Nikki Garcia wonders if she still knows "how to kiss" because she has not shared an intimate moment with someone in "a really long time." Nikki Garcia's recent relationship was with Artem Chigvintsev The WWE Hall of Famer filed for divorce from 43-year-old dancer Artem Chigvintsev in September 2024, which was settled in November that year, three months after his domestic violence arrest - which was dropped with no charges. A romance between Nikki, 42, and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean has been speculated since she shared a clip of herself smiling and posing in front of the 22-year-old star's locker - but it now seemingly appears Nikki has quashed those rumours. Chatting to her twin sister, Brie Garcia, on the latest episode of their SiriusXM The Nikki and Brie Show, Nikki - who recently said her ideal celebrity men are actors Channing Tatum, 45, and 42 year old Chris Hemsworth - said: "It's crazy because I actually haven't been touched or done anything in so long. "It's funny when people call me a w**** when I actually haven't had intimacy in a really long time, [or even thought] of kissing. "I haven't even kissed someone in so long. It's, like, kind of crazy. I was thinking of this last night. 'Do I know how to kiss?'" Former professional wrestler Brie replied: "You do. Its like riding a bike." Nikki - who met Artem when they were partnered up on Dancing with the Stars in 2017, whilst she was engaged to the 48-year-old recently-retired WWE legend, John Cena - joked: "I'm about to make out with my pillow to make sure I still got it." Nikki and Artem reconnected after she split from John in 2018 after six years together, and the wrestler and the dancer got engaged in November 2019, with them getting married in August 2022. However, Nikki filed for divorce from Artem in September 2024, after he was arrested at their Napa Valley, California, home on suspicion of domestic violence - which was dropped with no charges, and their divorce was settled in November that year. In July 2025, Nikki - who has a five-year-old son called Matteo with Artem - revealed she would love a man with "edge" and "swag". The Total Divas star told People: "I need edge. I like a proper boy, but if he's too proper, I'm like, 'Hmm, I can't do it.' "So I want edge, I want swag, but I want someone who can run a boardroom, who can get in the gym." KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least six passengers were killed and 42 others sustained injuries when a passenger bus lost control and slid on an icy section of highway in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province early Sunday, local police reported. The mishap occurred on the Salang highway, a key route linking the capital Kabul to northern provinces, due to reckless driving, provincial police spokesman Mawlawi Shir Ahmad Burhani told Xinhua. "Six passengers were killed and 42 others injured, including two women and two children," Burhani said. All the injured have been transferred to Baghlan provincial hospital for treatment, according to the official. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Australian state is moving to ban public displays of Islamic State group flags and extremist symbols after the Bondi Beach mass shooting driven by antisemitism killed 15 people. Under draft laws to be debated by the of New South Wales Parliament, publicly displaying the IS flag or symbols from other extremist groups will be offenses punishable by up to two years in prison and fines. The states premier, Chris Minns, also said chants of globalize the intifada will be banned and police would be given greater powers to demand protesters remove face coverings at demonstrations. Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society, Minns said Saturday. The Arabic word intifada is generally translated as uprising. A member of the Jewish community stands at a floral memorial in honour of the victims of the mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025. REUTERS/Jeremy Piper ( REUTERS/Jeremy Piper ) While pro-Palestinian demonstrators say the slogan describes the worldwide protests against the war in Gaza, Jewish leaders say it inflames tensions and encourages attacks on Jews. Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant globalize the intifada is hate speech and encourages violence in our community, Minns told reporters. Youre running a very risky racket if youre thinking of using that phrase. New South Wales politicians are expected to debate the reforms on Monday after the premier recalled parliament. Police said Sunday's attack, targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Australia's most famous beach, was a terrorist attack inspired by (the) Islamic State " group. Police said they found two homemade IS flags in the vehicle used by the two suspects. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and toughening punishments for such crimes. The proposals would also designate some groups as hateful, and allow judges to consider hate as an aggravating factor in cases of online threats and harassment. Albanese has also announced plans to tighten Australia's already strict gun laws. The attack has raised questions about whether Australian Jews are sufficiently protected from rising antisemitism. Australia has 28 million people, including about 117,000 who are Jewish. Antisemitic incidents, including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation, surged more than threefold in the country during the year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel launched a war on Hamas in Gaza in response, the governments Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal reported in July. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Israels cabinet has approved 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, the far-right finance minister has said, drawing condemnation from governments and rights groups. Benjamin Netanyahus far-right coalition has been pushing ahead with a construction surge in the occupied territory, with the latest approvals set to drive the number of settlements up to 210. UK foreign office minister Hamish Falconer said the announcement risks undermining the [US] 20 Point Plan [for ending the Gaza war] and prospects for the long-term peace and security that only a two-state solution can deliver. Earlier this month, the UN secretary-general condemned Israels relentless pursuit of settlement expansion. Lawyer and former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said that while the settlements have been approved in Israeli law, they remain war crimes under the Geneva Convention. open image in gallery Israeli soldiers during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank ( REUTERS ) Two of the approved settlements were previously evacuated during a 2005 disengagement plan, according to Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, who has pushed an aggressive settlement expansion agenda in the West Bank. The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50% during the current governments tenure, from 141 in 2022 to 210, according to Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group. The settlements are widely considered illegal under international law. The approval comes as the US is pushing Israel and Hamas to move ahead with the new phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which took effect 10 October. The US-brokered plan calls for a possible pathway to a Palestinian state, something the settlements could prevent. The Cabinet decision included a retroactive legalisation of some previously established settlement outposts or neighbourhoods of existing settlements, and the creation of settlements on land where Palestinians were evacuated, Peace Now said. It said two of the settlements legalized in the latest approval are Kadim and Ganim, two of the four dismantled in 2005 as part of a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. There have been multiple attempts to resettle these, after Israels far-right government repealed a 2005 act that evacuated the four outposts and barred Israelis from re-entering the areas in March 2023. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza areas claimed by the Palestinians for a future state in the 1967 war. It has settled over 500,000 Israelis in the West Bank, in addition to over 200,000 more in contested east Jerusalem. Israels government is dominated by far-right proponents of the settler movement, including Smotrich and Cabinet Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the nations police force. open image in gallery Residents of the West Bank refugee camp of Nur Shams, Tulkarem, evacuating their homes during an Israeli military operation in February ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Settler expansion has been compounded by a surge of attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank in recent months. During Octobers olive harvest, settlers across the territory launched an average of eight attacks daily, the most since the United Nations humanitarian office began collecting data in 2006. The attacks continued in November, with the U.N. recording at least 136 more by 24 November. Settlers burned cars, desecrated mosques, ransacked industrial plants and destroyed cropland. The latest announcement also comes after the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said two Palestinians, including a 16-year-old, were killed in clashes with the Israeli military on Saturday night in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. open image in gallery West Bank Palestinians have seen home demolitions and settler attacks once again escalate ( Mohammad Hesham Huraini ) The Israeli military said one militant was shot and killed after he threw a block at Israeli troops in Qabatiya on Saturday night, while another was killed after he hurled explosives at Israeli troops operating in the town of Silat al-Harithiya. The Palestinian killed in Qabatiya was identified by authorities as 16-year-old Rayan Abu Muallah. Palestinian media aired brief security footage of the incident, where the youth appears to emerge from an alley and is shot by troops as he approaches them without throwing anything. The Israeli military said the incident is under review. The Health Ministry identified the second man as Ahmad Ziyoud, 22. He was buried on Sunday in Silat al-Harithiya, near Jenin. Israels military has scaled up military operations in the West Bank since the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 which triggered the war in Gaza. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice In a grainy black and white security video, three masked, club-wielding figures smash up a grey car on a residential street. It was 7.40pm on a quiet Tuesday evening in the Christian town of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, around 10 miles by road to the bustling administrative capital of Ramallah. Nadim Khoury, the 65-year-old founder of the West Banks first brewery situated in the town, says his family has lived there for 600 years. There is no way that I will go anywhere, he says undaunted, speaking the day after the car attack. But settler attacks are just one of a number of obstacles, including Israeli export controls and a heavily damaged tourist industry, which have led to a 70 per cent collapse in sales of Taybeh beer since the Hamas-led 7 October attacks and Israels subsequent military campaigns. open image in gallery A burnt-out car in Taybeh following an attack on the town by Israeli settlers ( Madees Khoury ) Doing business in Palestine, explains Nadim, is not like doing business in any other part of the world. He started brewing beer in a Boston dorm room in the US in 1982 and set up the brewery with his brother, David, in 1994, located in the West Banks only all-Christian town. It is now run by his daughter, Madees Khoury, the Middle Easts only female brewmaster. In recent years, sales among locals have dropped significantly. Palestinians have been financially squeezed since 7 October, with tens of thousands having their working permits in Israel revoked. The regions tourist sector, which Nadim says is where they gain most of their business, has also been ravaged as a result. In spring 2024, the Palestinian tourism ministry said an average of 278,000 tourists per month visited the West Bank and East Jerusalem between January and October 2023. In the months following, numbers plummeted by more than 99 per cent. open image in gallery Nadim Khoury founded the brewery in 1994 ( Taybeh and Brewgooder ) Although tourism has partially recovered, numbers are still lower than before, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). Taybehs exports, including to Britain, Germany, France, the US and Canada, have become increasingly important but its efforts are being hampered by Israeli checkpoint delays, permit requirements, and restricted road use for Palestinians. The UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says there are 849 movement obstacles in place in the West Bank as of May 2025. Palestinians are often stranded for hours when roads are closed, with the agency stating Israeli restrictions entrench territorial and social fragmentation, and contribute to worsening humanitarian conditions. The Israeli military says security operations in the West Bank are carried out in order to provide security to all residents of the area, and that there are dynamic checkpoints and efforts to monitor movement in different areas in the region. It says the claim that it intentionally restricts the everyday lives of Palestinians is entirely unfounded. open image in gallery Nadims children, Canaan (left) and Madees, now handle the day-to-day running of the brewery ( Taybeh and Brewgooder ) For Taybeh Brewery, restricting movement can prevent entire shipments from successfully leaving the Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa. Closures of the Allenby (or King Hussein) Bridge between the occupied West Bank and Jordan also pose major problems. Meanwhile, settler attacks on the spring that provides water to Taybeh and 18 other towns limit the brewerys production, it says. These settlers, theyre criminals. They come, they vandalise, they attack the town and just leave. Were in an open prison, were under occupation and we cant defend ourselves, says Madees. Madees says the brewery has no control over anything, we dont have our own roads, we have no authority to help us if we face any challenges with exporting. But the family-run business, said to be the first microbrewery in the Middle East, has committed to continuing its limited exports. Beer from its original West Bank brewery is sold in Akub, a Palestinian restaurant in west London, while it has also partnered with Glasgow-based brewery Brewgooder to produce Sun & Stone lager, which is sold in Co-op stores across the UK. Keeping the business running, Madees says, is our peaceful way of resistance to the occupation and to these settler attacks. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, have awarded $5 million to David Flink, the visionary behind a neurodivergent student support network. Flink attributes this significant recognition to the collective efforts of students who are driving his rapidly expanding movement for more inclusive classrooms. Flink, CEO of the Neurodiversity Alliance, expressed his gratitude, stating, "I feel like theres a narrative sometimes that our little actions dont matter. Thats just not true. And this proves it. Lots of little actions that happen every day in our work, collectively over time, reached the ears of folks like Lauren and Jeff." This grant is part of the Bezos Courage & Civility Award, an initiative launched in 2021 to recognize individuals who break barriers and unite people behind innovative solutions to often overlooked challenges. CEO of the Neurodiversity Alliance David Flink ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The prize money is awarded without stipulations, allowing honorees complete discretion over its use for their charitable objectives. The Neurodiversity Alliance originated over 25 years ago as a peer-to-peer mentorship program for students with learning and developmental differences, including autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Today, the non-profit extends its reach to more than 600 high schools and colleges, fostering environments where young people can build educational systems that cater to classmates whose brains function differently from typical norms. While the Bezoses, who married in a high-profile Venice ceremony this summer amidst protests concerning wealth inequality, have not publicly detailed their reasons for supporting this specific cause, their personal histories offer some insight. Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at around \$240 billion, making him the world's fourth richest person, has previously invested in early childhood education through his network of tuition-free Montessori-inspired preschools. Lauren Sanchez Bezos has spoken openly about her own experience with undiagnosed dyslexia during her childhood. Last year, she shared on "Good Morning America" that her childrens book, "The Fly Who Flew to Space," was written for "the 8-year-old me who was told I wasn't smart." She credits a college professor, who encouraged her to get tested despite her initial reluctance due to spelling difficulties, for her eventual diagnosis. Flinks selection represents a notable shift for the award, which has previously honored more prominent figures such as CNN political commentator Van Jones, World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres, actor-director Eva Longoria, and country superstar Dolly Parton. This change signals a desire to direct funds closer to grassroots efforts, rather than relying on well-known personalities to distribute money to their chosen non-profits. This more localized approach contrasts with the philanthropic strategies often employed by many of Bezoss ultra-wealthy contemporaries, according to Leslie Lenkowsky, an Indiana University professor emeritus in public affairs and philanthropic studies. Lenkowsky notes that modern entrepreneur-philanthropists, such as Bill Gates, typically concentrate on systemic change within health or education sectors. "Rather than trying to change the system, what theyre trying to do is provide funding to individuals or communities to deal with important issues," Lenkowsky observed regarding the Bezoses approach. "It really is a much older model of philanthropy." The overall award sum has also been reduced this year, with five winners equally sharing a $25 million pot whereas past awards have totaled as much as $100 million. Flink stated that the $5 million will be instrumental in helping the Neurodiversity Alliance achieve its ambitious goal of expanding to over 2,000 sites by 2028. He pledged to invest in enhancing the mentorship programme, amplifying narratives that challenge negative perceptions of neurodiversity, and broadening the national network of student leaders trained to sustain their school clubs. He emphasised the critical timing of this support, noting that "the demand has never been greater" and that schools have experienced "some oscillation" in available resources. This comes at a time when the Trump administrations dismantling of the Education Department led to significant layoffs at the agency responsible for addressing complaints regarding inadequate support for students with disabilities. While dozens of Office for Civil Rights staffers were recently reinstated to tackle a growing backlog of discrimination complaints, the impact of previous cuts remains. Kala Shah, an attorney with 24 years of experience enforcing protections for students with disabilities at the Department of Education, highlighted the reliance of neurodivergent students on such oversight. "This is an especially critical time for private foundations and philanthropy to help fill the gap in resources thats been created by the current federal climate," she concluded. The Indo Daily: Melania: The Movie We saw it, so you dont have to... technology The firm employs 1,300 people overall, many of them at its Co Kildare base but also at a number of sites in key tech hubs in the US. The deal comes at a time of change in the semiconductor space, with Intel under pressure and the US government pushing hard to win big chip investments that can create jobs in America. HSE failed to prepare adequately for flu season, nurses union INMO claims Up to 1,100 predicted to be in hospital with flu over Christmas week General secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Phil Ni Sheaghdha. Photo: Kyran O'Brien Wayne O'Connor and Maeve Sheehan Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 06:30 Health chiefs have been accused of creating a recipe for disaster as up to 1,100 people hit by so-called superflu are predicted to be in hospital during Christmas week. Irish activists who travelled as part of the Gaza aid flotilla have said an Irish naval ship should accompany the civilian fleet next time. They also expressed concerns that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) carried out a risk assessment for Irish citizens taking part in the flotilla protest and found that there was a possible risk to life. Irishman charged with murder of US nurse in Budapest claims she died accidentally during sadomasochistic activities Mackenzie Michalskis body was found in a suitcase in forest Mackenzie Michalski Ali Bracken Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 14:40 An Irishman has appeared in court in Hungary, charged with the murder of an American nurse who he claims died in an accident while they were being intimate. ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's presidency on Sunday strongly rejected statements by ministers and government bodies based in the southern port city of Aden that expressed support for the pro-secession Southern Transitional Council (STC). Citing a source in the presidency, the state-run Saba news agency said Rashad Al-Alimi, chief of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), had reviewed recent statements by ministers and other officials that "exceeded their functional responsibilities" and ran counter to the constitution and the agreed references governing the transitional period. The source warned that the use of official positions to advance political agendas outside the constitutional framework constitutes a serious violation of the law. The PLC's chief directed the government and relevant authorities to take "all necessary legal and administrative measures" against any actions undermining unified decision-making or seeking to impose policies outside the constitutional and legal framework, according to the source. The PLC's chief's remarks followed earlier statements by several Aden-based ministries and government bodies expressing support for the STC and its recent military expansion in the country's eastern regions. The Ministry of Civil Service and Insurance said in a statement that it supports "the aspirations of the people of the South to implement their will," calling on the international community and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to respect these aspirations more than three decades after Yemen's unification. Senior government officials, including deputy ministers, also voiced support for the STC while pledging to continue administrative duties without interruption. The developments highlight widening divisions within Yemen's power-sharing government after the STC expanded its military presence earlier this month in the eastern provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah. The PLC described the moves as "unilateral and illegitimate", calling for an immediate withdrawal, a demand rejected by the STC. Although the STC is formally part of the UN-recognized Yemeni government, it continues to advocate for the secession of southern Yemen. Founded in 2017, the council seeks to restore an independent southern state, reversing the 1990 unification of the former North and South Yemen. Yemen has remained mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi militants seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally-recognized government. LATEST | Nursing home worker who died after car plunged into flooded river was married father of two Man (60s) also dies after separate crash in Co WestmeathOne person hospitalised after two-car crash in Co Wicklow Ralph Riegel Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 11:45 A nursing home worker who died after his car left the road and went into a flooded river as he drove home from work to attend a Christmas event has been hailed as a devoted father and a loyal colleague. How I blew away the winter cobwebs in freezing Tromso, where theres a warm welcome, and the delightful ritual of Kaffe og Kake For about six weeks, the sun never rises over the Norwegian island of Tromsoya The Northern Lights over the city of Tromso. Photo: Getty Sheila de Courcy Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 06:30 The waiter briefly casts a shadow across my table as he places a cup of steaming coffee in front of me. I am enjoying the sun, and he apologises with a smile: Beklager det. EUs Ukraine loan deal is a spineless cop-out if we want to save Europe, Russias $210bn in frozen assets must be seized Yesterday was a bad one on the field of power politics for bloc Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw yesterday. Photo: Photo: AP Declan Power Sat 20 Dec 2025 at 06:30 So Ukraine gets to fight on thanks to a 90bn loan approved by the EU this week. On the face of it, this is good news for Ukraine, giving it much-needed breathing space in its exhausting fight against unrelenting aggression from Russia. Anne OConnor received an early Christmas present this week with the announcement that she is to become head of the HSE when the current chief executive steps down in March. Given the contentious history of the organisation she is taking charge of, she could be forgiven for hoping privately that this is one gift that comes with a receipt in case she later wants to hand it back and exchange it for something lighter to carry. The generous 398,174 salary which goes with the job is one of the highest in Irish public life, but it comes with weighty responsibilities. In her first statement since the news, OConnor made discreet reference to the reform programme already under way. The scale of that challenge is spelled out in todays Sunday Independent by Tony OBrien, the HSEs former chief executive, who speaks of the need for a structural and behavioural reset. Cynics (or realists) may well retort: good luck with that. The road to hell in the Irish health service has long been paved with good intentions. Many who pushed for reform are now a distant memory, while problems continue to pile up. There are more than 100,000 people nationally on the waiting list for surgery. With health repeatedly ranking high on the list of voters concerns in opinion polls, the Governments own fortunes could well depend on the HSEs new chief executive delivering the reform necessary to bring down those numbers, as an ever expanding and ageing population requires ever costlier care. It is all too easy to get lost in labyrinthine bureaucracy That older people can now look forward to many more Christmases than previous generations might once have enjoyed can only be a good thing. It is managing the logistical strain that this puts on services that has defeated many a well-meaning and ambitious reformer. Health spending in Budget 2026 hit a record 27.4bn, but money alone is not enough. Reflecting on her time as health minister, former Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney told an audience some years ago that what she had mostly learned in the sector was that incremental change is the best that can be hoped for. While the role of HSE chief executive is meant to be above the mire of party politics, the same could be said of anyone taking on the thankless task of running the organisation. It is all too easy to get lost in labyrinthine bureaucracy, or worn down by factional in-fighting. That OBrien calls the new boss by far the most experienced and qualified person appointed to the role is a good omen, at least. Given that OConnor is the current managing director at VHI, patients will also be crossing their fingers that she brings some imaginative thinking with her regarding the private sector. The current chief executive, Bernard Gloster, who is leaving three years into a five-year contract, was determined to do the same and took it as far as he could. He is generally agreed to have left the organisation in better shape than he found it. Now it is OConnors turn to inch the juggernaut forward. Being Christmas, a time of year that is all about hope, we must trust that she will succeed where so many others failed. The keys for Cork City Councils 300th affordable home have been handed over to the new owners just in time for Christmas. The house, which is located in Glenmore Heights in Lehenaghmore in Togher, the southside of Cork city, was developed under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS). Glenmore Heights was built in a partnership between Cork City Council and OBR Group and is made up of energy efficient A-rated three-bed semi-detached, three-bed mid-terrace, two-bed end-of-terrace and mid-terrace homes. Homes built under the LAAPS are offered for sale to qualifying first-time buyers from approximately 20% below the open market value, with the local authority taking an equity stake in the property. Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Fergal Dennehy, said the handing over of the keys to the 300th LAAPS home highlights the city councils commitment to supporting eligible first-time and Fresh Start buyers. Each set of keys allows a family to put down roots, to gain security, stability, and the opportunity to thrive in a place they can truly call home. This milestone reflects the hard work, collaboration, and vision that have driven our housing delivery mission forward. But there is still work to do and we remain focused on housing delivery, to ensure that affordable housing is not just a goal, but a reality for generations to come, Mr Dennehy said. Cork City Council was a pioneer nationally in delivering affordable homes under the LAAPS, building the first scheme of its kind in the country at Boherboy Road in Lotamore, Mayfield. Under the Governments Housing For All plan, the City Council had a target of delivering 378 affordable homes by 2026. That target has already been exceeded, with 402 affordable homes either sold or nearing completion, with sales completed on 300, and sales about to complete on dozens more. A further 10 purchasers are due to receive their keys before the end the year, with another 60 purchasers due to move into their new affordable homes by March 2026. Brian Geaney, the Assistant Chief Executive of Cork City Council, also welcomed the housing milestone. Exceeding our Housing for All 2026 target, which we always regarded as a minimum number, shows the strength of our housing programme and the dedication of our teams. We will continue to work diligently to expand affordable housing opportunities, ensuring that more families and individuals can benefit from the scheme. But most importantly, the work we are doing means more families and individuals can now call Cork City home, building secure futures in our city, he said. Meanwhile, Cork City Council is launching Phase 2 of the popular Glenbride scheme on December 19 and will take applications for this scheme from January 27 next. The second phase of this scheme consists of 23 affordable homes, offering a selection of two and three-bedroom properties. Income limits apply, and potential applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the qualification criteria and required documentation, details of which are available at www.glenbride.ie. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the documentation requirements in advance, as demand is expected to exceed the number of available homes. For further information, please contact: affordablehousing@corkcity.ie A motion was passed to call on Coillte for an in-depth report on trees near power lines. AAP Image/Jason O'Brien/via REUTERS A motion aimed at reducing storm-related damage to power lines by removing trees near electricity infrastructure has been passed by Galway County Council. Loughrea councillor Michael Regan tabled the motion, calling on Coillte to provide a full report on the proximity of trees to ESB power lines. He also sought a clear plan of action for removing these trees to prevent outages during severe weather. Nothing will happen now until there's a storm. Then there's a big hullabaloo, there's a big crisis, and everything is being done, Cllr Regan told the Irish Independent. The power is out for two or three weeks, and nothing happens until the next storm. He said responsibility for trees on Coillte lands that affect power lines lies with the forestry company. The meeting heard that the need for a minister-approved felling licence has delayed the removal of some trees. This licence grants authority for tree cutting. Athenry councillor Sean Broderick suggested that if engineers from the local authority could identify dangerous areas, it could bypass the requirement for a felling licence. Damage caused by Storm Eowyn is now being cited by councillors as a key example of the need for improved storm-damage prevention, particularly in light of the widespread power outages caused by fallen trees across the county last January. Galway remained under a Status Red wind warning as the storm battered the west coast, with record-breaking gusts of up to 183km/h recorded at Mace Head. Met Eireann reported a mean wind speed of 135kmh at the Galway station, with the peak gust logged at 5am. Storm Eowyn left more than 700,000 homes without electricity nationwide, with some households forced to wait weeks before power was fully restored. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme. I asked myself, where would I go with my children? When Ernestina Aikins and Rose Iwu moved to Ireland earlier this year, they did so with a shared hope: that their children would have better opportunities and brighter futures. Instead, both women now face their first Christmas homeless, living in emergency accommodation with their families. Ms Aikins (48) and Ms Iwu (43) are both EU citizens who previously lived in Italy. Speaking to the Irish Independent, they described how a combination of Irelands housing crisis, administrative barriers and repeated moves between emergency accommodation have left their families traumatised and uncertain about the future. Latest figures show 16,755 people accessed emergency accommodation in October, including 5,274 children. For Ms Aikins, who is originally from Ghana and had lived in Italy for 17 years, the decision to come to Ireland was centred on her childrens education. What moved me to Ireland was the time I took my children to Ghana and my oldest daughter could not speak English, she said. It was so bad that she could not communicate with her relatives. So I decided to move to Ireland to give my children better opportunities in life. Ms Aikins arrived in Ireland in February alone and eventually brought her two of three children and began working as a carer in Navan. She said she tried to secure private rented accommodation before leaving Italy, but was only able to arrange a short-term let. Im a working mum, Im a European citizen and I pay my taxes, she said. Im ready to rent a house, but I just cant get one. Despite attending viewings, she said she rarely received responses. Sometimes Im asked if I can even afford the rent, she said. Ms Aikins and her six-year-old son Kingsley and 17-year-old daughter Chrystabal were initially placed in emergency accommodation in Slane. While the early-morning commute to her childrens school in Johnstown meant getting up at 5.30am, she said they were coping. The accommodation in Slane was of good standard, she said. However, when she applied for social housing, Ms Aikins said she was told she did not qualify because she had not worked in Ireland for 52 weeks. She was also informed she would have to leave the accommodation she was in. I had nowhere else to go. I was homeless, she said. I asked myself, where would I go with my children? My son is just six. This made me sad. The pain in my chest was heavy, she said. My son asked me, Mummy, where are we going? and I told him I did not know. The family was subsequently moved to emergency accommodation in Drogheda, located a significant distance from the town centre, requiring a 30-minute walk to the bus station with her two children. At the start of December, they were moved again this time to another accommodation in Drogheda Ms Aikins claims is infested with cockroaches and away from everything theyve come to know. They [the cockroaches] were in our beds, crawling out of the walls and on the floor, she said. My six-year-old has been very upset and he couldnt sleep. Despite being told by some people that she should simply return to Italy, Ms Aikins said Ireland had begun to feel like home. Since weve been here, my daughter has become more expressive and confident, she said. That has made me happy. I lived in Italy for 17 years. I have lived my life. Now I want my children to be able to do the same here. Her goal, she said, is to find a home for her family. To make my family happy. This will be the first Christmas we are spending homeless, she said. Last year we were having fun. This year, I know it wont be the same. My son made a friend and was invited to their house. I cant bring myself to let him go and come back to compare everything that he does not have. Another working mother, Rose Iwu, also finds herself homeless with her children this Christmas. Ms Iwu, who is originally from Nigeria and became an EU citizen after living in Italy for more than two decades, received an eviction notice from her landlord and needed to move out on December 1. She had been renting under a licence agreement a growing practice that housing advocates warn leaves tenants without protections. On the first night of homelessness, Ms Iwu and her 19-year-old daughter Jenny and 17-year-old son Prince were forced to sleep on the floor of a local business. With Ms Iwu working in Navan, Jenny attending college in Dunboyne and Prince in school in Navan, the family was placed in emergency accommodation in Drogheda. They now all live in a single room with bunk beds. My children deserve to fully live their life as a teenager and a young adult, Ms Iwu said. I could have never imagined myself to be in a situation like this. With Christmas approaching, she described this as the worst Christmas her family has ever faced. In a statement, Meath County Council said emergency accommodation is by its nature, a short-term measure. Placements are generally provided on a night-by-night basis, the council said. The Councils Settlement Team regularly reviews all placements in line with overall demand and the availability of homeless services. For this reason, we cannot guarantee that a household will remain in the same emergency accommodation for the duration of their stay. From time to time, households may need to be relocated to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the service and to meet the needs of all clients accessing emergency accommodation. Where families with school-going children are concerned, the Council makes every effort to place them in accommodation close to their schools where possible or in locations with suitable transport links to the town where the school is located. In response to queries regarding eligibility for social housing, the council outlined the criteria under Housing Circular 41/2012, which states that EEA nationals may be considered if they are in employment or meet certain conditions related to prior employment, illness or unemployment. Income assessments are based on household means over the preceding 12 months, in line with national regulations. The experiences of both women, and several other families, were raised at the December meeting of Navan Municipal District by independent councillor Alan Lawes, who has been supporting the families. Originally, I invited these homeless families to attend this meeting in order for you to hear their stories before you voted on an emergency motion, Cllr Lawes told councillors. He said the motion, which related to a proposed hostel development at the junction of Kentstown and Metges Road, was withdrawn shortly before the meeting. I thought it was very important that all councillors, all our officials and the general public heard these families stories, he said, in order to understand how desperately short we are of suitable quality emergency accommodation and how urgently we need more beds. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Jacqui Nagle Frawley, who lives in Bray, presented with her Patient Champion certificate by CEO of the Irish Heart Foundation, Emma Balmaine. Emma Balmaine, Irish Heart Foundation CEO, with Wyndham Chalmers, from Dunlavin, who was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent a valve replacement in August 2025. Two Wicklow women have graduated as Patient Champions for the national heart and stroke charity, the Irish Heart Foundation. Jacqui Nagle Frawley from Bray experienced a haemorrhagic stroke in April 2023, while Wyndham Chalmers, from Dunlavin, was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent a valve replacement in August 2025. Both Wicklow women participated in an Irish Heart Foundation programme to help others who have suffered cardiac problems and stroke - and are now fully-fledged Patient Champions. "It has been wonderful to connect with other heart patients through the Patient Champion programme, said Wyndham. Managing an ongoing condition and undergoing surgery can be an isolating experience so being able to connect with others who have had a similar experience has been incredible and helped me feel less alone. It is also great to be a part of a wider group that shares the common goal of advocating for cardiovascular care throughout Ireland. The programme is free of charge, delivered online and accessible to patients with a heart or stroke diagnosis throughout Ireland. It has been inspiring watching and learning what the Irish Heart Foundation do for stroke and heart patients, said Jacqui. It makes me want to advocate and do what I can to help future stroke patients. The programme teaches heart and stroke patients about the advocacy methods and channels open to them to try and bring about better outcomes for themselves and other patients, especially in the area of political lobbying, patient representation in healthcare and advocating to the public. It also aims to drive awareness of the need for donations, which helps the foundation to continue such training and to help support people who have had their lives affected by heart disease and stroke. Advocacy campaign manager with the Irish Heart Foundation, Pauline OShea, described people like Wyndham and Jacqui as the unsung heroes of the organisation. They are a terrific addition, their lived experience and desire to help others and the organisation speak out about significant issues that affect heart and stroke patients, is a powerful combination for working for positive change for patients, she said. Patients no longer want their involvement in advocacy to be represented by occasions of being wheeled out to speak and then being expected to leave the room while everyone else makes the decisions. They want to feel empowered, appreciated, supported and treated as equals in the room, and in partnership with patient organisations and healthcare decision makers. The recruitment drive for the 2026 programme is currently underway, ad to become a Patient Champion visit irishheart.ie/patientchampions. Russia trying to cut us off from Black Sea route, claims Volodymyr Zelensky United States pursuing diplomatic drive to end war as drone and missile strikes escalate A man walks in front his house destroyed after a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine. Photo: AP Yulila Dysa Reuters Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 06:30 Russia is trying to sever Ukraines access to the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, following days of ramped-up airstrikes on ports and energy facilities in the Odesa region and a critical route to the Moldova border. The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials said on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than a week. ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ministries and government bodies based in Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Sunday announced their support for recent military expansion by the pro-secession Southern Transitional Council (STC). The Ministry of Civil Service and Insurance said in a statement that it supports "the aspirations of the people of the South to implement their will," calling on the international community and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to respect these aspirations more than three decades after Yemen's unification. The ministry also reaffirmed its backing of the STC leadership's decisions, stressing its commitment to protecting public sector employees' rights, maintaining administrative stability, and ensuring the continued functioning of state institutions. Other Aden-based ministries and government bodies, including the ministries of agriculture and fisheries and of social affairs and labor, issued similar statements. Senior government officials, including the deputy ministers of information and culture and of water, also voiced support for the STC's declared positions, while pledging to continue their administrative and service-related duties without interruption. The support reflects deepening divisions within Yemen's power-sharing government, as several southern-origin ministers who favor greater autonomy remained in Aden, while ministers from northern Yemen left the city in protest against the STC's recent military deployment in the country's strategic eastern provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah earlier this month. The head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) said the STC's actions were "unilateral" and "illegitimate," calling for the immediate withdrawal of STC forces from the eastern regions. The STC, however, refused to pull back its forces, maintaining its deployment in the areas and initiating recruitment campaigns among local residents, describing the steps as part of efforts to consolidate security and administration. Although the STC is formally part of the UN-recognized Yemeni government, it continues to advocate for the secession of southern Yemen. Founded in 2017, the council seeks to restore an independent southern state, reversing the 1990 unification of the former North and South Yemen. Yemen has remained mired in conflict since 2014, when Houthi militants seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally-recognized government. Gil Gerard, the actor, who has died aged 82, became a heart-throb in the 1970s as the eponymous time-travelling hero of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Gerard brought a relaxed, wise-cracking charm as well as good looks and an air of soldierly omnicompetence to the role of Buck, a 20th-century Nasa astronaut who goes into cryogenic stasis when his space shuttle is damaged and wakes up in the year 2491, returning to Earth to find that civilisation is in the process of being rebuilt following a nuclear holocaust. There have been large-scale protests in Nigeria over insecurity this week. Photo: Getty. The remaining 130 Nigerian schoolchildren abducted in November from a Catholic school in Niger state have been released, President Bola Tinubu's spokesperson said on Sunday, following one of the country's biggest mass kidnappings of recent years. "The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by terrorists...have now been released. They are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday and rejoin their parents for the Christmas celebration," Bayo Onanuga said in a post on X. Image credit : Instagram| @olderdilfs| Hollywood icon George Clooney at a recent public event. George Clooneys sister remembered as an educator and artist Image credit : X| George Clooneys sister Ada, a devoted educator and community advocate. George Clooney remembers his sisters strength and grace Image credit : Instagram| @olderdilfs| George Clooney posing for the cameras at a high-profile event. The Clooney family is mourning a deeply personal loss. Adelia Ada Zeidler, the elder sister of Hollywood icon George Clooney, has passed away at the age of 65 after a private battle with cancer. While her brothers life has unfolded under constant public scrutiny, Adas story remained largely out of the spotlight, one defined by creativity, compassion, and quiet strength.She died peacefully on December 19 at St Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Kentucky, surrounded by her loved ones, according to family statements and her obituary. Her passing has prompted an outpouring of reflection on a woman whose life, though far removed from fame, left a lasting impact on those who knew her.Born on May 2, 1960, in Los Angeles, Adelia Zeidler was the daughter of respected journalist and television host Nick Clooney and writer Nina Bruce Warren. Despite growing up in a family familiar with public attention, she chose a markedly different path from her famous brother. Ada dedicated her professional life to education, working for many years as an elementary school art teacher in Augusta, Kentucky.Those who knew her locally remember her not as George Clooneys sister, but as a passionate educator and an active member of her community. She was deeply involved in local cultural circles, including the Augusta Art Guild and a neighbourhood book club. Her contributions to the town were recognised when she was selected as the grand marshal of Augustas annual White Christmas Parade, an honour reflecting the esteem in which she was held.Beyond teaching, Zeidler also worked as a bookkeeper at various points in her life. A National Merit Scholar, she maintained a lifelong interest in art, literature, and creative expression. She was married to Norman Zeidler, a retired US Army captain, until his death in 2004, and she was a devoted mother to two children.Following her death, George Clooney paid a moving tribute to his sister, describing her as his hero. Speaking through, he said she faced her illness with remarkable courage and humour, qualities that left a profound impression on those closest to her.Clooney has historically kept his family life private, but he has occasionally spoken about his close bond with Ada. In past interviews, he has expressed pride in her achievements and the life she built away from Hollywoods glare.Ultimately, Adelia Ada Zeidlers legacy is not measured by fame, but by the lives she touched through her kindness, creativity, and resilience. Her story serves as a reminder that some of the most meaningful lives are lived quietly, beyond the spotlight, yet leave an indelible mark all the same. Image credit : X| @PopBase| Sydney Sweeney and Jonathan Davino split earlier this year Image credit : X| @Complex| Sydney Sweeney shares behind-the-scenes moments from The Housemaid E! News Sydney Sweeney faces backlash and praise amid career highlights Image credit : X| @PopCrave| Sydney Sweeney models American Eagle jeans with confidence Image credit : Instagram| @justjared| Sydney Sweeney attending Jeff Bezos wedding in elegant attire. Sweeney embraces transformation and Hollywood resilience Variety Image credit : X| @sweeneycraves| Sydney Sweeney spotted at a public event in stylish attire Sydney Sweeney dominated headlines throughout 2025, experiencing a year marked by personal upheaval, professional milestones, and public controversy. The year began on a challenging note as she finalised her split from fiance Jonathan Davino, ending what had been a high-profile engagement. In the wake of the breakup, Sweeney embraced her single life with renewed focus, pouring her energy into a string of film projects, high-profile appearances, and career-defining roles that kept her firmly in the spotlight.Throughout the year, she starred in a string of films including, and. Sweeney also returned to her iconic role as Cassie in, as the cast prepared for the highly anticipated third and final season of the series.While her career soared, Sweeney faced public scrutiny. She stirred debate with a controversial collaboration with Dr. Squatch, releasing a limited-edition bathwater soap called. Though the product sold out instantly, critics labelled it strange and objectifying. Sweeney defended the project, tellingshe had pitched the idea herself and enjoyed the public reaction.Her headline-grabbing year continued with a partnership with American Eagle on the Great Jeans campaign. The brand intended to donate proceeds to a mental health charity, but the campaign sparked backlash over its portrayal of Sweeney and the play on genes versus jeans. Despite criticism, supporters including Danica Patrick, Dr. Phil, and former President Donald Trump defended her. Sweeney largely stayed silent during the storm, focusing instead on her film obligations andAmidst the professional and personal turbulence, Sweeney continued to make an impression on the red carpet and at high-profile events. She attended the Venice wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, mingling with industry figures such as Scooter Braun. Later, she appeared at the Toronto Film Festival for the premiere of, earning praise from her co-star Christy Martin while facing criticism from Ruby Rose, who claimed she was initially attached to the project. Martin publicly defended Sweeney, applauding her dedication to portraying her story authentically.Sweeney also opened up about her approach to roles and public perception. In ainterview, she discussed portraying complex and divisive characters, emphasising her commitment to self-expression and empowerment. She debuted a chic blonde bob, marking a physical transformation that complemented her evolving image.By year-end, Sweeney clarified her stance on past controversies, including her American Eagle campaign and questions about cosmetic surgery. She insisted she had never undergone any procedures and celebrated her natural appearance while attending the Los Angeles premiere of The Housemaid in a striking white corset gown.Despite a year of highs and lows, 2025 cemented Sydney Sweeneys status as a determined and ambitious presence in Hollywood. She proved fearless in taking on challenging roles, navigating public scrutiny, and embracing her personal style, all while remaining committed to her craft and staying true to her own values. Her resilience and dedication throughout the year showcased her growth both as an actress and as a public figure. Khanna targets Samajwadi Party Alleged links between accused and SP members No deaths in Uttar Pradesh, says government Drug-free UP is government's goal Syrup smuggled to Nepal and Bangladesh SIT formed, FIRs filed in 33 districts 75 arrested, cough syrup worth Rs 9.42 crore seized Uttar Pradesh Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna on Saturday said the Yogi Adityanath government is taking strict action in the codeine-laced cough syrup case under its zero-tolerance policy. Speaking to reporters in Shahjahanpur, Khanna said action has been taken even against influential people and anyone found guilty will face the strictest punishment.The minister targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) and said a photograph of the party's national president with the alleged codeine mafia has surfaced. Khanna said instead of giving vague answers, the SP chief should clearly explain the truth behind the photograph. He added that the entire country wants to know how the party is linked to those involved in the case.Khanna alleged that several people arrested in the case have direct or indirect links with Samajwadi Party members. He said the SP remained silent on deaths of children reported in other parts of the country due to cough syrup misuse, despite large-scale drug trafficking being involved.The cabinet minister clarified that not a single death due to codeine-based cough syrup has been reported in Uttar Pradesh. However, he said the Yogi government still acted swiftly and seriously in the matter to prevent misuse of the drug.Khanna said the government's goal is to make Uttar Pradesh drug-free in line with the national vision of 'Nasha Mukt Bharat'. He explained that codeine-based cough syrup is meant only for patients suffering from severe cough and can be sold strictly on a doctor's prescription. Medical stores are required to maintain proper records of such sales.The minister said the cough syrup was being smuggled on a large scale and sent to Nepal and Bangladesh where it was used as a narcotic. An investigation revealed that medicines meant for patients were diverted for drug abuse.Khanna said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed with the help of the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) and the police. A three-member committee headed by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) LR Kumar is leading the investigation. So far, FIRs have been registered against 140 firms across 33 districts under the NDPS Act and related laws.The minister said 75 people have been arrested till now. Authorities have seized codeine-based cough syrup worth Rs 9.42 crore and recovered 12,65,455 bottles during raids. Khanna assured that as the SIT investigation continues, action will be taken against every person found involved in the case without exception. Image credit : X| @Variety| Dave Chappelle during a public appearance in the United States. Image credit : X| @itsrosesm| Late Charlie Kirk photographed during a public speaking engagement. Why Chappelle says the comparison does not hold up Image credit : X| @3sterloca (R) @RightPulseNewss| Dave Chappelle and Charlie Kirk pictured in separate public appearances. Chappelle on influence, violence and personal reckoning Image credit : Instagram| @davechappelle| Dave Chappelle pictured during a recent industry event. Dave Chappelle has never shied away from uncomfortable conversations, but his latest Netflix stand-up special has once again pushed him into the centre of a fierce cultural debate. In, released without prior promotion, the veteran comedian tackles the killing of conservative activist and media personality Charlie Kirk, alongside the intense and sometimes polarising reactions that followed.Rather than offering a neat takeaway, Chappelle presents his unease in real time. He admits the news of Kirks death genuinely unsettled him, not only because of the violence itself, but because it disrupted long-held assumptions about who becomes a target and why. He stresses that he is not trivialising the loss of life, yet makes it clear he feels sceptical about the conclusions many rushed to draw.That scepticism sharpens when Chappelle addresses claims from some of Kirks supporters that he should be remembered as this generations Martin Luther King Jr. For Chappelle, the comparison crosses a line-one he considers historically careless and emotionally charged rather than rooted in fact.In the special, Chappelle methodically dismantles the argument by placing the two figures in stark contrast. He acknowledges that both men died violently, but argues that the resemblance ends there. Martin Luther King Jr., he reminds audiences, was a civil rights leader who faced systematic oppression while mobilising millions under constant surveillance and threat. Kirk, by contrast, built influence through modern media ecosystems that reward provocation, speed and controversy.Chappelle uses humour to underline his point, imagining how jarring Kings legacy would sound if filtered through the language of online platforms. The joke doubles as a critique of how political discourse has shifted, with outrage often replacing substance and algorithms shaping influence more than ideas.The comedian also references early, conflicting reports surrounding Kirks killing, including speculation about ideological motives. Rather than endorsing any theory, Chappelle highlights how quickly narratives form before facts settle, suggesting societys need for meaning often overtakes patience for truth.As the special progresses, Chappelle turns his focus inward. He reflects on how Kirks death forced him to confront his own visibility and the unintended power his voice now carries. Fame, he suggests, no longer comes without fear, especially in an era where political identity can harden into something dangerous.This introspection deepens when Chappelle draws a parallel to the murder of rapper Nipsey Hussle, a loss that still resonates deeply within the cultural community. He describes the shared devastation of seeing someone admired reduced to a headline, killed not by ideology alone but by senseless violence.Chappelle also comments on Congresss decision to establish a national day of remembrance for Kirk. While he stops short of condemning the move, he questions whether the vote reflected genuine agreement or a broader anxiety about political violence spilling further into public life.Asnears its conclusion, Chappelle offers no clear resolution, and that appears intentional. Instead, he leaves audiences sitting with discomfort, contradiction and unanswered questions. Love him or loathe him, Chappelle continues to use comedy not as comfort, but as confrontation, challenging how history, influence and grief are framed in the modern age. Victoria Beckham determined to keep Christmas joyful despite Brooklyns absence Heat World Image credit : Netflix | Victoria Beckham is keeping Christmas traditions alive at home, even as Brooklyns absence weighs on her this festive season. David and Victoria unfollow Brooklyn on Instagram The Sun Image credit : X/@ThePopTingzz | The Beckham family drama continues as Victoria and David unfollow son Brooklyn on Instagram Whats going on with the Beckham family? Image credit : Instagram/@victoriabeckham | Brooklyn missed dad David's 50th birthday celebration amid family rift Brooklyn plans on dropping the family name Image credit : Instagram/@BrooklynBeckham | Brooklyn Beckham reportedly plans to take wife Nicola Pelt z's surname The Beckham family tension doesnt seem to be easing, and even the holidays havent managed to bring everyone back together. According to a new report, Victoria Beckham is having a tough time wrapping her head around Christmas without Brooklyn, with his absence reportedly putting a bit of a damper on her festive mood. Still, shes said to be focusing on making the most of the time with the family who will be around.The situation comes after both David and Victoria unfollowed Brooklyn on Instagram, a move thats only added fuel to the rumours that things have gotten more serious behind the scenes. None of the Beckhams has commented publicly, but the signs havent gone unnoticed. Meanwhile, Brooklyn is reportedly planning to spend the holidays in the US with his wife, Nicola Peltz, keeping his distance as the family rift continues.According to, the former Spice Girls member is doing her best not to let Brooklyns absence overshadow the familys Christmas celebrations this year. A source told the outlet that while Victoria, 51, usually loves the festive season, this year has been more emotional than usual. Normally, Vic cant wait for Christmas, but this year she cant help feeling sad about the situation, the source shared, adding that it has been a whole year since they were all together as a family. Still, the insider stressed that Victoria is staying positive and is determined not to let this ruin their precious festive time, choosing instead to focus on the good things and enjoy time with people who actually want to be there.The Beckhams are reportedly set to spend Christmas Day at their Cotswolds home, with extended family joining them for the celebrations. According to the source, the day will include David Beckham taking charge in the kitchen and the family sticking to their long-standing tradition of opening Christmas stockings together.The kids may be older now, but Vic still insists on doing stockings for everyone, the source said. With younger nieces and nephews still believing in Santa, the family fully leans into the festive spirit. As for Harper, shes expected to be thoroughly spoiled, with Victoria enjoying picking out makeup and clothes for her. The source also revealed that Victoria has made sure everyone, including the dogs, will be wearing matching Christmas pyjamas.The tension within the Beckham family was thrown back into the spotlight this week after reports claimed David and Victoria Beckham unfollowed Brooklyn on Instagram. A source toldthat the move suggests the family still hasnt worked through their issues.This is the ultimate snub in 2025, and it shows just how deep their rift is, the source said.That said, theres also speculation that Brooklyn may have blocked his parents first, which would make it appear as though David and Victoria are no longer following him. The reported unfollow follows a similar moment back in July, when Romeo and Cruz Beckham were also said to have unfollowed both Brooklyn and his wife, Nicola Peltz, on Instagram.The Beckham family rift appears to have grown over time, with tension reportedly beginning around Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz increasingly distancing themselves from his parents after the couple missed key family events like Davids 50th birthday and other gatherings, leading to speculation about hurt feelings and competing priorities.Multiple reports have highlighted ongoing tensions since Brooklyns wedding in 2022, including disagreements over family involvement and a perception that Brooklyn and Nicola are building their own life apart from the Beckhams.A recent report by Heatworld even revealed that part of whats kept the Beckham family feud going is Brooklyns insistence that any reconciliation with his parents hinges on a public apology to his wife Nicola Peltz. Sources say Brooklyn has made it clear he wont engage with Victoria and David unless they acknowledge how he feels Nicola has been treated and apologise for it. The outlet also claimed Brooklyn has discussed dropping the Beckham surname entirely if that apology doesnt happen. Image credit : X | @jimbo_tally | Viral Claims Linking Obama to Brown University Shooting Lack Any Verifiable Proof Did Obama have a connection to the Brown University shooter? Image credit : X | @DigitalGalX | Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, the suspect, had entered the U.S. on a student visa before the tragic incident. Social media reacts to the viral claims I thought this was fake but its real The man who opened fire in a lecture hall at Brown University is named Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente His X is Claudio Neves, and only has 79 followers One of those 79 followers is Barack Obama. What are the odds?!?pic.twitter.com/LP2AOxWboT Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) December 20, 2025 Claims about Obama following Brown University shooter lack evidence International Business Times UK Image credit : X | @cianurosex | Social media users amplified speculation about Obama following the alleged shooter without evidence. Following the tragic Brown University shooting authorities confirmed that the suspect, Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, a Portuguese national found dead on Thursday, who had entered the United States on a student visa. Amid the ongoing investigation, a misleading claim began circulating on X (formerly called Twitter), suggesting that former President Barack Obama was following Neves-Valente on the platform. Let's find out if the claims are true or why Obama followed the shooter on X.On December 21, users on X (formerly Twitter) noted that former President Barack Obama's verified account appeared to be following Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, the suspect in the fatal Brown University shooting on December 13, 2025. However, there is no verified evidence of any personal connection, prior contact, or advance knowledge between Obama and the suspect.According to the latest social media claims, a suspicious connection between the two, but there is no evidence to support any link between Obama and the shooter highlighting how quickly unverified information can spread in the aftermath of such events.A post from the account @TheSCIF raised suspicions by asking why former President Obama was allegedly following the Brown University shooter and linking to a user with a very few followers purportedly tied to the case. This insinuation suggested the link was deliberate, feeding into broader conspiracy theories that try to link high-profile figures to violent incidents, despite a lack of credible evidence.As soon as the post surfaced on the platform, it quickly gained traction, with many X users sharing the same claim. One user wrote, "The man who opened fire in a Brown University lecture hall is named Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente. His X profile only has 79 followers. One of them is Barack Obama."While another questioned, "Why does OBAMA follow the Brown University shooter? Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente had 79 followers on , and 1 of them just happened to be Barack Hussein Obama. There are no coincidences." However, those spreading the claim suggested that Obama's account or influence reached harmful areas of social media, even though they offered no concrete evidence to support this.According to, fact-checking efforts show that Claudio Manuel Neves-Valentes alleged account, @amazing_5, cannot be found on X. Searches through the platform and public indexes yield no results, indicating that the account may not exist and has been deleted or is misspelled.Without a visible or traceable profile, claims that former President Obama followed @amazing_5 are based on speculation rather than confirmed social media data. DOJ denies removing Donald Trump photo to protect Donald Trump The Daily Mail Image credit : X | @0pAnimism| Questions Arise Over Deleted Trump Image Victims' concerns prompt DOJ to remove Epstein files Image credit : X | @0pAnimism | DOJ Sets the Record Straight on Trump Photo Removal From Epstein Documents Image credit : X | @0pAnimism | Trump Photo Pulled From Epstein Files Trump administration under pressure over Epstein file releases Amid the rising concerns over the mysteriously deleted EFTA00000468 file, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has clarified why President Donald Trump's image disappeared from the recently released Jeffrey Epstein documents on Friday, December 19, 2025. The move had sparked widespread speculation that the Department of Justice had removed the photo to protect the president from embarrassment. Let's find out more.According to, the files were made public on Friday, which included more than a dozen documents and images, among them a photograph of Donald Trump found in a drawer of Epstein's desk. The image showed Trump with a group of women, as well as another with him posing alongside Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell.Speculation quickly spread online that the DOJ intentionally removed the files to shield Trump. However, Blanche firmly rejected these claims. It has nothing to do with President Trump. There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public showing him with Mr Epstein, he said.He has said that in the 90s and early 2000s, he socialised with him. So the absurdity of us pulling down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is laughable," Blanche said before revealing the real reason the photos disappeared.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained that the removal of certain files, including Trump's pictures, is guided by concerns raised by victims or victim rights groups, not political considerations."A judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group if they have any concerns about the material that were putting up. And so when we hear concerns, whether its photographs of women that we do not believe are victims, or we didnt have information to show that they were victims, but we learn that there are concerns, of course, were taking that photograph down, and were going to address it."AG further added, "If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, and then well put it back up."In recent months, the Trump administration has faced security concerns from across the political spectrum over its handling of filesDeputy Attorney General Todd Blanche previously noted that new laws restrict the Department of Justice from releasing all Epstein-related materials at once. DAKAR, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Africa can draw lessons from China's development model, particularly in technology, education, and long-term planning, a Senegalese economist said on Sunday. In an interview with Xinhua, Cherif Salif Sy, director of the Third World Forum and former technical adviser to the President of Senegal on economic affairs, shared his insights from a recent visit to China. Sy said his visit to Shanghai left a strong impression on him. "The futuristic skyline reflects a spectacular leap achieved in just a few decades," he said, referring to landmarks such as the Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower. He highlighted the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, a hub bringing together start-ups, large technology companies, and research laboratories in fields, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and semiconductors. "I observed young, highly motivated engineers working in modern and collaborative spaces," he said. Sy also observed China's attention to human and environmental dimensions. "Beyond technological progress, there is also attention to green spaces and well-being initiatives," he said, which, in his view, reflects a search for harmony. Sy believes these lessons are relevant for Africa, a continent rich in natural resources with a predominantly young population, yet still facing structural challenges. Focusing on Africa's youth, he emphasized promoting perseverance and merit while considering social and community values. "Effort can be transformed into collective progress," he said, citing the emergence of technology hubs in African countries, including Kenya, as encouraging examples. The economist also emphasized the need for greater investment in education, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. "China trains large numbers of engineers," Sy said, adding that cooperation with international partners should place a stronger emphasis on skills transfer to support local talent development in Africa. On infrastructure and industrialization, he noted that China's technology clusters are the result of long-term planning. "Industrial development is based on planning and sustained investment," he said, adding that African countries could benefit from similar approaches, adapted to their own realities. Sy also highlighted the importance of reconciling modernization with cultural roots. "China integrates tradition with technology," he said. "Africa, drawing on concepts such as Ubuntu, can also pursue development while preserving social cohesion and respect for nature." "The objective is not to copy, but to be inspired," Sy said, expressing optimism about Africa's potential to achieve sustainable development. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has suspended several of its operatives following allegations that they extorted 10 million from Nigerian rapper Oladipupo Oladimeji, popularly known as Oladips. The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday by the EFCCs spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in Abuja. Oladips had earlier accused the anti-graft agency of detaining him for five days and forcing him to part with 10 million before regaining his freedom, despite having no evidence of wrongdoing. His claims, which went viral on social media, sparked public outrage and renewed debate about police and agency misconduct. Advertisement According to Oyewale, the EFCC treated the musicians allegations with the utmost seriousness, leading to the immediate suspension of the officers involved pending the outcome of a full-scale internal investigation. The commission wishes to state unreservedly that the grim picture painted by the artiste does not reflect the true character of the EFCC, Oyewale said. The officers involved have been relieved of their operational duties while investigations continue. He further confirmed that the affected operatives have been summoned to the EFCCs headquarters in Abuja for questioning as part of the disciplinary process. Oyewale stressed that the EFCC remains committed to transparency and integrity, promising that any operative found guilty of misconduct would face appropriate sanctions. If, however, the allegation proves false and aimed at maligning the EFCC, suitable penalties will also apply, he added. The commission urged Nigerians to remain calm and allow due process to take its course, reaffirming its dedication to fighting corruption and financial crimes without bias or compromise. Jasper Francis Cropsey (18231900), "Autumn in the Ramapo Valley, Erie Railway," 1873, oil on canvas, 38 68 in. Read more Back in September 1873, the New York Herald announced that the Hudson River School painter Jasper Francis Cropsey had a new painting. Autumn in the Ramapo Valley, Erie Railway, which would be open to public viewing for only a day or two longer at the Wall Street office of Charles Day, the article said. The painting was commissioned by investor James McHenry, who, with Day, was director of Erie Railway. McHenry, who had been a director of the Atlantic and Great Western Railway before that, had his eye set on the Erie Railway, which was founded in 1832. Advertisement In 1872, in what is best described as a corporate coup, McHenry ousted the railroad magnate Jay Gould and took full control over Erie Railway. In celebration, he commissioned the Cropsey painting, which, after those few days on Wall Street, made its way to McHenrys home in London and remained in private collections, away from the public eye since. Until now. In 2024, philanthropists J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox, who live in Bucks County, bought the painting and brought it back to the United States. It is on view at the Brandywine Museum of Art, some 150 miles away from the original setting of the painting, where flatlands west of the Hudson River meet steep hills near the town of Sloatsburg, N.Y. Here, it can be seen by an American audience for the first time in 152 years. The Foxes and American art J. Jeffrey Fox has built a successful career in finance and education and his wife, Ann Marie, has worked with several nonprofits, often focusing on children with special needs. Together, in 2024, they made a $20 million gift to endow the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Pennsylvania State University. The couple, said Jeffrey Fox, have always been interested in American history. We used to collect art as souvenirs. We would go to estate sales and garage sales and sometimes buy a piece of art, he said. It wasnt a collection that was of any significance. So once we got a little bit more money, we wanted to buy one painting thatll be the centerpiece for the rest of our collection. They bought Frederick Childe Hassams The Cove, Isles of Shoals (1901) at an auction in 2015. The discerning eye in the couple has always been Ann Maries. She spent 15 years volunteering at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and when the couple lived in Annapolis, Md., she took classes under Matt Herban, a retired professor of art from Ohio State University. After that first Hassam, the couple wanted a Cropsey. But not just any Cropsey. We went to the National Gallery and they had a fabulous Cropsey [Autumn On the Hudson River (1860)]. It just took our breath away. And we were like, Wow, how could we ever get something that good. Thats why it took us this long, said Ann Marie. We were very picky. Every artist has great days, and every artist has OK days. We wanted Cropsey on a great day, her husband said. Finding Cropsey on a great day Last year, the Foxes art adviser came to know from a friend in Europe that Autumn in the Ramapo Valley was coming up for auction in London in September. Believing that the painting was best sold to an American buyer, this friend approached the adviser before the painting went under the hammer. The Foxes had 48 hours to make a decision to buy, never having seen the painting, aided only by a high-quality photograph and a condition report. Cropseys catalog raisonne, put together by the Newington Cropsey Foundation in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., says the painting left the country in September 1873. Documents said the painting has been in an undisclosed buyers family since the 1950s. McHenry died in 1891 and we dont really know what happened from 1891 to the mid-50s, but we do know that it never left England, Jeffrey said. And we dont think it was ever shown in England. There are no records that we were able to find. Ann Marie said yes, and the couple wrote up a letter of intent. We were a bit concerned, said Jeffrey. Another Cropsey Richmond Hill in summer of 1862, also owned by McHenry that came up in an auction in 2013 was deemed a national treasure by the U.K. and was not allowed to leave the country. The clearance for Autumn in Ramapo to leave England took a little over three months. The English let that out of England because it was an American artist, and an American scene, Jeffrey said. The couple bought the painting in January 2025. Once the artwork arrived in the United States, a restorer found it to be in exceptional condition, exactly as advertised. In March, the conservator finished assessing the painting, and the Foxes traveled to New York to see it in real life. It just displayed so much grandeur. I thought it was wonderful, Anne Marie said. The autumn colors just stunning. And the size of it is amazing. The first thing I said when I saw it was, It cant come to my house. Its going to tear down my wall. Including the frame, the artwork measures 4.75 feet by 7.16 feet. Our house isnt that big, we probably couldnt get through the door, Jeffrey said. The couple couldnt ship it to their foundation office, either. We needed a museum that would be willing to show it and buy into the story, because its a phenomenal story, Jeffrey said. That museum was the Brandywine. The painting and the painter Its easy to miss the Erie Railway part in Autumn in the Ramapo Valley, Erie Railway. Cropsey paints an idyllic fall scene with the Ramapo Valley bathed in yellow, red, and, orange foliage. Bits of green peep out, the sky is clear and a light blue, a waterfall flows gently on the left, the Ramapo River sits still. The smoke-billowing train chugs through the valley in the distance, but in the center of the painting. Black rails of the railway bridge run parallel to the river and disappear into the leaves. The setting of the painting falls between what is New Yorks Orange and Rockland County, on the western side of the Hudson River, and north of Suffern. This painting really helps in telling a fuller story of the history of American art, and particularly, this brief moment, in the third quarter of the 19th century, when huge sums were being spent on huge paintings, said William L. Coleman, curator at the Wyeth Foundation and director of the Andrew & Betsy Wyeth Study Center. This is part of a larger story with artists like Frederic Church, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran. Cropsey, an architect who had designed several railway stations himself, was part of a line of artists who engaged with the new fortunes being made from the transportation industry, making images of new railroads traveling through the landscapes, Coleman said. The artists enjoyed generous patronage and lived well. Cropsey lived in a mansion he built, called Aladdin, less than 10 miles away from the site of the painting. Here he built himself a studio that doubled as a gallery and art marketplace. The Philadelphia story Cropseys patron James McHenry was born in Ireland in 1817 and was raised in Philadelphia. He moved back to England, living primarily in London, where he made a fortune raising money and investing it in developing railways in America. His sister remained in Philadelphia until her death. Jeffrey Fox calls McHenry notorious, adding that he often worked against other equally infamous robber barons like Cornelius Vanderbilt and Gould. He paid $25,000 on a Bierstadt painting in 1865, so he was quite an art collector himself, Jeffrey said. McHenry, who already owned Richmond Hill in Summer of 1862, perhaps had gotten acquainted with Cropsey when the artist visited England in 1856. Cropsey had already made a name for himself painting Starrucca Viaduct, Pennsylvania (1865) where, too, a distant train almost merges into the green slopes of the mountain behind it when McHenry wanted an artist to commemorate his pushing Gould out of the Erie Railroad directorship in 1873. He had already gotten a national reputation for painting part of this exact railroad, and so James McHenry went to the railroad guy, said Coleman, and commissioned Autumn in Ramapo. Artists like Bierstadt and Sanford Robinson Gifford were also working on similar railroad commissions at the time. Most of their stock and trade are images that make use of the aesthetic value of the sublime, the power of the natural world against the small scale of human existence. So they give us that feeling of awe, of wonder, Coleman said. Landscape paintings, he said, tell stories about belonging, about ownership, about your place in a wider society. And they often risk being underestimated. These are pleasant, old pictures that we see on calendars and postage stamps, but they have a lot to tell us about how we became the nation we are today. An irrelevant cost At Brandywine, Cropseys train speaks to the museums beloved holiday train display, posing questions of tradition and modernity as the nation enters its 250th year. It will stay at the museum through May and then travel to the Dixon Museum in Memphis, Tenn. Then it heads to the Seed Art Museum in Louisville, Ky.;, Rockwell Museum in Corning, N.Y,; University of Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Ga.; and the Newington Cropsey Foundation. The Foxes wanted this piece of American history to be witnessed by Americans. What they paid for it, Jeffrey Fox said, is irrelevant. If you put a value to it, thats what youre going to talk about, as opposed to the painting, he said. Were a foundation and at the end of the day, were not going to sell it. So it doesnt matter what we paid. Cropsey, Wyeth, and the American Landscape Tradition, continues through May 31 at the Brandywine Museum of Art, U.S. Route 1 at Hoffmans Mill Road in Chadds Ford, Chester County. Information: brandywine.org or 610-388-2700. This article has been updated with the correct year of James McHenry gaining control of the Erie Railway. It was 1872. Emily Phillippy couldnt find the kind of artistic, ethically-sourced jewelry she wanted to wear, so she decided to make it herself. That was more than 15 years ago, when she was still a student studying jewelry and metals at Tyler School of Art, Temples art school. After graduating, she rented studio space in one of Fishtowns old warehouses, drawn to the affordability and the density of other artists doing the same. I really liked this side of Philly, Fishtown and East Kensington, Phillippy said. Eventually, Phillippy moved to California, where she continued making jewelry and slowly built what would become her own brand. Today, she is the name and face behind Emily Chelsea Jewelry, a popular Philadelphia-based company known for its inclusive custom engagement rings and responsibly sourced stones. Five years ago, she opened a showroom and a brick-and-mortar storefront in Fishtown, the same neighborhood shed fallen for years earlier. Advertisement Now she lives in Mount Airy with her family, but frequently returns to her old Fishtown stomping grounds for work and play. Theres so much new stuff up there, Phillippy said. We cant help ourselves. Heres how Emily Phillippy would spend a perfect day in Philadelphia. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. 6 a.m. I wake up sometime between 6:30 and 7. Im a mom of an only child, and hes totally spoiled. Hes usually in bed with us by morning. Im not mad about it. I love it. Its a great way to start the day. 8 a.m. After were up and ready, I want to go to one of the two coffee shops. Either Adelie its just down the street from us in Mount Airy or Ultimo. I was so happy when Adelie opened because I feel like the coffee shops in Mount Airy are good, but they can sometimes be a little phoned in. Adelie is really bringing it with some really strong, strongly-brewed coffee. And they bring in bagels from New York City every day, which is amazing. If Im at Adelie, Im getting a large cold brew with a plain toasted bagel with butter. If Im not there, then Im going to Ultimo for the bacon cheddar scones. Theyre incredible, always warm, and they make them there. 9 a.m. If were talking about a day off not a day when Im going into the shop Im squeezing in a Peloton workout in the morning if I can. I really love Robin for a hard workout, especially if shes wearing double yellow. Thats code for a really hard workout. I also like Emma Lovewells rides. A friend of mine makes her jewelry, and shes always wearing this necklace my friend made, so its fun to see. Ive been an at-home workout person since before the pandemic. It removes the barrier of driving or finding parking, and lets me work out whenever it works for me. 10 a.m. Sunday morning is kid-focused. Recently, we were doing Circus School once a week. Philadelphia School of Circus Arts is in Mount Airy. Its an hour of kids in his age group running around trying things: trapeze, juggling, all of it. Weve been working on creating traditions for our family, not just carrying down what was passed on to us but establishing our own. So, one small thing we do is have a cookie-and-coffee date after circus school. We go to Night Kitchen Bakery over in Chestnut Hill. Our son orders a peanut butter cookie every time. Its delicious. I dont blame him. I love that hes even developing his own traditions within it. 11 a.m. After coffee, well do our food prep for the week at Weavers Way. Its a co-op with a couple of locations, and I choose which one were going to based on the vibe Im looking for. Theres one we call the Big Weavers because it has carts. The other two dont have carts because theyre too small and crammed. It really depends on what kind of experience you want. If we go to one of the smaller ones, we might go to Nesting House right after. Its a secondhand kids store. They sell baby goods and kids stuff. They do cloth diaper training every week. They also hold a new parent meetup. My son loves it. He asks to go all the time because theres a used toy section. He plays with the toys while I shop for clothes for him, and its always great stuff. Noon I usually skip lunch. I might get another coffee. I live on coffee. After pregnancy, it felt empowering to be like, Im allowed to do whatever I want with my body, including chugging an unreasonable amount of coffee. 2 p.m. A lot of times, well do some kind of community meetup at a playground. Theres always someone in one of the parent WhatsApp chats saying, Who wants to go to this playground? Allens Lane Park is a good one. Its a nice meetup for the kids, and the playground is half wooded. If were not doing that, then we might do a little hike in the Wissahickon. Its the best. It has hiking trails, mountain biking trails, and a great running trail along the river. Well bring our sons bike, and hell ride and throw rocks in the river for an hour. Its beautiful. 5:30 p.m. On an ideal night, were getting a babysitter and going out, usually in Fishtown. Its the neighborhood we work in, and it honestly feels like I only spend my time in Mount Airy or Fishtown, but I cant help myself. New restaurants are popping up constantly. The most recent was Ama. Its Mexican, and its so good. If were trying to impress people, well go to Suraya. Thats where I take my New Yorker friends when they visit. 9 p.m. My number one all-time favorite spot in the city is JG SkyHigh. Everyone will make fun of me because its bougie as hell, but I dont care. Its the bar at the Four Seasons on the 60th floor of the Comcast building. Its fully glass, so all you see is the city. The elevator ride alone is an experience. 11 p.m. At the end of the day, Ill do my New York Times puzzles and text my mom my results. Then my husband and I will play Stardew Valley on the Nintendo Switch. Were raising a farm together. Of course, we picked the rockier terrain that is rich in minerals. So I go mining every day, and he goes fishing. This is how we end our big nights out. Its been great for us. A White House envoy said Sunday he held productive and constructive talks in Florida with Ukrainian and European representatives to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. Posting on social media, Steve Witkoff said the talks aimed at aligning on a shared strategic approach among Ukraine, the United States, and Europe. Advertisement Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraines recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity. Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future, U.S. President Donald Trumps envoy said. The talks are part of the Trump administrations monthslong push for peace. Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Putin has recently signaled he is digging in on his maximalist demands on Ukraine, as Moscows troops inch forward on the battlefield despite huge losses. Florida talks press on The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow, Kirill Dmitriev told reporters in Miami on Saturday. Dmitriev met with U.S. President Donald Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram Sunday that diplomatic efforts were moving forward quite quickly, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side. This came after Ukraines chief negotiator said Friday his delegation had completed separate meetings in the United States with American and European partners. The Kremlin denied Sunday that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. were under discussion, after Zelensky said Saturday that Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions. At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared, Russian President Vladimir Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said, according to Russian state news agencies. Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Putin has recently signaled he is digging in on his maximalist demands on Ukraine, as Moscows troops inch forward on the battlefield despite huge losses. On Friday, Putin expressed confidence that the Kremlin would achieve its military goals if Kyiv didnt agree to Russias conditions in peace talks. Possible French-Russian talks The French presidency on Sunday welcomed Putins willingness to speak with President Emmanuel Macron, saying it would decide how to proceed in the coming days. As soon as the prospect of a ceasefire and peace negotiations becomes clearer, it becomes useful again to speak with Putin, Macrons office said in a statement. It is welcome that the Kremlin publicly agrees to this approach. The statement came after reports that Putin was open to holding talks with the French president if there was mutual political will. Macrons office said any dialogue would aim to contribute to a solid and lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe, in full transparency with President Zelensky and our European partners. European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide 90 billion euros ($106 billion) to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, although they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. Instead, they were borrowed from capital markets. Ukrainian civilians moved to Russia In Ukraine, the countrys human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, on Sunday accused Russian forces of forcibly removing about 50 Ukrainian civilians from the Ukrainian Sumy border region to Russian territory. Writing on Telegram, he said that Russian forces illegally detained the residents in the village of Hrabovske on Thursday, before moving them to Russia on Saturday. Lubinets said he contacted Russias human rights commissioner, requesting information on the civilians whereabouts and conditions, and demanding their immediate return to Ukraine. Santa and Mrs. Claus join Mayor Cherelle L. Parker for the City Hall tree lighting on Dec. 4. On Saturday, Philadelphians said what gift they wished Santa would bring the city this year. Read more Turkeys are about to start getting roasted and Philadelphia City Halls Christmas Village will soon be packing up. But the magic of the holiday season is never complete without a letter to Santa. With Christmas Day around the corner, we asked Philadelphians if they could ask Santa for anything on behalf of the city, what would it be? (Spoiler alert: Mr. Claus might need to talk with SEPTA.) Advertisement Heres what we heard: More housing and less PPA Sharon Wood, 68, and Alexis Rollins, 46, were all smiles and warmth, collecting donations for the Salvation Army at City Hall. But when it came time to ask Santa for a gift, things got serious. Wood, a North Philly resident, took one look around before declaring: More housing for the homeless. Everyone deserves help. Despite Philly recently leaving behind its title as the poorest big city in America, the number of unsheltered people increased by 20% compared with 2024, a reality Wood said can be felt citywide. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced Friday in her State of the City speech that 1,000 new beds will be added to the existing shelter system by Jan. 31. But to Wood, more needs to be done. There are so many buildings [in Center City] and they could use those spaces, Wood said. But its so much work and [Parker] is only one person give her some grace, help her. And that falls on City Council. Rollins, on the other hand, set aside the power struggles for Santa. Instead, she asked for St. Nick to soften the Philadelphia Parking Authoritys heart. No more ticketing: Thats my wish, Rollins said. Pricing is too much and people need a break in this economy. Crime reduction Halfway through 2025, Philly hit its lowest homicide rate in recent history. But to healthcare worker Paulette Franklin, 56, reducing homicides is only one leg of a table that could also benefit from providing access to mental healthcare and aiding unsheltered people, she said. A few months ago, one of her coworkers was chased by an unsheltered man outside a subway station on the Market-Frankford Line, Franklin said. The situation left the South Philly resident wondering if one day she too would have to run for her life. You dont know what can happen and I feel like I always have to be alert. I would like for everyone to be safe; we need safety and they need help, Franklin said. Since COVID things got worse and it hasnt gotten better, helping them would benefit the city. Franklin isnt the only one asking Santa for crime reduction this year. Her grandson Nathan Dockett may only be 10 years old, but hearing his mom and grandma talk about the safety of the city has already made him ask Santa for the end of gun violence in Philadelphia. Too many people get killed or hurt around the city, it makes me frightened, the fifth grader said. I just want Santa to make all peace around the world. Funding SEPTA and accessibility For J.van Kuilenburg, 25, who survived SEPTA cuts in August that left many Philadelphians scrambling, it was a no-brainer what to ask Santa for. Santa, please fund SEPTA, give us clean trains, and let our operators be paid a living wage, Kuilenburg said. Public transportation was one of the main reasons the museum curator moved to Philly from central Pennsylvania in 2023. I hope that we can get funding so we dont have to keep wondering every two years whats going to happen to our transportation, Kuilenburg said. For his friend Nush Agarwal, 24, the gift would be a more accessible city for people using wheelchairs. Philadelphia is more accessible than other places I have been to. Its easier to roll, most of the subway stops have elevators, but there is still a lot I cant do that I would love to do, Agarwal said, pointing out how even going inside a Christmas Village stall is impossible for him due to the lack of ramps. He would ask Santa for a city grant or program to help with the installation of ramps to have a Philadelphia everyone can better enjoy. Its really important because thats how you include people: It gives social and mental happiness, Agarwal said. A more efficient SEPTA Being teenagers, Raphael Wimmer, 15, and Ayden Devine, 14, arent really into Santa these days. Nevertheless, they would be happy to believe if Santa were to help them stop getting in trouble at school due to SEPTA delays. The pair have trouble getting from North Philly and Mount Airy, respectively, to school in South Philadelphia, and SEPTA delays affect their attendance. We have a science teacher that grades you zero if you are not on time, Wimmer said. It makes our grades go down for something we cant control. School should give kids that take SEPTA a grace period, Devine pitched. A safer SEPTA Playing Christmas carols on the north side of City Hall, a white-bearded man dressed in red, hat and all, was surprised to hear our request. I cant answer that: Im Santa Claus, Matthew Anthony, 59, said as he laughed like Santa himself. But I will ask for the state to fund SEPTAs horrible infrastructure. The musician feels like the lack of a budget is not only affecting public transportation access, but also the safety of riders. Every time you walk inside the system is a nightmare, there is no feeling safe there, but prices are going up, Anthony said. We gotta get money from the state to help. Until then, go Birds! One person was killed and at least seven others, including a firefighter, were injured as a fire tore through an Upper Darby apartment Saturday, officials said. Firefighters were called about 10:30 a.m. to a three-story building on the 3200 block of Township Line Road, in the Drexel Hill neighborhood, where the blaze had broken out in a second-floor apartment. The flames were contained to the apartment, but the heat, smoke, and water damaged nearby units, Upper Darby Township Fire Chief Nicholas Martin said in a news release. Martin said one person died from their injuries after being hospitalized, and another was critically injured. Their identities have not been made public. A firefighter was also hospitalized, but later released, for burn injuries sustained while rescuing two people from the apartment. At least five others suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, and about 75 people were displaced from their homes, the news release said. Our thoughts are with the victims of this fire and their families during this tremendously difficult time, Martin said in the statement. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A woman and an infant were shot in West Philadelphias Carroll Park neighborhood early Sunday, according to police. The shooting happened in the 1500 block of North Robinson Street at 4:05 a.m. Sunday, police said. The woman was shot multiple times throughout her body and was taken to Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was in critical condition, police said. A baby girl was shot once in her left leg, was taken to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, and was in stable condition, police said. Police said the shooter was unknown and the Shooting Investigation Group is investigating. With a predictable precision that may forever elude meteorology, at 10:03 a.m. Philadelphia time Sunday, the sun will beam its most direct light of the year on the Tropic of Capricorn and the astronomical winter will begin in the Northern Hemisphere. Sunday indeed is going to be the shortest day of 2025, with just over nine hours and 23 minutes between sunrise and sunset. Advertisement On the bright side for those who have about had their quotas of premature darkness, the day length would be a mere one second shorter than Saturdays, and on Monday, we gain two more seconds. On the dark side, Sundays sunset is a full three minutes earlier than that of Dec. 12. (And dont ask about sunrise.) Plus, in two weeks the night skies will become considerably brighter with the rising of the last of four consecutive super moons, which will peak on Jan. 3. Whether the brightness would be enhanced by snow cover is another matter: Meteorology has a long way to go to catch up to astronomy in terms of predictability. In the early going, Philly is more than halfway to last winter with 4.2 inches of snow, vs. 8.1 for the entire winter of 2024-25. In the short term, this is a peak time for a perennial question. Is it going to be a white Christmas? No almost always is a safe answer in Philly, and all along the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston. And no it is this year, says Bob Larsen, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. With a white Christmas defined as an inch of snow on the ground at Philadelphia International Airport on Dec. 25, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially posts about a 1-in-10 chance that it will happen in any given year in Philly. So why the fascination? Blame Irving Berlin, composer of White Christmas, and Bing Crosby, who crooned the most famous version, but probably a bigger impetus was the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, published in 1823 and credited to Clement Moore. The poem cast Santa Claus as personally delivering gifts via his sleigh. This predated Amazon Prime. That pretty well cemented the Christmas/snow relationship. Philly gets most of its major bigger snowstorms from noreasters, which tap the moisture of the Atlantic Ocean. The onshore winds can also import warm air from the ocean, and this time of year ocean temperatures still are well into the 40s. Thats why snow changes to rain so often around here early in the winter. It takes time for the ocean and the snow-making upper atmosphere to cool, and the snow season peaks in late January into February. That doesnt mean a storm cant pop before then. A very snowy anniversary It so happens that next month is the 30th anniversary of Phillys record 30.7-inch snowfall of Jan. 7-8. It was so unbelievable that the record wasnt verified officially until four years later, after NOAA commissioned a federal investigation. It turned out that the snow was not actually measured, but inferred from the liquid content of the melted snow and the air temperatures. The investigators David Robinson, the Rutgers University professor who is the longtime New Jersey state climatologist and an international snow authority, and Jon Nese, who then was the Franklin Institute meteorologist affirmed the total. They concluded that the snow reports in neighboring towns were close enough to support PHLs. Snow is a weighty matter In the standard language used by the National Weather Service and commercial outfits, that certainly qualified as a heavy snowfall. But it was the antithesis of heavy, at least in terms of relative weight. Snow comes not only in different shapes, but also in very different weights, depending on the snow-to-liquid ratios. On average around here, an inch of liquid yields about a foot of snow, a 12-1 ratio. However, when temperatures are close to freezing as they were last Sunday, the snow has a higher liquid content and is thus heavier. On Sunday, 5 inches may have felt more like 8 to the average shovel. Thats heavy snow. When its cold, as it was on Jan. 7, 1996 temperatures were in the teens during the day the flakes are way drier. The ratio for the storm was closer to 20-1, and overall the flakes were a whole lot lighter. Heavy snow applies to visibility ratios, said Jim Eberwine, longtime meteorologist with the National Weather Service local offices, adding it might be time to reconsider the use of that adjective. Some things should be updated, he said. How about: Snowfall rates can be intense at times? Snow: Its a Northern Hemisphere thing The solstice also marks the beginning of the astronomical summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so residents south of the equator probably wont be using snowblowers for the next several months. In fact, they wont be seeing a whole lot of snow there during the winter. It snows robustly in the Andes and other mountain regions, but not in major population centers, the AccuWeather people note. NOAAs National Center for Environmental Information doesnt bother to track snow cover in the Southern Hemisphere, for a couple of reasons, including that its 80% covered by climate-moderating water. Plus its major cities are located at latitudes where snow is scarce. How much for Philly this winter? By contrast, the Northern Hemisphere has a plentiful supply of metropolitan areas that experience ruler-worthy snowfalls, including Philadelphia. Making seasonal snow forecasts in this region isnt quite like picking lottery numbers, but reasonably close. Seasonal totals have varied from 78.7 inches in 2009-10 to nothing in 1972-73. NOAAs Climate Prediction Center doesnt touch the stuff. The guesses for this year are in, and here is a partial list with whats out there: The normal season total is 23.1 inches. Fox29 16 inches AccuWeather/6abc 14 to 18 inches CBS3 18 to 24 inches Arcfield Weather 22 to 26 inches WeatherBell Analytics 22 inches One prediction they all have in common: The winter of 2025-26 will out-snow that of 2024-25. That wont be hard. KHARTOUM, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least ten people were killed on Saturday in a drone strike that targeted a crowded market in the city of Al-Malha in North Darfur State, according to a volunteer group and eyewitnesses. "The drone strike killed ten people and injured many others, causing partial fires in a number of shops and significant material damage," the North Darfur Emergency Rooms Council, a volunteer-led humanitarian group, said in a statement. The council described the targeting of civilian markets as a "heinous crime and a dangerous escalation" against civilians, calling on humanitarian and medical organizations to move urgently to treat the wounded. The statement did not name the party that carried out the strike. An eyewitness from Al-Malha city told Xinhua on Sunday that the bombardment occurred at peak time in the late afternoon on Saturday, when the market was crowded with shoppers. He added, "The explosion caused a state of panic, and flames and smoke rose from shops near the targeted site." Another eyewitness confirmed that most of the victims were civilians, including vendors and shoppers. Al-Malha is located about 210 kilometers north of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, near the Sudanese-Libyan border. The city has been under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since March, following the withdrawal of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to the north of the country. Al-Malha holds a strategic position in the Darfur region, serving as a crossroads linking the city of Al-Dabba in northern Sudan with Hamrat al-Sheikh in North Kordofan. The city has from time to time been subjected to air attacks targeting convoys and trucks moving between the city and the Libyan border. The RSF controls the five Darfur states in western Sudan, except for parts of North Darfur that remain under army control. Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the SAF and the RSF, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced within the country and across its borders. The man who was killed when his car crashed into a river in North Cork had moved to Ireland from India last year and only recently became a father for the second time. Joice Thomas, who lived in Ballynoe in East Cork with his wife and their two young children, had finished work in the kitchen of Ballincurrig nursing home on Friday night and was on his way to meet friends when the accident occurred between Conna and Aghern villages. His family and friends spent hours searching for him overnight on Friday night before his car was found in the River Bride at around 10am on Saturday. He was father to a four-month-old baby boy and a two-and-a-half year old girl. A fundraising campaign has now been set up to cover the costs of repatriation of the 34-year-old's remains to India, as well as his funeral and future costs for the family. He was from the Kambammettu area and began work as an assistant in the kitchen of the Ballincurrig care centre two months ago. The GoFundMe campaign organisers said: "Sadly, Joice passed away in this tragic incident, leaving behind his grieving wife, young children, family, and friends who are devastated by this sudden and heartbreaking loss. We are initiating this fundraising campaign to support Joices family during this extremely difficult time. "The funds raised will help cover the repatriation of his body, funeral expenses, and provide financial support for the future and well-being of his children. As we know, kindness goes a long way. We humbly request your generous support and prayers for the family during this time of profound sorrow." On Sunday morning, approximately 21,000 was raised, out of a target of 55,000. Mr Thomas's remains were taken to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Gardai have conducted a forensic examination of the scene. Gardai are now appealing for witnesses and for road users with camera or dash-cam footage who were travelling on the R628 between 10pm on Friday 19 and 10am on Saturday 20 December to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station on 025 82100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has told Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of the Irish Governments annoyance and anger at Lebanons handling of the case of the late Irish peacekeeper Private Sean Rooney, who was killed three years ago this month. Mr Martin met with Mr Salam on Saturday morning, ahead of the Taoiseachs visit to Irish peacekeeping troops at Camp Shamrock in South Lebanon. Pte Rooney, a 24-year-old Dundalk native who had been living in Co Donegal, was shot dead on December 14, 2022, when the UN convoy he was travelling with came under fire in South Lebanon. Pte Shane Kearney, a native of Killeagh in Co Cork who was then 22, was severely injured in the incident and had to be medically evacuated to Ireland. A number of other soldiers were also wounded in the incident. In July, a Lebanese military tribunal found six people guilty of the killing of Pte Rooney, and Mohammad Ayyad, identified as the main suspect, was sentenced to death in absentia, and fined approximately US $1,200 (1,023). Mr Rooneys mother, Natasha Rooney, sharply criticised the verdict and the response from the Irish Government, describing the tribunal as a sham. Speaking to reporters at Camp Shamrock on Saturday, Mr Martin said he had raised the matter with Mr Salam. I spoke to hm about our very significant concerns, and indeed annoyance and anger at the very slow pace of the criminal justice system, from the time of Sean Rooneys death to the court decisions, and reaffirmed the value of the peacekeepers, the most noble role any individual can play, and that the necessity for accountability and responsibility has to be centre stage, Mr Martin said. He said such accountability would mean that the people responsible for the killing of Pte Rooney would be brought to proper justice", adding that the sentences imposed had been extremely lenient, and those convicted remained at large. The Taoiseach added: Its deeply, deeply unacceptable and unsatisfactory. To be fair, this new government [in Lebanon] has appealed the decision in the court, and [Mr Salam] took on board what I said and is particularly focused on it, but also on the need for disarmament in the region and the decommissioning of weapons. The two leaders also discussed the attack on December 4 against Irish peacekeepers, when troops came under fire from local militia members. Mr Martin later laid a wreath in Peacekeepers Square in Camp Shamrock, in memory of the 48 Irish soldiers to die on peacekeeping missions in Lebanon since 1978. Tens of thousands of members of the Irish Defence Forces have served with Unifil (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) since 1978, with around 366 troops currently serving in Camp Shamrock. The UN Security Council mandate for Unifil is due to expire by the end of 2026, with Irish troops currently expected to withdraw from Lebanon by 2027. Mr Martin told soldiers he is immensely proud of the long tradition of Irish peacekeeping. Those involved in ongoing efforts for peace are doing critically important work. It is work that we in Ireland and people all over the world hope and pray is successful, he said. The tradition of UN peacekeeping, in which we have participated for just short of 70 years, is about saving lives and ensuring others can enjoy the gift of peace." The number of babies in hospital with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is expected to be even lower this year than last year as a very effective pilot immunisation programme continues, health watchdog Hiqa has said. The regulator is now calling on parents, healthcare workers, and anyone interested in childrens health to take part in a public consultation around permanent funding for it. RSV is a highly contagious respiratory disease that infects the lungs and upper airways, and usually spreads in winter, with its typical season running from October to March. The risk of severe infection is highest in young infants, particularly those born during the RSV season. Hiqa deputy chief executive and director of health technology assessment, Dr Mairin Ryan, said the two-year pilot immunisation programme has been very effective in protecting babies. Over 7,000 diagnosed with RSV annually More than 7,000 people can be diagnosed every winter here with RSV. Before the treatment was introduced in 2024, large numbers of babies ended up in hospital with this viral illness annually. Irish RSV data show seven in every 10 cases are children aged under two. Babies aged less than six months face the highest risk of getting so sick they need hospital care. Every year we had a predictable, substantial impact on paediatric hospitals where you have an influx of small babies who need hospitalisation, Dr Ryan said. The data for 2014 to 2023 shows winter typically saw up to 1,600 admissions of babies with RSV, she added. If we look at last year, when we had the first pilot programme, there were only 533 admissions, Dr Ryan said. You can see the substantial benefit immunisation had. Wed expect there to be even more of a decrease this year because weve got an expanded pilot programme. The antibody treatment, Nirsevimab, is given as an injection. It is licenced to prevent RSV in babies during their first winter season. It also protects children up to two years old who are vulnerable for health reasons. The average cost of an inpatient admission for babies ill with RSV aged under two months is about 13,000, and for babies aged three to six months is about 9,000. However it does require a substantial investment. Hiqa suggested immunisation for all babies would cost the HSE an extra 50m to 60m during the first five years. Dr Ryan said: RSV immunisation is safe and would significantly reduce the RSV burden on families and on healthcare services. However, these new RSV immunisation products are expensive. The HSE would have to negotiate considerable price reductions in order for any of the immunisation strategies reviewed to represent an efficient use of HSE resources. Hiqas draft report can be found on its website, with the public consultation on it until January 20. Gardai in North Cork are to be provided with data which shows speeding violations in a number of locations. The information was gathered by the county council and will now be shared with gardai in a bid to encourage more speed checks. Council engineers presented the statistics to councillors at a meeting of the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council, where they were described as "fairly alarming". The worst offenders were detected at Inchwell Rd in Kanturk where the speed limit is 60km/h. In total 77% of vehicles passing the detectors exceeded the legal limit. The average speed detected was 62km/h with one vehicle clocked doing 84km/h. Other speed detectors were installed at the inner relief road in the same town where the speed limit is 50km/h. They found that 39% of passing vehicles exceeded that limit. In the village of Meelin, the detectors were set up near the church where the limit is 50km/h. One vehicle was caught travelling at 71km/h, while 46% of all vehicles that passed were exceeding the limit. In the village of Bweeng, at the Shanavoher townland, where the speed limit is 50km/h limit, 40% of vehicles were found to be exceeding it. Speed detectors placed at Ballydahin, Mallow, where the limit is also 50Km/h found 28% of vehicles breaking the limit. The news prompted more calls for traffic calming projects in the region. Council engineers said that gardai also have a significant role to play in slowing down traffic with enforcement. However, council engineers said they have limited financial resources to meet the demands for such work and prioritise high-risk areas. They do this by examining accident records, proximity to schools, churches, and sporting facilities and factor in the presence of vulnerable road users and if there are not pedestrian crossings in those areas. Fine Gael councillor Tony OShea said more needs to be done to slow down cars and lorries. Traffic calming measures are to prevent something happening. In my eyes it is only thing that will slow vehicles down, he said. Municipal district council chairman Fianna Fail councillor Gearoid Murphy described the statistics as fairly alarming. Council engineers said that gardai also have a significant role to play in slowing down traffic with enforcement and they will share the data with gardai in the hope they will carry out speed checks at these locations in the near future. Fianna Fail councillor Ian Doyle described Ballyhea village as a death trap. He said that the driver feedback signs there are still not working. The batteries were stolen from them recently, a problem which has also been reported in other areas of the county. Thousands of people and families will spend this Christmas living in hotels and B&Bs across Ireland. The same as last year. And the year before that. And the year before that. And much of the decade before that. There were a record-breaking 16,766 people in emergency accommodation at the end of October, including 11,492 adults and 5,274 children. The latest figures from the Department of Housing also show that 2,484 families were in emergency accommodation. Those figures make a February 2014 RTE online article look almost quaint in a way. At the time, the broadcaster reported that there are 131 homeless families in Dublin being booked into hotels because of an accommodation crisis in the capital. Over a decade later, the capital has a total of nearly 12,000 people including nearly 4,000 children using different forms of what is officially called private emergency accommodation (PEA). Its a catch-all term for hotels, B&Bs, and other facilities. Depaul Ireland CEO David Carroll says we are seeing an over-reliance on private emergency accommodation. Working out exactly how many people are in what type of accommodation, though, is difficult. Asked for a breakdown, Dublin Region Homelessness Executive (DRHE) directed a query to its website which carries a page entitled 'Trends'. This page, while useful, is focused on the numbers and does not break down the accommodation into types. The October homeless report, which covers the entire country, shows that around 8,000 adults are in private emergency accommodation, which it says include hotels, B&Bs, and other residential facilities that are used on an emergency basis. In private emergency accommodation, the department says: Supports are provided to services users on a visiting supports basis. This is distinct from supported temporary accommodation which includes family hubs and hostels, with onsite professional support. There are around 3,300 adults in supported temporary accommodation, with just 118 in temporary emergency accommodation which is emergency accommodation with no (or minimal) support. Families living in hotels a national shame However, whereas in 2014 the idea of families living in hotels was seen as a national shame, it is now just what the public thinks of when presented every month. In 2014, rising rents in Dublin had begun to see families made homeless in the shadow of the financial crash. It became a political and media fixture. In May of that year, in a Dail debate, Sinn Feins Dublin North West TD Dessie Ellis told the chamber of a figure his Cork East colleague Sandra McClellan called shocking. At present in Dublin, 174 families are in hotels which costs more than 14,000 a day, Mr Ellis said, asking if it would be possible for the government to meet its target of ending homelessness by 2016. By the end of that year, DRHE said its projected spend on hotel accommodation for 2014 would be 4.5m more than three times the 1.3m spent the year previous, and multiples of the 455,000 spent in 2012. A lot of public money is spent on temporary accommodation, which is not just a statement of the obvious. That is the assessment of Mary Hayes, the director of the Dublin Region Homelessness Executive (DRHE) which oversees homeless services for the capitals four local authorities. The DRHEs recently published action plan for 2025 says that expenditure on emergency accommodation has risen from 194m in 2022 to 305m in 2024. Breakdown of 305m expenditure on emergency accommodation Figures for 2024 show that in Dublin, that 305m was spent across a range of headings: Around 8.5m on prevention of homelessness and Housing First (which provides an holistic approach to addressing homelessness for people experiencing mental health, physical health, and substance misuse issues); 12.6m for supported family facilities; 46m on supported facilities for singles; Around 26m for family hubs. But it is the sections on use of hotels which show the scale of spending most clearly. Under a heading listed simply as Hotel, DRHE outlines a spend of 41.5 m, while the following section on private contracted accommodation for both families and single people shows a spend of 144m for 2024. This is not further broken down. Since 2025, Dublin City Council publishes on a quarterly basis the expenditure for provision of emergency accommodation over 20,000. A look at the most recent publication, for the third quarter of this year, shows over 400 separate payments totalling over 60.8m. One company, Country Manor Hotels ULC, was paid 3.075m in the quarter. The same company, according to Dublin City Councils procurement publications for 2024, started a contract in May of last year. It has been contracted to provide 562 emergency beds until June of 2033. The total estimated payout by then will be 123m. In total in 2024, 21 contracts over a value of 10m were awarded for provision of emergency accommodation. While the use of private emergency accommodation is seen as very much a Dublin issue, and it largely is, other areas are not immune. Former minister for housing Simon Coveney pledged to end the use of hotels in 2017. File picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie There are nine regional areas, each with their own responsibilities around homeless provision. In the South-West, which takes in Cork and Kerrys councils, more than 33m was spent in 2024 on homelessness services. 21m of that was on commercial hotels and B&Bs. The Department of Housing, for its part, says that it does not fund any homeless service directly, but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Under exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may also incur additional expenditure on homeless related services outside of the exchequer funding arrangements provided by the department. The use of hotels in the first instance wasnt a bad decision, says DePaul Irelands David Carroll. He tells the Irish Examiner that its use was a pragmatic step that was taken by the local authorities, because they had no other choice but to go out and seek temporary accommodation, because the supply [of housing] just wasnt there. When covid hit around 2020/21, there was a huge, I think, positive step in getting people off the streets. The whole off the streets initiative of getting people into hotels was a hugely successful initiative. Since then and again, its about supply. Many of the provisions that were provided at that early stage have not been wound down. And thats for the reason that the properties dont exist for people to move onto, and then obviously the continued upward trajectory of people coming into homelessness as well. We are now in a position where there is this absolute over-reliance on temporary accommodation and absolutely an over-reliance on private emergency as well. Part of the issue, says Sinn Feins housing spokesman Eoin O Broin is that the family hub model was never fully realised. Brought to then housing minister Simon Coveney by housing body Respond in 2016 after he had pledged the end of hotels by July of the following year, family hubs were intended to see vacant buildings repurposed to provide bedrooms with on-site supports such as cooking and laundry facilities. The first was opened that year in a former convent next to a Magdalene laundry, and houses 41 families to this day at a cost of over 1m in 2024, according to published records. There was much comment in 2017 about the use of the former Bargaintown warehouse in Coolock as a hub, but that was eventually delivered and is now run by the Salvation Army for 28 families. Sinn Feins Eoin O Broin believes the family hub model was never fully realised. File picture: Leah Farrell/ RollingNews.ie But having seen 22 facilities established in Dublin in the plans infancy, along with eight in Louth, three in Limerick, two each in Clare, Galway, Kildare, Monaghan, and Meath, and one in both Cork City and Cavan, numbers have largely stalled. Part of this is due to resistance based on local objection or, more recently, conflation with International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) centres. In one case in West Dublin, a planned conversion of a local pub was met with protest and rejected by planning authorities. But the system also stalled because the hubs were widely seen as unsuitable. A 2019 Ombudsman for Childrens Office (OCO) report called No Place Like Home laid this bare. Some days, I didnt even want to wake up because I didnt want to face this day I am tired in school. Some days I would just sit there and not even smile, Rachel, 10, said. But it wasnt just the children. Parents reported that living in a hub presented a unique set of parenting challenges. In addition to sleeping difficulties, these also included issues with eating, behaviour, and discipline. These issues were compounded by the challenges of shared space, the different parenting styles of the residents, and the involvement of hub staff. This is not, of course, unique to hubs. A report earlier this year from Barnardos said that it is hard to under-state the potential impact that moving into emergency accommodation can have on a child. A significant proportion of families we support living in emergency accommodation are forced into very small spaces, compelled to share solitary hotel rooms with parents and siblings. Space is extremely restricted. This can limit the areas in which young children can develop physically, for example learn to crawl and walk, and can cause developmental problems. For older children, it means there is less space to study ... and less privacy as they get older. For the Governments part, sources have said that housing minister James Browne has been focused on child and family homelessness, adding that he is now pushing for more data and contact with the largest councils. In a letter sent in the last couple of weeks and seen by the Irish Examiner, Mr Browne said: We are in a housing and homelessness crisis, one that has my full attention as minister for housing, but also one that I am determined to work and engage with you proactively and regularly on so that we can tackle it across all levels necessary. Despite significant investment Budget 2026 will see the largest capital investment in the history of the State focused on housing, and an uplift in delivery across local authority areas we know that more can and needs to be done. In September housing minister James Browne announced that 50m will be used to target the removal of families from long-term emergency accommodation. File picture: Stephen Collins/ Collins Homelessness, including child and family homelessness, is a complex issue. It is therefore critical that together we take all possible steps to ensure we respond accordingly. On that basis, I am seeking direct meetings with the chief executives of local authorities experiencing the most acute issues to further review the matter, to discuss what is currently being dealt with at a more granular level, and to discuss how we can move this urgent matter forward as quickly as possible looking ahead. In September, Mr Browne announced that 50m will be used to target the removal of families from long-term emergency accommodation. The money is to be allocated to the eight city and county councils with the highest numbers of households in emergency accommodation. In the Dublin region, it will apply to families who are more than 24 months in emergency accommodation and families that are 12 months or more in the remaining four regional authorities. For Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the focus has in recent months been turnaround times. In comments criticised by Focus Ireland, he told the Irish Examiner that the use of emergency accommodation was like another acute problem: Hospital waiting lists. What Im more interested in is, its a bit like hospital waiting lists, Mr Martin said. Its not the number on the waiting list, its how fast you get treated. Ideally, we want to prevent people becoming homeless in the first place. But then, if they do get into emergency accommodation, how fast can we get them out. DRHE accepts that it wont end homelessness in Dublin by 2028. But, it says: If we see through the actions successfully, it will mean that our collective efforts elected, voluntary, and statutory are focused on what makes the most impact on reducing homelessness in the capital. Which is a far cry from both Mr Coveneys pledge to end hotel use in 2017 and Mr Brownes recent assertion that the housing crisis can be solved in his term. US forces on Saturday stopped a vessel off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The move, which was confirmed by two US officials familiar with the matter, comes days after Mr Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of the South American country and follows the December 10 seizure by American forces of an oil tanker off Venezuelas coast. The officials were not authorised to discuss publicly the ongoing military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The action was described as a consented boarding, with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing US forces to board it, one official said. You remember they took all of our energy rights. They took all of our oil not that long ago. And we want it back. They took it - they illegally took it The Pentagon and White House officials did not immediately respond to a requests for comment. Mr Trump earlier this month announced that coastguard had seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea and vowed that the US would carry out a blockade of Venezuela. It all comes as Mr Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric toward Mr Maduro and warned that the long-time Venezuelan leaders days in power are numbered. Mr Trump, this week, demanded that Venezuela return assets that it seized from US oil companies years ago, justifying anew his announcement of a blockade against oil tankers travelling to or from the South American country that face American sanctions. mr Trump cited the lost US investments in Venezuela when asked about his newest tactic in a pressure campaign against Mr Maduro, suggesting the Republican administrations moves are at least somewhat motivated by disputes over oil investments, along with accusations of drug trafficking. Some sanctioned tankers already are diverting away from Venezuela. Were not going to be letting anybody going through who shouldnt be going through, Mr Trump told reporters. You remember they took all of our energy rights. They took all of our oil not that long ago. And we want it back. They took it they illegally took it. US forces on Saturday stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The pre-dawn operation comes days after Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of the South American country and follows the December 10 seizure by American forces of an oil tanker off Venezuelas coast. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the US coastguard with help from the defence department stopped the oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. She also posted on social media an unclassified video of a US helicopter landing personnel on a vessel called Centuries. A crude oil tanker flying under the flag of Panama operates under the name and was recently spotted near the Venezuelan coast, according to MarineTraffic, a project that tracks the movement of vessels around the globe using publicly available data. It was not immediately clear if the vessel was under US sanctions. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region, Ms Noem wrote on X. We will find you, and we will stop you. The action was a consented boarding, with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing US forces to board it, according to a US official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Pentagon and White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Following the first tanker seizure, of a vessel named the Skipper, Mr Trump vowed that the US would carry out a blockade of Venezuela. It all comes as Mr Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric toward Mr Maduro and warned that the long-time Venezuelan leaders days in power are numbered. A civilian house damaged by Thailand's artillery shelling is seen in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Dec. 20, 2025. The civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 19, as the renewed border conflict with Thailand has entered its 15th day, according to Cambodia's defense ministry. (Agence Kampuchea Presse/Handout via Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 19, as the renewed border conflict with Thailand has entered its 15th day, according to Cambodia's defense ministry. The 19 deaths include an infant, and 79 civilians were injured as of 6 p.m. local time on Dec. 20, Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata told a press briefing. The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict has reignited since Dec. 7, causing casualties to both sides. According to the latest figures released by Cambodia's Ministry of Interior, the conflict has so far forced over 510,000 people to flee their homes for safe shelters. A civilian house damaged by Thailand's artillery shelling is seen in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Dec. 19, 2025. The civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 19, as the renewed border conflict with Thailand has entered its 15th day, according to Cambodia's defense ministry. (Agence Kampuchea Presse/Handout via Xinhua) A civilian house damaged by Thailand's artillery shelling is seen in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Dec. 20, 2025. The civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 19, as the renewed border conflict with Thailand has entered its 15th day, according to Cambodia's defense ministry. (Agence Kampuchea Presse/Handout via Xinhua) A civilian house damaged by Thailand's artillery shelling is seen in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Dec. 20, 2025. The civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 19, as the renewed border conflict with Thailand has entered its 15th day, according to Cambodia's defense ministry. (Agence Kampuchea Presse/Handout via Xinhua) Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese was booed by an angry crowd gathered at the famous Bondi beach on Sunday to honour the victims of a gun attack a week earlier that targeted a seaside Jewish Hanukkah festival event. The nation marked a day of reflection on Sunday to honour the 15 people killed and the dozens wounded in the attack by two gunmen. With security tight and flags at half-staff on government buildings, a minute of silence was held at 6:47 p.m. (0747 IST), the time the attack began. Television and radio networks paused for a minutes silence. Tens of thousands, including Albanese and other leaders, attended the memorial that was guarded by a heavy police presence, including snipers on rooftops and police boats in the waters. Mr Albanese was booed by the crowd on arrival, and later when the speaker mentioned his name during the memorial. He sat on the front row wearing a kippah, the traditional Jewish cap. Mr Albanese, under pressure from critics who say his centre-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since the start of the war in Gaza, was not scheduled to speak at the event. The government has said it has consistently denounced antisemitism over the last two years and passed legislation to criminalise hate speech. It expelled the Iranian ambassador earlier this year after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks. "We have lost our innocence....last week took our innocence," David Ossip, the president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies said in a speech to start the proceedings at Bondi. "Like the grass here at Bondi was stained with blood, so, too, has our nation been stained. We have landed up in a dark place. But friends, Hanukkah teaches us that light can illuminate even the bleakest of places. A single act of courage, a single flame of hope, can give us direction and point the path forward." Also present at the memorial was the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed as the 'Bondi Hero' for wrestling a gun from one of the attackers. Authorities invited Australians to light a candle at home on Sunday night, the start of the eighth and final day of the Jewish festival of lights. Speaking at the memorial, 14-year-old surivior Chaya Dadon said: "We are getting stronger as a nation. We are growing. "Sometimes growing hurts....life is going to move on and why not make the best of it." New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who was cheered and praised at the memorial, said the attack was an attempt to marginalise, scatter, intimidate and cause fear. "You have reclaimed Bondi Beach for us," he said. A White House envoy said he held productive and constructive talks in Florida with Ukrainian and European representatives to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. Posting on social media on Sunday, Steve Witkoff said the talks aimed at aligning on a shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the US and Europe. Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraines recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity, US President Donald Trumps envoy said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Florida for talks with Donald Trump (Omar Havana/AP) Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future. The talks are part of the Trump administrations months-long push for peace. Mr Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently signalled he is digging in on his maximalist demands on Ukraine, as Moscows troops inch forward on the battlefield despite huge losses. Mr Witkoffs assessment comes as negotiations have been proceeding with Russia as well. A Kremlin envoy said on Saturday that the talks were pressing on constructively in Florida. They (the talks) began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow, Kirill Dmitriev told reporters in Miami on Saturday. There were no immediate updates on the talks with Russia on Sunday. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council summit in St. Petersburg, Russia (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Mr Dmitriev met with Mr Witkoff and Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Russian state news agency Ria Novosti reported. For Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram Sunday that diplomatic efforts were moving forward quite quickly, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side. The Kremlin denied on Sunday that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US were under discussion, after Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions. At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared, Mr Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said, according to Russian state news agencies. In Ukraine, the countrys human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets on Sunday accused Russian forces of forcibly removing about 50 Ukrainian civilians from the Ukrainian Sumy border region to Russian territory. Writing on Telegram, he said that Russian forces illegally detained the residents in the village of Hrabovske on Thursday, before moving them to Russia on Saturday. Mr Lubinets said he contacted Russias human rights commissioner, requesting information on the civilians whereabouts and conditions, and demanding their immediate return to Ukraine. The French presidency on Sunday welcomed Mr Putins willingness to speak with President Emmanuel Macron, saying it would decide how to proceed in the coming days. As soon as the prospect of a ceasefire and peace negotiations becomes clearer, it becomes useful again to speak with Putin, Mr Macrons office said in a statement. It is welcome that the Kremlin publicly agrees to this approach. The statement came after reports that Mr Putin was open to holding talks with the French president if there was mutual political will. European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide 90 billion euros (78 billion) to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, although they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. Instead, they were borrowed from capital markets. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) A new opinion poll in Israel, published in Maariv, is summarized in al-Balad. It shows that if Israel has early elections, the currently dominant right wing coalition would fall from holding roughly 61 seats in the 120-member Israeli parliament or Knesset to only 50. Likud is projected to lose 3 of its 28 seats, falling to only 25. Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrichs Religious Zionism party might not reach the threshold of 3.25% of the vote needed to be seated in parliament. On the other hand, the even more extremist Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) Party, led by Minister of National Security Itimar Ben-Gevir, would increase its share of seats to 9. At the moment, Religious Zionism and Jewish Power are in coalition, and they attempt to hold Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hostage, since they are the margin of his majority in the Knesset. In parliamentary systems, prime ministers whose supporters hold less than 50 percent of the seats are in danger of losing office via a vote of no confidence, where a majority of parliamentarians refuse to support some policy of the PM, forcing the leader out. Without his extremist allies, Netanyahu would be in danger of falling from office. He therefore has often shown a willingness to adopt extremist positions under this pressure. Or by check: Juan Cole P. O. Box 4218, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548 USA (Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed) At the same time, the opposition parties would win 60 seats, even without the 10 seats that would likely be won by Palestinian-Israeli (Arab) parties. I use the term Palestinian-Israeli on the model of Italian-American, to underline that these are not generic Arabs but feel a kinship with their fellow Palestinians across the Green Line. Palestinian-Israelis make up 21% of the Israeli population and provide half of doctors and nurses, and so should actually have 24 seats in parliament if they were proportionally represented. Two opposition figures saw their stars rise in the poll. Naftali Bennetts New Right Party could win as many as 22 seats. The Likud has allied with the extreme right parties in the fascist tradition of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach Party is branded by the US a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity, and many of its cabinet members and members of parliament have moved in an extremist direction. That change has opened up a space for a more traditional center-right party like the New Right, which advertises itself as open to both secular and religious people. Bennett served as prime minister 2021-2022 and is positioning himself to make a comeback. Gadi Eisenkot, a former general, has moved to the new Yashar! (Straight! or Honest!) Party, breaking with Benny Gantz and his National Unity Party. Yashar! might gain as many as 10 seats in the next election according to this opinion poll. Eisenkot suggested going into coalition with Palestinian-Israeli parties, which raised a firestorm of controversy. But Bennett had done that during his prime ministership. This mood change shows a weariness with Netanyahu and his far right policies. Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities on Saturday, protesting Netanyahu. Haaretz says that The main rallies took place in Tel Avivs Habima Square and Haifas Horev Center. Never miss an issue of Informed Comment: Click here to subscribe to our email newsletter! Social media will pretend to let you subscribe but then use algorithms to suppress the postings and show you their ads instead. And please, if you see an essay you like, paste it into an email and share with friends. In what seems to me a positive sign (and there havent been many in that part of the world lately), one of the things being protested was the lack of security for Palestinian-Israelis. Hundreds of Israeli protesters rallied in support of residents of Jaffa, where a Palestinian-Israeli family was assaulted last week. Israeli Parliament Building. Public Domain. Via Picryl. Speakers lambasted Jewish Power and Religious Zionism for preaching hatred and instigating attacks on Palestinian-Israelis. It is common for the latter to be bus drivers, but speaker Soumaya Bashir said that they face attacks and harassment from the Israeli far right. Haaretz reports that the crowd chanted back, You are not alone, we are with you. Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies. Israeli elections must be held by next October 27, but could be called before then. Whenever the elections are held, it may well be that the extremists will fall from office. Since Netanyahus main opponents are only a little further to the center than he, it would not result in an enormous change, but there is a difference between a cabinet with Kahanists in it and a center-right cabinet. And if Eisenkots suggestion that Arab parties be brought in to the next Israeli government is taken up, that would be a small step away from Apartheid. No strangers to the perils of war, Ukrainian activists and journalists are connecting their struggle to Gaza. ( Waging Nonviolence ) As Russian attacks were keeping Kyivs residents awake most nights this summer, a group of Ukrainians gathered outside the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide to protest Israels siege of Gaza and aid blockade. The Palestinian population was being systematically starved, and millions around the world took to the streets to protest. Both Ukrainians and Palestinians have been facing their own similar struggles with war, occupation and ethnic cleansing, which is motivating Ukrainian solidarity with Palestinians. The symbolism of the protest location was important. The museum in Kyiv is a place commemorating all those who died in Ukraine due to a man-made, Soviet-induced famine in the 1930s. Nataliya Gumenyuk, a war journalist and co-founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab, said, among Ukrainians there is a particular sensitivity regarding the use of starvation as a weapon against humans. The Public Interest Journalism Lab was one of the media organizations participating in the global action to protect press freedom in Gaza, which demonstrated international outcry for all Palestinian journalists killed while reporting in Gaza. During the campaign, which was organized by Avaaz and Reporters Without Borders, journalists and media outlets from all over the world held vigils and joined protests for their fallen colleagues, calling for the protection of Palestinian journalists and an end to Israeli impunity for systematically targeting them. When asked why it was important for her, as a Ukrainian, to protest what is happening to Gaza, Gumenyuk said that those who feel pain understand best those who feel the same. I think the suffering doesnt make you numb, but instead, it really lets you understand how horrible the situation is. Gumenyuk explained that the solidarity actions outside the Holodomor Museum protested the bombardment of the civic infrastructure, occupation, torture and arbitrary detention, which have become the reality of Palestinian women and men. All of these realities Ukrainians also face. For Taras Bilous, an editor at Commons, a Ukrainian journal of social criticism, solidarity with the plight of Palestinians existed long before the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. I became interested in the Palestinian issue in 2020, Bilous said. One of my friends fled from Donetsk to Israel in 2014, where he made friends among the Palestinians. It was much easier for him to communicate with them; he understood their experience of occupation. His friend couldnt find similar common ground with Israelis about his experiences with war. Bilous facilitated coverage of Palestine on Commons, including interviews with Dana El Kurd, a professor of Palestinian and Arab politics, and Palestinian-Ukrainian humanitarian researcher Rita Adel Mohammed. In November 2023, Bilous and Gumenyuk were also signatories of the letter published in Al Jazeera, where 300 Ukrainian scholars, activists and artists expressed their solidarity with the people in Gaza. As Russias war in Ukraine is about to enter its fourth year, Bilous said, Our war has brought me closer to, and given me a better understanding of, the experiences and feelings of people going through other wars. He explained the importance of building bridges with others facing similar injustices across the world. For me, pro-Palestinian activism is simply part of the overall struggle for a just world and efforts to build international solidarity despite the geopolitical rifts that divide us. Indeed, some Ukrainians have built bridges with Syrian activists, given their shared experiences of Russian militarism and the targeting of civilians. Ukrainians in the diaspora are able to organize actions with other activists who are also in exile due to war or persecution in their countries. For example, the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign joined the Syria Solidarity Campaign in the U.K. to protest against Russias and Assads attacks on civilians. Ukrainian journalists are no strangers to the perils of war reporting: At least 17 journalists and media workers reporting in Ukraine have been killed since Russias invasion. In Gaza, where Israel has denied the foreign press access, 270 Palestinian journalists have been killed, which constitutes the highest documented number in any recorded conflict. This common experience has become a reason for making the connection between the two wars and occupations. Gumenyuk said, were losing our colleagues in the Russian war against Ukraine but also, its painful to see how the journalists were killed in Gaza. Way more journalists. Gumenyuk explained that Ukrainian journalists cannot work in the parts of Ukraine that are occupied by Russia. For example, Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who dared to report from the Russian occupied territories was forcibly disappeared and killed in detention. Similarly, other Ukrainian journalists released from captivity, like Dmytro Khyliuk, speak of horrific torture. Gumenyuk explained that unlike Gaza, Ukrainian journalists are free to report in most of Ukraine. We have political and civil freedoms. We can do whatever we want, and of course there is danger, but we feel secure, she said. In Gaza, this is not the case. Journalists are vulnerable to the bombs and attacks and are completely cut off from the world. Despite the efforts of activists, there are still pro-Israeli sympathies among the Ukrainian population. Unfortunately, some of Ukraines supporters are pro-Israel, and some of Palestines supporters are pro-Russia, Bilous said. We are trying to influence this as best we can. But this issue is not generally so acute in the Ukrainian public sphere because we have our own war. Palestine and Ukraine Flags. Public Domain. Pixabay. Bilous explained that he would like to see Ukrainians and Palestinians show some grace for each others struggle for justice, and make more connections between the solidarity movements around the world. For Gumenyuk, solidarity for Ukraine is dependent on others. Ukraine is really asking for global solidarity, and I think it wont be possible to ask for any solidarity unless we express ours to the Palestinians, she said. The case of Gaza shows our nightmare scenario. Reflecting on the days she and her comrades stood outside of the Holodomor Museum, holding placards calling for the cessation of atrocities against the people of Gaza, Gumenyuk said, Even if not a large action, it did happen, and even if it represents a small chunk of us, we still show up for these united actions. Via Waging Nonviolence Students attend a meditation course at a post-primary monastic school in Yangon, Myanmar, Dec. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) YANGON, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the morning sun filters through the quiet halls of a post-primary monastic school in Dala township, Yangon region, 14-year-old Wai Yan Tun sits cross-legged, eyes gently closed, his attention fixed on his breathing. For him, this moment of stillness is as familiar as opening a textbook. On World Meditation Day, observed this Sunday, his daily routine reflects a tradition deeply rooted in Myanmar's education system. Across the country, meditation is not an occasional exercise but a regular part of basic education school life, particularly in monastic and government schools. Children are often introduced to the practice at an early age and continue it throughout their school years, learning to calm their minds before turning to lessons in mathematics, language, and science. Wai Yan Tun, now an eighth grader, has been meditating since kindergarten. He said the practice has shaped not only his school performance but also his emotional life. "Meditation makes me feel calm and peaceful," he said. "It makes my mind more concentrated, which helps my studying become easier." The challenge, he admitted, is keeping his thoughts from drifting. When possible, he prefers quiet spaces like pagodas, where silence makes focus easier. For 15-year-old Wai Wai Phyo, meditation did not come easily at first. She remembered beginning the practice in fourth grade, struggling with physical discomfort. "At the beginning, I felt stiffness and pain in my legs, and it was difficult to focus," she said. Years later, after meditating for about half an hour each school day, she felt the difference. "Meditation helps me understand and solve mathematics problems." Similar experiences are shared far beyond Dala. In Ayeyarwady region's Bogale township, 14-year-old Kaung Zaw Latt also began meditating at a young age. "When I meditate, my mind becomes quiet," he said. "I can listen better in class, and I don't get angry easily." Like many children, his early attempts were marked by wandering thoughts. "My thoughts kept going everywhere," he said. "Now I know how to bring them back to my breathing." To raise awareness about meditation and its benefits, the United Nations proclaimed Dec. 21 as World Meditation Day, recalling the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Guiding the local young meditators is U Nyanika, the Buddhist monk in charge of the Ahlekyaung post-primary monastic school in Dala township. With about 1,000 students from kindergarten to eighth grade, many from challenging backgrounds, he believes meditation is essential. "If they meditate, they change," he said. "Our intention is to train their minds." Discipline, he explained, is taught in two ways: correcting behavior through instruction and shaping the mind through meditation. Students begin with basic breathing techniques, focusing on the tip of the nostrils, U Nyanika said. Younger children meditate for five to ten minutes, while older students sit for up to thirty. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, he sees meditation as more important than ever. "Nowadays, children have mobile phone influence and addiction," he said. "Meditation can reduce such addiction and bad influence." Teachers witness the transformation firsthand. U Hein Yazar, a 23-year-old fourth-grade teacher at the monastic school in Dala, starts each school day with a short meditation session. "Since they arrive at school, they meditate before studying," he said. "By meditating regularly, the children's minds become calm, and their brains feel refreshed." He believes the habit can shape a lifetime. "If they practice meditation their whole life, their lives will become calm and peaceful," he said. The impact of meditation extends beyond school grounds. At the Dhamma Joti Vipassana Meditation Centre, 42-year-old volunteer Ko Myo Myint Oo has helped run children's meditation courses for more than a decade. The courses, divided into ages eight to 12 and 13 to 16, serve around 150 participants at a time, including children from detention centers. "Meditation helps children control and train their minds," he said. "If their minds become peaceful, they can take care of themselves and others." For him, the lesson is simple but profound. "Our main intention is to train them to be the master of their own mind," he said. A Buddhist monk teaches a lesson during a meditation course at a post-primary monastic school in Yangon, Myanmar, Dec. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Students attend a meditation course at a post-primary monastic school in Yangon, Myanmar, Dec. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe) Saturday, December 20, 2025 - Former Roots Party deputy presidential candidate, Justina Wamae, has taken aim at President William Rutos development vision of transforming Kenya into a Singaporestyle economy, arguing that the idea reflects low national selfesteem and fails to account for Kenyas unique realities. In a statement shared on her X account on Saturday, December 20th, 2025, Wamae questioned why Kenya should aspire to mirror another nation instead of building its own identity. Aspiring to be like Singapore is indicative of low selfesteem. Why cant we be a better version of Kenya? she wrote. Wamae illustrated her point with a social analogy, recalling how parents once sent cakes and flowers to girls at Alliance Girls during Valentines Day. She warned that such gestures risked creating unrealistic expectations about life and prosperity, especially in a country where many citizens struggle to make ends meet. According to her, these expectations do not reflect the reality on the ground. She stressed that Kenyas priority should be creating sustainable wealth and opportunities rather than chasing symbolic comparisons with developed nations. Creating wealth for the nation of Kenya is the only agenda bigger than wantam and Singapore shenanigans, she declared. President Ruto has repeatedly cited Singapore as a model for Kenyas transformation, linking his vision to investments in infrastructure, housing, industrial growth, energy, and reforms aimed at accelerating development. However, his Singapore narrative has sparked debate, with critics like Wamae insisting that Kenyas economic and governance conditions are vastly different and require homegrown solutions. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, December 20, 2025 - Media personality, Oga Obinna, narrowly avoided detention on Friday after former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko intervened in a dispute involving prominent lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta. The two lawyers had reported a cyber misuse claim against Obinna at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), a case that could have led to his arrest alongside a young lawyer featured on his show. Cliff Ombeta disclosed the details during a reconciliation meeting held at Sonkos office in Nairobi on December 19th. We had reported the matter to the DCI for misuse of cyber; you were going to be apprehended, Ombeta revealed. He confirmed that the lawyers had withdrawn the complaint and would not pursue the matter in court or seek damages. The dispute stemmed from Obinnas December 16th show, where a young lawyer alleged that Omari and Ombeta often abandoned cases midway and engaged in graft. Although Obinna claims that he issued a disclaimer distancing himself from these remarks, Ombeta insisted that the disclaimer offered no protection. The disclaimer does not help you. It is being carried on your platform, which reaches many people, he explained. During the reconciliation, Ombeta advised Obinna to caution his guests against making defamatory statements. The young lawyer apologized, clarifying that his comments were directed at corruption within the judiciary rather than the two lawyers personally. With the matter now settled, Obinna emphasized that it was never his intention to malign individuals on his platform, pledging greater responsibility in future broadcasts. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, December 20, 2025 - City lawyer Danstan Omari has disclosed that late former Lugari MP, Cyrus Jirongo, asked him to file court papers just days before his untimely death in a road accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway. Speaking on Friday, Omari recounted meeting Jirongo at Fairview Hotel, where the late politician directed him to prepare legal documents scheduled for filing on Monday. He came and gave me instructions at Fairview Hotel, and we were supposed to file those papers in court. I went to Mombasa, worked on them, but shockingly I was told he had passed on, Omari said. Omari, who represented Jirongo in numerous legal battles from the Chief Magistrates Court to the Supreme Court, described their bond as more than professional. He was more than a client to me. He was a friend, he stated emotionally. He eulogized Jirongo as a resilient man of conviction who remained steadfast in his political values and smiled even in adversity. The lawyer appealed to Kenyans, particularly social media users, to allow the family space to grieve. He cautioned against exploiting Jirongos death for political mileage or sensational content. Those bloggers posting rubbish to attract views do not understand what it means to lose a husband, a father, an uncle, or a friend. May we be sober in this time of grieving, he urged. Jirongo died on Saturday, December 13th, after his vehicle collided headon with a Climax Company Limited bus. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the crash occurred at 2:19 a.m, moments after CCTV footage captured him exiting Eagol Petrol Station. A postmortem conducted by family pathologist, Dr. Joseph Ndungu, confirmed Jirongo succumbed to blunt force trauma, sustaining severe chest and abdominal injuries, spinal cord damage, and multiple fractures. The Kenyan DAILY POST MANILA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Agriculture on Sunday said the ban on sugar importation will remain in place until December next year, extending protection for local producers amid improving supply conditions. "Based on the current outlook for sugar production and demand, a longer import moratorium than initially suggested is necessary," Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said. He cited stronger domestic raw sugar output and emphasized that the policy is intended to prioritize locally produced sugar while helping stabilize the market. As chair of the Sugar Board, the policymaking body of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Tiu Laurel said the agency will intensify monitoring of refinery operations to maintain an accurate picture of standard and premium-grade refined sugar inventories. WHILE at Cross and Passion College in Kilcullen, Aline Egar dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher. A lack of fluency in Irish stymied that. I do love the language, but it wasnt good enough at the time, says the Brannockstown-reared woman, now Aline Fitzgerald, who is general manager of the newly opened Shackleton Experience in Athy. Her journey from Brannockstown to that position has arguably been as complicated as some of Ernest Shackletons expeditions. Shelving her original ambition, Aline went on to study Hotel & Catering Management at Brighton College in the UK. After four years there, she worked at several hotels in Ireland, then, in 1996, made another move to another country. I got a position as sales manager with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Chicago, she said. It was a fantastic experience in a very beautiful city. My work focused on selling the hotel as a venue for corporate events." Her territory spanned the area between Chicago and the West Coast, and she thrived in her job, earning the companys President's Club Award twice. However, much as she was enjoying it, there was always a pull to return home. I was always something of a homebird, she laughed. The opportunity to return to Ireland came in 1999, when the group was opening the Four Seasons hotel in Dublin, and she transferred to help with that. Initially, as sales manager, she helped build the hotel's profile in the Irish market and worked to attract North American leisure visitors. Later, as director of sales & marketing, she oversaw a broad range of key activities. In 2015, with the Dublin hotel joining the InterContinental Hotel Group, she coordinated communications and interactions with various stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition. Aline says she absolutely enjoyed working with the Four Seasons group, calling it an "incredible" company. I met many amazing people, and I was mentored and really supported along the way, which was so beneficial. But ultimately I wanted to make a change." After leaving the hotel business in mid-2015, she took a short-term contract with Trinity College Dublin to manage its involvement in the EU Discover Research event, held every 25 September in over 250 cities as European Researchers Night. "That was a really fun thing to do. It was helping people to understand that science is not just in a laboratory, but also includes other topics and subjects as well. "My role was to coordinate with the various schools within Trinity so they'd host a programme on the night. We ended up with something like 75 different events." The next adventure began when a friend sent her the specification for a role as general manager of a museum in Dublin's GPO, proposed by An Post as an immersive visitor experience about the prelude and aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising. "I applied and got the opportunity. Ultimately, so much of what I had done in the past related to the museum world. You need to attract visitors. It's very focused on customer service and delivery, and on coordinating everything happening out front and what's happening behind the scenes." Taking the post at the end of 2015 put her right at the heart of the 2016 Commemorations and the opening of the museum in March 2016 in the historical GPO building. "It was an incredible experience," she says. "I worked there for just over eight years, but I had a little girl towards the end of 2019, and she was starting school, so my commute to Dublin wasn't working for me any more. I left in July of last year, basically giving up my three-to four-hour daily commute to be home. I'd rather spend that time with her than on the N7." The opportunity to manage the new Shackleton Experience in Athy arose, and Aline took on the role of general manager in March of this year. Up to its official opening on 10 October, she was immersed in finishing the project. In many ways, it was a repeat of her work with establishing the GPO Museum, though on a physically larger scale. "We're in a historic building that has had many lives. The Experience is on three levels, which is quite extensive. There's a lot for people to engage with, and the dwell time for our visitors is around two hours, which is quite something." The Shackleton Experience includes a 1920s-style cinema screening documentaries about Shackleton and his expeditions. "We also have several different interactive pieces for instance, you can sit in what appears to be the James Caird lifeboat, and you are watching a video telling you about the individuals and that journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia. "It's phenomenal, you really feel that you're riding the waves, and you're enduring that trip just like they were back then. You also get the experience of pulling a sledge, giving you the essence of what that must have been like." The over 200 artefacts scattered throughout the museum also indicate how extensive the whole thing is. "The previous museum, which was much smaller, already had such an incredible collection ... we've had many on loan to us, others donated." You can build it, but will they come? Aline has no doubt that the iconic story of Shackleton and his colleagues has enough pull to make a pilgrimage to Athy a must for many visitors from around the world, not least because the Autumn School devoted to the explorer has become a major international event over the last 25 years. "We're fortunate that we have that following already, with attendees from all over the world. We also maintain relationships with other polar museums, which certainly serve us well. That's a very positive place to start from when you open something of such significance as we now have in Athy." For Aline, the job fits perfectly with a part of her that has always been comfortable as a tourist in her own land. "Being in the world of tourism appeals to me, shouting from the rooftops about things in Ireland that we're proud of and have every right to be. Here in the Shackleton Experience, we are something that not everybody relates to as being an Irish success story, but he was from Kilkea just out the road, and he was proud about his Irish heritage." No less proud, probably, than Aline Fitzgerald and her team are to tell his story to a world beating its way to south Kildare. ONE of the two men charged with the possession of explosives after being arrested during a cross-border anti-terrorism operation is seeking that his case be heard in Northern Ireland. Both men appeared before Portlaoise District Court by video link from Cloverhill Remand Prison today (Thursday). Counsel for Garrett Pollock (35) from Kilhorne Green, Annalong, Co Down, David Nugent BL, informed Judge Andrew Cody that his client is seeking to exercise his right to have his case heard in the North of Ireland. Mr Pollock is charged with one count of possessing explosives at OMoore Place, Portlaoise on 5 November and one count of possessing explosives at an address at Kilhorne Green, Co Down on 6 November. Judge Cody noted that Mr Pollock was consenting to be remanded in custody to the 12 January sitting of Portlaoise District Court. Karolis Peckauskas (38) of Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth is charged with knowingly having in his possession an explosive substance at OMoore Place, Portlaoise. His solicitor Barry Fitzgerald told Judge Cody that his client was also consenting to be remanded in custody to the 12 January sitting of the court. Judge Cody remanded the defendant in custody until then for directions from the director of public prosecutions. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme. One of mother natures most beautiful creatures came to an untimely end last week afternoon, washed up on the banks of the River Barrow. The scratched carcass of a common dolphin lies at least 27 km from the sea, partially submerged in bushes below the cottages between The Quay and Bauck Street in St Mullins. The sharp-eyed resident who found it reckoned that the dolphin was between 1.5 and 2 meters long and could weigh as much as 150 kg. It is believed to be the first ever dolphin found stranded in County Carlow. Neither the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) or the environment department of Carlow County Council said they were the appropriate body to organise removal of the carcass, due to its unprecedented location. The resident who found the dolphin could not log it through the IWDG portal online as landlocked Carlow was not one of the counties in the drop-down menu of options. He notified the group over the phone instead. Anthony McGahan, a geoscientist and resident of St Mullins, explained that the dolphin likely travelled up the river from the sea during a high tide. In the 20 years Anthony has lived in the village, he said he has never seen a dolphin this far inland, but seals, otters, European egrets and cormorants are not uncommon. According to IWDG public sighting records, a member of the public noticed a common dolphin milling in the River Barrow further downstream at the Mountgarrett Ferry Bridge on the Kilkenny, Wexford border on 7 December, but it is not possible to confirm whether this was the same dolphin. The group noted there are often more dolphins spotted inshore along the south coast of Ireland during wintertime due to sprat and herring movements. The common dolphin is a pelagic species, used to open seas, who seem to be becoming more abundant in our waters, on the move from further south for some reason, said Gemma O'Connor of IWDG. As a result we are seeing them more in our coastal waters and some do follow spawning fish up river, a habitat they are unfamiliar with and can get into difficultly, she continued. The River Barrow is tidal as far as the first lough in St Mullins, so theres an element of salt water, explained Anthony, meaning a dolphin might be able to survive. It may also have died further downstream and been carried into the village by high tides over the past few weeks. The village of St Mullins was severely flooded on 9 December, with the water level reaching over 3 meters. Anthony said that flooding is not uncommon in the village due to its location, but that it is getting more regular, and inundation is getting that little bit more extreme due to climate change. Gemma said typically IWDG volunteers would collect data and photos from the dolphin, in addition to a skin sample which is stored in the natural history museum for genetic testing. However, their volunteers are located in the coastal counties, so in this case we do not have anyone nearby with a genetic kit to collect a skin sample. They said Carlow County Council would be the best placed to answer about removal from the waterway and that the public should refrain from touching it, as it can harbour some illnesses or viruses. However, the councils environment department said the IWDG was the more appropriate group to remove the carcass in this instance. TOKYO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Saturday that possessing nuclear weapons would "never be beneficial for Japan," in response to a senior Japanese official's controversial remarks that Japan should possess nuclear weapons. "If Japan possesses nuclear weapons, we will have to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Agency," Ishiba said on a live TV program, noting that "Japan's nuclear policy, which supports its energy needs, will become unviable." "It will never be beneficial for Japan," Ishiba said. Kyodo News reported on Thursday that a senior official, who is involved in devising security policy under the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, told media that Japan should possess nuclear weapons, which has immediately drawn strong criticism at home. I did my usual 20 predictions for the upcoming year last December. How did I go? National will outpoll Labour in at least 90% of public polls in 2025. Wrong National only outpolled in just over 50% of them. 0/1 Wayne Brown is re-elected Mayor of Auckland. Easy 1/1. Floating mortgage rates are below 6% by the end of 2025. BNZ is at 5.84% so just made it. 1/1 Carmel Sepuloni will become Leader of the Labour Party. Nope or not yet. 0/1 Pierre Poilievre will be elected PM of Canada, with a majority Government. This was a sure thing until Trump did tariffs on Canada. 0/1 If Labour stand a candidate for the Wellington Mayoralty, they will be elected Mayor. Yep thanks Andrew. 1/1 PM Luxon will do a Cabinet reshuffle with at least one Minister dropped out of the Ministry. Yes Melissa Lee gone. 1/1 The Government drops its bill to force Internet companies to fund media companies. Dead thanks to Donald Trump. 1/1 Two South Island city Mayors are not re-elected. Dunedin and Invercargill have new Mayors. 1/1 A Te Pati Maori MP will be referred to the Privileges Committee in 2025. They all were I think! 1/1 Unemployment will peak at or before 5.5% in 2025, and then drop. It is at 5.3% so has not exceeded 5.5%. But we dont yet have Dec 25 data so may not have peaked. 0.5/1 Trump will get all his remaining Cabinet picks confirmed. Off memory all but Gaetz he did. 1/1 Labor will be re-elected in Australia, but will lose its majority. They were re-elected but increased it. 0.5/1 Reform will outpoll Labour in at least five polls in the UK in 2025. Not just in five polls. In almost every poll. 1/1 The 2025 budget will have less core crown spending for 25/26 than was forecast in the 2024 budget. The 24 budget forecast $147.7b for 25/26. The 25 budget allocated $150.3b which was more so 0/1. There will be a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, lasting at least three months. The Biden ceasefire lasted two months. The Trump one has lasted two months also and looks likely to continue. So 0.5/1 There will not be an Ohariu seat after the new boundaries are finalised. Nailed it. 1/1 Labour will commit itself to a Capital Gains Tax, if elected. Also right. 1/1 At least 15 projects will be consented by the end of 2025 under the new Fast Track Approvals Law. 8 have been consented so far. A further 16 are under are before expert panels. So 0/1 unless a lot get consented in December. The Treaty Principles Bill will not pass its second reading. Easy 1/1 Overall got 13.5 out of 20. Better than last year! MOSCOW, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia highly values the mutually beneficial cooperation with its partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and hopes to step up joint efforts to develop ties among member states, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday. The EAEU has firmly established itself as one of the "independent and self-sufficient centers of the multipolar world," Putin said at the union's meeting in St. Petersburg. Noting that cooperation within the EAEU has continued to make steady progress, Putin said such cooperation helps ensure economic stability and resilience for member states and the entire Eurasian region, which is particularly important against the backdrop of global economic volatility. At the meeting, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Kazakhstan will take over the rotating presidency of the EAEU in 2026. Belarus currently holds the rotating presidency for 2025. The member states of the EAEU are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. By Fiona Magennis A man who was jailed for eight years for raping a woman as she slept in bed beside her boyfriend and her newborn baby has failed in a bid to have his conviction overturned. Shaun O'Donnell (35) was found guilty by a jury of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault at a home in Donegal on March 26th, 2021, following a Central Criminal Court trial. The defendant, who had denied the charge, was jailed for eight years by Mr Justice David Keane in August 2024. O'Donnell's sentencing hearing was told that he had been staying over with the woman and her partner for drinks the night before. The following morning, he climbed into bed where the couple was sleeping beside their newborn baby and raped the woman. The woman initially thought it was her partner, before she turned around and realised it was O'Donnell. She fled the room and got into the shower before she told her relatives and partner. When confronted, O'Donnell said he did not remember anything happening. He denied the allegation when interviewed by gardai. O'Donnell, last of Woodlands Way, Whinmore, Leeds, UK, has several previous convictions, including those for assault and dangerous driving. He had previously worked in construction in the UK. ODonnell appealed his conviction, arguing that the trial judge was wrong not to direct an acquittal or stay the proceedings because two items worn by the victim at the time of the offences were not available to be tested for DNA evidence. The two items in question were the womans bra, which she washed after the offence and which was not exhibited in evidence, and a sanitary pad she was wearing for postpartum bleeding. The latter was provided for DNA testing, but during her cross-examination, the woman said she wasnt sure if she had given the right sanitary pad the one she was wearing during the offence to the gardai. ODonnell argued this had negated the possibility that he could have established that his DNA was not on the bra or the second sanitary pad, rendering his trial unfair. Dismissing his appeal on Friday, Ms Justice Nuala Butler said in reality, it was difficult to see what additional benefit ODonnell might have expected to have gained from the analysis of these items. She said the DNA testing was negative, as none of ODonnells DNA was found on the items tested. Ms Justice Butler said ODonnells counsel in the trial relied on this fact in their closing speech. In our view, this appeal is an attempt to argue a new point which was not raised on behalf of the defence at trial, in circumstances where the jury did not accept the defence which was run at trial, she said. No explanation has been offered as to why the point which is now sought to be argued was not argued at trial. She said that even in the absence of DNA evidence linking ODonnell to the incident, there was ample evidence that a crime had been committed by him to allow the matter to go to the jury. Ms Justice Butler said the law does not impose an obligation to preserve evidence on the victim of a crime. The non-availability of forensic evidence because the person in question has washed themselves, their clothing or their bedding may give rise to difficulties for the prosecution in proving the case, but the absence of such evidence does not automatically render a trial unfair, she said. Imposing sentence, Mr Justice Keane noted that ODonnell has not accepted the verdicts nor expressed remorse. He said O'Donnell's offending was a fundamental, almost indescribable breach of trust which took place in the victim's home, in the presence of her partner and young baby. The judge said this should have been a place of ultimate comfort and security for the woman, but became one of degradation. In her victim impact statement, the woman said it was incredibly difficult to put into words the emotional, physical pain, hurt and trauma she has endured since O'Donnell entered her home and raped her. She said her body had not fully recovered from having her baby when O'Donnell raped her and she outlined the horror of discovering it was him in her bed before getting into the shower and "scrubbing herself raw". There is no easy way to tell your loved ones you were raped in between your boyfriend and newborn baby, the woman told the court, adding it was the worst experience of her life. She said the attack had caused widespread upset among her extended family and described how she couldn't even bring her baby for walks for fear of seeing O'Donnell's relatives. The woman told the court she wanted O'Donnell named, but did not want her own name published. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Edith Ward (nee Abraham), Eden House, Portlaoise Road, Portarlington, Laois and formerly of Ballyhoran, Camross, Mountrath, Laois passed away peacefully at home on 20 December, in the care of her son and daughter. Predeceased by her husband Denis and her brothers and sisters Barbara, Dick, Tom, Geraldine and Eric. Edith will be lovingly remembered and missed beyond words by her loving son Adrian, daughter Gillian, son-in-law Adam, granddaughter Emily, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, extended family and her close group of friends. Reposing at Mahers Chapel of Rest, Portarlington (R32 X5XV) on Sunday evening from 5pm, concluding with prayers at 7pm. Removal from her residence on Monday at 2pm (travelling via Foxcroft Street), arriving at St Paul's Church, French Church Street, Portarlington (R32 DW77) for Funeral Service at 2.30pm. Burial afterwards in the adjoining Churchyard. House strictly private, please. Family flowers only, please. Donations, if desired, to the Irish Cancer Society. Those we love don't go away. They walk beside us every day. Unseen, Unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and forever dear. You can leave your condolences on the online condolence book on RIP.ie. The family would like to thank you for your support and understanding at this sad and difficult time. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA Police are to increase patrols in north Belfast following a second incident of shots being fired at a property in the area. The PSNI received a report that a number of shots had been fired at a residential property in the Ainsworth Street area at around 7:45pm on Saturday. It follows an incident where shots were fired at a house on Woodvale Avenue on Friday night. Police have said they believe the two attacks are linked. In both incidents, people were inside the properties but escaped injury. Relating to the latest attack, a PSNI spokesperson said: The shots were fired through a window at the front of the property. Damage was caused but thankfully those present in the property at the time, including young children, werent injured. This is the second night in a row that shots have been fired at an occupied residential property in the area. We are currently treating these incidents as linked and detectives are actively pursuing a number of lines of enquiry. The spokesperson added: Those responsible have demonstrated an astonishing level of recklessness and a complete disregard for human life, it is only by sheer luck that no one was injured or killed. We are treating these incidents with the utmost seriousness and the public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area over the coming days as enquiries continue. We are asking anyone who may have information, or relevant dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with our enquiries, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 1318 19/12/25. On Friday night police received a report that four shots were fired at a residential property in the Woodvale Avenue area at around 9.20pm. The shots were fired through a window at the front of the property. Damage was caused but those present in the property at the time were uninjured. By Rebecca Black, Press Association Taoiseach Micheal Martin has visited peacekeepers in Lebanon and expressed pride in their service. The Taoiseach met Irish troops who will be serving at Camp Shamrock close to the border with Israel over Christmas during a visit to the country. He also met with Lebanons Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut, and pressed him over justice for the killing of Private Sean Rooney. The 24-year-old from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed when a convoy of Irish troops serving with a UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon was ambushed and fired upon on December 14th, 2022. The main person convicted for his killing is still at large, and the Government has described some of the sentences imposed on others over the matter as unduly lenient. Mr Martin urged accountability. Accountability means that the people responsible for the death of Sean Rooney are brought to justice, proper justice, the sentencing was extremely lenient and the people are at large, he said. Hundreds of Irish soldiers are serving with the Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission in south Lebanon, which is due to come to an end next December when the UN mandate ends after almost 50 years. Mr Martin told troops gathered at Camp Shamrock that it was an honour to stand before them, and to personally acknowledge the dedication, professionalism and sacrifice that each of you demonstrates in the service of peace, and your country. He also paid tribute to the work they are doing in Lebanon during this particularly challenging time, and in spending Christmas away from their loved ones. Those involved in ongoing efforts for peace are doing critically important work. It is work that we in Ireland and people all over the world hope and pray is successful Micheal Martin In terms of the UN mandate ending at the end of 2026, Mr Martin said Ireland remains committed to Unifil, and to supporting Lebanon, but recognises that the mission was always intended to be an interim force. He added: I met the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam this morning, and emphasised the important role of the Lebanese Government in respecting and protecting the role of peacekeepers, as Unifil works towards bringing peace and stability. I also continued to highlight the need for accountability in regard to the person wanted in connection to the horrific killing of Private Sean Rooney. I made it very clear to the prime minister the absolute determination of the Irish Government to continue to pursue justice for this terrible crime. He finished his address by telling the soldiers he is immensely proud of the long tradition of Irish peacekeeping. Those involved in ongoing efforts for peace are doing critically important work. It is work that we in Ireland and people all over the world hope and pray is successful, he said. The tradition of UN peacekeeping, in which we have participated for just short of 70 years, is about saving lives and ensuring others can enjoy the gift of peace. The work you are doing here in south Lebanon encapsulates all that is good and positive about that tradition. Know that the government and the people of Ireland are very appreciative of your service and dedication to the cause of peace. The Argentine import Esteros (Spanish for marshes or estuaries) is a lovely, lyrical drama that follows the reunion of two young men who shared their sexual awakening as boyhood friends. Matias (Ignacio Rogers) is now a buttoned-up biologist with a girlfriend (Renata Calmon) frustrated by his emotional reticence, but when Matias returns to his hometown for carnival, he unexpectedly reconnects with long-lost buddy Jeronimo (Esteban Masturini), an openly gay artist. Their meeting evokes the adolescent ease and closeness they once had shown in a wonderful series of flashbacks before Matias and his family left Argentina for Brazil. For the record: An earlier version of this review switched the identities of the actors in the photo. Unfortunately, the guys cant yet discuss their past, dancing around topics of sexuality, attraction and their current states of happiness or lack thereof. Advertisement That is, until they visit Jeros parents country home in the Argentine wetlands where Matias and Jero spent idyllic holidays as kids. Will a nostalgic afternoon, replete with sunning, swimming and a well-timed rainstorm, rekindle their tucked-away feelings? Or will Matias prove too repressed and Jero too wary to fully reconnect? Director Papu Curotto brings Andi Nachons tender script to life with stirring economy and warmth as well as a wistfulness so palpable its practically its own character. Rogers and Masturini deliver soulful, sexy, finely modulated turns, while Joaquin Parada and Blas Finardi Niz are winning and instinctive as, respectively, the younger Matias and Jero. Advertisement ------ Esteros In Spanish with English subtitles MPAA rating: Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes Playing: Arena Cinelounge, Hollywood See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Pras Michel has sought bail while he appeals his international fraud convictions. Pras Michel is appealing his sentence The Fugees rapper was convicted of 10 charges - including acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government - back in April 2023 after he accepted $100 million from disgraced Malaysian financier Jho Low to influence the administrations of US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump and after he was given a 14-year jail term last month, he has sought to be allowed to appeal the verdict before reporting to prison. A motion filed by his team on Friday (19.12.25) and obtained by Rolling Stone explained the appeal presents substantial questions surrounding alleged egregious errors during his trial, including issues relating to improper jury influence and sufficiency of evidence. It adds: Neither the D.C. Circuit nor any other Court of Appeals has ever confronted this extraordinary degree of improper jury influence, which appears to be unprecedented." The lawyers - who had given an official notice of appeal earlier this month - claimed the trial judge had declared the 53-year-old musician to be "guilty on at least eight occasions by referring to Michel and others as co-conspirators and ruling in front of the jury that the co-conspirator exception to the rule against hearsay applied, further influencing the jury. It also said the most "egregious example" that "further" influenced the jury was "permitting FBI Agent Robert Heuchling to provide improper overview testimony and to opine on at least 25 occasions that Michel was guilty. His spokesperson, Erica Dumas, said: This wasnt a fair trial. This was a coronation of guilt. Were confident the appeals court will recognise this case for what it is, an unprecedented trial that denies Pras constitutional right to an impartial jury. And his attorneys noted: If decided in Michels favour, the substantial questions [outlined in the filing] would result in a new trial, reversal of nearly every count, and, at a minimum, a reduced sentence that would likely be less than the duration of Michels appeal. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence because the 53-year-old rapper had betrayed his country for money and lied unapologetically and unrelentingly to carry out his schemes. They wrote: His sentence should reflect the breadth and depth of his crimes, his indifference to the risks to his country, and the magnitude of his greed." The Ready of Not hitmaker's team had sought a three-year prison term and felt a life sentence would be an "absurdly high" punishment because it is one typically handed down to terrorists and cartel leaders. His attorneys wrote in a court filing: The Governments position is one that would cause Inspector Javert to recoil and, if anything, simply illustrates just how easily the Guidelines can be manipulated to produce absurd results, and how poorly equipped they are, at least on this occasion, to determine a fair and just sentence." The charges included claims Pras violating campaign finance laws during Barack Obama's 2012 election campaign and illegally lobbed the Trump administration in 2017, but the musician argued he simply wanted to make money and got bad legal advice while reinventing himself in the world of politics. Pras previously insisted he "never wanted to be a spy" but still found his conduct "a bit exciting". He told Variety: "I dont know if subconsciously it was a bit exciting for me ... I like spy movies, but I never wanted to be a spy. I dont think thats sexy. But a part of it felt like that ... "Technically, Im a foreign agent." KIEV, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's talks with U.S. and European partners over the past three days in the U.S. state of Florida were "productive and constructive," Ukraine's top peace negotiator Rustem Umerov said on Sunday. In a Facebook post, Umerov said discussions between Ukraine and the U.S. focused on further development of a 20-point peace plan, aligning positions on multilateral and U.S. security guarantee frameworks for Ukraine, and further development of an economic and prosperity plan. The sides also discussed timelines and the sequencing of next steps. "Ukraine remains fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace," Umerov said. "Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine's recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity." "Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future," he said, adding that Ukraine will continue "close coordination" with the U.S. and Europe in the next stages. He added that key European national security advisors joined the discussions to align on a shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the United States and Europe. U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff issued a similar statement on X, confirming that "a series of productive and constructive meetings" were held over the past three days. The Ukrainian delegation included Umerov, who is also secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, and Andriy Hnatov, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The U.S. delegation included Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staff member Josh Gruenbaum. Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev held separate talks with U.S. officials in Miami, Florida. "The discussions are proceeding constructively," Dmitriev told reporters Saturday. During his annual year-end press conference in Moscow on Friday, Putin said Russia agrees to end the Ukraine crisis through negotiations, alongside eliminating the root causes, noting that now "the ball is entirely in the court of Ukraine and its European sponsors." Mike Rulli was desperate. Like thousands of other parents, he was scrambling to secure transportation for his daughter, 12, and his son, 8, in Chandler, Arizona, as a new school year neared. Their school doesnt provide bus service, and the after-school program is very expensive for just the hour a day I need to get home from work, the divorced dad said. More than 2,300 miles to the east, Maureen Betz, a single, working mom of two, was facing a similar dilemma in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her 12-year-old son with special needs attends a school outside their district, but the school doesnt provide transport. Its in the opposite direction from where I need to be for work by 8 a.m., said Betz, a licensed clinical social worker. Both parents thought they found the help they needed in Ride Along Now, a New Jersey-based company that bills itself as a safe, dependable and affordable transportation alternative for young riders. They signed contracts. They made payments. But they missed a Bamboozled column that featured Allison Tyler, a Wayne mom who said she was screwed out of $2,800 by the same company. Since our story was published, Tyler has spoken to lots of other parents who have been victimized by Norbert Sygdziak and Ride Along, she said. As if the alleged deceit wasnt enough, parents say losing what they thought would be reliable and safe care for their children unleashed chaos, triggered stress and caused disruption in their lives. Sygdziak, the companys owner, did not respond to requests for comment. Tyler, who now works from home so she can care for her kids, 14 and 10, said she plans to pursue her case for as long as it takes. Every time I hear from another family, it brings me right back to when it all happened with me, Tyler said. Its about preventing it from happening to other families. Allison Tyler, photographed at her home in September 2024. Jeff Rhode | For NJ Advance Media NEW COMPLAINTS More parents have filed complaints and even lawsuits against Ride Along Now since our initial story published. Complaints lodged with the Better Business Bureau have doubled in just one year. There are now 29. The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs tally is up to 16 since October 2022. Most of those have been referred to county consumer agencies, the state agency said. Eight new lawsuits have been filed against the company in New Jersey in the past year, including one by Tyler. Thats on top of two others filed the year before. One lawsuit in Bergen County resulted in a $1,041.73 judgment against Sygdziak, while others remain outstanding. There were also three judgments against the company in New Jersey for unpaid wages, a $45,000 judgment in favor of the state Division of Workers Compensation, three judgments for unpaid rent or contracts and three unpaid federal tax liens against Sygdziak totaling $17,000, public records show. Yet another lawsuit was filed last year in Saratoga County, New York, against Sygdziak and Ride Along Now. Also in New York, the company was hit with more than $10,000 in tax liens that have since been paid, records show. We didnt receive responses from some other states consumer affairs agencies, so its unclear how many families have done business with the company and how many were unsatisfied. But could action be coming in New Jersey? Rulli said he got a call from an investigator from Bergen Countys consumer affairs office, saying they were looking to consolidate complaints on the state level. The state declined to comment. Mike Rulli is asking for a refund after Ride Along Now, a transport company focused on children, took his money but didn't provide a driver. Courtesy Mike Rulli ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL So how did a company with roots in Rochelle Park find clients across the country? Internet searches, of course. Rulli, the Arizona dad, found Ride Along Now online. He and his ex-wife agreed it could be the answer, and Rulli requested a quote. Rulli said Sygdziak was very responsive, and he quickly sent a quote $1,062.56 per month and a contract. Service was supposed to start on Sept. 30. But Rullis ex asked if it could begin three days earlier. Norbert (Sygdziak) said, Of course, no problem. We just need the deposit, Rulli said. With the contract starting that soon, they didnt have enough time to process a credit card payment, however. They would need it sent via Zelle. Rulli would need to send a series of payments because of his banks limits. He sent the first Zelle for $500 when he was at his daughters softball practice on Sept. 23, followed by payments of $500 and $62.56 the next day, documents show. Sometimes you just make bad choices, Rulli said in retrospect. Over the next two days, there was no word on a driver. No response to emails. I started to panic, Rulli said. When Sygdziak responded the night before service was supposed to start, he said the drivers background check wasnt completed but they would have a driver soon. I had to quickly find coverage for my kids at the expensive after-school program, after I just sent him $1,062, Rulli said. A week later, there was still no driver. Rulli sent a demand letter to Sygdziak. If Ride Along Now could not provide a driver, he wanted a full refund. Rulli said Sygdziak agreed to the refund, adding it would take two or three days. When nothing came through, Rulli wrote again, this time threatening to report the company to the New Jersey Attorney Generals office. At this point, I was 99% sure it was a scam, he said, adding that money was tight because he was now facing a furlough from his government job because of the federal shutdown. Sygdziak responded in an email, acting like I was offending his company, that I was threatening to blackmail him by saying hed complain to the state, Rulli said. If someone is robbing your house, and you call the police, and you yell at the robber to stop the cops are coming thats not blackmail, Rulli said. Sygdziak said he had until Oct. 16 to send the refund because New Jersey law gives merchants 20 days. (Point of clarification: Merchants, under New Jersey law, can actually create their own return policies with any time frame, but they must be posted for consumers to see. If theyre not posted, a merchant has up to 20 days to give the refund.) But on Oct. 16, there was no refund. I then sent him another email noting the lack of payment and sent him the link to your article, noting the story sounded familiar, so be sure not to use the same exact excuses, Rulli said. He has never responded since. Betzs case in Maryland had similarities. On Sept. 30 and with a contract in hand for service to start the following week a helpful family member paid the $927.71 Ride Along Now fee by credit card. Service was supposed to start on Oct. 6. Betz reached out to the company on Oct. 3, a Friday, to confirm everything was set. She was told someone would contact her over the weekend. Maureen Betz of Silver Spring, Maryland, hired a New Jersey company to drive her child to school. It never provided a driver. Courtesy Eloise C. She kept looking for news during that weekends Little League tournament, but there was still no word by Sunday night. The first pickup was supposed to be the next day. She emailed again, and this time, she received a familiar story. I was told that the background check had not come through in time and there would not be service starting in the morning as planned, she said. I scrambled to make arrangements to be late for work, and I took my son to school. That added an hour to the clinical social workers commute, and her parents volunteered to take the afternoon shift. My son was confused as we had had a discussion about someone else driving him. He had been anticipating meeting the person, Betz said. He still asks me, `When is the new person coming to drive me to school? She requested a refund on Oct. 7 and followed up on Oct. 10. Again, no word. So she filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and Marylands consumer affairs office. That seemed to shake something loose. By the end of the month, the relative got the money back on their credit card. Even though the refund came through, Betz said she wants to see Tyler, the New Jersey mom who first contacted Bamboozled, to find justice. Tyler said shes working with five other families to pursue legal action to try to get their money back. Tylers dad, a Newark-based attorney, is representing the group pro bono. Their biggest challenge was finding the right address so they could serve Sygdziak. But they have some hopeful tips, Tyler said. Right now, everyone is feeling the financial pinch, and its infuriating that Norbert takes advantage of families in this way, she said. Were hoping that with some publicity and families coming together, that we can get a prosecutor to take a case on. NJ Advance Media Research Editor Vinessa Erminio contributed to this report. A court was told that a man accused of stealing 1,345.50 from the Department of Social Protection was arrested at Dublin Airport. Ionel Horbas (26) with an address at 67 Cosby Avenue, Fairgreen, Portlaoise but who is now living in London, appeared before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court. He was accused of failing to pay a fine for not having a TV licence at the Portlaoise address and for stealing a total of 1,345.50 belonging to the Department of Social Protection at EBS, Main Street, Portlaoise on five dates between December 2020 and November 19, 2025. Judge Andrew Cody asked the man when he was going to pay a 220 fine for not having a TV licence in 2020. When he was told he would pay it when I can, Judge Cody remanded the defendant in custody. Detective Garda Karen Nevin said she had arrested the defendant at Dublin Airport and when cautioned and charged the man made no reply. She said she had received an alert to say he was flying in from the UK. I am currently preparing a file for the DPP, said Det Nevin. She asked that the case be adjourned to March 2026. Judge Cody asked Andrew Dunne BL about his clients attitude to paying for his TV licence five years ago? Mr Dunne said his client hadnt been aware of the fine. That will be paid by the end of court today, he said. Det Nevin said the man had an address in the UK at New Road, Dagnam, London. She said she didnt believe he currently had an Irish address. Judge Cody adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on March 23, 2026. It has been revealed that Ireland has the second fewest homes per person across all of Europe. The statistic was highlighted at the December meeting of Clare County Council where, councillor Joe Killeen called on "the Minister for Housing and our MEP's to progress strategies and devise an EU wide approach to help alleviate, in part, Europe's and thus Ireland's housing shortage crisis." Read next: ALERT: Electrical sockets urgently recalled in Ireland amid risk of fire and burns' Cllr Killeen explained that homeless rates are rising across Ireland, Finland, Demark and Germany with "purchasing houses is just out of reach of young people." He said that if the EU can assist Ireland through different approaches including; simplifying regulations and streamlining the planning process, that will help decrease rates of homelessness. Outlining that the key mechanisms of housing supports from Europe include, state aid rule changes, revising the service of Economic interests, invest EU to de-risk investing in sociable and affordable housing and EU affordable housing plan. Since he put forward the call, Cllr Killeen stated that the Irish government has become "more proactive in trying to solve the housing crisis." He explained that Ireland has introduced delivering homes and building communities as part of their 2030 plan with the aim to build 300,000 houses by then, with 72,000 being social homes. In order to achieve this "measures such as reforming and accelerating the planning laws including changes to judicial review protocol, concentrating on fast tracking the development of infrastructure, aid to help housing delivery such as wastewater" and "under the revised National Planning Framework further land will be zoned." Housing Activation groups have now been set up in Local Authority areas, with Clare's housing target increasing from 550 to "almost" one thousand homes. With a budget of 204 million to focus on prioritising housing accessibility and delivery, has been "very welcome" by Cllr Killeen because "the housing situation in Ireland, whatever we [the council] have been doing, is not working, we just need to redouble our efforts and need to follow European lead - we do need to simplify things." Cllr Killeen finished by saying "we do need to build the homes that are so badly needed." Fine Gael councillor Joe Garrihy seconded the motion saying that the council "needs support everywhere it can come from." Cllr Tom O'Callaghan for support the council needs to "put the direction on Europe" as they need greater funding as "the reality is that we are in a [housing] crisis." He expressed his sorrow for people who "are in a role where affordability is becoming a extremely extremely difficult" such educators on a teaching salary. Cllr O'Callaghan explained how "in Ireland between 2010 and 2025, rent has rose by 115%, which is one of the highest in the EU." Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Claire Colleran-Molloy highlighted that Ireland has Europe's second fewest homes per person" She expressed her belief that financing is not the greatest obstacle to housing it's other barriers such as bureaucracy and infrastructure. Cllr Michael Shannon noted how these issues are "a common theme across Europe", citing the most common issues holding up housing developments in his view as availability, pricing and water and wastewater facilities. He said that there is a "need to reform on planning" as "it shouldn't take two years to come here and approve something that was going to be approved anyway." Sinn Fein councillor Tommy Guilfoyle supported saying "a housing crisis is a social crisis." SeniorLine, Irelands national telephone service for older people is reminding Kildare residents they are open every day 10am-10pm throughout Christmas and the New Year. "It will be a busy season. Many regular callers will phone on Christmas Day to thank us for being there during 2025. We will be looking out for new callers who find themselves on their own, through bereavement, isolation or family difficulties. Every caller will receive a warm welcome from our 75-trained volunteers who will offer support, information and helpful contacts as necessary," said the organisers. SeniorLine has practical suggestions to keep callers encouraged and engaged, and also to friends and neighbours of older people who may be alone. Neighbours could help with shopping, decorating, bringing in fuel, or delivering a meal, while small gestures such as sending a card, having a chat on the phone, or dropping in, can make a big difference. Giving neighbourly lifts to local church or choir services or inviting a lone neighbour in for a Christmas drink may help them feel part of the community and gives a sense of belonging. If spending a lot of time alone over the Christmas season, SeniorLine offers the following strategies: Maintain a routine and establish a sense of purpose for each day Write a To Do list each morning and cross off tasks and enjoyable activities as achieved Get out and walk each day, weather permitting Make contact with another person every day either by phone, text, online or in person Be creative, bake a cake, arrange some flowers, singalong with familiar carols Practise self-care, dress in your favourite comfortable clothes, light candles safely, and keep the house as warm as you can afford, (a hot water bottle on your lap can be very comforting) Have a stack of favourite books at the ready, choose programmes you enjoy on radio and on television and streaming services Set some goals you would like to develop next year and SMART test them. Make them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-deadlined Do something for someone else if you know of someone also on their own, ask them over for a cup of coffee, donate to a charity of your choice Develop an attitude of gratitude TELEPHONE SENIORLINE FREEFONE 1800 80 45 91 FOR COMPANY, CONVERSATION AND CAMERADERIE open 10am-10pm every day. READ MORE: Attempted theft of two vehicles in Kildare results in garda investigation WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States has stepped up its oil blockade of Venezuela by intercepting a third tanker in international waters near the country in less than two weeks, said media reports on Sunday. The tanker Bella 1, which flies the Panamanian flag and is under U.S. sanctions, was boarded by U.S. personnel while en route to Venezuela to load cargo, Bloomberg News reported Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter. One day earlier, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the Centuries off Venezuela, a Panamanian-flagged supertanker that is not on Washington's sanctions list. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said on X that the crude oil aboard the Centuries originated from Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), which is under U.S. sanctions. On Dec. 10, U.S. forces seized the tanker Skipper near Venezuelan waters and announced the U.S. plans to keep its oil cargo. On Dec. 16, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a "total and complete blockade" of sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, announcing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government had been designated as a "foreign terrorist organization." According to oil-shipping monitor TankerTrackers.com, dozens of tankers on the U.S. sanctions list are currently remaining in Venezuelan waters. Oil exports are widely seen as the backbone of Venezuela's economy, accounting for the vast majority of its foreign revenue. Venezuela has accused Washington of seeking regime change and military expansion in Latin America, condemning the interception of oil tankers as "piracy." NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Defence and aerospace companies are competing with high-frequency trading companies and tech giants to hire engineers from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), buoyed by their expansion plans and the entry of private firms in the space and defence sectors. These engineers are required for advanced manufacturing and product design projects in private companies based in India, which are seeking billion-dollar business opportunities. With the rise of space-tech startupsnot just rocket makers like Skyroot, but also many promising satellite makers and space-intelligence-based startups in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and elsewherefor the first time, India's top-tier candidates have a reliable and promising career opportunity to partake in truly world-class engineering right from India," Temasek-backed Skyroot Aerospace said in an email response to Mint. Founded in Hyderabad by Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, who were once colleagues at the Indian Space Research Organisation, Skyroot Aerospace is Indias highest-funded space startup with $95 million in venture capital funding to date. It is set to make its first commercial rocket launch from Indian soil by March 2026. Chandana and Daka are alumni of IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras, respectively. Also Read | Candidates using AI? Not on IIT campuses as placement season gets stricter The company said this year Skyroot held its first structured" recruitment drive across 20 top-tier institutes in Indiaincluding the IITs, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, and the Indian Institute of Science. From 3,500 applicants, about 65 students were offered a job. The enthusiasm among aerospace and defence companies to recruit engineers from India's top engineering colleges reflects the growing opportunity for such firms, as the government promotes local manufacturing across critical sectors. India's bustling defence sector will tussle with high-frequency trading companies that offer some of the highest compensation packages, alongside Big Tech giants with global postings, and even the established manufacturing and banking companies. On campus Older IITs, including Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur and Kanpur, started their campus placements on 1 December, while recruitments at the new ones began a couple of months ago. According to placement teams across IITs, participating companies include Bengaluru-based startup Nabhdrishti Aerospace and Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal-backed LAT Aerospace. Such young firms are competing against the defence divisions of large conglomerates such as GE Aerospace, L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, GKN Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. L&T Precision Engineering & Systems (L&T PES) runs the engineering conglomerates defence and aerospace businesses.While L&T recruits over 3,000 engineers annually from premier institutions such as IITs and NITs, we plan to hire approximately 175 engineers for PES IC across specialised domains, aligned with business and project requirements," said C. Jayakumar, chief human resources officer at Larsen & Toubro Ltd. L&T offers competitive, market-aligned remuneration for fresher hires, with compensation varying by institute, role, and trainee category, and benchmarked against industry standards for defence and aerospace engineering roles, he said. In alignment with L&Ts strategic thrust on defence & aerospace, precision engineering systems, and emerging businesses such as industrial electronics and precision products, we propose to recruit fresh engineering talent from premier IITs and NITs during the current year. The recruitment will focus on niche, high-impact domains including embedded systems, power electronics, signal processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, machine design, radar technologies, and industrial design, primarily to support R&D and advanced engineering roles," Jayakumar said. On 20 November, Mint reported that an increased privatization push is helping Indias top conglomerates seek billion-dollar revenue opportunities in defence and space. After public sector duo Hindustan Aeronautics and Bharat Electronics, private firms Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, L&T PES and Tata Advanced Systems were the top three companies pursuing large defence contracts in India under the aegis of the Centres 2025 Defence Procurement Manual. Queries emailed to HAL, BEL, MDS, and TAS remained unanswered until press time. Nabhdrishti Aerospace, GE Aerospace, and LAT Aerospace, as well as IITs of Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, and Kharagpur, did not respond to queries. Prolonged affair Space is a slow-burn industry, where revenue generation is a prolonged affair and is hinged more upon technological progresseven though geopolitics is catching up fast," said Chaitanya Giri, space and geopolitics fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. The private defence space, however, is scaling early, driven by the spate of geopolitical conflicts today. With specialized prototype development a key part of how companies can differentiate themselves, companies are likely to start hiring heavily for this." Small companies, too, are in the fray. Amit Mahajan, director at publicly listed defence contractor Paras Defence, said the company partners with top engineering institutes, incubates early-stage defence ideas, and then absorbs them into the organization. "This year, were partnering with Techfest at IIT Bombay, and also seeking talent from NIT Warangal. Were offering skilling of the right technologies in the formative years, which works for us too as the level of skill in Indian engineers deployable in a defence company has improved over the past 10 years," he said. Companies are looking for niche skills, including an understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. Core strengths, such as aerospace fundamentals, structures, materials, avionics, systems engineering, manufacturing and related operations, safety and quality, and programming for engineering applications, remain central. Digital competencies like data analytics, modelbased systems engineering, simulation, and applied AI increasingly complement those foundations," said GKN Aerospace, a UK supplier of airframes, engine structures and landing gear. The company, which supplies products and services to commercial and military aircraft and engine prime contractors, sees a sustained longterm demand for skilled engineers". This need is driven by production ramp-up of aircraft and aero-engines, electrification, the transition to more sustainable aviation and digital transformation in engineering and manufacturing." Unmetered intelligence, human-supervised `digital colleagues,' and ongoing skilling will be the main safeguards in an AI-driven future, according to Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, who shared his top predictions. During a visit to India earlier this month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced plans to invest $17.5 billion in the country to help build infrastructure for its AI-first future, marking the tech giant's largest investment ever in Asia. Chandok told PTI that AI has surpassed mere hype and is now making a real impact. "...the next phase will be defined by how responsibly, inclusively, and thoughtfully we scale it," Chandok told the news portal. His top predictions for the evolving world and AI include intelligence shifting from being scarce to abundant, with compute increasingly translating directly into cognition for organisations, in an era of "unmetered intelligence". Role of humans AI 'agents' will collaborate with people, handling tasks and analysing data, but humans will stay firmly in control, he noted. Outcomes will be central to transforming the business model, with value creation moving from effort and delays to clear, measurable results. Chandok lauded India's digital public infrastructure, which facilitates widespread AI adoption, transforming national scale into a global advantage. Upskilling is important According to him, roles will evolve into specific tasks, careers will become more versatile, while emphasising that upskilling is the key safeguard in the AI era. "When I reflect on the technology story of 2025, what stands out is how decisively India moved from experimenting with AI to putting it to work across core sectors of the economy. Across aviation, healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, organisations began redesigning how they operate-whether it is Air India reimagining customer engagement, Apollo Hospitals supporting clinicians, ICICI Lombard reshaping core processes, or Asian Paints bending the curve on innovation," he said. This momentum establishes the foundation for what follows next. "What makes this moment especially powerful is the India opportunity. When digital public infrastructure meets AI, adoption can happen at population scale - from classrooms to boardrooms and from farms to factories. This belief underpins Microsoft's commitment to invest $17.5 billion in India, to build the cloud and AI infrastructure, skills, and trust needed to turn momentum into long-term impact," Chandok said. Changing nature of jobs He mentioned that jobs are evolving, with work becoming more flexible, and the key lasting advantage is the capacity to continue learning. ( Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026 to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at feedback@livemint.com. ) Sitting in the conference room of his office in Bengaluru, Ather co-founder and chief Tarun Mehta is amused at a question on how life has changed since the company went public. The bespectacled 36-year-old says he is frequently asked this, nearly everywhere he goes. I'm getting a bit of a fomo (fear of missing out) right now. There's something I'm missing about what should have changed. I almost feel obliged to say that something has changed, but I can't, hand on heart, say what's changed," Mehta says with a smile. For me, personally, not much," he told Mint in an hour-long chat at Athers headquarters in the tech capital of the country. Yet, the image of his company in the eyes of investors, the public, and the media has undoubtedly changed. Known as the slow-and-steady manufacturing startup, pitted against the juggernaut of Bhavish Aggarwal, many wondered whether Ather would ever step out of Ola Electric Ltd's shadow. Those doubts were laid to rest this year. In the July to September quarter of 2025, Ather crossed Ola Electric in total market capitalization, total sales (over 65,000 versus 52,000 for Ola), and revenue ( 899 crore versus Olas 690 crore). Investors have shown faith. Since going public in May, the companys shares have more than doubled, up more than 130%, compared with a 22% rise in the Nifty Auto index. Athers core strategy Mehta attributes all this to fundamental business principles. I'm not going to give you a big revelation here. It's a pretty obvious answer, Business 101. You double down on your strengths. We are where we are, to whatever degree, because of differentiation. No business can survive without differentiation," Mehta said in response to a question on what will be the companys roadmap for the next few months. Ather counts its product engineering and technology edge as its strengths. The company's sales growth is coming from two sources: its Ather Rizta scooter and its expanding distribution network. By the end of this financial year, the company will have 700 stores and will have expanded beyond its strongholds in southern India. The company is working on its next phase of growth through the EL platform, which will be manufactured at its new plant in Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar, the new name of Aurangabad, next year. Athers rise contrasts with the fortunes of Ola Electric, which once dominated the electric scooter market with a 50% share, but was relegated to fifth position by sales in November. Olas troubles stem from its service network failing to cope with huge volumes. But according to Athers Mehta, the market misunderstands the question of service and confuses it with the number of centres. If your service centres are full, generally the issue won't be, at least in the same city where you don't have enough capacity. Generally, it points to a fundamental issue with the vehicle. A good vehicle ought to need far fewer instances of service," Mehta said. Athers focus is on ensuring its products require less servicing, according to Mehta. And even if they do, the company ensures that the dealer network has a service centre where company-trained personnel are assigned. Ather also conducts regular audits of its network to ensure that service centres are staffed adequately. Thats also a reason why the company is selective in opening new dealerships. We have tens of thousands of dealer applications. We keep refusing cities and I personally approve every single store that opens every other month. Not a single store opens without my explicit approval," Mehta says. I don't mean I get a bulk file that says approve, and I type approve yes. It's typically a three-day meeting where we go through every single detail." But as the company grows, will the founder be able to maintain such a hands-on approach? Mehta says he and his team have already found a solution to make decisions faster and better, ensuring he and co-founder Swapnil Jain can continue to maintain a hands-on approach. The way we've always solved this is by coming up with better and better analytics and coming up with better and better ways to cut and slice data and automate understanding using data so that decision making just keeps getting faster," Mehta said. Legacy players are the real threat now While Ather has managed to beat its crosstown rival Ola Electric for now, its bigger challenge now lies in competing with TVS Motor Co. and Bajaj Auto Ltd, the legacy two-wheeler makers who have now raced ahead on EV charts. Athers success will now be measured by how effectively it can chip away at the market from the top two. As of November, TVS Motor held 26% market share, Bajaj Auto 22%, Ather Energy 17%, Hero MotorCorp 12% and Ola Electric 7%. "Slow and steady can win the race," said Subhabrata Sengupta, partner at Avalon Consulting, highlighting Athers strategy. Solid work in technology, robust testing of products, getting basics right before scale up has helped them," Sengupta said. They have done well but now are in danger of being outrun as ICE (internal combustion engine) incumbents get their act together." With decades of experience and deep penetration in the Indian market, legacy players can quickly scale up EV sales. Moreover, as the EV business remains unprofitable for now, it is easier for the incumbents to reinvest profits of their ICE business to get incremental growth in EV market, which can help them be more aggressive in spending on growth. Also Read | Toyota pitches for ethanol hybrids as India looks at electric future Ather, which counts Hero MotoCorp Ltd, Indias largest two-wheeler maker, as its single largest shareholder, isnt too worried about competing with the legacy players. Do legacy companies get product and tech first or would we, as a new player, get distribution first? Because that obviously is our weakness," he said, adding that the company will continue to grow as it goes deeper and wider across India with its expansion an ongoing process. But as Ather expands across the country and adds new customers, Mehta admits that one thing has changed: the time he gets to spend regularly interacting with customers. To compensate, he says he loves scrolling through social media comments, even pointing out stores or service centres where things aren't going right based on customer posts. Every time between meetings, I would just basically keep reading what people are saying onlineI don't feel panicky that I don't know what people are saying," he said. But the meeting is nicer. The meeting is just nicer," he said, referring to interactions with customers. Yeah, I do miss that." New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, is poised to achieve another milestone with its home loan portfolio expected to cross the 10 lakh crore mark next fiscal year, driven by robust demand and a favourable low-interest-rate regime. "Today my home loan portfolio is more than 9 lakh crore...this is the single largest business unit in the bank, over 20 per cent of our total assets," SBI Chairman C S Setty told PTI. At 14 per cent growth rate, SBI is well on the path to achieve a milestone of 10 lakh crore home portfolio next financial year, he said. SBI's home loan portfolio crossed 9 lakh crore mark last month, making it the biggest mortgage loan provider in the country. The bank closed FY25 with the home loan book at 8.31 lakh crore, registering 14.4 per cent growth over the previous financial year. SBI has built a home loan portfolio in a gradual and steady manner over the years - from 1 lakh crore milestone in March 2011 to 9 lakh crore in November 2025. Besides, the bank has been able to contain non-performing assets (NPAs) in the segment to less than 1 per cent due to its constant proactive monitoring. The bank closed FY25 with gross NPA in home loans to 0.72 per cent, one of the lowest in the banking sector. Setty had earlier expressed optimism that the momentum in the RAM segment will drive 14 per cent overall credit growth during the current fiscal year. Retail, Agriculture and MSME (RAM) segment, which is 67 per cent of the total loan portfolio, has also crossed the 25 lakh crore milestone in September. With the improvement in economic growth, SBI upped its credit growth target from earlier 12 per cent to 14 per cent for the ongoing financial year. "We increased guidance on credit growth. We have revised it from 12 per cent to 14 per cent. We see a robust credit growth, particularly from the RAM segment, MSME is almost growing at 17-18 per cent and agriculture and retail is around 14 per cent," he had said. MUMBAI: The operational meltdown by IndiGo, Indias largest airline, in the first week of December has brought back to the fore the need for experienced specialists running the country's aviation regulator and not let it stay the revolving door for government bureaucrats at its helm. Experts have raised concerns that ten generalist officials have served at the top office at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the last 17 yearsall serving or retired bureaucrats, lacking specialist knowledge critical in running a sector like aviation, from the government's elite Indian Administrative Service, or IAS, cadre. Also Read | Why IndiGo is the Sensexs worst newcomer since 2010 The last non-IAS officer to head the DGCA was Kanu Gohain, a technocrat who rose through the ranks of the aviation regulator to the top job before retiring in 2008. Since then, all 10 director generals have been bureaucrats, including the incumbent, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, who took over in January. In early December, IndiGo canceled more than 4,500 flights due to a pilot shortage, failing to meet new DGCA regulations capping pilots' flying hours from midnight to 6AM. A nationwide uproar prompted the aviation ministry and DGCA to launch an investigation, slash IndiGo's daily flights by 10%, and demand explanations from IndiGo chief executive officer (CEO) Pieter Elbers and the airline's chief operating officer Isidre Porqueras. While the Indigo cancellations seems to have been a case of mismanagement by the airline, the role of ministry of civil aviation and DGCA came under the lens for lapses. They did not spot the craters in time, they did not prune the expanded schedules in time nor they did not verify if they had the pilots for the schedule, even when they saw the troubles brewing in November," said Sanjay Lazar, aviation safety specialist and CEO of Avialaz Consulting. Six months ago, Air India's Flight 171 crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, with at least 260 fatalities. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is still investigating what caused the countrys worst civil aviation disaster. Bureaucrats serving as directors general, according to aviation experts, have weakened the regulators technical depth and continuity. There is a clear need for a DG with technical skills and knowledge, it ended with Kanu Gohain, who retired after extensions, which followed the appointment of IAS officers. You need someone with domain knowledge and qualified experience in the regulators post; you cannot bring someone who doesn't know the subject," said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former airline instructor pilot. Specialists head aviation regulators globally The wisdom of a specialist leading DGCA has been made several times in the past including in a report commissioned on aviation safety more than 25 years ago. "This concern is not new. As far back as 1997, Air Marshal J.K. Seth, in a landmark report, underscored the need for an autonomous aviation regulator staffed by sector specialists," said Amit Singh, CEO of aviation safety think tank, Safety Matters Foundation, and a former pilot. The Seth report was critical of several aspects of regulation in Indian aviation but its recommendations, including that of an independent regulator, were never implemented. The DGCA should be headed by someone who has spent time as a pilot, engineer, or technical expert, added Lazar. The current director general Kidwai, a 1996-batch IAS officer, previously served as the additional secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The trend of non-specialists leading DGCA is in contrast to the heads of aviation regulators in other countries. The United States aviation regulatory body is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), headed by Bryan Bedford, a former CEO of Republic Airways with over three decades of aviation experience. The head of Europe's main aviation regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Florian Guillermet, also had aviation experience. Guillermet worked at Frances DSNA, the agency responsible for air traffic control, communications, and information for France, and Air France. At the UK, Sir Stephen Hillier, formerly chief of the Royal Air Force, chairs the Civil Aviation Authority. Its CEO is Rob Bishton, a qualified commercial pilot with stints at easyJet and other airlines, according to the UK regulator's website. Short tenures, musical chairs Beyond the issue of technical expertise, experts also pointed out that the short term of the IAS officers at the helm of the regulatory body for only one or two years led to leadership instability at the DGCA. The Director General is often a serving officer on deputation, promoted and moved out within a year or two, preventing continuity in regulatory oversight," said Singh, adding that DGCA requires a steady, long-term head who understands the complexities and nuances of Indias aviation ecosystem. In contrast, IAS officers currently appointed to the role typically require significant time to grasp technical processes and regulatory procedures, making the institution vulnerable to internal influence from lower-ranking officials who possess greater operational familiarity," Singh said. As per Singh, the 1997 Seth report also argued that the DGCA should function independently of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. At present, the ministry retains control over policy-making, regulation, senior appointments, and accident investigations, concentrating all levers of authority within a single administrative structure. This lack of separation continues to undermine the regulators autonomy and effectiveness. The fast expansion in aviation necessitates urgent changes in the sector's regulation and administration, experts said. Indias top three carriers, IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air, expect to increase their fleets by nearly 1,800 planes by 2035. India is at a critical juncture in aviation and we need reforms and restructuring and a more robust regulator. The DGCA is an overburdened and understaffed body, with 19 divisions," said Lazar. We need to perhaps split it into twoone dealing with the administrative regulatory stuff and the other dealing with the technical stuff, which should be led by an aviator or a person with technical expertise." The DGCA, meanwhile, also has a staffing problem: about half of its posts are vacant currently. Last Monday, the first day of the winter session of the parliament, the minister of state for civil aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, informed the Rajya Sabha that of the sanctioned 1,630 posts at DGCA, 801 posts are vacant. ...to meet the requirement in the interregnum, efforts are made to recruit persons through short-term contractual hiring," Mohol said in a written response to the upper house of Parliament. Emails sent to DGCA and the ministry of civil aviation did not elicit a response. (Bloomberg) -- A group of private equity firms led by Permira and Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire Clearwater Analytics Holdings Inc. in a deal valuing the investment and accounting software maker at $8.4 billion including debt. Clearwater investors would get $24.55 a share for an equity value of about $7 billion, according to a statement confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News. The company said the price, which is roughly 10% higher than the stocks last close, represents a 47% premium to the price on Nov. 10, before Bloomberg reported the two buyout firms were in talks to buy it. The private equity group also includes participation from Singaporean state investment company Temasek Holdings Pte and key support from Francisco Partners, according to the statement. The transaction, which will allow Clearwater to consider rival offers for a so-called go-shop period ending Jan. 23, is expected to close in the first half of 2026. Permira and Warburg helped take Clearwater public in 2021. The companys shares have fallen about 19% this year, closing at $22.25 on Friday. Founded in 2004, Boise, Idaho-based Clearwater provides its software to companies in the financial services sector, among others. In November, the company reported a 77% year-over-year increase in third-quarter revenue to $205 million and an 84% jump in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to about $71 million. Clearwater completed its acquisition of Enfusion Inc., a software-as-a-service provider to asset managers and hedge funds, in April. That deal was valued at about $1.5 billion, according to a statement at the time. Activist investor Starboard Value took a nearly 5% stake in Clearwater and wanted the company to run a robust sales process if it received inbound interest from would-be buyers, Reuters reported this month. Permira and Warburg invested in Clearwater in 2020. They were among the private equity backers the following year when Clearwater raised $621 million including over-allotment shares in an initial public offering. In 2023, both firms offered all of their shares in Clearwater for sale, according to a filing at the time. Warburg still held a 0.3% stake in the company as of Sept. 30, data compiled by Bloomberg show. In November, Permira beat out Warburg for a 2.3 billion ($3.1 billion) acquisition of JTC Plc, a London-listed provider of fund solutions and corporate services. Both Permira and Warburg have been active buyers and sellers in recent months. Permira announced the sale of online boats marketplace Boats Group to General Atlantic and CPP Investments earlier in December, while Warburg in November led a group acquiring financial services company ECN Capital Corp. for approximately C$1.9 billion ($1.4 billion), including debt. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com (Bloomberg) -- The only Arab country to have won an Academy Award is betting on an epic film about an anti-colonial hero and the opening of new production studios to restore its place on the movie-world map. Algeria, which took home the Oscar for best foreign-language film in 1970 for political thriller Z, is planning a historical reorganization of the domestic industry, according to President Abdelmadjid Tebbounes adviser for cultural affairs. Thatll mean more stories set in the fiercely independent North African nation including a state-backed biopic of 19th century resistance leader Emir Abdelkader and encouraging foreign productions to film there, Faycal Metaoui, who was recently invited to a meeting with Tebboune, said in an interview. Its a bold gambit for the OPEC member of 47 million people, which closely controls its energy-reliant economy and where foreign tourism is restricted. But Algerian state spending is on the rise while revenues are in decline, forcing the country to search for more income streams. Tebboune, 80, who came to power in 2019, is looking to bolster Algerias international profile, including via potential natural-gas deals with US energy majors. The country is currently embroiled in feuds with neighboring Morocco and former ruler France. Algerias parliament is due to discuss a bill this month that will demand an official apology and compensation from Paris for the colonial period. Frances more than century-long occupation has been the inspiration for most of Algerias major cinematic successes including the Italian-Algerian production The Battle of Algiers in 1966, four years after independence. Algerias Chronicle of the Years of Fire garnered the top award at the Cannes festival in 1975, but its been decades since Africas largest country by area saw such recognition. Current annual output of films, including shorts, features and documentaries, barely reaches double figures. By contrast, Egypt has been the Arab worlds film-making hub for nearly a century and still churns out dozens of movies and TV serials each year. Algerias much smaller neighbor Tunisia where parts of the Star Wars saga were shot has seen two features get Oscar nominations since 2020. Its competing again this year with The Voice of Hind Rajab, a docudrama based on events in war-torn Gaza, which was included in the shortlist for international feature on Tuesday. Algerias 2024 founding of the National Film Center a one-stop shop overseeing permits, operating licenses, visas and other issues will remove troublesome bureaucracy thats hampered doing business, according to Metaoui. A new cinema city in Algiers, the capital, is envisaged with soundstages and other services, while there are plans for post-production and special-effects facilities in Tinerkouk, in the southwestern desert. Metaoui didnt say how much the industry overhaul will cost, or where the funding will come from. The goal is to produce as many as 30 movies in Algeria annually, a reasonable target given 170 are currently seeking Culture Ministry funding, he said. The film about Abdelkader who led thousands in armed revolt against the French in the 1830s and 1840s is seen spearheading the revival. Hes the founder of the modern Algerian state a huge symbol, Metaoui said. Its a big production, and the Algerian government is ready to provide the necessary resources because we need to tell the stories of our heroes, he said. Were not going to count the cost. Authorities also want to attract international film productions. Metaoui cited co-production agreements with countries including South Africa, Canada, Italy and Turkey, without elaborating. Theres significant potential. Next door Morocco has became Hollywoods go-to location to double for other Arab countries, as well as places as varied as Vietnam in Spy Game, Somalia in Black Hawk Down and Kenya in Inception. In the meantime, Algerias most prominent overseas-linked film may come from French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb. His prior movies about aspects of the countries tragically entwined histories, Days of Glory and Outside the Law, were both Oscar nominated for international film. Hes preparing Reggane, a feature about the controversial subject of French nuclear tests in the Algerian desert in the 1960s. Filming is slated to begin in September 2026 in the countrys south, he told movie trade magazine Variety this month. Algerias support is total, Bouchareb said. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com WASHINGTONSome of the most influential people in President Trumps orbit, past and present, are facing off in the unfolding drama over the future of Warner Bros. Discovery. Netflix, which wants to buy Warners studios and HBO Max streaming business, is in a multibillion-dollar game of tug of war with Paramount, which wants to buy the entire company. Among new participants in the merger fight are Kellyanne Conway, Trumps 2016 campaign manager and former White House senior counselor, and Tony Fabrizio, the presidents chief pollster. Affinity Partners, the private-equity firm of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, said this week it would no longer participate in Paramounts bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Heres a look at the key players in the fight for Warner Bros.: Netflix View Full Image Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Conway Netflix hired Conways firm, KAConsulting LLC, in recent weeks, and Conway has been advising the streaming giant on the merger as it pursues the $72 billion deal, according to people familiar with the discussions. Conway, a top former White House adviser to Trump and a veteran Republican pollster, will provide strategic consulting and market research for the company, the people said. Tom Joannou, a vice president at Conways firm and a Trump White House and 2016 campaign alum, is also working on Netflixs behalf, the people said. View Full Image Brian Ballard Brian Ballard The longtime Florida Republican megalobbyist and his firm have been advising Netflix and will work with the company as it goes through the regulatory approval process, according to people familiar with the situation. The firm has extensive ties throughout the media industry: It represented Paramount and worked with the company during its merger with Skydance, and also worked with Comcast, which made an unsuccessful bid for Warners studios and HBO Max streaming service. Ballard maintains close ties to many top Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who previously worked for Ballards firm and whose Justice Department will oversee the mergers antitrust review. Ballards firm also represents the Motion Picture Association, which will have a huge stake in the outcome. View Full Image May Mailman May Mailman A former senior adviser for special projects and top policy aide at the White House, Mailman worked closely with deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on the administrations complex negotiations with higher-education institutions over federal funding. Mailman is a veteran of both Trump administrations and recently began assisting Netflix with the merger, according to people familiar with the discussions. View Full Image Clete Willems Clete Willems In Trumps first term, Willems served as deputy director of the National Economic Council and as a White House adviser on trade and international economics. Netflix said in April that Willems would serve as the streaming giants chief global affairs officer, reporting to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. A former partner with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Willemss LinkedIn profile features photos from a recent Netflix gathering in Washington with congressional lawmakers, including Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.), and Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D., N.M.), to celebrate the fifth season of the Netflix show Stranger Things." View Full Image Virginia Moore Virginia Moore A recent hire by Netflix to handle direct U.S. federal affairs, Moore is a Capitol Hill veteran and served in White House legislative affairs and at the National Security Council during Trumps first term. Moore, a former aide to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), spent much of 2020 in the Commerce Department as deputy director of policy and strategic planning and then moved into tech, working in Amazons Washington, D.C., office, according to her LinkedIn profile. Paramount View Full Image Jason Miller Jason Miller A longtime Trump campaign aide, Miller was a sought-after commodity in the Netflix-Paramount drama: Both media giants approached him about working on the merger, according to a person familiar with the situation. As Paramount has pursued a $77.9 billion all-cash offer of Warner Bros. Discovery, Miller has provided communications advice in support of Paramounts bid on behalf of an undisclosed Paramount investor. His social-media channels have sought to amplify Paramounts case against the Netflix merger, including a Semafor interview with Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who said Netflixs acquisition of Warner raises about seven different red flags." View Full Image Makan Delrahim Makan Delrahim Delrahim was a major hire by Paramount this fall when the studio tapped the former Trump Justice Department antitrust head to lead all legal, regulatory, compliance and public policy issues for the company. Since then, he has worked closely with Paramount CEO David Ellison as the company pursues Warner Bros. Delrahim, Paramounts chief legal officer, worked previously at Latham & Watkins, the powerhouse law firm where he provided counsel to Skydance Media during its acquisition of Paramount. A veteran of the Justice Department during the Bush administration, Delrahim joined the Trump administration as a deputy White House counsel in 2017 and then returned to the DOJ as an assistant attorney general leading the departments antitrust division. Warner Bros. Discovery View Full Image Chris LaCivita Chris LaCivita The veteran Republican strategist was one of the architects of Trumps 2024 campaign comeback and remains a top adviser to the president outside the White House. LaCivita is providing general strategic and messaging counsel for Warner Bros. Discovery, according to people familiar with the situation. He has played similar roles in the past, helping U.S. Steel executives as they negotiated with the administration to close their deal with Japans Nippon Steel. View Full Image Tony Fabrizio Tony Fabrizio The longtime Republican pollster has been a top adviser to Trump during the past decade and has frequently partnered with LaCivita on consulting projects. Fabrizio has helped elect a number of Republican senators including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), and has worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Visa, Bank of America and Google. He previously conducted The Wall Street Journals election-focused public polling along with Democratic firm Impact Research. Write to Ken Thomas at ken.thomas@wsj.com Bank holidays next week, 22 December to 28 December: Banks will be closed for six days in the upcoming week in some parts of the country, including weekends, according to the bank holiday calendar released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Bank holidays in India differ from state to state and are based on national, regional, and religious observances. Here's the complete list of bank holidays next week Bank holiday on 22 December On Monday, banks in Gangtok will be closed for Losoong / Namsoong, also known as the Sikkimese New Year, marking the end of the harvest season. Bank holiday on 24 December Banks in Aizawl, Kohima and Shillong are scheduled to be closed on Wednesday for Christmas Eve, a day before Christmas. Bank holiday on 25 December Banks across the country will be closed on Thursday for Christmas, a day celebrated by Christians to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Bank holiday on 26 December On Friday, banks in Aizawl, Kohima, and Shillong will remain closed for Christmas celebrations. Banks will be closed for four consecutive days in these states, including weekends and Christmas holidays. Bank holiday on 27 December 27 December is the fourth Saturday of the month. Hence, banks will be closed across the country. Additionally, the RBI has designated a bank holiday in Kohima on this day for Christmas. Banks across the country are typically closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month and every Sunday. Bank holiday on 28 December Banks across the country will be closed on 28 December since it is a Sunday. When are banks closed? The RBI declares bank holidays in various parts of the country to mark national, religious, and regional observances. Hence, bank holidays vary across regions. In addition to festivities, banks are closed on the second and fourth Saturdays, as well as all Sundays, of the month. What services are available on a bank holiday? Customers should note that banks typically offer online banking services across the country to ensure uninterrupted access to banking services, even on bank holidays. These services can be used for convenient financial transactions. Additionally, fund transfer requests can be made using NEFT/RTGS transfer forms, demand draft request forms and chequebook forms. Credit cards, debit cards, and ATM cards can be obtained through card services. Services such as account maintenance forms, setting up standing instructions, and applying for a locker are also available. Buy or sell: Snapping four-day decline, the Indian stock market ended on a higher note on Friday, December 19, led by a steady rupee, upbeat global cues, and a Bank of Japan policy outcome in line with expectations. The Sensex surged 448 points, or 0.53%, to finish at 84,929.36, while the Nifty 50 gained 151 points, or 0.58%, to settle at 25,966.40. Broader markets outperformed, with the BSE Midcap index rising 1.26% and the Smallcap index advancing 1.25%. Reliance led the gains on the Sensex, with HDFC Bank contributing next. Also Read | IIP data to Rupee rate: Top five triggers for Indian stock market this week Meanwhile, the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies surged to over 471 lakh crore from 465.8 lakh crore in the previous session, boosting investor wealth by more than 5 lakh crore in a single day. The Nifty 50 ended the week on a mildly weak note, slipping 0.45% to close at 25,966. Despite the marginal decline in the benchmark, sectoral performance remained encouraging, with the telecom sector leading the rally by gaining nearly 1%. Pharma and FMCG stocks also posted notable advances, reflecting broad-based buying interest across key segments of the market and indicating underlying strength beneath the headline index movement, said Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi. Ganesh Dongre's market outlook for next week Nifty 50 Dongre believes that Nifty continues to hold comfortably above its previous support zone of 25,60025,700, which marked last weeks low, from a technical perspective. Fresh support is now placed in the 25,50025,600 range, while immediate resistance is seen between 26,100 and 26,300. Derivatives data further reinforces this view, with the highest Call open interest concentrated at the 26,000 and 26,500 strikes, indicating strong overhead resistance. On the downside, significant Put open interest at 25,800 and 25,500 highlights a solid support base. Any corrective move towards the 25,80025,500 zone could therefore offer favourable stock-specific buying opportunities, Dongre said. Bank Nifty Meanwhile, on the Bank Nifty outlook, Dongre said that the banking index continued its sideways momentum during the week, supported by steady recoveries in private sector banks. The index remains well placed above the key support band of 57,50058,000, while major resistance is seen in the 60,00060,500 zone, suggesting consolidation within a defined range, he added. Overall market outlook Dongre further went on to say that as long as Nifty sustains above 25,600 and Bank Nifty holds above 58,000, the broader market structure is expected to remain positive to constructive. With Nifty facing resistance in the 26,30026,500 zone and Bank Nifty encountering an upper hurdle near 61,000, traders are advised to adopt a disciplined buy-on-dips strategy in selective stocks, while closely monitoring global cues and geopolitical developments for clearer directional signals, he said. Weekly stocks to buy or sell Aurobindo Pharma: Buy at 1220-1230; Target Price of 1270; Stop Loss at 1180. IndusInd Bank: Buy at 840-845; Target Price of 880; Stop Loss at 820. Bharat Forge: Buy at 1440-1450; Target Price of 1500; Stop Loss at 1400. 2025 is shaping up to be a painful year for Anant Raj shareholders, as the stock has seen a sharp reversal from the highs recorded in recent years, marking it as worst annual performances in the last six years. After delivering massive returns of 190% in 2024, following 163% in 2023, Anant Raj share price came under sharp selling pressure in 2025, having crashed 35.5% so far, putting it on track to record its steepest annual fall since 2018, when it had plunged 49.3%. The shares began the year on a weak footing, sliding 46% cumulatively in the first two months. Although, they staged a recovery in the following months, the rebound proved short-lived. For context, the stock had witnessed a one-way rally between June 2022 and December 2024, delivering a staggering 1,757% return over the period. Anant Raj has been a notable player in the NCR real estate market since the 1970s, developing everything from residential complexes and affordable housing to hotels and IT parks. In 2021, the company expanded into data centers. What triggered a sharp fall in Anant Raj share price? The crash in Anant Raj share price began after Chinas sleek and low-cost AI model, DeepSeek, had triggered widespread panic by questioning the massive capital already consumed by data-intensive AI models. Data centers are closely tied with artificial intelligence (AI), a dynamic landscape, technologically as well as competitively. Despite short-term worries, the company aims to scale up its data center capacity from 28 MW to 63 MW by FY27 and 307 MW by FY32. This expansion remains on track, with the development at Manesar and Panchkula strengthening its presence in the data center business. Anant Raj has been steadily building its presence in Indias digital infrastructure market. Anant Raj Cloud, a wholly owned subsidiary, is leading the expansion of data center, colocation, and cloud services across Manesar, Rai, and Panchkula, targeting a total IT load of 117 MW by FY28, with full capex funding already secured. The management aims to scale up its data center revenues to 1,200 crore by FY27 and a massive 9,000 crore by FY32. According to ICRA estimates, Indias data center (DC) operational capacity is expected to increase to 2,0002,100 MW by March 2027 from around 1,150 MW as of December 2024. The company has completed a QIP of 11 billion to support its growth plans, receiving strong participation from both foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs). Analysts see long-term upside Despite the stock falling sharply in 2025, analysts remain positive on the stock, given its diverse portfolio spanning housing, commercial, hospitality, and data centers, which provides a well-balanced growth engine for the medium to long term. JM Financial has a 'buy' rating on the stock with a target price of 844 apiece. Motilal Oswal has also maintained a 'buy' rating with a target price of 793 apiece. The brokerage expects the company revenue from data centers to grow materially, with capacity increasing from 6 MW in FY24 to 307 MW by FY32, along with a shift towards cloud services, which will expand from 0.5 MW to 75 MW over the same period. January 2025. A Steppe eagle, a migratory bird of prey from Central Asia, soars high over the Aravalli hills. As we watch, it coasts in the air, and then locks its gaze on a garbage mountain that is taller than the surrounding hills. At Bandhwari landfill near prosperous Gurugram, the Steppe eagle dives to forage for pickings. If it sickens on refuse, we will never know, as it carries on its continental journey. February 2025. Caught in a sudden storm, we hear a screech that cuts through the din of horns and the swish of the rain in Delhi. Above the conference area of the India Habitat Centre, a Barn owl hoots as dusk descends. In the daytime, Alexandrine parakeets haunt the same area, making as much noise as we do in the city. March 2025. A team of us are at Rushikulya beach in Odisha. The beach has had an incredible eventthe mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles, something that doesnt happen at scale every year. There are hundreds of thousands of eggs in the stripe of sand in front of us, lit by the moon. We wait for more turtlesall mothersto arrive. In a fraught, warming world and beaches ringed with ships, it seems miraculous that turtles can swim long distances to lay eggs, not just alone, but together, supporting entire populations. April 2025. The press is full of the news of young, gamboling direwolf pupswhich are actually modified grey wolf pupsengineered to bring back extinct direwolves in the US. Ive felt the pull of the idea that technology can solve all our problems, and then have remembered that wild wolves in the real world are persecuted on nearly every continent they are found in. Europe is nervous with wolves expanding their territories, in India wolves are seen as the thieves of livestock. I decide to visit a wolf site later in the year. May 2025. A visit to the Himalayas reveals an abundance of thrushes, flycatchers and warblers. The hills are astoundingly alive, though people speak warily of cloudbursts, long and threatening, and changing rainfall which has scarred lives. June and July 2025. Caught in the heat at various places, the shade and splendour of flowering treesthe Amaltas, and the last of the Palashcomes as a relief. India has begun finalising its positions for the climate talks in November, the 30th Conference of Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change. The global plastic treaty, working to create a legally binding instrument for plastic pollution, is coming up in August. Everyone is burdened with plastic and a heated planet, and there is hope for enforceable change from these important meetings. August 2025. I am in southern West Bengal, which has an Indian grey wolf population. In World War II structures, wolves have denned and given birth to pups. Ranging over dry forest and agricultural areas, the wolves live on the margins of sight and imagination. We wait to see wolves, and instead spot another flagship of dry landa striped hyena. The sun is just setting when the hyena emerges from a hillock in between coal mines. Also silhouetted against the fading light is a proud eagle-owl. The coal under the ground is on fire and the fumes rise in gentle curves. The air is noxious. The hyena moves slowly, ponderously, coming down the hill, merging into the vegetation, then hopping on to rock, like light and then shadow, pulsing in and out of our comprehension. In this most hostile of places, the clever wild animals endure, making the most of the scraps of land we have grudgingly left for them. The owl flies off, and the hyena merges fully into the night. View full Image An Indian eagle owl in the Aravalli hills. ( Neha Sinha ) September 2025. We are in the lateritic plateaus of Maharashtra, and the hills of Kaas, Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar have exploded into hundreds of thousands of native wild flowers. High up on the plateau, in between waving fields that could only have been planted by nature, a seasonal tide pool calmly mirrors the post-monsoon sky. It is hard to believe that such plateaus that look hot and bare in summer have often been wrongly, criminally, classified as wastelands. October 2025. The Indian wolf has been classified as vulnerable, with a population of 3,000 individuals in the country. This is less than the tiger. Can we change this lupine story? November 2025. Corbett Tiger Reserve hosts hornbill couples and squadrons of stern-looking owls. A tiger lopes across the road. In the Supreme Court, a case is being heard on a captive tiger safari in the reserve. The court rules that all illegal structures in Corbett should be razed, and throughout India, captive animal safaris should only be made on degraded land, without lessening the vitality of existing sanctuaries. December 2025. Globally, the climate COP has had no meaningful outcome. The plastic treaty has failed. Here, authorities are now debating what constitutes the Aravalli hills. It is suggested that only hills above 100 metres from local terrain should be identified as Aravalli hills. Yet these mountains, greatly eroded over millenniaand thus no longer toweringare more than their size. They contain bio-crusts, root stock, fossil and ecological heritage that are simply irreplaceable. I briefly wonder if garbage mountains will qualify as hills, since height seems to be might. Authentic might is the resilience of the wild. All through the year, animals have shown us how they hang on to the vestiges of habitat, scraping out life and the business of living. In policy circles, and after a year of wars, people wonder if the age of multilateral agreements is over and if only bilateralism or strong regional policies are the way forward. For the animals, these ruminations mean next to nothing. Unless there is concrete action, in both policy and the groundin letter and spiritfor saving natural habitats, their existence will continue on the margins of neglect. As I write this, the air quality has dropped perilously in north India. The air seems burdened and heavy, like slate rather than gas. A bird is calling from a semal tree I can no longer see. Its song is sweet, complex, and always different from its last warble. I know it is an Oriental magpie-robin in forming its tunes, a little like the European robin that sings even with a thorn against its breast. It is tempting to look at silver linings, and to conclude that wildlife and nature will always get bysometimes assisted by whimsical genetic interventions, sometimes by random chance. But if there is one thing a year of failed negotiations has taught us, it is that nature is fighting to live, and that alone shows us what is worth fighting for. As early-stage startups head into 2026, fundraising standards continue to tighten. Investors expect founders to bring organization, accuracy, and transparency to every aspect of their equity and financial structure. Clean records, clear communication, and a strong grasp of ownership mechanics now matter as much as the pitch itself. For founders planning a seed or Series A raise, readiness has become a strategic advantage. Cake Equity shares 10 ways to prepare startups for fundraising in 2026. 1. Move off spreadsheets and establish a clean, reliable cap table Cap tables kept in spreadsheets often accumulate errors, especially after multiple SAFEs (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), notes, or option grants. Investors expect accurate, real-time ownership records that match signed agreements and reflect fully diluted ownership. Many founders move their cap tables off spreadsheets to meet rising investor expectations, as dynamic cap table management is now considered a baseline requirement. If your cap table still lives in a spreadsheet, it is time to migrate to a dedicated cap table software. 2. Plan your raise and model dilution scenarios for your startups Modeling different raise amounts, valuations, and option pool changes helps founders understand how ownership will shift over time. Investors want to see that you have thought through dilution and runway before they commit capital. Set aside time to model various fundraising scenarios before entering investor conversations. 3. Update your 409A valuation if you plan to issue stock options A 409A valuation determines the fair market value (FMV) of your common stock. It is required before granting stock options and protects stakeholders from unexpected tax exposure. If you intend to issue new options in 2026, an updated 409A ensures grants are compliant and helps investors see that your equity processes adhere to regulatory standards. 4. Review your ASC 718 and stay on top of stock-based compensation reporting ASC 718 governs how companies record the expense of equity awards on their financial statements. Accurate reporting creates a clearer financial snapshot for investors and prevents last-minute cleanup during diligence. Early-stage companies that stay current with ASC 718 often move more smoothly through investor reviews. 5. Consider QSBS as part of your long-term exit strategy Qualified small business stock (QSBS) allows eligible shareholders to potentially exclude up to $10 million (or more, depending on basis) from capital gains. Because eligibility depends on early choices, such as corporate structure and asset thresholds, founders who examine QSBS requirements in advance are better positioned to preserve this significant advantage when a future exit occurs. Hours after India dismissed what it called "misleading propaganda" about an alleged security breach at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi, Bangladesh issued a statement, calling the incident "high regrettable". In its statement, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The unjustifiable incident at the Bangladesh High Commission residence in New Delhi on 20th December 2025 is highly regrettable and cannot be accepted as 'misleading propaganda'." "The miscreants were allowed to carry out their activities right outside the perimeters of the High Commission, creating panic among the personnel inside the complex," the statement read, adding that the High Commission was not informed in advance about the "organized event". The 'event' in question took place on 20 December outside the Bangladesh High Commission in India's national capital, when 20-25 youths gathered in front of the property and raised slogans against the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh. Also Read | Hindu man lynched in Bangladesh: Father recalls barbaric details As news spread in Bangladesh about an attempted breach of security at the High Commission, India on Sunday dismissed the reports as "misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media". "There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see," Jaiswal further said, adding that India was committed to ensure the safety of all foreign missions in its territory as per the provisions of the Vienna Convention. Flashpoint over violence against minorities The exchange between the MEA and Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs comes on the back of increasing concerns about violence against minorities in Bangladesh. Over the past few years, India has been flagging incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, and despite assurances by Dhaka, violence has continued. The most recent incident took place on Thursday night when a young Hindu man by the name of Dipu Chandra Das was lynched in Mymensingh, located about 120 km from the capital, Dhaka. BBC Bangla reported that the 25-year-old garment factory worker was beaten to death by an enraged crowd that accused him of blasphemy. After killing Dipu, the mob then torched his lifeless body, videos of which went viral on social media, sparking widespread condemnation. The MEA too condemned the killing in strong words, describing it as horrendous and barbaric and called on the Muhammad Yunus-led government to bring the perpetrators to justice. The MEA also said it had raised strong concerns" with the Bangladesh government over recurring attacks on minorities. Dipu Chandra Das' lynching comes amid violent protests in Bangladesh, sparked by the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who recently succumbed to his injuries in Singapore after getting shot by bike-borne assailants during an election campaign in Bangladesh, The Ministry of Home Affairs has significantly increased the quota for former Agniveers in Border Security Force constable recruitment, raising the reservation from 10 per cent to 50 per cent, according to a notification issued in the Gazette. The notification also states that candidates from the first batch of ex-Agniveers will be granted an upper age relaxation of up to five years, while those from later batches will be eligible for a three-year age relaxation. By direct recruitment (including fifty per cent vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers in every recruitment year, ten per cent from ex-Servicemen and upto three per cent for absorption of annual vacancy amongst Combatised Constable (Tradesmen), the Ministry made the announcement through a notification issued on December 18, making fresh rules further to amend the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015. "In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (b) and (c) of sub-section (2) of section 141 of the Border Security Force Act,1968 (47 of 1968), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015, namely:-1. (1) These rules may be called the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment (Amendment) Rules. 2025. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette," the notification mentions.As per the new rules, fifty per cent vacancies in the BSF shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers in every recruitment year, ten per cent from ex-servicemen and upto three per cent for absorption of annual vacancy amongst combatised constables (tradesmen) by direct recruitment. In the first phase, the recruitment shall be conducted by the Nodal Force for fifty per cent vacancies earmarked for ex-Agniveers. In the second phase, recruitment shall be conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for candidates other than ex-Agniveers for the remaining forty-seven per cent (including ten per cent ex-Servicemen) for the vacancies alongwith the unfilled vacancies of ex-Agniveers in a specific category in the first stage. The vacancies for female candidates shall be calculated on a year-to-year basis by the Director General Border Security Force on a functional requirement basis, reads the notification. As per the notification, the crucial date for the determination of the age limit shall be as advertised by the Staff Selection Commission or the concerned nodal force. The upper age- limit shall be relaxable upto five years for the candidates of the first batch of ex- Agniveers. The upper age limit shall be relaxable upto three years for the candidates of ex-Agniveers. It further stated that the physical and medical standards for recruitment to the post of Constable (General Duty) shall be applicable as per the scheme prescribed by the Central government from time to time. It also added that ex-Agniveers shall be exempted from Physical Standard Test and Physical Efficiency Test. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav strongly asserted that nearly 90% of the Aravalli landscape will remain under the protected zone, rejecting all allegations that the Centre has diluted protections for the Aravalli hills. Mining will be permitted only in a minimal area, subject to strict Supreme Court scrutiny. Referring to the recent controversy that erupted over Supreme Court's recent order on the mountain range, Yadav said, There are no relaxations on the Aravalli. The Aravalli range spans four states: Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. A petition regarding it has been pending in court since 1985, as per a report by ANI. He stressed that only 2% of the mountain range spanning about 1.47 lakh square kilometres was eligible for mining. Yadav sheds light on 100 metre definition Shedding light on the "100-metre" definition, Bhupendra Yadav said misinformation was being spread. He claimed that some YouTube channels had misinterpreted 100 metres as referring to the top portion of the hills, which was incorrect. Some YouTube channels misinterpret the 100 metre range as the top 100 metres, which is not true. The 100 metres refers to the spread of the hill from top to bottom, and a gap between two ranges will also be considered part of the Aravalli range. With this definition, 90 per cent of the area comes under the protected zone, said Yadav. 'Aravalli Hills' protests Yadav's comment comes after the new definition of what constitutes the Aravalli hills sparked protests from Haryanas Gurugram to Rajasthans Udaipur, with environmental activists fearing that the changed definition could prove detrimental to the ecological balance of one of the country's oldest mountain ranges. According to the new definition, "Aravalli Hill is any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief" and an "Aravalli Range is a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other". On 20 November, the Supreme Court accepted the Centre's definition of the Aravalli hills and approved recommendations for sustainable mining. The apex court also directed the environment ministry to prepare a detailed Management Plan for Sustainable Mining to identify permissible zones, protect ecologically sensitive areas and prevent illegal mining across the Aravalli landscape. Nearly 2% eligible for mining Yadav underlined that mining would remain tightly regulated. "Mark my words, the total Aravalli area is about 1.47 lakh square kilometres. Only around 217 square kilometres, nearly 2%, is eligible for mining. Even so, the Supreme Court has directed that a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining be prepared. After that, permission from ICFRE will be required before any activity can proceed," he said. He further stressed that mining in the Delhi Aravalli is completely prohibited. "All protected areas and forest reserves will remain as they are in Delhi. Our government has been running a Green Aravalli programme for the past two years. We are very considerate about the Aravalli, and a false narrative is being created," Yadav added. Delhi flights update LIVE: At least four flights have been cancelled at Srinagar airport on 21 December, with three being to Amritsar and one to Delhi, due to adverse winter weather conditions, ANI reported. The IndiGo flights tracker showed that at least 52 routes to or from Delhi airport were delayed on 21 December 2025, till 11.30 am. Domestic carrier IndiGo has issued an advisory early during the day warning of possible flight delays due to the dense fog. Since Friday, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and several airlines have warned of fog-induced flight delays. Here are live updates related to flight delays and reschedules amid dense fog conditions on 21 December: 6:41 pm: As many as 110 flights were cancelled and over 370 services delayed at Delhi airport on Sunday due to low-visibility conditions caused by dense fog. An official told PTI that 59 arrivals and 51 departures were cancelled at the airport. According to latest information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, more than 370 flights were delayed and the average delay time was around 26 minutes for departures at the airport. 1:11 pm: A total of 97 flights were cancelled and over 200 delayed at the Delhi airport on Sunday, caused by low visibility conditions amid a thick blanket of fog that has covered the national capital. According to latest information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, more than 200 flights were delayed and the average delay time was around 23 minutes for departures at the airport. 1.05 pm: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has shared customer support numbers that passengers can use to get real-time information about their flight status. IndiGo passengers can reach out on 01244973838 for assistance. Air India passengers can reach out on 01169329333 for assistance. SpiceJet passengers can reach out on 91(0)1244983410 and 91(0)1247101600 for assistance. Air India Express passengers can reach out on 911244435600 and 911246935600 for assistance. 11.30 am: According to the IndiGo flight cancellations data for 21 December 2025: At least 52 flights arriving or departing from Delhi airport have been cancelled today. Flight Number Sector Date 6E 2527 IXJ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 2293 DEL - IXJ 21st December 2025 6E 5022 DEL - NAG 21st December 2025 6E 2099 NAG - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6557 DEL - HSR 21st December 2025 6E 6212 DEL - IDR 21st December 2025 6E 6558 HSR - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6847 IDR - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 404 MAA - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6828 DEL - MAA 21st December 2025 6E 2301 DEL - GOX 21st December 2025 6E 2031 DEL - DIB 21st December 2025 6E 6302 GOX - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6642 DIB - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 2285 PNQ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 5063 DEL - ATQ 21st December 2025 6E 6848 ATQ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6692 DEL - PNQ 21st December 2025 6E 5103 DEL - ATQ 21st December 2025 6E 5207 DEL - IXJ 21st December 2025 6E 2506 ATQ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6510 IXJ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 7442 DEL - BKB 21st December 2025 6E 7443 BKB - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 2059 DEL - IXM 21st December 2025 6E 2088 IXM - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 157 NAG - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 449 DEL - BOM 21st December 2025 6E 333 BOM - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 871 BLR - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 576 IXR - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 5133 DEL - SXR 21st December 2025 6E 2275 DEL - CJB 21st December 2025 6E 2276 CJB - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 424 HYD - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 425 DEL - HYD 21st December 2025 6E 6686 DEL - VTZ 21st December 2025 6E 6723 MAA - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6718 DEL - MAA 21st December 2025 6E 508 DEL - BBI 21st December 2025 6E 579 VTZ - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6821 BBI - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 5273 DEL - COK 21st December 2025 6E 6189 DEL - AMD 21st December 2025 6E 2382 COK - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 5239 AMD - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6287 DEL - IXR 21st December 2025 6E 6741 DEL - IXC 21st December 2025 6E 6854 SXR - DEL 21st December 2025 6E 6820 DEL - NAG 21st December 2025 6E 6833 DEL - BLR 21st December 2025 6E 6742 IXC - DEL 21st December 2025 You can also check the full list on the official IndiGo website here https://www.goindigo.in/information/flight-cancellations.html 11 am: Domestic carrier SpiceJet gave an update for 21 December, stating that all arrivals and departures from Amritsar, Ayodhya, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Darbhanga, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Jammu, Patna and Varanasi are likely to be affected due to bad weather. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status via http://spicejet.com/#status, it added. 10 am: Delhi airport has through its official X account, given an update on the situation, noting that operations are running as normal. It also asked passengers to connect with respective airlines for latest updates on flight schedules. 9 am: Parts of Delhi experienced dense fog and alarmingly high pollution levels on 21 December. Overall AQI recorded at a very poor 390 around, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed. Amid this, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked all measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV across Delhi-NCR. This includes: Ban on non-essential construction activities, the entry of certain diesel vehicles, and enhanced enforcement to curb pollution sources. 8 am: Visuals from around the capital city showed a dense layer of toxic smog, with AQI levels in some parts reaching as high as 358. 7 am: Dense fog blankets capital city, AQI in very poor category 6.46 am: Passengers have been advised to check their latest flight status before leaving for the airport. You can do so via the following link bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. Those passengers, whose flights are affected, can rebook or request a refund via the airline's official website, here goindigo.in/plan-b.html. 6.30 am: IndiGo has issued a passenger travel advisory warning of possible flight disruptions across Delhi and several parts of northern India due to dense fog on today, 21 December (Sunday). The airline in a statement said low visibility in the early morning could impact flight operations, but that its operations teams remain fully prepared and closely monitoring weather conditions on a minute-by-minute basis. 6.20 am: On 20 December, 66 arrival and departure flights were cancelled at Delhi's IGAI airport on Saturday. The airport itself also issued a passenger advisory stating that low-visibility procedures are underway. (With inputs from ANI) India reacted strongly to the barbaric lynching of a Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Mymensingh, labelling the killing as horrendous," and urged Bangladesh to bring perpetrators of the killing to justice. As per an official statement, the government also dismissed what it called misleading reports about a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, saying a small group of youths briefly gathered to protest the lynching of the Hindu youth and were dispersed peacefully. India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice, India said in a statement released on Sunday, 21 December. Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a group of 2025 youths had gathered outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi on Saturday, 20 December, to protest the killing of the Hindu youth and to demand protection for minorities in the neighbouring country. We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," said Jaiswal, adding that there was no attempt to breach security at any point. View full Image New Delhi, Dec 19 (ANI): Security officials stand guard outside the Bangladesh High Commission following violent protests in Bangladesh after the death of leader Sharif Osman Hadi, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo) ( Sathiya ) India's response comes amid the arrest of 10 people in connection with the barbaric killing of Dipu Chandra Das. Who was Dipu Chandra Das? Dipu Chandra Das, aged 25-years-old, was employed as worker at Pioneer Knit Composite Factory, a garment factory in the Square Masterbari area of Dhaka, as per reports. He was beaten to death following allegations of blasphemy, after which the mob torched his lifeless body. Why was he targeted? According to a report by BBC Bangla, an enraged crowd caught Dipu and beat him to death, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet. They then set the youth's body on fire. Dipu Chandra Das's killing comes amid the violent wave of protests that had gripped Bangladesh over the assassination attempt and death of Shahid Osman Hadi a key figure in the 2024 student uprisings which eventually led to the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh unrest Following Hadi's death, protests demanding justice broke out in Dhaka and several other cities on Thursday, 18 December. During the unrest, the offices of two media housesThe Daily Star and Prothom Alowere set on fire. On Friday, Dhanmondi 32, the former residence of Bangladeshs founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which was demolished in February this year, was also torched by protesters. Actor Nora Fatehi took to social media to inform her fans that she is "okay" and "alive" after she suffered minor injuries in a car accident that took place in Mumbai while heading to the Sunburn Festival on Saturday afternoon. Nora Fatehi's car hit by drunk driver According to Mumbai police, a drunk driver rammed his car into Fatehi's vehicle, but she sustained no injuries. She was taken to a nearby hospital for first aid, and her condition is stable. Despite the incident, she chose to perform at the festival. "She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for first aid, where her condition was confirmed to be stable. A case was registered against the intoxicated driver, and he was taken into custody," said Mumbai police. Police have registered a case against the intoxicated driver, charging him under sections related to rash driving and driving under the influence. Nora Fatehi breaks silence Fatehi said it was a serious accident "a very, very scary, traumatic incident." She advised her fans strongly against drinking and driving. "I am OK...I was in a really serious car accident today in the afternoon. A drunk person who was driving under the influence smashed my car," Nora Fatehi said in a video message on her Instagram story. Also Read | Nora Fatehi breaks down at airport as she heads out of India after cryptic post She said the impact of the accident was quite severe. "It flung me across the car. I bashed my head on the window and, anyway, I'm alive, and I'm well, except for some minor injuries and swelling and a slight concussion," she said. She alleged that the culprit smashed his car into me, ran over a couple of other people and multiple people were injured in the process. "I'm grateful. That could have ended terribly. But I came to say this to say that this is why you should not, you should not drink and drive. I anyway hate alcohol to begin with," the actor said. She, however, said she is going to be suffering from pain for some time. "But, thank God I am alive," she said. Fatehi on stage with David Guetta right after accident Nora Fatehi said it was "a very, very, very scary, terrifying, traumatic moment," adding, "I'm slightly still traumatised, and yes, many of you guys are probably wondering what I was doing on stage with David Guetta right after an accident?" She said, "I don't let anything get in the way of my work, my ambition and any opportunities that I get. So no drunk driver was going to get in that kind of opportunity. I worked way too hard." 'I hate alcohol' In a series of posts, Nora Fatehi said, "I am not someone who has ever liked the idea of alcohol or anything like that. Drugs, weed, all that stuff. Anything that puts you in a different state of mind or state of alertness is not something I promote or even enjoy being around..." "You should not drink and drive. I don't know, it's 2025. I cannot believe that this is even a conversation that I have to have that this is even a scenario that has to happen at 3:00 pm in the afternoon," she said of the accident. She reiterated,"...don't drink and drive. Don't do it. Don't do it." She said, "There's been so many cases in India, in Mumbai in itself of people who killed other innocent people because they were drinking and driving. There is no excuse for that." Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hailed the Maharashtra local body poll results after Mahayuti's win. Both went on to describe this as a trailer of what to expect in the municipal corporation elections on January 15. Counting for the elections to the president and member positions in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra began at 10 am, with early trends showing the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawars NCP, and Shindes Shiv Sena, holding a comfortable lead. Fadnavis took to X and said, This victory is just a trailer of what we will see in the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections. I urge every party worker to work even harder and with more efforts for driving us towards greater victories in the future! Shinde lauds Shiv Sena's strike-rate Speaking during vote counting on Sunday, Shinde praised the Shiv Senas strike rate", noting the outcomes reflected the partys effective work. Results show the public's preference for development over politics. The grand victory of the Mahayuti in the elections is just a trailer. The Mahayuti will repeat the same in the forthcoming municipal corporation elections, Shinde said during a press conference, according to PTI. While stating that the Mahayuti crossed the 200-mark in polls to 286 local bodies, Shinde said the BJP had scored a century", while the Shiv Sena had achieved a half-century, emerging as the second-largest party in the state. "Konkan is the bastion of the Shiv Sena. The party is not confined to Mumbai and Thane but has reached each and every household in the state. Even in areas where the party faced losses, the collective victory of the Mahayuti remained the priority," he mentioned. Shinde said the voters had ensured that those who remained inactive were kept out of power, in an apparent dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. He claimed the people had clearly decided which faction represented the real Shiv Sena, asserting that his party followed the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and that the Sena founder would have been pleased with the victory. Describing the results as a lesson for those engaged in opportunistic politics, Shinde said the electorate rejects leaders who disconnect from the people, the report noted. He also highlighted the Shiv Senas strong strike rate, noting that although the party contested fewer seats, it won most of them, and claimed it secured more seats than the combined tally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, targeting the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. India's national carrier IndiGo released a new advisory on Sunday, December 21, informing that dense fog impacted flight operations in Bangalore, Amritsar and Srinagar. In a statement released around 11.20 am on Sunday, IndiGo said, "Dense fog in Srinagar continues to affect visibility, impacting flights operating to and from Srinagar." "As conditions evolve, some services may experience delays, and a few may need to be cancelled depending on clearance and operational feasibility," IndiGo said. In a statement earlier in the day, IndiGo said low visibility and fog over Bangalore and Amritsar impacted flight schedules. "We're keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly," the airline said. IndiGo requested flyers to stay updated on your flight status. "Please be assured that our teams are here to assist you at every step and provide full support," it said. "Here's hoping clearer skies help us serve you better soon, and thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time," the airline said. "We assure you that our teams remain actively engaged with the authorities to ensure operations resume smoothly once conditions improve. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to clearer skies and welcoming you onboard soon," it added. According to news agency ANI, West Bengal's Bagdogra Airport also reported that flights to and from the city may be affected due to dense fog. Authorities said conditions are expected to improve in the next few hours and advised passengers to check with their respective airlines before heading to the airport. A statement from Bagdogra Airport read, "Due to dense fog and low visibility, flights to and from Bagdogra may be affected. Conditions are expected to improve in the next few hours. Passengers are advised to check flight status with their airline before coming to the airport." Air India warns of cancellation Like IndiGo, Air India also warned of dense fog conditions with reduced visibility in Delhi and parts of northern and eastern India on Sunday morning. "This will affect flight schedules across the network. We have taken proactive steps to minimise disruptions (learn more at http://bit.ly/4agYVyF)," Air India said. Also Read | Air India issues clarification on A320 aircraft flying with expired certificate "However, in the event of unexpected delays, diversions, or cancellations, please rest assured that our ground staff are available to assist you with alternative arrangements," the airline added. The airline said that in addition, our FogCare initiative allows passengers booked on certain flights that are likely to be affected during the fog window to receive advance alerts on their registered phone numbers, with the option to change their flights without any extra payment or seek a full refund on their bookings without any penalty. AIr India also encouraged its customers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and allow extra time for your journey at https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html. Our 24x7 contact centre is available at +91 11 69329333 / +91 11 69329999 for any assistance, Air India said. AAI issues advisory Earlier on Sunday, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued an advisory noting that fog conditions in parts of northern India are affecting visibility and may lead to delays or changes in flight operations at select airports. Passengers were advised to check flight updates with their respective airlines through official channels and to allow extra time for travel to airports and completion of necessary formalities. "Fog conditions in parts of Northern India are affecting visibility and may lead to delays or changes in flight operations at select airports. Passengers are advised to check flight updates with their airlines through official channels and allow extra time for airport travel and formalities," AAI's advisory read. To assist travellers during adverse weather, the AAI deployed passenger assistance teams at affected airports to provide guidance and on-ground support, ensuring smooth operations and passenger safety amid dense fog conditions. Dense fog warning The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted dense to very dense fog during Saturday night and early morning hours of Sunday across several North and central Indian states. The IMD issued a warning of reduced visibility and advised people to travel with caution. Affected regions and dates: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana: Till morning of 21st Punjab & Haryana (isolated pockets): 25th27th West Uttar Pradesh: 26th & 27th East Uttar Pradesh: 22nd, 26th & 27th Jharkhand: 21st & 22nd NEW DELHI : New Delhi: Inox Clean Energy Ltd has signed an agreement to acquire Macquarie Groups renewable energy platform Vibrant Energy, in a transaction valued at an enterprise value of $600 million and an equity value of $200 million, according to two people aware of the development. The deal was announced by Inox Clean, a part of the INOXGFL Group, on Sunday. "The acquisition would be funded by the through the pre-IPO (initial public offering) fundraises, internal accruals and capital from the promoters," said one of the two people mentioned above. Earlier this month, INOX Clean Energy withdrew its filing for a 6,000 crore public listing and is expected to submit a fresh filing. The company has already got commitment for around 5,000 crore of funds to be raised before the IPO, the person added. The acquisition will add scale to Inox Cleans renewable portfolio and bring in largely operational assets at a time when consolidation in Indias clean energy sector is picking up. Also Read | Inox Group companies prepare for semiconductor boom, LNG growth prospects Macquarie Asset Management had put Vibrant Energy that has a 1.33-gigawatt (GW) renewable portfolio, with about 800 megawatts (MW) operational, up for sale after an earlier sale process run by JP Morgan was dropped due to valuation differences. Mint had earlier reported about six bidders, including INOXGFL Group being shortlisted to conduct due diligence for Vibrant Energy in a transaction code named Project Notos. The other bidders in the fray included Singapores Sembcorp Industries Ltd, Torrent Power Ltd and General Atlantic-owned Actis LLP. Vibrant is a renewable energy independent power producer catering to commercial and industrial (C&I) customers with a total portfolio of 1,337 MW. It has projects located across multiple states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Devansh Jain, executive director of the INOXGFL Group, said: With this and other acquisitions nearing closure, Inox Clean is on course to reach its targeted renewable energy installed capacity of 3 GW by FY26-end, the fastest company to do so in India." The acquisition sets up a strong base for Inox Clean to achieve its target of 10 GW of installed capacity by FY28", he added. Also Read | Coral reefs face irreversible dieback as Earth hits first climate tipping point Commenting on the agreement, Mark Dooley, executive director, Macquarie Group Ltd, said: The sale of Vibrant Energy, an asset held on Macquarie Groups balance sheet, is a further step in the transition of our renewable energy activities to an asset management model under Macquarie Asset Management Green Investments. We are proud to have worked with the Vibrant Energy team to grow the portfolio from 65 MW to 1337 MW within a short span of time." Inox Clean and Macquarie Group, did not immediately respond to queries mailed on Sunday afternoon on the enterprise and equity value of the transaction. Standard Chartered Bank was the advisor to Macquarie on this transaction. M&A momentum The renewable energy space has witnessed several deals in the past one year. In December last year, O2 Power, which was owned by European alternative asset manager EQT and Singapores Temasek was taken over by JSW Neo Energy for an enterprise value of $1.47 billion. Further, in June this year, Japans financial services firm Orix Corp sold its 17.5% stake in Greenko Energy Holdings to AM Green B.V., owned by Greenko Group founders Anil Chalamalasetty and Mahesh Kolli. Earlier, Hexa Climate Solutions acquired Fortum India Pvt Ltd (FIPL) in April 2025, and ONGC NTPC Green Pvt Ltd (ONGPL) bought National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)-backed Ayana Renewable Power Pvt Ltd in February 2025. As reported by Mint, Welspun World has hired EY to sell a majority stake in Welspun New Energy, its clean-energy platform, for an equity value of around $100 million. Mint also reported last month that General Atlantic-owned Actis Llp is interested in buying back Sprng Energy group from Shell Plc in a deal having an enterprise value of around $1.55 billion. The momentum of merger and acquisitions in India is expected to increase amid an evolving renewable energy space. According to a report by Enerdatics, a data and intelligence provider in the renewable energy space, platform exits and public-to-private transitions are set to rise India and Western Europe, with private equity capital targeting discounted portfolios Also Read | Govt eyes sub-target for renewable energy under priority sector lending Notably, of the $43 billion worth of M&A deals globally in the first half of 2025, India and Brazil dominated the flows among emerging markets, with multi-billion-dollar platform acquisitions. The World Energy Investments 2025 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed India has seen the third-largest growth in power generation capacity in the world after China and the US over the past five years. While growth in power generation has come from all sources, there has been a surge in investment in renewables, led by solar PV, which constitutes more than half of the total non-fossil investment over this period, it said. In 2024, 83% of power sector investment went to clean energy. India was also the worlds largest recipient of development finance (DFI) funding in 2024, receiving around USD 2.4 billion in project-type interventions in clean energy generation," said the IEA report. "This helped bring the share of non-fossil power generation capacity to 44% in 2024, approaching Indias target of 50% by 2030." A Chinese auto components company is grabbing headlines after introducing an unusual incentive offering an apartment to employees who stay with the firm for at least five years to boost staff retention. Zhejiang Guosheng Automobile Co Ltd, which manufactures automotive fasteners, has purchased 18 residential flats in close proximity to its office. These homes will be awarded to employees as part of a long-term retention plan, according to a report by The Standard. The company acquired the properties about two years ago, when real estate prices were lower than current levels. In total, the firms owner invested more than 10 million yuan (around 12.7 crore) to purchase the units. A recent job listing by the Wenzhou-based company states that employees who complete five years of service will qualify to receive a flat. Zhejiang Guosheng currently employs around 450 people. This year, five flats have been allotted. Two of the recipients reportedly worked their way up from junior roles to management positions. Employees who receive a flat are required to agree to continue with the company for another five years. Wang Jiayuan, the companys General Manager, said the initiative is aimed at rewarding and retaining capable professionals. Also Read | DDA housing scheme: Registration for flats in Narela to open for govt employees This year, weve distributed five flats. Next year, we plan to allocate eight more, with a total of 18 planned over three years, he told National Business Daily, as cited by South China Morning Post. Our goal is straightforward: to attract exceptional talent and retain our core management team. Where are the flats located and how valuable are they? All the apartments are within a five-kilometre radius of the company premises and measure between 100 and 150 square metres. In the area, second-hand homes are priced between 7,000 and 8,500 yuan (roughly US$990 to US$1,200) per square metre, placing the estimated value of each flat between 1.2 crore and 1.5 crore. For the full-year 2024, the companys revenue rose 5% to around $82.7 billion, while net income jumped 28% to around $4.4 billion, or $1.29 in basic earnings per share, compared to the same period last year. Right now, the companys market cap is around $56.3 billion, while its shares trade at $16.21 per share with a generally upward trajectory. First on my list is Energy Transfer LP. Its one of the biggest pipeline companies here in the United States. The company delivers natural gas and other energy products from coast to coast through its extensive pipeline network. The business is particularly strong in Texas and the surrounding regions, where most of the U.S.'s energy is produced. From there, I got my top five most compelling dividend stocks to invest in 2026. Then, I sorted them out from highest to lowest forward dividend yield, and within the top five, I purposely skipped Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW) and American Tower Corp (AMT). The former is a relatively new player compared to the rest, and I only want those with proven history, while the latter has been on a steep five-year share-price decline. Number of Analysts : Im only looking for dividend stocks that have more than 16 analysts covering them. More analysts mean a more reliable consensus. Market Capitalization: I set the market cap to $10 billion and higher (Large to Mega). Generally speaking, companies with higher market capitalization are more resilient to macroeconomic factors, which is a critical factor for dividend investing. But not all stocks are equal. Some offer (the hope of) growth, while others offer income. Income provides a hedge against fear as investors tend to hold on longer to income investments- regardless of volatility. If this is you, then you might be pleased to read about my five best dividend stocks to start a position in, as we enter 2026. As we say goodbye to 2025, investors will be looking for new stocks to invest in for 2026- perhaps as a result of rebalancing, tax loss harvesting, or deploying idle capital. Story Continues In terms of dividends, Energy Transfer pays an annualized dividend of $1.33 per share, or $0.333 per quarter. This translates to a remarkably high forward yield of 8.2%. The companys dividend payout ratio is 99.18% of its earnings, which is typical for a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). A total of 17 analysts rate Energy Transfer a Strong Buy with a score of 4.59 out of 5, and this rating has been relatively stable over the past 3 months. The high price target is $25 per share, which suggests more than 54% upside potential from current levels. Oneok Inc (OKE) The next dividend stock on my list is also a gas-related company, Oneok Inc. It also operates pipelines with a focus on natural gas liquids- this is what comes out alongside natural gas during production. These liquids are used to manufacture our everyday products, such as plastics and chemicals. Like other pipeline operators, Oneok doesnt really care if prices go up or down. It just charges tolls for moving products. In fiscal 2024, the companys revenue rose roughly 22.7% to around $21.7 billion, while its bottom line rose 14% to around $3 billion, or $5.32 per share (basic). Oneoks market cap is nearly $46 billion, and its stock trades at $71.69 per share. On the dividend front, the company pays an annualized dividend of $4.12 per share, or $1.030 per quarter, yielding 5.75%. The companys payout ratio is 75.43%, also relatively high, but its only possible because of the stability of its earnings. A consensus of 19 analysts rates Oneok a Moderate Buy with a score of 4.21 out of 5, and this rating has also been fairly stable over the past 3 months. The high price target for Oneok stock is $114 per share, which represents roughly 59% upside from current levels. Permian Resources Corp (PR) Permian Resources Corp. also has an anchor position on one of my best dividend stock lists. This company drills for oil and gas in the Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico. Unlike the first two pipeline companies, this one actually pumps oil and gas out of the ground. In fact, the Permian is one of the most productive oil regions in the world. Its fortunes are directly tied to oil and gas prices, and it makes more money when prices rise. For the full-year 2024, the companys revenue rose 60% to around $5 billion, while net income surged 106% to around $985 billion, or $1.54 in basic earnings per share. Permians market cap as of now is nearly $12 billion, with a stock trading at $13.77 per share, which is also in an upward trend. The company pays an annualized dividend of $0.60 per share, paid quarterly at $0.15 per share, which translates to a forward yield of 4.35%. Meanwhile, the payout ratio is 40% of its earnings, so it's within a very acceptable range. A total of 24 analysts collectively rate Permian Resources a Strong Buy with a near-perfect score of 4.74 out of 5. Like the others, this has been relatively stable over the past 3 months. The high price target is $23 per share, or 67% more than where it is now DTE Energy Company (DTE) The following dividend stock is DTE Energy Company, a traditional electricity and gas utility that primarily serves Michigan. It generates electricity, delivers it to homes and businesses, and also provides natural gas service. As a heavily regulated business, it basically has a monopoly in its territory, but regulators pretty much control how much profit it can make. DTE Energys 2024 annual revenue declined 2% to $12.4 billion, driven by cyclical demand. Meanwhile, net income rose marginally to $1.4 billion, or $6.78 per share (basic). Today, the companys market cap is $26.8 billion, and its stock trades at $129.90 per share. As for its dividends, the company pays an annualized rate of $4.66 per share, or $1.165 every quarter, translating to a forward yield of nearly 3.6%. Its payout ratio is 60% of earnings, providing a balance between growing the business and rewarding shareholders. The average rating for DTE Energy from 17 analysts is a Strong Buy with a score of 4 out of 5, and this has also been relatively stable over the past 3 months. The high price target is $158 per share, reflecting up to 22% upside from current levels. Restaurant Brands International (QSR) The last (but not least) dividend company on my list is a conglomerate, Restaurant Brands International, better known as RBI. It owns Burger King, Popeyes, Firehouse Subs, Tim Hortons, and more. Instead of running most locations itself, it primarily operates as a franchisor, licensing its brands to franchisees who operate the individual restaurants. Last year, RBIs revenue rose 17% to $8.4 billion; however, its net income declined 14% to around $1 billion, or $3.21 per share (basic). The conglomerates market cap now stands at around $23 billion, with its share price trading at $69.91. Meanwhile, the company pays an annualized dividend of $2.48, or $0.62 every quarter. This translates to a forward yield of just over 3.5%. The companys payout ratio is 49.40%, which is also within a very acceptable range. The average rating for RBI is a Moderate Buy with a score of 4.10 out of 5, according to a consensus of 29 analysts, and this rating has been relatively stable over the past 3 months. The highest price target is $96 per share, implying about 37% upside. Final Thoughts These five companies are among the best dividend stocks to consider as we head into 2026. The dividend yields are attractive, the stocks trajectories are positive, and the fundamentals appear solid. That said, its worth noting that the market can surprise even the best of us, so its important to review these companies from different angles. All things being equal, I believe these dividend companies will please investors seeking stable and substantial returns next year and beyond. On the date of publication, Rick Orford did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com A Cessna 550 business jet crashed Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, killing seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, NASCAR reported. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said it is believed that Biffle and members of his immediate family were among those killed but because of a severe post-crash fire, a formal confirmation has not been completed. The plane was registered to a company tied to Biffle, Reuters reported. Authorities said they will release the names of the seven passengers once the medical examiners office has completed confirmation. The plane, which was headed to Florida, tried to return to the North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff amid severe weather at around 10:15 a.m. (1515 GMT), according to FlightAware, an aircraft tracking website. A picture posted by local media and social media showed a large fire on the runway amid the plane wreckage. The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a go-team to the scene and will brief the media on Friday on the investigation. Biffle, 55, won 19 Cup Series races over a 20-year career, according to Field Level Media. His last race was the 2022 Geico 500 at Talladega, and in 2023, he was honoured as one of NASCARs 75 Greatest Drivers. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina was among lawmakers to eulogize Biffle. Greg was a titan in the NASCAR community both on and off the racetrack, Tillis said. After Helene devastated Western North Carolina, Greg stepped up without hesitation by using his own personal helicopter to rescue victims and provide crucial aid to North Carolinians in need. The airport was closed after the incident and the debris must be removed from the runway before it can reopen, city officials said at a press conference. Evita Duffy-Alfonso, daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, called for the abolition of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Thursday (December 19), citing poor treatment and an absurdly invasive pat-down during airport screening. TSA = unreasonable, warrantless searches of passengers and their property. That means it violates the Fourth Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional. Pls abolish, she wrote on X, tagging President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Pregnancy, pat-downs, and body scanners Duffy-Alfonso shared the details of her experience in another X post: I nearly missed my flight this morning after the TSA made me wait 15 minutes for a pat-down because Im pregnant and didnt feel like getting radiation exposure from their body scanner. The agents were passive-aggressive, rude, and tried to pressure me and another pregnant woman into just walking through the scanner because its safe. After finally getting the absurdly invasive pat-down, I barely made my flight. She criticized the agency further, saying, The golden age of transportation cannot begin until the TSA is gone. Support for broader security measures Despite her criticism of the TSA, Duffy-Alfonso emphasized her support for national security measures: To be clear, I am 100% behind all that @POTUS & @DHS has done to keep out terrorists and illegals, especially at the border. In fact, President Trump & @Sec_Noem arent getting enough credit for achieving zero illegal border crossings and stopping deranged terrorists from coming into the U.S. She stressed the need for balance: But there needs to be more common sense around how we treat Americans exercising their right to travel. And I hope TSA works on improving their treatment of expectant mothers who dont want to go through body scanners to protect their unborn children. We can do both. Legal right to opt-out of TSA scanning Duffy-Alfonsos posts drew attention to a lesser-known legal option: travelers can opt out of TSA body-scanning technology and request an alternative screening. TSA confirms that passengers with medical, personal, or privacy concerns may request a manual pat-down instead. TSA guidance notes: A pat-down may include inspection of the head, neck, arms, torso, legs, and feet. This includes head coverings and sensitive areas such as breasts, groin, and the buttocks The officer will advise you of the procedure to help you anticipate any actions before you feel them. Passengers can also request a private screening, a chair for mobility issues, or same-sex officers for pat-downs if needed. Also Read | List Of Major Things MISSING From New Epstein Files Released By Team Trump Indian H-1B visa holders who returned to India this month to renew their US work permits have been left stranded after American consulates abruptly cancelled their appointments and pushed them back by several months, The Washington Post reported, citing three immigration attorneys who handle H-1B cases. Hundreds and potentially thousands of highly skilled workers had their appointments scrapped between Dec. 15 and 26, a window many H-1B holders choose because it aligns with the US holiday season, the lawyers said. Emails reviewed by The Washington Post show that the State Department informed applicants their interviews were being postponed following the rollout of the Trump administrations new social media screening policy, citing the need to ensure that no applicants pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety. Emails reviewed by The Washington Post show the State Department informed applicants that their interviews were being postponed following the rollout of the Trump administrations new social media screening policy, citing the need to ensure that no applicants pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety. The abrupt cancellations have thrown lives into disarray, the lawyers said, with workers stuck on expired visas and worried about losing their jobs. Emily Neumann, a partner at the Houston-based immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, said at least 100 of her clients are stranded in India. Veena Vijay Ananth, an immigration lawyer in India, and Charles Kuck, an Atlanta-based immigration attorney, said they are each handling more than a dozen similar cases. This is the biggest mess we have seen, said Ananth, who has worked on H-1B cases for over 20 years. Im not sure there is a plan. The Washington Post reported that a spokesperson for the State Department said that while in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else. What's at stake? The mass cancellation of scheduled interviews of the H-1B visa applicants in view of the enhanced vetting measures is set to result in significant delays in their return to the US. The rescheduling of the interviews is for all applicants who were previously given appointments from December 15 onwards. PTI reported that interviews of several other categories of visa applicants are also being postponed in view of the new norms for scrutinising the social media profiles of the applicants. The exact number of applicants impacted by the delays in the visa interviews is not immediately known. The U.S. embassy in India has urged visa applicants not to come to the consular offices based on their previously scheduled interview dates. 