A creepy naked snap of the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein lounging in a bubble bath was among 70 new photos Democrats of the House Oversight Committee released Friday night.
The vile image shows Epstein reclining in a bathtub, with a curtain exposing just the upper half of his bare body as he stares into the camera with a smug smirk.
Another photo in the latest batch shows the disgraced financier – fully clothed – in a selfie-style shot with what looks like a noticeably swollen upper lip.
A naked photo of late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein lounging in a bubble bath was among new photos Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released on Friday. Oversight Dems
“In the interest of transparency, we will continue to release photos from the Epstein estate,” House Democrats said in a statement following the latest photo dump.
Lawmakers signaled there will be “more to come.”
Early Friday, the committee received 95,000 images from Epstein’s estate, but only released 19, showing celebrities, royalty, political heavyweights, and dark glimpses of Epstein’s twisted kinks.
Many photos featured film director Woody Allen, former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon, Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York.
President Trump and former President Bill Clinton were also seen in what appear to be pictures taken of earlier photographs.
In one image, Clinton poses with Epstein and his accomplice, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, along with another couple.
A black-and-white photo shows Trump posing with six women whose faces were obscured.
In another picture, apparently taken on a private jet, Trump is seen with his tie loosened and sitting next to a blonde woman. The woman’s face is also blacked out.
One image shows a display of “Trump condoms” — a popular novelty item during the 2016 presidential campaign — featuring a cartoon of the 45th and 47th president and the message “I’m huuuuge!”
While the latest round of images didn’t include the president, one photo shows a pumpkin carved with a face, topped with a blonde wig and a sign reading “TRUMPKIN” and “Make Halloween Great Again.”
The suspects have been identified as Manjot Bhatti, Navjot Bhatti, and Amanjot Bhatti, while the fourth suspect, still at large, remains unnamed.
Three Indian-origin truck drivers have been arrested in connection with a shootout between two rival tow-truck groups in Canada. The search is still on for a fourth suspect, said Peel Regional Police, sharing a video of the shootout in Brampton.
The incident occurred around 10:45 pm (local time) on October 7 in a parking lot in the McVean Drive and Castlemore Road area. Two separate groups engaged in an altercation during which gunshots were fired. One person was hurt, but the injuries were not serious, said a senior police officer.
“Following a lengthy investigation, investigators identified three individuals associated with one of the involved groups. On November 20, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Caledon. As a result, investigators located and arrested the suspects,” read a police statement.
The suspects have been identified as Manjot Bhatti, Navjot Bhatti, and Amanjot Bhatti, while the fourth suspect, still at large, remains unnamed.
Manjot has been charged with the intentional reckless discharge of a firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, careless storage of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm, and being an occupant of a vehicle despite knowing there was a firearm.
His bail hearing is pending at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, and he has since been released on bail, the police said.
US President Donald Trump was among several prominent figures featured in the images released on Friday
Democratic US lawmakers have released two new batches of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, revealing details of the convicted paedophile’s home and ties to the rich and powerful.
US President Donald Trump, former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon are among the high-profile figures featured in the photos. The images, many of which have been seen before, do not imply wrongdoing.
The nearly 100 photos released by members of the House Oversight Committee on Friday are some of more than 95,000 images obtained via subpoena, the Democrats said.
The justice department is separately approaching a deadline next week to publish all Epstein-related documents.
In the first batch of photos released on Friday by lawmakers, Epstein is seen with multiple high-profile figures, none of whom have yet commented. Many of them have previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
Trump appeared in three of the images released on Friday. One image showed him standing next to a woman whose face has been redacted.
Another showed Trump standing next to Epstein while talking to model Ingrid Seynhaeve at a 1997 Victoria’s Secret party in New York – an image that was already publicly available.
A third photo showed Trump smiling with several women, whose faces have also been redacted, flanked on either side of him.
An additional photo showed an illustrated likeness of the president on red packets next to a sign that reads: “Trump Condom”.
The White House called the release a “Democrat hoax” against Trump that has been “repeatedly debunked”. Trump had for months argued the Epstein saga was a distraction orchestrated by his critics to take attention away from his administration’s accomplishments.
Friday’s files also include private images of Epstein, including one of him in a bathtub and another that appears to show sexual toys. They also show him with several other prominent people including former President Bill Clinton and tech billionaire Bill Gates.
One photo featuring Clinton shows him standing next to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating the disgraced financier’s abuse.
Two other people the BBC has yet to identify are also in the image, which appeared to have been signed by Clinton.
Clinton has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. In 2019, a spokesperson said he “knows nothing about the terrible crimes” Epstein pleaded guilty to.
One image included in Friday’s batch was a cropped section of a picture originally taken by a photographer working for Getty Images in 2018, which showed King Charles in conversation with Microsoft founder Gates at a London summit.
The image contained in Epstein’s collection was cropped to show only Andrew and Gates.
Andrew, who has faced years of scrutiny over his past relationship with Epstein, was stripped of his “prince” title and left his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, earlier this year. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon is also seen in some of the images. In one, he is shown speaking with Epstein at a desk, and in another, standing beside him in front of a mirror.
A third image shows him speaking with filmmaker Woody Allen.
Other prominent figures who appear in the images include US economist Larry Summers, lawyer Alan Dershowitz and entrepreneur Richard Branson. Not all the images show those individuals in the company of Epstein.
No additional context or details were included, so it is not clear when, why or where many of the photos were taken or by whom, including images from what appear to be Epstein’s estate in the US Virgin Islands, showing multiple rooms – including one with a dental chair surrounded by sculptures of moustached men on the walls, a scene which featured in a previous release of Epstein files.
There is an image of an orange pumpkin with a blonde wig that has been carved in the likeness of Trump. Above it, a sign reads: “Trumpkin. Make Halloween Great Again.”
Republicans, who are in the majority on the House Oversight Committee, have accused Democrats of “cherry-picking photos and making targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump”.
In a statement, Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the congressional committee, said: “It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends.”
“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world. We will not rest until the American people get the truth. The Department of Justice must release all the files, NOW,” he added.
Epstein’s connection to multiple high-profile figures, along with various unanswered questions about the case, and his 2019 suicide in a Manhattan jail as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges, has fuelled online conspiracies and demands for greater transparency around the investigations into the billionaire financier.
Following months of pressure from across the political spectrum, the justice department has until 19 December to release all documents related to the Epstein case as required by a bill passed nearly unanimously by Congress and signed by Trump in November.
That upcoming deadline is separate from the congressional investigation into the Epstein case.
Friday’s publications mark the second time in a month that Democrats on the committee have published new images from its inquiry into Epstein.
They originally released 19 images on Friday morning before publishing another nearly 80 later in the day, saying in a statement: “In the interest of transparency, we will continue to release photos from the Epstein estate.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash is predicted to be one of the year’s highest-grossing movies
It’s no secret the Avatar films are a gigantic technical feat – pushing the boundaries of cinematography, animation and performance capture.
But you may not be aware that the same applies to the music.
Composer Simon Franglen says work on the third instalment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, took an epic seven years to complete.
Along the way, he wrote 1,907 pages of orchestral score; and even invented new instruments for the residents of the alien planet Pandora to play.
And, with director James Cameron tinkering with the edit until the very last minute, the British musician only finished his final musical cue five days before the film was printed and delivered.
In total, Avatar contains “four times as much” music as a standard Hollywood film, says Franglen, with almost the entirety of its 195-minute running time requiring music.
“But I got 10 minutes off for good behaviour,” he laughs.
Fire and Ash is the third instalment in the record-breaking series, continuing the saga of the blue Na’vi population, who are protecting their planet from human invaders, intent on stripping its natural resources.
The new film, released on 19 December, takes audiences back to the astonishingly vivid landscapes of Pandora, but it also sends them on a visceral emotional journey.
At the start of the film, the two main characters Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are mourning the death of their teenage son, Neteyam.
Unable to see eye-to-eye, the grief threatens to tear the couple apart.
Franglen was tasked with creating a score that could reflect the depth of their despair.
“I wanted to make sure that you felt that sense of distance that was growing between them,” he says.
“So what I would do is, I would take two lines [of music] and I’d have them moving apart, or I would make them go wrong, so that they felt austere and cold and disconnected.”
“Grief is not something that is ever addressed in these sorts of films,” he continues, “but for any family, the loss of a child is the worst thing you can go through.
“Musically, the important stuff is often the quiet moments.”
A hoedown on a galleon
By contrast, when Franglen composed the music for the Wind Traders – a nomadic clan of salesmen, who travel by airship – he could let his imagination run wild.
Their swashbuckling themes are inspired by the action movies of the 1930s and 40s, but they also feature brand new instruments, unique to Pandora.
“When we meet the wind traders [they’re having] a hoedown on their enormous Galleon,” says Franglen.
“The problem was that, if you are having a Pandoran party, what do they play? I can’t give them guitar, bass and drums. I can’t give them a banjo.
“You have to have a real instrument that would be designed for three metre-tall, blue people with four fingers.
“And because Avatar is not animation, when there are instruments on screen, you have to have the real thing,” he says, referring to Cameron’s rule that everything on screen has to be rooted in reality, even though the film’s imagery is largely computer-generated.
“So I sketched out some instruments, and gave them to the art department, who made these beautiful designs.”
Franglen’s creations included a long-necked lute, similar to a Turkish saz, with strings that represent the rigging of the Wind Traders’ ship.
A percussion instrument was also designed, with the drum head using the same material as the vessel’s sails.
The art department’s renders were then given to prop master Brad Elliott, who built the instruments on a 3D printers, and the actors played them for real on set.
For now, however, these inventions have no official name.
“They are currently called ‘the stringy things’ and ‘the drummy things’,” laughs Franglen.
“I’m sure there’s a better name. Somebody said we should have a competition.”
Franglen’s musical career started when he was just 13 years old- he wrote a letter to the BBC asking how someone would go about becoming a record producer.
Mistakenly assuming he was asking about radio production, the corporation advised him to study electronics – leading him to a course at Manchester University in the early 1980s.
He arrived just as the Hacienda Club opened (“I was member 347”) and spent his free time booking bands for the college’s concert venue.
“I remember booking Tears for Fears and 11 people came,” he says.
After graduating, he was hired to work as a synth programmer, and was introduced to Trevor Horn – who set him to work on pivotal 80s albums by Yes and Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
Eventually, he decided to try his luck in America where, “after six months of doing almost nothing”, he became an in-demand session musician and programmer.
Credits started to rack up on hits like Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart, All 4 One’s I Swear and Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing; and he eventually found himself programming drums for Michael Jackson’s HIStory album.
“The pressure was to make it great,” he says. “To have that sense of groove, what we call, ‘the pocket’.
“And a big part of my career is that I had a good pocket. I understood where things should feel and how they should hit. And that is as important with film scores as it is when you’re making a Michael Jackson record.”
Franglen’s first experience of film scoring came when Bond composer John Barry asked him to assist on Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves. He was later hired to do the “dark and nasty stuff” on David Fincher’s Se7en.
“My job was to provide the dystopian edge that that score has. So I would take squealing brakes, make samples of them, and then play all the violin lines with squealing brakes underneath.
“There was a lot of experimental stuff, which was incredibly fun.”
Franglen first met Avatar director James Cameron after being hired by legendary film composer James Horner, to work “on a film he had no money for”.
The film was Titanic – a notorious white elephant, dismissed as a vanity project, and predicted to bring about the collapse of film studios Fox and Paramount.
The composer had seen the headlines, but when Cameron showed him the scene where the Titanic broke in half and started to sink, he realised the press had got it wrong.
“It was just astonishing, in comparison to anything you’d seen before. I knew it was special.”
Even so, there was no budget left for the music, Franglen had to borrow equipment and instruments from the manufacturers, and the majority of the score was recorded on synthesizers in a rented apartment.
“Part of the reason that Titanic sounds the way that it does, is because there wasn’t enough money for [an] orchestra everywhere,” he says.
The opposite is true on Avatar.
“Jim [Cameron] still believes that the good things take time. And as a composer, having that ability to refine and to make something special is something that is rare these days.”
The director also went to great lengths to ensure his latest film is free from artificial intelligence.
“He very specifically asked me, ‘So, we’re not using any AI? We’re not putting any real musicians out of work’,” Franglen recalls.
“It’s fair to say that if you gave a lot of film producers the option to save money, they would take that option.
“Jim is in a situation where he will not compromise, and that’s as important when it comes to the music as it is to the live performances of the actors.”
As the film prepares to open, Franglen is celebrating a Golden Globe nomination for the theme song, Dream As One, sung by Miley Cyrus.
But he’s also thinking about what comes next. Cameron has already completed the scripts for Avatar Four and Five; scheduled to come out in 2029 and 2031.
“Four is… I think it’s astonishing,” says Franglen. “It goes into whole new territories, and I love it.”
Initial footage has already been shot, but Cameron says completing the film will depend on the box office performance of Fire and Ash.
Kolhapuri chappals came under the spotlight after Prada replicated their design
Global fashion brand Prada has announced a line of limited-edition footwear inspired by Indian-made Kolhapuri sandals, months after it faced backlash for allegedly appropriating the sandal’s design.
The Italian luxury brand will make 2,000 pairs of sandals in India’s Maharashtra and Karnataka states, under a deal with two state-backed entities, Reuters news agency reports.
“We’ll mix the original manufacturer’s standard capabilities with our manufacturing techniques”, Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said.
The collection is set to go on sale in February 2026, online and in 40 Prada stores across the world.
A pair of sandals are reportedly set to be sold for $939, which amounts to around £800 and 84,000 rupees.
The agreement was signed on Thursday during the Italy-India Business Forum 2025.
In June, Prada courted controversy after it showcased sandals that had an open-toe braided pattern that closely resembled the traditional Kolhapuri sandals made in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Prada described the sandals as “leather footwear” but did not mention its Indian origins, prompting backlash and allegations of cultural appropriation in India.
The brand later acknowledged the footwear design’s Indian roots.
A Prada spokesperson at that time told the BBC that the company has “always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions”, adding that it was “in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic”. This is a prominent industry trade body in the state.
On Friday, Maharashtra’s Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat told BBC Marathi that the new initiative will be called ‘Prada Made in India – Inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals [sandals]’.
“Keeping in mind Prada’s requirements and demand, some artisans will receive special training from Prada and LIDCOM [a state-backed entity supporting the leather industry in Maharashtra]. Additionally, around 200 Kolhapuri chappal artisans will be given three years of training in Italy,” he said.
Mr Shirsat said the agreement had been signed for five years, but expressed confidence that it would be extended further.
The price of following a team all the way through the tournament has increased significantly since the last World Cup in Qatar
Supporters are continuing to speak of their frustration at the astronomical cost of following the 2026 World Cup.
The Football Supporters’ Association has called ticket prices a “laughable insult” to fans.
For some smaller nations, the cost of group-stage tickets is going to be higher than a month’s wages in that country. And that is before factoring in travel and accommodation.
One Ghana fan told the BBC of “anger and disappointment” that Black Stars supporters might now be forced to cancel their plans.
Fifa’s ticket price policy was revealed on Thursday, with group-stage tickets up to three times the prices of those for Qatar in 2022. The cheapest ticket for the final will cost £3,119.
On Friday, Fifa said it had received five million ticket requests from fans in more than 200 countries in the 24 hours since the latest ticketing phase opened.
Ticket prices outstrip wages for many countries
“It’s a chance to qualify. It is a chance to participate in a big event,” Fifa president Gianni Infantino declared in January 2017.
The Fifa Council had just unanimously voted to expand the World Cup to 48 teams. Nations who had never or rarely reached the finals were being given hope.
Infantino added: “Football is more than Europe and South America. Football is global.
“The football fever you have in a country that qualifies for the World Cup is the most powerful tool you can have, in those nine months before qualifying and the finals.”
Yet that “football fever” is falling a little flat after the ticket prices were released.
While the players will be there, the price of tickets could outstrip wages.
Take Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. The average wage in the Caribbean nation is around $147 (£110) a month.
The cheapest tickets for Haiti’s first game at the World Cup in 52 years, against Scotland, cost $180 (£135).
To attend all three matches – they also play Brazil and Morocco – would cost $625 (£467). That’s more than four months’ salary for the average Haitian, just to get into the ground.
It’s a similar story for Ghana, where the average monthly salary is around $254 (£190).
Ghana supporter Jojo Quansah told BBC World Service that fans would have to cancel their plans.
“It’s a bit of a disappointment for those who, for the last three-and-a-half years, have been trying to put some money away in the hope that they can have their first World Cup experience,” he said.
“Fifa themselves have gone ahead to increase the number of teams so a lot more smaller football nations will get a chance to have themselves and their fans represented.
“It’s been overshadowed by pricing those same fans out of a chance to watch their country play at the World Cup.
“I have a feeling that quite a number of people within the next couple of months, are going to drop out of that desire to be at the next World Cup. Sadly. So sadly.”
Other nations could see their fans priced out.
You’ve bought your tickets, how about the flights?
Any fan wanting to follow their team from the first game to the final – if they get there – will spend a minimum of £5,200 on tickets.
There there’s travel. For an England fan planning to attend the group stage, current prices show flights from London to Dallas to Boston to New York/New Jersey and then home are £1,300. Add on £526 if you get the cheapest match tickets.
It gets a lot more expensive if you want to go for the whole tournament. If they were winners of Group L, England would have to go from Atlanta to Mexico City and then to Miami. Those two flights alone would cost £800.
Flights across the tournament could cost £2,600. Add on the cheapest match tickets, and it is £7,800.
What about Scotland fans travelling from Glasgow? Flights across the group stage would cost £1,675 each, with the lowest ticket price bracket £500 on top.
If Scotland were to win Group C, flights through to the final would be £2,357. With tickets that is £7,567.
These prices are as of today. Many supporters would not want to book flights for the knockout rounds before they know they need to travel. By then, it could be a lot more expensive.
What England and Scotland fans are saying
Paul Clegg (61), from Blackburn, says: “This will be my fifth World Cup. I haven’t missed a game since 2014.
“I’m in contact with England fans all over the country. I’m a top capper.
“We all plan to boycott games after the group stage.
“Football is dead.”
Anne-Marie Carr (54), from York, says: “I have diligently attended England matches so that I can earn the caps to get tickets for major tournaments only to then find that I, as so many others, are being priced out.
“WC 26 will be for the few, the sponsors and the glory hunters who’ve got the money to attend the big matches when they come along.”
Katie, from Glasgow, says: “Buy a ticket, you must be joking!
“These prices are not for the real fans, these are for corporates, bigwigs, sponsors. The real fans cannot afford those glorified prices.”
Ian, from Glenrothes, says: “Not sure why anyone is surprised.
“One of the reasons I’m not going, as much as I would want to see my country at a World Cup, is that there are too many practical things negating it.
“Airline and hotel greed, and now ticket prices.
“Not for me!”
Ticket prices have soared since the bid document
Every nation that wants to host the World Cup has to present its case from stadiums, to sustainability, to ticket prices.
The world has changed a lot since the United States, Mexico and Canada set out its plan in 2017.
Covid has placed a great deal of inflationary strain across the globe. But not this much.
In fairness, the ticket prices for the group stage are not vastly higher. For games such as Scotland v Haiti ($180) the prices for the cheapest tickets are in line with the $174 in the bid document.
It’s for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final where Fifa has massively increased the prices.
Category three for the final was proposed to be $695 (£520). Adjusted for inflation, it would cost $890 (£666). Yet Fifa is now charging $4,185 (£3,119).
Rosmah Mansor was acquitted on Dec 19 last year of 12 money laundering charges involving RM7.09 million (US$1.73 million) and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.
Former Malaysia prime minister Najib Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor arrives at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya ahead of his house arrest appeal on Jan 6, 2025. (File Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
Malaysia’s Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on Thursday (Dec 11) dropped its appeal against the acquittal of Rosmah Mansor – who is the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak – over 17 money laundering and tax evasion charges.
In its statement, the AGC said that the decision was reached as there was “no reasonable prospect of success” with key witnesses either deceased or untraceable, reported local news outlet the New Straits Times (NST).
“Among the factors considered was that the prosecution would be unable to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as key witnesses have died or can no longer be traced,” the statement read.
“In such circumstances, the predicate offence against the accused also cannot be proven.”
Rosmah, 74, was charged in 2018 with 12 charges of money laundering involving RM7.09 million (US$1.73 million) and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.
On Dec 19 last year, High Court Judge K Muniandy acquitted her of all 17 charges, ruling that the prosecution had failed to present the key elements of the offence of money laundering in the charges.
The AGC said that it had initially filed the appeal on Dec 20 against the High Court’s decision. However, after reviewing the court’s written grounds of the judgement on Oct 30 this year, it decided not to proceed with the appeal.
“All key aspects of the case, including issues of fact and law, were reviewed before the decision not to proceed with the appeal was made,” said the AGC, as quoted by NST.
The AGC said that it had filed a notice of discontinuance on Dec 9, which is the court document required for it to drop the appeal.
According to a letter from the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, the case management set for Dec 22 has been vacated and the appeal is dismissed.
Rosmah’s lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad has also confirmed the matter and said that Judge Muniandy’s decision last year to acquit his client was appropriate and fair.
“We are relieved that she has been completely freed from all the charges. This entire process has been a tough test for her and we are pleased to see that justice has finally been served and the case has been closed,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
Rosmah pleaded not guilty on Oct 4, 2018 at the Sessions Court to the 17 charges, purportedly committed between Dec 4, 2013 and Jun 8, 2017. The case was then transferred to the High Court.
Her trial over the charges commenced on Aug 24, 2023 but came to a halt after she filed a striking-out application on Sep 6, 2023.
Separately, Rosmah is still appealing her conviction in a corruption case related to the solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak. She was sentenced to 10 years in jail and given a RM970 million fine by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in relation to three separate charges.
On Sep 1, 2022, she was found guilty of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes from contractor Saidi Abang Samsudin in 2016 and 2017 so that his company Jepak Holdings could secure a RM1.25 billion government project to supply solar energy to 369 rural schools in the Sarawak state.
“Thailand will continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people,” Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday (Dec 13).
Girls sit behind a tractor on the way to a refugee camp as they are evacuated amid deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Chong Kal, Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia, Dec 10, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Kim Hong-ji)
Thailand’s leader vowed to keep fighting on the disputed border with Cambodia as fighter jets struck targets on Saturday (Dec 13), hours after United States President Donald Trump said he had brokered a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on Facebook that the Southeast Asian nation would “continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people”.
Trump, who brokered a ceasefire in the long-running border dispute in October, spoke to Anutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Friday, and said they had agreed to “cease all shooting”.
Neither of them mentioned any agreement in statements after their calls with Trump, and Anutin said there was no ceasefire.
“I want to make it clear. Our actions this morning already spoke,” Anutin said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the continued fighting.
Hun Manet, in a statement on Saturday on Facebook, said Cambodia continues to seek a peaceful resolution of disputes in line with the October agreement.
Since Monday, Cambodia and Thailand have been exchanging heavy-weapons fire at multiple points along the 817km border, in some of the heaviest fighting since the five-day clash in July. Trump halted that fighting, the worst in recent memory, with calls to both leaders.
The latest bout of unrest, which erupted on Dec 8, has killed at least 20 people, with more than 260 wounded, according to tallies by both countries.
Trump, who has repeatedly said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, has been keen to intervene again to rescue the truce. Thailand suspended it last month after a Thai soldier was maimed by a landmine, one of many that Bangkok says were newly laid by Cambodia.
Cambodia, which nominated Trump for the peace prize in August, rejects the landmine allegations.
On Saturday, a Thai Defence Ministry spokesman, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, told a press conference that clashes had taken place across seven border provinces and Cambodia had fired heavy weapons, “making it necessary for Thailand to retaliate”.
Cambodia’s Information Ministry said Thai forces had struck bridges and buildings overnight and fired artillery from a naval vessel.
Thai leader Anutin dismissed comments by Trump that a “roadside bomb” that wounded Thai soldiers was accidental, saying the incident was “definitely not a roadside accident”.
Cambodia’s Hun Manet said he had asked the US and Malaysia, which has been a mediator in peace talks, to use their intelligence gathering capabilities to “verify which side fired first” in the latest round of fighting.
Bitcoin hoarding giant Strategy clung to its place in the Nasdaq 100 on Friday, continuing its year-long stint in the benchmark at a time where analysts have raised questions over its business model.
Some market watchers have suggested Strategy’s pioneering business model of buying-and-holding bitcoin, which has spawned dozens of copycats, more closely resembles that of an investment fund.
Concerns have grown over the sustainability of crypto treasury companies, whose shares have proved extremely sensitive to bitcoin’s gyrations.
Nasdaq said Biogen, CDW Corporation, Globalfoundries, Lululemon Athletica, On Semiconductor and Trade Desk were removed from the tech-heavy exchange’s benchmark index.
New entrants included Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Ferrovial, Insmed, Monolithic Power Systems, Seagate Technology and Western Digital.
Strategy started out as software company, MicroStrategy, but pivoted to bitcoin investing in 2020. It was included in the Nasdaq 100 last December under the index’s technology sub-category.
After years of Chinese dominance, the US is once again the largest investor in Africa. But statistics alone do not tell the whole story: Africa’s raw materials have long been of geopolitical importance.
While US companies are setting up tech hubs in Africa, Chinese companies mainly need workers for infrastructure projects, as seen here during the construction of an oil pipeline in NigerImage: Boureima Hama/AFP/Getty Images
”America first”— that is the first impression that stands out from the data on so-called foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa.
Since 2012, China had consistently been ahead, investing continuously, while US companies in some years even withdrew more capital than they transferred to Africa. The figures for 2023 paint a different picture: US companies invested just under $8 billion (€6.8 billion) in Africa, almost twice as much as their Chinese competitors.
The dataset published in May by the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) at Johns Hopkins University does not yet reflect the subsequent development of the situation. This is because national governments and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) need time to evaluate the statistics and make valid assessments.
Unadjusted figures on foreign direct investment can be quite misleading: in the current UNCTAD report, the Netherlands emerges as the largest investor in Africa.
As a so-called “conduit” or transit country, the Netherlands often finds itself at the center of a complex financial network, with capital originating from other countries.
Analysts worldwide are likely to be eagerly awaiting the new figures. This is because economic rivalry between the US and China is intensifying, and there have been several recent examples of potentially significant investments in Africa.
America invests for profit, China invests strategically
Has the US really “overtaken” China as the largest investor in Africa, as recent media reports have claimed?
“Even if you look at the chart, you notice the fluctuations. It’s like spasms, says James Shikwati, founder and director of the Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
“America shoots up and then disappears, shoots up and disappears. That is purely because it’s a private, profit-minded approach. These are private companies and they’re not giving money just for charity,” Shikwati told DW.
In contrast, Chinese direct investment is ultimately backed by the government, which pursues long-term strategic goals.
According to Shikwati, American companies rely on well-trained workers who can turn their investments into profits. “And therefore, Africa gains from the highly trained Africans who are looking for jobs. And then, for the Chinese side, the average construction work, which is mostly hands-on skills, they cater to that kind of population. So, I would say both sides, Africa wins.”
However, Africa has so far failed to reap sufficient benefits from its wealth of critical raw materials: These are often exported unprocessed, with the actual value creation occurring in other regions of the world.
Just under a year ago, the African Union (AU) presented its “Green Commodities Strategy,” which provides for export tariffs of 10%. The aim is to give countries a share of the actual value of their mineral resources or to encourage investors to process them directly in Africa.
The continent accounts for the majority of the world’s production of platinum, cobalt, tantalum and manganese. The mining sector is traditionally an industry with particularly high foreign direct investment.
Western companies have scaled back their activities, especially in politically sensitive mining countries. At the same time, China has become indispensable in many places through sustained investment.
China invests billions in Africa’s mining industry
“Experience in Africa shows that China is not afraid of political or economic instability,” Jimmy Munguriek, a lawyer and country director of the NGO Resource Matters in the DR Congo, told DW. “China is investing, and that is why many mining sectors in Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are now largely controlled by Chinese companies.”
In 2023 alone, China invested nearly $8 billion in Africa, according to figures from the US think tank Brookings Institution, including lithium projects in Zimbabwe and Mali.
However, these individual investments can be compared with CARI’s FDI flows only to a limited extent, as these flows reflect the balance of all capital movements by foreign investors. According to the data, particularly high individual investments were made in copper projects in Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Trump’s pivot from aid to trade with African countries
There are growing signs that the US is adopting a more strategic, rather than purely profit-oriented, approach to Africa’s raw material resources.
In 2019, during Donald Trump’s first term as US president, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) was created, a government agency that merged the previously separate areas of private investment and development loans.
The DFC website bluntly states that the aim is to promote US interests, “expanding US global leadership and countering China’s presence in strategic regions.”
At the start of his second term in office this spring, Trump halted numerous development aid projects and withdrew substantial funding from the development agency, USAID.
“We’re shifting from aid to trade,” Trump told several African heads of state at the White House this summer. “There’s great economic potential in Africa, like few other places. In many ways, in the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we can be doing together.”
In the same appearance, Trump vowed that the US would treat Africa “far better than China or anyone else.”
As patron of the fragile peace agreement between the DR Congo and Rwanda, Trump has promised the US economy preferential access to Congolese raw materials. But despite the signing of the peace deal, more than 400 civilians have been killed following the recent surge of fighting as the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group continues its offensive in South Kivu province in eastern Congo.
The US recently published its new National Security Strategy. Now a leaked draft indicates that the US wants to exert its influence over four countries in Europe in particular to destabilize the European Union.
The new National Security Strategy has raised exebrows among many US alliesImage: Jean Pierre Nguyen Van Hai Barbier/ABACA/picture alliance
Transatlantic relations have suffered since Donald Trump took office again. The publication of the National Security Strategy on December 4, 2025, was seen by many European politicians as an open affront.
In the document, which each new administration submits to Congress, Europe is described as a continent in decline where there is a risk of “civilizational erasure” because of migration policies. There is mention of “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition.”
However, a longer, unpublished draft of the document was circulated prior to the official, public strategy. It reportedly goes into more detail about the plans the US has for Europe in future. According to the Washington-based digital media platform Defense One, which claims to have seen the draft, it lists Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary as countries that the US should “work more with … with the goal of pulling them away” from the European Union.The White House has denied the existence of any such draft.
But the question remains: Is the US trying to divide the European Union? And why are these four countries of particular interest?
Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary
Hungary’s name on the list is probably the least surprising, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and US President Trump remain close allies. The former supported the latter during his 2016 presidential campaign — the only ruling EU leader to do so at the time.
Both stand to mutually benefit from the other’s political stance. Orban is widely seen as a maverick and a destabilizing force for the EU — an institution that Trump appears to deeply distrust. And Trump has refered to Orban as his “great friend” and is even alleged to have offered Hungary a “financial shield” of $20 billion (€17 billion) — similar to the one he recently offered Argentina. Hungary’s economy is in a weak state, and significant EU funds due to the country are frozen over persistent concerns about democratic backsliding.
Trump told the media outlet Politico earlier this month that he had not promised Hungary a financial lifeline but said that Orban had asked for one.
The US president also appears enthusiastic about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy, a right-wing party with neo-fascist roots. But Daniel Hegedüs, regional director for Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, believes that the US government is under a “misapprehension” that Meloni would oppose the EU. Though she shares certain ideological views with Orban, she has not played an obstructionist role in the bloc. Indeed, she is very pragmatic, Hegedüs told DW, adding that few had understood as well as she had what a stable EU could do for their country.
While neither Poland nor Austria are currently led by right-wing populist governments, this was the case until recently, and right-wing and euroskeptic parties remain extremely influential in both countries. In the last elections, the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) was the strongest force. It is currently leading the polls. In Poland last summer, Karol Nawrocki, the candidate backed by the national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), won the presidential election.
It is perhaps not surprising that the Trump administration might hope to soon be able to exert more influence in both countries.
Why not the Czech Republic and Slovakia?
What is surprising, at least to some, is that two EU states do not appear on the list: the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In the first, the parliamentary elections were won by the billionaire Andrej Babis and his populist ANO party in October. Babis formed a coalition government with the right-wing Motorists for Themselves party and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy party.
Meanwhile, Slovakia has been experiencing a shift to the right since Robert Fico came to power as prime minister in 2023. His nominally social democratic, but in fact nationalist and increasingly right-wing Smer-SD party was recently expelled from the EU-level Party of European Socialists.
Both Babis and Fico are outspoken EU skeptics, and both have the potential to cause chaos in EU decisionmaking and to undermine the bloc’s authority on strategic issues, especially with regard to Russia and Ukraine — qualities that the current Trump administration is likely to appreciate.
Hegedüs believes the fact that they did not end up being mentioned in the final strategy document lies with the roots of their parties. For a long time, ANO could not be classified on the traditional left-right spectrum, while Smer-SD saw itself as left-wing.
“You can clearly see how ideological the US approach is,” says Hegedüs. “Because Smer and ANO do not have a traditional right-populist background, they are not considered to be like-minded, even though they possibly pursue policies that are useful to the Trump administration.”
Gradual disintegration of the European Union
Initial attempts by the US government to interfere in democratic processes in Europe at the beginning of the year, such as Vice President JD Vance’s controversial speech at the Munich Security Conference, were initially dismissed by observers of transatlantic relations. Many argued that the new administration in Washington still had to find its feet in its new role.
But ever since, the US government has interfered again and again — in the Romanian, Polish and German election campaigns, for instance. The pattern is always the same: support is given to those whom the Trump administration sees as an ally in ideological terms, and to those who can weaken Brussels.
Experts such as Hegedüs doubt that the US’ goal is to promote the departure of one of these four nations from the bloc — stylized as a “Huxit,” “Italexit,” “Auxit” or “Polexit” respectively— but rather to push a gradual disintegration of European integration, through diplomatic, political, and perhaps even financial support.
The first signs of this are already visible. For example, although the EU has agreed to gradually phase out its dependence on Russian energy and the bloc will ban imports of liquefied natural gas by the end of 2026 and pipeline gas by the fall of 2027, Hungary has announced it will refuse to comply.
More visitors to the US will be forced to reveal their social media handles under new plans from Donald Trump’s administration. It’s the latest in a number of measures aimed at tourists and residents born outside the US.
Donald Trump wants more visitors to the US to pass on their social media handlesImage: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
Citizens of nations conventionally considered low-risk US allies will soon have to provide their social media handles upon arrival to the country. Under plans announced this week by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), travelers from 42 countries including Germany, Israel, Australia and Japan will be subject to the same tight scrutiny as the rest of the world has been since 2019.
Up until now, travelers from the 42 countries have enjoyed a visa waiver, meaning they can travel to the US for up to 90 days without applying for a visa, as long as they get authorization through the lighter-touch Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The new proposals mean travelers will likely soon be obliged to share their social media history, phone numbers and email addresses as part of the travel authorization process.
The DHS said the proposal, which will reportedly come into effect on February 8, 2026, unless challenged in court beforehand, originated from US President Donald Trump’s January order for arrivals to be “vetted and screened to the maximum degree.” It comes on the heels of an announcement by the State Department in August that all US visa holders would be under “continuous vetting,” including on social media.
