting following the Bondi mass shooting, as authorities stepped up their response to the antisemitic attack.
Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured in the mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi on December 14, a shock attack that prompted calls for tougher gun laws and stronger action against antisemitism.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said earlier on Tuesday his government would address hate speech and gun control, working with the states on new laws.
The terrorism and other legislation amendment bill is expected to clear the upper house of the New South Wales parliament on Tuesday.
The state’s centre-left Labor government has proposed capping most individual gun licences at four firearms with farmers allowed as many as 10.
Police said one of the alleged Bondi gunmen, Sajid Akram, 50, who was shot dead by officers at the scene, owned six firearms. His 24-year-old son Naveed, who was transferred from hospital to prison on Monday, faces 59 charges, including murder and terrorism.
GOVERNMENT TACKLES HATE SPEECH
A Muslim prayer hall previously linked by a court to a cleric who made statements intimidating Jewish Australians was shut on Monday by local authorities, a move described by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns as an “important step” for the community.
Minns said authorities “need to make decisive steps, whether its through planning law or hate speech [law], to send the message to those who are intent on putting hate in people’s heart or spreading racism in our community that they will be met with the full force of the law.”
The Canterbury Bankstown Council said on Tuesday it had issued a “cease use” directive to shut down an “illegal prayer hall” run by cleric Wissam Haddad after surveillance of the Al Madina Dawah Centre showed the premises was being used in violation of planning laws.
People attend the ‘Light Over Darkness’ vigil honouring victims and survivors of a deadly mass shooting during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, in Sydney, Australia, December 21, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Purchase Licensing Rights
An official at the centre told Reuters by telephone that Haddad was no longer involved in managing the centre.
The Al Madina Dawah centre said in a statement on social media on December 15 that Haddad’s involvement was “limited to occasional invitations as a guest speaker, including delivering lectures, and at times Friday sermons”.
A source close to Haddad, who declined to be named, also told Reuters the preacher was no longer involved in the management of the centre.
Haddad denies any involvement or knowledge of what happened in Bondi, the source added.
ALBANESE CALLS ISRAEL’S HERZOG
Albanese called Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday to express shock and dismay at the attack on the Australian Jewish community, Albanese’s official social media account said, adding Australia would invite Herzog to make an official visit as soon as possible.
Herzog conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and said he would accept the invitation, the president’s office said in a statement.
“President Herzog underscored the importance of taking all legal measures to combat the unprecedented rise in antisemitism, extremism, and jihadist terror,” the Israeli statement added.
The H-1B visa programme is used extensively by American technology companies to employ foreign workers. Indian professionals, including technology workers and physicians, form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.
Hundreds of Indian immigrants are facing visa delays due to new US policies.
The United States has announced that it is “expanding” the online presence reviews to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of its standard visa screening, and the social media vetting is being conducted globally for “all applicants of all nationalities” for the two visa categories. In a brief statement, the US Embassy in India asked applicants to apply “as early as they can” and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications.
The statement comes at a time when pre-scheduled interviews of thousands of H-1B visa applicants scheduled for later this month in India are being abruptly postponed by several months.
“WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS. Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities for H1-B and H-4 visas (sic),” the US Embassy said in a post on X.
Amid the hardship faced by many of these visa applicants, the embassy said the move was being implemented as an effort to address abuse of the H-1B programme while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers.
“US embassies and consulates continue to accept and process H-1B and H-4 non-immigrant visa applications. We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications,” it added.
WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS
Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities… pic.twitter.com/qMrMrOvqy0
Significance of the H-1B Visa for Indian Professionals
The H-1B visa programme is used extensively by American technology companies to employ foreign workers. Indian professionals, including technology workers and physicians, form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.
The brief statement also comes at a time when the US has launched a crackdown to check abuse of the H-1B visa programme, as well as illegal immigration.
Hundreds of Indian immigrants are facing visa delays due to new US policies. The rescheduling of interviews is for all applicants who were previously scheduled from December 15 onwards. The mass cancellation of scheduled interviews for H-1B visa applicants, in view of the enhanced vetting measures, is set to result in significant delays in their return to the US.
A large number of applicants have already arrived in India and are now unable to return to the US since they don’t have a valid H1B visa to travel back to the US for their jobs. For example, those whose interviews were scheduled for December 15 had received emails postponing the date to sometime in March. Applicants whose appointments were scheduled for December 19 were given new dates in late May.
America’s Visa Warnings
The US Embassy, through many posts on X in the past several months, has underlined that a US visa is “a privilege, not a right.”
On June 19, it wrote in a post, “A US visa is a privilege, not a right. US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued – and we may revoke your visa if you break the law.”