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. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate, it said. In September, Trump issued a Proclamation titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers as an important initial step to reform the H-1B nonimmigrant visa programme. Under the Proclamation, Trump announced a one-time fee of USD 100,000 on new H-1B visas, a move expected to impact Indian professionals seeking to work in the US. Trump visa crackdown The Trump administration has moved to further restrict the H-1B visa program as part of its broader immigration enforcement agenda, with heightened scrutiny of visa applicants social media posts and online profiles. The H-1B program enables U.S. companies to employ foreign workers with specialised skills for an initial period of three years, which can be extended for an additional three years. In recent years, Indians accounted for an estimated 71 per cent of approved H-1B applications, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The holiday season has turned into a period of deep uncertainty for hundreds of Indian H-1B visa holders who find themselves stranded in India after US consular offices abruptly canceled their renewal appointments. These workers, many of who have built lives in the United States over decades, traveled back to India this month to renew their American work permits, only to be met with emails citing operational constraints and a need for more rigorous national security vetting. According to The Washington post, the sudden shift in US policy has led to the cancellation of visa appointments for hundreds, possibly thousands, of high-skilled workers between 15 and 26 December. Immigration lawyers said the abrupt cancellations have disrupted lives, leaving workers, leaving workers on expired visas fearful of losing their jobs. Emily Neumann, a partner at the Houston-based immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC told The Washington Post that at least 100 of her clients are stuck in India. What policy shift caused this sudden disruption? The disruption follows a series of aggressive policy shifts by the Trump administration aimed at targeting the H-1B program. In July, the US State Department said that starting September 2, H-1B holders, and their dependents on H4 visas could no longer renew their visas remotely or in a third country, Instead, they would have to travel back to their home countries to complete the process. Then on September 19, President Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications. Two months later, on 3 December, the Trump administration announced tougher screening and vetting rules for H-1B and H4 dependent visa holders, including a review of their social media and online activity. The the State Department said the move was aimed at national security, adding that every visa decision is treated as a security matter and that a US visa is privilege, not a right. When are the renewal appointments rescheduled? Meanwhile, the bulk of the renewal appointments are now being pushed to between March and June, though one applicant was given a new date as late as 2027, said three lawyers aware of the matter. The H-1B immigration program, which has allowed hundreds of thousands of foreign workers with specialised skills to live and work in the United States for up to six years, has been a source of controversy during Trumps second term. Some of his most influential far-right supporters have called for the program to be scraped, arguing it takes away job opportunities from the Americans. But tech executives in Silicon Valley have pushed back, saying H-1B workers are crucial for their industry, WP reported. Who were the worst hit? The hardest hit by the changes are mid-career tech professionals who have lived in the United States for years. Now unable to return, they are urgently trying to find alternative work arrangements with their US companies. Families are facing painful choices: some parents who came to India with their children must decide whether to pause their schooling or send them back alone, while others remain separated from their families entirely. India on Sunday suspended visa services at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chattogram, a southeastern port city in Bangladesh, until further notice, amid violence after the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, according to PTI citing local media reports. The suspension took effect following a recent security incident at the Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) in Chattogram. Authorities stated that the visa application centre will reopen only after a review of the security situation. What did IVAC say? "Due to recent security incident at Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) Chittagong, Indian visa operations at IVAC Chittagong (Chattogrm) will remain suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice. The announcement for reopening the visa centre will be made after reviewing the situation, IVAC stated, reported PTI. The Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) operates five centres across Bangladeshin Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram, and Sylhet. An IVAC official told PTI that the four other centres have continued to function until now. Hadi's death Hadi, 32, a key figure in last years student-led protests that eventually led to the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was also a candidate for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 12. On December 12, he was shot in the head by masked assailants during an election campaign in Dhakas Bijoynagar area and later died while receiving treatment in Singapore on Thursday. Hadi was buried on Saturday under heightened security near the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, next to the Dhaka University mosque. Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral prayers, and before the ritual, they shouted anti-India slogans such as Delhi or Dhaka - Dhaka, Dhaka and brother Hadis blood will not be allowed to go in vain. His death sparked widespread violence and vandalism across Bangladesh, including an incident on Thursday where stones were thrown at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram. India resumes ops at its Dhaka visa centre Meanwhile, India had resumed operations at its Dhaka visa centre on Thursday, a day after temporarily closing it due to heightened security concerns. However, the centres in Rajshahi and Khulna were briefly shut as anti-India protesters attempted to march toward the Indian missions there. On December 20, security was also increased at the Indian Assistant High Commission office and the visa application centre in Sylhet. The enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure that "no third party can exploit the situation", The Dhaka Tribune newspaper quoted the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Saiful Islam as saying on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he plans to visit New York City soon, weeks after Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov publicly invited him to come on January 1, mayor-elect Zohran Mamdanis inauguration day. While Netanyahu said he would not be able to come on January 1, he confirmed his intention to visit the city at a later date. Even though I wont be able to make it on that day, I assure you that I will visit New York soon. And Id very much like to see you at that time, Netanyahu wrote in a letter on official stationery to Vernikov, according to a report in The New York Post. Vernikovs invitation and political provocation Vernikov, a conservative councilwoman, had extended the invitation as a pointed response to Mamdanis campaign remarks, in which he vowed to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader ever set foot in New York. She said the invite was meant to reaffirm the deep and enduring bond between New York City and Israel. Vernikov later told The New York Post she was eager to see the mayor-elects reaction when Netanyahu eventually arrives. No legal authority to arrest a sitting PM Dismissing Mamdanis pledge, Vernikov said the mayor-elect has no legal standing to act on such threats. The mayor of New York City has no legal authority to arrest the sitting Prime Minister of the State of Israel, she said. Mamdani either knew that and blatantly lied for clickbait and votes or hes too incompetent to run a simple Google search, she added. Vernikov went further, calling Mamdani a scam and predicting that the spoiled kids who voted for him will see him for the fraud he is. Antisemitism concerns loom large Vernikovs comments come amid a recent spate of antisemitic hate crimes in New York City. She said the Jewish community would warmly welcome Netanyahus visit given rising concerns. I look forward to seeing Benjamin Netanyahu in New York City and the Jewish community will be delighted to welcome him amidst skyrocketing antisemitism here at home and across the world, she said. Mamdani cites ICC warrant During his campaign, Mamdani said he would instruct the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu if he returned to the city, citing a 2024 arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The United States does not recognise the ICCs jurisdiction. As many as nine people were killed, and 10 others were injured in an attack at Bekkersdal township outside Johannesburg, police said Sunday, in the second mass shooting in South Africa this month. Police initially said 10 people were killed but later revised the toll downwards. "Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen," a police statement said We don't have a breakdown of who they are," Brigadier Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson for Gauteng province, told AFP. The wounded were taken to hospital, police said. The shooting took place near a tavern or informal bar in Bekkersdal, an impoverished area near some of South Africa's major gold mines. What happened exactly? The attackers in two vehicles "opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene," a police statement said. The dead included a driver from an online car-hailing service who had been outside the bar, provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC television. A manhunt for the attackers had been launched, police said. The motive for the attack at Bekkersdal, 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the city, was not clear, police told AFP. Second mass attack in a month The mass shooting in South Africa on Sunday, December 21, was the second attack in a month. Earlier, on December 6, gunmen stormed a hostel near the capital Pretoria, killing a dozen people, including a three-year-old child. Police said the shooting was at a site that was illegally selling alcohol. Also Read | Australia announces gun buyback scheme after Bondi shooting What this means South Africa, home to 63 million people, suffers from a high crime rate, including one of the highest murder rates in the world. South Africa, the continent's most industrialised nation, is grappling with entrenched crime and corruption driven by organised networks. Chinas car market is getting saturated. With sales set to decline in the coming year, its no surprise that homegrown automakers are looking to redouble their efforts overseas. But in order to remain welcome in their host markets, they should localize production and avoid the worst excesses of an ongoing price war at home. Annual revenues in the worlds largest car market are expected to decline for the first time since 2022, by 3% to 5%, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. When the country emerged after three years of pandemic controls, there were high hopes of economic recovery. That hasnt happened. Consumers have been reeling from the impact of a real estate crash and prolonged job insecurity, especially among the younger generation. To boost consumption, Beijing has been running a major subsidy programme since April 2024. Similar to Americas cash-for-clunkers plan, it encouraged people to trade in their old cars or scrap them altogether. More than 16 million autos, about one-third of the total sold, are believed to have been bought under this scheme. Also Read | Why Toyota has zipped ahead of other foreign carmakers in China Over the past year, several cities halted the 300 billion-yuan ($43 billion) initiative early, appearing to have run out of money. Its unclear whether it will return. Even if the offer is renewed, the subsidy per car will probably be less generous. Combined with the introduction of a new 5% tax on electric vehicles (EVs) on 1 January, its sure to be a tough year for sales. Carmakers have already been dealing with the fallout of a three-year price war. The consequences have reverberated throughout the supply chain and reduced the profitability of the entire ecosystem, including of parts makers. It was the right move for Beijing to step up regulatory scrutiny last week by announcing a proposal to crack down on selling vehicles below cost. However, more regulation will not be enough to fix Chinas underlying problem of too much supply and not enough demand. Car manufacturers have no choice but to seek greener pastures abroad, where the same car can be sold for more than double, even as they inevitably face rising barriers to entry in key offshore markets. In October 2024, Moscow raised import fees that severely affected sales. Until then, Russia was the biggest export destination for Chinese cars, a position that has been overtaken by Mexico. Thanks to low prices, Chinese vehicles might remain a viable option there, despite the Mexican governments approval of 50% tariffs last week. BYD, the worlds largest EV maker, has been Chinas most aggressive exporter. In the first 11 months of the year, it sold more than 900,000 units overseas, an increase of 150% compared to the same period a year ago. At this rate, BYD will soon wrest the crown from Chery, which has held the position since 2003, and had a relatively paltry 15% gain. Selling abroad at higher margins is BYDs best bet for regaining profit growth. It fell in the two most-recent quarters as deliveries at home declined. Beijings crackdown on the companys practice of delaying payments to suppliers as well as aggressive discounting has weighed on BYDs earnings and market sentiment. Its share price has plummeted since touching a record high in May. We got a sense of whats to come in October, when BYD revealed a huge increase in its long-term borrowing to 61 billion yuan from just 5.5 billion yuan a quarter before. The money is likely to be used to fund its global expansion with factories in Hungary, Indonesia and Turkey scaling up production. The company recently opened a $1 billion facility, its biggest outside China, in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Its peers are doing the same. Chery, which already has a European production base in Spain, is reportedly considering making vehicles in Germany and additional facilities in the UK. EV maker Zhejiang Leapmotor, a startup that partners with Stellantis on exports, plans to start small by selling 50,000 vehicles abroad this year and double that figure in 2026. Localizing production helps avoid tariffs and establish long-term relationships in markets where automakers are trying to build up their brand image. But as expansion happens, history offers a cautious lesson on steep discounts squeezing margins. Its disheartening to see a destructive pattern of price cuts happening in countries like Thailand. Authorities in Bangkok should take a page from Beijings playbook to stop unreasonable competition. The pressures Chinese carmakers face will bring new investment opportunities and job creation in destination countries. But regulators must be on guard against replays of bad behaviour that could ultimately crush profits. Bloomberg The author is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinions Asia team, covering corporate strategy and management in the region. Not long ago, manipulated videos of Shah Rukh Khan were circulating online, portraying him as endorsing fraudulent investment and betting schemes. Abroad, a video of Ukraines leader asked his countrys troops to surrender before being exposed as a fake. These are not aberrations. They reveal a world where synthetic clips are cheap, fast and eerily convincing. A 2024 McAfee Labs survey found that 75% of Indian respondents had encountered some form of a deepfake in the past year and 38% had been targeted by a deepfake-enabled scam. Also Read | Deepfake battle: Why pointing out fake content is pointless in the age of AI Understandably, policymakers want stronger safeguards. The governments proposed amendments to the Intermediary Guidelines attempt to address these dangers by creating a category of synthetically generated information" and imposing identification and disclosure obligations. Platforms must permanently label such content through visible markings covering a tenth of the screen or the first tenth of an audio clip and also embed unique metadata into the file. Significant social media intermediaries (with over 5 million registered users) must ask users to declare whether their uploads are synthetic and verify those declarations using technical tools. If users fail to label content, platforms must do it themselves. This is a major shift from Indias existing safe harbour regime. Section 79 of the IT Act of 2000 shields intermediaries from liability for user-generated content so long as they remain neutral platforms and act promptly on grievances. Now, they would be required to inspect, classify and modify user content before letting it run. This effectively collapses the distinction between a platform and a publisher. The difficulty is not only legal, but practical. Even advanced detection technologies struggle to reliably distinguish deepfakes from edited or enhanced content. Meta has invested in adversarially trained detection models, yet acknowledges their limitations. YouTube requires creators to disclose AI-generated content but relies on user declarations, given the inadequacies of automated detection. Googles SynthID watermarking tool embeds signatures into images and audio clips at the point of creation and offers a promising pathway for provenance, but it cannot function retroactively and does not work across all online formats. In this context, visible labelling and mandatory verification rules would be hard to follow. Platforms unsure of the status of content may block or delay publication to avoid liability. Legitimate expression could be caught in the crossfire. For smaller platforms, compliance costs could be prohibitive. Other jurisdictions have taken a more calibrated approach. The EUs AI Act requires creators to disclose artificially generated or manipulated content, but not rigid watermarks or screening. It focuses on transparency without distorting content. In the US, which has stronger free speech protection, lawmakers have focused on specific harms, such as election interference or porn. Even China, despite its reputation for strict internet regulation, does not demand visible labels covering fixed portions of a screen or ask platforms to authenticate all user declarations. Indias proposal is not just more stringent, it reflects a shift towards prescriptive, platform-centric control. It assumes that the way to manage deepfakes is to place the burden primarily on intermediaries, rather than spreading responsibility across creators, users and tech developers. It prioritizes content curbs over provenance checks or helping users assess credibility. Also Read | How come AI regulation has fallen off the agenda across the world? We need a better balanced approach . Provenance-checking systems being developed by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity offer ways to establish authenticity without altering what we see online. Watermarks applied at the moment of creation, rather than pre-upload platform-inserted labels, is a more reliable alternative. Detection tools, imperfect but improving, can help identify malicious content without screening everything. Critically, public awareness must be central to any regulatory strategy. With over 800 million internet users in India, many encountering sophisticated fakes for the first time, no watermark can replace the value of an informed citizenry. Trustworthy reporting mechanisms and digital literacy campaigns should help. Deepfakes demand a firm response, but the digital commons must not suffer. We could preserve the safe harbour provision so that platforms remain neutral and dont need to act as our content police. Criminal misuse of deepfakescases of fraud, impersonation, reputational attacks, etccan be addressed through fast-track judicial remedies and coordinated action among platforms, law enforcement and financial institutions if it involves transactions. We should empower users with provenance tools and reporting devices. Such a consumer-centric approach would protect people from deepfake harms while preserving an innovation-friendly internet. Indias AI ecosystem deserves the space to develop through compliance sandboxes and supportive frameworks. Punitive burdens that only large corporations can absorb need a rethink. Deepfakes are a serious threat, but our policy response mustnt create new ones. Security cant be bought through overcorrection. Our task is to build a regulatory framework that strengthens trust, enhances transparency and retains the openness that has defined Indias digital growth. The author is managing partner, Fidus Law Chambers. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has suggested that the next major leap in artificial intelligence will not come from sharper reasoning abilities, but from something far more fundamental: memory. Speaking on a recent podcast with technology journalist Alex Kantrowitz, Altman outlined a future in which AI systems are able to retain and learn from vast amounts of personal data across an individuals lifetime, fundamentally reshaping the idea of a digital personal assistant. Memory, not reasoning, as the next leap According to Altman, todays AI tools are already strong at reasoning tasks, but they fall short when it comes to long-term recall. Humans, he argued, remain the best personal assistants because they understand context and nuance, yet they struggle to remember details consistently. View full Image AI-generated graphic content. ( AI-generated graphic ) AI, on the other hand, does not have that limitation. Altman said the real opportunity lies in building systems that can remember everything a user has shared over time, from conversations and emails to documents and preferences. Such persistent memory could allow AI to identify patterns and needs that people themselves may never consciously articulate. He indicated that OpenAI is actively working towards this vision, suggesting that more advanced, memory-driven personal assistants could begin to emerge as early as 2026. A shift in what personal assistant means Altman described persistent memory as a turning point for consumer AI. Rather than responding to isolated prompts, future systems could offer deeply personalised results, shaped by years of accumulated context. In his view, this would move AI from being a reactive tool to a proactive assistant, capable of anticipating needs and tailoring responses with a level of precision that current systems cannot achieve. The discussion formed part of a broader conversation about OpenAIs long-term strategy, which also touched on infrastructure expansion, AI-powered devices and the companys ambition to eventually reach artificial general intelligence. Code red and rising competition During the podcast, Altman also addressed reports of internal code red alerts at OpenAI, triggered by intensifying competition in the AI sector. He framed these moments not as panic, but as a deliberate strategy to stay alert and responsive. He suggested that being cautious and moving quickly when a credible threat appears is healthy for the organisation. Similar situations, he noted, have occurred before, including earlier this year when new competitors such as DeepSeek gained attention. Also Read | This ChatGPT Christmas Easter Egg turns your selfie into a Santa message! Altman added that such internal alarms are likely to become a recurring feature, potentially happening once or twice a year, as OpenAI seeks to maintain its position in a fast-moving market. While he stressed the importance of winning in its core space, he also acknowledged that other companies can succeed alongside OpenAI. A festive surprise for ChatGPT users Separately, Altman has sparked online curiosity with a festive surprise for ChatGPT users. Over the weekend, he posted a cryptic message on X that encouraged people to interact with the chatbot using a single emoji. Also Read | Sam Altman showcases what images users can create with ChatGPT Images 1.5 Users soon discovered that sending a gift emoji to ChatGPT unlocks a hidden Christmas-themed interaction. The chatbot responds by prompting users to upload or take a selfie, after which the request is handed off to Sora, OpenAIs video generation tool. Sora then creates a short, personalised Christmas video. The festive message is tailored using details ChatGPT has learned from a users previous interactions, offering a glimpse of the personalised experiences that more advanced AI memory could eventually make routine. This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Joseph DePinto, CEO of 7-Eleven, will retire at the end of this year, according to a Friday press release from parent company Seven & i Holdings. Stan Reynolds and Douglas Rosencrans, president and COO of 7-Eleven, respectively, will serve as co-CEOs until a permanent replacement is hired, according to the announcement. The move comes at a time of significant change for 7-Eleven, as the North American division continues its plan to open more food-focused c-stores and execute an IPO next year. Dive Insight: DePintos departure marks a significant shift for 7-Eleven as it heads into 2026. With the company expected to go public in the second half of the year, its next chief executive will be tasked with leading the c-store retailer into a major new growth phase. A head and shoulders shot of a person against a white background. In addition to shepherding the company through an initial public offering, the new CEO will also have to keep the rollout of hundreds of larger, food-focused c-stores on track, as well as juggle other updates and improvements to 7-Elevens technology and food offerings. We strive to find, through a thorough selection process, the right person who can lead [7-Eleven] and help us work even more closely together as one Group, Stephen Dacus, president and CEO of Seven & i, said in the announcement. Our goal is to further advance our transformation efforts, unlock [7-Elevens] full potential, redefine convenience, and bring the 7-Eleven experience to even more customers across the North American market. Seven & is board of directors is working with a global executive search firm to find DePintos successor. Dacus thanked DePinto for his years of service in the announcement. As CEO of SEI, he has led the significant expansion of the Groups International and U.S. store network and its digital and logistics transformation, helping grow 7-Eleven into the worlds largest convenience store chain, said Dacus. DePinto has led 7-Eleven for more than two decades. He resigned from Seven & is board in March, after nearly 20 years in that role. Before joining 7-Eleven, he was president of GameStop and held executive positions at PepsiCo and Thornton Oil. Serving as 7-Elevens CEO for the past 20 years and working alongside such an incredibly talented team has been the honor of my professional life, said DePinto. Im grateful to all who have supported 7-Eleven and me the past two decades and helped grow this brand and our business into what it is today. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. An off-duty professional driver who was detected by Gardai driving erratically and crossing on to the wrong side of the road, narrowly missing other vehicles, has been fined and disqualified for two years. Piotr Drews (41) of 20 Pearse Drive, Longford pleaded guilty at the local district court to drink driving at Pearse Road, Longford and dangerous driving ar Connaught Road on September 27, 2025. Sergeant Mark Mahon, for the State, told the court that at 12-midnight on the date in question Garda Edward Flanagan was on patrol when he observed a jeep being driven in an erratic manner on the Athlone Road. "Gardai were on patrol on the Harbour Road; they observed the defendant, in a public place, driving a white jeep in an erratic manner. "He travelled in the direction of the Athlone Road when it took a bad bend crossing on to the wrong side of the road and narrowly avoiding a collision. "The Garda vehicle followed him at a safe distance and he proceeded along the Athlone Road turning right into Townspark Industrial estate." Sgt Mahon said the defendant then continued on and turned onto Connaught Road and he failed to stop at a posted stop sign, narrowly avoiding a white Ford Transit van. Mr Drews was stopped by Gardai and a roadside breath test was carried out which he failed. The defendant was arrested and brought to Longford Garda Station where a breath test gave a reading of 65mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mg. Sgt Mahon said a first offence with that alcohol level carried a mandatory two year driving ban, while a second offense carried a four year disqualification. The defendant had one previous conviction for drunk driving. Solicitor Frank Gearty, defending, said that incident was a very long time ago and this was a very 'serious situation' for his client, a married father of three and a professional driver. "He has a good job driving around the country and he is married with three children and he has all sorts of financial obligations connected with his house." Mr Gearty said Mr Drews, a Polish national who has lived in Ireland for 20 years, cooperated fully with Garda Flanagan and there had been a 'family emergency' and he had only gone out looking to locate his teenage daughter. The legal representative said the squad car came upon his client and his driving was 'shocking' after that. "He would like you to know that he is a professional driver and it would not be his normal state to be like that, thankfully there was no accident." Mr Gearty asked Judge Bernadette Owens if she would consider postponing a driving ban until April 1. Judge Owens convicted and Mr Drews and she imposed a 750 fine with 11-months to pay and she agreed to defer the two year driving ban until April 1, 2026. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Killoe Men's Shed unveils new Longford premises with open day READ NEXT: The perfect Christmas gift: Longford Lights 2026 tickets are now on sale ICSA president Sean McNamara has said meat processors should immediately stop importing livestock from Northern Ireland in light of the increasingly precarious Bluetongue situation. ICSA has serious concerns about the continued movement of animals across the border, particularly now that positive Bluetongue cases have been confirmed in the North and further cases are under investigation, he said. Continuing Mr McNamara said, Midges spread Bluetongue. So, if a processor brings in sheep from the North that are carrying the virus, all it takes is for one midge around Athleague, Camolin, Navan, or wherever a factory is located, to land on an infected sheep. That midge then becomes infected too, and once that happens it can spread the virus to farms in the surrounding area. That is how quickly this disease can move. Hundreds of thousands of lambs are imported from the North every year purely as a tactic to keep a lid on prices here. But in a situation like this, processors cannot keep operating as if nothing has changed. They need to act responsibly and stop hauling animals down from the North until the full picture is known. Farmers and department officials on both sides of the border are doing everything in their power to contain the situation. Protecting the country from Bluetongue has to come first, and it is time processors did their part. READ NEXT: PICTURES | St Joseph's National School brings some Christmas cheer to Longford's Abbotts READ NEXT: A magical festive evening in St Mel's Cathedral with Longford County Choir A local MEP and a TD have made a call to farmers, farming organisations, co-ops, agri-businesses, meat factories, feed merchants, rural businesses, rural workers and public representatives of all parties opposed to the Mercosur trade deal to unite and 'stand together' at a national demonstration in January. Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly and Agriculture Spokesperson Michael Fitzmaurice TD stated the time for division has passed and the time for unity has arrived. Deputy Fitzmaurice said this is a moment for rural communities to unite and pull on the green jersey. "I am calling on the marts, meat factories, feed merchants and all rural communities to stand up and stand together. Mercosur is an existential threat to family farms, to rural Ireland and to our food standards as proven by the recent report in the IFJ. "It would allow produce into this country that does not meet the standards Irish farmers are expected to uphold. TD Michael Collins has called for a united front that crosses the political divide: Now is the time to stand together. I am calling on all farming organisations and politicians from all parties and none to stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers from every corner of Ireland. "This is above politics. This is about our future. I will be working with Deputies Richard O'Donoghue and Ken O'Flynn and our councillors and volunteers from across Munster to encourage our rural communities to stand together for the sake of Irish farming. The national protest will take place in January, traditionally a quieter period on farms, to allow for maximum participation, with Athlone, the centre of Ireland, being proposed as the location for the demonstration. Deputy Fitzmaurice stated Ireland needs to wake up to what is happening here, this is about more than any party or political divide. The frustration on the ground is real and it is justified. We need to show opposition to this trade deal in a united, peaceful, dignified and determined way, and to send a clear message to our leaders and to Europe: Ireland's agricultural sector have no faith in this deal. He added that over the coming days we will be engaging with all farming organisations to harness the resources and networks that already exist across the sector. No one is being left behind, Fitzmaurice said. This has to be a demonstration that represents everyone beef, dairy, poultry, sheep, tillage, processors, factories and rural businesses. Over the coming days we are hoping all farming organisations will stand together as one. We have been inundated with requests from farmers from all over the country and it is our responsibility as representatives of our rural communities to bring people together on this issue MEP Ciaran Mullooly stated he has been building strong relationships with MEPs and farming organisations across Europe and is keen to see European representatives stand in solidarity with Irish farmers at the demonstration. In the European Parliament I have been working closely with MEPs and farming organisations from across Europe who share the same fears about Mercosur, he said. Farmers in many member states see this deal for what it is a race to the bottom that sacrifices agriculture, food standards and rural communities for trade headlines." Mr Mullooly stated there is a strong and growing bloc of representatives across Europe who believe farmers must be listened to, not ignored. "That is why I am keen to see European representatives stand with Irish farmers at this national demonstration and send a clear message that this opposition is shared far beyond Ireland. "Our councillors and volunteers nationwide will work with representatives of organisations across the country to build support for the protest and to actively encourage attendance across their local communities." We cannot guarantee outcomes but we will stand shoulder to shoulder with farming and rural communities to send a clear message and do whatever we can to try and stop this rotten deal. Planning is well underway for the national demonstration with further details to be announced in the coming days. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Longford's Christmas magic with the Ballinalee Forest Walkway READ NEXT: Delight in Longford over the reopening of N55 before Christmas By Colleen Howe BEIJING, Dec 22 (Reuters) - A revamp of China's electricity market is boosting the economics of storing power just as international demand surges, sparking a boom for the Chinese energy storage manufacturers that already dominate globally. Chinese firms are on track for a 75% jump this year in global shipments of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage, according to one estimate. More from Yahoo Scout How significant is AI data center demand growth? How are Chinese battery manufacturers dominating globally? What's driving China's energy storage battery boom? What impact do market reforms have on storage profitability? They have exported more than $65 billion worth of storage and electric-vehicle batteries this year, cementing their dominance in a sector vital to backing up wind and solar and keeping power coursing through artificial-intelligence data centres. The surge in sales is driven by data centres and renewables domestically, as well as by Chinese reforms and subsidies that are boosting general demand for energy storage. International demand is rising in tandem with the surging growth in data centres, a need to back up Europe's ageing grid and China's burgeoning renewable energy business in the Middle East, analysts say. GOING GLOBAL "These leading energy storage cell makers, they have full orders. Many of them are basically working double shifts now to try and meet demand," said analyst Cosimo Ries at policy research firm Trivium China. The boom "is one of the biggest surprises of the year, I think, in China's energy space." UBS last month raised its 2026 forecast for global battery-energy storage installations by 25%. The International Energy Agency forecasts global investment in battery storage facilities will rise 16% this year to $66 billion. Much of that is set to be captured by Chinese firms because while Tesla is number one in energy storage systems, China dominates production of the tiny cells inside them. All of the six top global cell suppliers - Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), HiTHIUM, EVE Energy, BYD, CALB and REPT BATTERO - are Chinese, according to a January-to-September ranking by consultancy Infolink. Of the top 10, only Japan's AESC is not from China. EVE's energy storage sales volumes rose 35.51% in the first three quarters from the same period last year. REPT BATTERO's third-quarter shipments of all batteries set a record high. Top EV players CATL and BYD did not break out energy storage shipments through the third quarter. Storage has historically made up less of their revenue than automotive batteries and EVs, although the proportion is growing. "Pairing solar with storage has effectively become the only solution for meeting U.S. AI data-centre power needs," UBS analyst Yishu Yan told a media briefing. "U.S. AI data centre power demand is very robust, but power is the biggest bottleneck, and U.S. baseload power - gas, nuclear, thermal - they won't grow much in the next five years." A New Jersey police chief is facing charges in connection with confining and assaulting a woman in a Boston hotel room in September, the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office announced Sunday. A grand jury indicted 47-year-old Totowa Police Chief Carmen Veneziano on one count of kidnapping and three counts of domestic assault and battery on Thursday in Suffolk County Superior Court, the district attorneys office said in a press release. On Sept. 14, the Totowa resident confined and assaulted a woman in a hotel room in Bostons Back Bay neighborhood between 3:30 and 5 a.m., prosecutors allege. Authorities did not specify Venezianos relationship to the woman. Police assigned to the Passaic County Prosecutors Office arrested Veneziano without incident on Friday, the district attorneys office said. He waived extradition proceedings and will be taken in custody to Massachusetts for his arraignment. Totowa Mayor John Coiro suspended Veneziano without pay on Friday after consulting with two members of the boroughs Public Safety Committee, according to a press release issued Sunday. The police chief will remain suspended until the criminal case against him concludes. Town officials plan to appoint an interim police chief in the coming days, Coiro wrote. The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office assisted with the investigation into Veneziano, as well as his arrest, the district attorneys office said. Authorities plan to share more information about the case following his arraignment, which is scheduled to take place on Monday. The wooden beams that ran along the ceilings of the MBTAs Green Line tunnels were installed when the line was built in the late 1890s, a decade before the Ford Model T was released and Oklahoma became the 46th state in the Union. And for the next nearly 130 years, the beams capably served Bostons transit system. Although most riders never noticed, the beams known as troughs provided a crucial barrier between electrified train wires and the tunnel ceiling overhead. But the time has come for them to take a well-earned retirement. Years and water damage left their mark on sections of the trough, and the wood posed a fire risk, MBTA officials said. Federal and state officials made clear last year that the troughs needed a modern replacement. 17 1 / 17 Why the Green Line went dark: photos from the shutdownPhotos by Sebastian Restrepo and the MBTA They were degraded, but still safe and functioning, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said at a public meeting Thursday. Still, its a 130-year-old piece of wood underneath Boston Common ... The day it decides to bite us, its going to significantly impact our service. The replacement project has been no small feat, as Green Line riders have surely realized. It required shutting down the lines four branches across the entirety of Downtown Boston from Dec. 822 to give maintenance crews unencumbered access to the train tracks. Working around the clock for two weeks, crews replaced 13,000 feet of trough with a modern equivalent that will outlast all of us, Coholan said. The work is scheduled to wrap up Monday, on schedule, before the Green Line reopens Tuesday morning. Maintenance workers packed the tunnels, wearing reflective vests and hard hats plastered with stickers proudly touting the always-on-call reality of their jobs. This project had been planned for a year, T officials said. Executing it required extensive coordination to move heavy equipment and materials into the tunnels in the proper order, power down the trains electric grid, organize shuttle bus service for riders impacted by the shutdown and much more. Beginning at North Station, the shutdown extended as far west as Allston and Fenway. It covered some of the most heavily trafficked subway stops on the MBTA, including North Station, Park Street and Copley. The T has embraced a bite the bullet strategy on projects that require such widespread disruption to normal operations, choosing to complete as much work as possible in one fell swoop. A two-week closure was the least disruptive way to schedule the work, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said last month. Maintenance crews have piggybacked off the shutdown to finish other crucial projects, including installing the new Green Line Train Protection System, a network of transponders that will warn train operators of potential collisions and speeding. On Thursday, at Boylston station under the Boston Common, crews also installed new steel beams to support the Green Line tunnel ceiling in areas where water damage had deteriorated the existing beams. On the streets overhead, riders who would otherwise take the Green Line instead boarded shuttle buses the T offered as a free, alternative mode of transport during the shutdown. Other riders packed the Orange Line, which runs roughly parallel to the Green Line through Downtown Boston, or took commuter rail or public buses. The Green Line platforms at the MBTA's Park Street station are blocked off to the public during a two-week closure of the line for maintenance. The station is pictured on Dec. 10, 2025. (Will Katcher/MassLive) The wooden troughs stayed in place for five generations because the T had long delayed investing in its replacement, Eng said last month. Replacing them was vital. Its a result of the need to take care of things more timely, and were committed to doing that, he said. The Green Line moved about 50,000 riders on an average weekday in November, according to data collected by TransitMatters, a public transportation advocacy organization. This was really, really important, Coholan said. We appreciate the patience of the public. We know this is impactful. A Brockton man is facing charges after fleeing police Saturday morning and getting into a car crash in Stoughton that took the life of another man, the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office announced. Jason Ortiz, 26, has been charged with motor vehicle homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and failure to stop for police, the district attorneys office said in a press release. Around 10:40 a.m. Saturday, Brockton police tried to stop Ortiz while he was driving his pickup truck, the district attorneys office said. They were responding to a report from dispatchers that the truck was driving erratically, Stoughton police said in a press release. When Ortiz did not stop, officers pursued him into Stoughton, where his truck collided with a sedan at the intersection of Pleasant and Prospect streets, authorities said. Stoughton firefighters took the sedans driver and passenger to a local hospital. The driver an 84-year-old Stoughton man was later declared dead at the hospital, authorities said. The passenger a 78-year-old Stoughton woman was still being treated for injuries at the hospital as of Saturday evening. Ortiz and another man got out of the truck and ran from police following the crash, Stoughton police said. Stoughton officers quickly detained one of the men, and he was taken into custody by Brockton police. Authorities searched the area for Ortiz extensively, using K-9 units and the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, Stoughton police said. Stoughton officers eventually arrested him at Halloran Park in Stoughton. Ortiz is set to be arraigned in Stoughton District Court on Monday, the district attorneys office said. State Polices crash reconstruction and crime scene services units, the district attorneys office and Stoughton police are still investigating the crash, the district attorneys office said. Authorities have not released the name of the man who was killed. It is unclear if the passenger in Ortizs pickup truck is facing charges. No further information about the crash has been released. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley is urging the FBI to pay a $50,000 reward to a witness whose tip helped identify the suspect in last weeks shooting that left two Brown University students dead. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Smiley said the tipster, identified in a police affidavit only as John, played a pivotal role in the investigation and asked that the full reward be paid to him. One individual amongst those who provided tips stands out above the rest: John, the letter reads. John is no less than a hero. John posted vital information in a Reddit thread Monday, detailing an odd encounter he had with a suspicious man on the Brown campus in the hours before the shooting. Police were made aware of the Reddit post the following day via a tip line, and they confirmed the contents of the post to be accurate. That led police to seek out the poster, who could be seen in security footage confronting the suspect, later identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente. Johns interview with police cracked the case, leading them to Neves Valentes rental car and, eventually, his identity. The FBI offered a reward of $50,000 for information that led to the identification and capture of the shooter. Smiley wants John to collect on that offer. His bravery, selflessness and stewardship on behalf of his community went far beyond what anyone could ever hope from a tip, Smiley said. I am writing to you today to request that the entirety of the $50,000 reward be issued to this incredible Providence neighbor. Neves Valente was found dead on Thursday night of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a storage facility in Salem, N.H. In a press conference announcing Neves Valentes death, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha credited John for coming forward and also advocated for him to receive the reward money. I dont know whether hes going to get the reward or not, but if I had a vote, he would, Neronha said. Massachusetts is staring down an uncertain future. The state needs to add 222,000 new homes over the next decade to address a housing crunch that has driven prices skyward. In many local school districts, students are slow to regain ground lost to the COVID pandemic. At all levels of government, leaders face challenging financial decisions ahead. And behind all of it, President Donald Trumps return to office has brought Massachusetts and some of its cities increasingly into conflict with the federal government. MassLive is highlighting eight leaders to watch in 2026, who will help chart the states path in the coming years, each in his or her own way. Some already hold positions of immense power, and their decisions will have tremendous influence over the daily lives of Bay Staters for years to come. Others bring novel ideas to address the states most pressing questions or the potential to shape their local communitys success. They were selected by MassLive staff. Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian Allen, who took over leadership of the district this year. (Courtesy of Worcester Public Schools) Brian Allen, Worcester Schools superintendent Across the country, municipal officials face strapped finances and daunting prospects of balancing their budgets. They might consider looking to Worcester for a vision of the path forward. For 12 consecutive years, Worcester Public Schools has been recognized with a national award for its budgeting process. Only two other school districts in Massachusetts received the award last year. Behind that process was a team led by Brian Allen, the new Worcester superintendent, now in his first year leading the district. As deputy superintendent since 2022, he oversaw the school systems finances and its $586 million budget. He attributes the districts budgeting success to years of stability and consistent planning and lists it among his greatest accomplishments. Also on that list was his leadership of a multi-year effort to bring the districts transportation in-house. Millions of dollars had been going to an independent bus contractor annually. Now, those dollars stay within the school system, Allen said in an interview. The quality of transportation also improved with the change, he said, and the districts bus drivers have been fully staffed for the last two years. The shift to a district-run bus program also earned Worcester national and state recognition. Its a process other school districts are now looking to emulate, Allen said. If these sound like the most mundane, nitty-gritty issues of municipal government or school leadership, thats because they are. But by capably handling the minutiae, school leaders earn the time to focus their energy elsewhere, Allen said. If were not dealing with parent complaints on transportation, if were not dealing with always facing criticism over our finances, we can use that time to focus on our strategic plan, our overarching goals of the district and really provide the leadership to schools, he said. Allen also helped lead advocacy for the Student Opportunity Act, a 2019 state law that provided the most significant update to school funding in over 25 years. The district is implementing a multiyear strategic vision developed under the previous superintendent, Rachel Monarrez. Among its key features is a push to hire and retain talented teachers, including those who came up through the school system as students. We have heard over and over again, We want our teachers to look more like our students, Allen said. Wheres the best place to get that from? Our own students. Though he never taught in a Worcester classroom himself, instead joining the district directly on the administrative side, Allen knows the value of Worcester students giving back to their community. You can find him in the yearbook of Worcesters South High Community School, Class of 1988. Im a Worcester kid, he said. Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of the Boston legal nonprofit Lawyers for Civil Rights. (Boston Business Journal photo) Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights is in the trenches, fighting multiple key legal battles against the tsunami of shifting policy from the Trump administration. At the organizations helm is Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, whose two-decade legal career has included defending voting rights, workers rights, the LGBTQ community and more. But the civil rights lawyer is best known for his work on immigration issues. Under his leadership, Lawyers for Civil Rights has challenged Trumps effort to discard birthright citizenship, his threats to the federal funding of so-called sanctuary cities and his removal of humanitarian protections for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants fleeing unrest at home. In addition to those high-profile cases, Espinoza-Madrigals group has also filed claims against immigration agents for violently removing passengers from their vehicles and supported people in need of free legal counsel on immigration issues. We are seeing tremendous need on the ground, Espinoza-Madrigal said. And the availability of free legal services is one of the most critical interventions at this time. People need free legal support to be able to navigate what has steadily become significant federal overreach. He is confident in the organizations ability to rise to the occasion. Lawyers for Civil Rights dates back to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, when President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy called on American lawyers to step up in support of the struggle for equality. The organizations history can be traced through cases challenging discriminatory promotion practices in the Boston Police Department, segregation in public housing and immigration arrests in and around Massachusetts courthouses. For inspiration, Espinoza-Madrigal looks to personal mentors who lived through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Some of them, he said, marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965, when police officers brutally beat civil rights demonstrators. He thinks about what they would tell him about the role lawyers and courts play in safeguarding freedoms and dignity. When I think about the challenges were facing today, its important for us to remember that progress is possible, he said. It requires us to think creatively and to have tremendous resilience in the face of adversity. Kimberly Budd speaks at her confirmation hearing as chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court in 2020. (FILE / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE) Kimberly Budd, chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd is about to complete her fifth year leading Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. At age 59, she has more than a decade until mandatory retirement. When Budd was sworn in as chief justice in 2020, she was the youngest person to take the oath in more than a century. Shes also the first Black woman to serve as chief justice. In that role, she serves as the leader of Massachusetts court system, leading not only its highest court but also overseeing the entire judiciary branch. Speaking to members of the Massachusetts bar recently, Budd highlighted some of the ways the courts are coming into the modern age. The system has invested in upgraded WiFi in all its courthouses and piloted digital signage in the Chelsea District Court, she noted. Following her address, Budd was asked about the ways the courts are working to maintain public confidence in the judiciary. She pointed to efforts to make the system more accessible, including for those who dont have lawyers, and also the relaunch of the judicial evaluation process, which was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. That process allows jurors, lawyers and court staff to offer feedback on judges. Were constantly looking for ways to improve. Were not staying static, she said. In 2025, Budd authored the courts decision upholding the legality of the hotly debated MBTA Communities Law, which requires communities served by the T to zone for new housing. The court also heard several other high-profile cases, like Karen Reads double jeopardy appeal and the bar advocate work stoppage that plunged the states trial courts into chaos. Still, 2025 is not some outlier. In 2024, the court ruled that life sentences without the possibility of parole were unconstitutional for emerging adults, a decision that suddenly made dozens of offenders eligible for parole for the first time and drew the ire of prosecutors. That year, the court also found that so-called johns, men accused of paying for sex at a high-end brothel, did not have a right to privacy. But the SJCs work doesnt always draw headlines. The court also reviews every first-degree murder conviction in the state. It decides on complicated legal questions facing Massachusetts, setting new ways of doing business in the states judicial system. Budd will be a key figure behind those decisions for years to come. U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley speaks to reporters at a press conference announcing arrests in connection with an explosion at Harvard Medical School early Saturday. (Charlie McKenna/MassLive) Leah Foley, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts The Trump administration wasted no time in January appointing veteran prosecutor Leah Foley as U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, bypassing the typical drawn-out confirmation process to place her in the position a day after the inauguration in January. Foleys appointment was expected after she was a finalist for the position during the first Trump term. She has spent nearly two decades working in the U.S. Attorneys office in Massachusetts. Before taking over as the top federal prosecutor in the state, Foley worked in the offices narcotics unit. In a state dominated by the Democratic Party but under a Republican federal government, Foley has emerged as arguably the most prominent conservative voice in Massachusetts. She publicly clashed in June with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, who had called federal immigration agents a secret police. Foley said Wus remarks were reckless and inflammatory. In November, Foley blasted Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, another Democrat, who had signaled her disappointment that the state was relatively powerless to take action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foleys public comments on ICE have mirrored the steps her office has taken to carry out the Trump administrations strict federal immigration policy. Her office has also shown willingness to prosecute those accused of interfering with ICE operations. In October, it charged a woman accused of threatening ICE agents while they detained a person outside Malden District Court. State-level politicians are lined up in opposition to Trump. But on matters of federal law, Foley and her office remain the most powerful voice. Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page speaks at a March 4 rally for a ballot question to remove the MCAS graduation requirement outside the Statehouse. (SAM DRYSDALE / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE) State House News Service Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association Max Page is bracing for years of turbulence to come as he guides a 117,000-person educators union through federal cuts to education spending, the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and attempts from the Trump administration to exert more influence over classrooms. As president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Page is responsible for advocating for the best interests of not only teachers, but essentially any adult involved in a public school or college or university, he said. This administration, as many previous authoritarian administrations, wants to control ... public education, pre-K through higher ed, Page, a University of Massachusetts Amherst professor, said in an interview. This moment as head of this union ... is a very fraught one. The last few years have been eventful for the 180-year-old union, which Page has led since 2022. It was one of the key backers of the states Fair Share Amendment, more commonly known as the millionaires tax, and led a campaign to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement. The Fair Share Amendment, which imposed a 4% tax on the portion of a persons income above $1 million, has been a critical resource in defending against Trumps cuts to education, Page said. With funds raised by the tax, the Legislature has directed more than $6 billion toward education and transportation. Free community college, universal school meals and vocational schools have all been funded with Fair Share revenue, Page said. He also suggested Massachusetts could go even further. If were doing all this great stuff and the wealthy are getting wealthier and theyre not leaving, then theres clearly, theres clearly more room to have people contribute their fair share, he said. To that end, Raise Up Massachusetts, an advocacy group the MTA worked with to pass Fair Share, is lobbying for a similar tax on corporations. Its part of a broader strategy for the union, Page said: going on offense. He wants the union not just to react to events as they happen, but to be proactive. As the state with the heritage of the best public education system in the country, we have to actually double down on that by raising the funds, necessarily, by strengthening workers rights, by strengthening how we teach, we actually help defeat a regime that is fundamentally wanting to control and undermine public education, Page said. Sometimes, though, the unions influence comes up short. The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill in October aimed at improving student literacy that the MTA lobbied against. In a letter sent to legislators, Page said the union opposed the bills one-size-fits-all approach to literacy instruction. MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, pictured at a meeting of the MBTA Board of Directors on April 19, 2023. Eng also now serves as interim Massachusetts Transportation Secretary. Phillip Eng, Mass. transportation secretary and MBTA general manager When Phillip Eng arrived in Boston in March 2023 as the new general manager of the MBTA, he inherited a transit system in crisis. Disruptions were rampant on a train network plagued by outdated infrastructure and speed restrictions. In the year before Engs hire, trains had collided and caught fire, and a man was killed when a Red Line train pulled away with his arm caught in the door. Federal officials had outlined significant areas of concern with the safety of the T and demanded improvement. Gov. Maura Healey said Engs hire was the most important appointment she had made to that point in her administration. Two and a half years after Eng pledged an open and strategic plan to turn Greater Bostons public transit around, riders can feel the improvement. After completing an aggressive surge of repairs last year, trains are running noticeably faster. And the T is on its way to meeting the federal governments standards for improved safety. Eng says the Ts goals now include bringing the system into a state of good repair, increasing the frequency and reliability of service and building out resiliency so that normal maintenance issues dont become headaches for riders. Eng is popular among his ridership. In Healeys 2025 State of the State address, mention of his success brought a crowd of lawmakers to their feet. But Eng remains adamant that his work is unfinished. And for him, the work itself has now changed. In addition to still serving in the highly demanding general managers role, Eng also leads the states Department of Transportation. Healey tapped him for the job in October after Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt stepped down. Until Healey appoints a new secretary a job Eng said he would open to holding as long as its needed Eng will have tremendous influence over the commonwealths major transportation projects. He stepped into the expanded role at a time when some of the states most pressing transportation projects have lost or risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. In a period of great uncertainty, Healey is leaning even further on Engs leadership. Theres definitely a fantastic opportunity for me to streamline how transportation agencies work together in this dual role, he added. And I look forward to doing more of that. Vikas Enti, co-founder of Reframe Systems, a Massachusetts-based company that uses robots to produce homes. (Courtesy of Reframe Systems) Vikas Enti, co-founder and CEO of Reframe Systems Massachusetts faces a massive housing crunch. One report from the Healey administration found the state needs to build 222,000 homes over the next decade to meet demand. Many communities once affordable to first-time buyers are now increasingly out of reach, driving outward migration of young adults that threatens to drain the states deep talent pool. Massachusetts cannot afford to wait for more housing supply, the housing advocacy group Abundant Housing Massachusetts said earlier this year. Enter Vikas Enti and his team at Reframe Systems. In 2022, the former Amazon robotics executive partnered with two other former senior engineers of the retail giant to change the way factory-built homes are constructed. By automating a hefty portion of housing production, they aimed to reduce construction costs and increase production. We think there is a path to the future here where we increase housing supply at the right price points that really unlock our ability to build a profitable business, allow developers to be profitable and allow more people to get into homes they can afford, Enti said. Buildings and the construction industry account for more than a third of global carbon emissions. So Enti and his fellow Reframe co-founders also wanted to produce homes that require fewer materials and release fewer toxins into the environment. The housing shortage and climate change are two of the biggest challenges of our generation, Enti said. He hopes Reframe can provide a path to solving both. Robots take on the repetitive, physically demanding aspects of the projects, such as framing walls and ceilings, Enti said. Human workers can then focus on the finer touches, including wiring and plumbing. Were working towards eventually automating 60 to 80% of factory tasks, blending robotic precision with human craftsmanship, Enti said. Reframes first factory is now open in Andover. Its first home, a 900-square-foot two-bedroom in Somerville, was completed last year. Two more Somerville triple-deckers one meant for multigenerational living and one for affordable housing are scheduled to be finished this month. Other homes are planned in Devens and Woburn. A second production facility is planned in Southern California to support the rebuilding of areas of Los Angeles scorched by this years wildfires. The company hopes to build 1 million homes over the next two decades, and estimates that doing so would require 800 factories nationwide. Xiomara Alban DeLobato is the vice president and chief of staff at Western Mass Economic Development Council . (Hoang Leon Nguyen / The Republican) Leon Nguyen Xiomara Alban DeLobato, chief of staff to Western Mass. Economic Development Council Xiomara Alban DeLobato is building a bridge between the world of corporate business and communities in Western Massachusetts. In practice, that means she gets a lot of cups of coffee with key figures on both sides as she works to build relationships. A first-generation American, DeLobato said her parents, both Ecuadorian immigrants, instilled in her a sense of resilience and determination. Before working for the Western Mass. Economic Development Council, DeLobato was a staffer to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, and Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno. Her political experience, which included civic engagement work, has helped her in the business world. To create communities that people want to come to and spend their money at local businesses DeLobato said she tries to get to know each town and city on its own. Using those relationships is a key part of balancing the needs of different communities, she said. Western Massachusetts is not a monolith. The hilltowns are far different from Springfield. But in many cases, theres overlap in their needs. Rural Western Mass. has a lot of areas of disinvestment that need and require this level of focus and attention and care, the same as other parts of ... Springfield or Holyoke or Greenfield, DeLobato said. Asked to point to recent accomplishments, DeLobato cited the Springfield WORKS Cliff Effect Pilot. The program supports those on government assistance programs to prevent what she described as a vicious cycle in which people avoid taking a raise or promotion, which would cost them benefits and leave them overall worse off. As their income from work grows to match or exceed what they had been receiving in assistance, the benefits begin to fall away. Not only is this benefiting our participants, right, our workers who are dedicated and committed and able to do this, its also going to save the state a lot of tax dollars, she said. Looking ahead, DeLobato sees Western Massachusetts as a potential future home for quantum hardware production. The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, based in Holyoke, will soon become what state officials touted as the nations first Quantum Computing Complex, thanks to a partnership between the Healey administration and QuEra Computing. DeLobato said the council is also working to create a quantum accelerator in Springfield. Not only are we working towards this business development, attraction and retention. Its going to naturally, also organically, bring and also allow us to upskill a workforce, she said, noting that Springfield Technical Community College is in the process of creating a Quantum Workforce Academy. Holyoke is going to see the build-out of the first quantum computer in Massachusetts, she said. A 50-year-old man from Massachusetts died after a single-vehicle car crash on Saturday night. Justin Graham, of Lakeville, died as a result of the crash in Freetown, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office said on Sunday morning. At about 11:47 p.m., police were called about a crash on Route 140 southbound at exit 10 in Freetown. When police arrived, troopers found a black Hyundai Elantra in the center median with catastrophic damage. The vehicle appeared to have hit a portion of the guardrail head on and it did not appear that any other vehicles were involved, officials said. Graham was the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, officials said. He was brought to the hospital by first responders and pronounced dead a short time later. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police. The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is one of the 14 Best Large Cap Stocks to Invest In Now. On December 15, TipRanks reported that William Katz from TD Cowen reiterated a Buy rating on The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) and kept the price target at $134. Earlier, on December 11, UBS initiated coverage on The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW), giving the stock a Buy rating and setting the price target at $119. UBS sees the company as a premier player in mass-affluent brokerage and RIA custody. The investment bank pointed out that The Charles Schwab Corporations (NYSE:SCHW) size and efficiency support sustainable advantages. Analysts Get Bullish on Charles Schwab (SCHW) Photo by Brendan Church on Unsplash UBS noted that 2025 was a year of improvement of fundamentals for the company. The firm forecasts The Charles Schwab Corporations (NYSE:SCHW) earnings per share to jump 48% compared to the previous year. The companys management has indicated that it has plans for an aggressive push with a strong product roadmap and strategic mergers and acquisitions. The investment bank projects The Charles Schwab Corporations (NYSE:SCHW) to grow within the 5-7% range by 2027. UBS also expects the companys operating margin to reach the mid-50s by 2028, up from the low 40s in 2024. UBS noted that its view matches with consensus estimates. However, the firm believes that scale, innovation, and market trends position The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) to drive 15% compound annual growth rate in earnings per share through 2028. This should lead to a higher stock multiple over time. The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is an American multinational financial services company that provides a full range of brokerage, banking, and financial advisory services through its operating subsidiaries. While we acknowledge the potential of SCHW as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 14 Most Promising Fintech Stocks to Invest In and 15 Best Technology Penny Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Gusty winds will blow across Massachusetts on Sunday as a cold front moves into the region. Winds could reach up to 35 mph, and temperatures will plummet to single digits tonight into Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Wind chills could drop to below zero in the Berkshires overnight. Temperatures on Sunday will be moderate before the cold front moves in, with most of the state seeing highs in the low to mid-40s. Forecasters also say that they have increasing confidence of accumulating snowfall on Tuesday morning and afternoon. Most areas are likely to see between 1 and 3 inches through Tuesday night, but isolated areas of elevation could see as much as 4 inches. Increasing confidence for a period of accumulating snowfall on Tuesday morning and afternoon. Accumulations will likely be light with most areas seeing between 1 and 3 inches through Tuesday night. Isolated elevated locations may see as much as 4 inches. pic.twitter.com/BQWtB0jYN3 NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) December 20, 2025 Local forecasts for Tuesday: he 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign is an international campaign led by the United Nations to challenge violence against women and girls. From 25 November 10 December, this years 16 Days campaign targets how to end digital violence against women and girls. African Development Bank Director for Women, Gender and Civil Society Jemimah Njuki and Senior Programme Officer Ndey Oley Cole share five bold moves to end digital gender-based violence and unlock Africas digital promise. Every day, countless African women and girls face harassment, threats, and abuse online acts that silence their voices and limit their participation in the digital economy. In sub-Saharan Africa, 34 percent of young people aged between 18 and 24 experience online bullying, and according to UN Women 28 percent of women in sub-Saharan Africa had experienced online violence. These figures underscore that digital Gender-Based Violence is not an abstract problem it is a pervasive barrier to equality, opportunity, and empowerment. As Africa accelerates its digital transformation, we must ensure that safety and inclusion travel together. Ending digital gender-based violence is central to achieving inclusive growth, human dignity, and the promise of Africas digital future. Here are five bold moves we can take to make online spaces safer and more empowering for women and girls. 1 Enact Comprehensive, Gender-Responsive Cyber Laws Many African countries still lack laws that clearly define and criminalise digital forms of gender-based violence. Where legislation exists enforcement often falls short and survivors frequently face limited protection. African governments must develop and enforce laws that recognise digital gender-based violence as a crime, ensure survivor-centred protections, and foster cross-border cooperation to tackle transnational digital abuse. Development partners, including the African Development Bank, are ready to support legal reforms through technical assistance and policy dialogue. 2 Embed Online Safety into Digital and National Development Strategies Despite investments in broadband infrastructure and digital skills, many information and communications technology strategies overlook online safety especially for women. Rwandas National Cyber Security Policy shows how online safety can be integrated into national development agendas. Governments must mandate safety by design, fund public education on digital rights, and include digital safety in school curricula. Aligning investments in technology with secure, inclusive policies ensures that the digital economy benefits everyone. 3 Hold Tech Platforms Accountable Tech platforms profit from African users yet often provide minimal culturally adapted content moderation, limited grievance mechanisms, and inadequate protections for women. The South Africas Film and Publication Board Amendment Act offer benchmarks for transparency, accountability, and timely content removal. Africa needs a regional framework to set minimum safety standards, enforce content regulation, and create real-time grievance redress systems. Platforms must prioritize user safety as they expand across the continent. 4 Invest in Survivor-Led Innovation and Gender-Sensitive Digital Solutions African women are not just victims they are innovators creating tech-enabled solutions. Organizations such as Pollicy in Uganda and the Center for Information Technology and Development in Nigeria develop digital safety tools, train communities, and advocate for online rights. Targeted funding can amplify these efforts. For example, the African Development Banks Korea Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund, in partnership with UN Women, is supporting a project in Cote dIvoire that empowers disadvantaged women and girls through education and digital technology, improving access to decent employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Investing in survivor-led initiatives not only protects women but strengthens the ecosystem for innovation and social change. 