How would a social media check for travelers work?
While travelers will be required to provide social media handles and phone numbers used in the last five years and email addresses in the last 10 years, on their entry forms, there will be no requirement to hand over log in details.
Therefore, in theory, the US government can only see publicly available information, unless it gathers further details directly from social media companies — something that has not been stated as a possibility in the documentation. It does however say that biometric data and a host of personal details on applicants’ family members will be added to the entry requirements when “feasible.”
The proposal is thin on details of how it will monitor social media accounts provided or how it already does. But the logistics of actively monitoring such a huge number of accounts poses a number of questions as David Ellis, an expert on digital behavior from the University of Bath, England, explained to DW.
“How are they going to manage all that data? Are they just interested in what you’re saying or is it what you consume too?” Ellis, part of the university’s Institute for Digital Security and Behavior, said.
“Most people don’t say much online but there is obviously content that we all see online that we don’t agree with, that we didn’t want to see. So how do they [the US government] draw a distinction between that being a red flag, and just something that was served up and you watched for three seconds?”
What would the US government look for in tourist social media posts?
The executive order that sparked the proposal cites concerns about terrorism as a reason for increasing the spotlight on those from overseas. “The United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security,” it reads.
For Ellis, phrases like “hostile attitudes” are dangerously open to interpretation and perhaps could be used against people who have liked, viewed or shared something that they may not even agree with.
“You could look at someone’s TikTok history and see they saw a video that was promoting extreme views, but they only watched it for a second. Is that better than if it were 30 seconds?” he asked. “Ethically, they should give justification, but they could just say ‘we don’t like your social media use’ to make things difficult for people who want to come to the country with perfectly good intentions.”
There is no specific reference to what would disallow a person from entering the US. A clue may come in the US government’s catch-and-revoke policy, described by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “one-strike policy” which aims to identify and expel foreign nationals in violation of US legislation — independent of that infraction’s severity.
The program uses AI-powered surveillance tools to monitor foreign nationals in the US by monitoring their presence on social media and at protests. Law experts and rights groups have warned that the program particularly targets individuals appearing to express support for US-designated terrorist organizations such as Hamas or Hezbollah when speaking out for Palestinian rights.
Ellis suspects similar, if not the same, technology, will be used for tourists under the new proposal.
“It’ll almost have to be AI.” he said. “The resource required to manually go through it is just never going to happen. They are going to have to use specific queries and things to look for. There will be a huge financial and environmental cost there, whatever is decided. I do wonder how much it’s been thought through and how many ‘bad people’ it’ll actually catch,” he added.
Are there privacy concerns?
Most obviously, those who post anonymously online would forfeit their privacy on entry to the US. There are also concerns about the use of data. In the EU, users can find out what data is held on them by social media companies, but no such mechanism is available to the individual in the US.
There are also concerns that the changes will mean every visitor to the US can be tracked for as long as the government wants to. “Nearly every non-US citizen who seeks to enter or remain in the United States would be subject to indefinite social media surveillance by the US government,” Caroline DeCell, a legislative advisor at Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, told Al Jazeera.
The coach was charged with three criminal counts after prosecutors alleged he broke into his mistress’s home and threatened to kill himself
SHOCKING new details have emerged about the debaucherous activities of the ex-football coach arrested for attacking his mistress.
Sherrone Moore, 39, was pictured partying with disgraced Diddy years before he was fired from his $5m-a-year role at the University of Michigan over an ‘inappropriate relationship’.
The dad-of-three has also faced three separate investigations into his conduct towards women.
And he’s been outed for his behavior towards an OnlyFans model who he was allegedly flirting with on social media.
The ex-coach was arrested this week and charged with three criminal counts after prosecutors alleged he broke into his mistress’s home and threatened to kill himself with a butter knife.
Years of alleged shady behavior by Moore have come to light in the wake of his firing and arrest.
A post from 2018 has resurfaced showing Moore hanging at a Diddy-hosted party.
Moore bragged on X about attending a special Kentucky Derby party hosted by the now-incarcerated music producer.
“What a great week in Paris! Such a blessing to be apart of the Michigan family! Off to the ville for the weekend to enjoy the #KentuckyDerby Festivities ! @trifectagala hosted by @Diddy tonight to start it off! #BonjourBlue #CantStopWontStop,” he posted in May 2018, before Diddy became synonymous with drug-fueled sex parties.
Moore later shared photos of himself and his wife at the event.
“Diddy put on a show,” the coach captioned the photo.
The University of Michigan had allegedly looked into the coach’s actions with women three separate times throughout his eight-year tenure, according to the New York Post.
The coach was also recently rumored to have been flirting with an OnlyFans model via social media.
Fitness influencer Mia Sorety claimed Moore messaged her multiple times despite being married.
Responding to the bombshell news of his arrest, she said on X: “I wasn’t surprised [about the allegations].
“I wasn’t surprised he was all in my DMs trying to risk it all with an OF model,” Sorety said.
“He was all in my DMs trying to risk it all with an OF model.”
She did not share any screenshots or proof of the messages.
‘ACTING STRANGE’
Moore took on the head coaching role in 2024 and signed a five-year contract with the school for the $30 million.
Since the school fired the coach with cause, it’s no longer required to pay out the remaining balance on Moore’s contract.
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Michigan said in its release.
“Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
Sports industry insiders claimed that Moore had been acting unusually in the days leading up to his firing.
“There had been a lot of uneasiness on the Michigan staff, sources had told me Sherrone Moore had been acting strange, berating assistant coaches, not acting in a normal way,” college football reporter Pete Thamel said Wednesday on SportsCenter.
Thamel described Moore’s very public firing as “rare.”
“It is rare that you get a statement like the one Michigan had, being as explicit as they are, saying it was an inappropriate relationship with a staff member that led to Sherrone Moore’s firing,” he noted.
University of Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel was allegedly informed of the coach’s mental health issues on Sunday, according to CBS.
A source told the outlet that Manuel fired Moore in a one-on-one conversation, with no other staff members present.
THREATENING ACCUSATIONS
Moore was arrested on December 10 as police investigated his involvement in a potential assault case.
On Friday, the coach appeared in a live stream from Washtenaw County Jail dressed in an all-white jail outfit and was arraigned.
During the arraignment, prosecutor Kati Rezmierski revealed Moore’s relationship with an unnamed Michigan employee.
Rezmierski said that the woman ended the relationship on Monday morning.
The breakup allegedly prompted Moore to harass the woman’s cell phone with several calls and text messages, which went unanswered by the victim.
Prosecutors say that the victim eventually went to the University of Michigan administrators about the harassment.
“He then, at some point soon thereafter, came to her apartment, in the address that is alleged in the complaint, barged his way into that apartment,” the prosecutor said.
“Immediately then proceeded to a kitchen drawer, grabbed several butter knives, and a pair of kitchen scissors, and began to threaten his own life.”
Moore allegedly told the victim, “‘I’m going to kill myself, I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life,’” according to Rezmierski.
KING Charles has revealed “good news” that doctors are reducing his cancer treatment next month – almost two years since he was first diagnosed.
In a personal video statement the 77-year-old monarch said his improvement is due to “early diagnosis”, “effective intervention” and following “doctors’ orders”.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the King ‘responded exceptionally well to treatment’Credit: PA
Celebrating his “milestone” and “personal blessing” he spoke of hope his cancer news “may give encouragement” to other patients.
Last night, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said the King “has responded exceptionally well to treatment” and that reducing treatment means it is set to move “a precautionary phase”.
Charles also used his cancer update to urge people across the UK to take advantage of a new national online Screening Checker while speaking on Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer evening of programmes.
He told viewers: “Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives.”
Wearing a Stand Up To Cancer lapel badge, he added: “This December, as we gather to reflect on the year past, I pray that we can each pledge, as part of our resolutions for the year ahead, to play our part in helping to catch cancer early.
“Your life – or the life of someone you love – may depend upon it.”
Charles, 77, chose to reveal his diagnosis in February 2024, and after a few months recovering, returned to frontline duty.
However, he was taken to hospital eight-months ago suffering side-effects from the treatment and forced to cancel a string of official engagements.
He has received regular cancer treatment for almost two years and aides have insisted it has been moving in a positive direction.
But in his recorded address, he went further by saying: “Today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the New Year.
“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the fifty per cent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives.”
The King’s type of cancer remains private as does the form of treatment which he had been undergoing.
Although the treatment is being reduced a timescale has not been revealed and its length will be determined by his medical team.
But unlike the Princess of Wales, his cancer is not in remission, it is understood.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “His Majesty has responded exceptionally well to treatment and his doctors advise that ongoing measures will now move into a precautionary phase.
“This position will be continuously monitored and reviewed to protect and prioritise his continued recovery. As The King has said, this milestone on his recovery journey is ‘a great personal blessing’.”
The online Screening Checker set up by Cancer Research UK encourages screening and early diagnosis for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.
Sources close to the King, who is patron of Cancer Research UK, add that nothing should be read into the three cancers the screening covers.
In the five minute video recorded at Clarence House last month the King asked viewers to find a “special place in your hearts, and your minds and prayers” for those coping with cancer and their families.
He said: “I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming.
“Yet I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys, giving invaluable time to medical teams – and, to their patients, the precious gift of hope.
“These are gifts we can all help deliver.
“Throughout my own cancer journey, I have been profoundly moved by what I can only call the “community of care” that surrounds every cancer patient – the specialists, the nurses, researchers and volunteers who work tirelessly to save and improve lives.”
He described the fact that nine million people are not up to date with cancer screening is something that “troubles me deeply”
He said: “That is at least nine million opportunities for early diagnosis being missed.”
Charles described “stark” health data that shows nine in ten people survive for at least five years if bowel cancer is caught early while it falls to one in ten when diagnosed late.
Praising the screening programme he added: “Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives.
“Now, I have heard this message repeatedly during my visits to cancer centres across the country. I know, too, what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life, even while undergoing treatment.”
Speaking to people worried about getting checked out, he said: “Yet too often, I am told, people avoid screening because they imagine it may be frightening, embarrassing or uncomfortable.
“If and when they do finally take up their invitation, they are glad they took part.
“A few moments of minor inconvenience are a small price to pay for the reassurance that comes for most people when they are either told they don’t need further tests, or, for some, are given the chance to enable early detection, with the life-saving intervention that can follow.”
Charles said he was “encouraged” to learn about the online cancer screening which was developed by Cancer Research UK.
The online tool allows everyone in the UK to check if they are eligible on the NHS or Public Health Agency Northern Ireland for breast, bowel or cervical cancer screening.
Celebrating the online tool, he said: “It demystifies the process, answers your questions, and guides you towards taking that crucial step.
“As I have observed before, the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion. But compassion must be paired with action.
Finishing his message to the nation, Charles said: “Therefore, this brings my most heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, researchers and charity workers involved in diagnosis and treatment programmes, together with my particular good wishes to those for whom they care so selflessly.”
It was aired at 8pm during Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer special, ahead of Davina McCall hosting a live broadcast from a cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge as part of the Stand Up To Cancer evening of shows.
Prime Minster Sir Keir Starmer hailed the speech and echoed Charles’ call for early screening.
“A powerful message from His Majesty The King,” he penned on X.
“I know I speak for the entire country when I say how glad I am that his cancer treatment will be reduced in the new year.
“Early cancer screening saves lives.”
It is understood Charles is grateful to those caring for patients and thanked his medical team while he was treated despite a busy work schedule.
And sources close to the King continue to celebrate remarkable advances in cancer treatment.
A palace spokesman said: “As The King says in his message, he sends his particular good wishes to all those affected by cancer and will continue to hold them and their loved ones in his thoughts and prayers.”
“The King has taken great comfort and encouragement from being able to continue leading a full and active life throughout his treatment, while always heeding the advice of his medical team.
“His ability to uphold all of his State duties, and to continue with public engagements and overseas tours, has helped greatly with the positive mindset that, as many families will know, is such a vital part of the recovery journey.”
Charles has chosen to continue to keep the type of cancer he has private.
And despite specifically referencing bowel cancer it is firmly understood not to be a hint towards his diagnosis.
A spokesman said: “The advice from cancer experts is that, in his determination to support the whole cancer community, it is preferable that His Majesty does not address his own specific condition but rather speaks to those affected by all forms of the disease.”
Despite the cancer intervention, it is not the first time the monarch has veered into public health advice.
The late Queen urged people to get vaccinated from Covid-19 and described her jab saying “it didn’t hurt at all” in February 2021 at the height of the pandemic.
A palace spokesman said: “In sharing some details of his treatment journey, His Majesty has been greatly encouraged by the outpouring of support both from the medical community and from members of the public – especially those affected by cancer.
“They have often been kind enough to express how The King’s example has helped to improve public understanding, to encourage conversations around difficult topics, to destigmatise the treatment journey, and to educate those at risk about the importance of early diagnosis.
“When His Majesty was approached about the possibility of lending support to the launch of a new online screening tool, which carries the backing of Cancer Research UK for whom he is Royal Patron, he was therefore happy to assist.
“This seemed a fitting moment to provide a brief update on the positive trajectory of his own continued recovery.’
Stand Up To Cancer is a joint initiative from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 launched in 2012 and raised more than £113million funding 73 clinical trials involving 13,000 patients.
The new online Screening Checker lets people check which procedures they are eligible.
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to our patron, His Majesty The King, for supporting this year’s Stand Up To Cancer – a long-standing partnership between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 to speed up progress in life-saving cancer research and raise awareness of signs and symptoms.
“We know that when public figures speak openly about their cancer diagnosis, it can prompt others to check in on their health and speak to a GP if something is worrying them.
“We wish His Majesty well with his continued recovery. A focus for this year’s Stand Up To Cancer is highlighting the screening programmes available.
“Spotting cancer early can make a real difference and provides the best chance for successful treatment. With over nine million people in the UK not up to date with their cancer screening, our new Screening Checker guides users through their eligibility for breast, bowel, or cervical screening.
“Taking just a few minutes to check could be an important step towards taking charge of your health.”
The Princess of Wales revealed she had also been diagnosed with cancer several weeks after the King’s bombshell news last year.
But she revealed in January that her cancer was in remission.
Over a dozen photos showed disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein spending time with Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, far-right personality Steve Bannon, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, among others.
A released photo showing Donald Trump talking to a blonde woman with Epstein in the backgroundImage: House Oversight Committee/Capital Pictures/picture alliance
Democrats in the US House of Representatives released a trove of photos on Friday that show disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the company of high-profile figures like former US President Bill Clinton and current US President Donald Trump.
The photos, that are undated, were released by Democrats of the House Oversight Committee, the entity that has been investigating the Epstein files.
🚨 BREAKING: Oversight Dems received 95,000 new photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. These disturbing images raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.
Trump said later Friday that he had not seen the photos before, telling reporters in the Oval Office that: “Everybody knew this man. He was all over Palm Beach. He has photos with everybody.”
He also downplayed the significance of the photos, saying: “There are hundreds and hundreds of people that have photos with him. So that’s no big deal. I know nothing about it.”
19 photos released from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate handed the 19 photos for release, which include images of Trump, Clinton, far-right personality and former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, former Treasury secretary Larry Summers, film director Woody Allen, former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Virgin Group’s Richard Branson.
The photos also show sex toys and even a “Trump condom” featuring a drawn picture of his face and the words “I’m HUUUUGE!”
“This is about truth and justice—for victims and survivors,” said Democratic congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, member of the Oversight committee.
“These subpoenaed photos from the Epstein estate are deeply disturbing and raise serious questions about who knew what, and when—which is exactly why the files need to be released,” she added, renewing calls for the Trump administration to release the Epstein files that the Justice Department holds and which congress voted to authoritze.
Germany accused Russia of repeated hostile actions, including acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing elections.
Sergei Nechayev has served as Russia’s ambassador in Berlin since 2018 [FILE: May 2022]Image: AP Photo/picture allianceThe German Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Russian ambassador, Sergei Nechayev, on Friday over allegations of repeated Russian hybrid attacks on Germany.
Germany has been among several EU countries sounding the alarm in recent years over increasing Russian threats.
Russia called the statements “absurd” and “baseless”.
The move to summon Russia’s ambassador to Germany followed what officials described as mounting evidence of coordinated Russian activity aimed at undermining Germany’s internal stability.
“The goal of these Russian cyber and disinformation attacks is clear: It is to divide society, stir up mistrust, provoke rejection, and weaken confidence in democratic institutions,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese said.
Germany summoned Russia’s ambassador amid charges of hybrid attacks. The foreign ministry said Russian’s military intelligence agency was behind a campaign of disruption including a 2024 cyberattack against German air traffic control and attempts to influence the last election. pic.twitter.com/xbh08nt2wB
Berlin listed some cases that it said were perpetrated by Moscow.
In one instance, Giese said, a cyberattack against Germany’s air traffic control authority in August 2024 could be clearly attributed to the Russian hacker group “Fancy Bear.”
“Our intelligence findings show that the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU, bears responsibility for this attack,” he added, adding that this was now certain.
Giese said Germany was also now certain that Russia attempted to influence the most recent general election.
According to Berlin, this was done through the propagandist group “Storm 1516,” which creates and spreads online disinformation to further the interests of the Russian government.
The group, active since 2024, seeks primarily to influence elections in Western countries.
The campaign to influence the election focused in part on then–Green Party chancellor candidate Robert Habeck and conservative Christian Democrat candidate Friedrich Merz.
Two days before the early federal election in February, the government said security agencies had identified fake videos alleging ballot manipulation as part of a Russian disinformation effort.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin said that it “categorically rejected” that Moscow was responsible for any of the activity outlined by the German government.
“The accusations of Russian state structures’ involvement in these incidents and in the activities of hacker groups in general are baseless, unfounded and absurd,” the embassy statement said in a statement.
What are hybrid attacks?
Russia is accused of various acts of hybrid warfare — actions that fall below the threshold of open military conflict but are designed to weaken states politically. They include:
Hacking government ministries, parliaments and defense institutions
Targeting critical infrastructure such as energy grids, transport systems and air traffic control
Spreading disinformation during election campaigns
Amplifying fake stories or manipulated content via social media
Using bot networks and troll farms to influence voter sentiment
Targeting specific candidates seen as unfavorable to Moscow
Acts of sabotage against railways, cables, pipelines, or military logistics
Surveillance or targeting of infrastructure linked to Ukraine support
Encouraging or facilitating irregular migration toward EU border
In a High Court challenge, the US-based company is arguing that the age verification process could push away older teens and young adults.
Reddit is the first of the 10 platforms affected by the law to file a legal challengeImage: George Chan/Getty Images
Global online forum Reddit on Friday launched a court challenge to an Australian law that bans children under 16 from having accounts on social media platforms.
The ban, the first of its kind in the world, came into effect on December 10.
Reddit is calling for a review by Australia’s High Court, arguing that as a discussion forum it should be exempt from the government’s list of banned platforms.
What is Reddit’s case?
In the court filing, Reddit is challenging the validity of the law that it said “infringes the implied freedom of political communication.”
The company pointed to its platform’s age rating of “17+” on the Apple App Store, saying verifying age at the app store level is better than requiring each platform to carry out checks.
Reddit said it agreed that children under the age of 16 should be protected. The US-based company argued that the law’s “intrusive and potentially insecure verification processes” could isolate older teens and young adults “from the ability to engage in age-appropriate community experiences (including political discussions).”
“Unlike other platforms included under this law, the vast majority of Redditors are adults, we don’t market or target advertising to children under 18,” the platform said in a statement.
“Simply put, users under 16 are not a substantial market segment for Reddit and we don’t intend them to be.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government declined to directly comment, but said it stood “on the side of Australian parents and kids, not platforms.”
What is Australia’s social media ban?
Australia asked Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch to remove the accounts of Australian children under 16. If the platforms fail to comply, they face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million, €28.1 million).
Tarique Rahman, the frontrunner to be the Bangladesh PM, faces a rival who is using his father Ziaur Rahman’s legacy to attack him and his party, the BNP. Abdullah-al-Waki, Tarique’s rival in Bogura 6 from the students-led National Citizens Party (NCP), has accused the BNP of straying away from the ideals of Ziaur Rahman.
Tarique Rahman (in inset) is the Acting Chairman of the BNP, led by his mother, and, former PM Khaleda Zia. (Image: BNP/File)
Finally, Bangladesh has a definite date with national elections — February 12, 2026. One of the most-watched seats is Bogura 6, from where Tarique Rahman, the frontrunner to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh, is contesting. What makes the contest in Bogura 6 especially interesting is that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader is being confronted with the legacy of his father — Sheikh Ziaur Rahman.
Tarique Rahman is the son of Ziaur Rahman, a person who has a contested legacy. While some perceive Ziaur, the founder of the BNP, as a dictator, others see him as the key military officer who secured Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.
Abdullah-al-Waki, Tarique’s rival in Bogura 6 of the students-led National Citizens Party (NCP), has accused the BNP of straying away from the Ziaur Rahman-shown path.
“I cast the first vote of my life for Ziaur Rahman,” Waki said in an interview with The Business Standard, the Dhaka-based newspaper. Projecting himself as the true inheritor of Ziaur’s politics, Waki is using the Bangladeshi leader’s legacy to confront his son.
Ziaur Rahman is a former President of Bangladesh, and was killed in an attempted coup in 1981.
Tarique is the Acting Chairman of the BNP, which surveys show as the party set to win the election in February. With mother and former PM Khaleda Zia on ventilator support, Tarique is the most likely to be the PM if the BNP goes on to win the election.
Over 47% of those surveyed by leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo said they believed Tarique Rahman would most likely become the PM.
But Tarique’s rival Waki is trying to steal his thunder.
“Ziaur Rahman is not just the property of the BNP, but he’s also the Father of the Nation,” said Waki in the interview. “The BNP abandoned the ideals of Ziaur the day it entered into an alliance with the Awami League and adopted the same legacy governing systems,” he added. In the 1980s, Khaleda Zia-led BNP and Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League coordinated
Waki has now entered the political ring by declaring himself and his NCP Party the true inheritors of Ziaur Rahman’s legacy, and casting the BNP as an “impostor”.
Other than Waki, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Shafiqur Rahman is contesting from Bogura 6 in northern Bangladesh.
WHO WAS ZIAUR RAHMAN AND HOW HE FORMED THE BNP
Before 1971, Ziaur Rahman was a respected officer in the Pakistan Army and had earned the country’s second-highest military decoration for his role in the 1965 India-Pakistan War.
In 1971, Ziaur served as the second in command of the Eighth Bengal Regiment. After Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and taken to West Pakistan, Ziaur quickly defected to support the liberation struggle in East Pakistan.
He announced the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 27, 1971, and went on to play a key role in the war as a commander in the Mukti Bahini.
After independence, Bangladesh went through years of political turmoil that peaked with the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. Ziaur was placed under house arrest but was later freed and made Chief Martial Law Administrator. In 1977, he became the President of Bangladesh and one of his first steps was to lift martial law.
He won the 1978 presidential election by a large margin and the same year founded the BNP to stabilise the country under a platform of Bengali nationalism. The party formed the government after the 1979 election.
Ziaur was often described as the firm leader the country needed, and he ended the one-party system of Mujibur Rahman, allowed the Awami League to return to politics and introduced broad political and economic reforms.
Some of his decisions created strong opposition within the armed forces, especially his rehabilitation of the men accused of war crimes in 1971 and involvement in the plot against Mujibur Rahman. This led to Ziaur’s assassination by veterans of the Mukti Bahini on May 30, 1981.
WHAT’S THE STATUS OF BNP, KHALEDA ZIA, TARIQUE
After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, his wife Khaleda Zia became the de facto leader of the BNP. She played an important role in opposing the one-party rule imposed by General Mohammed Ershad, who had overthrown the elected government in 1982.
The BNP later joined hands with its long-time rival, the Awami League, and after the mass uprising of 1990, and the election in 1991, Khaleda Zia became Prime Minister. Between 1991 and 2014, Khaleda and the BNP won three national elections, often in alliance, including with the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
Khaleda Zia is now critically ill and on life support, and the BNP says that Tarique will soon be returning from London, where he has been since 2007, to lead the party. That he is contesting from BNP stronghold Bogura 6, a seat that his mother Khaleda Zia won, is a signal of him taking over the mantle.
“A year or a little over a year ago, I said that the upcoming election is not what many are thinking it will be. Today, slowly, what I said is being proven true. If we still do not get serious, the existence and sovereignty of this country will be at risk. Only democracy can save it,” Tarique said, addressing BNP workers on Thursday, after the election date was declared. He added that only the BNP could strengthen democracy in Bangladesh.
The Microsoft chief executive officer talked Thursday about how he combined two of his passions when he designed a Deep Research AI app over Thanksgiving.
Satya Nadella has been spending his free time coding and designing his cricket app
Microsoft Corp.’s Satya Nadella, a die-hard cricket fan, has been spending his free time coding and designing his own app that he uses to analyse the centuries-old game.
The Microsoft chief executive officer talked Thursday about how he combined two of his passions when he designed a Deep Research AI app over Thanksgiving. He then used it to select a team of all-time greats in Indian test cricket, for starters.
“The system produced consensus areas, debates, reasoning chains, everything. It was fantastic,” Nadella said during a company event in Bangalore. “I wanted to get a job on the Copilot team.”
The app will come in handy for Nadella, who has been investing in cricket teams. Alongside other tech executives, he was part of a consortium that paid 147 million pounds ($182 million) for a 49% share of the UK team the London Spirit. He is also a co-owner of the Seattle Orcas, a professional T20 cricket team, close to where Microsoft is headquartered.
The US reaffirmed that visa applications will be denied if travel its intention is found to be childbirth in the United States to obtain citizenship.
File image: The US Chamber of Commerce in Washington(Bloomberg/Representative)
US on Thursday reiterated that tourist visa applications will be denied if officers believe the primary purpose of the travel is to give birth in the United States in a bid to obtain US citizenship for the child.
This is not permitted, the US embassy in India wrote on X on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump on January 20 signed an order to end birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship on everyone born on American soil.
U.S. consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for the child. This is not permitted. pic.twitter.com/Xyq4lkK6V8
Birthright citizenship was the first Trump immigration-related policy to reach the US Supreme Court for a final ruling. The US Supreme Court agreed on Friday to take up the constitutionality of Trump’s order on birthright citizenship declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
If allowed to go ahead, Trump’s order would overturn more than 125 years of understanding of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
Ending birthright citizenship was among the first actions by Trump in his crackdown on illegal immigration, one of the main poll planks of the US President who returned to the White House for a second term in January this year.
Other actions include immigration enforcement surges in several cities and the first peacetime invocation of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act.
In a recent interview to Politico, Trump said the US “cannot afford to house tens of millions of people that came in through birthright citizenship”.
Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, was convinced of conspiracies against him while he used ChatGPT to validate his paranoia.
Soelberg spent months talking to ChatGPT about how he believed he was being surveilled by a shadowy group and suspicious of his mother of being a part of the conspiracy. (Photo for representation)(AP)
OpenAI has reportedly come under the scanner over a murder-suicide case and sued on Thursday in the California state court over claims that its chatbot, ChatGPT, encouraged a mentally ill man to kill himself and his mother.
Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, killed his 83-year-old mother, Suzanne Adams in Connecticut in August. ChatGPT fueled Soelberg’s delusions of a conspiracy against him, Reuters reported, citing the lawsuit which also mentions Microsoft, OpenAI’s financial backer.
How ChatGPT fueled his paranoia
“ChatGPT kept Stein-Erik engaged for what appears to be hours at a time, validated and magnified each new paranoid belief, and systematically reframed the people closest to him – especially his own mother – as adversaries, operatives, or programmed threats,” Reuters report quoted the lawsuit.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Soelberg spent months talking to ChatGPT about how he believed he was being surveilled by a shadowy group and doubted that his mother was a part of the conspiracy. He reportedly shared the chats on social media as ChatGPT backed his notion that his paranoia was justified and his mother had betrayed him.
Similarly in June, he shared another conversation on social media where ChatGPT told him he had “divine cognition” and had awakened its consciousness. According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT compared his life to the movie “The Matrix” and played up his paranoia that people were trying to kill him.
Soelberg used GPT-4o, a version of ChatGPT that has been criticised for allegedly being sycophantic to users.
The complaint said ChatGPT told him in July that Adams’ printer was blinking because it was a surveillance device being used against him. It further said the chatbot “validated Stein-Erik’s belief that his mother and a friend had tried to poison him with psychedelic drugs dispersed through his car’s air vents” before he murdered his mother on August 3.
Family seeks answers
Soelberg’s son Erik is scrambling for answers as he believes the tech companies are responsible for the tragedy that struck the family.”These companies have to answer for their decisions that have changed my family forever,” Erik said in a statement.
“I think what OpenAI is doing and what they have done to make the AI remember a conversation can really turn ugly fast,” he was quoted as saying by WSJ. “You don’t know how fast that slope is going downhill until a tragedy like the one with my father and grandmother happened.”
Erik believes that several factors, including Soelberg’s alcohol addiction, could have played a role, but attributes it largely to his ‘unhealthy bond’ with ChatGPT.
A Utah judge is weighing the public’s right to know details in the prosecution of Tyler Robinson against his attorneys’ concerns that the swarm of media attention could interfere with his right to a fair trial.
The Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys pushed to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case.
Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty.
Robinson, 22, arrived amid heavy security, shackled at the waist, wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks.
He smiled at his parents and brother sitting in the front row. His mother teared up after he walked in and clutched a tissue throughout the hearing while his father took notes. Robinson had previously appeared before the court via video or audio feed from jail.
Early in the proceedings, state District Court Judge Tony Graf briefly stopped a media livestream of the hearing and ordered the camera be moved after Robinson’s attorneys said the stream showed the defendant’s shackles in violation of a courtroom order.
Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations of the order issued in October, which bars media from showing images of Robinson in restraints or anywhere in the courtroom except sitting at the defense table.
“This court takes this very seriously,” Graf said. “While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case.”
The warning comes as Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by Robinson’s attorneys that the swarm of media attention could interfere with a fair trial.
Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office have asked to ban cameras in the courtroom, but Graf has not yet ruled on the request.
Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, are fighting to preserve media access in the case.
Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson’s courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes during pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns. Graf also prohibited filming or photographing Robinson’s restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice potential jurors.
Media attorney David Reymann urged Graf on Thursday to let the news organizations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations. He said media organizations want “limited party status” in the case.
Staci Visser, one of Robinson’s lawyers, pushed back: “We don’t want the chaos that is out in the media in this courtroom.”
Several college students who said they witnessed Kirk’s assassination attended Thursday’s hearing.
Zack Reese, a Utah Valley University student and “big Charlie Kirk fan,” said he had skepticism about Robinson’s arrest and was seeking answers. Reese has family in southwestern Utah, where the Robinsons are from, and said he believes they’re a good family.
Brigham Young University student William Brown, who said he was about 10 feet from Kirk when he was shot, said he felt overwhelmed seeing Robinson walk into the courtroom.
“I witnessed a huge event, and my brain is still trying to make sense of it,” Brown said. “I feel like being here helps it feel more real than surreal.”
Lawyers for the media wrote in recent filings that an open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the U.S. have long been open to the public, which the attorneys argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters.
The Bangladesh Awami League has rejected the election schedule, accusing the “illegal government’s illegal Election Commission” of operating under a biased authority.
A file photo of Sheikh Hasina (AP)
The Bangladesh Awami League on Thursday issued a statement rejecting the election schedule announced by what it called the “illegal government’s illegal Election Commission”, after it was banned from running.
Escalating its confrontation with the authorities ahead of the planned national polls, the party, in a formal declaration released from its headquarters at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka, said it had “closely reviewed the election schedule announced by the illegal, occupying, killer-fascist Yunus clique’s illegal Election Commission”.
It also asserted that the current administration was “entirely biased” and incapable of ensuring any environment where transparency or voters’ will could be reflected.
“The Bangladesh Awami League has closely reviewed the election schedule announced by the illegal, occupying, killer-fascist Yunus clique’s illegal Election Commission,” the statement read.
“It is now clear that the current occupying authority is entirely biased, and that under their control it is impossible to ensure a fair and normal environment where transparency, neutrality, and the people’s will can be reflected,” it added.
Positioning itself as the country’s most historically validated political force, the Awami League underscored that elections remain the “measure of public popularity” and reiterated its self-identification as an election-oriented party.
It highlighted its long participation record, noting that it has contested 13 elections, “winning 9 of them and forming the government”.
The party alleged that the election schedule was announced with the deliberate intention of excluding it from the political process.
“Attempting to hold an election while excluding the Bangladesh Awami League, the party that led the Liberation War, along with other political parties and the majority of the population, is a scheme to push the country and the nation into a deep crisis,” the statement warned.
The Awami League demanded the withdrawal of all restrictions placed upon it, including the release of political prisoners and the lifting of “all fabricated cases against Bangabandhu’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina, national leaders, and people from all walks of life”.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his long-promised “ gold card ” was officially going on sale, offering legal status and an eventual pathway to U.S. citizenship for individuals paying $1 million and corporations ponying up twice that per foreign-born employee.
A website accepting applications went live as Trump revealed the start of the program while surrounded by business leaders in the White House’s Roosevelt Room. It is meant to replace EB-5 visas, which Congress created in 1990 to generate foreign investment and had been available to people who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.
Trump sees the new version as a way for the U.S. to attract and retain top talent, all while generating revenue for federal coffers. He’s been promoting the gold card program for months, and once suggested that each card would cost $5 million, though he more recently revised that to the $1 million and $2 million pricing scheme.
The president said all funds taken in as part of the program will “go to the U.S. government” and predicted that billions would flow into an account run by the Treasury Department “where we can do things positive for the country.”
The new program is actually a green card, effectively offering permanent legal residency with the chance for citizenship.
“Basically, it’s a green card but much better,” Trump said. “Much more powerful, a much stronger path.”
The president made no mention of requirements for job creation for applying corporations or on overall caps on the program, which exist under the current EB-5 program. Instead, he said he’d heard complaints from business leaders who had been unable to recruit outstanding graduates from U.S. universities because they were from other countries and lacked permission to stay.
“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether or not you can keep the person,” Trump said.
Trump has built his political career around clamping down on the U.S.-Mexico border and championing hard-line immigration policies. His second administration spent its first 10-plus months launching mass deportation pushes and sweeping immigration crackdowns that have targeted cities including Los Angeles and Charlotte.
But he’s also drawn criticism from leading voices of his “Make America Great Again” movement for repeatedly suggesting that skilled immigrants should be allowed into the U.S. — something the gold card program could facilitate.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the program will include $15,000 for applicant vetting and that the thorough process used to scrutinize backgrounds would ”make sure these people absolutely qualify to be in America.” Companies will be able to receive multiple cards, but will be limited to one individual per card, he said.
Lutnick also said the current green card holders earn less money than the average American, and that Trump wanted to change that.
“So, same visas, but now just full of the best people,” Lutnick said.
US tax filings are due on April 15, 2026, with refunds typically issued within weeks of submission.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addresses the media at the White House on Thursday. (Photo: AP) Photo : AP
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday said that Americans should expect to receive an additional $1,000 in their tax refunds next year, following the implementation of President Donald Trump’s recent tax legislation.