On June 23, the US Embassy had asked those applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa to switch the privacy settings of their social media accounts to “public” to facilitate vetting, which it said was necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the US under law.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had on December 18 said that the US Administration has recently announced that every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The US has also clarified that a US visa is a privilege, not a right, he said.
Sydney’s Bondi Beach saw a deadly mass shooting during Hanukkah. Usman Khawaja’s family faced Islamophobic abuse, prompting calls for unity against racism and antisemitism.
Usman Khawaja’s family faced online abuse (Instagram)
Australia was in shock following one of its deadliest mass shootings in nearly thirty years, which occurred at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14. During a Hanukkah celebration, fifteen people were killed when two gunmen, Sajeed Akram and his son Naveed, opened fire on the crowd. The tragedy sent ripples of grief and condemnation throughout the country and drew solidarity from various communities worldwide.
In the midst of national mourning, the family of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja, who is participating in the Ashes series, faced a surge of online abuse. Khawaja, a prominent Muslim athlete, has not addressed the hateful comments publicly, but his wife Rachel Khawaja shared the disturbing messages they received. “I’ve collected a small sample of some of the comments we have received over the past week,” she posted. “I would love to say this is new, but sadly we have always received these kinds of messages. But of course, they have gotten worse.”
The abuse extended beyond the couple, targeting their children with particularly offensive language. Messages referred to their daughters as “future school blasters” and “cancer terr***** blood”, while others demanded they “go home” to Pakistan. These remarks highlighted how grief and fear can quickly turn into Islamophobia and racism.
Rachel Khawaja called for unity and collective responsibility during this tense time. “It is important now more than ever that we continue to come together and stay united,” she stated. “Whether it’s standing up against antisemitism, Islamophobia, or racism, we shouldn’t stand for any of it.”
Usman Khawaja had earlier expressed his sorrow over the attack, posting a heartfelt message to those affected. “To the whole Bondi and Jewish community. Two horrible crimes in two years. Truly devastating news from Bondi today,” he wrote, accompanied by a broken-heart emoji. “Lives lost senselessly, families shattered, the Bondi community traumatised. There are no words-only heartbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with all affected.”
Khawaja also shared a statement from the Jewish Council of Australia, which voiced its devastation following the shooting. “We are horrified and shaken in the wake of the mass shooting at a Chanukah event in Bondi this evening, which has left at least 10 people dead and injured many more,” the council stated.
Just a timely call could have saved the life of 27-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das, who was lynched by Islamists in Bangladesh. Investigators and reports have revealed that Das was forced to resign by his factory colleagues and handed over to the mob that broke into the factory to drag him out. He was brutally beaten to death and his body was set on fire.
Bangladeshi Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched by an Islamist mob, after which his body was tied and set on fire. (Images: Social Media/India Today)
Just a timely call from the factory management to the police could have saved the life of Bangladeshi Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das, who was lynched and killed on Thursday (December 16) following vague allegations of blasphemy. But instead of calling the police and saving him, Das was forced to resign by his factory supervisors, pushed out of his workplace, and handed over to an enraged mob of Islamists that beat him to death, hung his body and set fire to it. His colleagues reportedly joined the mob in killing him.
Shocking details have emerged in the lynching of 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, who was killed over unverified blasphemy claims. According to Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police officials, Dipu was forced to resign by factory supervisors and then handed over to the mob, which brutally assaulted and killed him, hung his body on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, and set fire to it, according to reports in Bangladeshi media outlets.
Authorities said that no clear evidence had been found to substantiate the blasphemy allegations. A total of 12 people have been arrested so far, including factory officials and workers, after CCTV footage and videos of the incident were reviewed.
But investigators suggest the killing of Dipu Chandra Das was far from a sudden flare-up. It bore clear signs of planning. Spanning several hours, the sequence — from a forced resignation and delayed police alert to his eventual handover to an Islamist mob — points to a deliberate chain of actions rather than an impulsive act of violence.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on X suggested that the police might have been involved in Das’s lynching and questioned who will bring the perpetrators of the murder to justice.
Dipu, married three years ago, leaves behind a one-and-a-half-year-old child.
The lynching occurred hours before widespread riots, protests, and violence by Islamists erupted in Bangladesh on Thursday, immediately after news of the anti-India radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi broke the same night. However, the mayhem that erupted across Bangladesh on Thursday night and continued on Friday, was the culmination of a series of anti-India remarks by multiple leaders, operating with impunity under the Islamist-backed Muhammad Yunus regime. During the violent protests, Indian diplomatic missions were targeted amid a wave of anti-India protests.
BANGLADESH HINDU MAN WAS FORCED TO RESIGN, THEN HANDED OVER TO ISLAMIST MOB
At a press conference in Mymensingh on Saturday, RAB-14 commander Naimul Hasan said the violence began inside the factory itself.