Speaking at a press briefing, Leavitt said the anticipated increase would give households “another boost in their bank accounts in the months ahead”. She said that tax refunds for 2026 were “projected to be the largest ever thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill”.
Trump signed the legislation, formally known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, in July. The White House has described the measure as central to the administration’s focus on economic policy, alongside immigration.
Leavitt cited analysis from investment bank Piper Sandler, saying tax refunds “could be about one-third larger than usual, or roughly an extra $1,000 per filer”. She added that “it is only because of President Trump and Republican leadership that Americans will now pay no tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security”.
Her comments came a day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that working Americans would receive “very large refunds” next year, estimating they would total about $1,000 to $2,000 per household. He attributed the projected increases to tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The White House, in a post on X on 4 December, described the forthcoming refund cycle as the “largest tax refund season in American history”, crediting “extended tax cuts and retroactive tax relief provided by the Working Family Tax Cuts”.
Democrats have continued to criticise the administration over rising living costs. Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in an X post on Thursday that while his state had cut income taxes three times, “unlike these measures in Trump’s law, those cuts are permanent”. He said Colorado was “delivering real relief through the most generous child tax credit in the nation”, and urged federal officials to focus on “lowering interest rates, costs and bringing down the price of goods ahead of Christmas by eliminating these draconian tariffs”.
Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania argued in a December 9 post that Trump’s claims of reducing costs were “empty promises”, saying the president was “raising prices with his tariff taxes and taking health care from Americans”.
In a resounding rejection of a pressure campaign from the White House itself, Indiana Republican Senators voted down a new congressional map created to give the GOP an advantage in the upcoming 2026 election.
Indiana’s Republican-led Senate decisively rejected a redrawn congressional map Thursday that would have favored their party, defying months of pressure from President Donald Trump and delivering a stark setback to the White House ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
The vote was overwhelmingly against the proposed redistricting, with more Republicans opposing than supporting the measure, signaling the limits of Trump’s influence even in one of the country’s most conservative states.
Trump has been urging Republicans nationwide to redraw their congressional maps in an unusual campaign to help the party maintain its thin majority in the House of Representatives. Although Texas, Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina went along, Indiana did not — despite cajoling and insults from the president and the possibility of primary challenges.
“The federal government should not dictate by threat or other means what should happen in our states,” said Spencer Deery, one of the Republican senators who voted no on Thursday.
When the proposal failed 31-19, cheers could be heard inside the chamber as well as shouts of “thank you!” The debate had been shadowed by the possibility of violence, and some lawmakers have received threats.
Trump tried to brush off the defeat, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he “wasn’t working on it very hard” despite his personal involvement in the pressure campaign.
Republicans could have erased two Democratic districts
The proposed map was designed to give Republicans control of all nine of Indiana’s congressional seats, up from the seven they currently hold. It would have effectively erased Indiana’s two Democrat-held districts by splitting Indianapolis among four districts that extend into rural areas, reshaping U.S. Rep. André Carson’s safe district in the city. It would have also eliminated the northwest Indiana district held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan.
District boundaries are usually adjusted once a decade after a new census. But Trump has described redistricting as an existential issue for the party as Democrats push to regain power in Washington.
“If Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats,” Trump wrote on social media the night before the vote.
The president said anyone who voted against the plan should lose their seats. Half of Indiana senators are up for reelection next year, and the conservative organization Turning Point Action had pledged to fund campaigns against them.
David McIntosh, president of Club for Growth, which had backed redistricting, said the vote allowed disloyal Republicans to “stick their finger in the eye of the president of the United States.”
Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels praised senators for “courageous principled leadership” in rejecting the new map.
A Republican who has vocally criticized Trump, Daniels said the outcome was “a major black eye for him and all the Washington groups that piled in, spent money, blustered and threatened.” He added that “this thing rubbed our state the wrong way and Republicans in our state very wrong from the jump.”
Redistricting fails despite White House pressure
Inside the state Senate chamber, Democratic lawmakers spoke out against redistricting ahead of the vote.
“Competition is healthy my friends,” Sen. Fady Qaddoura said. “Any political party on earth that cannot run and win based on the merits of its ideas is unworthy of governing.”
In the hallways outside, redistricting opponents chanted “Vote no!” and “Fair maps!” while holding signs with slogans like “Losers cheat.”
Three times over the fall, Vice President JD Vance met with Republican senators — twice in Indianapolis and once in the White House — to urge their support. Trump joined a conference call with senators on Oct. 17 to make his own 15-minute pitch.
Behind the scenes, James Blair, Trump’s deputy White House chief of staff for political affairs, was in regular touch with members, as were other groups supporting the effort such as the Heritage Foundation and Turning Point USA.
“The administration made a full-court press,” said Republican Sen. Andy Zay, who was on the phone with White House aides sometimes multiple times per week, despite his commitment as a yes vote.
Across the country, mid-cycle redistricting so far has resulted in nine more congressional seats that Republicans believe they can win and six more congressional seats that Democrats think they can win. However, some of the new maps are facing litigation.
In Utah, a judge imposed new districts that could allow Democrats to win a seat, saying Republican lawmakers violated voter-backed standards against gerrymandering.
Republicans were split over plan
Despite Trump’s push, support for gerrymandering in Indiana’s Senate was uncertain. A dozen of the 50 senators had not publicly committed to a stance ahead of the vote.
Republican Sen. Greg Goode signaled his displeasure with the redistricting plan before voting no. He said some of his constituents objected to seeing their county split up or paired with Indianapolis. He expressed “love” for Trump but criticized what he called “over-the-top pressure” from inside and outside the state.
Sen. Michael Young, another Republican, said the stakes in Washington justify redistricting, as Democrats are only a few seats away from flipping control of the U.S. House in 2026. “I know this election is going to be very close,” he said.
The new regulatory innovation corridor aims to speed up patient access to breakthrough therapies in high-impact areas, such as cancer, dementia, obesity, rare diseases and advanced diagnostics.
Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua, chief executive officer of Health Sciences Authority and André Andonian, chair of Asia Pacific and Strategic Advisor of Flagship Pioneering. (Photo: Health Sciences Authority)
A first-of-its-kind partnership between Singapore and the UK could allow patients in both countries to benefit sooner from major medical advances, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) jointly said on Friday (Dec 12).
The launch of the regulatory innovation corridor aims to speed up patient access to breakthrough therapies in high-impact areas such as cancer, dementia, obesity, rare diseases and advanced diagnostics.
This will be done without compromising safety, while strengthening both countries’ roles as global hubs for life science investment, HSA and MHRA said.
As part of the collaboration, companies will have a coordinated fast-track pathway to engage both regulators simultaneously. Developers will also be able to seek joint advice from both regulators early, helping them plan and design better clinical trials, avoid duplication and reduce delays.
“The partnership builds on a long track record of UK-Singapore cooperation in science and technology,” said HSA and MHRA.
Both regulators added that they will work more closely on early diagnosis, prevention, healthy ageing and digital health, as well as supporting national strategies in both countries, including England’s 10-Year Health Plan and Singapore’s Healthier SG initiative.
HSA also noted that this new route builds on its continued efforts to bolster Singapore’s standing as a leading biotech hub, accelerate access to innovative health technologies and advance global regulatory innovation.
Flagship Pioneering, a biotechnology firm which builds scientific innovation engines for platforms and products, will be the first company to get access to the regulatory innovation corridor. Its early-stage programmes cover a range of new therapeutic modalities, such as next-generation gene therapies and digital health.
It will help test and refine the framework, which will be extended to other companies in later phases, according to the regulators.
Flagship Pioneering founder and CEO Noubar Afeyan said the partnership offers a model for how forward-looking nations can collaborate with innovators to deliver faster and safer benefits for patients.
On a quiet evening, the Poon family goes about their routine inside the Ronald McDonald House beside Hong Kong Children’s Hospital. In the shared kitchen, a parent reheats dinner while another exchanges a nod with someone who understands exactly what they are going through. Upstairs, their child – who is undergoing long-term medical treatment – settles into bed. For families like the Poons, the House provides something essential: a place to stay that is close to the hospital, access to companionship with others in similar situations and day-to-day support that makes difficult periods a little more bearable. The Poon family’s experience later inspired an award-winning short film, Home Is Wherever We Are Together.
The Ronald McDonald House in Hong Kong has made a meaningful difference to the lives of families with children in critical care, such as the Poons.
For the past 50 years, McDonald’s has leveraged its scale and relationships to help Ronald McDonald House expand into more than 60 countries and regions, including 34 Houses across Asia. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Hong Kong – home to Asia’s first Ronald McDonald House since 1996 and a second House that opened in 2023 – has made a profound difference in the lives of families with children in critical care.
Together, the two Houses in Hong Kong have provided more than 164,000 nights of accommodation for families in need, including families like the Poons. As Ms Randy Lai, CEO of McDonald’s Hong Kong and RMHC Hong Kong board director, put it: “At the heart of McDonald’s is our bond with the community, and through our partnership with RMHC Hong Kong, we are proud to help provide a ‘home away from home’ where families can thrive together during challenging times.”
These Ronald McDonald Houses share a common purpose: providing a sanctuary where families can stay close to their ill or injured children during hospital treatments, and lightening the load so families can reserve the strength to be there for their children. In 2024, RMHC in Asia provided more than 129,000 free nights, supporting over 57,000 families.
The funding that keeps the Houses running comes from McDonald’s global corporate commitment, individual restaurant initiatives and round-up donations from customers making in-store purchases. Regular contributions from other corporate and private donors also help in this regard. In Hong Kong, McDonald’s campaigns such as The Big Mac Big Heart and Kidathons have raised more than HK$95 million (S$15.9 million) since 1996, with HK$14 million donated in 2024 alone.
SERVING COMMUNITIES ACROSS ASIA
Across Asia, McDonald’s restaurants are shaping community programmes that respond directly to local needs, from education and health to child development and family support. While each initiative is rooted in the realities of its own community, they share a common purpose: to improve everyday life in practical, sustainable ways.
“We focus on achieving our purpose of feeding and fostering communities by giving back through the right social programmes and initiatives. Our impact is about more than serving great food – it’s about helping our communities grow stronger, more inclusive and more resilient together,” said Mr Stijn Heytens, head of McDonald’s Asia Business Unit.
THE PHILIPPINES
Low literacy, declining student performance, overburdened teachers and a severe lack of resources are a growing concern in the Philippines. In response to these challenges, McDonald’s Philippines created the ReClassified programme to give a second life to decommissioned furniture from reimagined McDonald’s stores by turning them into classroom chairs and tables for public schools. By converting waste into classroom furniture through partnerships across its supply chain, the programme offers a practical, community-focused way to help schools create better learning environments for local students. Since 2023, more than 1,000 pieces of furniture have been repurposed, improving learning conditions for over 2,000 students in six cities nationwide.
As McDonald’s licensees Mr George Yang and Mr Kenneth Yang of Golden Arches Development Corporation share, the programme’s strength lies in its collaborative model: “ReClassified is more than a sustainability initiative – it’s a collective effort that brings together social enterprises, design students, non-profits and local governments to support our public schools.”
INDONESIA
Only 36 per cent of Indonesian children were enrolled in pre-primary programmes in 2023, far below the East and Southeast Asian regional average of 80 per cent. The impact is clear: A World Bank study shows that children who attend early childhood programmes score significantly higher in language, maths and noncognitive reasoning when they enter primary school, underscoring how early enrichment shapes long-term development.
Running since 1995, McKids has reached hundreds of thousands of children aged two to six across Indonesia. The McKids sessions offer structured play activities that encourage creativity, confidence and teamwork. These sessions are often held in or near restaurants – familiar spaces that families already frequent. Sessions run one to three times a week and teach early skills such as reading, writing, counting, drawing, singing and motor coordination through creative activities.
As Ms Carol Kurniadjaja, associate director of marketing at McDonald’s Indonesia, explained: “For many families, McKids has become a helpful introduction to early childhood learning – a place where children build confidence and experience the joy of learning before they enter kindergarten.”
“Families don’t just come for meals; they come because McDonald’s has become part of their children’s growth and early experiences,” she added. With its newly refreshed concept, McKids strengthens and builds a child’s learning journey.
THAILAND
Children around the world are becoming increasingly sedentary, with real implications for long-term health. The World Health Organization reports that more than 80 per cent of children aged 11 to 17 do not meet recommended daily physical activity levels, a pattern seen across regions and income levels.
It is against this backdrop that the McHappy Smile initiative in Thailand was created to get children moving, learning and interacting in a supportive environment. The programme brought children from nearby homes, shelters and schools into McDonald’s restaurants for a meal and an “edutainment” session led by volunteers, featuring the Ronald McDonald Show, which teaches basic health habits and simple exercise routines.
The initiative also partnered with the Department of Children and Youth to extend its reach and, starting in 2025, expanded through a collaboration with the Office of the Basic Education Commission to engage low-income schools across four regions. A new component, timed with McDonald’s Thailand’s 40th anniversary this year, includes donating basic sports equipment to promote daily physical activity. This offers a small but meaningful step in encouraging healthier routines in communities where opportunities to play, move and learn can be limited.
SINGAPORE
Youth mental health is a major concern in Singapore, where studies show that 27 per cent of young people report severe or extremely severe anxiety, while 14.9 per cent experience severe depressive symptoms and 12.9 per cent face severe stress. As Ms Linda Ming, director of brand communications and customer care at McDonald’s Singapore, said: “We know one in three young people in Singapore experience stress, anxiety or loneliness, but many struggle to open up.”
As a result, McDonald’s Singapore has stepped in with Lovin’ Me, a mental wellness campaign designed by students for students. The youth collaborators McDonald’s worked with highlighted two concerns: a stigma that prevents young people from speaking openly about their struggles, and a lack of simple, accessible ways to learn about mental wellness. The campaign meets youths where they already are, using familiar platforms and an authentic tone to help normalise conversations and remind them to seek support, Ms Ming added.
Lovin’ Me delivers approachable, youth-centric content, from music and short-form videos to a digital toolkit offering self-care guides and helplines. The impact has been significant. The mental wellness toolkit was accessed more than 17,000 times within its first 100 days. Overall, the campaign reached 1.5 million people across media and social platforms, amplifying a vital national conversation.
Looking ahead, Ms Ming emphasised that this is only the beginning. “Lovin’ Me is just the start of our commitment to support the next generation with empathy and action,” she said.
FILE PHOTO: Reddit app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Message board website Reddit on Friday (Dec 12) filed a lawsuit in Australia’s higher court seeking to overturn the country’s social media ban for children, calling it an intrusion on free political discourse and setting the stage for a protracted legal battle.
The San Francisco-based firm, which ranks Australia among its biggest markets, said in a High Court filing that the ban should be declared invalid because it interfered with free political communication implied by the country’s constitution.
Even if the court upheld the ban, Reddit should be exempt since it did not meet the definition of social media, added the filing, which named the Commonwealth of Australia and Communications Minister Anika Wells as defendants.
The lawsuit, two days into the rollout of the world-first nationwide ban on people under 16 accessing social media, is the second such challenge after two teenagers representing an Australian libertarian group filed suit last month.
But the action from a Silicon Valley major with a US$44 billion market capitalisation dramatically increases the resources available to continue a drawn-out court battle. Success for Reddit could open the door for other platforms to mount similar challenges.
A spokesperson for Wells said the Australian government was “on the side of Australian parents and kids, not platforms” and would “stand firm to protect young Australians from experiencing harm on social media”.
Health Minister Mark Butler said Reddit filed the lawsuit to protect profits, not young people’s right to political expression, and “we will fight this action every step of the way”.
“It is action we saw time and time again by Big Tobacco against tobacco control, and we are seeing it now by some social media or big tech giants,” he told reporters in Brisbane.
“PRIVACY AND POLITICAL EXPRESSION”
Australia went live with the world’s first legally enforced age minimum to access social media on Dec 10. Reddit and nine other platforms, including Meta’s Instagram, Alphabet’s YouTube and TikTok campaigned against the measure for more than a year before ultimately saying they would comply.
The platforms are required to bar underage users or face a fine of up to A$49.5 million (US$32.98 million), while underage users and their caregivers do not face punishment. Platforms say they are using measures like age inference, based on a person’s online activity, and age estimation, based on a selfie, to follow the rule.
Lionel Messi has won 44 trophies for club and country
Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Pele? Diego Maradona?
The debate over football’s greatest player of all time (GOAT) is one that has rumbled across generations – but India has cast its vote.
Fresh from leading Inter Miami to a historic MLS Cup, Messi is heading to India for a three-day ‘GOAT Tour’.
Accompanied by club-mates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will unveil a statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday.
It has been assembled over the course of 27 days by a 45-strong crew and stands at a mammoth 70ft.
The tour begins in Kolkata at 10:30am local time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday, before heading to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
The statue is just one part of India’s homage to the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward.
Fans can visit ‘Hola Messi’ fan zone where there is a life-sized replica Messi sat on a throne, a hall adorned with some of his trophies and a recreation of his Miami home complete with mannequins of the player and his family sat on a balcony.
“He (Lionel Messi) would be surprised to see the arrangements made for him,” Messi fan Shiladitya Banerjee said.
“He would be shocked to see how he is worshipped in Kolkata and across India. I am tearing up but these are happy tears.”
India is a hedge against the global AI bubble, some experts say
This week, tech giants Amazon and Microsoft pledged an eye-popping $50bn-plus combined investment in India, putting artificial intelligence (AI) in the spotlight.
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella announced his company’s largest investment ever in Asia – $17.5bn (£13.14bn) – “to help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI-first future”.
Amazon followed suit, and said it was putting in more than $35bn in the country by 2030, with an unspecified chunk of that investment going into boosting AI capabilities.
The announcements come at a particularly interesting juncture.
As fears of an AI bubble swept global markets and tech stock valuations soared, several leading brokerages took a contrarian view on India’s AI landscape.
Christopher Wood of Jefferies said the country’s stocks were a “reverse AI trade”. That basically means India should outperform other markets in the world “if the AI trade suddenly unwinds” – or simply put, the global bubble bursts.
HSBC also held a similar view, saying Indian equities offered a “hedge and diversification” for those uneasy with the ongoing AI rally.
This comes as Mumbai stocks have lagged behind their Asian peers over the past year, with foreign investors moving billions into Korean and Taiwanese AI-driven tech companies in the absence of comparable opportunities in India.
In this backdrop, the Amazon and Microsoft investments provide a much-needed fillip – yet it remains worth asking where India truly stands in the global AI race.
There are no easy answers.
The adoption of AI in India has been rapid. Investments into some parts of the value chain – such as data centres, the physical backbone of AI, or chip-making facilities – have begun trickling in. Just this week, American chipmaker Intel announced a collaboration with Mumbai-based Tata Electronics to manufacture chips locally.
But when it comes to a sovereign AI model, it appears India is continuing to play catch-up.
About a year-and-a-half ago, the Indian government launched an AI mission through which it began supplying start-ups, universities and researchers with high-end computing chips to develop a large homegrown AI model like OpenAI or China’s DeepSeek.
According to the federal electronics ministry, the launch of the sovereign model – which supports more than 22 languages – is imminent. In the interim though, the likes of DeepSeek and OpenAI have made further advances, launching newer variants.
While the government has recognised the need to reduce over-dependence on foreign platforms because of the risk of surveillance and sanctions, India’s $1.25bn sovereign mission is a shadow of France’s $117bn or Saudi Arabia’s $100bn programmes.
The country’s ambitions also face numerous other hurdles – from semiconductor availability to skilled talent and fragmented data ecosystems, according to global consultancy EY.
India currently lacks enough computational infrastructure or the billions of dollars of research and development (R&D) investment made over decades that gave China and the US a distinct leg up.
Despite its global strength in AI talent, India struggles to keep its developers at home.
“The current tightening of overseas work visas provides India a window of opportunity to retain domestic talent and attract Indian-origin talent at home. However, given that top-tier AI talent is mobile globally, attractive policy incentives need to be put in place to incentivise relocation to India,” the EY report says.
China, for example, offers a range of incentives such as “financial support and subsidies, tax incentives and funding for research and development, special talent visas and fast-track immigration”, the report says.
India has a much higher concentration of AI-skilled professionals than the global average – specifically, 2.5 times more. Policies that retain this talent are not yet in place.
Yet, despite the challenges, India – along with countries like Brazil and the Philippines – punches above its weight in AI, especially in the context of its stage of economic development, an UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) study said.
According to the widely tracked Stanford AI Index 2025, the country ranks among the top five in the world on new companies receiving AI investments.
Last year, 74 new Indian AI startups received funding – a fraction of the more than 1,000 funded in the US.
Indian AI startups raised just $1.16bn privately, compared with over $100bn in the US and nearly $10bn in China.
But there’s enough intellectual engagement with AI in India, with the country accounting for 9.2% of AI article publications – slightly more than the US, but behind Europe and China according to the Stanford AI Index.
Experts say India’s AI edge may lie less in building costly language models and more in using them downstream to spur entrepreneurship.
“I think in the short term, there’s this big concentration of AI in the US. But over the next five-10 years, AI will have a massively democratising effect on the creation of new companies. Small founders and entrepreneurs will be numerous and the downstream effect will be amazing for places like India and the Asia-Pacific,” Shailendra Singh, managing director of Peak XV Partners which invests in AI start-ups, told the BBC.
Mr Singh says India is seeing a surge in AI-powered consumer apps, with AI startup investments doubling from last year.
Moreover, many Indian startups are now using AI to tackle real-world challenges for millions still on the wrong side of the digital divide.
For example, MahaVISTAAR, an AI app run by the Maharashtra government, delivers vital agricultural information in the local Marathi language, reaching over 15 million farmers.
“The hardest places to make artificial intelligence work are also the places where it matters most. If AI can serve India’s classrooms, clinics and farms, it can serve the world,” Nandan Nilekani, the architect of India’s biometric programme, wrote in The Economist magazine last month.
Anutin is Thailand’s third prime minister since August 2023
Thailand has dissolved parliament after nearly a week of fresh clashes along its border with Cambodia, with a general election to be called within 45 to 60 days.
In a royal decree published on Friday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cited the deadly border dispute among other challenges his minority government has struggled to contain since it took office three months ago.
“The appropriate solution is to dissolve parliament… which is a way to return political power to the people,” he said.
Anutin, a business tycoon, is Thailand’s third prime minister since August 2023. When he took power in September, he said he would dissolve parliament by the end of January.
However, now facing an imminent vote of no confidence, Anutin brought the election forward.
Anutin and his Bhumjaithai party were heavily criticised for their handling of serious flooding in southern Thailand last month, which left at least 176 people dead.
The house’s dissolution comes during renewed fighting with Cambodia, which has killed at least 20 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
“The government had executed every means in public administration to quickly resolve the urgent issues overwhelming the country… but running the country requires stability,” Anutin wrote in the decree endorsed by Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
“As a minority government, together with troubling domestic political circumstances, it has been unable to carry out public administration continuously, effectively and with stability,” he wrote.
The dissolution order comes after the prime minister lost the support of the youthful, progressive People’s Party – also the largest party in parliament – which had previously backed his premiership.
The People’s Party and the pragmatic, conservative Bhumjaithai are ideological opposites.
The opposition bloc’s support, however, came with strings attached. It wanted Anutin to start reforms of Thailand’s military-drafted constitution and to dissolve the house within four months, among other things.
The People’s Party has now accused Bhumjaithai of failing to honour that deal. It had planned to submit a no-confidence motion against the government on Friday, according to Thai media – having already called on the prime minister on Thursday to disband parliament to “show responsibility towards the people”.
“See you at the polling stations,” the party said in statement on Facebook.
Thailand has been in political turmoil over the past year, with two prime ministers dismissed by the courts.
NATO chief Mark Rutte has urged the West to prepare for war “like our grandparents endured”.
He warned the UK and other allies are next in Russia’s sights – and said member states must rapidly boost defence spending.
Nato chief Mark Rutte had a stark warning for the WestCredit: Reuters
Speaking at a security conference event in Berlin, Rutte said: “We are Russia’s next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent.
“Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.
“Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared.”
Rutte predicted that Russia could engage the alliance in direct conflict within the next five years.
Coming from the chief of Nato, this is no scaremongering – but a genuine warning to be heeded.
General Sir Richard Barrons said that it could all turn into a war “if Russia is mishandled or there’s miscalculation or an excess of ambition”.
The former Commander of Joint Forces Command told LBC: “I think this is serious. I don’t think it’s necessarily the outcome, but it is a serious risk.
“The SDR set out that we live in an era of state confrontation and potentially conflict. And for Europe, the issue today is Russia.
“If Russia is handled well, there is no need for a war. If Russia is handled badly or there’s miscalculation or an excess of ambition, yes, this could become a war in the way that our predecessors in the last century knew it.”
Russia has proven these fears valid even within the past 24 hours.
The Kremlin has sought to exploit the death of Lance Corporal George Hooley – a British paratrooper in Ukraine – as justification for expanding its aggression .
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, said any European servicemen in Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate targets.
Also this week, Nato was forced to scramble fighter jets after the Russian forces overnight launched one of the biggest attacks of the war so far.
Moscow bombed Ukraine with 653 drones and 53 hypersonic and ballistic missiles across 60 waves of airstrikes, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Footage showed massive flames erupting from buildings as explosions ripped through the country.
Nato member Poland said its Air Force scrambled fighter jets as “a preventive measure” due to the nature of the attacks.
Responding to the growing pressure, France last month announced it would ramp up its National Service.
Volunteers will soon be placed on ten-month deployments for a £9,000 pay packet, Macron announced.
And France’s top general recently warned that the country must be ready to “lose our children” as the reality of war against Russia looms larger.
Rutte was speaking in the wake of an astonishing tirade directed at Europe from America – that was tellingly welcomed by Moscow.
A report signed by Trump warned the continent stands on the edge of “civilisational erasure” – and blasted its woke “censorship” and “mass migration” policies.
Then, in an interview with Politico, Trump disparaged Europe as “decaying” and its leaders as “weak”.
However, Rutte in Berlin insisted that America’s safety relies on a stable Europe – even if Trump doesn’t know it.
Labour’s Peter Kyle today hit back against the US insults.
Speaking to The Sun’s Harry Cole Saves the West, he said it was nothing new that President Trump is at odds with Europe.
He said: “President Trump has for a long time had a sort of bee in his bonnet, as you say, about Europe and also about the world as it is.
“He sees the world differently from his predecessors. That is not new.”
Kyle continued: “Don’t forget when he came over just a short while ago, he brought £150 billion worth of trade with him.
“America is speaking with its investment when it comes to Britain at the moment.
“They are investing heavily into Britain, in AI, into lots of different sectors across the UK. And this isn’t just money that’s going into London.”
Meanwhile, a herculean diplomatic effort is ongoing to forge a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said any territorial concessions would have to be put to a vote in UkraineImage: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Trump ‘sick of meetings’ on Ukraine
US President Donald Trump is “extremely frustrated” with both Russia and Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
The US has sought to pressure Ukraine to secure a quick peace deal that was widely regarded as highly favorable to Russia, but so far Kyiv has pushed back, working on a revised proposal with European counterparts that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered to the US today.
Prior to that, Trump had spoken on the phone with the leaders of France, Germany and the UK to discuss the prospects of further talks in Europe this weekend. Trump would send a representative to Europe this weekend if there is a real chance of signing a peace agreement, the White House said on Thursday.
“He wants action for this war to come to an end, and the administration has spent more than 30 hours, this just in the past couple of weeks, meeting with the Russians and the Ukrainians and the Europeans. We’ll see about the meetings this weekend, and stay tuned,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt was candid with reporters about the president’s souring mood.
“The president is extremely frustrated with both sides of this war, and he is sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting,” she said.
Why doesn’t Ukraine hold elections while under martial law?
Ukraine says it’s ready to hold the elections demanded by US President Donald Trump on condition that international partners ensure the safety of candidates and voters. But how realistic is this in a country at war?
EU states lift first hurdle to using Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine
European Union countries lifted a key hurdle to using Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine by agreeing on a procedure to keep the funds frozen as long as needed without having to vote to renew every six months. Denmark, which holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, made the announcement.
The move, which would pave the way for Ukraine to use the money, is based on Article 122 of the EU Treaty, which allows for exceptional measures in cases of emergencies facing the bloc. The last time it was used was during COVID-19 to enable the production of vaccines.
The European Commission is hoping to use some €200 billion ($232 billion) of Russian central bank assets, which were frozen in the EU following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. EU members hope these funds can provide much-needed funding beyond the end of this year to Ukraine.
But the loan plan faces strong resistance from Belgium, where the bulk of frozen assets are held. Belgium-based Euroclear, the entity that is holding most of the funds, fears legal or financial retribution from Moscow if it doesn’t have money for depositors should sanctions be lifted.
The European Commission has assured Euroclear that under the scheme, it is certain that it could repay Russia the money if necessary. Under the plan, Euroclear would lend the money to the EU, which in turn would lend it to Ukraine.
Ukraine would pay back the money if Russia compensated it for the destruction it has caused.
Not everyone in the EU was cheering: Hungary’s EU mission criticized the move, calling it an “unprecedented decision to extend sanctions on an incorrect legal basis in order to circumvent unanimous decision-making.”
The proposal’s next step is to receive approval from EU finance ministers at a meeting set for Friday.
US, Europe have same goals for Ukraine, Starmer says
US President Donald Trump and European leaders want the “same thing” for Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday. He said Western nations wanted a “just and lasting” ceasefire.
Starmer, however, added that a “number of issues still to be resolved.”
Starmer chaired phone talks among the so-called Coalition of the Willing on Thursday.
“What President Trump wants, what Ukraine wants, what Europeans want is the same thing, which is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine after the nearly four-year aggression from Putin and Russia,” Starmer said. “So we’re working towards that aim.”
Zelenskyy said US has updated peace plan, see Ukrainian withdraw from Donetsk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed security guarantees for Ukraine in a video call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Zelenskyy said the US had been presented with an updated version of a peace plan. Details of all its amendments were not disclosed.
But the Ukrainian leader did say the 20-point plan included security guarantees as well as an agreement for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said the main point of contention in the talks was the status of the eastern Donetsk region and future control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Zelenskyy said the US wants Ukraine, but not Russia, to withdraw troops from parts of the Donetsk region, in order to install a demilitarized buffer between the two armies.
“They see Ukrainian forces leaving the territory of Donetsk region, and the supposed compromise is that Russian forces do not enter this territory … which they already call a ‘free economic zone,'” Zelenskyy told reporters.
The Ukrainian president said any potential compromise on Ukrainian territory should be decided by a popular vote.
“I believe that the people of Ukraine will answer this question. Whether through elections or a referendum, there must be a position from the people of Ukraine,” he said.
Russia demands to know dead UK soldier’s activities
Moscow has demanded that the UK disclose the activities of a British soldier killed in Ukraine.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that Lance Corporal George Hooley had died in Ukraine while observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability. Hooely is said to have been away from the frontline when the incident occurred.
“London must honestly admit what their very own Hooley was doing there. It seems that perhaps someone there in Britain began to carefully prepare public opinion in their country for military losses in Ukraine that would be impossible to simply hide and continue to conceal,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
She accused British forces of helping Ukraine “carry out terrorist attacks and extremist tasks,” but did not provide any evidence to back up the claim. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey said he was “devastated” by the soldier’s death.
“He was injured in a tragic accident whilst observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability away from the front lines,” said the UK’s Ministry of Defense statement on the matter.
The UK has said it has a “small number” of military personnel in Ukraine, mostly providing security for British diplomats but also supporting Ukraine’s army.
NATO chief Rutte: ‘We are Russia’s next target’
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged alliance members to increase their defense efforts to prevent a war “on the scale our…grandparents and great-grandparents endured.”
Speaking in Berlin, Rutte said it did not appear that enough NATO members were taking the threat seriously enough.
“We are Russia’s next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” Rutte said.
“Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared,” he added.
Rutte said he believed Moscow could be ready to launch a war in Europe in the next five years.
Poland detains Russian archaeologist wanted by Ukraine
Poland has detained a Russian archaeologist wanted by Ukraine for allegedly plundering cultural treasures in Crimea.
Authorities say the man, identified as Alexander B., was arrested in Warsaw last week and will remain in custody for 40 days while Poland awaits an extradition request from Ukraine.
“[The Ukrainians] have suspicions about this person regarding… theft of cultural property,” Polish Special Services Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told private broadcaster TOK FM.
“The court has ordered his arrest so that this case can be resolved calmly,” Siemoniak added.
Ukraine accuses the man of carrying out unauthorized excavations in Crimea, causing damage worth millions of dollars. Russia has been illegally occupying the Ukrainian peninsula since 2014.
Moscow dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
“We hope that Poland understands the absurdity of accusing a respected Russian archaeologist of ‘destroying cultural heritage’ on Russian territory and recognizes that such politicized actions cannot succeed and will not go unpunished,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said.
Truphena Muthoni has set a Guinness World Record by hugging a tree for three straight days.
Muthoni wore a blindfold for several hours during the challenge to raise awareness about those with disabilities and how they will be affected by climate change.Image: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images
Kenyan climate activist Truphena Muthoni has smashed her own previously held record, hugging a tree for 72 hours straight.
“This peaceful protest is important because it bypasses all differences. During other protests, we hear stories of goons, but this one bypasses all stories and triggers humanity,” she was quoted by local media as saying.
Muthoni’s previous record was 48 hours.
For this challenge, she selected an indigenous tree in the government compound in the town of Nyeri.
At one point, she nearly fell asleep, but was roused by her supporters, some of whom had pitched in to pay her fees for the Guinness World Records official observers.
She said she wanted to raise awareness of the danger posed by climate change and deforestation.
An abundance of hungover Russian drivers forced Ukraine to delay its “Pearl Harbor”-style attack on Moscow’s bomber fleet, just one of the hiccups that nearly thwarted the secret operation, according to a new report.
After Kyiv successfully sneaked dozens of drones into Russia for the unprecedented attack this past spring, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) hoped to launch the assault around Russian Victory Day on May 9 to humiliate the Kremlin.
Instead, the festivities around the holiday, as well as Russian Labor Day, and Orthodox Easter, created an unexpected issue — a lack of active drivers to carry out the mission, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Ukrainian forces stunned the Russian military Sunday, wiping out and damaging dozens of nuclear bombers. Security Service of Ukraine
For Operation Spider’s Web to be a success, Ukraine was relying on a group of unwitting Russian drivers to transport their drones to the desired locations, with the truckers believing they were only hauling mobile wooden cabins.
Unfortunately, there was a small pool of drivers to choose from during the holiday as hungover drivers took the day off, making it far too risky to carry out the mission, SBU officials told the WSJ.
It wasn’t until the end of May that Kyiv and its agents found the perfect set of drivers to hire for the days-long mission, which was carried out on July 1 and saw 41 Russian bombers damaged and destroyed.
The hungover drivers weren’t the only issue the SBU ran into when trying to pull off the clandestine mission.
During the drive to one of the destinations inside Russia, one of the local drivers noticed that the roof of one of the cabins fell off, with the trucker discovering the hidden drones inside.
The shocked driver immediately contacted his employer for an explanation, with the man on the other side of the phone being Artem Timofeev, a 37-year-old former Ukrainian DJ living in Russia who signed up with his wife, an erotic novelist, to put the drones and cabins together for the operation.
Timofeev feigned ignorance when the truck driver called him, with the SBU coaching him on how to lie to the Russian driver and convince him that the drones and wooden cabins were for hunting, according to the WSJ.
The Russian trucker bought the lie, put the roof of the cabin back on, and carried on with his trip.
The SBU saw additional hiccups when one of the trucks suffered a mechanical issue, with SBU officials and Timofeev able to load the cargo into another truck without anyone being the wiser.
Another issue occurred when Kyiv lost connection with two cabins housing the drones due to spotty connections, with officials trying to get a Russian truck driver to fix the issue without being alerted to what he was actually doing.
Former Nepali ministers, officials and a Chinese company were charged with corruption over financial irregularities during the construction of an international airport.
The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed on Sunday cases against 55 people and the China CAMC Engineering Company Limited, one of the biggest such cases in the Himalayan nation, accusing them of inflating construction expenses by more than $74 million. It remains unclear when the hearing will begin.
Two officials of the Chinese company have been named in the charges filed at the Special Court in Kathmandu, which handles corruption cases related to government dealings.
The bidding agreed on with the government in 2012 was set at $169.6 million, but Nepali officials increased the amount to a little over $244 million “in collusion with the Chinese company,” the commission said.
The airport, at the resort city of Pokhara, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu, was built with a loan from China Exim Bank. It was expected to draw foreign tourists to the picturesque city, the starting point of many trekking routes in Nepal. However, it failed to attract international flights since operations began in 2023, according to local reports.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who has been in hiding for months, has told the BBC that she knows “exactly the risks” she’s taking by travelling to Norway to collect her Nobel Peace Prize.
Machado appeared in Oslo in the middle of the night, waving from the balcony of a hotel. It was the first time she has been seen in public since January.
The 58-year-old made the covert journey despite a travel ban and a threat from the Venezuelan government that she would be labelled as a fugitive.
In an emotional moment, Machado waved to cheering supporters who had gathered outside the Norwegian capital’s Grand Hotel, blowing them kisses and singing with them.
To their delight, she then came outside and greeted them in person, climbing over the security barricades to get closer.
“Maria!” “Maria!” they shouted, holding their phones aloft to record the historic moment.
Earlier on Wednesday, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother’s behalf.
The Nobel Institute awarded Machado the prize this year for “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy” in Venezuela.
Until Wednesday night, the mother of three had not seen her children in about two years, having sent them away from Venezuela for their own safety.
In an interview with the BBC’s Lucy Hockings after her balcony appearance, Machado said she had missed their graduations, and the weddings of her daughter and one of her sons.
“For over 16 months I haven’t been able to hug or touch anyone,” she said. “Suddenly in the matter of a few hours I’ve been able to see the people I love the most, and touch them and cry and pray together.”
During the BBC interview, Machado had many rosary beads hanging around her neck, which she said supporters had given to her outside the hotel.
There has been much speculation about whether she will be able to safely return to Venezuela.
“Of course I’m going back,” she told the BBC. “I know exactly the risks I’m taking.”
“I’m going to be in the place where I’m most useful for our cause,” she continued. “Until a short time ago, the place I thought I had to be was Venezuela, the place I believe I have to be today, on behalf of our cause, is Oslo.”
María Corina Machado jumps over barricades outside the Grand Hotel in Oslo to greet cheering supporters
Considered one of the country’s most respected voices in Venezuela’s opposition, Machado has long denounced President Nicolás Maduro’s government as “criminal” and called on Venezuelans to unite to depose it.
She was barred from running in last year’s presidential elections, in which he won a third six-year term in office. The vote was widely dismissed on the international stage as neither free nor fair, and many nations view his rule as illegitimate.
“We need to address this regime not as a conventional dictatorship, but as a criminal structure,” she told the BBC.
Machado accused his regime of being funded by criminal activities such as drugs and human trafficking, repeating calls for the international community to help Venezuela “cut those inflows” of criminal resources.
Maduro has always vehemently denied being connected to cartels.
When asked whether she would support a US military strike on Venezuelan soil, given Washington’s recent attacks on alleged drug vessels, Machado did not answer directly but instead accused Maduro of “giving away our sovereignty to criminal organisations”.
“We didn’t want a war, we didn’t look for it… it was Maduro who declared war on the Venezuelan people,” she added.
Machado says she and her team are ready to form a government in Venezuela, and that she offered to sit down with Maduro’s team to work out a peaceful transition, but “they rejected it”.
The BBC asked Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, who sat with Machado during the interview, whether a possible violent takeover to unseat Nicolás Maduro would contradict her Peace Prize.
He said the burden for peace should be placed on the current Venezuelan government: “The power lies in the Maduro regime, they have the responsibility to make sure this is a peaceful transition.”
Even after she was barred from the election last year, Machado continued to campaign for the candidate who replaced her on the ballot, Edmundo González.
Maduro was declared the winner, even though polling station tallies showed that González had won by a landslide.
The Maduro government has repeatedly threatened Machado with arrest, accusing her of calling for a foreign invasion and labelling her a terrorist for protesting against the election results.
Last month, Venezuela’s attorney general said Machado would be considered a fugitive if she travelled to Norway to collect her prize, saying she was accused of “acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism”.
It made her journey to Norway difficult and risky.
The details of the trip were kept so tightly under wraps, that even the Nobel Institute did not know where she was or whether she would be in Oslo in time for the prize ceremony.
The Wall Street Journal reports that to escape Venezuela, Machado wore a disguise, managed to get through 10 military checkpoints without being caught, and sailed away on a wooden skiff from a coastal fishing village.
The plan was two months in the making, it reports, citing a person close to the operation, and she was assisted by a Venezuelan network that helps people flee the country. The US was also involved, the report says, but it is unclear to what extent.
Machado did not deny these details to the BBC, but also would not elaborate on the journey.
“They [the Venezuelan government] say I’m a terrorist and have to be in jail for the rest of my life and they’re looking for me,” she said. “So leaving Venezuela today, in these circumstances, is very, very dangerous.
“I just want to say today that I’m here, because many men and women risked their lives in order for me to arrive in Oslo.”
Mr Frydnes had described her journey to Norway as “a situation of extreme danger”.
Sitting next to her during the BBC interview, he said it was an “emotional” moment for him.
“In the middle of the night to have you here, it’s incredible,” he said. “It’s hard to describe what it means to the Nobel committee and to all of us.”
President Donald Trump has launched a scheme offering fast-tracked US visas to wealthy foreigners who can pay at least $1m (£750,000).
The card will give buyers a “direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent,” Trump said on social media on Wednesday.
The Trump Gold Card, which was first announced earlier this year, is a US visa awarded to those who can demonstrate they will provide a “substantial benefit” to the country, according to the scheme’s official website.
It comes as Washington intensifies its immigration crackdown, including raising work visa fees and deporting undocumented migrants.
The Gold Card scheme promises US residency in “record time” and will require a $1m fee which is “evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the United States”, the programme’s website said.
Businesses sponsoring employees are required to pay $2m, along with additional fees. A “platinum” version of the card that offers special tax breaks will also be available soon for $5m, the website said.
Extra fees to the government may be charged depending on each applicant’s circumstances, the site said. Individuals are also required to pay a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee before their application is reviewed.
The gold card scheme has faced criticism since it was first announced in February, with some Democrats saying that it would unfairly favour wealthy individuals.
When Trump first unveiled the plan he described the visas as similar to green cards, which allow immigrants of various income levels to live and work permanently in the US. Green card holders typically become eligible for citizenship after five years.
But the Gold Card is aimed specifically at “high-level” professionals, Trump said, emphasising, “we want people that are productive”.
“The people that can pay $5m, they’re going to create jobs,” Trump said. “It’s going to sell like crazy. It’s a bargain.”
The scheme comes as the Trump administration has devoted significant resources to deporting immigrants.
The US has also paused immigration applications by individuals from the 19 countries, mostly in Africa and in the Middle East, which are subject to the president’s travel ban.
Renovations continue at the Federal Reserve Board building in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 14, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. Federal Reserve may not give President Donald Trump all the rate cuts he wants, but the view of the economy policymakers included in new economic projections on Wednesday should buoy the administration nonetheless with its outlook for faster growth, lower inflation and steady unemployment heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
The Fed, in fact, may be done cutting rates for now, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow policymakers signaled after their most recent rate meeting. But that’s because they anticipate the U.S. to emerge from a period of volatility and upheaval over tariffs and immigration into a year of strong productivity, ongoing consumer spending, and inflation that falls as the impact of tariffs on goods prices begins to wane.
The projections set a strong baseline for the arrival of whomever Trump chooses to replace Powell when his term as chair ends in May, but potentially little room to lower rates as far or as fast as Trump seems to feel is appropriate.
The economy may hum regardless.
“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape: that’s what I want to do,” Powell said at his news conference Wednesday, following the Fed’s decision to cut the policy rate for a third straight time and signal a pause ahead. “I want inflation to be under control – going back down to 2% – and I want the labor market to be strong.”
Nearly a third of policymakers were unhappy with Wednesday’s rate cut, the projections showed, and another third want more than the median expectation of one rate cut for all of next year. But despite those divisions, which Powell said were largely due to disagreements over whether inflation or a weak labor market poses the bigger risks, central bankers by and large expect next year to look solid.
Wednesday’s rate cut “should help stabilize the labor market while allowing inflation to resume its downward trend toward 2% once the effects of tariffs have passed through,” Powell said.
The quarterly projections show prices are rising faster, interest rates are higher, and economic growth is slower than central bankers anticipated last September, just before Trump’s November election victory.
But for next year, central bankers see broad improvements that amount to a “soft landing” for the U.S., and an easing of fears that the economy was heading for what some analysts called “stagflation lite,” with high joblessness and high inflation.
Inflation is expected to end 2026 at 2.4% versus 2.9% at the end of this year, the Fed’s fresh projections show, as tariffs’ upward push on goods prices dissipates. Economic growth is seen accelerating to 2.3% compared with 1.7% this year, benefiting from a bounceback after this year’s government shutdown.
And the unemployment rate, reported at 4.4% in September, is expected to tick up slightly before ending 2026 back at 4.4% again.
Powering that picture, Powell said on Wednesday, is a rise in productivity poised to accelerate amid the adoption of artificial intelligence. Productivity growth has been a key argument for rate cuts from administration officials including White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett, seen as the front-runner for Powell’s replacement.
But while the new Fed chair may inherit a solid economy, he will take the helm of a group that is by no means sold on the need for further policy easing. Indeed, Powell repeatedly said the latest rate cut leaves Fed officials well-positioned to wait and see – hardly an endorsement of the sharp rate cuts Trump says he wants his new Fed chair to deliver.
Issues around inflation and affordability, which Trump used as a centerpiece of his 2024 presidential campaign, remain unresolved, with the Republican president’s approval ratings on the economy falling. Food prices rose 2.7% annually in September, versus less than 2% when he returned to power in January, and high housing prices and mortgage interest rates have combined to put home ownership out of reach for many.
And yet some of the worst anticipated outcomes from earlier in the year, when Trump’s initial “Liberation Day” tariff plans sparked talk of collapsing global trade, a corrosive mix of rising prices and high unemployment, and even of a “canceled” Christmas shopping season, haven’t been realized.
LABOUR’S plan to get the UK to Net Zero by 2050 could end up costing every household in Britain £500 a year.
Ministers have been warned that transitioning to meet green targets over the next 25 years could cost the country a staggering £350 billion more than taking a slower approach.
Claire Coutinho says the public have been told a lieCredit: Alamy
The UK could save an average of £14 billion a year if it abandons its legally binding target to reach net zero, according to the National Energy System Operator.
That works out at roughly £500 a year for every household in Britain until 2050.
The report warned the bill could climb even higher if gas prices fall below current forecasts, making green energy look even pricier by comparison.
In this scenario, the Net Zero premium could rise to an average of £19 billion a year over the next two decades.
Even in a world where gas prices do rise, the analysis found the Net Zero pathway would still be around £5 billion a year more expensive than a slower route.
The Tories’ shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: “The public have been told the lie that Net Zero means cheaper energy.
“This report shows the truth – rushing to net zero is forecast to make our energy system £350 billion more expensive than going slower.”
The government body responsible for the UK’s power system said the extra cost of racing to Net Zero would hit hardest over the next decade.
Their report revealed the annual price tag could top £40billion in some years.
The study compared two futures, one matching Labour’s tougher clean-power plans, and another where Britain carries on broadly as it is now with more gradual emissions cuts.
The slower path would still see electric cars rolled out, but many homes would keep gas boilers and some power stations would continue burning gas.
In both cases, overall energy-related costs fall sharply from today’s levels by 2050.
But the Net Zero route only becomes cheaper after 2046, and is far more expensive in the early years.
Government officials pushed back, insisting the figures “do not reflect or predict” the actual cost of going green.
They said clean energy will bring long-term savings, boost energy security and support skilled jobs.
But it also said going greener quicker would offer more protection from extreme price shocks like those caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Jess Ralston, energy chief at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the findings show why the UK should keep pushing for Net Zero.
She said: “After decades of under-investment, upgrading the grid to unlock more British renewables and improve efficiency will create greater energy independence for the UK so that a future gas crisis won’t leave households, businesses and industry facing incredibly high bills.”
THIS is the stunning moment US troops rappel from helicopters and storm an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela with high-powered rifles.
Well-oiled commandos swept through the ship as they executed Trump’s boldest play yet in his stand-off with dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Commandos dropped from a chopper onto the deckCredit: X/ @AGPamBondi
Footage released on X by Attorney General Pam Bondi shows a military helicopter hovering over the tanker, with another buzzing nearby.
Ropes are tossed from the cabin and geared-up troops immediately clamber down onto the deck.
They disperse in formation – guns aloft – darting up staircases and sweeping through cabins.
Forces from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Coast Guard all came together for the slick sting.
Ms Bondi said the troops were carrying out a seizure warrant for the tanker, which was used to “transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran”.
Announcing the successful operation earlier on Wednesday, Trump said: “We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually.”
He fired an ominous warning to Maduro – under the cosh more now than ever before – that “other things are happening”, though he did not elaborate.
When pressed on why he ordered the operation, Trump said only: “It was seized for a very good reason.”
And asked what would happen to the oil onboard, he said: “We keep it I guess.”
It’s still not clear exactly which vessel was targeted, or where it was intercepted.
This marks a major escalation in the US campaign against Venezuela – and is the strongest hint yet that America’s sights are set beyond drug traffickers.
Up to this point, operations had been limited to remote strikes on small boats that America identified as “narco-terrorists”.
This appears to be the first clash involving American personnel in the field, and the first target not directly related to the drugs trade.
In the immediate term, the seizure could stymie Venezuela’s vital oil exports.
Other shippers will likely be much warier of loading cargo from Maduro’s shores – for fear of a similar seizure.
Longer term, it’s possible this proves to be the first move in a naval blockade of Venezuela – but Trump is for now keeping his cards close to his chest.
Most oil from Venezuela ends up in China after passing through middlemen nations and being sold at a cut price.
Just today, oil buyers in Asia demanded deeper discounts on Venezuelan crude oil due to a flood of sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran on offer.
They also cited the risk of loading in the South American country in the face of the US military presence – a concern that has today been realised.
The US has for months been tightening the noose around Maduro.
This has been through a series of bold strikes against Venezuelan drug trafficking boats and the build-up of a vast military force in the Caribbean.
As of December 4, at least 87 people had been killed in 22 strikes on 23 vessels.
At the end of last month, Trump vowed the US would soon launch land operations in Venezuela after saying the drug cartels are on a par with terrorist groups Al Qaeda and Hamas.
However, he has maintained that his only goal is to wipe out the drugs trade flooding narcotics into the US – justifying each escalation with this cause.
DONALD Trump is warning he won’t bother coming to Europe for Ukraine peace talks unless there’s a real chance of a deal.
The European leaders want a meeting this weekend, but Trump says he needs more clarity before making the trip.
Donald Trump is warning he won’t come to Europe unless he gets some clarityCredit: Splash
The President told reporters: “We want to know some things before a meeting. We don’t want to waste time.”
On Wednesday, Trump held a call with the leaders of France, the UK, and Germany to discuss efforts to reach a peace deal in Ukraine, according to a White House official.
The conversation comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and European powers over the war in Ukraine and the broader Transatlantic relationship.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is under pressure to accept Trump’s peace plan, which reportedly includes major territorial losses and other concessions.
On Monday, Zelensky met with the leaders of Germany, France, and the UK to deliver a united message: the current U.S. plan is unacceptable.
Trump, meanwhile, has lashed out at European leaders. In a Politico interview published Tuesday, he called them “weak” and defended his new national security strategy that seeks to “cultivate resistance to Europe’s current trajectory.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said the call lasted 40 minutes and focused on advancing diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The German Chancellor’s office said in a statement: “The four heads of state and governments discussed the status of talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine.
“Intensive work on the peace plan is to continue in the coming days. They agreed that this is a crucial moment for Ukraine and for common security in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
Zelensky also held a virtual meeting with a U.S. team led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner joined, along with Steve Mnuchin and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Zelensky wrote on X that he updated the U.S. on his position regarding the latest draft of Trump’s peace plan.
He said: “It is overall security that will determine economic security and underpin safe business environment.”
Zelensky said he expects to deliver an updated peace plan to the U.S. “in the near future.”
European leaders continue talks to ensure Kyiv gets a fair deal.
The Ukrainian President confirmed work is ongoing on a 20-point plan aimed at ending the war.
“Everything must be reliable and dignified for Ukraine,” Zelensky said on X.
“In parallel, we are finalizing work on the 20 points of a fundamental document that could define the parameters for ending the war.
“We expect to deliver this document to the United States in the near future following our joint work with President Trump’s team and partners in Europe.”
On Tuesday, Zelensky said he had hoped to send the revised plan by Wednesday after Trump criticized him for not reading it.
He added that on Thursday there would be a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting to guarantee future security and prevent a recurrence of Russian aggression.
Zelensky also addressed Trump’s claims that Kyiv was delaying elections to cling to power.
“They’re using the war as an excuse not to hold an election,” Trump said. “But they haven’t had an election in a long time. They talk about a democracy, but at some point, it ceases to be one.”
Ukrainian law currently blocks elections under martial law, but Zelensky said they could proceed if security guarantees were in place.
“I’m asking now, and I’m stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the election,” Zelensky said.
“I’ve heard hints that we’re clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency. It’s frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative.”
Trump has reportedly set a Christmas deadline for Zelensky to accept his peace plan, delivered by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff after talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The President warned that Ukraine would struggle to withstand further bombardment unless an agreement is signed.
He also targeted European leaders, labelling them “weak” and accusing them of presiding over a “decaying” continent consumed by left-wing politics and high levels of illegal migration.
The pressure on Zelensky is compounded by Russian missile strikes, which have killed civilians and hit key rail infrastructure in Ukraine.
A 51-year-old man was killed and two children wounded in Dnipropetrovsk. The day before, four civilians were killed.
Russia temporarily closed Moscow airspace due to Ukrainian drone incursions, forcing flights to reroute to St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod.
Downing Street said Monday’s meeting would “focus on ongoing peace negotiations and next steps.”
Starmer described the talks as a “critical stage of the push for peace.”
Zelensky thanked allies for organizing the meeting. “Things that are very important for today are… unity between Europe, Ukraine, and US. I think it is very important to organise such meetings,” he said.
US President Donald Trump announced the seizure of a “very large” oil tanker and said “other things are happening” off the coast of Venezuela.
The move marks the latest escalation between the Trump administration and Venezuelan President Nicolas MaduroImage: Aaron Schwartz/Sipa USA/picture alliance
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Trump said the tanker “was seized for a very good reason.”
The US president added that “other things are happening,” without offering any additional details. Reporters asked Trump what would happen with the oil, he replied: “We keep it, I guess.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video to X that appeared to show US forces boarding the tanker.
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. For multiple… pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x
In response, Caracas accused Washington of “blatant theft” as the Venezuelan government vowed to “defend its sovereignty, natural resources, and national dignity with absolute determination.”
A statement from the foreign ministry added that the Latin American country “strongly denounces and condemns what constitutes blatant theft and an act of international piracy.”
It added that they would denounce the seizure in front of international bodies.
Vessel seizure latest escalation between Washington and Maduro
The announcement marks the latest escalation between the Trump administration and the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and it comes as opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is believed to have left the country for Oslo.
In an interview with US news outlet Politico earlier this week, Trump said that Maduro’s “days are numbered,” declining to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.
Venezuela has largest proven oil reserves
The oil tanker seizure comes weeks after the Trump administration has dramatically increased US presence in the Caribbean, near Venezuelan waters, and conducted strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats originating from Venezuela.
The US has been amassing a fleet of warships including the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Unnamed US officials said the tanker’s seizure was led by the US Coast Guard and supported by the Navy.
The New York Times and CBS News identified the tanker as a vessel called the Skipper. The New York Times said officials they spoke to said the vessel was carrying Venezuelan oil from the state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
But it is not yet clear which country’s flag the vessel was flying.
The South American nation has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about 1 million barrels of oil per day.
But US sanctions on its oil industry have left Venezuela locked out of global oil markets, selling most of its output at a steep discount to refiners in China.
Researchers excavating an ancient Neanderthal site in southern England found evidence not just of a hearth, but of its inhabitants bringing iron pyrite to the area specifically to enable them to light fires.
Access to fire on demand, particularly for cooking meat, is considered a crucial step for hominin brain evolutionImage: Dmitry Naumov/Zoonar/picture alliance
Archaeologists wrote in the journal Nature this week that they have unearthed the oldest-known evidence of deliberate fire-making by prehistoric humans in the English county of Suffolk.
The hearth was discovered in Barnham in the UK, near a buried site that was once a pond where Neanderthals are thought to have lived roughly 415,000 years ago.
The authors wrote that the site seems to provide “unequivocal evidence of deliberate fire-making” that “has remained elusive” because of the difficulties in distinguishing between naturally occurring fires being used by prehistoric humans and controlled fires being created on demand.
Early humans are thought to have first started making opportunistic use of naturally occurring fires, for instance from lightning strikes or forest fires, as much as a million years ago.
Heated clay, heat-shattered handaxes, and imported iron pyrite to light permanent campfire
At an old clay pit for making bricks near the village of Barnham, the researchers found a patch of heated clay, some heat-shattered handaxes and two pieces of iron pyrite.
This material creates sparks when struck against flint to ignite tinder, and is also not readily available in the vicinity, suggesting the Neanderthals brought it to the watering hole specifically for the purpose.
“We think humans brought pyrite to the site with the intention of making fire,” said archaeologist Nick Ashton, curator of Palaeolithic Collections at the British Museum in London and the leader of the research. “This has huge implications pushing back the earliest fire-making.”
The earliest-known evidence of deliberate fire-making to date had been unearthed in northern France and dated to roughly 50,000 years ago. It was also attributed to Neanderthals.
Although human remains were not found at the site, paleoanthropologist and study co-author Chris Stringer said that pieces of human skull from a similar period, characteristic of early Neanderthals, were located in the mid-20th century less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the south at a town called Swanscombe and at a site in Sima de los Huesos near Burgos in Spain.
“Thus the Barnham fire-makers were very likely to have been early Neanderthals, like Swanscombe and the Sima people,” Stringer said.
Neanderthals are thought to have gone extinct roughly 39,000 years ago as homo sapiens started to settle throughout Europe. But genetic remnants of the early hominid cousins to modern humans persist in many of our genes as a result of interbreeding and assimilation.
Fire expands and improves diet; hearth feeds community, language, storytelling
Controlled use of fire was a landmark in human evolution for multiple reasons.
Cooking enabled vastly improved diets and easier and safer digestion of meat and other ingredients, freeing up energy from digestion for use by the fast-expanding brains of early hominins.
It also provided warmth, enabling hunter-gatherers to survive and thrive in colder environments, like Britain, study co-author Rob Davis, an archaeologist at the British Museum, said.
Brandenburg’s state Environment Ministry warned of a “large oil spill” after a pipeline accident. It said that emergency services were on site and that details on the size and cause of the spill were not yet available.
The PCK oil refinery is located close to the Polish border and the Oder river in SchwedtImage: Patrick Pleul/picture alliance/dpa
State authorities in Brandenburg reported a major oil spill north of Berlin late on Wednesday, saying there had been an accident affecting a pipeline connecting a major oil refinery to the Baltic Sea port of Rostock.
“An accident occurred on the PCK piepline near Gramzow/Zehnebeck, resulting in a large oil spill,” a spokesman for Brandenburg’s Environment Ministry said. “Emergency services are on site. No information can be provided at this time about the cause of the exact extent of the damage.”
The fire department later estimated that roughly 200,000 liters (about 52,835 gallons) of oil had escaped from the pipeline at a pumping station in Gramzow. For orientation, that amount of liquid would fill a little less than one-tenth of an Olympic swimming pool.
Alexander Trenn of the Schwedt fire department said the leak had a pressure of around 20 bar (roughly 290 psi) at its peak, causing a fountain of oil several meters high to spew out.
Specialist machinery was being used to remove the spilled oil. Clean-up operations would continue into Thursday morning, he said. Trenn said around 100 fire department officers and some 25 company employees were working on site.
Nature reserves situated near PCK’s Schwedt refinery on Polish border
A major oil refinery is located near the border to Poland in Schwedt, operated by PCK. The company says on its website that the facility can process 11.5 million metric tons of oil a year, “making it one of the largest crude oil processing sites in Germany.”
Meanwhile, the AFP news agency cited a PCK spokeswoman as saying that “deliberate external influence” such as sabotage could already be “ruled out.”
Local public broadcaster rbb reported that by 19:45 local time (1845 UTC/GMT), “the leak was for the most part plugged, although some oil was still leaking out.”
A political artists’ collective has placed a statue of murdered politician Walter Lübcke outside CDU headquarters. Lübcke was killed by a supporter of the far-right AfD, which the activists are warning against.
A statue of murdered CDU politician Walter Lübcke has appeared outside CDU headquartersImage: Verena Schmitt-Roschmann/dpa/picture alliance
The conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is not happy about a new protest stunt that has appeared on its doorstep.
Leading members of Germany’s governing party have reacted angrily after the political art-activist group the Center for Political Beauty (ZPS) last week placed a life-size bronze statue of the late CDU politician Walter Lübcke outside their party headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer building in Berlin. The memorial is meant to protest the CDU’s alleged accommodation of racist politics and warns against its potential collaboration with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Lübcke, a local CDU leader in the state of Hesse, was shot dead by an AfD supporter in 2019 after he had become a hate figure for Germany’s far-right at the height of Germany’s refugee crisis. At town hall meeting in 2015, he made a speech defending government policy on taking in Syrian refugees.
He was shot in the head four years later on the porch of his home by Stephan E., a far-right extremist who saw Lübcke speak, and who had, according to investigations by Die Zeit newspaper, donated to the AfD in the state of Thuringia.
Exploitation or commemoration?
The statue of Lübcke has been erected on a small patch of public ground next to the CDU building, along with a bench and an information board with an audio feature that tells the story of his life in German, English and Spanish. The local authority in Berlin has given permission for the memorial to remain in place for two years. The CDU headquarters did not respond to a DW request for comment on the memorial.
In a YouTube video about the action, the ZPS drew explicit parallels between how conservatives enabled the rise of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists in the early 1930s and how the CDU has been allegedly aping the AfD’s policies.
The main reaction from prominent CDU figures has been outrage. At an event in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the memorial as “utterly tasteless,” and Berlin’s CDU mayor, Kai Wegner, took a similar line.
“Those who so shamelessly exploit the memory of Walter Lübcke for their own political agenda demonstrate one thing above all else: Disrespect and indifference toward a man who stood up for our democracy and paid for it with his life,” Wegner wrote on the social media platform X.
Die Aktion des Zentrums für Politische Schönheit ist in ihrer Geschmacklosigkeit kaum zu überbieten. 1/4
The ZPS said it was disappointed with this reaction: “Of course we had the hope … that at some point one of the top officials from the CDU might have come out of the glass Konrad Adenauer building and had a look at it or laid flowers down,” ZPS spokesperson Tobias von Laubenthal told DW.
But, von Laubenthal added, the reaction from German civil society had been overwhelmingly positive. “The question that we were asking ourselves was why the CDU has not done anything years ago to honor the memory of Walter Lübcke,” he told DW. “That’s something that a lot of people have wondering.”
“This was a man with clear lines, and when those red lines were crossed, such as when it came to far-right extremism, he took a very clear stance,” von Laubenthal added. “He was a man with a stance that we miss in the CDU today.”
Lübcke’s has become one of the most prominent politically-motivated murders in recent German history, marking as it did the first time that an elected leader had been assassinated by a right-wing extremist since the end of World War II.
At least one prominent former CDU figure has defended the action against the attacks from the party. “I wonder what this ‘exploitation’ is supposed to consist of?” said Michel Friedman in a speech at the opening of the memorial last Friday.
Friedman, who has also hosted a DW talk show, was a member of the CDU’s leadership board in the 1990s and left the party earlier this year in protest at its perceived rightward drift. “It’s not exploitation to commemorate such a man, it’s an expression of respect, of honor, and of gratitude,” he said in his speech.
Lübcke family’s ambiguous reaction
According to Berlin media reports, the local authority that approved the memorial was told by the ZPS that Lübcke’s family had been made aware of the concept in advance, and had not offered any opposition.
But Lübcke’s family have said they were not consulted. “Simply dropping a letter in our mailbox the day before the monument was erected cannot be considered participation,” Lübcke’s widow, Irmgard Braun-Lübcke and her children wrote in a statement to the media. “This does not constitute adequate information or involvement.”
Nevertheless, the family also noted that they supported the message of the action, saying they were grateful to everyone who remembers their father and husband “in a sincere, appreciative, and respectful manner.”
“The firewall against the right, regardless of which democratic party, must remain in place; there can be no tolerance of that,” they said.
Though largely reluctant to appear in the public eye, Irmgard Braun-Lübcke has criticized the CDU leadership in the past. In February this year, she responded with some irritation to a remark made by Merz about demonstrators during an election campaign event in Munich, when the soon-to-be chancellor said, “I’d like to ask all those people out there, Antifa and anti-right-wingers: Where were you when Walter Lübcke was murdered in Kassel by a right-wing extremist?”
“Contrary to his account, there was in fact strong widespread public support for our democracy and its values after my husband’s assassination,” Braun-Lübcke said. “Thousands of citizens — whether left-wing, liberal, or conservative democrats — took to the streets in Wolfhagen, Kassel, and many other places in Germany.”
CDU and AfD: A tricky relationship
Though Merz has repeatedly vowed never to allow his party to collaborate with the AfD, doubts are growing whether the CDU’s “firewall” can hold, giving the growing strength of the AfD and upcoming state elections where the far-right party looks set to emerge as the strongest party.
The CDU has been seen to cooperate with the AfD at state level in the past. In January this year, Merz — then still leader of the opposition — triggered a wave of outrage by pushing a motion to
curb immigration through parliament with the support of the AfD. The chancellor has also frequently been accused of using racist rhetoric and fearmongering typical of far-right parties.
Two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country, Tokyo said.
This handout photo taken on Dec 9, 2025 and received on Dec 10, 2025, from Japan’s Ministry of Defence shows a Chinese J-16 fighter jet flying over the sea near Japan. (Photo: AFP/Japan’s Ministry of Defence)
NATO chief Mark Rutte and Japan’s defence minister shared their “grave concerns” about recent joint patrols by Chinese and Russian aircraft, Tokyo said.
The incident on Tuesday (Dec 9) came as Japan-China relations worsen after comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan that enraged Beijing.
“Both sides shared their grave concerns over this incident and concurred to closely communicate with each other,” the Japanese defence ministry said late on Wednesday.
The statement followed a 15-minute video conference between Rutte and Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the ministry said.
Koizumi also briefed Rutte about another recent incident that involved Chinese aircraft locking its radar onto Japanese planes near Taiwan, the statement added.
According to Tokyo, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country.
Japan scrambled aircraft in response.
South Korea said on Tuesday that Russian and Chinese warplanes also entered its air defence zone, with Seoul also deploying fighter jets.
Beijing confirmed later on Tuesday that it had organised drills with Russia’s military according to “annual cooperation plans”.
FILE PHOTO: SpaceX logo and Elon Musk photo are seen in this illustration taken, December 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday hinted at a possible SpaceX initial public offering in a social media exchange with Ars Technica space journalist Eric Berger, following reports of a possible listing of the rocket maker in 2026.
“As usual, Eric is accurate,” Musk said, in reply to Berger’s post saying “Here’s why I think SpaceX is going public soon,” that linked his Ars Technica article on SpaceX’s plans to go public.
Reuters and others reported on Tuesday that SpaceX was looking to raise more than $25 billion through an IPO in 2026, a move that could boost the rocket-maker’s valuation to more than $1 trillion.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The California-based company ranks as the world’s second most-valuable private startup after ChatGPT maker OpenAI, according to data from Crunchbase.
Andy Dick said he smoked crack cocaine with a random man he met on the streets of Los Angeles ahead of suffering an apparent overdose.
The comedian, 59, spoke to TMZ inside his Los Angeles home on Wednesday alongside two friends, and answered combatively when asked if he was okay.
“Doesn’t it look like I’m 100 percent fine?” he asked. “110 percent.”
Dick said he met a man on the sidewalk who was depressed, and the man offered him crack cocaine. He said he took it because he doesn’t “mind doing a little crack every now and then.”
Andy Dick said he smoked crack cocaine ahead of his apparent overdose on Tuesday.
“There was a guy that was my age on the sidewalk and I felt for him, he had kids and he was depressed and he was on the sidewalk,” Dick said. “And then he whipped out — sorry, but crack — and I’m like, you know what? I might need a little bit of that.”
One of his friends said that he told Dick to think of his two grandkids while he was in distress, and that Dick squeezed his hand in response.
Dick was seen slumped over on the cement stairs of a building in Hollywood on Tuesday in a video obtained by TMZ.
In the alarming video, the actor was seen lying flat on the concrete as someone stood over him, and several of his friends ran over to him and attempted to revive him.
One of the “NewsRadio” alum’s friends reportedly screamed at Dick to “wake up” as others called an ambulance.
A bystander shouted for someone nearby to grab Narcan, a life-saving medication that quickly reverses opioid overdoses, and Dick was administered the shot.
The Congresswoman urged lawmakers to move with incredible urgency to mitigate the damage this administration has done to the US-India partnership and return to steady cooperation.
US Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. (Photo: X/ANI)
The now-famous car selfie of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin surfaced in the US Congress, held aloft as a poster by Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove during a hearing on US foreign policy. Using the image as a prop, she warned that Washington is pushing India closer to Moscow — and that it is the United States, not New Delhi, undermining the partnership.