“The incident began around 4 pm. The factory floor in-charge forced him to resign and handed him over to an enraged mob… We arrested two factory officials because they did not hand him over to the police and failed to ensure his safety,” Naimul Hasan was quoted as saying by Dhaka-based Prothom Alo.
Those arrested by the RAB include Mohammad Alamgir Hossain, the factory’s floor in-charge, Mohammad Miraj Hossain Akon, the quality in-charge, and five factory workers. Three more individuals were arrested separately by the police.
“As it was the time for shift change, workers for another shift also gathered in front of the factory and local people joined as the news spread outside,” reported The Daily Star.
“Around 8:45pm, the agitated people entered the factory, breaking open its pocket gate and took Dipu away from the security room, alleged the senior manager,” it reported.
The report and the arrests make it evident that Das’s colleagues from the factory were part of the mob that lynched him, hung his body and set fire to it.
BLASPHEMY CLAIMS ON BANGLADESH HINDU MAN VAGUE, NO EVIDENCE FOUND: AUTHORITIES
The RAB officials said the allegations that triggered the killing remain unclear.
“The issue of blasphemy is extremely vague. We tried to find out what he had actually said, but no one could clarify it,” Naimul Hasan said.
He further added, “We are investigating whether there was any prior enmity. It has not yet been possible to identify with whom the incident initially began”.
Rab officials confirmed arrests were made after reviewing video evidence and said further details would emerge following remand interrogation.
Dhaka-based newspaper The Daily Star reported that the incident coincided with the time for a shift change, when workers from the incoming shift gathered outside the factory, and local residents also assembled as news of the incident spread. Around 8:45 pm, agitated people broke open the pocket gate of the factory and took Dipu from the security room, where he was sheltered for safety.
Factory sources told the newspaper that Dipu was then dragged out of the premises, after which locals joined the assault, killing him on the spot and later setting his body on fire.
JUST A TIMELY CALL COULD HAVE SAVED BANGLADESHI HINDU MAN: POLICE
Police said factory authorities informed them of the escalating incident too late, despite the situation worsening for hours.
“I was informed about the incident around 8.00 pm. Immediately, we started running towards the spot, but it was too late,” Md Farhad Hossain Khan, the superintendent of Industrial Police in Mymensingh told The Daily Star.
Describing the scene, he added, “Hundreds of people were on the road. When we reached the factory gate, we saw the body being carried by a furious mob towards the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway”.
A massive traffic jam delayed law enforcement further. “A 10-kilometre traffic jam was created for nearly three hours, seriously obstructing our movement, Md Farhad Hossain Khan added.
“Just a timely call could have saved Dipu’s life,” the SP said pointedly.
FACTORY’S DEFENCE AND CONTRADICTIONS BANGLADESHI HINDU MAN’S BRUTAL KILLING
Factory officials have denied negligence, even as accounts differ sharply from law enforcement findings.
Sakib Mahmud, the senior manager of Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Ltd, where Dipu Chandra Das was employed, said, “A group of workers started protesting inside the factory around 5 pm, accusing Dipu of hurting religious sentiments”.
He, however, admitted that “There was no proof of the allegations [of blasphemy]”.
According to him, a “fake resignation” was arranged around 7.30 pm to pacify the Islamist mob that was going after Dipu’s life. But the agitating workers did not bother, said Mahmud, according to The Daily Star.
Factory sources claimed Dipu was kept in a security room and police were informed at 8.00 pm, but by 8.45 pm, the agitated Islamists entered the factory, broke open the pocket gate, and took Dipu away.
Dipu was handed over to the mob despite it being clear he would be killed to save the factory from any attack.
“When the situation became volatile, he was forcibly pushed out of the factory to protect the factory,” said Rab-14 company commander Md Samsuzzaman, adding, “No evidence was found that he wrote anything on Facebook that hurt religious sentiments”.
BRUTAL KILLING OF BANGLADESHI HINDU MAN AND AFTERMATH
According to police and local sources, Dipu was beaten to death, his naked body hung at a highway median, and then set on fire.
After a post-mortem at Mymensingh Medical College, his body was cremated late Friday night.
While it was alleged that Dipu made derogatory remarks, there is no evidence, the police said. Even if he had said something, it could have been handled legally, Dipu’s younger brother, Opu Chandra Das, who filed the case, said.
“Even if he had said something, and it was an offence, the matter could have been dealt with through legal channels. Instead, he was brutally murdered. I demand the terrorists who killed him by making false allegations be brought to book. At the same time, the question of how his family will survive must also be addressed,” Opu told Prothom Alo.