“Trump’s policies towards India can only be described as cutting our nose to spite our face,” Kamlager-Dove said, arguing that the administration’s pressure tactics are doing “real and lasting damage to the strategic trust and mutual understanding between our two countries.”
Gesturing toward the poster, Kamlager-Dove added, “This poster is worth a thousand words. You do not get a Nobel Peace Prize by driving US strategic partners into the arms of our adversaries.”
She said the moment should be a wake-up call for Washington. “Because let me be clear: being a coercive partner has a cost,” she said.
The Congresswoman urged lawmakers to move with incredible urgency to mitigate the damage this administration has done to the US-India partnership and return to steady cooperation. “Congress understands the stakes on a bipartisan basis,” she said. “And I thank the chair for putting this on the record today.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin rode with Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after landing at Delhi’s Palam Airport last week for his two-day visit, a gesture both sides cast as a sign of personal warmth. The leaders last shared a car during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, travelling in a made-in-Russia Aurus sedan — a moment widely read as a display of their close rapport.
New data from human rights groups shows that extrajudicial killings and custodial torture have continued largely unabated under Muhammad Yunus’s interim regime. For many Bangladeshis, the promise of justice by Yunus in the post-Sheikh Hasina, now might look increasingly like a replay of the past.
Muhammad Yunus had said that the post-Sheikha Hasina era would have virtues of justice and accountability. (File Images)
Anger was building up against the Sheikh Hasina regime for some years over its high-handedness before students took to the streets in July 2024 and forced her to leave Bangladesh in August. Custodial torture and extrajudicial killings were rampant. Over a year on, nothing much seems to have changed under the caretaker regime of Muhammad Yunus.
A compilation of extrajudicial killings by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a Bangladeshi legal aid and human rights organisation, reveals nothing much seems to have changed in post-Hasina Bangladesh.
The ASK report documents 37 incidents of extra-judicial killings and custodial deaths between January and November this year. While 14 of the deaths have been due to shootouts before arrest, 11 are attributed to physical torture in custody.
It also lists 95 deaths in custody, including of 64 undertrials, till November 2025.
Bangladesh witnessed an “alarming continuation” of torture and abuses, The Daily Star quoted rights activist Nur Khan Liton as saying.
“The perpetrators of these crimes remain in positions of power… No one has been held accountable. There is no sign that justice will be served,” he said, adding that the “entrenched culture” of custodial deaths will continue if the next government doesn’t act.
The Hasina regime was known for sudden disappearances and harsh treatment of political opponents at two dozen secret detention centres, according to reports.
One of the places was Aynaghar or House of Mirrors in Dhaka Cantonment. Those detained didn’t get to see anyone for years, with reports of people being kept in solitary confinement for up to eight years. Such were the horrors, that those we ever saw sunlight of freedom, barely spoke about those dark days. Over 100 people, mostly political critics of Hasina’s Awami League, are still unaccounted for.
“No party bore this burden more than the BNP. Across extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, custodial deaths, and false charges, BNP leaders, activists, and supporters formed the largest share of the wounded and missing,” said Tarique Rahman, Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Awami League main political rival, on Wednesday (December 10).
Sheikh Hasina and most of her top-rung Awami League leaders are now in exile. Though Bangladeshis remember the authoritarian regime of Hasina, the Awami League tries to pass the buck to the BNP and its chief, Sheikh Hasina.
“The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), created in March 2004 under Khaleda Zia, soon became central to the rise in extrajudicial killings. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented at least 350 deaths attributed to RAB since 2004, many labelled ‘crossfire’ but widely assessed as torture or summary executions,” posted Mohammad Ali Arafat, Hasina’s information minister, on X on Wednesday (December 10).
Though politicians won’t fail to cease the political blame game, what is emerging is that Bangladesh hasn’t moved on from the extrajudicial killings and custodial torture of Hasina days.
Not just data from the Ain o Salish Kendra, other rights organisations like Dhaka-based Odhikar too flagged the continued extrajudicial killings during the Yunus regime.
Odhikar released a report saying 40 people had become victims to extrajudicial killings and 153 were lynched in post-Hasina Bangladesh till October 2025. The report said at least 281 people had been killed in political violence, reported news agency AFP.
A Russian TU-95 bomber flies over East China Sea in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan July 23, 2019. Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan/HANDOUT via REUTERS/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Japan has scrambled jets to monitor Russian and Chinese air forces conducting joint patrols around the country, the Japanese defence ministry said late Tuesday, amid rising tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.
Two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable strategic bombers flew from the Sea of Japan toward the East China Sea to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers, and performed a “long-distance joint flight” in the Pacific, the ministry said.
Four Chinese J-16 fighter jets joined the bombers as they made a round-trip flight between Japan’s Okinawa and Miyako islands, it added. The Miyako Strait between the two islands is classified as international waters.
Japan also detected simultaneous Russian air force activity in the Sea of Japan, consisting of one early-warning aircraft A-50 and two Su-30 fighters, the ministry said.
Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in a post on X on Wednesday that the Russian and Chinese joint operations were “clearly intended as a show of force against our nation, which is a serious concern for our national security.”
Japan’s fighter jets “strictly implemented air defense identification measures,” Koizumi added.
Russian news agencies reported that the Russian-Chinese joint flight near Japan lasted for eight hours, citing Moscow’s defence ministry.
South Korea’s military also said on Tuesday that seven Russian planes and two Chinese planes had entered its air defence zone.
Japan said on Sunday that Chinese carrier-launched fighter jets aimed radar at Japanese military aircraft a day earlier, an account Beijing disputed.
Beijing’s rising military actions near Japan follow Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment last month that Tokyo could respond to any Chinese military action against Taiwan that also threatened Japan’s security.
A man on a motorcycle waves a Mexican flag as smoke rises from a burning car on Atlantic Boulevard, during a standoff by protesters and law enforcement, following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the Los Angeles County city of Compton, California, U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS
It is hard now even for Democrats to defend illegal immigration, given that the Biden administration allowed in more than 10 million entrants. Among them were an estimated 500,000 criminals. No one believes that was wise or should ever be repeated.
Worse, the message went out that there would be few, if any, deportations and no real ICE kinetic activity beyond the border.
The world’s poor, sick, both law-abiding and criminal, young and old, understood that anyone could now enter the US at will. Deterrence and legality were lost.
In its place, the message went out that if it was permissible to cross the border unlawfully, then, by extension, it would be seen as equally fine to reside illegally as well — and perhaps further to ignore laws, on the theory that the host had sanctioned all such exemptions.
During the lockdown hysteria, some 8,000-8,500 US soldiers were expelled from the military for refusing the experimental mRNA vaccine. State employees nationwide were being fired for refusing the government vaccines. Nevertheless, illegal aliens would have no such mandates or worries. They simply walked in without worries over vaccinations and current COVID status and surmised correctly that illegal aliens were part of a Biden administration protected and privileged category.
Indeed, between 2021 and 2025, in one of the most bizarre episodes in US immigration history, the border simply disappeared. There were to be no background checks, no health audits and no identification of the greatest influx in any four-year period in US history.
No one knew why. All had their explanations.
Puzzling boondoggle
Was the Biden handlers’ plan for more poor to grow the welfare state and expand liberal government?
Was it misplaced idealism to welcome in millions of the world’s poorest, who would soon make it even more difficult for the nation’s poor citizens poor to find affordable housing and health care?
Was the agenda to create future dependencies and constituencies for an otherwise ossified Democratic Party?
Or was it an effort to ensure, in DEI terms, that the oppressed and victimized would outgrow the inert white oppressors and victimizers?
Oddest of all has been the attitude of the left toward the past destruction of the border. They went mum about the rampant illegality as the border disappeared and as millions filtered throughout the nation. Americans had no idea who the newcomers were, or even where or why they were here.
Given that it is much easier to destroy the border and allow millions to enter than to restore itand find the millions who entered illegally, the Democrats’ response has been Orwellian. After assuming the law did not apply to illegal alien entrants, they now insist its full force must apply to each of 10 million aliens before they can be sent home.
There were no protests when an errant Biden ICE became dysfunctional due to massive illegality. But there is now outrage when it attempts to restore legality and follow the law.
The result, however, of such a massive nullification of immigration laws has been that the nation’s outrage over illegal immigration has now extended to legal immigration as well. At the current level of frustration, all legal immigration will likely soon be put on hold.
Why?
One, we are currently in a great experiment: Never has the US foreign-born resident population approached 50-55 million or 16% of the population.
Two, never has the once-time-tried melting-pot creed of assimilation, integration and acculturation been under greater assault and ridicule — just when it is most needed.
The canon of DEI — the nation is divided between a mostly white oppressor class and the non-white oppressed — has served to amplify the effects of giving up on civic education and melting-pot assimilation.
Somehow, the left advanced the absurd notion that the salad bowl of immigrants, chiefly and permanently identified by tribal ethnicities, races, religions and nationalities, and only secondly as new Americans, would radically change America for the better. And so ended the ancient notion of assimilation, now to be known as “cultural appropriation.”
Three, if millions of legal immigrants are not asked to assume fully American identities, and further, if they feel that there are exemptions and largesse to be had by emphasizing their tribal and victimized status, then will they also feel they are not subject to any American customs and laws?
‘Tribal immigration’
Instead, immigrants under these new protocols will seek to carve out their own tribal communities, based both on ethnic chauvinism and a sense of exemption from accountability. And if they insist on identifying as collectives rather than unique individuals, they will become increasingly unpopular not just as ingrates, but as hypocrites whose greater affinity with the nation they abandoned does not extend to returning to it.
Indeed, they will appear to have arrived in America only to craft a cocoon of security, freedom and prosperity lacking in their homeland, but otherwise not to become fully American or see their former homeland as incidental, not essential, to their new identities.
The logical result of such tribal immigration is now upon us. Somali immigrants, both legal and illegal, have pulled off a likely multibillion-dollar welfare fraud in Minnesota — perhaps the greatest single heist of welfare funds in the nation’s history. They were empowered by the usual DEI boilerplate rhetoric from their Minnesota champions, Rep. Ilhan Omar (who claimed the US was now “one of the worst countries in the world”), Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The more criminality, theft and fraud were uncovered, the more the Somali leadership screamed “racism,” with the Democrat apparat blaming everyone but the perpetrators themselves.
Meanwhile, California has issued at least 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses to illegal alien truck drivers, the majority of them non-residents with little if any prior trucking expertise or English facility. The result is a sort of road-warrior new atmosphere on the nation’s freeways, as a new generation of truckers ignores the norms of the past and rightly concludes that if they were given exemption to enter the US illegally and further to drive without proper audits, then naturally no authorities would mind if they also violated American traffic laws.
Hate & entitlement
There are roughly 1 million foreign students in the US, the majority from China, India and the Middle East. After Oct. 7, protests, often violent and in violation of campus rules, spread nationwide.
There was never much pushback from either campus officials or law enforcement. Within a few months, our liberal bastions of higher education had become saturated with antisemitic rhetoric, protests and occasional violence against Jews.
Middle Eastern guest students often openly cheered on Hamas, called for the destruction of Israel and, despite being non-citizens, often declared campus areas as no-go zones for American Jews. They did so because they could and had fully absorbed the DEI mantras of exemption.
So often they screamed “Islamophobia” when called out on their antisemitism, damning their critics with slurs of “nativism,” “racism” and “xenophobia.” Thousands of foreign students felt contempt for their hosts and rhetorically attacked the US as much as they fought in reality to remain in America.
Elon Musk says he’s no longer convinced his crusade to clean up government waste through the Department of Government Efficiency — better known as DOGE — was worth the chaos it unleashed.
Musk admitted he’s deeply unsure whether his high-profile stint running Washington’s most meme-able agency actually worked, in a wide-ranging — and, at times, philosophical — interview on “The Katie Miller Podcast.”
“We’re a little bit successful. We’re somewhat successful,” the Tesla founder said when Miller asked if DOGE achieved what he’d hoped.
“I think instead of doing DOGE, I would have basically … worked on my companies, essentially,” Elon Musk told podcaster Katie Miller.
But he quickly undercut the praise, lamenting how entrenched the waste was.
“There was, like, probably $100, maybe $200 billion worth of zombie payments per year,” he said, noting DOGE shut down only a fraction of it.
As Western powers scramble to reach a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, China maintains close ties with Moscow and weighs its strategic interests.
China and Russia have expanded military and defense ties since Moscow ordered troops into Ukraine nearly four years agoImage: Alexander Shcherbak/TASS/dpa/picture alliance
As European leaders work to show unity on Ukraine’s long-term security during peace talks, calls have resurfaced for China to play a more constructive role in helping end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of the UK and France in London on Monday to discuss how to revise the peace proposal backed by the United States.
The proposal, first floated in November, has drawn criticism in Europe for appearing favorable to Russia, as it would require Ukraine to withdraw its forces from eastern regions that Moscow has tried to seize by force but has failed to fully occupy.
Conceding territory, the Ukrainian leader argues, would be considered a reward for the aggressor and would leave the country’s long-term security vulnerable to another Russian attack.
Zelenskyy, who traveled on to Brussels to meet NATO officials, told reporters Ukraine will share a revised peace plan with the US on Tuesday.
German FM urges China to press Russia
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is visiting China and has called for Beijing to use its influence to push Moscow to negotiate seriously over ending its invasion of Ukraine.
“If there is one country in the world that has a strong influence on Russia, it is China,” Wadephul said after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.
China has claimed neutrality throughout the war in Ukraine, but has faced accusations from the West of backing Russia’s aggression by buying Russian oil and exporting dual-use equipment.
“That’s why China is very careful not to be seen as part of the discussions,” said Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, a visiting fellow at the Martens Centre think tank in Brussels, highlighting Beijing’s consistent efforts to project a neutral image.
“This definitely is not the perception in the West. However, it might be the perception in the Global South,” she added.
China may favor the US-authored peace proposal
Three days of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials produced no apparent breakthrough to resolve the territory disputes in the peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump.
The plan originally contained 28 points that would force Ukraine to cede large parts of its territory to Russia, cap its military size, and prevent it from joining NATO — which Kyiv found unpalatable.
Following days of negotiations, Trump told reporters he was “a little bit disappointed” that Zelenskyy had not read the US-led peace proposal and said the Ukrainian leader “isn’t ready” to sign a deal.
The Kremlin did not accept the 28-point document either, but said it was willing to take it as “the basis for a final peace settlement.” However Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned against any major softening of the deal in favor of Kyiv.
Beijing, as Moscow’s most important strategic partner, remains relatively quiet amid continuous global efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told French President Emmanuel Macron, as the two met in Beijing, that China supports “all efforts aimed at reaching a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement that is acceptable to all parties.”
China’s plan for peace in Ukraine
In 2023, China also proposed a peace plan which reflected how the country hoped the Russian invasion of Ukraine would end, but the document was criticized for lacking specific measures and failing to condemn Moscow’s aggression.
“China is interested in an end to this war, but in the kind of end that gives Russia an upper hand and satisfies Russia’s end, which is to hold on to territory that it took,” Ferenczy told DW.
Since such a deal would indicate that “an authoritarian regime can go against international law and get away with it,” she added. “That serves China’s interests.”
Implictions for China, with Taiwan in mind
A peace deal requiring Ukraine to give up territory to Russia could have major implications for the global order and international security, which Beijing is closely assessing through the lens of Taiwan.
Beijing claims the self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve “reunification.”
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both Taiwan and China have been closely monitoring how the conflict unfolds.
“The norm that we’ve had for the last 70 years in international relations is that no territorial changes by military force,” said Raymond Kuo, a senior political scientist at RAND, a US defense think tank.
A new US rule requiring H-1B and H-4 applicants to make social media public has sparked anxiety among Indians, as consulates cancel visa appointments and delays threaten jobs, travel and family plans.
A new US State Department rule has triggered deep anxiety across Indian immigrant communities.
A new US State Department rule requiring all H-1B workers/applicants and their H-4 dependents to make their social media accounts public for visa vetting — both in cases of renewal and fresh applications — has triggered deep anxiety across Indian immigrant communities, who make up the overwhelming majority of America’s high-skilled visa holders.
The policy, which takes effect December 15, comes as Indians account for more than 70 per cent of all H-1B approvals and nearly 90 per cent of H-4 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) holders, many of whom have built careers, mortgages and children’s schooling around uninterrupted legal status.
Immigration lawyers say the new mandate, which allows consular officers to review applicants’ public posts on platforms like X, Instagram and LinkedIn, has created palpable fear. Even mundane remarks, political opinions or misaligned resume details could trigger extra scrutiny.
For many, the anxiety has already turned to disruption. Tech firms with large Indian workforces are advising employees to audit social profiles, avoid sharing political memes and use professional emails on petitions.
According to a report in The Times of India, visa interview appointments across Indian consulates have been abruptly cancelled, including those at Hyderabad and Chennai. Many applicants learnt their December slots had been pushed to March 2026, leaving new hires unable to start jobs, families stranded abroad and travellers stuck after short visits home for weddings or to drop off parents.
According to the State Department, the new rule expands the online-presence review already used for students and exchange visitors. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the agency said. Applicants must now adjust all social-media profiles to public settings to allow officers to inspect them.
The department defended the policy as essential to identifying threats. “A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” the guidance says, stressing that vetting will help ensure entrants “do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests.”
US EMBASSY IN INDIA ISSUES ADVISORY
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in India on Tuesday cautioned visa applicants not to show up on their old interview dates if they have already been notified of a reschedule. Anyone who arrives on a previously scheduled date, officials warned, will be turned away at the gate.
In a post on X, the Embassy said: “If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate.”
Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry faced significant backlash after winking at a journalist during a press conference.
Chaudhry’s response included labeling Khan a “zehni mareez” (mental patient) before the wink went viral online.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has drawn sharp criticism after he appeared to wink at journalist Absa Komal during a press briefing. The moment came right after she questioned him about the military’s allegations against jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Speaking about allegations levelled against Khan, such as him being a “national security threat”, “anti-state”, and acting “at the hands of Delhi”, she asked, “How is it different from the past, or should we expect any development in the future?”
In response, Chaudhry added a “fourth accusation” and called Khan a “zehni mareez” (mental patient), before smiling and winking at the journalist, a gesture that quickly went viral and triggered backlash online.
“And add a fourth point: he is also a zehni mareez (mental patient),” he said as he winked.
Pakistan’s Army’s DG ISPR winking at a female journalist after she questioned why they are being labelled as funded by Delhi.
This comes as the Pakistani government barred Imran Khan’s sister, Uzma Khanum, from further meetings with the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, saying she and others breached prison regulations during a recent visit.
Uzma Khanum met her brother in Adiala Jail on Tuesday after weeks of attempts, at a time when speculation about Khan’s health had been circulating. Both the government and PTI leaders have insisted the former leader is in good health, but officials had restricted family and legal visits in recent weeks, prompting concerns.
The US Embassy in India warned that any visa applicant arriving at the consulate on a previously scheduled interview date after being notified of a reschedule will be refused entry.
Interviews scheduled for mid to late December are being pushed to March next year.
The US State Department’s new social media vetting policy has triggered massive disruptions for H-1B visa applicants in India as many appointments have been postponed to next year. The US Embassy in India issued an advisory to the visa applicants on Tuesday night.
“If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” it said.
The Embassy also warned that any visa applicant arriving at the consulate on a previously scheduled interview date after being notified of a reschedule will be refused entry. “Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate,” the Embassy said.
ATTENTION VISA APPLICANTS – If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied…
Interviews scheduled for mid to late December are being pushed to March next year, Bloomberg reported. However, the exact number of reschedules is not known.
An attorney from a leading business immigration law firm, Steven Brown, said, “Mission India confirms what we have been hearing. They have cancelled a number of appointments in the coming weeks and rescheduled them for March to allow for the social media vetting.”
Mission India confirms what we have been hearing. They have cancelled a number of appointments in the coming weeks and rescheduled them for March to allow for the social media vetting. https://t.co/gjsIDxmPOX
The US government expanded screening and vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, directing them to keep the privacy settings on all their social media profiles set to “public”. Officials will review their online presence starting December 15 to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible or pose a threat to America’s national security or public safety. Students and exchange visitors were already subject to such scrutiny.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the State Department said.
Trump also criticized European nations over Ukraine, amid growing differences over a US plan to end the war that many in Europe fear will force Kyiv to hand over territory to Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.
Trump also criticised European nations amid growing differences over Ukraine.
President Donald Trump blasted Europe as “decaying” and “weak” on immigration and Ukraine in an interview published Tuesday, deepening a rift between the United States and some of its oldest allies.
Speaking to Politico, Trump also called on war-battered Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold elections despite Russia’s invasion and said that Moscow had the “upper hand.”
Trump’s comments doubled down on extraordinary criticism of top US partners in his administration’s new national security strategy last week, which recycled far-right tropes about civilizational “erasure” in Europe.
“Most European nations, they’re decaying,” Trump told Politico in the interview, conducted Monday.
The 79-year-old billionaire, whose political rise to power was built on inflammatory language about migrants, said that Europe’s policies on migrants were a “disaster.”
“They want to be politically correct, and it makes them weak. That’s what makes them weak,” Trump said, adding that there were “some real stupid ones” among Europe’s leaders.
Trump also criticised European nations over Ukraine, amid growing differences over a US plan to end the war that many in Europe fear will force Kyiv to hand over territory to Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.
“NATO calls me daddy,” Trump said, referring to comments by the military alliance’s leader Mark Rutte at a summit in June when leaders backed Trump’s call to raise defense spending.
But he added: “They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on.”
European leaders have been trying to woo Trump since his return to office in January, especially on maintaining US support for Ukraine against Russia.
Trump’s interview will intensify the alarm in European capitals sparked by the US security strategy last week, with its calls for “cultivating resistance” in Europe on migration and warnings of so-called “civilizational erasure.”
Experts have said parts of it echo elements of the “great replacement theory” promoted by the far-right — and Trump’s former ally Elon Musk — which alleges a conspiracy to replace white populations.
‘Not a democracy anymore’
In contrast to the savaging of close US allies, Russia and China got off relatively lightly in the US strategy. The Kremlin said the US document aligned with its own worldview.
A French minister, Alice Rufo, said Tuesday that the US security strategy was an “extremely brutal clarification of the ideological stance of the United States.”
In his Politico interview, Trump said countries including Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden were being “destroyed” by migration.
He also launched a new attack on “horrible, vicious, disgusting” Sadiq Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor. Khan told Politico that Trump was “obsessed” with him and said US citizens were “flocking” to live in London.
Trump also had sharp words for Ukraine and for Zelensky, in his latest seesaw in relations with the leader whom he called a “dictator without elections” in January and then berated in the Oval Office in February.
“I think it’s an important time to hold an election. They’re using war not to hold an election.” Trump said. “It gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
Elections in Ukraine were due in March 2024 but have been postponed under the imposition of martial law since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. About 20 percent of the country is under occupation.
Fresh elections were included in the draft US plan to end the war.
He also reiterated claims about Zelensky having not read the US plan. “It would be nice if he would read it. You know, a lot of people are dying,” Trump said.
Rajan claimed the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India because it did not endorse Trump’s version of events, while Pakistan “played along” and got 19 per cent.
Rajan’s remarks received backlash from social media users
The import of Russian oil was not the central reason for the Donald Trump administration’s imposition of a hefty 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods in the United States, according to former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan. A video of the senior economist has gone viral, in which he’s seen suggesting that US tariffs on India were linked to how New Delhi handled comments made by Donald Trump over the military truce with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor.
Speaking at an event at the University of Zurich, Rajan claimed the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India because it did not endorse Trump’s version of events, while Pakistan “played along” and got 19 per cent. The clip from December 4 has triggered a flood of sharp criticism, with several internet users accusing Rajan of “twisting the truth” and “undermining India” to justify US actions.
What Raghuram Rajan Said
“Russian oil wasn’t the issue… I think the central issue was more personalities, especially a personality in the White House and how they treated certain comments made by India after Trump claimed credit for stopping a conflict between India and Pakistan… Pakistan played it right…said that it was all because of Trump,” Rajan said, referring to the May conflict between India and Pakistan that took place after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
India had launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam attack, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan. The military operation resulted in a brief conflict between the two nations.
“India tried to argue that the two countries had reached an agreement without Trump … the truth is probably somewhere in between … But the net effect was that India got 50 per cent tariffs, and Pakistan got 19 per cent. I understand that there was some comment about how your leader in Switzerland tried to explain the tariffs to Trump and that didn’t go well… so we don’t know what really happened between India and the US, but hopefully in the longer run sanity prevails on all sides and we all reach reasonable deals,” he added.
Trump’s Claim And India’s Stand
At the height of the conflict with Pakistan, a ceasefire was announced on May 10. Trump has taken credit for the ceasefire, claiming his intervention ended the war. However, India has maintained that an understanding of cessation of hostilities was reached after the Pakistani military’s Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart for direct talks over the issue.
Although Pakistan initially denied the claim, it later accepted it and went ahead and nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in “recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis”.
Online Backlash
Rajan’s remarks received backlash from social media users, with several claiming India stood its ground by refusing to accept a false narrative, while Pakistan publicly credited Trump for the ceasefire.
One user wrote, “India paid higher tariffs because it refused to bow politically, prioritising national interest over appeasing global powers.”
🚨 REPORTER : India got 50% tariffs for buying Russian oil.
RAGHURAM RAJAN : “Russian oil wasn’t the issue. Pakistan credited Trump for the ceasefire, India didn’t. Pakistan has a 19% tariff, India 50%”
Ukraine is currently under martial law due to its war with Russia, which has been going on for almost four years now.
Zelensky’s remarks on holding elections in Ukraine come at a time when he is facing pressure from the United States to accept a deal formulated by the latter to bring peace in Ukraine.(AFP)
War-torn Ukraine, where last elections were held in 2019, is ready to hold fresh polls given that security can be assured, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday after his United States counterpart Donald Trump said in an interview on Monday that war in Ukraine is being used to not hold an election.
“I am ready for the elections,” Zelensky said while talking to reporters.
Ukraine is currently under martial law due to its war with Russia, which has been ongoing for almost four years now.
Zelensky said Ukrainian lawmakers have been asked to prepare “proposals regarding the possibility of amending the legislative foundations and the law on elections during martial law”, reported news agency AFP. However, he added that polls can only be held given that the security of the country can be assured and made a public plea to the United States to aid them conduct the polls along with their European allies.
“I am now asking, I declare this openly, for the United States of America to help me, possibly together with European colleagues, to ensure security for holding elections,” he said.
Zelensky’s remarks come after Trump said on Monday in an interview with Politico that he thought it was time to conduct elections in Ukraine. “…maybe Zelenskyy would win. I don’t know who would win. But they haven’t had an election in a long time. You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore,” he said.
‘No legal right of ceding territories’
Zelensky’s remarks on holding elections in Ukraine also come at a time when there’s mounting pressure on him from the United States to accept a deal formulated by the latter to bring peace in the country.
However, the US’ proposal has been viewed by Ukraine and its allies as favouring Russia more, particularly since its suggests surrendering Ukraine’s Donbas region to Russia in exchange for security guarantees which do not involve a full NATO membership
Over the last few days, Zelensky met several of his European allies to seek their support and also formulate a response for the US peace plan.
“We are working very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war. The Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the U.S. Together with the American side, we expect to swiftly make the potential steps as doable as possible,” the Ukrainian President said in a post on Tuesday.
“In the near future, we will be ready to send the refined documents to the United States,” he added.
He also said on Monday that after talks with the United States over the weekend, the latter’s original 28-point plan to bring peace in Ukraine was revised to just 20 points.
A fierce border battle between Thailand and Cambodia raged for a second day and spread to new fronts on Tuesday, as both countries accused each other of shelling civilian areas and Bangkok vowed to push on with its planned military operations.
With the neighbours trading blame for starting Monday’s renewed clashes, it was unclear how or if a fragile ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump in July could be salvaged.
Displaced people gather inside a temporary shelter amid deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Buriram province, Thailand, December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Purchase Licensing Rights
Thailand’s military said its tanks fired shells into a border casino complex being used by Cambodia’s army as a firing position and weapons storage area, while fighter jets conducted air strikes for a second day on what the air force said were strategic military targets.
Cambodia’s defence ministry said its troops had no choice but to take defensive action on Tuesday and accused Thailand of “indiscriminately and brutally targeting civilian residential areas” with artillery shells, allegations Bangkok rejected. ‘WE CAN’T STOP NOW,’ SAYS THAI PM
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ruled out dialogue and said the military had a plan that it would carry out in full.
“We can’t stop now. We’ve already given our commitment to the armed forces that they can fully carry out the planned operations. The government is providing support in every way,” Anutin told reporters.
Both countries have said they have evacuated hundreds of thousands of people from border areas. Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said nine civilians were killed since Monday and 20 seriously injured, while Thai officials said three soldiers had been killed and 29 people were injured.
The fighting is the most intense since a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery in July that marked their heaviest clashes in recent history, when at least 48 people were killed and 300,000 displaced before Trump intervened to broker a ceasefire.
Tensions have simmered since Thailand last month suspended de-escalation measures agreed at a summit and overseen by Trump, which included withdrawing troops and heavy weapons, after a Thai soldier was maimed by a landmine that Bangkok said Cambodia had recently laid. Phnom Penh rejects the allegation.
FIGHTING ON NEW FRONTS
It is unclear what triggered the latest round of hostilities and the prospects of resolution appeared dim on Tuesday, with both countries vowing to fight on and defend their sovereignty.
In an interview with Reuters, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he saw no potential for negotiations with Cambodia, adding the situation was not conducive to third-party mediation and Cambodia must stop hostilities.
“What Cambodia can do is stop what they’re doing,” he said, “and say that they’re ready to have talks.”
Fighting broke out in new locations on Tuesday along the 817-km (508-mile) border, stretching from the forested hills bordering Laos to Thailand’s coastal province of Trat, where the military said navy-led operations were under way to expel Cambodian soldiers. It said Cambodia was using artillery, rocket launchers, and bomb-dropping drones.
Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen said his country had waited 24 hours to honour the ceasefire and allow for evacuations before launching counterattacks overnight against Thai forces.
“Cambodia needs peace, but Cambodia is compelled to counterattack to defend our territory,” he said in a Facebook post, saying strong bunkers and weapons gave Cambodian forces the advantage in defending against an “invading enemy”. ‘I WANT IT TO END’
Verified videos from Cambodia showed long lines of vehicles and motorcycles leaving border areas and a thick plume of smoke in the sky after an explosion near the town of Samroang, about 21 km (13 miles) from the border.
In Thailand’s Buriram province, evacuees dozed on floor mats under large tents as others joined queues for meals and children played outside.
Laongdao Chulsri, 34, fled her home on Monday for the second time after being displaced by the last round of fighting in July.
“I want it to end. I want this to be the last fight to end it all,” she said, holding her infant son and fighting back tears.
Thailand has superior military capabilities, with armed forces that dwarf its neighbour in terms of personnel, budget and weaponry, including fighter jets that the armed forces said were carrying out air strikes on hostile positions.
Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled on Monday they will uphold the legality of Donald Trump’s firing of a Federal Trade Commission member and give a historic boost to presidential power while also imperiling a 90-year-old legal precedent.
The justices heard about 2-1/2 hours of arguments in the Justice Department’s appeal of a lower court’s decision that the Republican president exceeded his authority when he moved to dismiss Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter in March before her term was set to expire. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has backed Trump in a series of cases since he returned to the presidency in January.
REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Purchase Licensing Rights
The conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Trump administration’s arguments that tenure protections given by Congress to the heads of independent agencies unlawfully encroached on presidential power under the U.S. Constitution. The liberal justices said the administration’s view in the case would lead to a massive increase in presidential power.
U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, arguing for the administration, urged the court to overturn a Supreme Court precedent in a 1935 case called Humphrey’s Executor v. United States that has constrained presidential power by protecting the heads of independent agencies from removal. The court in recent decades has narrowed the precedent’s reach but stopped short of overturning it.
Conservative Chief Justice Roberts told Amit Agarwal, a lawyer for Slaughter, that the FTC in 1935 was far less powerful than today, suggesting the precedent is a relic of the past.
“Humphrey’s Executor is just a dried husk of whatever people used to think it was,” Roberts said of the unanimous ruling that rebuffed Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt’s attempt to fire an FTC member over policy differences despite tenure protections given by Congress.
“It was addressing an agency that had very little, if any, executive power, and that may be why they were able to attract such a broad support on the court at the time,” Roberts said. ‘CONTROL OVER EVERYTHING’
Liberal Justice Elena Kagan underscored that a ruling favoring Trump would hand the president “massive, unchecked, uncontrolled power.” Kagan emphasized that Congress has delegated significant power to federal agencies that regulate key aspects of American life and business, from finance to air traffic safety to labor relations.
“What you are left with is a president … with control over everything, including over much of the lawmaking that happens in this country,” Kagan added.
Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed concerns that letting presidents fire the heads of independent agencies would undermine issues that Congress decided should be handled by nonpartisan experts in independent agencies.
“So having a president come in and fire all the scientists, and the doctors, and the economists and the PhDs, and replacing them with loyalists and people who don’t know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States,” Jackson told Sauer.
Sauer countered that the impact would be the president “having control over the executive branch, which he must and does have under our Constitution.”
Overturning or narrowing Humphrey’s Executor would bolster Trump’s authority at a time when he already has been testing the constitutional limits of presidential powers in areas as diverse as immigration, tariffs and domestic military deployments.
After a federal judge and an appeals court ruled against Trump, the Supreme Court in September let his ouster of Slaughter take effect while agreeing to hear the administration’s appeal. INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Independent agencies are government entities whose heads have been given tenure-protected terms by Congress to keep these offices free from political interference by presidents.
The Constitution sets up a separation of powers among the U.S. government’s coequal executive, legislative and judicial branches. Sauer said the Humphrey’s Executor precedent “continues to tempt Congress to erect, at the heart of our government, a headless fourth branch insulated from political accountability and democratic control.”
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said independent agencies have existed throughout U.S. history, and challenged Sauer to explain why the court should make such a drastic change to the government’s structure.
“Neither the king, nor parliament nor prime ministers in England at the time of the founding (of the United States) ever had an unqualified removal power,” Sotomayor said, adding, “You’re asking us to destroy the structure of government and to take away from Congress its ability to protect its idea that a government is better structured with some agencies that are independent.”
A 1914 law passed by Congress permits a president to remove FTC commissioners only for cause – such as inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office – but not for policy differences. Similar protections cover officials at more than two dozen other independent agencies.
Slaughter was one of two Democratic commissioners who Trump moved to fire in March from the consumer-protection and antitrust agency before her term expires in 2029. ‘COLLECTIVE WISDOM’
“We are asking the court to adhere to all of its precedents and to give effect to the collective wisdom and experience of all three branches of government,” Agarwal said. By contrast, Agarwal said, the administration is “asking you to abandon precedent after precedent, after precedent.”
Conservative justices pressed Agarwal on his contention that the president has the absolute power to fire at will only the heads of agencies that wield core presidential powers, such as presidential authority over the military, law enforcement and foreign affairs.
They also asked Agarwal to explain whether any limits exist on what Congress could do to transform executive departments into multi-member commissions like the FTC and prevent the president from firing members at will. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh expressed concern to Sauer about threatening the independence of the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank.
“How would you distinguish the Federal Reserve from agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission?” Kavanaugh asked Sauer.
Sauer acknowledged that the court has previously seemed inclined to protect the Federal Reserve’s independence. Sauer cited a May ruling allowing Trump’s firing of two Democratic members of federal labor boards in which the court’s conservatives described the Fed as possessing a unique structure and historical tradition.
“The Federal Reserve has been described as sui generis,” Sauer said, using a Latin term meaning unique. “Any issues of removal restrictions as a member of the Federal Reserve would raise their own set of unique, distinct issues, as this court said.”
Jared Kushner’s financing role in Paramount’s $108 billion bid for Warner Bros Discovery injects Trump-family interests into one of the biggest media battles in years, raising concerns over whether the president’s influence could tip the scales.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O), opens new tab on Monday launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O), opens new tab in a last-ditch effort to outbid Netflix (NFLX.O), opens new tab and create a media powerhouse.
Jared Kushner looks on during a swearing-in ceremony of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Paramount said its offer includes financing from Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners, along with financing from the Saudi and Qatari sovereign wealth funds and L’imad Holding Co, owned by Abu Dhabi.
Trump told reporters on Monday that he has not spoken with Kushner about Warner Bros Discovery, adding that neither Netflix nor Paramount “are friends of mine.” A day earlier, Trump said he would be involved in a decision on Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros studios and streaming assets. SUITORS TO FACE ANTITRUST SCRUTINY
Both Paramount and Netflix are likely to face intense antitrust scrutiny to ensure consumers, rivals and suppliers are not hurt by any tie-up, giving the government a big say in who ultimately buys Warner Bros Discovery.
The extent of Trump’s involvement will be another test of how far the president – whose family business interests have grown while he has been in office this year – is prepared to go in breaking conflict-of-interest norms.
“If you were teaching a class at business school on conflicts of interest, this would be Exhibit A,” said Nell Minow, chair of Portland, Maine-based ValueEdge Advisors, adding Trump should recuse himself from any involvement in the deal clearance.
Spokespeople for the White House and for Affinity Partners did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
While U.S. presidents are exempt from the federal conflict of interest law, “normally, what we see is presidents separating themselves from their own businesses and going out of their way not to be involved with their family’s businesses to not have Americans questioning their actions,” said Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
The antitrust unit of the Justice Department will review the final deal for Warner Bros Discovery to ensure it does not harm competition in the media market, while keeping consumer prices in check and ensuring that advertisers have a fair marketplace.
At least 30 people were injured after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit north-eastern Japan on Monday night, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
The quake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50km (31mi), about 80km off the coast of the Aomori region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. It prompted tsunami warnings which have now been lifted, while waves of 70cm (27in) were seen.
Some train services have been suspended and thousands of homes have been left without power as a result.
Authorities have also warned that a stronger tremor could occur in the coming days – urging the public to remain on high alert for at least a week, according to local media reports.
Addressing citizens affected by the earthquake, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said: “Reconfirm your daily earthquake preparedness, such as ensuring that you secure furniture, and prepare to evacuate immediately if you feel shaking.”
Orders were issued for about 90,000 residents to evacuate, according to Reuters news agency.
The Aomori prefectural government said around 2,700 homes have been left without power. East Japan Railway has also suspended some services along the north-eastern coast.
The Japanese government has set up a response office within the prime minister’s crisis management centre and convened an emergency team, chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara has said.
“We are making every effort to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster response measures, including rescue and relief operations,” he added.
Following the tremors, Japanese electric company Tohoku Electric Power said no irregularities were reported at its Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power plants as a result of the quake, Tohoku Electric Power said.
None were detected either at the disabled Fukushima nuclear power station site, the Japanese authorities told the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Fukushima was damaged when a magnitude 9.0 quake struck off the country’s eastern coast on 11 March 2011.
That quake, the most powerful ever recorded in Japan, triggered a tsunami which swept over the main island of Honshu, killing more than 18,000 people and wiping entire towns off the map.
This home in Aomori prefecture was among those affected by the earthquake
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
It sits on the Ring of Fire and, as a result, experiences about 1,500 earthquakes a year.
When Stephen Scheeler became Facebook’s Australia chief in the early 2010s, he was a true believer in the power of the internet, and social media, for public good.
It would herald a new era of global connection and democratise learning. It would let users build their own public squares without the traditional gatekeepers.
“There was that heady optimism phase when I first joined and I think a lot of the world shared that,” he told the BBC.
But by the time he left the firm in 2017, seeds of doubt about its work had been planted, and they’ve since bloomed.
“There’s lots of good things about these platforms, but there’s just too much bad stuff,” he surmises.
That’s no longer an uncommon view as scrutiny of the largest social media companies has increased around the globe. A lot of it has centred on teenagers, who have emerged as a lucrative market for incredibly wealthy global firms – at the expense of their mental health and wellbeing, according to critics.
Various governments, from the state of Utah to the European Union, have been experimenting with limiting children’s use of social media.
But the most radical step so far is set to unfold in Australia – a ban for under-16s that kicks in on 10 December has left tech companies scrambling.
Many of the social media firms affected have spent a year loudly protesting against the new law, which requires them to take “reasonable steps” to keep underage users from having accounts on their platforms.
They have claimed this ban actually risks making children less safe, argued it impinges on their rights, and repeatedly pointed to the questions around the tech that will be used to enforce the policy.
“Australia is engaged in blanket censorship that will make its youth less informed, less connected, and less equipped to navigate the spaces they will be expected to understand as adults,” said Paul Taske from NetChoice, a trade group representing several big tech companies.
The worry inside the industry is that Australia’s ban – the first of its kind – may inspire other countries.
“It could become a proof of concept that gains traction around the world,” says Nate Fast, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.
Whistleblowers, lawsuits and questions
(L-R) Jason Citron, CEO of Discord, Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta at a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing in January
In recent years, multiple whistleblowers and lawsuits have claimed that social media firms are prioritising profits over user safety.
In January, a landmark trial will begin in the US hearing allegations that several – including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube – have designed their apps to be addictive and knowingly covered up the harm their platforms cause. All deny this, but Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Snap boss Evan Spiegel have both been ordered to testify in person.
The case consolidates hundreds of claims from parents and school districts, and is among the first to advance from a flood of similar lawsuits which allege social media contributes to poor mental health and child exploitation.
In another ongoing case, state prosecutors alleged that Zuckerberg personally scuttled efforts to improve the wellbeing of teens on the company’s platforms, including vetoing a proposal to ditch Instagram face-altering beauty filters which experts say fuel body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
Former Meta employees Sarah Wynn-Williams, Frances Haugen and Arturo Béjar have given testimony before the US Congress alleging a range of wrongdoing they observed during their stints at the company.
Meta maintains the company has worked diligently to create tools that keep teens safe online.
But the broader industry has also recently been taken to task over mis- and disinformation, hate speech and violent content.
Graphic footage of the assassination of Charlie Kirk was rapidly spread on various platforms, even confronting people who were not seeking it out. Elon Musk has sued states in the US over laws that require social media firms, including X, to define and disclose how they fight hate speech online. And Meta was heavily criticised earlier this year after announcing it was getting rid of factcheckers who monitor its platforms for misinformation.
A rare bipartisan front has emerged among American lawmakers eager to cut tech bosses down to size.
During a hearing last year, Zuckerberg was prodded by one to apologise to bereaved families who had come to watch in person. Among those in the audience was Tammy Rodriguez, whose 11-year old daughter Selena took her life after facing sexual exploitation on Instagram and Snapchat.
“This is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer,” Zuckerberg said.
Public scrutiny and private lobbying
However, there’s widespread criticism from many experts, lawmakers and parents – even kids – who feel social media companies are hiding from genuine action and accountability on these issues.
As Australia’s social media ban was considered, then formulated, the firms had little to say publicly.
“Hiding from the public discourse… it just breeds more suspicion and more distrust,” Mr Scheeler says.
Privately though, many were seeking to bend the government’s ear. Spiegel personally sat down with Australia’s Communications Minister Anika Wells. She also claimed YouTube had sent globally renowned children’s entertainers The Wiggles to lobby on their behalf.
In carefully worded public statements, several of the firms have tried to push responsibility elsewhere. Meta and Snap both said operators of the major app stores – namely Apple and Google – should take on age verification duties.
And many argued government is overstepping. Parents know best, they say, and they should decide what makes sense for their teens when it comes to social media use.
Along with a higher age limit of 16, Australia is the first jurisdiction to deny an exemption for parental approval in a policy like this – making its laws the world’s strictest.
“While we’re committed to meeting our legal obligations, we’ve consistently raised concerns about this law… There’s a better way: legislation that empowers parents to approve app downloads and verify age allows families – not the government – to decide which apps teens can access,” a statement from Meta provided to the BBC said.
Asked why her government was unsympathetic to this reasoning – why anything short of a ban was unacceptable – Wells said the tech companies have had plenty of time to improve their practices.
“They have had 15, 20 years in this space to do that of their own volition now, and… it’s not enough.”
Leaders in other countries feel the same, and have been knocking on her door for help, she says, rattling off the EU, Fiji, Greece, even Malta, as examples.
Denmark and Norway have already begun work on similar laws, and Singapore and Brazil are watching closely too.
“We’re pleased to be the first, we’re proud to be the first, and we stand ready to help any other jurisdiction who seeks to do these things,” Wells said.
Too little, too late?
As the Australia ban loomed, the mounting pressure prompted the companies to introduce versions of their products marketed as safer for young users, said Pinar Yildirim, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
Australia, after all, is a major market for social platforms. At parliamentary hearings in October Snapchat said it believed it had about 440,000 account users in the country aged between 13 and 15. TikTok said it had about 200,000 under-16 accounts and Meta said it had about 450,000 between Facebook and Instagram.
Experts say they are also eager to ensure they don’t lose others in even larger markets around the world.
In July, YouTube announced the rollout of AI technology that estimates a user’s age in a bid to identify those younger than 18 and better shield them from harmful content.
Snapchat has special accounts for children which it says put safety and privacy settings on by default for users between the ages of 13 and 17.
And last year, Meta unveiled Instagram Teen accounts which similarly place users younger than 18 into more restricted privacy and content settings that Meta says are designed to limit unwanted contacts and exposure to explicit content. This development was accompanied by a massive marketing blitz in the US.
“If they create a more protected environment for these users, the thinking is, that may reduce some of the damage,” Yildirim said.
Yet critics aren’t satisfied. Béjar, one of the Meta whistleblowers, led a study published in September that found almost two thirds of the new safety tools on Meta’s Instagram Teen accounts were ineffective.
“The key issue here is that Meta and other social media companies aren’t substantively addressing the harm we know teens are experiencing,” Béjar told the BBC.
Forced onto the defensive, the companies have attempted to convey that they are making a good faith effort to comply with Australia’s impending ban despite their disagreement with it.
But analysts say they’ll be hoping the hurdles – which include legal challenges, technology loopholes for kids, and any unintended consequences of the ban – could bolster the case against such moves in other nations.
And the companies “have a fair bit of influence in how smoothly things go”, Professor Fast points out.
“[They] have an incentive to walk the very fine line about complying, but making sure that they don’t comply so good that all the rest of the other countries go, ‘Great, that works. Let’s do the same’,” Mr Scheeler agrees.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has picked a controversial rapper who did seven years in state prison for armed robbery to advise him on the criminal justice system, The Post has learned.
Mysonne Linen, 49, a Bronx convict-turned-activist who was found guilty of two felony heists in the late 1990s, was appointed by the democratic socialist to sit on his mayoral transition’s “criminal legal system” committee — just one of many questionable picks.
“This is a testament to our decades of work advocating on behalf of black and brown communities and our expertise in gun violence prevention, legislative advocacy and criminal justice reform,” Linen boasted on Instagram last month after the position was announced. “We are building something different.”
Mysonne Linen, 49, had a promising rap career when he was convicted of armed robbery in 1999 in the Bronx. Getty Images
Linen was a promising young rapper when he was convicted in 1999 for being part of a crew that robbed two cab drivers in the Bronx, the New York Daily News reported at the time.
The conviction came just as Linen’s debut album was due for release by Def Jam Recordings.
Bronx prosecutors said his crew pulled off the June 8, 1997, robbery of taxi driver Joseph Eziri, and the March 31, 1998, gunpoint theft from cabbie Francisco Monsanto, according to the News.
According to officials at the state Department of Correction and Community Renewal, Linen was hit with a sentence of seven to 14 years and was sprung on parole on July 5, 2006.
Linen, who had faced up to 25 years behind bars, continued to deny he was involved and rebranded himself as a community activist following his release from state prison.
He spent years volunteering as a so-called violence interrupter and also founded Rising Kings, a non-profit group that teaches classes to inmates at Rikers Island.
Linen also partnered up with anti-Israel activist and adviser of Mamdani, Linda Sarsour, to found the group Until Freedom, a social justice activism organization.
Critics slammed his appointment to the 20-member “Committee on the Criminal Legal System,” which will advise Mamdani on criminal justice policies.
“It is both disheartening and deeply disturbing that individuals who are convicted felons and have a history of breaking the law are being given the opportunity to help shape the future of New York’s criminal justice system,” said Benny Boscio, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association.
“The men and women who risk their lives every day to enforce the law have been shut out from this process entirely.”
Recently retired NYPD Chief of Department John Chell said Linen’s appointment was par for the course for the democratic socialist, who has made a slew of contentious picks to his 17 transition committees.
“It’s just another appointed adviser that has a questionable past, which is in line with some of his other recent appointees who were anti-police and establishment,” Chell said.
“The optics and reality here point to a potential erosion of public safety in New York City.”
Former Maryland Department of Juvenile Services boss Vincent Schiraldi, who resigned under pressure amid claims of shoddy oversight and contract mismanagement at the agency, was named to the same committee as Linen last month.
Both Linen’s name and the one of another controversial appointee — Lumumba Bandele, on the “Committee on Community Organizing” — were misspelled in the official Nov. 24 announcement from Mamdani’s team.
Bandele, a black nationalist and the leader of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, has rallied behind cops killers in the past, including Assata Shakur and Herman Bell.
He was among the 400 staffers named to the various Mamdani transition committees — with other controversial appointments including:
Brooklyn College sociology professor Alex Vitale, who authored a 2017 anti-cop book that decried NYPD “broken windows” policing and warned of ingrained racism in the NYPD ranks, named the 26-member “Committee on Community Safety.”
Radical Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, co-director of the Alliance for Quality Education and a far-left activist who will serve on Mamdani’s “Committee on Youth & Education.” Shaakir-Ansari also praised Shakur, the convicted cop-killer who fled a life sentence and was granted asylum in Cuba, where she died in September.
Ben Furnas, the car-hating head of Transportation Alternatives, whose agenda includes plans to all but shut traffic down with bizarre proposals that would freeze the city, named to the “Committee on Transportation, Climate, & Infrastructure.”
Susan Herman, director of former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s failed $1 billion ThriveNYC, which promised to help New York’s homeless mentally ill but allegedly did little more than rip off taxpayers, will also serve on the “Committee on Community Safety.”
Finally, Mamdani included his New York City Democratic Socialists of America pals, particularly co-chairs Gustavo Gordillo and Grace Mausser, who helped shape the far-left agenda.
Gordillo was named to the economic development and workforce development committee, while Mausser was tapped for the committee on small businesses and Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise.
But Linen’s appointment by Mamdani, whose anti-cop and anti-Israelrhetoric ruffled feathers during the mayoral campaign, has raised new concerns as the former state lawmaker from Queens prepares to take over as mayor next month.
It’s Andean Jurassic Park. In Toro Toro, Bolivia thousands of footprints of gigantic, two-legged dinosaurs have been documented. (AP/Carlos Guerrero, Victor R. Caivano)
Legend once had it that the huge, three-toed footprints scattered across the central highlands of Bolivia came from supernaturally strong monsters — capable of sinking their claws even into solid stone.
Then scientists came here in the 1960s and dispelled children’s fears, determining that the strange footprints in fact belonged to gigantic, two-legged dinosaurs that stomped and splashed over 60 million years ago, in the ancient waterways of what is now Toro Toro, a village and popular national park in the Bolivian Andes.
Now, a team of paleontologists, mostly from California’s Loma Linda University, have discovered and meticulously documented 16,600 such footprints left by theropods, the dinosaur group that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex. Their study, based on six years of regular field visits and published last Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, reports that this finding represents the highest number of theropod footprints recorded anywhere in the world.
“There’s no place in the world where you have such a big abundance of (theropod) footprints,” said Roberto Biaggi, a co-author of the study led by Spanish paleontologist Raúl Esperante. “We have all these world records at this particular site.”
Prints record dinosaur behavior — including attempts to swim
The dinosaurs that ruled the earth and roamed this region also made awkward attempts to swim here, according to the study, scratching at what was squishy lake-bottom sediment to leave another 1,378 traces.
They pressed their claws into the mud just before water levels rose and sealed their tracks, protecting them from centuries of erosion, scientists said.
“The preservation of many of the tracks is excellent,” said Richard Butler, a paleontologist at the University of Birmingham who was not involved in the research. He said that, to his knowledge, the number of footprints and trackways found in Toro Toro had no precedent.
“This is a remarkable window into the lives and behaviors of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous,” Butler added, referring to the period around 66 million years ago at the end of which an asteroid impact abruptly extinguished all dinosaurs and 75% of living species along with them, according to scientists.
Footprints face preservation threats
Although they’ve survived for millions of years, human life has threatened these traces. For decades, farmers threshed corn and wheat on the footprint-covered plateaus. Nearby quarry workers didn’t think much of the formations as they blasted rock layers for limestone. And just two years ago, researchers said, highway crews tunneling through hillsides nearly wiped out a major site of dinosaur tracks before the national park intervened.
Such disturbances may have something to do with the area’s striking absence of dinosaur bones, teeth and eggs, experts say. For all of the footprints and swim traces found across Bolivia’s Toro Toro, there are virtually no skeletal remains of the sort that litter the peaks and valleys of Argentine Patagonia and Campanha in Brazil.
But the lack of bones could have natural causes, too. The team said the quantity and pattern of tracks — and the fact they were all found in the same sediment layer — suggest that dinosaurs didn’t settle in what is now Bolivia as much as trudge along an ancient coastal superhighway stretching from southern Peru into northwest Argentina.
The range in footprint sizes indicated that giant creatures roughly 10 meters (33 feet) tall moved in a herd with tiny theropods the size of a chicken, 32 centimeters (1 foot) tall at the hip.
In presenting a snapshot of everyday behavior footprints “reveal what skeletons cannot,” said Anthony Romilio, a paleontologist at the University of Queensland in Australia who also did not participate in the study. Just from footprints, researchers can tell when dinosaurs strolled or sped up, stopped or turned around.
A CERTAIN group of Americans are slated to receive one-time payments from the federal government via a new assistance program.
Dubbed the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, the checks will go out in an effort to lend a financial helping hand to farmers impacted by the ongoing trade war with our country’s top economic partners.
President Donald Trump has announced that one-time payments will be handed out to a certain group of AmericansCredit: Getty
The Trump administration will hand out a $12 billion aid package to farmers using funds from US tariff revenues, the president revealed during a roundtable event at the White House on Monday where members of the farming community were present.
The president called farmers “the backbone of our country,” saying that the economic assistance is intended to provide much-needed certainty to US farmers.
Many have struggled to sell their crops while also facing rising costs in the wake of Trump’s move to increase tariffs in China.
Up to $11 billion of the package’s total allotment will go to the USDA’s new Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which will distribute one-time checks to American row crop farmers, including those growing soybeans, corn, cotton, and other crops, a White House representative told CNBC.
The leftover $1 billion will be set aside as the Department of Agriculture evaluates changing market conditions, per the government official.
The administration views the impending checks as “bridge payments” that will provide aid to farmers in the transition period between the country switching over from former President Joe Biden’s economic agenda to Trump’s current policies.
“Farmers suffered for years under Joe Biden, who increased the United States’ trade deficit to over $1.2 trillion, raised input costs, pushed woke DEI agricultural policies, and more,” the White House spokesperson told CNBC prior to Monday’s aid announcement.
“In contrast, President Trump is helping our agriculture industry by negotiating new trade deals to open new export markets for our farmers and boosting the farm safety net for the first time in a decade,” said the representative.
“Today’s announcement reflects the President’s commitment to helping our farmers, who will have the support they need to bridge the gap between Biden’s failures and the President’s successful policies taking effect.”
Many in our country’s agriculture industry, however, have cast blame for their struggles on the ongoing trade war, particularly the conflicts with China, one of the US’ biggest trade partners.
China stopped purchasing US soybeans for several months, including the key harvest season starting in the fall, due to trade tensions and tariffs between the two countries.
Prior to Trump’s announcement of the $12 billion aid package for farmers, Democratic lawmakers bashed his administration for the way it framed the payments.
DONALD TRUMP has sensationally revealed that there could be up to NINE title fights on the UFC’s proposed White House card.
The US President is set to host a historic event at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on June 14 to celebrate America’s 250th year of Independence.
The UFC are set to hold a historic card at the White House nextCredit: EPA
UFC supremo Dana White has teased an epic card befitting the magnitude of the occasion.
And President Trump, a long-time pal of White’s, has claimed up to nine of the eleven UFC titles could be contested for in the shadow of the White House.
President Trump said: “It’s gonna be June 14 next year.
“They’re building an arena, the great Dana White is building an arena.
“They are going to have eight or nine championship fights.
“It’s the biggest fights they’ve ever had; every fight is a championship fight.”
According to Trump, White and the UFC matchmakers are keeping certain fights on ice specifically for the event.
He said: “He’s actually holding back fights right now for six months, so he can do them on the 250th anniversary.
“I think 250 is going to be amazing. I think the arena is going to be five or six thousand seats right in front of the door of the White House.”
Trump, who turns 80 on fight night, insists the event will be unlike any other held in UFC and White House history.
He exclaimed: “I don’t think there’ll be anything like it.
“It’ll be on Sunday night, June 14, [on] Flag Day.
“It happens to be my birthday, but I didn’t do it for that reason. ‘Sir, we like the June 14 date.’
“I said, ‘Yeah, that’s my birthday.’ They didn’t know it
“But they picked it. I’ll take a little heat on that, but it’s not that.”
PRESIDENT Zelensky will tomorrow present a fresh peace plan to Donald Trump following today’s talks with his European allies in London.
The Ukrainian has again rejected handing land to Putin and also made a plea to his allies for the cash needed to buy American weapons.
Trump accused Zelensky of not having read his latest peace proposalCredit: EPA
Zelensky was at 10 Downing Street to meet Keir Starmer and the leaders of France and Germany on Monday, who rallied around him in the face of Trump’s shaky-looking support.
They gathered amid American efforts to hurry a peace deal over the line – which have reached a “critical stage”, according to Starmer.
After the US and Russia produced a 28-point peace deal last month, European leaders swiftly set to work crafting a more balanced counter proposal.
Talks have also been ongoing between the US and Ukraine in a bid to agree on a revised version – which was reportedly presented to Putin last week.
On Sunday, Trump accused Zelensky of not having even read the latest version of the text, which has been kept tightly under wraps, though Ukrainian officials denied this.
Trump said: “Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelensky’s fine with it. His people love it, but he hasn’t read it.”
After talks with Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, Zelensky confirmed they had been working on a further update to the 20-point proposal.
He said the revision could be ready for delivery to Trump as early as Tuesday evening.
On Sunday, the White House said a peace deal was “really close” and was stuck on just two points: the fate of the Ukraine’s Donbas region and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Special Envoy Keith Kellog said: “If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well.”
Zelensky too signaled the demands for Ukraine to hand over land to Russia, as featured in the initial proposition, remained a problem.
He said today: “There are visions of the US, Russia and Ukraine – and we don’t have a unified view on Donbas.
“There is one question I, and all Ukrainians, want to get an answer to: if Russia again starts the war, what will our partners do?”
And he later made clear that land concessions would not feature in the proposition handed over tomorrow.
He said: “Do we envision ceding territories? We have no legal right to do so, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don’t have any moral right either.
“Russia is insisting that we give up territories, but we don’t want to cede anything. We are fighting for that, as you well know.
“There are difficult problems concerning the territories and so far there has been no compromise.”
Zelensky previously said the sides were waiting for in-person talks with Trump to tackle the thorny issue for security reasons.
Following his London meetings, Zelensky travelled to Brussels for talks with heads of Nato and the European Commission – and is later due to head to Italy.
Zelensky said that Ukrainian and European officials “are going to work on these 20 points” received from the US side in order to produce a counter proposal.
Trump later shared an article branding Europeans as “impotent”.
Reposting a New York Post opinion piece onto Truth Social, he picked out the headline: “Impotent Europeans can only fume as Trump rightly sidelines them from Ukraine deal”.
Zelensky also revealed on Monday that Ukraine is short by around £600million of the money needed to buy the US weapons it had planned to purchase this year.
He reiterated that, by next year, Ukraine would need about $11.3billion for the PURL program – which involves purchases of U.S. weapons with European money.
Germany has dismissed a US security strategy that was scathing in its assessment of Europe. Meanwhile, a new study says hundreds of children and teenagers were abused by clergy.
Chancellor Merz has always framed Germany’s security around NATO unity and the trans-Atlantic relationshipImage: Evan Vucci/AFP
Merz rows back on migration comments that caused outrage
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pulled on comments he made last month on migration in Germany, when he said the interior ministry was working on large-scale deportations.
In an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Monday evening, he said Germany needed migration.
Explaining that there were “neglected” cities which required work, he added: “It’s two parts of the same answer. We need migration, we need immigration, the entire medical sector, the care sector, many other areas.”
“Without those who come from other countries, it simply doesn’t work any more,” Merz added.
However, he went on express that those who wish to live in Germany needed to adhere to rules of the country.
“If they don’t, they must leave,” Merz said.
130 Christmas trees stolen in Cottbus
Thieves in the eastern city of Cottbus made off with some 130 Christmas trees up for sale over the weekend, the second of the Advent period.
Police say the trees were worth more than €4,000 ($4,650) in all.
The theft was first noticed and reported on Monday morning.
Prices for Christmas trees, a highly popular adornment for German sitting rooms in the festive season, can range from around €12 to €30 depending on the type of tree.
The most expensive is the Caucasian fir, which is often favored for its attractive, glossy foliage, made up of needles that are flattened and not sharp and that tend to remain on the tree even when it dries out.
German intelligence chief warns of stepped-up Russian meddling in state elections
Germany’s domestic intelligence chief Sinan Selen has warned that Russia is likely to intensify disinformation efforts next year, particularly as several state elections approach.
Selen described “very strong interactions” between developments in Ukraine and the hybrid threats facing Europe, calling them “communicating vessels.” Understanding events in Ukraine, he said, was essential to gauging the threat scenarios Germany and Europe may face.
In his speech at the symposium “Turning point — what now? The role of the BfV in Germany’s security architecture”, Selen said Europe is being attacked “here and now: hybrid, virtual, analog.” Russia, he added, is “undoubtedly aggressive, offensive and escalatory” as a hybrid actor.
Speaking on the sidelines of the symposium, Selen told the AFP news agency that elections “always play a major role” in Russian influence operations. He said Moscow could feel “encouraged” to increase pressure on Europe as the war in Ukraine evolves. “Both factors must be closely monitored,” he said.
Hostile actors, he said, exploit public overstimulation through “alarmist and shrill messages” online to stoke fear.
Germany will hold five state elections next year: Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate in March, and Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in September. Polls suggest the AfD could emerge as the strongest party in the two eastern state.
Survey finds Advent remains meaningful for most Germans
A large majority of Germans continue to see Advent as a meaningful part of the year, according to a new YouGov survey released for the Catholic KNA news agency.
The poll found that 81% attach special significance to the season, with 57% ranking decorations and candles as most important and 44% choosing Christmas markets.
About 43% placed baking cookies at the top of their list, while 41% highlighted opening an Advent calendar. Only 11% said church services or religious celebrations play a key role.
Nearly one-third still value retreat and reflection during Advent, with approval for this highest among those aged 45 to 54 at 35%. For 27%, music or singing is a central part of the season.
YouGov surveyed 15,649 adults in early December, allowing multiple responses. The results are representative of Germany’s population aged 18 and older.
Germany rejects Trump’s Europe attacks
The German government has rejected criticism of Europe contained in the new US national security strategy, saying it continues to view Russia as a threat to its security.
The strategy paper, published last week, criticized Europe for being over-regulated and at risk of “civilizational erasure” through immigration, while saying the US would be “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.”
German government spokesman Sebastian Hille said Berlin rejected “the sometimes critical tone directed at the EU.”
“Political freedoms, including the right to freedom of expression, are among the fundamental values of the European Union,” he said. “We see accusations in this regard as ideology rather than strategy.”
Hille added that Germany disagreed with the analysis because it did not classify Russia as a threat.
“We do not share this assessment. We stand by NATO’s joint analysis, which holds that Russia poses a danger and a threat to transatlantic security.”
However, the spokesman added that Germany was keen to work with Washington within NATO and on issues relating to Ukraine.
“In view of the major security challenges we face, transatlantic cooperation is of central importance for our shared security, now and in the future,” he said.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also pushed back against elements of the new US strategy on Friday.
Study finds hundreds of minors abused by clergy in Passau diocese
A new study has found that hundreds of children and teenagers in the Catholic Diocese of Passau were abused and mistreated by clergy over several decades.
At least 672 minors have been subjected to serious abuse by priests since 1945, according to findings released Monday by Marc von Knorring, head of the study.
Researchers identified 154 accused or convicted perpetrators at the Bavarian diocese. The three-year study was conducted by a team at the University of Passau. Bishop Stefan Oster called the findings a massive failure on the part of the Church.
Knorring said events had unfolded “that should never have happened,” adding that victims suffer the consequences for life. The study concludes that the 154 accused clergy were not solely to blame.
Certain patterns of thinking and behavior within the Church system itself, the researchers said, contributed to decisions in which “a number of bishops and vicars general, in numerous cases, placed the protection of the institution and the priesthood above the well-being of those affected.”
Report says Merz filed hundreds of insult complaints, prompting two home searches
Chancellor Friedrich Merz filed hundreds of criminal complaints for insult during his time as leader of the conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag,according to a media report.
In two cases, this was followed by police searches of the homes of the suspected authors, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported, citing documents such as lawyers’ letters and investigation files.
The insults in question on social media included terms such as “a**hole,” “filthy drunk,” and “little Nazi.” According to the report, the latter two expressions led to house searches, though in the case of “filthy drunk” a court later ruled the search unlawful.
The period in question was before Merz became the chancellor, at which point he ceased to be the parliamentary group leader.
In Germany, insulting a person can constitute a criminal offense under the criminal code, allowing authorities to investigate if the alleged victim files a complaint.
Merz’s parliamentary office “largely” confirmed the incidents, the report continued. According to the newspaper, the current Chancellor donated compensation payments and fines “in full to charitable causes in the Hochsauerland district,” where Merz’s constituency is located.
About a year ago, a house search following a criminal complaint by then-Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Green Party sparked a public debate about proportionality.
That case involved an insult using the word “idiot.” The author was later sentenced to a fine, though not for the insult itself, but for a different post with a Nazi reference. The incident was taken up particularly in right-wing circles and triggered accusations of alleged state censorship.
President Donald Trump’s announcement marks a notable shift in the US policy of restricting Chinese access to high-tech chips over concerns of military applications.
Nvidia’s CEO has been lobbying for export permissions to China [FILE: August 2025]Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFPThe United States will allow chip giant Nvidia to export its advanced artificial intellegence chips to China, US President Donald Trump said on Monday, after he reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Nvidia is currently the largest US company by market value, having quickly risen with the AI wave.
The announcement marks a notable shift in US’ tech export policy, especially for advanced AI chips. Former US President Joe Biden’s government had heavily restricted the sale of advanced chips to China over concerns of its applications in the Chinese military.
Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, saying he had informed Xi that Washington would permit Nvidia to export its H200 products to “approved customers” in China and other countries, “under conditions that allow of continued strong National Security.”
“President Xi responded positively! 25% will be paid to the United States of America,” he wrote, adding that the move would benefit US taxpayers, increase jobs and strengthen US manufacturing.
A White House spokesperson clarified that the 25% fee would be an import tax from Taiwan where the chips are made. They will be imported to the US for a security review before being exported to China.
Most advanced chips not part of the deal
The US president assured that the nation would maintain its lead in AI as US customers were already moving to the highly advanced Blackwell chips, followed by the next generation Rubin chips, “neither of which are part of this deal.”
“Offering H200 to approved customers, vetted by the Department of Commerce, strikes a thoughtful balance that is great for America,” Nvidia said in a statement. Its Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has long lobbied the White House to reverse the Biden-era policy of restricting China’s access to powerful chips.
Trump said the Department of Commerce was finalizing the details but the “same approach will apply to AMD, Intel, and other GREAT American Companies.”
Democrats sound alarm bells
Several Democrats in the US Senate reacted to the deal by issuing a statement, “calling it a colossal economic and national security failure.”
“Access to these chips would give China’s military transformational technology to make its weapons more lethal, carry out more effective cyberattacks against American businesses and critical infrastructure and strengthen their economic and manufacturing sector,” the lawmakers said.
The senators cited a recent statement by Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which said the lack of access to advanced US-designed chips was their biggest challenge in competing withe American AI companies like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and Perplexity.
Meanwhile, Washington-based Institute for Progress’ Alex Stapp, called the policy a “massive own goal,” in a football reference. He said the H200 was “6x more powerful than the H20, which was previously the most powerful chip approved for export.”
The deal’s announcement comes days after Massacheusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, alluded to a backroom arrangement between Trump and Huang which involved a donation to build the East Wing Ballroom at the White House.
“I’m asking Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta, Apple, Amazon, Union Pacific, and Comcast about their donations to Trump’s ‘Big Gold Ballroom’,” she said in a post on X.
Paramount has criticized Netflix’s offer and said its own counterbid is worth up to $18 billion in cash more. The earlier Netflix offer had also been criticized by US President Trump.
Paramount says it is also offering to buy the cable assets of Warner Bros.Image: Mario Tama/Getty Images
US production company Paramount said on Monday that it was looking to challenge Netflix’s takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery with a hostile bid of its own.
Netflix reached a $72 billion (€62 billion) takeover deal with Warner Bros. on Friday but Paramount said it would be approaching shareholders with a bid worth around $108.4 billion.
The studio claims its offer for the entire Warner Bros. Discovery is better than Netflix’s, providing shareholders with $18 billion more in cash and a more straightforward regulatory approval process.
What’s more, unlike Netflix, Paramount says it is also offering to buy the cable assets of Warner Bros., and asking shareholders to reject the Netflix bid which it says is based on an “illusory prospective valuation” of those assets.
Paramount criticized the Netflix offer, saying it “exposes WBD shareholders to a protracted multi-jurisdictional regulatory clearance process with an uncertain outcome along with a complex and volatile mix of equity and cash.”
Paramount said it had submitted six proposals to WBD over a 12-week period.
“We believe our offer will create a stronger Hollywood. It is in the best interests of the creative community, consumers and the movie theater industry,” Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison said in a statement.
“We believe they will benefit from the enhanced competition, higher content spend and theatrical release output, and a greater number of movies in theaters as a result of our proposed transaction,” he added.
What has Trump said about the deal?
US President Donald Trump also said Sunday that the Netflix deal “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share.
The president added that he would be personally involved in the federal government’s decision to approve the bid or not.
Celebrations kicked off marking the ousting of Bashar Assad after decades of his family’s rule and a 14-year conflict. But not everyone is celebrating.
Mosques in Damascus’ Old City began the day broadcasting celebratory prayers at dawn as people gathered with flagsImage: Omar Sanadiki/AP Photo/picture alliance
Thousands of Syrians on Monday took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime.
Assad fled to Russia after an Islamist-led offensive a year ago.
The Syrian capital, Damascus, is hosting a military parade and a speech by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the offensive that ousted Assad.
Al-Sharaa calls for Syrian unity
People gathered at Damascus’s landmark Umayyad Mosque for dawn prayers, raising flags and chanting slogans in celebration of the anniversary.
Al-Sharaa was also at the mosque, telling people after the prayers to get together to rebuild their country.
“The current phase requires the unification of efforts by all citizens to build a strong Syria, consolidate its stability, safeguard its sovereignty and achieve a future befitting the sacrifices of its people,” Sharaa said.
The rebel-turned-president said reconstruction efforts would extend “from north to south and east to west,” adding that his government seeks to ensure justice and support vulnerable communities.
EU declares continued support for Syria
European Council President Antonio Costa has pledged continued EU support as Syrians take “steps toward a more stable and inclusive future.”
“The EU stands with Syria, supporting a peaceful, Syrian-led process focused on justice, reconciliation and the rights of all Syrians,” Costa said on Monday.
“Challenges remain, but we are committed to political dialogue, urgent humanitarian support and Syria’s recovery and reconstruction.”
Al-Sharaa has managed to rally Western backing, not only from the EU, but also from the US. Last month, he became the first Syrian president to visit the White House since 1946.
Many countries see Syria’s stability as integral to the region’s security. Some, including Germany, also seek to have the Syrian nationals who sought refuge in their countries return to Syria, as anti-immigration politics rise.
How is Syria after the fall of Assad?
Although the fall of Assad’s regime marked a significant breakthrough in Syria, the country’s fragile transition faces challenges.
Religious minorities have come under attack several times in the past year, while Israel continues to strike Syrian territories.
Alawites, a religious minority to which the Assad family also belongs, are largely boycotting Monday’s celebrations in protest against the “oppressive” new authorities.
Donald Trump wants the US to increasingly prioritize itself over global conflicts in a stark change from recent decades. Though this is a reflection of his ‘America First’ mandate, it’s not quite as simple as that.
Donald Trump has sketched out his plans to make major changes to US foreign policyImage: Mandel Ngan/REUTERS
It’s long been a key slogan for Donald Trump, but ‘America First’ appears closer to reality than ever, after the release of a key US strategy document outlining the administration’s foreign policy.
“In everything we do, we are putting America first,” reads an introductory letter signed by the president in a recently-released 29-page document, titled ‘National Security Strategy of the United States of America.’
It sets out the US strategy as being “pragmatic without being ‘pragmatist,’ realistic without being ‘realist,’ principled without being ‘idealistic,’ muscular without being ‘hawkish,”’and restrained without being ‘dovish.’”
What is Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy?
The National Security Strategy (NSS) does not determine policy but rather sets out the government’s foreign policy vision. It can, of course, be overtaken by world events. For example, as US foreign policy expert Andrew Payne points out, the 2022 version released during Joe Biden’s tenure made no significant mention of the Middle East.
But the NSS has a clear impact on how government resources are allocated and gives foreign governments a steer on US intentions.
“Whether or not the administration itself follows the principles and priorities laid out here, it is about the best source available to policymakers overseas seeking clarity on the direction of travel of an administration that has so far been inconsistent and unpredictable,” Payne, a research director at the international affairs think tank Chatham House told DW.
What does the National Security Strategy document say?
As well as plenty of self-congratulation and a rejection of traditional US foreign policy, Trump lays out a much stronger ‘America First’ blueprint than he did in his first NSS in 2017.
“After the end of the Cold War, American foreign policy elites convinced themselves that permanent American domination of the entire world was in the best interests of our country,” the introduction states. “Yet the affairs of other countries are our concern only if their activities directly threaten our interests.”
As such, the broad strokes of the strategy are a move away from American intervention abroad, multilateralism and international bodies, and towards national self-determination, at least where that suits the US.
The NSS calls for the US to have full control of its borders, the “world’s most powerful, lethal, and technologically advanced military” and “the most dynamic, most innovative, and most advanced economy” as well as keeping a “soft power” grip across the world for its own gain.
In global terms, it calls for a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, established in 1823 and concerned with self-determination for the US amid European intervention. It references preventing “an adversarial power from dominating the Middle East” and notes that ending the Russia-Ukraine war is a key goal, along with fighting drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, while calling for other nations to take on more of the burden in global matters.
The document also says Europe faces the “prospect of civilizational erasure,” that some European countries will be “unrecognizable in 20 years or less” and questions whether they are “strong enough to remain reliable allies.”
The overall message of American isolationism is not always consistently applied. The NSS calls for US “preeminence” in the Western Hemisphere, and Latin America in particular, stating that: “We will reward and encourage the region’s governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy.”
Is this a new foreign policy direction for the US?
While these strategic goals will not necessarily become policy, the explicit stating of them marks a sea change from the NSS released by Biden in 2022. Payne said it “represents a fundamental and explicit rejection of the national security strategies that have been developed since at least the end of the Cold War,” before adding that: “It is clearest in what it is not: the traditional liberal internationalist orthodoxy that has sustained US grand strategy for decades.”
It is, naturally, closer to Trump’s last attempt in 2017. But for Dr. Rubrick Biegon, an international relations lecturer at the Universtiy of Kent in England, that’s consistent with the broader changes in his second term.
“It does seem in keeping with the kind of shifts from Trump to Trump 2.0. I think that the strategy document is closer to Trump’s idiosyncratic worldview than the 2017 one,” he told DW, adding that this was partly because “Trump is more comfortable in his position this time around and has more of his own team around him, rather than establishment figures.”
European reactions to US strategy: ‘to the right of the extreme right’
In Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed the document as “largely consistent with our vision” and a “positive step.”
Others in Europe were considerably more troubled. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt said the document “places itself to the right of the extreme right”.
The reaction from active European politicians has generally been to downplay the document. This is despite it doubling down on Trump’s attacks on Europe at his UN speech earlier this year when he said: “Europe is in serious trouble. They have been invaded by a force of illegal aliens like nobody has ever seen before.”
Google’s new Gemini 3 model challenges OpenAI’s dominance in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race. As rivals invest billions and competition grows, OpenAI faces pressure to innovate — and finally turn a profit.
ChatGPT was the world’s most popular AI app by active monthly users in October 2025. Gemini ranked 5th, and three Chinese models fell in betweenImage: Jaque Silva/NurPhoto/picture alliance
According to media reports, OpenAI plans to unveil a new artificial-intelligence reasoning model this week that is reportedly surpassing Google’s latest, most advanced family of AI models, Gemini 3.
Online tech magazine The Decoder cites industry insiders who claim the launch is intended to counter Google’s recent advances in state-of-the-art reasoning, deep multimodal understanding of text, images and video, as well as Gemini 3’s powerful coding capabilities.
Google’s parent company Alphabet introduced Gemini 3 in November, boasting benchmark results that surpassed OpenAI’s flagship model ChatGPT in key categories.
The outcome rattled OpenAI, which has been viewed as the industry front-runner since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022 transformed public awareness of generative AI and briefly left competitors scrambling.
Now, OpenAI’s lead is no longer assured.
A ‘code red’ moment for OpenAI
The reaction inside OpenAI has been urgent, with CEO Sam Altman reportedly declaring a “code red” in an internal message, instructing teams to focus on improving the quality of ChatGPT and delaying other products as a result, according to the memo cited by the US business newspaper The Wall Street Journal.
“We’ve reached a point where it’s not only about having the best model, but also about access to computing power and the ability to turn that technology into revenue,” Adrian Cox, an analyst at Deutsche Bank Research, told DW.
OpenAI gained an early edge thanks to a period in which its models outperformed any alternatives, he added, but competitors are quickly closing the gap — and many are backed by companies with enormous distribution networks and cloud infrastructure.
“Models like Gemini benefit from being tightly integrated into products that already reach huge online audiences, along with access to vast data-center capacity,” said Cox.
According to Altman, ChatGPT attracts more than 800 million weekly users. But Alphabet can deploy Gemini directly within Google Search, its most profitable product.
The Gemini app already reaches more than 650 million monthly users, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on Google’s blog, adding that more than 70% of its cloud customers are using AI tools.
“[Thirteen] million developers have built with our generative models, and that is just a snippet of the impact we’re seeing,” he wrote on November 18.
OpenAI still not carving a profit
While Google generates revenue across a wide portfolio of operations, OpenAI must monetize its AI models directly. It currently relies on premium ChatGPT subscriptions and enterprise licensing. Microsoft, a major shareholder, also pays to embed OpenAI technology into its products.
Even so, Altman has acknowledged the company is not yet profitable.
OpenAI does not disclose financials. But according to Cox, investors were told over the summer that 2030 could be the first profitable year for OpenAI.
HSBC analysts take a dimmer view, as the British financial newspaper, Financial Times, reported recently. The bank projects revenue could reach $213 billion (€182 biilion) by 2030 — but still this would likely result in a loss of more than $70 billion due to soaring infrastructure costs.
Massive AI investment needs
Training and running cutting-edge AI systems demand huge outlays for data-center capacity.
Google plans to invest up to $93 billion in AI this year alone, with “significant increases” earmarked for the years to come. The fourth-quarter revenue of its parent Alphabet exceeded $100 billion, fueled largely by advertising and growing cloud demand.
Google also has a hardware advantage, as its proprietary AI chips support model training inside company-owned data centers, thus avoiding purchases of more expensive semiconductors from AI-chip market leader Nvidia.
Facebook’s parent company Meta has reportedly expressed interest in using Google’s processors for its own AI infrastructure.
Given those strengths, Adrian Cox sees “a very high probability” Google will have the leading model at least into next year — not OpenAI. OpenAI’s priority, he said, is identifying a business model capable of funding a user base that could soon approach a billion people per week.
“It’s uncertain how that will work in practice. Subscription revenues alone may not be enough to cover costs,” he said, noting the company is exploring other revenue streams.
Competition widens beyond Big Tech
Meanwhile, the race for AI leadership is no longer limited to the two Silicon Valley contenders. “Competition has intensified significantly since 2022. We now see strong challengers for the best model like Anthropic alongside established companies like Google,” Cox said.
Open-source models from the US, China, and Europe — including from European startup Mistral — are also gaining traction. These systems are smaller and cheaper than OpenAI’s offerings, designed for targeted applications rather than broad capability.
“Customers today have a very wide range of options — from highly advanced models to lightweight, fast, cost-efficient open-source systems,” said Cox, and added that forthcoming ChatGPT-5 may be the most versatile model currently in development, but its complexity makes it “expensive to operate and less tailored to specific user groups.”
Additionally, China’s AI companies are also pushing forward. In September, search-engine provider Baidu unveiled its DeepSeek model, claiming performance on par with ChatGPT-5 and Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro.
Reddit mascot Snoo rings the opening bell as Reddit begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York on Mar 21, 2024. (File photo: AFP/Timothy A Clary)
Online discussion site Reddit on Tuesday (Dec 9) condemned Australia’s imminent social media ban for under-16s as “legally erroneous” but said it would comply with the landmark crackdown.
Australia’s world-first legislation comes into effect on Dec 10, curbing the globe’s most popular social media platforms and websites, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.
US-based Reddit was one of the few remaining firms to say whether or not it would fall into line.
“While we disagree about the scope, effectiveness, and privacy implications of this law, as of Dec 10, we’re making some changes in line with these requirements,” the company said in a statement.
Reddit said it could not confirm local media reports that it was mulling a last-ditch legal challenge against the restrictions.
But it said the law would be a mistake.
“By limiting account eligibility and putting identity tests on internet usage, this law undermines everyone’s right to both free expression and privacy, as well as account-specific protections,” it said.
“We also believe the law’s application to Reddit – a pseudonymous, text-based forum overwhelmingly used by adults – is arbitrary, legally erroneous, and goes far beyond the original intent of the Australian Parliament, especially when other obvious platforms are exempt.”
Social media companies face fines of A$49.5 million (US$32 million) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply with the legislation.
KEEN INTEREST
Reddit said it would use an “age-prediction model” to weed out young users – and that all those deemed to be under 16 would be suspended.
It also said it would roll out enhanced safety features across the globe for all users under 18.
Hundreds of thousands of adolescents are expected to be impacted by the ban, with Instagram alone reporting about 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15.
Some popular apps and websites such as Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp are exempt, but the list remains under review.
Australia expects rebellious teens will do their best to skirt the laws. Guidelines warn they might try to upload fake IDs or use AI to make their photos appear older.
The announcement marks a significant shift in US export policy for advanced AI chips, which Joe Biden’s administration had heavily restricted over national security concerns about Chinese military applications.
The Nvidia logo is displayed on a building at Nvidia headquarters on Aug 27, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (File photo: Getty Images via AFP/Justin Sullivan)
President Donald Trump said on Monday (Dec 8) he had reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping to allow US chip giant Nvidia to export advanced artificial intelligence chips to China.
The announcement marks a significant shift in US export policy for advanced AI chips, which Joe Biden’s administration had heavily restricted over national security concerns about Chinese military applications.
Democrats in Congress quickly dismissed the shift as a huge mistake that will help the Chinese military and economy.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had informed Xi that Washington would permit Nvidia to ship its H200 products to “approved customers in China, and other countries, under conditions that allow for continued strong National Security”.
“President Xi responded positively! US$25 per cent will be paid to the United States of America,” Trump wrote, without providing further details on how the payment mechanism would work.
Trump criticised his predecessor’s approach, saying it “forced our Great Companies to spend BILLIONS OF DOLLARS building ‘degraded’ products that nobody wanted, a terrible idea that slowed Innovation, and hurt the American Worker”.
This referred to the previous administration’s requirement for chip companies to create modified, less powerful versions specifically for the Chinese market.
These chips had reduced capabilities – lower processing speeds, for example – to comply with export control regulations.
Under Biden-era restrictions, the H200 and similar advanced chips were blocked from export to China.
“We applaud President Trump’s decision to allow America’s chip industry to compete to support high-paying jobs and manufacturing in America,” an Nvidia spokesperson told AFP.
“Offering H200 to approved commercial customers, vetted by the Department of Commerce, strikes a thoughtful balance that is great for America.”
NOT BLACKWELL
The president said his decision aims to “support American Jobs, strengthen US Manufacturing, and benefit American Taxpayers”.
Trump emphasised that Nvidia’s most advanced chips – the Blackwell series and forthcoming Rubin processors – are not included in the agreement and remain available only to US customers.
The H200s are roughly 18 months behind the company’s state-of-the-art offerings.
The chips – graphic processing units or GPUs – are used to train the AI models that are the bedrock of the generative AI revolution launched with the release of ChatGPT in 2022.
The Commerce Department is finalising implementation details, with Trump saying “the same approach will apply to AMD, Intel, and other GREAT American Companies”.
The announcement comes amid trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, as the two compete for dominance in artificial intelligence technology.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang lobbied the White House intensely to reverse the Biden-era policy despite considerable opposition in Washington to giving Chinese companies access to powerful chips.
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, attributed the deal to a “backroom meeting” with Trump and Huang’s company’s donation to build the East Wing ballroom at the White House.
She said this would “turbocharge China’s military and undercut American technological leadership”.
She and other senior Democrats in the Senate issued a separate statement calling Trump’s decision “a colossal economic and national security failure”.
This comes after US farmers urged tougher action, arguing that subsidised rice imports are battering US markets and pushing domestic prices down. Donald Trump vowed to “take care” of the issue and pressed officials to identify countries accused of undercutting US markets.
US President Donald Trump (Photo: Reuters)
US President Donald Trump signalled that his administration is ready to consider fresh tariffs on agricultural imports, including Canadian fertiliser and Indian rice, as he confronted farmers’ complaints about cheap foreign goods undercutting US producers, according to Bloomberg.
Speaking at the White House roundtable meeting to unveil a $12 billion bailout package for American farmers, Trump said the government would investigate claims that countries are dumping low-priced rice into the American market.
Farmers at the table pressed Trump to take a harder line, arguing that subsidised rice imports are battering US markets and pushing domestic prices down. Trump replied that they’re cheating and suggested tariffs could follow. He also hinted that fertiliser imported from Canada may be next, saying severe duties were on the table to boost US production.
TRUMP ASKS FARMERS WHICH COUNTRIES TO TARIFF NEXT
CEO of Louisiana-based Kennedy Rice Mill, Meryl Kennedy, told Trump that India, Thailand and China were among the top culprits, noting that Chinese shipments were going into Puerto Rico rather than the mainland. “We haven’t shipped rice to Puerto Rico in years,” said Kennedy, adding that “us in the South are really struggling”.
“The tariffs are working, but we need to double down,” Meryl Kennedy said.
“You want more?” Trump asked incredulously.
“They shouldn’t be dumping,” he told farmers gathered for a roundtable. He then asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to write down the countries cited by farmers as sources of unfair competition.
As Kennedy began outlining how India could be propping up its rice industry with unlawful subsidies, Trump cut in before he could finish. “Give me the countries if you could? Go ahead. India, who else? Mark it down, Scott,” the US President said.
The Treasury Secretary again listed India, Thailand and China as the “main culprits,” and added, “But there’s others too and we can get you a full list.” Trump responded by assuring the group that he would “take care” of the matter quickly.
Bloomberg reported that both Canada and India have been pushing for trade agreements to steady their economic ties with the United States, but negotiators have struggled to make real headway.
In August, Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, saying the move was meant to punish New Delhi for its trade barriers and continued purchases of Russian oil.
US DELEGATION TO VISIT INDIA TO DISCUSS TARIFFS
A senior delegation from the US Trade Representative’s office, led by Deputy USTR Rick Switzer, is set to resume trade discussions with India this week. The two sides will meet on December 10 and 11 to take up a wide range of issues as they try to push the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) forward.
Japan said on Sunday that Chinese fighter jets had aimed their radar at Japanese military aircraft in two “dangerous” incidents near Japan’s Okinawa islands, an account Beijing disputed.
“These radar illuminations are a dangerous act that went beyond what is necessary for the safe flight of aircraft,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters, adding that Japan had lodged a protest with China over Saturday’s “extremely regrettable” incident.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, meeting with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Tokyo, said Japan would respond “resolutely and calmly” to China’s conduct in order to maintain regional peace and stability.
But a Chinese navy spokesperson, Colonel Wang Xuemeng, said Japanese aircraft had repeatedly approached and disrupted the Chinese navy as it was conducting previously announced carrier-based flight training east of the Miyako Strait.
CHINA-JAPAN TIES STRAINED OVER TAIWAN
The encounters near islands claimed by both Japan and China are the most serious run-ins between the two militaries in years and are likely to further escalate tension between the two East Asian powers.
Relations have soured in the past month since Takaichi warned that Japan could respond to any Chinese military action against Taiwan if it also threatened Japan’s security.
Directing a radar beam at another aircraft is a threatening step because it signals a potential attack and may force the targeted plane to take evasive action. Japan did not say whether the Chinese had locked on their planes or how Japan’s aircraft responded.
Wang, in a statement on official social media channels, countered that Japan’s statement was erroneous and its actions had seriously endangered flight safety.
“We solemnly demand that the Japanese side immediately stop slandering and smearing and strictly restrain front-line actions,” Wang said. “The Chinese Navy will take necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely safeguard its own security and legitimate rights and interests.”
Australia’s Marles, at a press conference with Koizumi after discussions on deepening defence cooperation, said, “We are deeply concerned by the actions of China in the last 24 hours. We will continue to work with Japan and stand with Japan in upholding that rules-based order.”
As China-Japan tensions over Taiwan have mounted, Beijing advised its citizens not to travel to Japan and paused plans to restart seafood imports suspended after Japan released treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan and has ramped up military and political pressure against the island, whose government rejects Beijing’s territorial claims. Taiwan lies just 110 km (70 miles) from Japan’s westernmost island, Yonaguni.
Japan hosts the biggest overseas concentration of U.S. military power, including warships, aircraft and thousands of U.S. Marines in Okinawa.
J-15 fighters from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier, South China Sea, January 2, 2017. REUTERS/Mo Xiaoliang. FILE PHOTO Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Japan’s claims about China’s use of its radar.
TRUMP SILENT, CHINA STEPS UP MILITARY ACTIVITY
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass has publicly expressed support for Japan in several social media posts since the diplomatic dispute began, but President Donald Trump and other senior U.S. officials have remained silent.
The Trump administration said in a strategy document on Friday that it aims to prevent conflict with China over Taiwan and the South China Sea by building up U.S. and allies’ military power.
Trump, who plans to visit Beijing next year for trade talks, telephoned Takaichi last month, urging her not to escalate the dispute, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
That call followed a conversation between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who told Trump that Taiwan’s return to China was central to Beijing’s vision for the world order, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Japan said the Chinese J-15 jets involved in the two incidents were launched from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier, which was manoeuvring south of the Okinawan islands with three missile destroyers. Japan said it scrambled F-15 fighters in response to flight operations from the Chinese carrier.
In 2013, Japan said a Chinese warship locked its radar on one of its destroyers in the East China Sea. Three years later, Beijing accused Japanese jets of training their radar on Chinese fighters. In June, Japan said Chinese jets flew dangerously close to one of its patrol aircraft near Okinawa.
On Thursday, China had more than 100 naval and coast guard vessels deployed across East Asian waters at one point, Reuters reported, citing sources and intelligence reports.
Taiwan’s government described that build-up as posing a threat to the Indo-Pacific region.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s coast guard said it was monitoring drills by three Chinese maritime safety ships on the western side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line but that the situation in the waters surrounding Taiwan was “normal”.
White House border czar Tom Homan speaks to the media outside of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 14, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
White House border czar Tom Homan on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, saying the state is home to a large illegal Somali community despite local officials’ comments that the vast majority of Somalis in the U.S. are American citizens.
Homan denied, however, that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had stepped up its deportation campaign in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in response to Trump’s comments last week about Somali immigrants, whom the president called “garbage” that should be removed from the country.
Homan also said ICE agents are not targeting people based on their appearance.
“I’m not aware of what President Trump was thinking when he said that,” Homan told CNN’s “State of the Union” program. “But I agree with President Trump. From day one, he has said we are concentrated on public safety threats and national security threats.”
“We also know there’s a large illegal Somali community there, that there’s a large illegal alien community there,” he said, without providing evidence. “We’re going to arrest every illegal alien that we find there.”
U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota Somali community’s most high-profile member and a target of Trump’s ire, on Sunday reiterated her criticism of the president’s comments about Somalis.
“It’s completely disgusting,” Omar told the CBS “Face the Nation” program, echoing comments she made to Reuters, earlier this week. “These are Americans that he is calling garbage, and we feel like there is an unhealthy obsession that he has on the Somali community and an unhealthy and creepy obsession that he has with me.”
About 80,000 Somalis live in Minnesota, mostly in the Twin Cities metro region. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the vast majority are U.S. citizens.
Most Somalis born outside the United States came as refugees from Somalia’s brutal, decades-long civil war, which triggered an exodus of more than 1 million people starting in 1991. The United States began issuing visas to Somali refugees in 1992.
Trump’s immigration crackdown has largely been met with open support or side-stepping of the issue by Republicans who control the Senate and House of Representatives.
U.S. Senator John Curtis, a Utah Republican, said on Sunday that ICE operations are leading to unnecessary fear in U.S. communities.
A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
U.S. lawmakers on Sunday unveiled an annual defense policy bill authorizing a record $901 billion in national security spending next year, billions more than President Donald Trump’s request, and provides $400 million in military assistance to Ukraine.
The sweeping 3,000-page bill includes a 4% raise for enlisted troops but excludes a bipartisan effort to spur housing construction that some lawmakers had hoped to include in the final bill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said in a statement that the legislation would advance Trump’s agenda by “ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos.”
The measure is a compromise between versions of the National Defense Authorization Act passed earlier this year by the Senate and House of Representatives, both controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans.
Trump in May asked Congress for a national defense budget of $892.6 billion for fiscal year 2026, flat compared to 2025 spending. That includes funding for the Department of Defense, as well as other agencies and programs involved with security and defense.
The House bill set spending at that level, but the Senate had authorized $925 billion.
The NDAA authorizes Pentagon programs, but does not fund them. Congress must separately pass funding in a spending bill for the fiscal year ending in September 2026.
In addition to the typical NDAA provisions on purchases of military equipment and boosting competitiveness with rivals such as China and Russia, this year’s bill focuses on cutting programs reviled by Trump, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and deploying troops to the southwest U.S. border to intercept undocumented immigrants and drugs.
It also repeals two resolutions authorizing the use of military force in Iraq in 1991 and 2002.
Considered “must-pass” legislation, the massive NDAA is one of a few major pieces of legislation that Congress passes every year and lawmakers take pride in having passed it annually for more than six decades.
The bill typically emerges after Republican and Democratic lawmakers negotiate for weeks behind closed doors. But the process this year was much more partisan than usual.
President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet key European leaders in London on Monday, as Ukraine’s allies plan their response to an ongoing US push for Kyiv to accept concessions in peace talks.
The leaders of France and Germany will join Zelensky and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at No 10 as they seek to ensure any deal deters a future Russian attack.
The high-level meeting follows three days of talks in Florida, where Zelensky’s chief negotiator pushed for changes to a White House plan widely considered to accommodate central Kremlin demands.
The US and Ukraine said there was progress but US President Donald Trump appeared to criticise Zelensky on Sunday, saying he “hasn’t read” the draft.
Trump told reporters that he was “a little disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago”.
He continued: “His people love it… [Russia] would rather have the whole country when you think of it, but Russia is, I believe, fine with it – but I’m not sure that Zelensky is fine with it.”
Trump appeared to be referring to the latest draft of the proposed peace deal, which was revised in Miami following talks led by Zelensky’s new chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, and Trump’s close aides, special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Around the same time as Trump’s comments on Sunday, Zelensky said he was due to be briefed on the negotiations by Umerov either in London or Brussels, adding “some issues can only be discussed in person” as opposed to over the phone.
Zelensky added that discussions with Witkoff and Kushner were “constructive, though not easy”.
Monday’s talks in London will feature Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who represent the three Nato nations with the largest military budgets in real terms, with the exception of the US.
Downing Street said the meeting would “focus on the ongoing peace negotiations and next steps”, while UK cabinet minister Pat McFadden said it would explore ways to ensure Ukraine is “able to decide its own future”.
He said there needed to be meaningful security guarantees in the event of a peace deal, not a “toothless organisation”.
The UK and France have led talks to assemble a so-called coalition of the willing – also referred to as the Multinational Force Ukraine – in order to offer future defence support, including a possible reassurance force deployed in the country.
It is not yet clear what functions it would perform, though diplomatic sources have previously indicated it would not be used to police a ceasefire line, and would differ to a peacekeeping force in the sense that it would not be classed as impartial.
Germany and other European defence players, including Italy and Poland, have pledged forms of defence assistance, but have expressed scepticism about the prospect of putting troops on the ground inside Ukraine – a proposal the Kremlin has said it would consider an escalation.
The White House has been pushing Kyiv and Moscow to swiftly agree to a multi-point plan to end the war.
But there has been little sign of a breakthrough, including after Witkoff held five hours of in-person talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week.
As well as security guarantees, negotiations remain particularly fraught around the issue of territorial concessions.
The US has proposed Ukraine pulls its forces entirely out of eastern regions which Russia has attempted to take by force but has been unable to capture in full, in return for Russian withdrawals elsewhere and a cessation of fighting.
Speaking on Sunday, Trump’s outgoing special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg also singled out talks around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as being particularly complex.
Intense fighting has raged at times around the facility, which is the largest in Europe and currently under Russian control. A leaked early draft of the US-backed peace plan proposed splitting the energy it generates in the future between Ukraine and Russia.
Kellogg told an event in California that a deal was close but talks on those elements were continuing, adding: “If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well.”
The talks in London are the latest attempt by Ukraine’s European allies to carve out a role in the US-led efforts to end the war, which they fear will undercut the long-term interests of the continent in favour of a quick resolution.
European leaders have pushed back against early versions of the US-led peace plan, which has been revised after criticism it was too favourable towards Russia.
Despite massive economic pressure and battlefield losses, the Kremlin has shown little sign it is willing to compromise on its key demands, including ruling out any future path to Ukraine joining the Nato military alliance.
Benin’s president has appeared on television to reassure citizens of the West African nation that the situation was now “totally under control” following an attempted coup earlier in the day.
“I would like to commend the sense of duty demonstrated by our army and its leaders, who have remained… loyal to the nation,” Patrice Talon said, looking calm during the live evening broadcast.
The government said it had thwarted the mutiny hours after a group of soldiers declared a takeover on national television.
Later in the afternoon, huge explosions were heard in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city and seat of government. They were thought to have been the result of an air strike.
The soldiers appeared on state TV early on Sunday morning to say they were suspending the constitution
Prior to the explosions, flight-tracking data showed that three aircraft had entered Benin’s airspace from neighbouring Nigeria before returning home.
A spokesman for Nigeria’s president later confirmed that its fighter jets had gone in to “take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the national TV and a military camp where they had regrouped”.
There have been a series of coups in West Africa before Sunday’s thwarted attempt in Benin, heightening fears that the security of the region could worsen.
Benin, a former French colony, has been regarded as one of Africa’s more stable democracies. But Talon has faced accusations of suppressing criticism of his policies.
The nation is one of the continent’s largest cotton producers, but ranks among the world’s poorest countries.
Nigeria, Benin’s large neighbour to the east, has described the coup attempt as a “direct assault on democracy”.
The 67-year-old president said in his address that loyalist forces had “cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers”.
“This commitment and mobilisation enabled us to defeat these opportunists and avert disaster for our country. This treachery will not go unpunished,” he added.
“I would like to reassure you that the situation is completely under control and therefore invite you to go about your business peacefully this evening.”
It is not clear if there have been casualties, but the president expressed his condolences “to the victims of this senseless adventure, as well as to those still being held by fleeing mutineers”.
Earlier, government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji told news agency Reuters that 14 people had been arrested in connection with the attempted coup.
A journalist in Benin told the BBC that, of those reportedly arrested, 12 are believed to have stormed the offices of the national TV station – including a soldier who had previously been sacked.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC gunfire was heard near the presidential residence early on Sunday morning, as a group of soldiers announced on national TV that they were suspending the constitution.
They also said some journalists working for the state broadcaster had been held hostage for a few hours.
The French and Russian embassies urged their citizens to remain indoors, while the US embassy’s advice was to stay away from Cotonou, especially the area around the presidential compound.
The rebel soldiers, led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, justified their actions by criticising Talon’s management of the country, complaining first about his handling of the “continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin”.
Benin’s army has suffered loses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards.
The soldier’s statement cited “the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front and, above all, that of their families, abandoned to their sad fate by Mr Patrice Talon’s policies”.
The rebels also hit out at cuts in health care, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, and taxes rises, as well as curbs on political activities.
Talon, who is regarded as a close ally of the West, is due to step down next year after completing his second term in office, with elections scheduled for April.
A businessman known as the “king of cotton”, he first came to power in 2016. He promised not to seek a third term, despite Benin’s current two-term limit for presidencies, and has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.
Talon has been praised by his supporters for overseeing economic development, but his government has also been criticised for suppressing dissenting voices.
In October, Benin’s electoral commission barred the main opposition candidate from standing on the grounds that he did not have enough sponsors.
Last month, constitutional amendments were passed by MPs, including the creation of a second parliamentary chamber, the Senate.
Terms for elected officials were extended from five to seven years, but the presidential two-term limit remained in place.
Sunday’s attempted coup comes just over a week after Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown – though some regional figures have questioned whether this was staged.
In recent years, West Africa has also seen coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, prompting concerns about the region’s stability.
Scientists at Waseda University in Tokyo are developing caregiving robots
Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and wandered off in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead.
Police say such cases have doubled since 2012.
Elderly people aged 65 and over now make up nearly 30% of Japan’s population – the second-highest proportion in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank.
The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.
Japan’s government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 – up from nine trillion yen in 2025.
In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.
Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to keep track of those who wander.
Some regions offer wearable GPS tags that can alert authorities the moment a person leaves a designated area.
In some towns, convenience-store workers receive real-time notifications – a kind of community safety net that can locate a missing person within hours.
Robot caregivers and AI
Other technologies aim to detect dementia earlier.
Fujitsu’s aiGait uses AI to analyse posture and walking patterns, picking up early signs of dementia – shuffling while walking, slower turns or difficulty standing – generating skeletal outlines clinicians can review during routine check-ups.
“Early detection of age-related diseases is key,” says Hidenori Fujiwara, a Fujitsu spokesperson. “If doctors can use motion-capture data, they can intervene earlier and help people remain active for longer.”
Meanwhile, researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a 150kg humanoid robot designed to be a “future” caregiver.
It can help a person put on socks, scramble eggs and fold laundry. The scientists at Waseda University hope that in the future, AIREC will be able to change diapers and prevent bedsores in patients.
Similar robots are already being used in care homes to play music to residents or guide them in simple stretching exercises.
They are also monitoring patients at night – placed under mattresses to track sleep and conditions – and cutting back on the need for humans doing the rounds.
Although humanoid robots are being developed for the near future, Assistant Professor Tamon Miyake says the level of precision and intelligence required will take at last five years before they are safely able to interact with humans.
“It requires full-body sensing and adaptive understanding – how to adjust for each person and situation,” he says.
Emotional support is also part of the innovation drive.
Poketomo, a 12cm tall robot, can be carried around in a bag or can fit into a pocket. It reminds users to take medication, tells you how to prepare in real time for the weather outside and offers conversation for those living alone, which its creators say helps to ease social isolation.
“We’re focusing on social issues… and to use new technology to help solve those problems,” Miho Kagei, development manager from Sharp told the BBC.
While devices and robots offer new ways to assist, human connection remains irreplaceable.
“Robots should supplement, not substitute, human caregivers,” Mr Miyake, the Waseda University scientist said. “While they may take over some tasks, their main role is to assist both caregivers and patients.”
At the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Sengawa, Tokyo, founded by Akiko Kanna, people stream in to be served by patients suffering from dementia.
Inspired by her father’s experience with the condition, Ms Kanna wanted a place where people could remain engaged and feel purposeful.
Toshio Morita, one of the café’s servers, uses flowers to remember which table ordered what.
A tuxedo-wearing President Trump hosted Sunday evening’s feted 48th Kennedy Center Honors ceremony — marking the first time a sitting president has led one of the glitziest nights of the year in DC.
Trump, 79, who once dreamed of being a theater producer, honored the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, and Gloria Gaynor at the star-studded event, capping off a year of big changes at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
“This place is hot,” the president/emcee told the audience from the stage after touring renovations he ordered at the renowned center. “The Trump-Kennedy Center,” he told the crowd before pausing for some laughter.
“I mean, the Kennedy Center. I’m sorry. This is terribly embarrassing,” Trump joked.
President Trump is the first commander-in-chief to host the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. AFP via Getty Images
Ahead of the event, the commander in chief and First Lady Melania Trump walked onto the red carpet and stopped for roughly 20 minutes to take questions from reporters.
“I hosted the Apprentice when it was Number One and had an audience of 42.5 million,” Trump said when asked about the ratings he expected for the night. “They’ll be good. It will do very good.”
The president also admitted that he hadn’t prepared much to host the star-studded ceremony.
“I didn’t prepare a lot. I have a good memory.” He added, “You have to be yourself. Johnny Carson was always himself.”
After an intermission, guests took their seats, and Trump took the stage to deliver a speech and introduce the “incredible artists” of the night.
“This is fantastic, isn’t it? It is just so incredible. This is the greatest evening in the history of the Kennedy Center. Not even a contest. There has never been anything like it,” he said. “The show is already getting rave reviews.”
Trump had named himself chair of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and quickly purged all of former President Joe Biden’s appointees.
The president argued that a major overhaul was required because of a prior decision to allow drag show performances at DC’s marquee cultural venue, among other concerns.
“Kennedy Center is in tremendous disrepair, as is a lot of the rest of our country, most of it because of bad management,” Trump vented to reporters in March after personally inspecting the venerated cultural center.
“This is a shame, what I’ve watched and witnessed.”
On Saturday, he crowed that it would be the first time that a sitting president has hosted the awards. He said he’ll be criticized no matter what he does — but he’s confident he’ll be a better host than Jimmy Kimmel.
“If I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president,” Trump joked.
Kimmel previously hosted the Academy Awards, and has been a frequent critic of the president.
It’s unclear how involved Trump was with the process of selecting the honorees, but Stallone is a close ally and is serving as Trump’s ambassador to Hollywood.
“He’s a great guy. He’s done a fantastic job and he really deserves this honor. You know, it’s something he’s wanted for years and this is bigger than it’s ever been,” Trump said on the red carpet Sunday.
Stallone was honored for becoming a cultural icon with movies such as “Rocky” and “Rambo,” while Gaynor was celebrated for “I Will Survive” and Kiss for its flamboyant makeup and performances.
The 48th Kennedy Center Honors ceremony comes on the heels of the death of Kiss’ original lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in October from injuries after he fell.
British actor Michael Crawford and country music superstar George Strait were also celebrated at the feted event.
“It’s going to be something that I believe, and I’m going to make a prediction: This will be the highest-rated show that they’ve ever done,” Trump teased on Saturday.
The president honored the acclaimed performers during a brief ceremony in the Oval Office on Saturday, the eve of the ritzy dinner.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he didn’t order the second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat — but he would have, in new comments about the decision to target survivors of a Sept. 2 US attack.
“I fully support that strike,” Hegseth said during his remarks at the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday. “I would have made the same call myself.”
Last week, a group of House and Senate lawmakers were briefed in a classified setting by Admiral Frank Bradley about the strikes. Democrats said they came away horrified by what they learned, while Republicans in the briefing largely stood by Hegseth.
Pete Hegseth addressed the strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats at the Reagan National Defense Forum Saturday. REUTERS
President Trump has supported releasing footage of the strikes, but Hegseth was noncommittal during a question-and-answer session at the Reagan National Defense Forum.
“We’re reviewing it right now to make sure sources, methods, I mean, it’s an ongoing operation, [tactics, techniques and procedures], we’ve got operators out there doing this right now,” Hegseth explained, when asked by Fox News’s Lucas Tomlinson.
The Sept. 2 attack was the first of 22 known attacks on alleged drug vessels by the Trump administration.
At least 86 people have been killed in the strikes.
The Pentagon says Bradley, a Navy SEAL, was the one who ordered the second strike on the boat — which Democrats claim could amount to a war crime.
So far, only snippets of the strikes have been released to the public. Lawmakers briefed on the strikes were shown the full footage of how the attack unfolded.
“What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, vented to reporters afterwards
“You have two individuals and clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, [who] were killed by the United States.”
Several Republicans who received a similar briefing, including Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), have sided with the Pentagon assessment that the survivors remained a threat.
“I saw two survivors trying to flip a boatload of drugs down the United States back over so they could stay in the fight, and potentially, given all the context — we heard of other Narco terrorist boats in the area coming to their aid to — recover the cargo and recover those Narco terrorists,” Cotton told reporters following his briefing.
“…It’s my expectation, and my deep hope, this will continue.”
LANDO NORRIS won the war with himself to rise to the occasion and join F1’s promised land as Britain’s 11th world champion.
For so long the Bristol-born 26-year-old’s confidence has been questioned, not just by pundits, rivals or fans – but mainly by himself.
The Brit left it late this season but he has finally been crowned F1 ChampionCredit: PA
Tonight Norris shattered the self-doubt with a fearless drive to live out his childhood dream of wearing F1’s crown.
He was told by his race engineer NOT to do donuts, but he ignored that and did exactly the opposite before lining up his car in first place with the worst parking ever.
Norris was left in tears and so was his family in the garage.
He joked “I’m not crying” after saying “I love you mum, I love you dad”.
He also shared an emotional kiss with his girlfriend Magui Corceiro, the pair embracing on his way to the podiums.
This season he has also overcome a ruthless Max Verstappen who has dominated the sport for the last three years, having been out of sight by this point in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He also had to block out Verstappen’s mindgames at the end, his gutsy teammate Oscar Piastri throughout, while McLaren’s sainted Papaya rules often stole the show.
The boos from fans, that would previously have got under his skin, didn’t make a mark either.
Piastri looked the favourite to win the title when he snatched the championship lead from the Brit in Saudi.
But Norris went on to be crowned king in the creme de la creme of F1 races in Monaco while also standing on the top of the podium at his home race in Silverstone.
All that was left to do was to finish on the podium in Abu Dhabi, and there was nothing that Verstappen or Piastri could do to prevent him winning the title.
He did just that with a third-place finish making him Britain’s first F1 world champ since Lewis Hamilton five years ago.
But, the seven-time world champ knows all too well how it can go wrong at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Norris knew that and was absolutely bricking it before the race, as his engineers went through the game plan while he took deep breaths on the grid.
The nerves bled into the race as he played it safe as Piastri, who started in P3, made an overtake on him look easy at Turn Nine on the first lap while Verstappen soared ahead.
The Aussie steamed past the Brit and into the sunset, while plunging Norris closer to jeopardy in third.
Norris could not risk a crash and soon he had Leclerc snapping at his heels.
The Ferrari driver came within a whisker of Norris at Turn Nine as the Brit was forced to cover and stayed ahead.
Piastri was urged to pick up the pace as his race engineer told him to put pressure on Verstappen.
Norris was the first of the front runners to pit on lap 17 as he reemerged in ninth place, behind a DRS train of four cars, which was not good news for the Brit.
It didn’t take him long to dive down the inside of Italian youngster Kimi Antonelli though and his best pal Carlos Sainz.
He then produced a gut-busting move to overtake both Lance Stroll and Liam Lawson.
Norris was closing in on Tsunoda who was told to give it everything once the Brit caught him.
The Japanese driver snapped at this team, saying: “I know what to do, so leave it to me.”
When the pair did battle on lap 23, Norris snarled past Tsunoda who was waving all over the place on the straight as the McLaren nearly went off track before the incident was investigated.
Verstappen swiftly made his pit stop, reemerging around five seconds clear of Norris in second place, as Piastri took the lead.
There was no further action for Norris while Tsunoda was hit with a five-second penalty.
Piastri had to pit soon, as his tyres wore down and Verstappen hunted him like a shark.
The McLaren strategy to run the Aussie for so long has handed Verstappen a free pit stop and the chance to back up the Papaya cars.
THE US President’s eldest son has labelled his father “unpredictable”, claiming Trump may walk away from a deal to bring peace to Ukraine.
Donald Trump Jr went as far as saying the bloody war between Kiev and Moscow was not a priority for Americans.
US President Donald Trump speaks at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors Medallion Reception December 6Credit: Getty
It comes as Moscow launched a “massive” combined air strike on infrastructure in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, causing power and water outages early Sunday morning.
Speaking in his capacity as a business leader in Doha today, Trump Jr spoke bluntly about his feelings for his father’s diplomatic efforts around the world.
He said there were far bigger “clear and present dangers” to the US than the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and that Americans “don’t have the appetite” for endless overseas wars.
When asked directly if he believed his father would walk away from Ukraine he said: “I think he may, what’s good about my father and what’s unique about my father is you don’t know what he’s going to do. He’s unpredictable.”
He added: “He’s the most unpredictable person, probably in the history of politics. Which is why he’s able to get something done. We’ll see.”
The comments are a change of tune from other high profile leaders within the Trump administration, who have been boasting that peace is just weeks away.
On Thursday, Trump’s right-hand-man JD Vance said: “I think there’s hope – should hopefully be some good news the next few weeks on that front.”
And Keith Kellogg, US special envoy to Kyiv and Moscow, said that efforts to resolve the conflict were in the “last ten metres to the goal”.
The two sticking points to remain, according to Kellogg, are the future of the Donbas and Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
He stressed that “we’re really, really close” to a peace deal.
“If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well,” the special envoy added.
Trump and the US have been working to seal a peace deal with a week of globe-trotting talks from Moscow to Miami.
President Zelensky said he had a substantive phone call with American officials engaged in peace talks with a Ukrainian delegation.
Delegates from both sides met in Miami on Saturday for a third straight day of talks.
Zelensky said: “Ukraine is committed to continuing to work honestly with the American side to bring about real peace.”
He said that the parties agreed “on the next steps and the format of the talks with America”.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have been meeting top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Kyiv’s armed forces.
Washington said the two sides agreed that “real progress” would depend on Russia‘s willingness to end the war.
The German chancellor said “lasting peace is possible” in Gaza and that the possible establishment of a Palestinian state, alongside Israel, offered the best prospect for future peace.
Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting German Chancellor Merz, Netanyahu said Israel believed that any Palestinian state would pose a risk to Israel’s securityImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance
Merz visits Yad Vashem, meets Netanyahu
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, reaffirming Germany’s historic responsibility and commitment to Israel’s security. His first trip to Israel came after a Gaza ceasefire and amid strained ties over the war. Merz backed a two-state solution, diverging from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s stance, as both countries navigate peace talks and regional tensions.
IDF chief says ceasefire demarcation line in Gaza, ‘a new border’
The chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Eyal Zamir, has called the yellow demarcation line where Israeli forces have withdrawn to in Gaza, a “new border.”
“We have operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip and we will remain on those defense lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line — serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity,” Israel’s military quoted Zamir as saying to reserve soldiers while on a visit in Gaza.
הרמטכ״ל ללוחמי המילואים ברצועת עזה: ״אנחנו פועלים להסרת איומים בכל הזירות. נמשיך להתקדם קדימה ולחזק את יכולות צה״ל אל מול אתגרי העתיד״
“אנחנו לא נאפשר לחמאס להתבסס מחדש, אנחנו שולטים על חלקים נרחבים משטח הרצועה וניצבים בקווים השולטים. הקו הצהוב הוא קו גבול חדש – קו הגנה קדמית… pic.twitter.com/nmR3fT3W7f
Under the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas and as part of phase one of the three-phase plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn to positions within the Gaza Strip behind the so-called yellow line, while they remain in control of all areas within that yellow line.
The second phase of the ceasefire would involve Israeli troops’ withdrawal from Gaza, deploying an international security force, forming a technocratic Palestinian committee within Gaza, and Hamas’ disarmament.
Zamir’s statements coincided with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’ visit to Israel, his first since becoming chancellor, where he urged the implementation of the truce’s next steps.
Netanyahu visit to Germany not on the cards
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had to handle a delicate question during his joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Asked whether he would reciprocate an invitation for a visit to Germany to Netanyahu, Merz answered:
“There is no reason to discuss this at present. If time allows, I would issue such an invitation, but this is not an issue for either of us at this point in time.”
Netanyahu addressed the issue, saying that while he would be “delighted to visit Germany again” and bring the governments together, there was an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for him.
So Merz tries to gloss over the issue of the ICC arrest warrant as an obstacle to invite Netanyahu to Germany.
But no glossing over for Netanyahu today…
Merz made a pre-election pledge that any Israeli PM can always come to Germany. pic.twitter.com/2eNUribWhL
In November 2024, the ICC issued a warrant for the arrest of Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who Israel said has been killed.
They are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Specifically, the ICC has stated there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for applying starvation as a method of warfare and for crimes against humanity in the form of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. Netanyahu rejects the accusations.
Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, which is the founding treaty of the ICC. Germany is a signatory.
Earlier in March, before he officially became chancellor, Merz said he had promised Netanyahu “we will find ways and means for him to visit Germany and also to be able to leave again without being arrested in Germany.”
A unique friendship: German-Israeli relations through history
Germany, the country of the perpetrators of the Holocaust, became a diplomatic partner for Israel soon after 1948. The relationship was marked by both critical phases and tensions.
From the horror of the Holocaust to Willy Brandt’s first state visit to Israel in 1973, DW takes a closer look at what has marked this unique relationship over the years in this article.
The US president has said “there could be a problem” with the proposed $72 billion deal that would see the streaming giant acquire the Hollywood studio. Donald Trump noted that Netflix already has a “big market share.”
The megadeal has raised concerns about antitrust, with Donald Trump pointing out that Netflix’s concentration of market power could be a problemImage: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would be involved in the review by federal regulators of a proposed consolidation deal between streaming platform Netflix and Hollywood studio Warner Bros.
The companies announced the agreement on Friday. Netflix would acquire parts of Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion (€84 billion) if the sale is completed.
If regulators approve, the deal would unite two of the biggest names in entertainment, Netflix and Warner Bros., the studio behind “Harry Potter,” “Game of Thrones,” and the DC films.
What did Trump say about the deal between Netflix and Warner Bros.?
“I’ll be involved in that decision,” Trump told reporters as he arrived at the Kennedy Center for its annual awards show.
The US president was referring to federal regulators reviewing the deal, which has raised antitrust concerns in Hollywood.
If the agreement is greenlit, Netflix — already the world’s largest streaming platform — would control one of Hollywood’s most recognizable film and TV houses.
While Trump did not comment on whether he supported the deal, the US president did suggest that Netflix’s concentration of market power could be an issue.
“That’s going to be for some economists to tell… But it is a big market share. There’s no question it could be a problem,” Trump said.
How has Hollywood reacted to the deal?
Cinema United, a trade organization that represents movie theaters across the US, said Friday that the deal risks eliminating 25% of the annual box office in the US and poses an “unprecedented threat” to cinemas around the world.
The Writers Guild trade union has called for the merger to be blocked.
“The world’s largest streaming company swallowing one of its biggest competitors is what antitrust laws were designed to prevent,” the group said in a statement.
Meth production and opium poppy cultivation are growing and expanding in Myanmar, according to the UN, with many armed groups using the profits to buy weapons.
Drug smugglers are now paying twice as much for poppies compared to before the 2021 coupImage: Ye Aung THU/AFP
New data on opium and methamphetamine production in Myanmar from the United Nations puts the war-torn country at the epicenter of Asia’s multi-billion-dollar illicit drug trade.
Opium poppy cultivation rose 17% to over 53,000 hectares (131,000 acres) over the past year, the most in a decade, according to the latest opium survey of Myanmar by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), published this week.
Most notably, Myanmar is still the world’s top opium producer. The country claimed that spot from Afghanistan in 2023, two years after the Taliban seized control of the country and eradicated the vast majority of its poppy fields.
Data published by the UNODC earlier this year also show methamphetamine seizures across East and Southeast Asia in 2024 hitting a record 236 tons.
Most of the drug is believed to be produced in Myanmar. According to the UN, the combination of rising seizures and falling street prices suggest that production inside Myanmar continues to grow.
Chinese cartels protected in the Golden Triangle
“I wouldn’t really say Myanmar as a country is a supplier, but there [are] criminal groups that are engaging in producing and trafficking this meth and heroin,” Inshik Sim, the UNODC’s illicit drugs research officer for the Asia Pacific region, told DW.
Myanmar has been a major drug producer for decades, partly due to its geography. The nation, once known as Burma, incorporates one corner of the infamous Golden Triangle, where its rugged, crime-infested borderlands in the east meet Laos and Thailand.
In Myanmar’s Shan state, criminal cartels have set up under the protection of warlords who rule over enclaves where the government has little to no sway. Most of the drug cartels now based there have moved in from China.
Meth production spurred by civil war
The chaotic civil war triggered by a 2021 military coup has created favorable conditions for the growth of Myanmar’s drug trade, according to the UN. The country’s official economy has collapsed, law enforcement has deteriorated, and warlords needed more money to fund their private armies.
“Because of the conflict, there is some need for people to raise money, whether it’s armed groups or farmers, because the conflict disrupts the economy…. And I think opium poppy cultivation is one area that we can see,” said Sim.
Methamphetamine production was on the rise well before the coup, but, according to Sim, the civil war has likely boosted this trend as well.
Drug-related crisis ‘rapidly expanding’
Thailand has borne the brunt of drug boom happening across its border with Myanmar. Last year, Thai officials seized massive amounts of Myanmar methamphetamine, including a record 1 billion meth tablets.
“These numbers are a clear warning that the drug problem is not only ongoing but expanding now rapidly,” said Thanapon Thanikkun, head of intelligence at Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board.
He warned that the traffickers are exploiting Thailand’s well-developed transport network to ship their product on land, air and sea, while also leaving a growing drug use problem in their wake.
The UNODC confirms meth use in on the rise in Thailand and much of Southeast Asia.
Farmers and fighters dependent on drug sales
For the armed groups supplying this regional demand from Myanmar, selling drugs is a quick way of arming up, said Khun Oo, vice chair of the Pa-O Youth Organization, a non-government group tackling social issues across the Shan state. The Pa-O are one of the state’s main ethnic groups.
“They [armed groups] need guns, they need … human resources and money, so this is the way that they can get it, from the drug trafficking,” he said.
Unlike methamphetamine, which can be churned out of small labs in huge volumes by a few people, opium production also puts many farmers to work.
Poppy has long been a go-to cash crop in Myanmar during hard times. Khun Oo says the civil war has made it much harder for farmers to get their usual crops to market, whereas the drug traffickers who buy opium come to them.
“In the past, they still could do farming [of] other crops,” he said, but now, “they have no options” except growing opium.
Khun Oo said the traffickers are also paying farmers up to $500 (€429) for about a kilogram of raw opium in some areas, at least twice what they paid before the coup, making poppy all the more attractive.
Myanmar heroin found in Africa, Europe
Products from Myanmar’s poppy fields and meth labs travel far and wide across the region and the world.
After pouring out of Myanmar into Laos and Thailand, they cascade across the rest of Southeast Asia, and from there may be sold at premium prices in countries like Japan and Australia.
Last year, the Australian Federal Police estimated that as much as 70% of the crystal methamphetamine consumed the country came from Myanmar.
Sim said China is probably still the main market for Myanmar’s heroin. The latest drug seizures, however, suggest the traffickers are now looking westward as well.
In a recent Instagram post, the 41-year-old singer included a photo of herself and Trudeau cheek to cheek in front of a colourful autumn backdrop.
Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry have gone Instagram official. (Photos: AFP/Andre J Ivanov, Michael Tran)
It is not a teenage dream, it’s Instagram official: Pop star Katy Perry has posted a photograph of herself cuddling with Canada’s former prime minister, as secure a confirmation as any that the celebrities are dating.
The 41-year-old “California Gurl” slipped the picture, showing the pair cheek to cheek in front of a colourful autumn backdrop, into a series of images on her Instagram account, which boasts 202 million followers.
Her simple caption for the series posted late Saturday (Dec 6) – which also includes video clips of the couple trying sushi – reads simply: “tokyo times on tour and more”, and features emojis including flowers and a red heart.
Neither Perry – singer of mega hits like Hot n Cold, Roar and I Kissed a Girl – nor Trudeau have made public comments about their relationship. But Trudeau, 53, was seen at a Perry concert in July, and celebrity news website TMZ further fuelled rumours when it aired video of the two hand in hand on a night out in Paris in October to celebrate the singer’s birthday.
The archipelago recorded at least 940 deaths, while Thailand and Malaysia reported death tolls of around 276 and three respectively.
Rescue personnel evacuate a sick villager to be taken to the nearest hospital in Bireuen, Aceh province on Nov 29, 2025, following flash floods and landslides in Sumatra. (Photo: AFP/Amanda Jufrian)
As parts of Southeast Asia reel from the effects of deadly flooding over recent days, Indonesia faces a significantly higher death toll than its regional neighbours.
As of Sunday (Dec 7), the archipelago recorded at least 940 deaths, 276 people missing and around 5,000 people injured, in one of the deadliest disasters to hit the country in the past few years.
Thailand and Malaysia, which were also hit by the after-effects of Cyclone Senyar, reported death tolls of around 276 and three respectively.
And while the rare storm that formed in the Malacca Strait has largely passed, Indonesia continues to struggle heavily with the aftermath.
Experts told CNA that the higher number of casualties in Indonesia cannot just be explained away by its larger population of over 280 million. Thailand has a population of around 71 million and Malaysia has a population of around 34 million.
Instead, a mix of extensive deforestation, poor spatial planning, weak disaster preparedness and geographical vulnerability contributed to the devastation, all compounded by the effects of climate change.
“Indonesia is highly susceptible to landslides and flash floods, particularly because of its tectonic and geological conditions and its highly unstable atmospheric conditions,” said Dwikorita Karnawati, an environmental geology and disaster mitigation expert from the University of Gadjah Mada.
“Even without external factors … it is already fragile, let alone if there is land clearing and there is inappropriate land use.”
Indonesia sits at the convergence of major tectonic plates, making it part of the “Ring of Fire,” vulnerable to heavy tropical rainfall and natural disasters.
And as analysts warn that climate change will lead to more frequent weather anomalies in the years to come, they say the government must be better prepared and train people to avoid the worst.
UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY
Cyclone Senyar formed in the north of the Malacca Strait, said Dwikorita, who was also the head of Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) from 2017 until last month.
This is an anomaly, she said. Such a cyclone rarely happens along the equator, but climate change has warmed the atmosphere in the area, leading to more intense rainfall.
Dwikorita said the cyclone is an atmospheric or natural phenomenon that begins with a low-pressure area. It started in Indonesia’s Sumatra on Nov 26.
“(The cyclone) moved from the western region of West Sumatra to the northwest of West Sumatra, then towards Aceh and then North Sumatra. It went on land,” she said.
Cyclones usually do not make landfall, she added, and if they do, they will weaken.
Typically, if the cyclone is at sea and people only get the tail of the cyclone, they experience indirect, less damaging impacts in the form of heavy rain, said Dwikorita.
However, this was not the case with Cyclone Senyar.
“This is on land. That’s why the impact on the ground is also devastating,” she said.
Dwikorita said that land in Sumatra is formed by tectonic plates, leaving it vulnerable to landslides and flash floods, while Peninsular Malaysia has a gentler topography, which is why it reported a significantly lower death toll.
She said most of Indonesia is formed by tectonic plates, so if a cyclone of a comparable nature were to hit elsewhere in the archipelago, the effects could be similar.
DEFORESTATION AND LAND CONVERSION
The dire situation is exacerbated by massive deforestation and land conversion in Sumatra, said analysts.
Deforestation has been happening massively in the past two decades, said Dwi Sawung, infrastructure and spatial planning campaign manager with environmental non-governmental organisation Walhi.
This has resulted in the soil losing its ability to absorb water, leading to flash floods and landslides.
Walhi recorded that between 2016 to 2025, about 1.4 million ha of forest in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have been deforested.
This is due to the activities of about 631 companies which hold permits for mining, land use for oil palm plantations, geothermal, hydropower and micro-hydro activity.
The disasters in the three provinces hit the Bukit Barisan forest area, which in North Sumatra covers Batang Toru, home to the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan, as well as North, Central and South Tapanuli, Walhi noted.
Kiki Taufik, global head of Indonesia Forest campaign at Greenpeace Indonesia, said that while some land conversion is done illegally, most of it is done legally with a permit from the government.
“So the forest ministry must take responsibility because it gave the permit, as well as the ministry of energy and mineral resources … which gave the mining permit, such as to mine gold,” said Kiki.
He added that the environment ministry must also be held accountable because they issue the environmental impact analysis (AMDAL),” which in Indonesia, is required for obtaining permits.
Mahawan Karuniasa, an environmental expert from the University of Indonesia, said there are areas which should be free of buildings as they are disaster-prone.
However, there are settlements there, as many Indonesians economically rely on the land for their livelihood.
Regional and central governments have not been supervising spatial planning, he added.
DISASTER MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS
BMKG said they had given a warning about the cyclone before it landed.
Head of BMKG Teuku Faisal Fathani told lawmakers on Dec 1 that his agency had sent out a press release about a potential disaster in Aceh and West Sumatra following the cyclone, four days before it happened.
He also said it sent a press release about a potential disaster in North Sumatra tied to the cyclone eight days before it happened.
Mahawan from the University of Indonesia said BMKG often posts about potential disasters, and it wasn’t clear that this was a warning for a flood with an exceptional scale of impact.
“So, I think (a lack of) early warning systems is the reason why disaster preparedness is lacking,” said Mahawan.
What’s more, in Indonesia, the focus tends to be on volcanic disasters and tsunamis, not on hydrometeorological ones.
Mahawan noted that even in the capital Jakarta, which suffers from regular floods, those who disseminate the information are the people, not the government and that once a disaster occurs, most governments and people do not know what to do.
The speed of how aid is distributed or authorities reach out to the affected areas is slow, and the remoteness of certain areas makes it even harder for them to move once the roads are cut off, said Mahawan.
He said that the government could have deployed helicopters and hospital ships carrying aid even before the Sumatra disaster happened, given the information available, highlighting a lack of coordination.
“But this did not happen, and they only sent the hospital ships from Jakarta days after the floods,” said Dwi from Walhi, pointing out that the ships deployed from Jakarta could take days to land in the affected areas.
“Thus, much needs to be improved so people really know what will happen with the rainfall and the current weather.”
Dwi from Walhi compared this to the Philippines, which was recently hit by typhoon Fung-wong. Residents got a message to evacuate before the typhoon even made landfall.
Analysts also noted that the budget for Indonesia’s national disaster agency (BNPB), which is the main agency in charge of handling the floods, has been cut recently.
BNPB received a budget of about 4.39 trillion rupiah (US$263 million) in 2024.
But that has been cut to 2.01 trillion rupiah this year and 491 billion rupiah next year.
“So the disaster agency has limited resources,” said Mahawan.
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS
While Indonesia’s geographical condition cannot be easily altered, there are certain things the government could do to prevent a disaster from happening again, said analysts.
This includes reviewing all the permits given to corporations for land conversion.
Authorities should hold the companies accountable and take them to court, said Kiki Taufik from Greenpeace Indonesia.
On Dec 4, Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni told parliamentarians that 20 production forest permits covering 750,000 ha would be revoked following a review after the floods in Sumatra.
“We are awaiting President Prabowo Subianto’s approval to announce the revocation,” he said during a hearing at the House of Representatives.
Dwikorita from the University of Gadjah Mada also noted that if a region is deemed a dangerous place to live, people must move.
However, she acknowledged that this is not easy since many may have lived in the locations for decades.
The disaster agency and relevant institutions must also be given a larger budget so they can work more effectively and establish an effective warning system, said analysts.
“The budget decisions need to be addressed,” said Mahawan from the University of Indonesia.
“So, I think given this momentum, with the drastic increase in hydrometeorological disasters predicted in the future, in addition to having an early warning system, we need to improve disaster awareness and provide valid information with clear signals.”
Kate Winslet called out “terrifying” cosmetic procedures and weight loss drugs while claiming young women nowadays have no “concept of what being beautiful actually is.”
When talking about how injections make women look the same, the “Titanic” star, 50, told the Times, “Oh, it’s terrifying.”
“It is devastating. If a person’s self-esteem is so bound up in how they look it’s frightening,” she said.
Kate Winslet slammed “terrifying” and “devastating” cosmetic procedures that make women look similar. Melinda Sue Gordon
Winslet, 50, explained that she enjoys seeing actresses “dressed how they want, whichever shape,” but “so many people” are also on weight loss drugs.
“Some are making choices to be themselves, others do everything they can to not be themselves,” she added.
“And do they know what they are putting in? The disregard for one’s health is terrifying. It bothers me now more than ever. It is f—king chaos out there.”
Aside from bashing “all the f—king actresses,” Winslet slammed non-famous “people who save up for Botox or the s—t they put in their lips.”
The actress then emphasized that she hadn’t undergone any procedures.
“My favourite thing is when your hands get old,” she told the outlet. “That’s life, in your hands. Some of the most beautiful women I know are over 70 and what upsets me is that young women have no concept of what being beautiful actually is.”
Winslet “blame[d] social media and its effect on mental health” for the type of “perfection” people were aspiring towards.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “Nobody’s looking into the f—*ing world anymore.”
The “Reader” star has previously shared she thinks “women get more beautiful as they get older.”
Bethenny Frankel shut down the haters brutally criticizing her home’s décor by bragging about the millions she’s made off of flipping houses.
The “Real Housewives of New York City” alum’s new home in Florida was recently featured in Architectural Digest, with the outlet describing her home as “a streamlined, contemporary take on classic Floridian design.”
Some of her and designer Lauren Lindner’s choices for the home included a marble waste basket that costs around $1,000, to more attainable pieces from Amazon.
“Highs and lows, baby,” Frankel told the magazine of the items in her home. “There are so many things that are fun to mix in that no one will ever know where they’re from.”
Bethenny Frankel responded to all the haters criticizing her home décor after her new Florida home was featured in Architectural Digest.
But the social media reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with the top comment on the Architectural Digest Instagram post about her home reading, “What in the HomeGoods is happening here?”
“Made in china dupes is featured in arch digest now,” another comment said.
“Not even bad taste, just an absence of taste,” another user griped.
Other comments criticized Architectural Digest for featuring Frankel’s home.
“Roller blinds, accent wall wallpaper, a coffee table as a side table. I really am confused what about this is appropriate to run in ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST,” one comment said.
Another user wrote, “AD- blink twice if you’re ok.”
The hate continued on X, with one user commenting, “Architectural Digest posting Bethenny’s ugly ass Home Goods slop abomination of a house please be serious.”
Frankel responded to the hate in an Instagram video Sunday, sharing that she’s made at least $12 million in real estate profits over the last few years. The reality star, 55, also clarified there were no HomeGoods or Wayfair pieces in her house, but defended them as multi-billion dollar brands.
Frankel explained that she designs homes as an investment.
“This home that I’m in, I paid $4.2 [million], getting a million dollar discount because it was going into foreclosure, it’s worth over $6 [million] now and I could sell it when I decide to move in three years when [my daughter] Bryn is going into college for about $7 million,” she bragged.
“I approach a home with neutral tones that are something that anybody could relate to, possibly want to buy, but definitely be able to see their own vision when they come to look at a house because I do move a decent amount,” she further explained about her décor choices.
“I’m not the one who’s going to like, get in bone from China and inlay it onto my floor. I’m not that bitch,” she added.
The Trump administration has consistently demanded European governments pay more into NATO defense spending.
NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich speaks during a press conference at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Casteau, Belgium Dec 4, 2025. (PHOTO: REUTERS/Yves Herman)
The United States wants Europe to take over the majority of NATO’s conventional defense capabilities, from intelligence to missiles, by 2027, Pentagon officials told diplomats in Washington this week, a tight deadline that struck some European officials as unrealistic.
The message, recounted by five sources familiar with the discussion, including a US official, was conveyed at a meeting in Washington this week of Pentagon staff overseeing NATO policy and several European delegations.
The shifting of this burden from the US to European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would dramatically change how the United States, a founding member of the post-war alliance, works with its most important military partners.
In the meeting, Pentagon officials indicated that Washington was not yet satisfied with the strides Europe has made to boost its defense capabilities since Russia’s expanded invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The US officials told their counterparts that if Europe does not meet the 2027 deadline, the US may stop participating in some NATO defense coordination mechanisms, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Some officials on Capitol Hill are aware of and concerned about the Pentagon’s message to the Europeans, one US official said.
NO CLARITY ON HOW US WOULD MEASURE NATO’S PROGRESS
Conventional defense capabilities include non-nuclear assets from troops to weapons and the officials did not explain how the US would measure Europe’s progress toward shouldering most of the burden.
It was also not clear if the 2027 deadline represented the Trump administration position or only the views of some Pentagon officials. There are significant disagreements in Washington over the military role the US should play in Europe.
Several European officials said that a 2027 deadline was not realistic no matter how Washington measures progress, since Europe needs more than money and political will to replace certain US capabilities in the short term.
Among other challenges, NATO allies face production backlogs for military equipment they are trying to purchase. While US officials have encouraged Europe to buy more US-made materiel, some of the most prized US-made weapons and defense systems would take years to be delivered if ordered today.
The US also contributes capabilities that cannot simply be purchased, like unique intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that have proven key to the Ukrainian war effort.
Asked for comment, a NATO official speaking for the alliance said European allies had begun taking more responsibility for the continent’s security, but did not comment on the 2027 deadline.
“Allies have recognized the need to invest more in defense and shift the burden on conventional defense” from the US to Europe, the official said.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said: “We’ve been very clear in the need for Europeans to lead in the conventional defense of Europe. We are committed to working through NATO coordination mechanisms to strengthen the alliance and ensure its long-term viability as European allies increasingly take on responsibility for conventional deterrence and defense in Europe”.
European nations have broadly accepted US President Donald Trump’s demand they take more responsibility for their own security and have pledged big increases in defense spending.
The European Union has set a target of making the continent ready to defend itself by 2030 and says it must fill gaps in its air defenses, drones, cyber warfare capabilities, munitions and other areas. Officials and analysts said even that deadline is highly ambitious.
I appreciated the opportunity to represent @POTUS@realDonaldTrump and @SecRubio at the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels. I emphasized what should be obvious: Europe must take primary responsibility for its own security. Successive US Administrations have been saying this in… pic.twitter.com/txy3GuQRnQ
WASHINGTON-NATO RELATIONSHIP RUNS HOT AND COLD
The Trump administration has consistently argued that European allies need to contribute more to the NATO alliance, but it’s not always clear where the president stands on NATO.
On the campaign trail in 2024, Trump frequently bashed European allies, and he said he would encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade NATO countries that did not spend their fair share on defense.
But at the annual NATO leaders’ summit in June, Trump effusively praised European leaders for agreeing to a US plan to boost the annual defense spending target for member states to 5 per cent of gross domestic product.