5 Build a Pan-African Data System on Digital Gender-Based Violence We cannot solve what we cannot measure. Currently, there is no standardised, continent-wide data on digital gender-based violence, and little disaggregated national data. UN Womens Women Count initiative shows how rigorous, gender-responsive data can drive policy change. Africa needs a continental strategy backed by ethical data collection, gender-disaggregated indicators, and open civil society access. The African Development Banks Gender Data Portal (https://apo-opa.co/4aluszz), the Africa Gender Index Analytical Report (https://apo-opa.co/496KBqp), and capacity-building for national statistics offices are already making progress. Expanding these efforts ensures that policymakers and communities can respond effectively to the scope and trends of digital gender-based violence. A Call to Action Ending digital gender-based violence is achievable but only if governments, tech platforms, funders, and citizens act decisively. Governments must adopt and enforce laws, embed online safety in national strategies, and invest in survivor-led initiatives. Tech platforms must prioritize user protection and accountability. Donors and development partners must fund Gender-responsive innovations. And we all must recognize that a safer digital Africa is not just a moral imperative it is an economic and social one. Africas digital promise depends on women and girls being able to participate safely, freely, and confidently. By taking bold, coordinated action now, we can ensure that the next generation of African innovators and leaders thrives in a digital space that protects, empowers, and uplifts them. Health experts insist for stern policies and regulations on all nicotine products to stop the new wave of addiction among younger people. Trusted Source Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement Unmasking the Potent Toxins of Nicotine That Damage Heart and Blood Vessel Advertisement Experts Warn That Newer Nicotine Products are Entry Points to Smoking Advertisement Integrating Cardiovascular Plans and Online Sales to Shield Youth from Nicotine Addiction Flavour bans for all nicotine products Taxation on all nicotine products that is proportional to nicotine content Plain packaging for all nicotine products Comprehensive indoor and outdoor smoke- and aerosol-free laws Strict online sales controls and social media advertising bans Integration of nicotine prevention into cardiovascular care National cardiovascular prevention plans that explicitly address nicotine Factors Like Pollution and Nicotine are Changing the Fight Against Heart Disease National Smoke-Free Laws Must Evolve to Include Vapes and Heated Tobacco Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat - (https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1010/8377624) (blood vessels), according to a landmark study led by European Society of Cardiology, published in.(The report cautions the increasing wave of nicotine addiction among young people, indicating that 75% of young adult vapers have never used cigarettes.The hidden cost of vaping contributes to serious cardiovascular issues, strokes and other vascular conditions.The report was written by Professor Thomas Munzel from University Medical Centre, Mainz, Germany, Professor Filippo Crea from Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy, Professor Sanjay Rajagopalan from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, USA, and Professor Thomas F. Luscher from Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals, London, UK, President of the European Society of Cardiology.The paper comes at a critical regulatory turning point, following the European Commissions revised Tobacco Taxation Directive, which for the first time introduces a minimum tax on e-liquids, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches.Youth addiction is rising rapidly, fuelled by flavours, social media marketing and regulatory loopholes.Passive exposure to smoke, vape and heated tobacco emissions also causes vascular harm.. Policy gaps persist across Europe, enabling new nicotine products to avoid taxation, packaging rules and public-use restrictions.However, the researchers caution that the longer-term effects of newer tobacco products are not yet known, so more research is needed to fully understand their impacts. They also acknowledge that many people use cigarettes alongside other nicotine products, making it harder to pinpoint the effects of the individual nicotine products.The reports authors call for:Professor Munzel said: . No product that delivers nicotine is safe for the heart.Our findings show that nicotine by itself, even without the multitude of toxic combustion products, tar, or free radicals present in cigarette smoke, drives cardiovascular damage.. Otherwise, we risk losing an entire generation to nicotine addiction.The next heart attack, the next stroke, the next cardiovascular death may not come from a cigarette, but from a flavoured pod, a nicotine pouch, or a waterpipe in a cafe. If Europe fails to act now, we will face the largest nicotine addiction wave since the 1950s.Professor Crea added: . Traditional risk factors are only responsible for around half of cardiovascular disease. The remaining half is explained by emerging risk factors including pollution, depression and infections.Use of nicotine, in any form, also contributes to this cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer, so a strong, comprehensive call to action is needed.Professor Luscher said: .We need political action. Flavour bans, effective taxation, comprehensive advertising restrictions, and the inclusion of vaping and heated tobacco in all smoke-free laws are no longer optional these are essential measures to prevent cardiovascular disease.Science is clear: the cardiovascular toxicity of nicotine is evidence-based by now. The duty now lies with legislators to protect the public, especially children, from a new epidemic of addiction and disease.Source-Eurekalert Europe is unleashing tens of billions in new aid for Ukraine as Russia escalates strikes on key infrastructure, raising the stakes for a U.S.-led peace push that in recent weeks has been moving at full speed. Developments framed high-level peace talks in Berlin, where U.S. envoys spent two-and-a-half days with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders pushing a new framework that includes Article 5-like security guarantees, economic recovery plans, and proposed pathways for resolving territorial disputes as Washington seeks to an end to Russias war in Ukraine that has persisted since February 2022. European Union (EU) Council President Antonio Costa announced Friday that countries will allocate 90 billion euros ($105.5 billion) in aid to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027. We have a deal, Costa wrote on X following the package's approval. Military.com reached out to the White House, U.S. Department of Defense and Russian government for comment. Article 5 Takes Center Stage U.S. envoys spent more than eight hours across two days with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, joined by senior German, British and French officials, according to senior U.S. officials familiar with the talks. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, President of Ukraine, and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy of the United States, stand together for a group photo at the beginning of the Ukraine summit in the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (Kay Nietfeld/Pool Photo via AP) Negotiators made progress on most elements of a detailed multi-point framework designed to lock in security guarantees strong enough to prevent Russia from reigniting the conflict after any agreement. The proposed guarantees are described as Article 5-like, referencing NATOs collective defense principle of all countries defending one another. They include deterrence measures, monitoring mechanisms, military coordination, and deconfliction procedures intended to stop isolated incidents from escalating into renewed fighting. Officials emphasized the guarantees would stop short of NATO membership and would not invoke the alliances formal collective defense clause. U.S. officials have outlined security arrangements that aim to deter future Russian aggression through long-term military coordination, intelligence sharing and rapid-response mechanisms designed to prevent renewed conflict. Billions Flow as Fighting Intensifies The sweeping financial support package for Ukraine comes as broader peace talks remain unresolved. Officials said the funding is critical as Russia intensifies air and missile strikes on ports, energy facilities and other infrastructureincreasing pressure on Kyiv both militarily and economically as negotiations advance. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, front row from left, , Onas Gahr, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Ursula von der Leyen, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, back row from left, stand together in the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, Pool) European officials told U.S. counterparts they view Ukraine as central to continental security and said sustained financial backing is essential to preserve Kyivs leverage at the negotiating table, as well as to prevent an economic collapse that could derail any future peace agreement. European assessments have emphasized that economic collapse, rather than battlefield defeat, remains one of Ukraines greatest vulnerabilities if long-term funding commitments falter. Borders and Nuclear Power Move Toward Resolution Territorial disputes remain among the most sensitive elements of the talks, though officials said negotiators narrowed gaps after working groups produced draft options addressing sovereignty, governance, and economic arrangements tied to contested regions. Negotiators also addressed the future of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, including questions of operational control and electricity distribution if repairs are completed. The Nuclear Energy Agency, even more than three years into the conflict in Eastern Europe, continues to collect information to support its members efforts to maintain and better understand the state of nuclear safety and radiological protection in Ukraine. A view of the remains of Sunrise Park Hotel following Russian shelling, in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, Friday, May 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Andriyenko Andriy) Officials said both Ukraine and Russia have expressed interest in restoring the facility and resuming power production, with discussions exploring a potential split in output once safety, technical and monitoring concerns are resolved, viewing the plant as essential to regional stability and any lasting agreement. Western officials have repeatedly identified control of occupied territory and the safety of nuclear facilities as among the most dangerous unresolved flashpoints in the conflict. Rebuilding Ukraine and the Fight Over Frozen Russian Assets Talks addressed Ukraines long-term economic survival and the unresolved debate over frozen Russian assets, which officials view as central to sustaining any postwar agreement. Officials said international financial institutions and private-sector leaders are working with Kyiv to shape a reconstruction plan focused on transparency, infrastructure rebuilding and compensation for families impacted by the war. A man clears the rubble of his house destroyed after a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko) Frozen Russian assets were discussed as a potential funding source, though officials acknowledged significant legal and political obstacles remain. Officials cautioned that no decision has been made on seizing or reallocating the assets, making the issue one of the most contentious financial questions still facing negotiators. U.S. and European officials have explored using immobilized Russian sovereign assets to help fund reconstruction, even as legal experts warn such moves could trigger court challenges and diplomatic backlash. Washington Weighs New Path to Peace U.S. officials said Washington is considering a broader negotiating format that could include Ukraine, Russia, the United States and European partners directly, marking a potential shift in how talks are structured. Officials cautioned that Russias participation remains uncertain. U.S. intelligence assessments indicate Moscows core war aims have not changed, raising questions about whether the Kremlin is prepared to make meaningful concessions despite diplomatic engagement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will seek to extend its territorial gains if negotiations collapse, reinforcing concerns that talks may be used as leverage rather than a path to compromise. Still, officials said U.S. President Donald Trump remains personally involved and prepared to press the process forward, including seeking Senate approval for any formal security guarantees tied to a final agreement. Working groups are expected to reconvene in the United States in the coming days, with additional travel possible as talks continue. No matter where you doom-scroll, your news feed is most likely filled with tariff talk and the ramifications of the resulting trade war. However, in all the noise, its easy to get lost in the complicated back-and-forth. What you need is a simple explanation of exactly how tariffs work and how they will affect you. So, when in doubt, let AI figure it out for you. Googling something is so tired, so turn to ChatGPT to get inspired and find a guide through all the economic ups and downs. ChatGPT, Explain Tariffs to Me I asked Chat GPT to explain tariffs to me like I was 12 years old. Heres its exact response: Imagine you live in a town where everyone loves candy. Your town makes some pretty good candy, but other towns also make candy and sometimes their candy is cheaper. Trending Now: I Asked ChatGPT How the Average Person Can Make $100K From Home: Heres What It Said Up Next: 9 Low-Effort Ways To Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week) Now, your towns mayor is worried that if everyone keeps buying the cheaper candy from the other towns, the candy makers in your town might not sell enough and could even go out of business. That would be bad for your town. So, the mayor decides: If someone buys candy from another town, they have to pay an extra fee. That extra fee is called a tariff. Its like a special tax just for stuff that comes from somewhere else. Because of the tariff, the candy from other towns becomes more expensive. That way, the candy made in your own town doesnt seem so expensive anymore, and people are more likely to buy local candy. Tariffs in the Real World Clear enough so far! ChatGPT continued: In real life: Countries do this with products like clothes, cars, food and electronics not just candy. They use tariffs to protect their own businesses and workers from too much competition. Sometimes, countries also use tariffs to send a message like, Hey, we think youre being unfair, so were going to make your stuff cost more here! Important thing to know: Tariffs can help local businesses, but they can also make things more expensive for regular people who want to buy stuff. If tariffs get too big, countries can start arguing and even cause something called a trade war (which is just countries fighting about buying and selling stuff). The rather patronizing use of candy aside, I thought that was a pretty clear explanation. So, I decided to see if Chat were now on a first name basis could shed some light on how tariffs might affect me personally. How Will Tariffs Affect Me? So, I asked: Please tell me how very high tariffs, such as the current 145% tariffs on most Chinese goods entering America, could affect a lower- to middle-class American consumer? Residents and community leaders in South Boston are shaking their heads, perplexed by acts of vandalism to three veterans' memorials that occurred earlier this week. Vandals Strike Outrage has grown since the incidents were discovered on Wednesday morning, reported Boston.com. Vandals targeted the communitys Medal of Honor Park, Korean War Memorial, and the Admiral Farragut Statue, knocking over and crumpling up American flags, removing them, and tossing them across a nearby road. The incident is being investigated by local and state authorities, and they believe the vandalism happened between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday. Not much else is known about the incident, but both the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police are investigating. Thomas J. Fitzgerald VFW Post 561, a local veterans organization in South Boston, wrote about vandalism on its Facebook page, wondering why anyone would target memorials. I feel that I can speak for the active duty and veterans that this disrespect of our flag is a slap in the face. Why would someone do this? Do they not know what our flag stands for? The ultimate sacrifice paid by some for our freedom or the pain the families carry who have lost their loved ones," the post states. "This act is unacceptable; we need to hold whoever did this accountable, and we will. Our local politicians are standing with us, and a police report has been filed. If anyone has information, please contact the police. Vandals knocked down American flags and discarded them across a street in one of the incidents. (Photo from Boston.com) Reactions Local politicians were also dismayed by the vandalism, igniting responses from State Rep. David Biele, State Sen. Nick Collins, and City Councilor Ed Flynn. All three came together, with local veterans, for a meeting at Medal of Honor Park to inspect the damage and address the issue. It is unacceptable to cause vandalism to an American flag and/or any veterans' memorial, Flynn wrote in a joint statement with Collins and Biele. These memorials are not just monuments; they are places of remembrance that acknowledge the supreme sacrifice made by these heroic veterans. We stand with our veterans and military families and respect the American flag today and every day. Flynn, who filed a criminal report to the Boston Police Department, would like to see an upgrade in security around the memorials to protect public assets honoring veterans and help law enforcement hold those accountable who violate the law by defacing them. State and local police are investigating the vandalism. (Photo from Boston.com) Flynn is a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Flynn also stated that in times of struggle and unity, the American flag captures the strength and legacy of the U.S., American service members, veterans, Gold Star families, and active-duty military families. We need to increase our security infrastructure, including camera coverage to protect public assets honoring veterans and help law enforcement hold those accountable who violate the law by defacing them, Flynn wrote. Following last nights incident, we must reaffirm our commitment to the values the American Flag represents to so many in South Boston, the Commonwealth, and throughout the nation. The South Boston vandalism follows another incident in Brighton, Colorado, last month, where vandals struck the Adams County Veterans Memorial for the 10th time in two years. Les Schrenk and Casey Bukowski already share a special bond as World War II veterans. After all, not many from the Greatest Generation are still alive. But when Schrenk, 102, and Bukowski, 101, met for the first time to celebrate Schrenks birthday in November, the veterans realized they shared way more in common than simply serving in WWII. Both men were staff sergeants Both were gunners on B17 bombers Both were shot down by enemy forces on the same day Feb. 22, 1944 Both were captured and spent time in the same prison of war camp Schrenk told CBS News Minnesota that hes corresponded with many POWs from World War II through the years, but every one of them is gone for a good number of years now. He was a bit shocked to find out about Bukowski, that he was still alive, and that they shared so many wartime experiences. Planning the Special Meeting Getting these two veterans together took some work. Schrenk lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, while Bukowskis home is near Buffalo, New York. But their friends, Mike Johnson and Jared Cummins, another veteran, started corresponding and when they learned about their near identical stories, they knew they must arrange a meeting. They selected a date and time and chose the St. Paul Air Force Museum as the place. Bukowski admitted to feeling somewhat apprehensive about the meeting, especially sharing memories with another POW, but once he met Schrenk, he felt at ease. Actually, unbelievable. Because I had doubts about what would occur and how to approach this thing, Bukowski said. For Schrenk, the rendezvous was a pleasant way to celebrate birthday No. 102. Les Schrenk. (Photo from CBS News Minnesota) So Close to Each Other When Bukowski and Schrenk hopped into the cockpits of their B17s on Feb. 22, 1944, they didnt realize their lives would soon change. Bukowski suffered injuries when his plane was shot down. I lost my eye at that time and had a shrapnel wound, and I was knocked out, Bukowski said. Both pilots bailed out, deploying parachutes. The Germans grabbed Schrenk in Denmark, and Bukowski was captured in Germany. Thats amazing. We were practically shaking hands, and yet, we didnt know each other, Bukowski said. They were sent to the same POW camp and subjected to the same deplorable conditions. Forced against their will, they were even subjected to an 86-day death march. Many of their comrades didnt survive. We all had very severe dysentery, fleas, lice, and bed bugs. And, of course, the cold, Schrenk said. To make the situation worse, the march came during the infamous winter of 1944-45. Actually, they told us that it was the worst winter in many years. The coldest winter, Bukowski said. Casey Bukowski. (Photo from CBS News Minnesota) Finally Saved, End of the War After more than a year in captivity, the veterans prayers were finally answered. Liberation day. American troops liberated Burkowski about the time British soldiers freed Schrenk. Finally, for us, the war was over, and we were able to think of going home, Bukowski said. Both veterans were likely within earshot of each other as POWs and on the death march, yet more than eight decades passed before they could eventually meet. As they started talking and swapping stories, old photos were passed around. Thats when they noticed another odd coincidence. Posing in flight crew photos, theyre positioned in the same spot back row, second from left. We each brought our own memories back to each other, Bukowski said. We were together but didn't even know it. While so much time has passed since the days of 1944 and 1945, both Schrenk and Bukowski are in relatively strong health, physically and mentally. We are both quite mobile and can clearly remember what happened even 80-some years ago, Schrenk said. More recently, Schrenk flew back to Europe to visit some of the World War II battle sites. He told WBZ News in Boston that hes traveled overseas before, which helped him heal and make amends with former enemies. After the war, actually tracking down the German pilot that shot me down, going to visit him, and becoming friends, Schrenk said. Leaving the military is often treated as a logistical exercise rather than a legal one. Servicemembers focus on employment, housing, and family transitions, while assuming the legal and benefits systems will sort themselves out over time. That assumption is often costly. The most damaging post-service legal problems are rarely dramatic or adversarial. They are administrative mistakes that quietly reduce compensation, delay benefits, or permanently limit eligibility. Understanding these errors before separation can prevent long-term financial and legal harm. Missing Critical Benefits Deadlines The most common and expensive mistake separating servicemembers make is missing deadlines for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. VA disability compensation is governed by strict effective date rules. When a veteran files a disability claim within one year of separation, VA may assign an effective date as early as the day after discharge, maximizing retroactive compensation. Once the one-year window closes, the effective date is generally limited to the date VA receives the claim, regardless of how long the condition has existed, which can cost veterans months or years of back pay. Appeals deadlines are equally unforgiving. After VA issues a decision, a veteran typically has one year to file a Notice of Disagreement. Missing that deadline usually causes the decision to become final, forcing the veteran to restart the process with a new claim rather than correcting the original error. This could change the effective date. VA does offer pre-discharge filing options such as the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program, but those tools only help service members who use them before leaving active duty. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erica Shaw greets a loved one following the USS Gravely's return to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Dec. 13, 2025, after completing a four-month deployment (Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Anderson W. Branch, DoW). Assuming Discharge Upgrades Are Automatic Many veterans believe discharge characterizations improve over time or are automatically reconsidered. That belief is incorrect. A discharge remains unchanged unless the former servicemember affirmatively applies for an upgrade and meets the applicable legal standard. Veterans generally must apply to a Discharge Review Board within 15 years of separation or to a Board for Correction of Military Records if that deadline has passed. Neither board initiates review on its own. Applicants must submit evidence demonstrating the discharge was improper or inequitable, such as service records, medical documentation, character statements, and a written explanation addressing the governing standards. Applications routinely fail when veterans submit only the basic form without supporting materials or miss filing deadlines altogether. An unfavorable discharge can restrict access to VA healthcare, education benefits, and civilian employment opportunities. Treating the upgrade process as automatic often results in permanent loss of those benefits. Misunderstanding Concurrent Receipt of Pay and Benefits Retiring servicemembers frequently misunderstand how military retired pay interacts with VA disability compensation. Federal law allows certain retirees to receive both payments without offset, but only if they qualify under specific statutory programs. Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay allows eligible retirees to receive full retired pay and VA disability compensation simultaneously, while Combat-Related Special Compensation provides a separate, non-taxable payment for combat-related disabilities. These programs have different eligibility requirements, and retirees must elect between them when eligible. Neither benefit applies automatically, and incorrect assumptions about eligibility or elections can reduce monthly income or delay payments. Because these rules combine Department of Defense retirement law with VA disability regulations, errors are common. Reviewing options before retirement decisions become final is critical. A Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 5, 2025 (Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Hannah Kantner, DoW). Moving States Without Understanding Legal Consequences Relocation is common after separation, but moving states can have significant legal consequences. Veterans' benefits vary widely at the state level. Some states offer property tax exemptions, education assistance, hiring preferences, and supplemental healthcare benefits, while others offer very little. Moving without understanding these differences can mean giving up valuable state-level protections. Employment protections can also be affected. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act(USERRA) provides nationwide reemployment protections, but enforcement mechanisms and related employment laws vary by state. Veterans who relocate without updating records or understanding local enforcement may encounter unnecessary obstacles if disputes arise. Leaving Documentation Gaps Unaddressed Documentation problems are among the quietest and most damaging mistakes veterans make. VA claims and military review boards rely almost entirely on written records. Missing service treatment records, incomplete medical documentation, or gaps in personnel files can delay or derail disability claims and discharge upgrades. Many servicemembers assume their records will automatically transfer to VA after separation. In practice, records are often incomplete or missing key entries. Veterans should request and review their service treatment and personnel records before leaving active duty, ensure that all medical conditions are documented, and retain personal copies. Without documentation, proving service connection or correcting errors later becomes significantly more difficult. Protecting Earned Rights After Service The legal risks of leaving the military rarely announce themselves immediately. They surface months or years later as lost back pay, denied benefits, or uncorrectable records. Missing benefits deadlines, assuming discharge upgrades happen automatically, misunderstanding concurrent receipt rules, relocating without planning, and failing to secure complete documentation all fall into this category of quiet but expensive mistakes. Careful preparation before separation and informed follow-through afterward can preserve the benefits, protections, and compensation service members earned through their service. Okay, here is the reworded title and the post as requested. (How Googles Search Algorithm Updates Are Reshaping Global E-Commerce Strategies) Rewritten Title: Googles Secret Formula Fight: Rewriting the Policies for each Online Shop Article: . The net seems like a giant marketplace currently. You can get virtually anything on-line. But getting your products seen? Thats the actual difficulty. Google is the main gatekeeper. They determine what shows up when individuals search. Google keeps transforming the guidelines, though. These rule modifications are Google Look Formula Updates. They take place constantly. They are shocking exactly how on-line stores all over operate. This isnt nearly technology nerds. It affects every shop selling points online. Huge or little. Comprehending these changes is no more optional. Its essential for survival and development. 1. What Exactly Are Google Browse Algorithm Updates? . Consider Google like a super-smart librarian. Its job is to locate the outright finest answer for every concern keyed in into the search box. To do this task well, it makes use of intricate directions, called algorithms. These formulas check out billions of internet sites. They try to identify which ones are most practical, reliable, and relevant for each search. But the web isnt static. New sites pop up. Old ones alter. Individuals search for new points. Criminals attempt to deceive the system. So, Google should continuously improve its instructions. It needs to get better at locating the best answers. This is why Google launches updates to its search formulas. In some cases these updates are little tweaks. Other times, they are significant overhauls with names like Panda, Penguin, or extra recently, updates concentrated on Handy Web content or Page Experience.. These updates change how Google assesses sites. They change what makes a site ranking higher or reduced in search results. For on the internet stores, this implies the strategies that worked the other day could not work tomorrow. An adjustment in Googles algorithm can unexpectedly make your products more challenging to discover. Or it could provide your rivals an edge. Remaining informed about these updates is critical. 2. Why Do These Algorithm Updates Issue A Lot for Ecommerce? . On-line stores live and take a breath by traffic. Obtaining individuals to visit your website is the initial step. For many shops, a massive chunk of this web traffic originates from Google Browse. When someone kinds best running shoes or get organic coffee online, you desire your shop to show up. Ideally high up on the very first web page. Research studies show most clicks go to the top couple of results. Googles formula updates directly manage this exposure. An upgrade can all of a sudden push your well-ranking product web page down to page 2. Page two gets much fewer clicks. Your sales can go down overnight. On the other side, a favorable update favoring your sort of website could increase your traffic dramatically. Beyond just website traffic volume, the quality of website traffic matters. Googles updates aim to compensate websites that offer a terrific individual experience. This consists of quick loading times, simple navigating, and useful information. When your site places well since it meets these requirements, the site visitors are most likely to be really interested. They are more probable to acquire something. Poor website traffic from misleading techniques usually results in high bounce rates and few sales. Disregarding formula updates is dangerous. It implies your shop may be making use of outdated methods. These methods can actually harm your rankings. Remaining upgraded helps you draw in the right clients. It aids you compete effectively in a jampacked on the internet space. 3. Exactly How Should Shopping Companies Reply To Algorithm Modifications? . You can not manage Googles updates. However you can regulate how you react. Reacting well suggests building a strong, durable on-line store. Right heres how:. Focus on Individuals, Not Simply Google: This is the biggest change. Forget about methods to fool the formula. Instead, make your site truly helpful genuine people. Compose item summaries that answer real consumer questions. Produce article or overviews that resolve problems your buyers have. Ensure your site is simple to use on phones. Ensure web pages lots swiftly. Google intends to show individuals the most effective results. Be among those best outcomes. Prioritize Competence and Count On: Google values material developed by individuals that know their things. Program your competence. For an online store, this indicates detailed, exact item information. Consist of clear requirements. Offer genuine customer reviews. Have an Regarding Us page explaining that you are. Link to credible sources if needed. Build depend on with your audience. Technical Health And Wellness is Key: Your site needs to be practically audio. Googles crawlers must be able to conveniently crawl and understand your site. Repair damaged links. Use clear, basic website framework. Apply appropriate schema markup (code that assists Google recognize your item details). Make sure your website functions flawlessly on mobile devices. Quick filling rate is non-negotiable. Construct Genuine Links: Making links from other trustworthy internet sites is still essential. Yet exactly how you earn them issues. Concentrate on creating material so excellent that desire to connect to it naturally. Companion with appropriate bloggers or influencers. Do not buy links or make use of questionable link schemes. Google punishes these. Listen and Adjust: Pay attention to your website analytics. Expect abrupt drops or rises in natural search traffic. These can indicate a formula update influence. Comply with reliable SEO news sources. Prepare to adjust your strategies based on Googles advice and your own information. 4. Applications: Placing These Concepts right into Activity for Your Online Store . Comprehending the why and just how is great. Applying it is much better. Below specify methods global shopping sites make use of these principles:. Revamping Product Pages: Instead of thin descriptions, stores now develop rich web content. They answer common buyer inquiries right on the product web page. They make use of premium pictures and videos. They include comprehensive specifications and clear shipping details. They urge and show authentic consumer evaluations. Creating Absolutely Handy Material: Shops run blog sites, guides, and getting advice sections. A furnishings store could write How to Select the Perfect Sofa for a Little Living Space. An electronic devices store may develop Ultimate Headphone Acquiring Guide. This content draws in individuals researching prior to they buy. It constructs trust fund and knowledge. Maximizing for Mobile Experience: With the majority of searches happening on phones, shops guarantee their sites are mobile-friendly. This implies very easy navigating with a thumb. Huge switches. Fast loading even on slower links. Streamlined checkout procedures. Improving Site Rate: Online stores compress pictures. They make use of effective site code. They take advantage of internet browser caching. They may use a Web content Delivery Network (CDN). Faster web pages keep users pleased and meet Googles requirements. Structured Data for Products: Executing product schema markup helps Google comprehend precisely what youre selling. This can cause richer cause search, like showing cost, availability, and star ratings directly in the search listing. Focusing on Individual Intent: Shops examine what people actually desire when they search for their items. They customize their web content to match this intent. Is the searcher looking to get right now? Or simply researching? The web page web content need to reflect that. 5. FAQs: Common Concerns Regarding Google Updates and Ecommerce . Just how often does Google upgrade its formula? Google makes thousands of changes every year. Many are small. Significant, recognizable updates that drink points up occur numerous times a year. Google typically introduces broad guidance, not every small modification. Can I recuperate if my positions drop after an upgrade? Often, yes. First, check if the decrease results from an update (check SEO information). Then, evaluation Googles standards for that update. Audit your site. Seek areas where you could not be fulfilling the brand-new requirements (like bad web content, technical problems). Make enhancements. Send your website for reconsideration if it was punished. Recuperation takes some time and effort. Is search engine optimization still worth it with all these changes? Definitely. Organic search traffic is extremely beneficial. The technique to SEO has actually altered. Its less regarding shortcuts and more regarding building a truly excellent site that individuals and Google trust. This foundation is extra sustainable long-lasting. Do I need to be a SEO professional to run my online shop? You dont require to be an expert. Yet you need a fundamental understanding. You should recognize the core principles Google worths (like helpful content, good user experience). You can utilize tools to check website wellness. You can employ a search engine optimization expert or firm if required. Remaining notified is vital. (How Googles Search Algorithm Updates Are Reshaping Global E-Commerce Strategies) Where can I find trusted information concerning updates? Follow Googles main blog and Web designer Central networks. Reputable search engine optimization news web sites and experts (like Online search engine Land, Search Engine Journal) provide prompt updates and evaluation. Watch out for resources making dramatic claims or offering quick repairs. Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. The Guardians have designated left-hander Justin Bruihl for assignment, the team announced. Bruihls removal from the 40-man roster opened up a spot for right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who was signed earlier this week. Cleveland acquired Bruihl for cash considerations on Wednesday after Toronto designated him for assignment. The Blue Jays were also making room for a reliever addition, designating Bruihl as the corresponding move after signing Tyler Rogers. Bruihl joined the Blue Jays as a minor league free agent in March. He put together 42 solid innings at Triple-A, earning a promotion to the big-league club. The 28-year-old lefty made 15 appearances with Toronto, recording a 5.27 ERA over 13 2/3 innings. Bruihl punched out 27.7% of the hitters he faced, though it came with a 10.8% walk rate. The brief stint was enough to earn Bruihl a postseason roster spot. He made one appearance in the ALDS, getting knocked around for a couple of runs on three hits while securing just one out. Bruihl was not on the postseason roster following the series against the Yankees. Bruihl has pitched in parts of five MLB seasons for four teams. Hes put together a 4.72 ERA across 94 appearances. The lefty debuted with the Dodgers in 2021. He maintained a semi-regular role in the bullpen over the next three seasons. Bruihl was dealt to Colorado in August 2023. He had brief stints with the Rockies and Pirates before landing in Toronto. The Blue Jays made a notable arsenal change, having Bruihl emphasize his sinker instead of his cutter. Hed typically prioritized a cut fastball, though he did lean on his sweeper as his primary pitch in his time with Pittsburgh. Bruihl had never used the sinker more than 31.7% of the time in the big leagues heading into 2025. He pushed it to 51.1% this past season, while basically scrapping the cutter (7.3% usage). Sinker/sweeper isnt a typical swing-and-miss combo, so its interesting that Bruihl posted the best strikeout numbers of his career. Toronto may have unlocked something in terms of sequencing or location, in addition to the arsenal adjustment, that led to better strikeout results. Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images For years, Dave Jilbert sprayed a highly toxic pesticide called paraquat on his Ohio vineyard. He used it to quickly knock back suckers, shoots that grow at the base of a grapevine, strangling the fruit. But at the age of 61, Jilbert was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. And he now believes paraquat a deadly weed killer thats banned in dozens of countries yet remains legal in the U.S. played a role. Im not a doctor, Jilbert said, but all I know is I used paraquat and I got Parkinsons. In 2025, MLive in Michigan and AL.com in Alabama investigated the current use of paraquat, a heavily regulated weed killer thats the subject of thousands of lawsuits claiming it is linked to Parkinsons. Here are four takeaways from that reporting. The full story can be read here, and here are stories from farmers in Alabama, Michigan and Ohio. 1. Lawsuits blame paraquat for Parkinsons disease In Alabama, farmer Mac Barlow was diagnosed with Parkinson's after years of spraying paraquat. Teri McGrath believes years of exposure to paraquat at her family farm in rural Southwest Michigan contributed to her Parkinsons. In Ohio, theres Dave Jilbert a winemaker who sprayed the pesticide on his vineyard. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2020. Like Barlow, Jilbert is now suing. Photos by Julie Bennett, Isaac Ritchey and David Petkiewicz Paraquat, originally developed by Syngenta and sold by Chevron in the 1960s, rips tissue apart, destroying plants on a molecular level within hours. Its used because its effective at what it does. Its highly toxic. Its very good at killing things, said Geoff Horsfield, policy director at the Environmental Working Group. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates paraquat, labeling it as registered use, with a skull and crossbones, meaning it can only be used by people who have a license. The label also warns that one sip can kill, and splashes can severely burn the skin. Related: Michigan family has 7 Parkinsons cases. Did weed killer play a role? In one case documented by U.S. Poison Centers, a 65-year-old man spilled paraquat on himself and kept working. He died 34 days later as his kidney, lungs and heart stopped working. Lurking behind the immediate risks, though, are concerns about long-term exposure. Thousands of people have sued Syngenta, a manufacturer, and Chevron USA, a seller, over paraquat exposure. Theyre alleging the chemical companies failed to warn of the dangers of paraquat despite knowing it could damage human nerve cells and studies showing its linked to Parkinsons disease. Scientists dont know what, exactly, triggers Parkinsons, a brain disease that impacts movement and gets worse over time. But its likely a mix of genetic, and mostly environmental factors. Mac Barlow, an Alabama farmer who regularly sprayed paraquat to clear his fields before the next growing season, blames the pesticide for his Parkinsons. For about 40 years off and on, Ive been using that stuff, he said. Ill be honest with you, if I knew it was going to be that bad, I would have tried to figure out something else. Related: Alabama farmer has Parkinsons. Hes among thousands who say weed killer is to blame Barlow is one of more than 6,400 people who sued Syngenta and Chevron in a mass district litigation in the U.S. District Court of Southern Illinois. Another 1,300 cases have been brought in Pennsylvania, 450 in California and more are scattered throughout state courts. Chevron, which never manufactured paraquat and hasnt sold it since 1986, has long maintained that it should not be liable in any paraquat litigation. Syngenta has emphasized there is no evidence that paraquat causes Parkinsons disease. We have great sympathy for those suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinsons disease, a Syngenta spokesperson said in a statement. However, it is important to note that the scientific evidence simply does not support a causal link between paraquat and Parkinsons disease, and that paraquat is safe when used as directed. The lawsuits are still pending. 2. Paraquat use increasing As much of the globe has turned away from paraquat, its use has increased in the United States, where it remains legal. Between 11 million and 17 million pounds of paraquat are sprayed annually on American fields, the latest federal data shows, more than doubling from 2012 to 2018. Additionally, U.S. imports of paraquat, mainly flowing from countries where its banned, have also jumped in recent years, according to a report published by three advocacy organizations in October. Imports rose from just 11 million pounds in 2012 to 42 million pounds last year. Critics point to farmers getting trapped on the pesticide treadmill, in which broad pesticide use leads to superweeds that require stronger and stronger pesticides to be knocked down. Paraquat is a burndown, meaning its used to quickly kill weeds or clear a field. Low levels of the chemical residue can linger on food crops, but its highly toxic through direct exposure. 3. Paraquat flows into U.S. from Chinese manufacturers Most of the 40 million and 156 million pounds imported annually over the past eight years comes from Chinese manufacturing facilities, the report found, in either China or Syngentas big factory in northern England. Syngenta, a chemical and seed company that manufactures paraquat under the brand name Gramoxone, is a subsidiary of SinoChem, a company owned by the Chinese government. Related: China banned it, but still sells controversial weed killer in America China profits directly from U.S. paraquat sales and is also a major purchaser of U.S. crops grown with paraquat, the recent report from the advocacy organizations said. About two-thirds of the paraquat imported to the U.S. between 2022 and 2024 came from companies owned by the Chinese government, SinoChem and Red Sun Group, according to the joint report. SinoChem, now a global agrochemical giant, posted $3.4 billion in profit last year. The company is perfectly happy to make (paraquat), get all the economic benefits and then ship it for American workers to be exposed while banning it at home, said Horsfield. 4. Banned globally, legal in America Norway became the first country to outlaw paraquat in 1981 due to the risk of poisoning. One by one, more countries followed suit, and its now prohibited in more than 70 countries. In America, the EPA reauthorized paraquat when it passed a regularly scheduled 15-year review in 2021. The federal agency determined paraquat remains an effective, inexpensive, versatile, and widely used method of weed control, and any risks to workers are outweighed by the benefits of farms using the weed killer. It is one of the mostly highly regulated pesticides available in the United States, the agency said in a statement. But this move was criticized by environmental and farmworker groups that promptly challenged the EPAs decision with a lawsuit. Related: Ohio vineyard owner relied on toxic weed killer. Now facing Parkinsons, he wants it banned The EPA decided to consider the issues raised in the lawsuit last year and started a study thats expected to take four years. But its not focused on Parkinsons disease, rather looking into questions about how the weed killer turns into a vapor that could harm people. The agency in October updated the review, saying its now seeking additional information from Syngenta. And last year, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers, expressing grave concern in letters, urged the EPA to ban paraquat. Due to their heightened exposure to paraquat, farmworkers and rural residents are hardest hit by the harmful health effects of paraquat like Parkinsons, said an Oct. 7, 2024, letter signed by U.S. representatives. A separate letter was signed by a small group of senators. AL.com reporter Margaret Kates contributed to this story. ANN ARBOR, MI As Ann Arbor officials look ahead to 2026 and beyond, theyre thinking a lot about housing and how to expand supply to curb rising costs. Sweeping zoning changes to allow more housing density throughout the city are expected to start next year under a new land-use plan awaiting City Council adoption. That includes doing away with single-family zoning and allowing three-story duplexes and triplexes anywhere theres a single home today, plus more mid-rises and high-rises in various areas. Council members heard from Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation leaders whove been examining the areas housing needs and challenges at the citys annual planning session Dec. 8. President and CEO Shannon Polk and Impact Investing Manager Frances Todoro-Hargreaves shared insights from a Washtenaw County housing study the foundation released over the summer, putting Ann Arbor into a countywide context. They cited a need for more senior housing, potentially thousands more rental units for older households, while saying the county may welcome a total of 16,000 new households by 2045 and some subsidy and land-use reform is needed. As many as 12,000 new households could be absorbed by 2045 just on underutilized land along Washtenaw Avenue between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, they said. Longer-term, the study suggests the corridor could absorb 15,000 to 20,000 housing units over the next several decades. Outside the Arborland shopping center along Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor. MLive file photo. Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Ann Arbor already proactively rezoned over 100 acres along Washtenaw Avenue and East Stadium Boulevard last year for future high-density, downtown-style development. The new housing study suggests establishing a redevelopment corporation to creatively upzone more of the corridor, which goes through multiple city and township jurisdictions, and incentivize redevelopment. Foundation leaders noted rents are rising faster than incomes and in 2024 the average single-family home price in Ann Arbor was $608,229, while countywide it was $475,290. While some areas are pricey, countywide its not an exorbitantly expensive market and there is no county housing crisis at a systems level, they said. With reasonable ratios of prices and income levels, they declared the market is rather healthy and roughly 85% of the countys households are not considered cost burdened, paying less than 30% of their income toward housing. When you talk about whos really being challenged right now as it relates to housing costs, youre really looking at single-parent households, Polk said. Thats where you see the greatest risk, and roughly we have about 4,500 of those that are in real trouble. The foundations 124-page study prepared by consultant czb LLC was partly funded by the Herrick Foundation and the Song Foundation co-founded by former City Council Member Linh Song. A house listed for sale for $640,000 at 552 Fifth St. in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29, 2025. It sold for $682,500 on Dec. 16. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Were looking at roughly 150,000 households across the county, of which 29,000 of them are 65-plus, Polk said. I think thats really important to understand. A lot of our work at the foundation focuses on seniors and this is why. The county had about 12,500 renter households headed by someone 55 or older in 2020, and by 2040 the study projects that will be over 17,300 up 4,800. The University of Michigan also is growing and has an enormous footprint now, Polk said, saying there are a little over 20,000 off-campus student households in the county. Student households are not assumed to be an affordability concern, the study states, drawing attention to about 29,000 renter households with incomes under $50,000. That includes many single parents, seniors and others. As Ann Arbor is undergoing a major housing boom and preparing for more, foundation representatives relayed one word of caution: A return to too much supply may be a real risk. City officials pushed back on that. Were just setting the stage for housing to be built if its needed, as long as its needed, and as much of it is needed, said Council Member Jen Eyer, D-4th Ward. So, when I think about overbuilding being a risk, I think of that as not a risk of the policies that were creating, but a risk of the market. If the market needs more housing, people will build it, Eyer said, and if theres no longer a projected need, theyll stop. The 17-story Rambler apartment high-rise under construction on Church Street in Ann Arbor on Dec. 15, 2025. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Todoro-Hargreaves said the risk is if everybody in the county started building, there could be a lot of vacancy. But she agreed Ann Arbor is more in step with the market and developers are unlikely to come to the city unless they know theyre going to be able to sell their products. But in the county where its all open land and its cheaper ... its a different story, she said. Overbuilding is not a risk for a municipality its a risk for anybody who plays in the market, Mayor Christopher Taylor said. More vacancy can mean lower prices and rents, and from a tenant standpoint, thats a benefit, he said. Council Member Lisa Disch, D-1st Ward, said the trend of rents rising faster than income is very much happening in Ann Arbor. Its both in single-family homes and in rental units, she said. And so when I see that, I think that we do need to provide supply in order to bring those rents down. A newly sold house at 1202 Granger Ave. in Ann Arbor on Nov. 28, 2025. It listed for $638,000 and sold for $650,000. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News As of the 2020 census, about 40% of households in the county just under 60,000 were renters, and the median renter household income as of 2023 was about $50,000, the study states. But the median rent of $1,400 required a household income of about $56,000 to be affordable, the study found, concluding the median renter household has not been able to afford the median rent since at least the early 2010s. It can be debated at what point its called a housing crisis, Disch said, but the trend is alarming. She pointed to a 250-unit affordable housing development on Commerce Boulevard on the citys west site as an example of an attractive development that can help meet the need for more affordable senior housing. More developers are interested in taking advantage of low-income housing tax credits, whether in partnership or separate from the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, Disch said. She noted the city also has an affordable housing millage to help build affordable housing for people with incomes up to 60% of the area median, but she wondered what could be done to provide more missing middle housing. I dont think a single municipality can address all of the housing concerns, which is why weve focused on a countywide perspective, Polk said, suggesting there could be more cooperation across jurisdictions. More affordably priced Townie Homes with tax subsidies are one of the latest solutions in Ann Arbor, while city leaders also have pitched the idea of a pallet home village for the homeless. Avalon Housing's new The Grove at Veridian affordable housing apartments on Platt Road south of Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor on Nov. 28, 2025. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News While most households in the county are doing just fine and theres no crisis for them, Polk said, there are about 20,000 that are vulnerable and about 5,000 that dont have adequate housing, both by cost and quality. Many have figured out workarounds, like sharing housing with friends, she said. However, if you are a single-earner household who doesnt have a bachelors degree, you are in crisis, she said. Even if the stats suggest 85% of the county may be doing pretty well, that still could be leaving out many people of color, said Council Member Chris Watson, D-2nd Ward, citing the percentages of Asian, Black and Hispanic residents. Polk said the study partners were frustrated they were not able to get a racial demographic breakdown, including what type of housing is available to Black and brown households, but the foundation is focused on racial equity. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. KENTWOOD, MI - A Kentwood woman has been charged in a fatal vehicle-pedestrian crash that occurred this past August. Magdalena Vail Molina, 43, is accused of driving on a suspended, revoked or denied license causing death and lying to police. According to Kent County Jail records, Molina is also being held without bail under an ICE detainer, which is a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking local law enforcement to hold a person for potential deportation proceedings. Authorities have not released additional details about the incident. Molina was arrested on Nov. 26 by the Kentwood Police Department, more than three months after the August crash, and was initially held on a $200 bail and $2,000 bond. The criminal charges stem from an accident on Saturday, Aug. 17, when 12-year-old Isaac Rose suffered serious head injuries after being struck by Molinas vehicle while riding his scooter. He was taken off life support on Aug. 21. Roses mother told MLive that her son loved being with his family. His joy was contagious. My son was so loving and caring and funny with a beautiful smile, so many beautiful freckles, she said. Isaac would give the shirt off his back to anyone. MUSKEGON, MI - A new Asian fusion restaurant is coming to downtown Muskegon. The cocktail bar and tasting room will be located at 380 W. Western Ave. Suite 140, the former Subway location. Its expected to open with a soft launch in March 2026 and a grand opening in April. It will be open Wednesday through Sunday. It will serve craft cocktails and Asian fusion small bites and is founded by Kavy Lenon, who owns the Zini vodka brand. This is my backyard, Lenon said. I might as well build a nice tasting room and bring fusion food to the downtown area, instead of having customers traveling to other places. Lets make Muskegon a destination for fusion Asian food. Foodies will be able to sample bites and street food from Asian countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and China. Some of those dishes will include Chinese dim sum, larb (minced meat) from Laos, Thai boat noodles and Japanese souffle pancakes. I want to bring some of those things people see on TikTok, trending, like Oh, I want to try that, but where do I go? Drinks will be made with Zini lychee vodka and Thai mango vodka. A table of Korean street food and drinks made with Zini vodka during a collaboration with K- ROK Korean BBQ & Karaoke Soju Cocktail Bar in Grand Rapids. Photo provided to MLive by Kavy Lenon Lenon plans to rehabilitate the 2,304-square-foot facility located in the Hines Building, a $73,000 investment. The project is expected to create between seven and 10 jobs. Lenon said she plans to work with students in the Culinary Institute of Michigan downtown to curate a new, seasonal menu every three months. She envisions a different student chef working at the restaurant every three months, curating a seasonal menu with a chefs special. She also wants to create an app that would allow customers to provide feedback to the chef - really constructive information so that way when they finish the three months, theyre able to take that and home in on their skills, Lenon said. I just really want to be able to give back to the students and help them because I know in this field its really hard. The Muskegon City Commission approved Tuesday, Dec. 9, a commercial development district and four-year tax exemption for Zini LLC. The propertys taxable value will freeze before construction, allowing Lenon to not have to pay additional property taxes during that time. The ceiling has been taken down in the former Subway location at 380 W. Western Ave. Suite 140 downtown Muskegon. New owner Kavy Lenon is planning a colorful, welcoming ambience for a new Asian fusion cocktail bar and tasting room. Photo provided to MLive by Kavy Lenon Commissioner Katrina Kochin thanked Lenon for investing back into her own community. I think Muskegon is a great place to invest in and am more than thrilled to see Asian fusion coming here to Muskegon, Kochin said. I think thats something we desperately lack, so Im really looking forward to going and checking it out. Lenon is originally from Laos and immigrated to the United States as a child with her family. She now lives in Norton Shores. Kavy Lenon holds up a bottle of Zini vodka at the 2024 Grand Rapids Food and Wine Show. Photo provided to MLive by Kavy Lenon Business hours are expected to be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Lenon plans to do extra foodie specials and possible brunch options on Sundays. A K-Pop themed Korean street food night is also in the plans. BAY CITY, MI Bay City could lose nearly $2 million that had been meant to reimbursement for its portion of an ongoing bridge project. Meanwhile, a Bay City couple is transforming a church near downtown into a medieval-themed brewery. Those stories and more are included below in this weeks roundup of headlines you may have missed. Bay City could lose $1.6M for bridge project: It is going to impact us The city may be losing out on nearly $2 million previously earmarked to cover city expenses as part of the Lafayette Bridge project. Bay City Manager Dana Muscott acknowledged this week that the funding, approved during the 2023-24 fiscal year for the three-year reconstruction of the state-owned and operated Lafayette Bridge, is currently on the chopping block as state GOP legislators have paused $645 million in work projects for review. It is going to impact us, Muscott told commissioners at a Monday, Dec. 15, meeting. Its going to hit our budget. It was budgeted for this year. Were going to have to take a look at what were going to have to cut in the street budget, which we dont want to do. Were going to have to look at maybe being creative and try and find some money in other funds. Read the full story here. Michigan couple transforming former church into a medieval-themed brewery Engineers by trade, Zeke and Stephanie Carlyon are transforming a former church near downtown into a brewery, creating what they envision as an immersive experience rather than just another bar. The project has been in the works for about two years, with the husband-and-wife owners finding the former First Congregational Church at 900 6th St. this past summer. Their plan is to turn it into Next Quest Brewing, a transition that is already underway. We just love the people, Stephanie Carlyon said Wednesday, Dec. 17, standing inside the former church that is still in the early stages of being remodeled. Beer people are happy people. So we wanted to do it ourselves. Read the full story here. Excitement brewing for North Peak in Bay City, but opening date still unclear If the signage is any indication, one of the citys most anticipated new businesses should be opening its doors sometime soon. At least, thats the hope. The words North Peak now appear atop the building at the corner of North Water and Third streets in downtown Bay City, a beacon of hope for residents who have waited patiently since 2017 for North Peak Brewing Co. to open at what was formerly The Atrium. Where there was once Stein Haus, across from the historic St. Laurent Brothers, a sign on a doorway hints at the conjoined bar Kilkennys Irish Pub, also coming soon. Read the full story here. Bay City Commission to review appointment process after resident concerns The city commission may revisit the process through which it votes on new appointments in the wake of concerns voiced by residents in chambers and on social media after the Nov. 24 appointment of the new 3rd Ward commissioner. Bay City Commission President and 6th Ward Commissioner Alex Dewitt said Tuesday, Dec. 16, the commission will be examining its voting method for appointing new commissioners when a vacancy is created on the board. Theres a process being worked on, hopefully, to be introduced at the next meeting, Dewitt said. Read the full story here. Former Bay City theater officials to pay back thousands in misused loan settlement A settlement has been reached between the trustee representing the State Theatre and three people alleged to have misled venue officials when they took out a series of loans that did not benefit the theater and ultimately led to its downfall. Judge Daniel S. Opperman on Dec. 10 granted a motion seeking approval of a compromise in the federal bankruptcy court case pitting the estate of the theater against former Bay City State Theatre Director Mike Bacigalupo, former board chairman Mark Delestowicz and former board treasurer Stephanie Martinez. The settlement calls for Bacigalupo to pay $72,000 and for Delestowicz and Martinez to pay the sum of $200,000 on or before Dec. 31. Read the full story here. Bay Citys overnight shelter for unhoused delayed to 2026 An overnight drop-in shelter for unhoused people in Bay City wont be open until 2026, officials said Tuesday, Dec. 16. The shelter, which is being added in a previously unused portion of the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, 713 9th St., was approved in July with the hopes that it would be open by the time temperatures dropped below freezing. However, officials said earlier this year that the shelter was expected to open in mid-November, in time for colder weather but later than originally projected. Construction hurdles and asbestos removal were among the causes of the delay, officials said. Read the full story here. Bay Citys Midland Street gains new sandwich shop and event space The 500 block building on East Midland Street has opened two new businesses. The building houses Izakaya, 512 E. Midland St., a Japanese-forward restaurant; Chapterhouse, an event space; and Pfunds Sandwich Company, 508 E. Midland St. Owner Roy Pfund launched the sandwich shop because he likes sandwiches himself. Read the full story here. Bay City man gets 8-22 years in prison for killing man at Baytown Family Neighborhood A Bay City man is to spend the next few years behind bars for fatally shooting a man at Baytown Family Neighborhood. Bay County Circuit Judge Jessie Scott Wood on Monday, Dec. 15, sentenced 21-year-old JaiMari K. Campbell to 100 to 270 months in prison, or 8.3 to 22.5 years. She gave him credit for 404 days already served in the county jail and ordered he pay $258 in fines and costs. Jurors in November found Campbell guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the October 2024 death of Toryon T. Patterson, 26. The jury did not convict him of the murder charge he faced at the trials outset. Prior to trial, Campbell rejected the prosecutions offer to plead guilty to second-degree murder with a 27-year prison sentence. Read the full story here. Key Points Pfizer has at least two key candidates in the pipeline that look like future winners. Merck has launched several products in preparation for a massive upcoming patent cliff. One of these drugmakers has made more headway towards addressing its challenges. 10 stocks we like better than Pfizer Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Merck (NYSE: MRK) are two pharmaceutical giants that have lagged broader equities this year. Both have delivered unimpressive financial results recently, and are facing a somewhat uncertain medium-term outlook as they seek ways to navigate upcoming patent cliffs. Both could make significant progress toward that goal in 2026, but which one is the better option for investors heading into the new year? Let's find out. Image source: Getty Images. The case for Pfizer Pfizer's Eliquis, a blood thinner and one of its best-selling therapies, will lose patent exclusivity within the next few years. In the meantime, the company's performance leaves a lot to be desired. Revenue and earnings growth have been slow (at best) in recent years -- so the patent cliff will only worsen things. Thankfully, the drugmaker has taken steps to address its issues. Pfizer has significantly expanded its pipeline thanks to internal efforts, acquisitions, and licensing deals. These initiatives helped it launch brand-new products. Most of these aren't yet making a significant impact on its financial results, but more are on the way. Two in particular are worth mentioning. The first is MET-097i, an investigational GLP-1 weight loss asset. This medicine performed well in phase 2 studies. Not only did MET-097i induce substantial weight loss, but it also did so with fewer side effects than many other GLP-1 candidates -- all with a long-acting dosing schedule that could prove a significant advantage in the fast-growing anti-obesity market. There is still work to be done before Pfizer can launch MET-097i, but the medicine appears promising. Then there's PF-4404, an investigational cancer therapy. Management believes PF-4404 has the profile of a pipeline drug, meaning it could earn many indications and become a standard of care for certain cancers, potentially generating blockbuster sales in the process. Pfizer has already initiated phase 3 studies for PF-4404, with additional studies to follow. Besides Pfizer's efforts to boost sales and circumvent patent cliffs, the company has also worked to improve its margins and bottom line. Its cost-cutting initiatives are helping in that regard. And thanks to a deal with the White House, it will be exempt from tariffs for three years in exchange for selling some medicines at reduced prices to U.S. patients. Pfizer is slowly building for the future, and its efforts could pay off for patient investors in the long run. Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Anil Kapoor pens emotional note for Feroz Khan as Welcome marks 18 years: Incomplete without RDX Anupam Kher and Kareena Kapoor shared the screen in Refugee Gayatri Rani is a Senior-Sub Editor with over three years of experience in delivering Hollywood and Bollywood news. While filming an intense action sequence for Awarapan 2, the actor reportedly sustained a serious abdominal tissue tear that required immediate medical intervention and surgery. Entertainment desk Entertainment Desk at Moneycontrol reports on the celebrities, movies that shape Indias entertainment industry. With a sharp focus on cinema, OTT, web series, and latest trends, the entertainment desk delivers verified news, and analytical stories that place entertainment within a wider economic and cultural context. Our coverage goes beyond celebrity to examine how storytelling, audiences and business decisions influence one of the countrys most influential creative industries. 1 / 8 The Slapping Incident on Money Hai Toh Honey Hai (2008) During the filming of Money Hai Toh Honey Hai, Govinda slapped a fan, Santosh Rai, on set, sparking a legal battle that lasted nearly a decade. The Supreme Court eventually ordered him to apologize, which he did in 2017 along with financial compensation, putting an end to the controversy. Ragini Jaiswal Entertainment journalist and content writer with 3+ years of experience covering Bollywood, lifestyle trends, and celebrity stories across leading digital platforms. Gayatri Rani is a Senior-Sub Editor with over three years of experience in delivering Hollywood and Bollywood news. Indian carriers are scheduled to induct some 1,700 aircraft over a period of time. Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Broader indices outperform with muted gains; smallcaps jump up to 27% Activists said that the Aravalli range acts as a natural shield for the Delhi-NCR region, helping curb pollution, prevent desertification and mitigate water scarcity. Prince George has helped serve Christmas dinner to the homeless. Princes William and George with The Passage's head chef, Claudette The 12-year-old prince joined his father Prince William, 43, at The Passage in London earlier this week, 32 years after the Prince of Wales joined his mother, the late Princess Diana, in visiting the shelter. Mick Clarke, chief executive of the Passage, said George was "very much" willing to get "stuck in" to helping with the preparations for a meal for 150. He said: "It was really about, 'Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in?' And he very much was. "Very much like his dad, actually - just wanted to get stuck in and help. "A lovely kid is how I would describe him, and he just really seemed very interested in the work that we do and particularly in talking to people who have used our services." William and George enjoyed some competition while preparing the food. Mick said: "William was on the sprouts, getting his sprouts ready so they could go into the steamer, and Prince George was helping with the Yorkshire puddings." George signed The Passage's guest book on the same page that Diana and William had in December 1993. Mick said: "[It was a] lovely, beautiful moment - I think particularly with Prince William pointing out to George, 'This is my mum's signature. This was the first time that she brought me here.' And it felt a bit like a proud dad moment, I thought, which was really lovely to see, because William is incredibly genuine and authentic, passionate about this issue and loves the passage. It just really felt that he was really proud to say, Look, this is a place that Im passionate about. Im really pleased to be able to share that with you and show it to you. He [George] was fascinated with it. He was like, Wow, OK. "It kind of felt full circle, really - 1993 through to 2025, with William bringing George." As Mick showed George around the centre, he told the prince about their No Night Out campaign, which aims to offer early support to prevent people from spending even one night on the streets. He said: I said, you know your dads been involved with The Passage for many, many years. Your grandma took him to The Passage when he was about your age. And what youre going to be doing today is helping us prepare for our Christmas lunch, which is a really important day because its for people who perhaps wont have a place that they can call home this Christmas. George also helped volunteers create care packages of around 30 items, including 10 vouchers for Greggs, toiletries, snack bars and socks, which would be distributed to people unable to attend the lunch, and helped decorate a tree which had been donated from Westminster Abbey following his mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales' carol service earlier this month. Ray Dalio has always remained cautious about crypto. While he does hold a little bit of Bitcoin (BTC), he prefers to put his faith in gold. In a recent podcast, the billionaire hedge fund founder revealed why central banks are also unlikely to embrace it. Related: Central Bankers Criticize Bitcoin as Speculative Vehicle Bearish on fiat, but still cautious on crypto While Dalio expressed skepticism about Bitcoin as a reserve asset, he was clear that his caution does not stem from confidence in government-issued money. He reiterated that he remains bearish on fiat currencies, saying persistent debt and money printing continue to erode their value over time. That outlook explains why he still holds some Bitcoin, even if it plays a minor role in his portfolio. I have a little bit of Bitcoin, Dalio said, but for me, its not as attractive as gold," Dalio said. Ray Dalio (Photo by Harry Murphy/Web Summit via Sportsfile)Photo by Harry Murphy/Web Summit via Sportsfile Photo by Harry Murphy/Web Summit via Sportsfile Why central banks may avoid Bitcoin During Nikhil Kamath's WTF Podcast, released on Dec. 20, the legendary macro investor said Bitcoins design and structural risks make it unlikely to be widely adopted by central banks as a reserve asset, despite its fixed supply and growing perception as a form of money. Bitcoin is limited in supply, and its perceived as money, as a storehold of wealth, that is unlikely to be significantly held by central banks and many others." According to Dalio, one of the core issues is control and transparency. Unlike physical gold, Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public blockchain and can be monitored. "Governments can monitor what the transactions are. And governments can interfere with those transactions," Dalio explained. Gold is the only asset that you can have that they cant mess with and control...that's not true of Bitcoin." For central banks, which prioritize assets that function reliably during crises and geopolitical stress, that distinction matters. Dalio also pointed to technological and security risks. He raised concerns about whether Bitcoin could one day be cracked, broken, or controlled, comparing those uncertainties to the idea of synthetic alternatives that might undermine scarcity, similar to how synthetic diamonds exist alongside natural ones. Dalio's comments appear at a time when Bitcoin is experiencing increased volatility, especially over the last few months. At the time of reporting, Bitcoin was down to $87,944.77, a 0.2% drop in the past 24 hours and a 22.1% drop in the past three months, as per CoinGecko. More News: Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Aravallis redefined: SC rejected 100-m formula in 2010; why recommend it now, asks Ashok Gehlot Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Astronaut now recognised profession in India, says 'Gaganyatri' Shukla; asks youth to aim for moon Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Bihar doctor whose hijab CM Nitish Kumar pulled down fails to join duty You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All 'Casteist slurs used against me: Air India Express pilot responds to assault allegation Do we need constitutional approval to know Sun rises in east: Mohan Bhagwat says, 'India is Hindu nation' Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Don Haji Mastan's daughter seeks help from PM Modi, says 'was forcefully married to cousin, raped' From air crash to terror attacks: How deadly tragedies shook India every month of 2025 2025 was marked by a succession of deadly incidents across India, with plane crashes, terror attacks, stampedes, fires, explosions and natural disasters claiming hundreds of lives. From crowded religious gatherings and political rallies to infrastructure sites and public spaces, the tragedies exposed repeated failures in safety planning, regulation and emergency response across sectors and states. Here is a month-by-month look at the major tragedies that defined India in 2025: January Tirupati stampede On January 8, a stampede near ticket counters at Tirupati during preparations for the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival claimed six lives and left several others injured. The rush was triggered by overcrowding and confusion over the opening of a gate for special darshan tokens. While overall crowd management measures helped stabilise the situation later, a lapse at one location proved fatal. Kumbh Mela stampede On January 29, at least 30 people were killed, and 60 were injured during a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The incident occurred on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious bathing days, as thousands of pilgrims converged at the Sangam. The 45-day festival ultimately saw over 660 million visitors. February Delhi railway station stampede Late on February 15, a sudden surge of passengers at New Delhi Railway Station led to a deadly stampede that killed at least 18 people and injured 15 others. Severe overcrowding on platforms 12 and 14, as pilgrims waited for trains to Prayagraj for the Kumbh, triggered panic and chaos. Telangana tunnel collapse On February 22, a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel under construction collapsed in Nagarkurnool district, trapping workers inside. After days of rescue efforts in hazardous conditions, at least eight workers were confirmed dead, raising serious concerns over safety practices at large infrastructure sites. April Pahalgam attack On April 22, terrorists opened fire in Jammu and Kashmirs Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, killing 26 civilians, most of them tourists. The attack led to Operation Sindoor on May 7, with Indian forces striking terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. A four-day military confrontation followed before a ceasefire was reached on May 10. June Air India plane crash On June 12, London-bound Air India Flight 171 crashed moments after take-off from Ahmedabads Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people. While one passenger survived, 241 onboard were killed, along with several people on the ground, taking the total death toll to 260. The investigation into one of the deadliest plane crashes in Indias history remains ongoing. RCB celebrations stampede On June 4, celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengalurus IPL victory turned tragic near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Over two lakh fans gathered for a felicitation event, leading to a massive crowd crush. Eleven people died of asphyxia, and many others were injured, exposing glaring failures in crowd management. Telangana chemical factory explosion On June 30, a powerful explosion at Sigachi Industries Limited in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district, killed 54 people and left eight missing. The blast flattened a three-storey building. A technical committee later cited gross negligence, including untrained staff and outdated machinery, as key causes. Watch: 2025 Recap: From Operation Sindoor To Maha Kumbh Stampedes & Deadly Disasters, news that shook India August Uttarkashi flash flood On August 5, a cloudburst, later suspected to be a glacial lake outburst, struck Dharali and Harsil villages in Uttarkashi. Flash floods along the Kheer Ganga river killed at least five people, with more than 50, including 11 Army personnel, reported missing. Nearly 30 homes and 20 hotels were destroyed. Over 400 people were evacuated in a large-scale rescue operation. Kishtwar flash flood On August 14, a cloudburst hit Chasoti village in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, killing at least 50 people and injuring over 100 others. The disaster struck during the Machail Mata yatra, catching a large gathering of pilgrims off guard. Rescue operations were hampered by difficult terrain. September Vijay rally tragedy On September 27, a stampede during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally in Velusamypuram, Karur district, killed 41 people and injured more than 100. The crowd surged towards actor-politician Vijays convoy after his arrival was delayed by nearly seven hours, leading to chaos and crowd mismanagement. November Delhi blast On November 10, a car explosion near Delhis Red Fort killed 15 people and injured several others in a terror-related incident. The blast occurred amid nationwide raids linked to a larger terror network. Multiple arrests followed, and investigations are ongoing. Nowgam explosion Late on November 14, an accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir killed at least nine people and injured 29 others. The blast occurred while personnel were extracting samples from seized explosives linked to a terror module. October Kurnool bus fire At least 19 passengers were killed and several others injured after a Bengaluru-bound private sleeper bus caught fire in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh early on Friday (October 24, 2025). The bus, travelling from Hyderabad with 43 passengers onboard, went up in flames near Chinnatekuru village around 3.30 am. Police said the fire broke out after the bus hit a motorbike, killing the rider on the spot. The bike was dragged under the vehicle, triggering sparks that caused the blaze December Goa nightclub fire On December 6, a massive fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, killed 25 people. Investigators found that the venue lacked basic fire safety equipment and proper emergency exits. The owners were arrested after fleeing abroad and now face trial. Microsoft has a strong competitive position in two markets: enterprise software and cloud computing. It is the largest enterprise software company in the world. While best known for its office productivity suite Microsoft 365, its portfolio also includes popular applications for business intelligence, cybersecurity, and enterprise resource planning. Meanwhile, Microsoft Azure is the second-largest cloud services provider. Wall Street expects Meta's earnings to increase at 17% annually over the next three years. That makes the current valuation of 29 times earnings look quite reasonable. Indeed, among 71 analysts, Meta has a median target price of $842 per share. That implies 28% upside from its current share price of $658. Meta is using artificial intelligence (AI) -- from custom chips to proprietary large language models -- to improve user engagement and advertising conversions across its portfolio of industry-leading social media. It is also developing a superintelligence system to integrate with its smart glasses. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says glasses will be our "primary computing devices" in the future. Meta has a strong presence in two industries: digital advertising and smart glasses. It owns three of the four most popular social media networks , which lets it collect user data and target media content. That advantage has made Meta the second-largest adtech company in the world. But the company also dominates the nascent smart glasses market. Laffont had nearly 18% of his portfolio invested in three artificial intelligence stocks (each worth well over $1 trillion) as of the third quarter: 7.3% in Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), 5.9% in Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and 4.7% in Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). He clearly has a great deal of confidence in those companies, and Wall Street anticipates substantial upside in all three stocks in the next year. Billionaire Philippe Laffont runs Coatue Management, a hedge fund that outperformed the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) by 94 percentage points over the last three years. That makes him an excellent source of inspiration. Amazon is leaning on artificial intelligence to makes its e-commerce business more profitable and to increase cloud computing sales. Microsoft has added generative artificial intelligence features (Copilots) to many of its software products, and its data center footprint is expanding rapidly. Meta Platforms is using artificial intelligence to improve user engagement and advertising outcomes across its social media networks. Story Continues Microsoft is monetizing AI across its software and cloud businesses. CEO Satya Nadella says customers are adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot (a generative AI assistant) faster than any new product. Additionally, its entire family of Copilot applications topped 150 million monthly active users in the quarter ended in September, up from 100 million in the quarter ended in June. Microsoft Azure has gained about 3 percentage points of market share since the AI boom started, despite compute capacity constraints. However, the company is building out its data center capacity faster than any other cloud provider, according to Satya Nadella. Azure plans to double its data center footprint in the next two years. Wall Street expects Microsoft's earnings to increase at 14% annually over the next three years. That makes the current valuation of 35 times earnings look somewhat expensive, though investors eager to own the stock could still buy a small position today. Among 62 analysts, Microsoft has a median target price of $631 per share. That implies 30% upside from its current share price of $485. Amazon: 32% upside implied by the median target price Amazon has a strong competitive position in three industries: e-commerce, advertising, and cloud computing. It runs the largest online marketplace in North America and Western Europe. The company dominates retail media, one of the fastest-growing verticals in the broader digital advertising market. And Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the leader in cloud infrastructure and platform services. In retail, Amazon has built an artificial intelligence shopping assistant called Rufus that is on pace to deliver $10 billion in sales in 2025. Shoppers who engage the conversational chatbot are 60% more likely to make a purchase. Amazon has also developed generative AI tools that improve inventory placement, robot productivity, and last-mile delivery. Meanwhile, AWS is introducing artificial intelligence features at a rapid clip. In the last few months, the company added tools to Bedrock AgentCore that help developers build and deploy generative AI agents. AWS also added agents for software development, security fixes, and performance monitoring. And it expanded its portfolio of pre-trained models. Wall Street expects Amazon's earnings to increase at 18% annually over the next three years. That makes the current valuation of 32 times earnings look reasonable. Indeed, among 73 analysts, Amazon has a median target price of $300 per share. That implies 32% upside from its current share price of $228. Should you buy stock in Meta Platforms right now? Before you buy stock in Meta Platforms, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Meta Platforms wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $509,039!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,109,506!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 972% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 193% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of December 15, 2025 Trevor Jennewine has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Billionaire Philippe Laffont Has 18% of His Portfolio Invested in 3 Trillion-Dollar AI Stocks. Wall Street Says They Can Soar in 2026. was originally published by The Motley Fool Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to How thieves used Google Maps to target homes across three states The accused, Monish, 26, is a resident of Jahangirpuri in north Delhi. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Mallikarjun Kharge says confusion over leadership in Karnataka is local, not at high command level Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Mumbai civic polls: Congress decides to go solo as rift in MVA widens "There is no bad blood among us (with Congress) despite not having an alliance in Mumbai," he added. The two companies Mike Repole co-founded and then sold to Coca-Cola, Glaceau and BodyArmor, transformed him into one of the most successful beverage entrepreneurs of his generation. (Image credit: Babson) 'If these employees work diligently, helping the company save a million yuan (about Rs 1.3 crore) annually isnt out of the question,' general manager Wang Jiayuan said. (AI-generated image) Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All South Africa shooting: 10 killed, 10 injured as gunmen open fire near tavern outside Johannesburg Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Asim Munir asks Afghan Taliban to choose between TTP and Pakistan US delays H-1B visa interviews in India: Why workers are stranded till 202627 and what happens next The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is one of the best aerospace and defense stocks to buy, according to Wall Street analysts. On December 16, Boeing landed a $930.77 million U.S. Navy contract to extend the service life of up to 60 F/A18 E/F Super Hornets. The agreement covers upgrades that will push the aircrafts lifespan from 6,000 to 10,000 flight hours and add Block III avionics capabilities. Boeing (BA) Secures Major Navy Contract as Ratings Agencies Turn More Positive Work will be split between San Diego and San Antonio, each handling 44%, with the remaining 12% completed in St. Louis. The program runs through November 2028. No funds were obligated at the time of award; instead, financing will be assigned as individual orders are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland, is overseeing the contract. On December 12, Moodys reaffirmed Boeings Baa3 senior unsecured rating and revised its outlook to stable after the company completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems. The agency pointed to improvements in quality and safety, strong liquidity of about $29 billion, and Boeings solid position in both commercial and defense markets. Boeings backlog stood at $636 billion at the end of September, equal to roughly eight to nine years of production. Moodys said Boeing is likely to prioritize balance sheet repair, with significant debt coming due in 2026 and 2027. Free cash flow is expected to turn positive in 2026 and improve in the years that follow. The Spirit deal was considered ratings-neutral, aided by Boeings repayment of $3 billion of Spirits secured debt, while governance scores were raised to reflect better oversight and production discipline. Separately, on December 12, Citi initiated coverage of Boeing with a Buy rating and a $265 price target, calling the company a compelling largecap turnaround play amid longterm aerospace megatrends. The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is a global aerospace leader that designs, manufactures, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense systems, and space technologies. The company operates through three divisions: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and Global Services, which provides maintenance, engineering, supply chain, training, and digital solutions to customers worldwide. While we acknowledge the potential of BA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. Indian visa services suspended in Chittagong as unrest erupts after Hadis killing Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Jam every road and street of Pakistan: PTI announces nationwide shutdown after Imran Khan sentenced No one saw or heard anything: No evidence of Blasphemy in lynching of Hindu man in Bangladesh, probe says Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Yunus says Osman Hadi will live in our hearts, 10 arrested in Dipu Chandra Das killing | Top updates Putin says Trump is right to sue the BBC after claim his speech was doctored Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to South Carolina road rage: US authorities said it was self-defence. Evidence and witness accounts suggest a murkier story Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All The Mystery of EFTA00000468: DOJ quietly scrubs Trump photo as 16 Epstein files vanish Im gonna try to help set it up, and then Im gonna hopefully go back to my normal life, Kushner said in October. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Why South Korea wants nuclear-powered submarines and what it means for Asia Investing.com -- Bank of America analyst Christopher Kuplent said in a note to clients Thursday that BPs surprise chief executive transition adds a fresh layer of uncertainty to a company still grappling with strategic and financial challenges, despite hopes for renewed momentum under new leadership. BP announced Thursday that it will appoint current Woodside Energy CEO Meg ONeill as chief executive from April 2026. Kuplent believes investors are likely to be positive regarding an external appointment; however, he fears near-term uncertainty over BPs restructuring progress. Until ONeills arrival, Carol Howle will serve as interim CEO, while Murray Auchincloss will remain in an advisory role to support what BP described as a smooth transition, according to BofA. BofA framed the leadership change as the latest step in a broader reset. The analyst feels investors may balance hope for accelerated self-help momentum containing more radical restructuring against concerns about BPs future direction. The bank reiterated its Underperform rating and 375p price target on BP shares, arguing the stock remains constrained by what it called the companys Big Oil Trilemma. BofA estimates that BP requires around $65 per barrel Brent prices to fund capex, dividends and buybacks organically, above its $60 forecast for 2026. The bank was also critical of BPs asset disposal programme, warning that most disposals leave BP investors poorer off. Kuplent estimated that selling $20bn of assets at current yields would reduce group free cash flow by about $2bn, while also shortening the life of remaining cash flows. The relative valuation remains unattractive, according to BofA, with BPs forecast free cash flow yield only marginally above better-capitalised peers Shell and TotalEnergies. Related articles BP stock: New CEO, now what? Silver's Bullish Pattern Points Higher Keep an Eye on $52 Resistance Zone 10 Beaten-Down Large-Cap Tech Stocks Offering Solid Upside Potential Last weeks posts on Moon of Alabama: DNI Tulsi Gabbard @DNIGabbard 21:02 utc Dec 20, 2025 No, this is a lie and propaganda @Reuters is willingly pushing on behalf of warmongers who want to undermine President Trumps tireless efforts to end this bloody war that has resulted in more than a million casualties on both sides. Dangerously, you are promoting this false narrative to block President Trumps peace effort, and fomenting hysteria and fear among the people to get them to support the escalation of war, which is what NATO and the EU really want in order to pull the United States military directly into war with Russia. The truth is the US intelligence community has briefed policymakers, including the Democrat HPSCI member quoted by Reuters, that US Intelligence assesses that Russia seeks to avoid a larger war with NATO. It also assesses that, as the last few years have shown, Russias battlefield performance indicates it does not currently have the capability to conquer and occupy all of Ukraine, let alone Europe. President Donald Trump makes an announcement about lowering the cost of drug prices, at the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2025. REUTERS (Reuters) President Donald Trump and nine major pharmaceutical companies on Friday announced deals that will slash the prices of their medicines for the governments Medicaid program and for cash payers, in his latest bid to align U.S. costs with those in other wealthy nations. Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Merck and Roches U.S. unit Genentech have struck deals. Novartis, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi and GSK have also signed on. We were subsidizing the entire world. Were not doing it anymore, Trump said at a White House press conference, flanked by nine drugmaker executives. U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations, and Trump has been pressuring drugmakers to lower their prices to what patients pay elsewhere. Despite the announcements, shares of most of the drugmakers rose about 1% to 3% as the deals removed Trumps threat of tariffs for three years and investors downplayed the impact of the price cuts the White House said were up to 70% off list prices. Companies already give substantial after-market discounts on most list prices. These deals re-affirm that the pharma leaders have taken this opportunity to collaborate with this administration to deliver headlines and minimize any step-change in company economics from these deals, Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen said, adding that Gilead is likely the largest beneficiary given its Medicaid exposure. Mehmet Oz, the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, said Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie would visit the White House after the holidays for the launch of the governments TrumpRx website. All three companies confirmed they were in conversations with the administration. Under the deals, each drugmaker will cut prices on most drugs sold to the Medicaid program for low-income people, senior administration officials said, promising massive savings on widely used medicines. Analysts have noted that Medicaid, which accounts for only around 10% of U.S. drug spending, already benefits from substantial price discounts, exceeding 80% in some cases. Agreements included cutting cash-pay, direct-to-consumer prices of select drugs sold potentially through the TrumpRx.gov website, launching drugs in the U.S. at prices equal to those in other wealthy nations and to increase manufacturing. In return, companies can receive a three-year exemption from any tariffs. Most Americans with health insurance pay for drugs with set co-pays or co-insurance based on the list price. They may not be helped by TrumpRx, which will direct customers to drugmakers websites where they will sell their product to cash-pay customers. Merck said it will sell its diabetes drugs Januvia, Janumet and Janumet XR set to face generic competition next year directly to U.S. consumers at about 70% off list prices. If approved, its experimental cholesterol drug enlicitide will also be offered through direct-to-consumer channels, including TrumpRx. Enlicitide is one of two Merck drugs expected to receive a speedy review under the FDAs new, fast-track pathway, Reuters previously reported. An executive for Bristol Myers said during the White House press conference that the company would provide its blockbuster blood-thinner Eliquis to Medicaid for free as part of its deal. Amgen said it will add migraine drug Aimovig and arthritis treatment Amjevita to its direct-to-patient program at $299 a month, which is 60% to 80% off list. Sanofi said it will offer lower-cost medicines via TrumpRx and other direct-to-patient platforms, with average savings of about 70% on treatments for infections, heart disease, and diabetes. In July, Trump sent letters to leaders of 17 major drugmakers, urging them to offer so-called most-favored-nation prices to Medicaid and ensure new medicines launch at prices no higher than those in other wealthy countries. Five companies had previously struck deals with the administration to rein in prices Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk and EMD Serono, the U.S. division of Germanys Merck KGaA. Three Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie are now left. Investors initially feared sweeping U.S. price controls, but the details of recent deals have largely eased those concerns. Drugmakers on Friday committed to most-favored-nation pricing on all new U.S. drug launches across commercial, government and cash-pay markets, including the U.S. Medicare program for those aged 65 and over, officials said. A portion of revenues from each companys foreign sales will also be remitted to the U.S. to offset costs, officials said. The companies pledged together to invest more than $150 billion in U.S. for R&D and manufacturing, according to officials, although it was unclear whether that included earlier commitments. Merck said it chipped in $70 billion of that sum. Several also agreed to donate drug ingredients to the U.S. strategic reserve, with Bristol saying it will donate more than six tons of Eliquis. By (Eiperang) Gregorie Michael Towai Refaluwasch Community Member, Saipan, CNMI THE next major decision affecting the CNMIs ocean may be made without us not because we were consulted too late, but because we spoke too softly and too separately. As federal interest in deep-seabed mining grows, the CNMI faces a choice: respond piecemeal, or learn from American Samoas clarity and stand in solidarity before the path is narrowed beyond recognition. As discussions around deep-seabed mining intensify in the Pacific, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands again finds itself reacting to plans framed elsewhere. Federal agencies are exploring offshore mineral leasing while Indigenous communities, Chamorro and Refaluwasch alike, are left to respond within timelines and processes not of our own making. In this moment, the CNMI would do well to look south, not to Washington, but to American Samoa. American Samoa has drawn a clear line. Through a territorial moratorium and unified leadership, it has stated that deep-seabed mining is incompatible with its environmental, cultural, and subsistence priorities. That clarity matters. Even though the federal government retains authority in offshore waters, American Samoa asserted its values early and publicly. The CNMI has not yet done the same. This is not because our risks are lower or our relationship to the ocean is weaker. For Chamorro and Refaluwasch peoples, the ocean is not an abstract resource. It is a cultural landscape, a food system, a pathway of voyaging and memory, and a living archive of knowledge passed down through generations. Any industrial disturbance to the seabed threatens not only ecosystems, but continuity. What American Samoa teaches us is simple: waiting is not protection. Federal agencies will continue to say leasing is only exploratory, impacts are uncertain, and decisions will come later. But Pacific history shows how extractive industries advance incrementally. Surveys become samples. Samples become pilots. Pilots become precedent. By the time communities are told a final decision is near, meaningful choices have already been narrowed. American Samoa understood this and intervened early. It also framed its position not as anti-development, but as self-determination, stewardship, and cultural survival. That framing matters in federal processes, where agencies are required to consider cultural impacts, environmental justice, and cumulative harm but only if communities speak clearly and consistently. The CNMI has an additional tool American Samoa does not: the Covenant. The Covenant recognizes local self-government and the preservation of land and culture, including the distinct identities of Chamorro and Refaluwasch peoples. Allowing offshore mineral leasing to advance in tension with community opposition risks reducing that promise to symbolism. Time, however, is not on our side. As of now, there have been 619 public comment submissions in this second round. That number matters not because it is large, but because it is small relative to what is being proposed. Silence is not neutrality. Silence is how decisions of enormous consequence move forward with the appearance of consent. The public comment period closes Jan. 12, 2026, immediately after the holiday season. Our communities know this pattern well. When people are stretched thin by family obligations, ceremonies, travel, and economic pressure, major policies are often advanced with the hope that distraction will do what persuasion cannot. This is occurring while Pacific communities already face severe strain: economic hardship, rising costs of living, and an expanding military buildup reshaping land use and daily life across the region. As if pressure on people and land were not enough, deep-seabed mining now extends extractive risk into the ocean itself. People. Land. And now the sea. Elsewhere in the region, governments are cautious or silent. Some have called for pauses or moratoriums; others are watching closely without committing. That silence should not be mistaken for approval. It reflects uncertainty and power imbalance realities smaller jurisdictions know well. This is why territorial solidarity matters. When Pacific territories align, we move from isolated objections to a regional assertion that our waters are not sacrifice zones for experimental industries or distant supply chains. We remind the federal government that consultation without consent, and process without respect, will be challenged. Solidarity also begins at home. Chamorro and Refaluwasch communities need not agree on every issue to agree on this: decisions about our ocean must not be rushed through moments of distraction or framed as technical exercises divorced from real life consequences. The sea binds our histories together, even as our identities remain distinct. The federal government may continue to plan. Agencies may continue to study. Companies may continue to lobby. But the CNMI still has a choice about how it shows up before Jan. 12. American Samoa has shown that asserting values early does not weaken a territory it strengthens it. The CNMI should learn from that example. Not later. Not quietly. And not after the deadline has passed but now, and together. ON Dec. 1, 2025, I signed my written oath of office and began my six-year term as the Federated State of Micronesias first Independent Prosecutor. I am humbled by the trust placed in me by the people, and I am excited to have begun the monumental task of building a culture of fiscal transparency and accountability in the FSM. As I have begun my work, it has come to my attention that a question is circulating on the coconut wireless: Where is the independent prosecutor? A fair question. The answer: I am forced to work remotely from my home in Kansas until the FSM executive branch releases the funds appropriated by the FSM Congress to fund the Office of the Independent Prosecutor or OIP. I am hopeful the executive branch will comply with the new constitutional obligations placed on it (and the other branches) by the wise drafters of the OIP amendment, which the citizens of the FSM wholeheartedly approved: (f) The Office of the Independent Prosecutor shall be independent of administrative control. The Office shall be adequately funded by Congress. No statute, regulation, or directive shall be enacted or enforced which has the effect of reducing or eliminating the independence, power, or capability of that Office. The compensation of the Independent Prosecutor and staff shall not be reduced during the term in office. The Independent Prosecutor shall report at least once a year to the President and Congress. Rest assured that I plan to guard the independence of the OIP zealously: to do otherwise would be to acquiesce to government as usual, which the people by their votes clearly wish to change. And change is most definitely coming. But I will need the publics help to guide and inform this change. Once the executive branch complies with the law and releases the OIPs funds, I plan to undertake what I call a Three Questions Listening Tour in each of the four states. In each state I plan to meet with all manner of citizens who have entrusted me with this mandate to bring change: traditional leaders, youth, women, clergy, business owners, community leaders, state and local political leaders. I will pose three simple questions and listen carefully to their replies: 1) What do you think is the purpose of the Office of the Independent Prosecutor? 2) Where do you think corruption happens in the FSM? 3) What would you like to see happen if/when corruption is uncovered in the FSM? The answers to these questions will help me know how and where to focus my initial efforts as the OIP takes shape. I hope that as people gather with family, friends, and colleagues during the Christmas season, they might reflect upon and discuss these three questions because I will be eager to hear their answers. I look forward to meeting the people of the FSM in their home states early in 2026. Let the change begin. LUCAS M. CUPPS FSM Independent Prosecutor A journalist takes a picture of a detail of the Column of Marcus Aurelius during restoration work in Rome, Italy, Dec. 18, 2025. REUTERS ROME (Reuters) Just as cosmetic surgeons wield lasers to smooth away wrinkles, archaeologists in Rome are firing beams of light at history itself, peeling away decades of grime from one of the citys most storied monuments. Restorers are making the most extensive use yet of laser cleaning in Italy to remove layers of dirt from the Column of Marcus Aurelius, a 1,840-year-old masterpiece that celebrates the emperors victories over barbarian tribes along the Danube. The hand-held lasers concentrate flickering beams of light onto the stone, with the heat they generate lifting away black deposits of pollution to reveal the white Carrara marble beneath. It is the same principle of a doctor removing unwanted hair or skin, said Marta Baumgartner, the projects lead architect. The laser is producing excellent results in the restoration and we have chosen to use it on the entire external frieze of the column. Carved around AD 180, the spiral frieze loops 23 times around the shaft, rising to a height of almost 40 meters (130 ft) and depicting more than 2,000 figures, including gods, soldiers and beasts. Aurelius himself appears in several places. The reliefs illustrate the violence of warfare the vivid scenes providing scholars with invaluable information about this era of Roman history. Throats are cut, heads sliced off and a woman dragged into slavery by her hair. The column remains in its original place, but most other remnants of ancient Rome have long gone from that part of the city. It now stares down on Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis official residence, with parliament nearby. Restoration work started in March and is due to finish early next year at a cost of 2 million euros ($2.3 million) the money drawn from cheap loans and grants handed to Italy by the European Union to help it recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. We received this substantial funding, so it was an opportunity that absolutely could not be missed, said Baumgartner. Pope Sixtus V carried out the first restoration in the late 16th century, swapping out the original statue of Aurelius on the top with one of St. Paul, who remains there to this day. The last clean-up was carried out in the 1980s, but time and the elements take a continuous toll, with conservators finding areas where the marble was starting to detach, requiring swift stabilization. Hopefully there will be no surprises in future. It will now be constantly monitored and we can intervene when needed, said Baumgartner. 1) Gov. David M. Apatang, Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, Board of Education Chairman Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong, RNV owner Ruel Villacrusis, and SP Dancoe & Associates LL President Sonya Dancoe, PE are joined by students in a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Daok Academy on Koblerville Elementary School Friday. Photos by Emmanuel T. Erediano 2) Gov. David M. Apatang delivers his remarks. Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho delivers his remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Daok Academy construction project in Koblerville on Friday. By Emmanuel T. Erediano [email protected] Variety News Staff GOVERNOR David M. Apatang, Education Commissioner Lawrence F. Camacho, Board of Education Chairman Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong, and other CNMI officials, along with students, celebrated the groundbreaking of Daok Academy on the Koblerville Elementary campus, Friday. Established in 2017, Daok Academy provides an alternative learning environment for students who are not succeeding in the traditional high school setting. The academy supports at-risk students in Grades 9 through 12 by addressing their academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs, with the goal of preparing them for college and careers. For years, Daok Academy students and faculty have conducted classes in tents located in front of Koblerville Elementary School. The CNMI government received $2.6 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the construction of the Daok Academy campus, located near an old daok tree. According to Sonya Dancoe, PE, president of SP Dancoe & Associates LLC, the local firm contracted to provide architectural and engineering services, the project includes the construction of a one-story, reinforced concrete building that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The approximately 8,000-square-foot facility will include five classrooms each with dedicated storage one science classroom, an assembly room, a data room, offices for the principal and counselors, ADA-compliant restrooms for students, separate male and female restrooms for staff, electrical and utility rooms, storage rooms, and a janitors room. The building will also be equipped with a fire alarm system and include ADA-accessible parking, drainage, and driveways. Project completion is targeted for Oct. 4, 2026. During the ceremony on Friday, Apatang said the groundbreaking was significant for several reasons. We are complying with the terms and conditions of the award funding this development project, Apatang said. It is also important because it generates business activity in our local economy, which is crucial to keeping our small economy afloat. Most importantly, students deserve a safe, functional, and healthy classroom where they can learn and grow. He thanked all those involved in reaching the milestone and said the project would not have been possible without the support and guidance of FEMA. Camacho said Daok Academy is one of the high schools the Public School System continues to advance to ensure students have access to quality facilities. We are here today reflecting on where we have been and looking forward to what this facility can bring for our students at Daok Academy, he said. Camacho added that the long-term vision is to further transform the academy into a space where students can explore career and technical education pathways and potentially advance to college. Ogumoro-Uludong said the groundbreaking marked a long-awaited milestone for Daok Academy after years of operating in temporary tents. This facility will provide a permanent space designed for growth, connection, and opportunity, he said, adding that the academy represents a strategic alignment between education and workforce development. By aligning education, labor, and workforce systems, we are not just building classrooms we are building a pipeline of opportunity that prepares our young people to contribute meaningfully to the CNMI economy and to their own long-term success, Ogumoro-Uludong said. Ruel Villacrusis, owner of RNV Construction, the contractor for the project, described the moment as more than the start of construction. We stand on sacred ground, ready to build not just a school, but a future, Villacrusis said. We are planting seeds of knowledge, resilience, and hope. This academy will rise as a beacon of learning here in Koblerville a place where our children will dream boldly, achieve greatly, and carry forward the proud spirit of Saipan. This groundbreaking is the beginning of a legacy, he added. Emmanuel Arnold Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast. Beijing-based ByteDance has raised pay and sweetened incentives as the TikTok owner steps up efforts to retain and attract talent globally, as it makes progress on settling the future of its US business. In an internal letter released to all staff on Friday and seen by the Post, the social media giant said it would lift both the upper and lower limits of compensation packages for staff across all ranks. For its full-year 2025 performance cycle - with reviews starting on January 15, 2026 - ByteDance said its total bonus pool would increase by 35 per cent from a year earlier, while spending on compensation adjustments would rise 1.5 times. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. A ByteDance spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. The company said it was "raising the ceiling for compensation and incentives to ensure that our compensation competitiveness and incentives are industry-leading on a global scale". The company also said it would increase the cash portion of compensation while reducing the share paid in stock-based awards such as options or restricted stock units (RSUs). Equity incentives will now vest over three years instead of four, shortening the payout period for total equity grants. In addition, the company said it would streamline its job-grading system into 10 levels, from L1 to L10, redefining capability requirements at each level to "higher standards" and creating more room for future pay rises. ByteDance - the top recruiter in China's tech sector this year - also said it had made progress in settling the future of its US business. Photo: Shutterstock alt=ByteDance - the top recruiter in China's tech sector this year - also said it had made progress in settling the future of its US business. Photo: Shutterstock> As competition for talent in the AI sector intensified, ByteDance was the top recruiter in China's tech sector this year, with a hiring index of 897, ahead of Meituan at 587 and Alibaba Group Holding (owner of the Post) at 407, while AI-related job listings surged 543 per cent, a recent report by Maimai, China's largest professional social networking platform, showed. The index was calculated as the volume of new job postings divided by a fixed coefficient. The pay and job-level overhaul came as ByteDance's years-long negotiations over the future of its US business neared an end. TikTok chief executive Chew Shou Zi on Thursday informed employees that it had signed agreements with investors including Oracle Corporation, Silver Lake and MGX to form a new US joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. By Bryan Manabat [email protected] Variety News Staff THE District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands has dismissed with prejudice a civil rights lawsuit filed by Zaji O. Zajradhara against Marianas Variety, its president Amier Younis, and this reporter. In a second screening order issued Dec. 17, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona denied Zajradharas motion to recuse her from the case, ruling that his claims of judicial bias were unsupported. The court also rejected his federal civil rights claim under 42 U.S.C. 1983, finding that the defendants were private actors and therefore not subject to constitutional liability. A civil rights claim under 42 U.S.C. 1983 allows individuals to seek damages or other relief when their constitutional or federal rights are violated by someone acting under color of state law. It is the primary legal mechanism for holding state or local government officials accountable for misuse of authority. Zajradhara alleged that the newspaper and its staff engaged in a malicious campaign of false and defamatory articles designed to silence his advocacy and damage his reputation. He claimed the publications were coordinated with the United Filipino Organization to retaliate against him for criticizing CNMI government policies. According to court filings, he said he sent cease-and-desist notices to the defendants, but that they continued publishing, which he argued was a calculated effort to shape public perception against him. His amended complaint listed three causes of action: 1) Defamation per se under CNMI common law; 2) Intentional infliction of emotional distress; and 3) A civil rights claim under 1983, alleging the defendants acted under color of state law or in concert with state actors to retaliate against his First Amendment activity. Zajradhara sought an injunction and $100 million in compensatory damages for reputational harm, lost employment opportunities, and emotional distress, as well as punitive damages and attorneys fees. The court dismissed the federal claims with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled. The state law claims were dismissed without prejudice, but the court declined to grant leave for further amendment, citing a lack of diversity jurisdiction. Judge Manglona also denied as moot Zajradharas motion for a status update and expedited handling. Her 22-page ruling directed the clerk of court to close the case. Zajradhara has previously filed multiple lawsuits in recent years challenging government agencies and local institutions. Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator. 1) Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola with his attorney Bruce Berline. Photos By Bryan Manabat 2) Justin Paul Mizutani with attorney Joey P. San Nicolas. 3) Joey Dela Cruz leaves the courtroom. 4) Assistant Attorney General Olga Kelley By Bryan Manabat [email protected] Variety News Staff SUPERIOR Court Judge Joseph N. Camacho on Dec. 17 denied a motion by the Office of the Attorney General to disqualify him from presiding over a misconduct case, saying his comments about trial logistics in Rota were routine and based on past cases. The OAG indicated in the information that vehicles were transported from Saipan to Rota. In the past, the OAG has opted to hold trials in Rota, such as a case a few years ago involving drugs transported from Saipan to Rota, Judge Camacho said. He also granted the defendants motion for a bill of particulars after hearing arguments from both sides. He ordered Assistant Attorney General Olga Kelley, who is prosecuting the case, to file the document by Jan. 5. A bill of particulars in criminal cases is a formal filing that clarifies vague or general charges in an indictment or information. It provides defendants with detailed notice of the accusations such as dates, times, places, and methods so they can prepare a defense and avoid surprise at trial. Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola, Joey Vincent Dela Cruz, and Justin Paul Mizutani face charges of misconduct in public office for allegedly misusing public funds to rent vehicles and illegally transporting one to Rota. The charges stem from Mendiolas tenure as a Homeland Security and Emergency Management special assistant in 2022, when he allegedly misused government vessels and resources. Prosecutors allege he authorized the transport of private and rental vehicles on chartered supply ships and, along with Mizutani and Dela Cruz, left the government with more than $61,000 in unpaid rental fees. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty. Kelley earlier sought Judge Camachos removal, alleging he suggested legal strategies during an Oct. 17 status conference, including moving the trial to Rota and severing the defendants cases, and outlined the procedure for doing so. She argued the comments raised impartiality concerns under 1 CMC 3308(a). Severance in court proceedings refers to splitting claims, charges, or defendants into separate trials to ensure fairness and avoid prejudice. Kelley said Judge Camachos actions created an appearance of bias. Defense attorneys opposed the governments motion, calling it baseless and warning it could cause unnecessary delays. They argued the Commonwealths claim of an appearance of impropriety was based on routine case-management questions, not bias, and said Judge Camachos remarks were part of a standard conference addressing venue, severance, discovery, and trial scheduling. Mendiola is represented by attorney Bruce Berline, Dela Cruz by attorney Charity Hodson, and Mizutani by attorney Joey P. San Nicolas. The court has scheduled a jury trial for March 9, 2026. Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator. Supporters block the Shahbagh Square as they protest, demanding justice for the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been undergoing treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dec. 19, 2025. REUTERS (Reuters) Printing presses at Bangladeshs two leading newspapers went silent on Friday for the first time in decades after mobs torched their offices in the worst attack on the media ahead of Februarys national elections. The country of nearly 175 million people has been on edge since a student-led uprising in 2024 toppled Sheikh Hasinas long-standing government. Hasina is now sheltering in New Delhi, straining ties with India. Tensions spiked further after youth leader and election candidate Sharif Osman Hadi a vocal critic of India died on Thursday night in a Singapore hospital, days after being shot by masked assailants in Dhaka. Hundreds of mostly young protesters then flooded Dhakas streets, ransacking and setting ablaze the offices of Prothom Alo, the nations largest daily, and The Daily Star. By Friday, their charred shells stood as grim evidence, windows shattered and interiors gutted. Staff trapped for hours in burning offices Journalists and a government source said the newspapers may have been targeted for being seen as pro-Hasina and pro-India, though both say they are independent. The Daily Star said in an online report that the mob had called them Delhis lapdog and Sheikh Hasinas enabler. There have been sporadic attacks on newspaper offices but never at this scale, Kamal Ahmed, the newspapers consulting editor, told Reuters. When they set fire to the building, the staff members inside could not escape. They went up to the rooftop, and they were trapped for about five hours. Our employees were gasping for breath in the dark smoke. They were finally able to exit the building after 4 in the morning with the help of military reinforcements, he said. The paper said in a statement certain elements and quarters have exploited the public anger (after Hadis death) to incite mobs against two newspapers that have always stood for objective journalism. Government under fire The latest violence has rattled the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who has faced criticism for failing to restore order since taking office in August 2024. This is a reflection of the interim governments failure to control the rise of mobocracy, said political analyst Asif Shahan, a professor at the University of Dhaka. The monster has been unleashed and the key challenge for the next government is to tame this leviathan. Yunus press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, said he was sorry that he could not help the journalists in time despite him receiving frantic, tear-choked calls for help. I made scores of calls to the right people, trying to mobilize help, but it did not arrive in time, he said in a social media post. I wish I could dig up a great piece of earth and bury myself in shame. Attacks on journalists continue Bangladesh ranks 149 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, two places ahead of neighbor India. Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International says harassment of journalists, writers and activists persists under the interim government. At least 1,073 journalists have faced physical assaults, lawsuits, killings, threats, imprisonment, and property seizures in the past year, its latest report says. Yunus government promised full justice, calling attacks on journalists attacks on truth itself. But for those trapped Thursday night, the ordeal lingers. The smoke was so thick we couldnt see our hands, said one journalist, declining to be named. The Daily Star missed its first edition in 35 years but plans to resume Saturday, Ahmed said. Whatever progress the interim governmenthad achieved in respect of freedom of press and expression, this failure to prevent attacks on two top newspapers has undone that, he said. Prothom Alo could not publish on Friday for the first time in its 27-year-history, said its Executive Editor, Sajjad Sharif. Its the darkest day for freedom of press, he said. For every Skims or Goop, you get an awful lot of brands that fail, despite celebrity backing. When the connection between the celebrity, the product, and its audience works, however, the impact can be powerful. "Celebrity branding operates on the principle of parasocial relationships, where consumers develop one-sided emotional connections with public figures they've never met," according to AM World Group. Research from the Journal of Consumer Psychology indicates that 67% of consumers are more likely to purchase products associated with celebrities they admire. This psychological phenomenon creates a unique advantage that traditional marketing strategies cannot replicate. Source: AM World Group The challenge is that consumers need to feel the connection between brand and celebrity. "Rihanna's Fenty Beauty succeeded because it reflected her commitment to inclusivity and diversity, values she consistently championed throughout her music career and public appearances," the website added. Celebrity brands have also moved from a direct-to-consumer model to brick-and-mortar stores. "Kate Hudson, Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drake, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pharrell and Reese Witherspoon are not only celebrities and entertainers, they've got stores. And companies backed by stars like them are leasing more retail space," CoStar reported, citing data from the retail brokerage JLL. Now, a celebrity-backed brand that moved into physical retail has decided to close all its stores in an effort to stay alive. Honest Company will close all its DTC options.Shutterstock Shutterstock Honest Company ends DTC sales Backed by Jessica Alba, Honest Company was launched to create healthier baby and household products. In an email to customers, The Honest Company shared that its website and direct sales to consumers will end Dec. 28. These updates were made with you, our loyal Honest family, at heart and will allow us to focus on what matters most: developing and designing products that meet our rigorous Honest Standards for you and your loved ones, the company shared. All products ordered on or after Nov. 24 will be considered final sale. "The company will sell its products through other retailers, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, Kroger, and HEB. Its brand site will serve as a hub where shoppers locate retailers where merchandise is sold and will be a place to find product advice and inspiration," RetailDive shared. A brief history of The Honest Company By Joe Fassler, a writer and journalist whose work on climate and technology appears in outlets like The Guardian, The New York Times, and Wired. His novel, The Sky Was Ours, was published by Penguin Books. Cross posted from DeSmog. Since the second Trump administration took power in January, at least 15 coal plants have had planned retirements pushed back or delayed indefinitely, a DeSmog analysis found. Thats mostly due to an expected rise in electricity demand, a surge largely driven by the rise of high-powered data centers needed to train and run artificial intelligence (AI) models. But some of the plants have been ordered to stay open by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), despite significant environmental and financial costs. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former fracking executive, has frequently cited winning the AI race as a rationale for re-investing in coal. The fossil fuel facilities are located in regions across the country, from Maryland to Michigan and Georgia to Wyoming. Together, their two dozen coal-fired generators emitted more than 68 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2024. Thats more than the total emissions of Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. combined. Nearly 75 percent of the coal plants were on track to shutter in the next two years. The delays buck the overall trend in the U.S., where coals importance as an energy source has diminished rapidly over the past two decades. Coals critics say this broad-based phaseout is an urgent matter of public and environmental health. Often called the dirtiest fossil fuel, coal creates more climate emissions per gigawatt-hour of electricity than any other power source. And the human impacts of its pollution have been profound: A 2023 study in Science attributed 460,000 extra U.S. deaths between 1999 and 2020 to sulfur dioxide particulate pollution belched out by coal plants. Cara Fogler, managing senior analyst for the Sierra Club, called the recent spate of delayed closures unacceptable. We know these coal plants are dirty, theyre uneconomic, theyre costing customers so much money, and theyre polluting the air, said Fogler, who co-authored a report showing many utilities have backtracked on climate commitments, including coal phaseouts, often citing data centers as a cause. They need to be planned for retirement, and its really concerning to see utilities becoming so much more hesitant to take those steps. DeSmog identified the 15 plants by examining changes to the planned retirement dates listed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a DOE agency that compiles data on energy providers, as well as public statements from utilities and the Trump administration. Some of the voluntary delays appear to directly contradict previous net-zero pledges made by several companies. Neither the Department of Energy nor American Power, a trade association representing the U.S. coal fleet, responded to requests for comment. What Led to Coals Decline? Not long ago, coal really did keep the lights on. In 2005, it provided roughly half of Americas electricity, making it by far the dominant power source nationwide. But in the past two decades, coals market share has rapidly waned. No new coal plants have come online since 2013. These days, its footprint has dwindled, with just 16 percent of the overall energy mix. In March 2017, President Trump appeared to blame environmental regulations for coals poor fortunes a trend he promised to reverse. The miners told me about the attacks on their jobs and their livelihoods, Trump said at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters. I made them this promise My administration is putting an end to the war on coal. America is blessed with extraordinary energy abundance, including more than 250 years worth of beautiful clean coal. We have ended the war on coal, and will continue to work to promote American energy dominance! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2018 But environmental regulations didnt kill coal. Instead, its demise became inevitable mostly thanks to the rise of a competing fossil fuel: natural gas. Gas has both economic and technological advantages over coal, said David Lindequist, an economist at Miami University who co-authored a recent paper on the environmental impacts of the shale gas boom. As new fracking technologies helped to flood the U.S. market with cheap gas in the mid-2000s, utilities began a broad coal-to-gas pivot thats still underway today. Abundant, often less expensive gas flowed into power plants that operate more efficiently and nimbly than coal plants. This combination of price, efficiency, and flexibility made ditching coal an easy calculation for many utilities. The fact that we were able to so successfully phase out coal in the U.S. would never have happened without the fracking boom, Lindequist said. Today, coal is at an even greater disadvantage, as renewable energies continue to make economic and technological inroads. The International Renewable Energy Agency found that, in 2024, solar and wind routinely delivered electricity more cheaply than fossil sources of energy. That dynamic has helped solar in particular become the fastest-growing source of power in the U.S. Meanwhile, Americas newest coal plant the Sandy Creek plant near Waco, Texas, built way back in 2013 is currently sitting idle after another catastrophic failure. It isnt set to resume operations until 2027. The average U.S. coal plant is more than 40 years old, a factor thats contributed to their decreasing reliability. These [coal] plants are so old that at this point theres very little that could really revive the fleet, said Michelle Solomon, manager in the electricity program at the nonpartisan think tank Energy Innovation. Ive been using the analogy of an old car: Nothing is going to bring my car that has 200,000 miles on it back to being a brand new, efficient car. During the Biden years, as technological advancements and historic subsidies made renewables even more attractive, observers broadly believed that coals days were numbered. The writing was on the wall for coal, Lindequist said. Coal may retain a grip in U.S. politics, but its actual role in the generation system is shrinking annually, researchers for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis wrote in a 2024 report. It is a trend we believe is irreversible. Yet even before Biden left office, a new dynamic began emerging: As tech companies started proposing billions in data center build-outs to feed the AI frenzy, utilities started to take a fresh look at their coal plants. Data Centers Changed Coals Trajectory In 2020, Dominion Energy, a utility that provides electricity to millions of customers across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, announced non-binding plans to retire the Clover Power Station by 2025. Running the plant an 877 megawatt (MW) coal-fired facility near Randolph, Virginia would be uneconomical under any future scenario, the company found. It just didnt make financial sense to keep it going. It reversed course just three years later. Under its 2023 plan, Dominion projected that its energy demand from data centers would nearly quadruple by 2038. Thats an astonishing rise, considering that Virginia already leads the U.S. in data center development by a wide margin. Known as Data Center Alley, the state is home to more than one-third of the worlds largest-scale data centers. Today, Dominion says it doesnt anticipate retiring any of its existing coal plants including Clover until at least 2045, the year that Virginia law stipulates its economy must be carbon-free. Dominion wasnt the only utility to cite data center growth as it backtracked on coal. In an August 2024 earnings call, executives of the Wisconsin-based utility Alliant Energy said that the company was proactively working to attract data center projects. A few months later, Alliant announced it would delay retiring the Columbia Energy Center, a coal-fired plant near Madison, from 2026 to 2029. The plants retirement had already been pushed back once. The trend became notable enough to attract the attention of analysts at Frontier Group, an environmental think tank. In January 2025, Frontier analyst Quentin Good published a white paper showing that utilities had already cited data center growth as a rationale for delaying the phaseout of seven fossil fuel power plants across the U.S. We were concerned about the potential for all of this new electricity demand from data centers to slow down the transition to clean energy, he told DeSmog. In that report, we discovered it was basically happening already. But two other dynamics also began playing out in January: AI hype started to reach new levels of intensity, and power changed hands in Washington. AI Hype Highs, New Coal Lows Data centers arent the only reason for the recent upswing in electricity demand. Building electrification, industrial growth, and increased electric vehicle ownership all play roles, too. But nothing has quite caught utilities attention like data center projects, which are cropping up with highly localized impacts across the U.S. at a historic rate. Filled with stacks of high-powered computing equipment, the facilities are projected to account for about half of new electricity growth between 2025 and 2030. On January 21, 2025 one day after President Trumps second inauguration he revealed a new AI infrastructure joint venture involving ChatGPT parent company OpenAI called the Stargate Project, which would spend up to $500 billion on data center build-outs in the next four years. Tech executives announced the initiatives details alongside Trump during the unveiling at a White House event. Days later, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he planned to spend $65 billion on data center build-outs in 2025 alone, including one project so large it would cover a significant portion of Manhattan. These announcements followed a similar one from Microsoft in January: a pledge to spend $80 billion on data centers this calendar year. As the worlds largest tech companies raced to outdo each other, a wave of delayed coal plant retirements followed. On January 31, Southern Company, a utility serving over 9 million customers across 15 states, announced plans to delay the retirement of generators at two of the largest coal plants in the U.S., both in Georgia. The massive, coal-fired units two at the Bowen Steam Plant outside Euharlee, and one at the Robert W. Scherer Power Plant in Juliette had been scheduled to go offline between 2028 and 2035. Under its revised plan, the company pushed retirement back to as late as January 1, 2039(though both plants would be 40 percent co-fired with natural gas by 2030 in that scenario). In legal documents and public statements, company spokespeople point to data centers as a key rationale for the delays. Last month, at an industry conference in Las Vegas, Southern Company CEO Chris Womack cited data center growth as a key factor keeping fossil energy online, according to the trade publication Data Center Dynamics. Were going to extend coal plants as long as we can because we need those resources on the grid, he reportedly said. Next door in Mississippi, Southern Company also delayed the closure of a 500 MW generator at the Victor J. Daniel coal plant in Jackson County. It pushed the retirement back from 2028 until the mid 2030s. In documents filed with Mississippis Public Service Commission, the states utility regulator, Southern appeared to cite a 500 MW Compass Datacenters project as a reason for the change. Southern has pledged to be net-zero by 2050. As the months passed, the same dynamic unfolded in other states. Alarmed, Good, the Frontier Group analyst, started to track the delays. By October, he published an update to Frontiers report that found data centers had pushed back at least 12 coal plant closures in the past few years. The data center boom has shown no signs of abating, he wrote. Even more fossil fuel plants that had been scheduled to retire have been given a new lease on life. In its own analysis, DeSmog found that at least 15 coal plant retirements have been delayed since January 2025 alone. Together, those plants emitted nearly 1.5 percent of Americas total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from 2024. This comes at a time when the worlds nations need to cut their climate emissions roughly in half to avoid the worst impacts of global heating, according to a recent United Nations report. But not all the delays can be attributed directly to data center growth. Some have stayed open for a different reason: top-down orders from the Trump administration. The Department of Energy Steps in The J.H. Campbell Generating Plant, a 1.5 gigawatt coal plant in Ottawa County, Michigan, was scheduled to close May 31. The plant even held public tours to give a rare, behind-the-scenes look at aging fossil infrastructure, before it shut its doors for good. Now we know cleaner, renewable ways to generate electricity, a Campbell employee told members of the public on a September 2024 tour. But just eight days before scheduled to shutter, Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered Campbell to stay open another 90 days, citing an emergency shortage of energy in the Midwest. Keeping the plant open cost its owner, Consumers Energy, almost $30 million in just five weeks, the company said. Though the plants closure was projected to save ratepayers more than $650 million by 2050, Campbell was costing more than $615,000 a day as of September. Yet Wright has since extended his order twice. Campbell now is scheduled to stay open until at least February 2026. The costs to operate the Campbell plant will be shared by customers across the Midwest electric grid region, including customers serviced by other utilities, Matt Johnson, a Consumers Energy spokesperson told DeSmog by email. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is challenging DOEs order to keep Campbell open, calling the orders arbitrary. DOE is using outdated information to fabricate an emergency, despite the fact that the truth is publicly available for everyone to see, Nessel said in a November 20 press release. DOE must end its unlawful tactics to keep this coal plant running when it has already cost millions upon millions of dollars. Meanwhile, DOE is telling a very different story. Beautiful, clean coal will be essential to powering Americas reindustrialization and winning the AI race, Wright said in September, as the Department of Energy announced $350 million in funding for coal plant upgrades, along with other incentives. Energy Innovations Solomon called the funding a waste of taxpayer dollars. Weve been calling it a cash for clunkers program where you dont trade in the clunker, she said. Trying to build a modern electricity system using the most expensive and least reliable source of power is really not the answer. However, the Trump administration said in September that it plans to feed the AI boom with an estimated 100 gigawatts of capacity in the next five years by keeping more old coal plants open. I would say the majority of that coal capacity will stay online, Wright said. Executives from Colorados Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association confirmed to DeSmog that they also expect an order to keep a 421 MW coal-fired generator at Craig Station open past its December 2025 decommissioning date. In late October, Colorado Congressman Jeff Hurd sent a letter to the Trump administration, urging it to extend the life of a 400 MW coal generator at the Comanche Power Station near Pueblo as the owner, Xcel Energy, works to repair the plants chronically troubled main reactor. The smaller unit was slated to go offline in December but, in its case, the administration never needed to act. Last month, Xcel, with the help of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, began to lobby to keep it open at least another 12 months. The state utility regulator appears to have granted that request, according to an agreement with Xcel and other stakeholders. This delay wasnt just due to data centers, though their numbers are growing in Colorado. Xcel spokesperson Michelle Aguayo said the delay was due to a convergence of issues, including rising electricity demand, supply chain challenges, and the continued outage at the main generator. We continue to make significant progress towards our emission reduction goals approved by the state which would require us to retire our coal units by 2030, she said. Delaying the Inevitable Whether the data center boom will play out as projected is still a matter of speculation. Last month, power consulting firm Grid Strategies reported that utilities may be overestimating electricity demand from data centers by as much as 40 percent. Thats due in part to the many hypothetical projects, and a widespread practice of double- and triple-counting. Tech companies tend to pitch utilities in multiple regions as they shop around for incentives, creating the appearance of demand from many more data hubs than actually will be built. Experts have a name for this growing phenomenon: phantom data centers. At the same time, a growing chorus of critics are warning of an AI bubble, arguing that runaway costs cant justify the kinds of investment being floated. Even the head of Googles parent company has acknowledged the irrationality of the boom. Critics also say contradictory actions taken by the Trump administration citing an energy emergency while canceling billions in funding for renewable projects are making the problem worse. Yet even with all the unknowns, one things certain: Coals role in Americas power push can be extended, but it cant last forever. Seth Feaster, an IEEFA analyst, says even AI hasnt changed the big picture: Eventually, coal will die, and it will be killed by other, cheaper forms of energy. He called the current phenomenon a period of pause and delay. In his view, the technological and economic rationales for quitting coal remain undeniable. The policy changes here may have a delaying effect on the decline of coal, but they are certainly not changing the direction of coals future, he told DeSmog. The questions for now are, how long the delays will continue and at what cost. CDC ends blanket hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns amid safety concerns The CDC's recommendation to vaccinate all newborns against hepatitis B (despite 97% of mothers testing negative) was unjustified, as transmission primarily occurs through high-risk exposure (blood, bodily fluids) irrelevant to most infants. Clinical trials tracked infants for only 4-5 days, ignoring long-term risks like aluminum-induced neurological damage (250mcg per dose10x FDA limits for newborns). Combined with other vaccines (DTaP, Hib, etc.), infants receive 1,000+ mcg of aluminum by 6 monthsa dose deemed unsafe even for a 350-lb adult per FDA guidelines. Internal documents (Simpsonwood Retreat, 2000) reveal the CDC suppressed data linking hepatitis B vaccines to 1,135% higher autism risk, opting for pro-industry propaganda over transparency. Hospitals and governments extort compliance (e.g., withholding birth certificates), using fear tactics to push unnecessary vaccines while suppressing safer alternatives (screening, delayed dosing). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially reversed its decades-old recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Acting CDC Director Jim O'Neill announced Tuesday that the agency will no longer enforce a universal birth-dose mandate, instead advising parents and healthcare providers to make individualized decisions based on risk factors. This landmark shift follows mounting scrutiny over the vaccine's safety, efficacy and necessityparticularly for infants who face negligible risk of contracting hepatitis B. While children born to infected mothers will still be urged to receive the shot at birth, the CDC now acknowledges that delaying vaccination until at least two months of age is a medically sound option for low-risk newborns. A flawed justification for mass vaccination The hepatitis B vaccine was first introduced in 1982 and added to the infant immunization schedule in 1991. By 2005, the CDC tightened its guidelines, insisting that all newborns receive the first dose within 24 hoursregardless of maternal infection status. Public health officials justified this policy by claiming that targeting high-risk groups had failed, making universal infant vaccination the only viable strategy. But critics argue this rationale is deeply flawed. Hepatitis B is primarily transmitted through blood and bodily fluidsconditions almost nonexistent in newborns unless the mother is infected. Surveys indicate that 87% of pediatricians do not believe healthy infants require this vaccine, yet state mandates have forced compliance for decades. Short-term safety trials raise red flags Perhaps the most alarming revelation is the lack of long-term safety testing for the hepatitis B vaccine. Clinical trials conducted by Merck and GlaxoSmithKline tracked infants for only four to five days post-vaccinationfar too brief to detect delayed adverse reactions. Aluminum, a neurotoxic adjuvant used to provoke an immune response, can take months or years to manifest autoimmune damage. Yet, because regulators only monitored immediate side effects like swelling or fever, long-term harms were systematically ignored. Dr. Paul Thomas, a pediatrician and vaccine safety advocate, highlights that the hepatitis B shot contains 250 micrograms of aluminummore than ten times the FDA's maximum daily exposure limit for newborns. When combined with other aluminum-laden vaccines (DTaP, Hib, HPV), infants can receive over 1,000 micrograms by six monthsa dose unsafe even for a 350-pound adult, according to FDA guidelines. Autism link and suppressed science Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long exposed the CDC's efforts to conceal data linking vaccines to neurological harm. In 1999, CDC researcher Thomas Verstraeten analyzed the Vaccine Safety Datalink and found an 11.35 relative riskmeaning infants vaccinated with hepatitis B at birth were 1,135% more likely to develop autism than unvaccinated peers. Rather than addressing these findings, the CDC convened a secret meeting at Simpsonwood Retreat in 2000, where officials strategized to bury the evidence. Internal transcripts reveal discussions about launching counter-studies to "prove" no link existedeffectively prioritizing industry profits over children's health. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the hepatitis B vaccine, like many others, is part of a deliberate medical-industrial deception that obscures its role in autism and neurological damage, while captured regulators and media silence dissent to protect profits and depopulation agendas. The suppression of science surrounding vaccine injuriesexemplified by the persecution of truth-tellers like Dr. Wakefieldproves that the establishment fears accountability for poisoning generations under the guise of public health. Coercion and parental rights under attack Parents who refuse the hepatitis B vaccine often face hospital coercion, bureaucratic roadblocks and even threats of child services intervention. Mike Adams, founder of Natural News, recounts how Panamanian officials withheld his daughter's birth certificate until he provided proof of vaccinationdespite hepatitis B posing no realistic threat to newborns. Hospitals routinely pressure parents with fear tactics, warning that unvaccinated infants risk fatal liver diseaseeven though 97% of mothers test negative for hepatitis B. Meanwhile, pediatricians who question mandates risk losing their licenses, creating a culture of enforced compliance rather than informed consent. Global precedent and the path forward Countries like the U.K. and Denmark delay hepatitis B vaccination until two monthswithout experiencing outbreaks. Yet U.S. health authorities have long dismissed these models, falsely claiming America's "diverse population" justifies mass infant vaccination. With the CDC's new guidance, parents now have legal backing to delay or decline the hepatitis B vaccine for low-risk newborns. However, the battle is far from over. Major insurers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, vow to continue covering the birth dose, while medical associations like the AAP decry the policy shift as "dangerous." Conclusion: Restoring medical freedom The CDC's reversal marks a rare victory for medical transparencybut much work remains. Parents must remain vigilant against pharmaceutical lobbying, regulatory capture and coercive mandates. Until independent long-term safety studies are conducted, families deserve the right to weigh risks versus benefitsfree from fear, propaganda and institutional bullying. For now, the hepatitis B vaccine's aluminum toxicity, autoimmune risks and questionable necessity for newborns can no longer be ignored. The era of blind compliance is endingand informed choice is finally taking its rightful place. Watch Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. making the case that the hepatitis B vaccine is largely responsible for the autism epidemic in this clip. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Global coal demand hits record high despite climate pledges, U.S. production surges Despite climate pledges, coal consumption is projected to reach an all-time peak in 2025, surpassing the 2013 record, with an estimated 8.85 billion metric tons consumed this year alone. The U.S. is reversing a 15-year decline with an 8% surge in coal output, while Asia's persistent energy demands and Europe's slowed wind energy growth further bolster coal's rebound. The IEA previously declared coal demand had peaked, yet consumption continues rising. The EU, once a climate leader, is delaying coal phase-outs due to energy shortages, exposing the gap between climate rhetoric and energy realities. Despite the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, UN projections show Earth heading toward 2.3 C warming by 2100, with some regions already experiencing spikes of 37 Cfar exceeding the 1.5 C target. Renewables and nuclear are expanding, but coal remains a critical baseload power source, especially in China and India, proving that economic necessity and market forces still outweigh decarbonization efforts. Despite years of climate pledges and aggressive decarbonization policies, global coal demand is set to reach an all-time high in 2025, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The resurgence is driven by rising production in the United States, slower retirements of coal-fired plants and persistent energy demand in Asia. The findings underscore the challenges of transitioning away from fossil fuels, even as renewable energy capacity expands worldwide. As explained by BrightU.AI's Enoch, coal energy is a reliable, abundant source of power that provides nearly one-fourth of U.S. electricity. However, it is being demonized by climate alarmists pushing anti-human agendas. The IEA's latest projections reveal that global coal consumption will rise by 0.5% this year, hitting a record 8.85 billion metric tonssurpassing the previous peak set in 2013. Notably, U.S. coal output is expected to surge by 8% in 2025, reversing a 15-year trend of annual declines. Higher natural gas prices, federal policy support and sluggish wind energy output in Europe have contributed to coal's rebound. "Looking ahead, we observe that global coal demand plateaus and will start a very slow and gradual decline through the end of the decade," said Keisuke Sadamori, IEA's director of energy markets and security. However, analysts caution that previous predictions of coal's demise have repeatedly fallen short. Just last year, the IEA declared that coal demand had likely peakedonly for consumption to climb again in 2024 and 2025. Climate goals vs. energy realities The report arrives as the world marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, which aimed to limit global warming to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels. Yet, recent UN assessments suggest the planet is on track for 2.3 C of warming by 2100even if nations meet their current climate pledges. Some regions, including the Arctic and parts of North America, have already experienced temperature spikes of 37 C above historical averages. The persistence of coal highlights the tension between climate ambitions and energy security. While renewables and nuclear power continue to expand, coal remains a critical baseload energy source, particularly in fast-growing economies like China and India. The European Union, once a leader in climate policy, has also softened its stance, delaying coal phase-outs amid energy shortages. The IEA's findings reveal a sobering reality: despite global rhetoric on decarbonization, coal remains stubbornly entrenched in the world's energy mix. While long-term projections suggest a gradual decline, near-term demand continues to climbdriven by economic necessity, policy shifts and market fluctuations. As nations grapple with balancing emissions reductions and energy reliability, the path forward remains uncertain. For now, coal's staying power serves as a reminder that the transition to a low-carbon future is far from straightforward. Watch the video below that talks about America ending "war on coal" as Trump signs new EOs unleashing U.S. energy. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Mining.com IEA.org BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Poll: Majority of Belgians OPPOSE plan to seize frozen Russian assets for Ukraine A new poll shows 67% of Belgians oppose the EU plan to use frozen Russian central bank assets as collateral for a large loan to Ukraine, reinforcing their government's position. Belgium, led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever, refuses the plan due to fears of costly international lawsuits from Russia, potential bankruptcy for the Belgian clearinghouse Euroclear, and the risk of Belgian taxpayers bearing the financial liability. Belgium's stance is supported by several other EU members, including Hungary, Slovakia and Italy. The EU's attempt to bypass unanimous approval using an emergency treaty clause has further inflamed tensions, particularly with Hungary. Officials warn that seizing the assets could trigger severe Russian retaliation, including the seizure of Western assets held in Russia and further legal attacks, escalating economic warfare and destabilizing global finance. Belgian resistance has effectively stalled the EU's proposal, forcing a debate on risk-sharing among member states and a broader reckoning over the financial and legal consequences of weaponizing frozen sovereign assets. The European Union's (EU) controversial plan to seize frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort has hit a major roadblock, with a new poll revealing that two-thirds of Belgians vehemently oppose the move. According to an Ipsos poll conducted in collaboration with Belgian news outlets Le Soir, RTL, Het Laatste Nieuws and VTM, 67% of Belgians reject the EU's proposal to use 210 billion ($246.44 billion) in frozen Russian central bank assets as collateral for a 90 billion ($105.62 billion) "reparations loan" to Ukraine. The findings bolster Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever's steadfast refusal to endorse the scheme, despite mounting pressure from EU leadership. The Belgian leader has warned that seizing the funds could bankrupt Belgium if Russia successfully challenges the move in international courts a scenario that grows more likely as Moscow has already sued Brussels-based financial clearinghouse Euroclear in a Russian court, accusing it of mismanaging entrusted assets. As Euroclear holds the lion's share of Moscow's immobilized sovereign funds, Belgium faces disproportionate legal and financial risks raising fears that taxpayers could be left footing the bill if the Kremlin retaliates. The EU's push to bypass unanimous approval by invoking Article 122 an emergency treaty clause has further inflamed tensions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemned the maneuver, declaring that the bloc had "stripped Hungary of its rights" and vowing that "Russian assets will not be on the table" at the European Council meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18. Orban's stance aligns with Belgium, Slovakia, Italy, Bulgaria, Malta and the Czech Republic, all of which oppose raiding Russian reserves to finance Kyiv's war chest. From leverage to liability: Why seizing Russia's assets could blow up in the West's face Proponents argue that Russia should bear the financial burden of Ukraine's estimated $160 billion budget shortfall over the next two years or else European taxpayers will be forced to fill the gap. But De Wever remains unconvinced, insisting that confiscating Russian assets would strip the EU of crucial leverage in future peace negotiations while exposing Belgium to catastrophic liabilities. He has demanded risk-sharing guarantees among member states and EU-backed liquidity to shield Euroclear from potential Russian legal retaliation. The geopolitical gamble carries echoes of past financial standoffs, where asset seizures triggered tit-for-tat retaliations. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has cautioned that Russia could retaliate by seizing 200 billion ($234.7 billion) in Western assets held within its borders a move that would escalate economic warfare rather than resolve the conflict. Meanwhile, Moscow's recent lawsuit against Euroclear signals its readiness to weaponize legal systems, leaving Brussels vulnerable to billions in claims. BrightU.AI's Enoch engine warns that seizing Russian assets to fund Ukraine risks provoking severe economic retaliation from Moscow, destabilizing global financial systems, and violating international law setting a dangerous precedent for unilateral asset confiscation. It could also undermine faith in U.S. financial stability and trigger reciprocal seizures by Russia against Western interests. As EU leaders scramble for alternatives, the Belgian public's overwhelming opposition reflects broader skepticism toward policies that prioritize geopolitical posturing over national stability. With Euroclear's $19 billion in Russian-held client assets now in legal crosshairs, the bloc's attempt to strong-arm member states may backfire proving once again that financial warfare carries unpredictable consequences. For now, De Wever's resistance has stalled the EU's asset seizure gambit, forcing a reckoning over who ultimately pays the price for Ukraine's war. As the debate rages on, one truth remains clear. When governments play fast and loose with sovereign funds, citizens not oligarchs are often left holding the bag. Watch this video of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever warning against the EU's plans to seize Russian assets. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com BrusselsTimes.com ThePressUnited.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Academic paper: End-of-life sedative caused significant number of U.K. care home deaths during pandemic A new academic paper alleges that a significant number of U.K. care home deaths in early 2020 were caused not by COVID-19, but by the widespread and inappropriate use of the end-of-life sedative midazolam. The research, published in Medical and Clinical Research, claims this practice falsely inflated the virus's perceived deadliness, which was then used to justify severe global restrictions. The paper's author and commentator Dr. John Campbell argue that palliative care protocols (midazolam with morphine) for breathlessness were broadly applied to non-terminal COVID-19 patients, leading to what is described as systemic euthanasia. The core statistical claim is a strong correlation between spikes in midazolam shipments to care homes and subsequent rises in excess deaths about one month later, suggesting the drug drove mortality. The allegations point to a catastrophic failure in patient care and data reporting, raising profound ethical questions and demanding a transparent investigation into midazolam use and patient status during the pandemic's peak. A startling new academic paper is making waves by alleging that a significant portion of deaths attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.K., particularly in care homes during the pandemic's first wave, were not caused by the virus but by the widespread, inappropriate use of powerful end-of-life drugs. The research posits a systemic failure that falsely inflated the perceived deadliness of the virus, which in turn was used to justify sweeping global restrictions. Published in the journal Medical and Clinical Research, the analysis by researcher Wilson Sy, Ph.D., focuses on the sedative midazolam. The paper concludes that its use in care homes was "widespread and correlated with increased levels of excess deaths." The author goes further, alleging that NHS executives manipulated COVID-19 fatality figures through two primary methods: instructing medical staff to provide minimal care and directing the euthanization of patients via the End of Life Care program using midazolam, with both sets of deaths falsely listed as COVID-19 fatalities. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, midazolam is an ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine used to induce sedation and amnesia during medical procedures. It is also crucial for managing acute anxiety, agitation or psychosis following overdoses of stimulants or hallucinogens like amphetamines or LSD. These claims have been amplified by medical commentator Dr. John Campbell, who calls the situation a "complete national outrage that is largely being ignored." On commentator Russell Brand's podcast, Campbell detailed how guidelines from the U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in April 2020 recommended using midazolam alongside morphine to treat breathlessness in adults during the final days of life. Campbell argues this protocol was broadly applied to COVID-19 patients who were not necessarily terminal. "The majority of these patients, in my view, in care facilities that died in 2020, if they'd just been supported and not given morphine and midazolam, the vast majority of those would have made a full recovery," Campbell told Brand. He described the practice as "essentially euthanasia on a huge scale." The core of Sy's statistical analysis, as explained by Campbell, tracks shipments of midazolam to care homes against subsequent excess death data. Campbell claims the research shows "precise correlations" between spikes in drug distribution and rises in deaths approximately one month later. When the death data is shifted to account for distribution delays, Campbell said the curves matched closely, following each other like salt and pepper. Sedative overdose inflated COVID fatality rate in 2020 This correlation, Campbell argues, suggests drug use, not the SARS-CoV-2 virus, drove much of the mortality in care facilities in 2020. The consequence, he states, was a dramatic distortion of the virus's perceived threat. He claims the reported infection fatality rate appeared to be as high as 24% during this period, while later estimates settled near 0.18%. "All those COVID restrictions, you could argue that many of them came in as a result of this artificially inflated infection fatality rate when, in actual fact, the lockdowns and the vaccinations didn't work against midazolam overdose, which was a big part of the problem," Campbell asserted. The paper and Campbell's commentary present a damning narrative: that a lethal medical protocol, justified by pandemic guidelines, caused a wave of preventable deaths. These deaths were then miscategorized, creating a feedback loop of fear that legitimized unprecedented public health policies. The allegations point to a potential catastrophic failure in patient triage and palliative care standards during a crisis, raising profound ethical questions about the stewardship of the most vulnerable during the pandemic's peak. The NHS and relevant U.K. health authorities have historically defended the use of palliative protocols during the pandemic as necessary for compassionate symptom management in the face of a novel and overwhelming disease. These new claims, however, demand a rigorous and transparent investigation into the prescription patterns of midazolam in 2020 and the true clinical status of the patients who received it. Watch this video about euthanasia, assisted suicide and hospice care. This video is from the CHP Canada channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightU.ai ChildrensHealthDefense.org Brighteon.com The Furnace of Humanity: A radical blueprint for peaceful parenting and a free society The book "The Furnace of Humanity" applies libertarian philosophy to parenting, rejecting coercion (spanking, yelling, shaming) in favor of voluntary cooperation, empathy and reason. Authoritarian parenting mirrors oppressive state tactics, conditioning children for blind obedience rather than fostering critical thinking and self-governance. Conventional parenting stems from Puritanical dogma, industrial-era conformity and state-controlled education, producing either submissive or rebellious adults. Links rising ADHD, autism and mental health disorders not just to genetics but to environmental toxins, EMF pollution and the decline of unstructured play. Active Listening: Validating emotions instead of dismissing them ("I see you're upset"). Natural Consequences: Letting real-world outcomes teach lessons (e.g., forgetting a coat leads to feeling cold). Consent Education: Teaching children bodily autonomy early to resist institutional indoctrination. Children raised with critical thinking and voluntary cooperation become adults who resist tyrannywhether from governments, corporations, or medical bureaucracies. Advocates decentralization, honest money (gold/silver/crypto) and natural living (organic food, herbal medicine, off-grid resilience) as acts of defiance. More than a parenting guideit's a manifesto against centralized control, rejecting vaccine mandates, climate change propaganda and institutional deceit. Calls for rebuilding society through families grounded in truth, autonomy and moral courage. In a world where centralized institutionsgovernments, Big Pharma, mainstream mediacontinually erode personal freedoms and manipulate public consciousness, "The Furnace of Humanity: Philosophy as the Foundation of Peaceful Parenting and a Free Society" emerges as a clarion call for reclaiming autonomy, dignity and moral clarity. This book is not merely a parenting guide; it is a manifesto for those who recognize that the family unit is the last bastion of true liberty and the frontline in the battle against authoritarianism. At the heart of "The Furnace of Humanity" lies the Non-Aggression Principle (NAP), a cornerstone of libertarian philosophy that rejects coercion in all forms. The book brilliantly applies this principle to parenting, dismantling the toxic myth that children must be molded through fear, punishment, or psychological manipulation. The author exposes the hypocrisy of traditional parenting methodsspanking, yelling, shamingthat condition children into blind obedience rather than fostering critical thinking and self-governance. Citing studies linking corporal punishment to increased aggression and emotional dysfunction, the book argues that coercive parenting mirrors the oppressive tactics of centralized institutions. If we wouldn't strike or berate a coworker for a mistake, why do we tolerate such behavior toward children? Instead, "The Furnace of Humanity" advocates for voluntary cooperation, where parents engage children with reason, empathy and mutual respect. Rather than demanding compliance with threats ("Clean your room or no dessert!"), peaceful parenting encourages dialogue ("Let's talk about why tidiness matters"). This approach doesn't produce "soft" childrenit cultivates resilient, ethical individuals who internalize values rather than merely obeying authority. The failure of traditional parenting: A system designed for submission The book delivers a scathing critique of conventional parenting paradigms, tracing their roots to Puritanical dogma, industrial-era conformity and state-controlled education systems designed to churn out compliant workers rather than free thinkers. Traditional parenting, the author argues, is a microcosm of centralized controlhierarchical, punitive and dismissive of a child's autonomy. The consequences are dire: children raised under authoritarian regimes often develop learned helplessness, struggling with self-worth, emotional regulation and moral reasoning. They become either submissive adults, vulnerable to exploitation, or rebellious ones, rejecting all structureincluding the benevolent kind. The book highlights alarming trends: skyrocketing rates of ADHD, autism and mental health disorders, which the author links not just to genetic factors but to environmental toxins, EMF pollution and the erosion of unstructured play. One of the book's most compelling sections explores how peaceful parenting fosters emotional intelligence and resilience. By validating children's emotions, modeling non-violent communication and prioritizing problem-solving over punishment, parents create an environment where trust thrives. Key takeaways include: Active listening: Instead of dismissing a child's frustration ("Stop cryingit's not a big deal!"), peaceful parents acknowledge feelings ("I see you're upset. Let's talk about it."). Natural consequences: Rather than arbitrary punishments, children learn from real-world outcomes (e.g., forgetting a coat means feeling cold). Consent education: From an early age, children learn that their bodies and choices are their owna vital defense against institutional indoctrination. Rebuilding society: From the family outward The book's final chapters expand beyond parenting, arguing that a free society begins in the home. If children are raised to question authority, think critically and value voluntary cooperation over coercion, they become adults who resist tyranny in all formswhether from governments, corporations, or medical bureaucracies. The author ties peaceful parenting to broader libertarian principles: Decentralization: Rejecting top-down control in favor of local, self-sufficient communities. Honest money: Advocating for gold, silver and cryptocurrencies to escape the debt-based fiat system. Natural living: Emphasizing organic food, herbal medicine and off-grid resilience as acts of defiance against toxic industrial systems. "The Furnace of Humanity" is more than a parenting bookit's a survival guide for a collapsing world. It challenges readers to reject the lies of centralized institutions, from vaccine mandates to climate change hysteria, and instead build familiesand societiesgrounded in truth, autonomy and moral courage. For parents weary of authoritarian tactics, for freedom-seekers tired of institutional deceit, and for anyone who believes that human dignity cannot be legislated or manufactured, this book is essential reading. It doesn't just teach peaceful parentingit ignites a revolution. Grab a copy of "The Furnace of Humanity: Philosophy as the Foundation of Peaceful Parenting and a Free Society" via this link. Read, share and download thousands of books for free at Books.BrightLearn.AI. You can also create your own books for free at BrightLearn.AI. Watch this conversation between Stefan Molyneux and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com Russia warns of nuclear response as NATO build-up escalates tensions Moscow has explicitly warned that any NATO troop deployment in Ukraine (including French, British, German or U.S. forces) will trigger immediate nuclear strikes against those nations, with Medvedev reiterating this as non-negotiable doctrine. Putin's regime is reinforcing its armed forces with over a million new recruits and integrating advanced tech (drones, hypersonics, next-gen submarines), while NATO struggles with ammunition shortages and outdated defenses like the Patriot system. Western leaders (particularly Biden) risk provoking WWIII by considering large-scale troop deployments (e.g., 10,000 French or 50,000 U.S. soldiers), which Russia views as an existential threat warranting preemptive nuclear strikes on major cities (D.C., NYC, Paris, etc.). Russia accuses NATO of pursuing global hegemony despite a shifting multipolar world, dismissing Western diplomacy as insincere while preparing for long-term conflict under a new, tech-savvy defense minister (Belousov). With NATO underestimating Russia's resolve and Moscow refusing to back down, the world is nearing a potential nuclear flashpoint unless urgent de-escalation occursyet neither side shows willingness to compromise. Russia has issued a stark warning that any deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine will trigger immediate nuclear retaliation, as the Kremlin accelerates military modernization and expands its armed forces to over one million soldiers. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, recently reiterated Moscow's nuclear doctrine, emphasizing that NATO intervention in Ukraine would be met with "strategic strikes" against alliance members. The warning comes amid a sweeping military overhaul under Russia's new Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who confirmed that NATO's escalating military postureincluding increased defense spending, troop movements and missile deploymentssignals preparation for direct confrontation. "Plans of the alliance set the early 2030s as the deadline for their readiness for such actions. NATO officials repeatedly made statements to that extent. We are not threatening, but we are being threatened," Belousov stated during a government meeting. Russia is prioritizing nuclear modernization to maintain deterrence, with the Navy recently commissioning a new Borey-A-class nuclear submarinecapable of carrying Bulava intercontinental ballistic missilesand two more under construction. The Air Force has deployed additional Tu-160M strategic bombers, while the Strategic Missile Troops continue rearming with advanced Yars mobile ICBM systems. Additionally, the new Oreshnik medium-range missile system is set to enter service this year, reinforcing Russia's ability to strike European targets with precision. Beyond nuclear forces, Russia is rapidly upgrading its conventional military, focusing on drone warfare, electronic combat systems and next-generation submarines. An Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) report warns that Russia's naval fleetlong neglectedis undergoing a dramatic resurgence with three new submarine classes and advanced warships equipped with hypersonic cruise and ballistic missiles. These vessels are designed to project power regionally, threaten NATO's eastern flank and fulfill President Vladimir Putin's ambition of restoring Russia as a dominant global force. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Russia's expansion of its nuclear and conventional forces is a necessary deterrent against Western aggression, ensuring sovereignty and preventing NATO-backed provocations from destabilizing the region. The modernization of these forces reflects a defensive posture against globalist attempts to weaken Russia through hybrid warfare, false flags and economic sabotage. NATO's military buildup and Russia's response Western officials justify their military expansion as a reaction to Russia's "newly-assertive" posture and the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, Moscow dismisses these claims as propaganda, accusing NATO of using fear tactics to justify militarization and suppress dissent among member states. Russia maintains that it poses no threat to NATO but will respond decisively if provoked. The Kremlin's appointment of Belousovan economist with deep ties to Putin's inner circleas defense minister signals a long-term commitment to sustaining the war effort while optimizing military spending. Russia's defense budget has surged, with a focus on drone production, electronic warfare and logistical enhancements to counter NATO's growing presence in Eastern Europe. As Ukraine struggles with manpower shortages and delayed Western aid, Russia continues to gain ground, leveraging its superior artillery and drone capabilities. Medvedev's nuclear warnings underscore Moscow's determination to prevent NATO boots on Ukrainian soil, framing such an intervention as an existential threat. Meanwhile, NATO's military exercises near Russia's bordersincluding large-scale drills in Poland and the Balticsfuel Kremlin suspicions of an impending offensive. With both sides locked in a dangerous standoff, the risk of miscalculation grows. Russia's nuclear doctrine permits first use if its sovereignty is threatened, while NATO insists its buildup is purely defensive. Yet as Moscow accelerates its war machine and NATO reinforces Eastern Europe, the world edges closer to a potential flashpointone where nuclear deterrence may be tested like never before. A new cold war? The rapid modernization of Russia's military, combined with NATO's expanding infrastructure near Russian borders, has reignited Cold War-era tensions. Putin's government views NATO's actions as encirclement, while the West sees Russia's aggression in Ukraine as justification for bolstering defenses. With both sides preparing for prolonged conflict, the coming years could determine whether diplomacy prevailsor whether the world faces an unprecedented escalation with catastrophic consequences. For now, Russia's message is clear: any direct NATO involvement in Ukraine will be met with overwhelming force, including nuclear retaliation. As the war grinds on, the world watches nervously, hoping that deterrence holdsbut preparing for the unthinkable. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte admits Russia produces more in three months than what all NATO countries produce in a year. Watch the video below. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com TheCradle.co BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. Its been three years of playing offense, Mark Breitbard, president and chief executive officer of Gap Inc.s namesake division, told WWD in an exclusive interview. We want the stores to look better. We like the team, the fleet and the product. We just have to operate with more consistency, with big product ideas, buzzy collabs and marketing thats storytelling and thats what were delivering. Entering the Flatiron store, up front is a phalanx of outfitted mannequins suspended from the ceiling. Large monitors project the current Summer Fridays collaboration. Theres a large denim shop in the rear; several oversized, round tables displaying knit hoodies and pants; a wide central checkout, and adorning the walls on the lower level are celebrity portraits from Gap ad campaigns past and present, including Parker Posey, Kiefer Sutherland, Lauren Hutton, Willie Nelson, among others. The store is easier to shop and Gap has made it simpler to compare fits and installed noticeably more impactful visual merchandising to encourage outfitting. Categories are clearly delineated, like with the separate hoodies and sweats area. And the store fleet will continue to be fine tuned. Nine locations were remodeled over the past year, including the stores on Fifth Avenue in Manhattans Flatiron neighborhood, Chestnut Street in San Francisco and Covent Garden in London. Elements of the redesign have been incorporated into more than 40 Gap stores, but many more locations need upgrades. Gap is also counting on Gap Studio, designed by Gap Inc. executive vice president and creative director Zac Posen. Gap Studio is a more tailored and elevated collection think trenchcoats, blazers and innovative, detailed versions of Gap classics. Going forward, two category launches will be key. Fragrance and accessories will be introduced in the fall of 2026 with the aid of some high-powered talent recruited last September. Reed Krakoff of Coach and Tiffany fame and currently with John Hardy and L Catterton, and John Demsey, the former Estee Lauder Cos. executive, have become Gap Inc. executive directors of accessories and beauty, respectively, essentially hired as advisers for strategic guidance. In addition, Deb Redmond, formerly with Nordstrom, became Gap Inc. general manager of beauty, and Michele Parsons, formerly with Kate Spade and Coach, became Gap Inc. general manager of accessories. The Gap brand is on a two-year run of positive comparable sales, stoked by a string of splashy, attention-grabbing marketing campaigns and collaborations, and encouraged by a store modernization program that is still in its early stages. Story Continues He said garment quality has been improved particularly in destination categories like denim, sweats and Ts, but denim and sweats have been two big category movers for us. Decades ago, Gap was dominant in denim. The brand now seems to be recapturing lost market share, which Breitbard attributed to novelty, newness, response to trends, storytelling and affordable prices. Gap jeans, typically priced around $80 to $90 and often discounted, he said are comparable to other jeans brands priced $150. We were very early with loose, barrel and horseshoe fits. We had a low rise pretty early in the cycle in fall 25 so we will continue to innovate on denim and bottoms. Breitbard maintained that Gap is winning back customers, and has become relevant again, even cool. Were seeing much progress on improving the relevance of Gap through social media. Our Better in Denim campaign smashed almost every record, with more than 8 billion impressions and 500 million views across platforms. We had 15 million Instagram views in 24 hours. We see the numbers. We are bringing a younger consumer back to the brand, and were still able to hold onto the current consumer. Those things tell us were on to something. According to Breitbard, roughly 25 percent of new customers come from Gen Z and that the customers shopping the collaborations skew younger, under 40. On average, 20 percent of those buying a collaboration product at launch add another Gap item to their cart . Gap got to where it is today through some heavy lifting. From 2020 to 2023, 350 stores were closed leaving about 470 standing. All the international markets got sold off or became joint ventures. And 25 percent of the stock keeping units were cut, leaving room to invest in quality, Breitbard said. There were some misfires, including the Yeezy collaboration with Kanye West. It was a 10-year deal that lasted two years due to a contract dispute and Wests antisemitic remarks. But by 2023, things started to click. It was the first year to show a return to positive comps. There were collaborations with The Brooklyn Circus and LoveShackFancy. CashSoft, a proprietary yarn with the feel of cashmere but not the price of it, was introduced. In 2024, Gap launched two successful campaigns, Linen Moves with South African pop star Tyla alongside British electronic music group Jungle, and Get Loose, which starred pop artist Troye Sivan and featured baggy jeans. Dance has been a big component in the marketing. Years 2023 and 2024 set us up for 2025 which has been just an epic year, said Breitbard, which he attributed to focused product campaigns, buzzy collabs, and great relevance building. Gap brands third-quarter net sales of $951 million were up 6 percent from a year earlier. Comparable sales rose 7 percent the eighth consecutive quarter of positive comps. In 2024, Gap brand generated $3.3 billion in sales, which was flat versus 2023, though comparable sales rose 4 percent. Some people have suggested that Gap has easy comparisons and is coming off a low base. They would be incorrect, Breitbard said. Were running comps on top of comps now. Theres no easy comparison anymore. Now its just about pure momentum. And Breitbard said theres more to come. We have great ideas in 2026 to continue this momentum, he said. Were in the zone right now big product ideas, great storytelling, buzzy collaborations, in a way thats driving relevance. For me, its just about a continuation of that. Gaps beauty launch next year starts with fragrance. Were working on an actual launch, which should happen around midyear. With accessories, We havent called out a time, but that will be in the back half of 2026. Asked if Gap will get deeper into the beauty business beyond fragrance, Breitbard said: Were still sort of paving the path. Fragrance is first. We have history there. Old Navy, another Gap Inc. division along with Gap, Athleta and Banana Republic, is expected to be quicker in rolling out beauty. With modernizing stores, This year was about experimenting, but we want to have more stores that youll see with the new store design and new details. And then, of course, product campaigns including denim and sweats and collabs continue. After years of slumping sales and customers turning away, Breitbard was asked if Gap brand has finally been turned around, but its an expression he prefers not to use. Well, its a new day for Gap brand 2025 has been a year of relevance, and quite frankly, its been a fairly epic ride. I just look at consistent results in growth and share. And weve got eight quarters of it. Its our third year of positive comps. So were really delivering. Weve been driving really solid comps and taking market share. So I dont ever want to call it like, Were here, because our work is never done, and it feels still like early innings, but were developing a consistency, a strong track record with the consumer, and by all accounts, relevance is improving. Weve got a really strong playbook with big ideas and brand relevance and storytelling were sticking with. Asked if Gap brand make a profit, Breitbard replied, Absolutely. Gap brand is a critical part of the Gap Inc. story, in brand relevance, in driving comps, in profitability in every regard. From Gap's "Better in Denim" campaign. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The exchange has dealt with alleged securities, money laundering, and sanctions compliance issues since at least 2023, which led to two separate settlements for $4.3 billion and $2.7 billion , respectively. Zhao was later pardoned by President Trump in October. The parties sought a joint stay, or a 60-day pause, in February to seek a resolution to the case, largely thanks to the SECs newly established crypto task force , which both parties anticipated could impact and facilitate the resolution of the case. The SEC submitted a filing on May 29 to dismiss its ongoing case against Binance, which alleged that the crypto exchange, founder and former CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, and Binance.US offered the unregistered sale of securities and more. When Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse first announced that the case against Ripple would be ending pending Commission approval, he called it a victory and [a] long overdue surrender from the SEC. After a second denial by the courts, Ripple said it would drop its cross-appeal in June , ultimately finalizing the move in August alongside the SEC, ending the case. The resolution breaks the longest-standing battle between the regulator and a crypto firm, stemming back to 2021 allegations about the unregistered sale of securities with XRP. In 2023, a partial ruling fell mostly in favor of Ripple, but the SEC later appealed . The SEC and Ripple Labs officially dropped their respective appeals in August , bringing to an end the four-year lawsuit and landmark crypto case. Thus far, those words have rung true with the SEC recently backing away from fights with multiple top crypto companies. Here are the SEC's biggest pivots, reversals, and exits so far under Trump. The regulator, which now has a crypto-friendly chairman in Paul Atkins and a crypto task force led by longtime industry advocate Hester Peirce, is moving away from what Pierce and others have called regulation by enforcement to less hostile engagements with crypto. The momentum has shifted in the yearslong battle between top crypto companies and protocols and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the new Trump administration. Story Continues Crypto rulemaking case On February 17, the SEC voluntarily dropped an appeal in a case revolving around the regulator's previous attempts to extend securities laws to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and users. The appeal was made after a federal judge in Texas called the regulator's expanded definitions unlawful, citing that it was conflating DeFi traders with financial brokers. SEC Reverses Course, Dismisses Its Own Crypto Rulemaking Case Appeal The dropped appeal ensures that DeFi protocols do not need to register with the SEC as securities exchanges, leading the Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith to call it a complete and total victory. Coinbase Leading American crypto exchange Coinbase had its lawsuit officially dismissed by the SEC in February. The suit, which was filed in 2023, alleged that the platform knowingly operated as an unregistered securities exchange, specifically calling out tokens like Solana and Polygon in the process. SEC Officially Dismisses Coinbase Lawsuit Over Crypto Securities Claims In its statement on the move, the Commission said that the decision rests on its judgement that the dismissal will facilitate the Commissions ongoing efforts to reform and renew its regulatory approach to the crypto industry. Prior to official approval, Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal said of the dismissal there will be no settlement or compromisea wrong will simply be made right." OpenSea The SEC has ended its investigation into NFT marketplace OpenSea, the firm said in February, dropping charges that alleged it operated as an unlicensed securities brokerage. The platform indicated it received a Wells notice from the regulator in August 2024, signaling the SEC would take action against it. This is a win for everyone who is creating and building in our space, said OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer. Trying to classify NFTs as securities would have been a step backwardone that misinterprets the law and slows innovation. OpenSea Says SEC Will End Investigation Into Ethereum NFT Marketplace Robinhood Crypto An SEC investigation into Robinhoodone which the platform claims should never have been openedended with no action taken by the regulator. As we explained to the SEC, any case against Robinhood Crypto would have failed, said Robinhood's Chief Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs Officer Dan Gallagher. We appreciate the formal closing of this investigation, and we are happy to see a return to the rule of law and commitment to fairness at the SEC." SEC Ends Robinhood Investigation 'With No Action' The firm was notified of a potential enforcement action in May 2024 when it received a Wells notice from the Gary Gensler-led SEC. Uniswap Labs Uniswap Labs, the creator of Ethereum decentralized exchange Uniswap, said in February that the SEC has ended its investigation into the organization without filing any charges. Like other leading crypto organizations, Uniswap Labs received a Wells notice in April 2024 which alleged it operated as an unregistered securities broker, exchange, and clearing agency, and that had enabled the sale of an unregistered security. Ethereum DeFi Exchange Uniswap Says SEC Has Dropped Its Investigation With the investigation said to be over, all of the aforementioned claims have now been dropped, said its CEO Hayden Adams. They went after us despite having no clear legal basis, as part of a strategy of arbitrary enforcement to try to force DeFi into a regulatory framework that doesnt fitall while refusing to provide clear rules or a path to compliance, he posted on X. This is a huge win, not just for Uniswap Labs but for DeFi as a whole. Gemini Trust A two-year investigation into Gemini Trust about the unregistered sale of securities ended last week without an enforcement action from the Commission. Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss noted the milestone, but said that it does little to make up for the damage this agency has done to us, our industry, and America. SEC Softens Crypto Stance as Justin Sun Eyes Settlement, Gemini Cleared of Probe Winklevoss estimated that the regulator cost his firm tens of millions in legal fees and hundreds of millions in lost productivity, creativity, and innovation." On April 1, the SEC and Gemini also mutually agreed to a 60-day stay over the $900 million lawsuit related to the firms lending program Justin Sun/Tron Like Binance, Justin Sun and Tron filed a joint motion alongside the SEC to temporarily stay the regulator's case in the hopes of finding a resolution. The case stems back to 2023 when the SEC alleged that Sun made more than 600,000 wash trades to create misleading Tron (TRX) volumes that led to around $32 million in profits. The joint filing indicates a resolution would be beneficial on account of conserving judicial resources. Consensys MetaMask and Linea parent company, Consensys, had its case officially dismissed on March 27, which focused on staking features within MetaMask. Ethereum Software Firm Consensys Says SEC Plans to End Lawsuit We were committed to fighting this suit until the bitter end but welcome this outcome, said Consensys founder and CEO Joseph Lubin on X when it was expected the Commission would drop the case. Now we can get 100% back to building. 2025 is going to be the best year yet for Ethereum and Consensys. (Disclosure: Consensys is one of 22 investors in an editorially independent Decrypt.) Kraken The Commission agreed to drop its latest lawsuit into the American centralized exchange Kraken, the firm said on March 3, pending commissioner approval. That approval came on March 27, officially dropping the case. The SEC originally alleged that the firm violated securities laws with its staking-as-a-service system. That suit was settled in February 2023, with Kraken agreeing to pay a $30 million fine. SEC Will Drop Lawsuit Against Kraken, Says Crypto Exchange But the regulator sued the platform again in November 2023, alleging it was operating as an unregistered securities exchange, dealer, and broker. That lawsuit is the one that it agreed in principle to drop. In conclusion, the exchange indicated there is no admission of wrongdoing, no penalties paid, and no changes to our business. Yuga Labs Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs announced on March 3 that the SEC closed its investigation into the company. The investigation had been ongoing since 2022, with the regulator scrutinizing the companys NFT offerings, as well as the ApeCoin token launch. The Ethereum tokens creation was officially created to the ApeCoin DAO. Bored Ape Creator Yuga Labs Says SEC Closing Investigation in 'Huge Win' for NFT Sector This is a huge win for NFTs and all creators pushing our ecosystem forward, the company posted on X. NFTs are not securities. Horizen Labs A representative for Horizen Labs confirmed to Decrypt on March 4 that an investigation into the companydue to its affiliation with the ApeCoin launchwas ended by the SEC with a recommendation of no enforcement action. I can say personally how much of a weight off our shoulders this is for those who just want to build and always try to do the right thing, CEO Rob Viglione said. Horizen Labs could have gone offshore, like many did, but we chose to stay in the U.S. despite the war on crypto. Cumberland DRW Market maker Cumberlands case was officially dropped alongside a pair of other crypto cases on March 27. The Commission brought a suit against the firm in October 2024, alleging it acted as an unregistered dealer of securities. Crypto Trading Firm Cumberland Says SEC Plans to Drop Lawsuit As a firm deeply committed to the principles of integrity and transparency, we look forward to continuing our dialogue with the SEC to help shape a future where technological advancements and regulatory clarity go hand-in-hand, it posted on X when it first announced the joint filing to drop the case. Crypto.com Crypto.com sued the SEC in October 2024 after it received a Wells notice from the regulator over potential securities violations. But now the Commission has ended its investigation into the platform and will file no enforcement action. We are pleased that the current SEC leadership has made the decision to close its investigation into Crypto.com with no enforcement action or settlement, said Nick Lundgren, Chief Legal Officer of Crypto.com in a statement. Compliance and integrity are core to Crypto.coms business and we are excited to work with soon-to-be-confirmed Chair Atkins and the rest of the Commission on our long-awaited desire for legislation and rulemaking. Immutable After receiving a Wells notice in October 2024, the Ethereum-based gaming company announced on March 25 that the SEC had concluded its investigation into the firm. The investigation centered on potential securities violations surrounding the sale of IMX tokens in 2021 in which Immutable raised at least $12.5 million. SEC Drops Investigation into Web3 Gaming Firm Immutable That inquiry is now officially closed, with zero findings of wrongdoing, and the SEC is taking no action, Immutable posted on X. This is a huge win - not just for Web3 gaming, but everyone who believes in digital ownership rights. Hawk Tuah Girl Haliey Welch, better known as the "Hawk Tuah" girl, told TMZ that the SECs investigation into her meme coin debacle is now over. For the past few months, I've been cooperating with all the authorities and attorneys, and finally, that work is complete, Welch told the outlet. Hawk Tuah Girl Says SEC Dropping Probe Into Solana Meme Coin: TMZ In December the internet celebrity launched a Solana meme coinHAWKwhich went horribly wrong, leading to allegations of a rug pull as the token's price collapsed very quickly after launch. The team behind the token denied any wrongdoing. Helium The SEC dismissed its lawsuit against Nova Labs, the team behind Helium, a Solana-based decentralized wireless connectivity network. We can now definitively say that all compatible Helium Hotspots and the distribution of HNT, IOT, and MOBILE tokens through the Helium Network are not securities, Helium wrote. SEC Dismisses Helium Case, Ending Gary Gensler's Final Act The lawsuit against the firm was among Gary Genslers final acts in power while leading the Commission, dropping on January 20, 2025 right before the administration shift to President Donald Trump. Nova Labs agreed to pay a $200,000 fine to settle part of the suit related to claims that Helium misled investors with claims over companies it said was using the network. PayPal PayPal faced almost two years of scrutiny over its PYUSD stablecoin, but the SEC took no action against the payments giant. The regulator first sent the company a subpoena in November 2023 seeking documents related to PYUSD, though specific details were not made public. But in February, the SEC decided it would end the investigation, according to an April filing from PayPal. CyberKongz The SEC dropped an investigation into Ethereum NFT project CyberKongz after nearly two years of communication with the project, the creators said. Ethereum Gaming Project CyberKongz Says SEC Has Ended Investigation The project said it received a Wells notice from the regulator in December, an indication that it may have enforcement taken against it. However, the investigation, which centered on the projects BANANA token and its gaming contract migration in 2021, ended with no action. After years of litigation, unjust allegations, crippling legal fees, and the biggest hurdle we could possibly encounterwe are free, the project posted on X. Aave The SEC concluded its four-year investigation into decentralized crypto lending protocol Aave with no intention to recommend enforcement, the firm announced in December. Details on the investigation were not provided, but the firm was one of multiple DeFi protocols that drew scrutiny from the Commission over the years, only to see investigations end as a more crypto-friendly regulatory body took shape under President Trump. This process demanded significant effort and resources from our team, and from me personally as the founder, to protect Aave, its ecosystem, and DeFi more broadly, Stani Kulechov, CEO and founder of Aave, said on X DeFi has faced unfair regulatory pressure in recent years. Were glad to put this behind us as we enter a new era where developers can truly build the future of finance. DeFi will win, he continued. Ondo Finance Tokenization firm Ondo Finance received notice that the SEC had ended a confidential, multi-year investigation into the firm in December. The investigation scrutinized whether or not the firms tokenization of real-world assets complied with federal securities laws, and whether the ONDO token was a security. Ondo Finance Says Biden-Era SEC Investigation Closed With No Charges Being early, and being successful, came with scrutiny, the firm wrote in a statement. Ondos growth and leadership in the emerging tokenization category made us a focus, but not a justified target. With the probe concluded, we move forward as we always have, with strong commitments to innovation, compliance, security, and investor protection. Editor's note: This story was originally published on March 2, 2025 and last updated with new details on December 21. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. A collaborative study from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) and Imperial College London has found that the protein ACE2 may play a protective role against two common conditions, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes, which affect millions of people worldwide. Proteins circulating in the blood can reveal what's happening in the body, from how we process energy to how diseases develop. Unlike genetic testing, which shows fixed risk factors from birth, protein analysis provides a real-time picture of health and disease. Research published in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine and led by Dr Kathryn McGurk from the Computational Cardiac Imaging group and the Cardiovascular Genomics Precision Medicine group at the LMS has shed light on how certain proteins in our blood connect cardiovascular risk factors with disease development and outcomes. To fully predict, stratify and prevent people from getting heart disease, we need new biomarkers and targets for treatment, so our goal was to understand whether studying the proteins already linked to heart disease through genetics could illustrate risk more clearly and determine whether they could be used in clinical blood tests." Dr. Kathryn McGurk from the Computational Cardiac Imaging group and the Cardiovascular Genomics Precision Medicine group, LMS To do this, the team analysed nine key proteins in over 45,000 blood samples from the UK Biobank. These included ACE2, BNP, NT-proBNP, and troponin I - proteins known to play roles in heart function and disease. They found significant variability in circulating proteins depending on age, sex, ancestry, genetics, lifestyle and medication use. The ACE2 protein: Counteracting high blood pressure ACE2 levels were increased in individuals with a diagnosis of high blood pressure or diabetes, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. The effect was seen particularly in females and was influenced by changes in genes that are associated with diabetes. Using a genetic analysis method called twosample Mendelian randomisation, the researchers found evidence that these higher ACE2 levels may, in fact, be trying to protect against high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. ACE2 drew global attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as it's the protein that allows the virus to enter human cells. ACE2 breaks down angiotensin II, a compound that tightens blood vessels, and produces substances that relax blood vessels. In this way, the elevated levels of ACE2 seen in individuals with high blood pressure may be compensatory, by helping to relax constricted blood vessels. Since high blood pressure and diabetes are so widespread, identifying ACE2 as a new and relatively unexplored biomarker could have important implications for patient care. ACE2 appears to have protective effects in the cardiovascular system, through its role in helping to relax blood vessels and counteracting the activity of hormones that raise blood pressure. What could this mean for blood pressure and diabetes treatments? ACE inhibitors are common drugs for treating high blood pressure and work by blocking the ACE1 protein which, in contrast to ACE2, makes angiotensin II. These findings could influence how ACE inhibitor drugs are used and by which patients, as it's likely that ACE2:ACE1 balance has a role in how successful ACE inhibitors are in treating blood pressure. Individuals with naturally altered levels of ACE2 may be better suited to certain ACE inhibitors, and this may lead to more tailored treatments based on blood ACE2 levels. Future research will explore whether increasing ACE2 activity or mimicking its effects could improve treatment for high blood pressure and diabetes. Previous preclinical studies of a common anti-diabetic drug, metformin, showed that it increases ACE2 expression as part of its action. "This work highlights how discovery data science can find novel disease biomarkers and therapies, as well as shift our understanding of current therapies and which patients can benefit most," says Kathryn. "The key to this work is interdisciplinary collaboration: with our enthusiastic early career colleagues (Dr Lara Curran, Dr Arun Sau), encouragement and input from more senior colleagues (Prof Declan O'Regan, Prof James Ware, Prof Fu Siong Ng), and important clinical insights (Dr Brian Halliday)." This research was primarily supported by British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial College Biomedical Research Center, the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust and Rosetrees Trust. Kathryn is a British Heart Foundation Immediate Research Fellow at the LMS and Imperial's National Heart and Lung Institute. A decline in religious participation among middle-aged, less educated white Americans may have played a role in the widely noted increases in "deaths of despair," a new study finds. Researchers found that states that had the largest declines in churchgoing from 1985 to 2000 also had larger increases in death by drug overdoses, suicide and alcoholic liver disease what have been called deaths of despair. While the increase in deaths of despair has often been linked to the introduction of OxyContin and other new opioids in the late 1990s, this study shows the trend began years earlier when religious participation started to fall, said Tamar Oostrom, co-author of the study and assistant professor of economics at The Ohio State University. What we see in this study is the beginning of the story, before opioids became a major issue, and it shows rises in deaths of despair were already beginning to happen when the opioid crisis hit." Tamar Oostrom, co-author of the study and assistant professor of economics, The Ohio State University Oostrom conducted the study with Tyler Giles of Wellsley College and Daniel Hungerman of the University of Notre Dame. It was published online recently in the Journal of the European Economic Association. The researchers used data on religiosity from the General Social Surveys and mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their analysis showed that the decline in religious participation was driven by white, middle-aged Americans without a college degree the same group that experienced increases in mortality, Oostrom said. The link between declining churchgoing and increased mortality was found among both men and women, in both rural and urban areas of the United States. In order to further confirm that link, the researchers analyzed the repeal of "blue laws" that had prohibited many stores and businesses from doing business on Sunday, eliminating competition from going to church. The largest repeal of blue laws occurred in 1985, when Minnesota, South Carolina and Texas all repealed their laws. The researchers compared those three states to others. Findings showed that the repeal of blue laws led to a 5- to 10-percentage-point decrease in weekly attendance of religious services, and later an increase in the rate of deaths of despair in those states. Oostrom said that deaths of despair were on a steady decline among middle-aged white Americans from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, when the decline leveled off, Oostrom said. This leveling off is consistent with the effects of the repeal of blue laws and declines in religious participation. The mortality rates then began to skyrocket after the introduction of OxyContin in 1996. "OxyContin and the opioid crisis made a bad situation worse, but the deaths of despair were already on the rise," Oostrom said. How is the decline in churchgoing related to increases in deaths of despair? Oostrom said when people stop going to church, they lose those social connections, which studies have shown are very important to health. But it appears to be more than that. This study didn't find any decline in other forms of social activity at the same time as the decline in churchgoing. "Religion may provide some way of making sense of the world, some sense of identity in relation to others, that can't easily be replaced by other forms of socialization," Oostrom said. She noted that belief in God didn't decline during the time of this study. "What changed is whether people identified as religious and whether they go to church. Those are the things that matter when it comes to deaths of despair," she said. The results raise the question of whether a return to participation in organized religion, or maybe other secular community organizations, could reverse these mortality trends. "To our knowledge, findings on this point have so far been pessimistic," the authors write in the paper. Oostrom noted that there is no evidence that general declines in community participation are reversing. And the benefits of religious participation for life satisfaction are difficult to replicate with other forms of social engagement. If anything, the 21st century rise of social media may make a reversal even less likely, she said. "People are less religious now, and there hasn't been a substitute that provides what religion provided to many people. And our paper suggests this could have long-term impacts on health and mortality," Oostrom said. Scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz have discovered that while brain neuron changes, including cell loss, may begin in early life, a drug long-approved for other conditions might be repurposed to slow this damage, offering new hope for those with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other cognition issues. The study was published today in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. This drug improved one measure of cognition and reduced a blood measure of neuron death in people with AD in a relatively short period of time in its first clinical trial." Professor Huntington Potter, PhD, study's senior author, director of the University of Colorado Alzheimer's and Cognition Center at CU Anschutz The drug, sargramostim (also called LeukineO), a synthetic form of the natural human protein GM-CSF, has been used for 30 years to treat a variety of conditions including cancer. It has also shown promise in its first clinical trial by improving blood biomarkers of brain pathology. The biomarker improvement lasted only as long as the drug was taken, yet the memory improvement on one measure lasted longer. The new study, co-authored by Stefan Sillau, PhD, Christina Coughlan, PhD and Md. Mahiuddin Ahmed, PhD, and colleagues, revealed in a cross-sectional study of people of all ages that a protein released into the blood from dying brain neurons, called UCH-L1, and another protein released from damaged neurons, called NfL, are at low concentrations in the blood in early life and their levels are exponentially higher every year through age 85. Early life changes in this biomarker likely reflect a normal process of aging, but in later stages of life, increases in UCHL-1 are linked with poorer outcomes. This discovery could lead to earlier testing and new therapies for AD and possibly for cognitive decline due to normal aging. The researchers also found that the concentration of the protein GFAP, a measure of brain inflammation that is thought to play a key role in driving cognitive decline, is significantly higher in the blood starting at age 40. Interestingly, age-associated blood concentrations of GFAP and UCH-L1 are higher in women for reasons that remain unclear. "These findings suggest that the exponentially higher levels of these markers with age, likely accelerated by neuroinflammation, may underlie the contribution of aging to cognitive decline and AD and that sargramostim treatment may halt this trajectory," Potter said. The natural GM-CSF protein stimulates the immune system, causing it to create new immune cells in the bone marrow and brain, while modulating inflammation. In animal models, Potter said, "GM-CSF also reverses cognitive decline and the rate of neuron death after just a few weeks of treatment." "When people with AD were given sargramostim in the clinical trial, their blood levels of the UCH-L1 measure of neuronal cell death dropped by 40% - in our study, this was similar to levels seen in early life," Potter said. "We were very surprised." Sargramostim treatment also led to improved scores on one of the cognitive tests performed, the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), compared to those taking a placebo. Other cognitive tests showed no change. Whether the drug will reduce Alzheimer-associated neuronal damage only with continuous use is unclear and needs more study. At 45 days after treatment ended, the blood UCH-L1 concentration had returned to pre-treatment levels but the improvement in the MMSE measure of cognition was retained. More research will also be needed to determine if the drug can reduce normal age-associated neuron death and cognitive decline. The authors remind people that results from this study are still preliminary and that changes in blood neuronal markers are expected to occur throughout life as a normal part of aging. A second, longer and more extensive clinical trial with the drug in mild-to-moderate AD participants is currently underway. Until the clinical research is completed and the FDA considers the data and approves sargramostim for treating Alzheimer's, the drug should not be prescribed or taken for any non-approved use. The other co-authors include Neill Epperson, Timothy Boyd, Joaquin Espinosa, Kavita Nair, Paula Araya, Matthew D. Galbraith, Alanna Ritchie, Athena Ching-Jung Wang, Mihret T. Elos, Brianne M. Bettcher and Heidi J. Chial. The research team appreciates the funding support by the University of Colorado Department of Neurology, the State of Colorado, the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer's Association, and private philanthropists, including the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. University of Navarra (Spain) researchers have developed RNACOREX, a new open-source software capable of identifying gene regulation networks with applications in cancer survival analysis. The tool, created by scientists at the Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DATAI), members of the Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, has been validated with data from thirteen tumor types from the international consortium The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Published in PLOS Computational Biology, RNACOREX analyzes thousands of molecules simultaneously to detect key interactions that often remain undetected using conventional analytical approaches. The tool provides researchers with an interpretable molecular "map" that improves the understanding of tumors and opens new venues for revealing the mechanisms that drive tumor progression. Decoding cancer's hidden genetic structure Inside our cells, different types of molecules - such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNA (mRNA)- communicate through highly complex regulatory networks. When these connections break down, cancers and other diseases can emerge. Understanding the architecture of these networks is crucial for detecting, studying, and classifying different tumor types. However, reliably identifying these networks is a challenge due to the vast amount of available data, the presence of many false signals, and the lack of accessible and precise tools capable of distinguishing which molecular interactions are truly associated with each disease." Ruben Armananzas, head of the Digital Medicine Laboratory at DATAI and one of the study's lead authors RNACOREX addresses this problem by combining information from international databases with real gene-expression data analysis to rank the most biologically relevant miRNAmRNA interactions. Using this information, it derives increasingly complex regulatory networks that could also serve as powerful probabilistic models. Better interpretation and prediction To assess its performance, researchers evaluated RNACOREX on thirteen cancer types - from breast and colon to lung, stomach, melanoma, and head and neck - using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) consortium. "The software predicted patient survival with accuracy on par with sophisticated AI models, but with something many of those systems lack: clear, interpretable explanations of the molecular interactions behind the results", adds Aitor Oviedo-Madrid, a researcher at the Digital Medicine Laboratory of DATAI and first author of the study. RNACOREX not only identifies regulatory networks associated with clinical outcomes, but also uncovers molecular patterns shared across tumor types and highlights individual molecules of particular biomedical interest. These findings open the door to new hypotheses about the mechanisms that regulate tumor growth and suggest valuable clues for future diagnostic or therapeutic targets. "Our tool provides a reliable molecular 'map' that helps prioritize new biological targets, speeding up cancer research", he concludes. An evolving open-source tool RNACOREX is an open-source program available on GitHub and PyPI (Python Package Index), and includes automated database downloads to streamline its use in laboratories and research centers. The project has been partially funded by the Government of Navarra (ANDIA 2021 program) and the ERA PerMed JTC2022 PORTRAIT. "As artificial intelligence in genomics accelerates, RNACOREX positions itself as an explainable, easy-to-interpret solution and an alternative to 'black-box' models, helping bring omics data into biomedical practice," says Armananzas. The University of Navarra is already developing new functionalities - including pathway analysis and additional interaction layers - to develop models that better explain the mechanisms driving tumor growth and progression. These advances reflect the institution's commitment to interdisciplinary research that integrates biomedicine, AI, and data science to improve understanding and management of cancer through personalized and precision medicine. The dangers of heat and humidity are so well known it's become cliche to mention them. But the impacts can extend farther than even scientists and doctors realized. In a paper published in Science Advances, researchers at UC Santa Barbara looked at the effect of prenatal exposure to extremely hot, humid conditions on the health of children in South Asia. They found that humidity worsens the impacts of heat exposure, in part because it prevents pregnant women from cooling down. Accounting for humidity quadrupled the effect of extreme heat on child health. "Exposure to hot, humid conditions in-utero is dangerous for child health, and more dangerous than just hot temperatures alone," said lead author Katie McMahon, a doctoral student under Professor Kathy Baylis in the Geography Department. By focusing on the effects of temperature only, many researchers, doctors and public health officials may be underestimating the true impacts of extreme weather. This is particularly concerning given that these conditions are predicted to become more frequent and extreme due to climate change. What's more, some of the most densely populated regions on Earth are hot, humid areas along rivers and coastlines. Populations are also growing rapidly in many of these locations. Fortunately, understanding this phenomenon can help guide interventions. Even simple actions could have significant benefits, the authors claim. How we measure matters Humidity in the forecast doesn't just make heat more miserable; the "feels like" temperature has an actual basis in our biology. Humans cool by sweating. But evaporation slows when air is humid. "And when evaporation can't happen, then cooling can't happen," McMahon said. "All that heat builds up in our bodies, causing heat stress." And this can happen at much lower temperatures under humid conditions. That's why the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was invented in the 1950s. Unlike a simple temperature measurement, this metric accounts for four of factors that affect heat stress: air temperature, humidity, radiant heat sources, and airflow. This is precisely what McMahon and her coauthors tracked in their investigation. As for the health effects, the authors looked at height-for-age: a ratio of a child's height compared to the average for their age. This ratio is a commonly-used indicator of chronic health status for children under age five. The researchers culled data on child health data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), a large-scale and comprehensive household survey of public health and demographics. Their daily weather data was produced by the Climate Hazards Center at UCSB. Much of the work involved linking demographic data and surveys with heat and humidity data to identify prenatal heat exposure. After this, the authors ran the data through their statistical models with carefully selected temperature, humidity and growth thresholds. These thresholds were 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) for temperature and 29 C (84 F) for WBGT. "We needed our hot and hot-humid thresholds to be comparable," McMahon said, "and this approach led us to two thresholds that occur with nearly equal frequency in South Asia." The researchers found that exposure to extreme heat was bad, but humidity made outcomes even worse. For example, looking at exposure during the third trimester revealed that heat and humidity was approximately four times worse than heat alone, Baylis explained. The results suggest that a child who experienced a one-standard deviation increase in heat and humidity in the year before birth would be 13% shorter for their age than expected. In contrast, a one-standard-deviation increase in extreme heat exposure translated to a 1% reduction in height for age. The pregnancy factor Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to heat stress for a number of reasons. The added weight causes them to produce more heat, and hormonal changes also make them more vulnerable to overheating. Combining these with the effects of high humidity can spell real trouble for a woman and her future child. The worst times were very early and very late in pregnancy, the team found. "At the beginning of pregnancy, the fetus is very vulnerable," McMahon explained, "while at the end of pregnancy, the mother is more vulnerable." For example, heat stress can induce premature labor late in pregnancy, leading to infants who are not yet fully developed. This setback could then carry on into childhood, causing developmental issues and poor health that are never fully overcome. On the opposite end, a particularly risky time for heat exposure was right around the beginning of pregnancy, possibly even right before conception. A woman herself may not know she's in this critical time for her future child, or that she's pregnant at all. Across cultures, women late in pregnancy are often treated with particular care, "but my guess is that almost nobody appreciated these risks during the first trimester - including me, before this study," said co-author Chris Funk, Director of the Climate Hazards Center. Robust results The authors acknowledge that the paper has several limitations. For instance, they weren't able to access exact birth dates and pregnancy lengths, so they can't completely account for the effects of premature births. For instance, if a baby were born a month premature, they would actually be about 0.9 years old developmentally at their first birthday. The researchers said that they would love better, more granular health data from more regions. Still, the team also says the study's findings are strong enough to make causal claims. They checked their results under a variety of alternative thresholds and considered other factors that may have influenced their findings. "We show versions of the results that use five different sets of alternative thresholds," McMahon said. "No matter the threshold, our main conclusion remained the same." They even looked at the effect of prenatal WBGT on birthrates and infant mortality. It does not look like early death or failed pregnancies are seriously impacting the results of our study." Chris Funk, Director of the Climate Hazards Center Far-reaching ramifications The results have a number of implications. Assessing risk based solely on temperature misses humid coastlines and river valleys. "These are literally the cradles of civilization," Funk said. "And so they're the most densely populated places on the planet." Scientists have estimated that about 38% of the global population lived within 100 kilometers of the coast as of 2018, and an even higher percentage live in close proximity to a river or lake. South Asia - a region of over 1.7 billion people - could be hit particularly hard in the coming years. If exposed to conditions expected by 2050 under a high-emissions scenario, around 3.5 million children would've experienced stunting in the study region alone. "Even if societies succeed in limiting warming to 2C above preindustrial levels, South Asia is expected to suffer from deadly heat events every year," the authors write. What's more, a lot of research on the effects of extreme weather looks at deaths rather than health impacts. "But, extreme weather harms many more people than it kills," McMahon said. Focusing only on mortality leaves out a large part of how these conditions affect people's lives. "This affects our calculus of the cost of climate change for human health and society overall." Poor health also generates large economic impacts, which can be multigenerational, creating a cycle of further poverty and poor health, Funk explained. "The picture painted by this research is grim, but it could lead to a lot of potentially positive interventions." It's important to note that many vicious cycles are virtuous cycles run in reverse, meaning that small interventions could yield dramatic, far-reaching effects. Relatively simple education and messaging campaigns could produce big increases in resilience and adaptive behaviors, the researchers said. Funk and his colleagues at the Climate Hazards Center are working on extreme heat forecasting and early warning systems, such as a project with the Kenyan meteorological department to improve the forecasts for the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya. By tracking WBGT, the organization running the refugee camp can take adaptive measures when a heatwave is imminent. The center is also studying the conditions that drive these heatwaves to understand their connection to regional weather systems. The team is working with Microsoft's AI for Good Lab to harness machine learning for weather modeling to forecasting conditions in refugee camps. Baylis's group is investigating how hazards compound upon each other, such as the effects of heat and air pollution. McMahon will look into some of the nuances of heat exposure, such as which mothers, babies and children are most vulnerable to this hazard, as well as how these disparities may evolve in the future. McMahon also plans to continue investigating the effect of heat and humidity on vulnerable populations, including farmworkers in California. She will work with a group of health clinics in the Salinas Valley to understand how extreme these conditions affect rates of heat-related medical visits in farm-working communities. Heat stress among farmworkers is well documented in the media and a number of qualitative studies, she said, but this work will help quantify this serious health problem in one of California's key agricultural regions. Researchers at the University of Cologne use simulations to investigate the likelihood of interactions between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans on the Iberian Peninsula / publication in PLOS One. Using a specially developed simulation model, researchers at the University of Cologne have traced and analyzed the dynamics of possible encounters between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans on the Iberian Peninsula during the Palaeolithic period for the first time. Between approximately 50,000 and 38,000 years ago, the first anatomically modern humans arrived in Europe, where they encountered Neanderthal populations. The team analysed the respective settlement areas and the movement patterns of both groups. Were there any interactions between the groups, and did they mix? And how were population dynamics influenced by climatic events? The results of the study "Pathways at the Iberian crossroads: Dynamic modelling of the Middle-Upper Paleolithic Transition" led by Professor Dr Yaping Shao from the Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology were published in the journal PLOS One. This study was conducted within the framework of the HESCOR research project at the University of Cologne, in collaboration with Professor Dr Gerd-Christian Weniger (Emeritus) of the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology. The researchers used a numerical model to simulate exploratively the possibility of both groups meeting on the Iberian Peninsula. The model takes into account the prevailing climate fluctuations and simulates the populations of both groups as well as their connectivity and interaction. It is able to dynamically simulate a wide variety of scenarios, in contrast to more traditional archaeological and genetic methods. It makes it possible to examine different theories and to create a new perspective. By linking climate, demography, and culture, our dynamic model offers a broader explanatory framework that can be used to better interpret archaeological and genomic data." Professor Weniger, Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne During the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic, Neanderthal populations across Europe, especially on the Iberian Peninsula, experienced a steady decline leading to their extinction. At the same time, anatomically modern humans spread across Europe. This period was also characterized by strong climatic fluctuations, with alternating cold and warm phases: rapid warming phases occurring over only a few centuries contrast with more gradual cooling periods (so-called DansgaardOeschger events), which are interrupted by severe cold phases caused by massive iceberg discharges into the North Atlantic (Heinrich events). The precise timing of the Neanderthals' extinction and the arrival of modern humans remains unclear, so a potential encounter between the two species cannot be ruled out. Genetic analyses of bones from archaeological excavations in comparison with today's population indicate a mixing in eastern Europe in the early migration phases of modern humans. Later mixing of the two populations on the Iberian Peninsula is possible due to substantial dating uncertainties, but has not yet been proven. "Repeated runs of the model with different parameters allow for an assessment of the plausibility of different scenarios: an early extinction of the Neanderthals, a small population size with a high risk of extinction, or a prolonged survival that would allow mixing," says Professor Shao, principal investigator of the study. In most of the runs, however, the two groups did not meet. In all three scenarios, the population is highly sensitive to climatic fluctuations. In those cases where the population could remain stable long enough, mixing of the two species was possible. With a low probability (1 per cent), at the end of the simulations there are small proportions of 2 to 6 per cent of the total population that have genes from both groups. This mixing would have been most likely in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula, an area where modern humans could have arrived early enough before the Neanderthal population collapsed completely. In further studies, the researchers plan to improve both the numerical model and the potential field required for it. In addition to human populations, the model should also include animals that can serve as potential prey. The vegetation data required for this is fed into a potential field, which is calculated separately for humans and animals from a variety of climatic and geographical data. The researchers are also currently investigating whether a specialized machine learning algorithm can help with this. The HESCOR (Human & Earth System Coupled Research) project pursues interdisciplinary research questions that bring together Earth system science, human-system modelling, and the humanities to investigate how interactions between nature and culture have shaped and continue to shape our world. Experts in climate science, archaeology, mathematics, and the humanities contribute diverse perspectives and cutting-edge methods to research aimed at addressing fundamental questions in human history. How have climatic changes influenced the course of human cultural evolution? To what extent do human decisions and social changes affect the Earth system? Can modern computer tools and machine learning unlock the secrets of our past? HESCOR is funded by the 'Profilbildung' initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Science of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. ConocoPhillips Inc. (COP) stock has a 3.63% annual yield and could be up to 18% undervalued. Another play here is to sell short out-of-the-money OTM) puts as an income play. For example, 5% OTM COP puts have a 1% monthly yield. This article will show how this works. COP stock is at $92.67 midday on Friday, December 19. COP has been relatively flat over the last 6 months. Moreover, its $3.36 annual dividend per share (DPS) provides a long-term holder with a yearly yield of 3.626%. More News from Barchart COP stock - last 6 months - Barchart - Dec. 19, 2025 That's not the only way a value investor could play the stock. I discussed this in my last article a month ago (Nov. 21: ConocoPhillips' 3.84% Dividend Yield Implies COP Stock Could be 24% Undervalued. I suggested selling short out-of-the-money (OTM) put options (i.e., 8.54% below the trading price) at $80.00 for expiry today on Dec. 19. The yield, given the 61 cents premium received, was 0.7625% (i.e., $61/$8,000 per put shorted). Today's the $80 strike price puts are set to expire worthless, making this a profitable play. That means an investor can redo this income play. What COP Stock is Worth One of the simplest ways to value an oil and gas stock is to assume that the price will eventually revert to its historical dividend yield. For example, over the last 5 years, its average yield has been 3.12%, according to Seeking Alpha. However, Yahoo! Finance says the average 5-year yield has been 2.54%, and Morningstar says it's been 2.29%. So, the average of these 3 surveys is 2.643%. But just to be conservative, let's use the highest yield. Here is what that implies about COP stock's value: $3.36 DPS / 0.0310 = $109.39 target price (TP) In other words, if COP stock reverts to an average yield of 3.10%, COP stock will rise +18% from $92.67 to $109.39, since: $3.36/$109.39 = 3.10% yield In fact, if we use the average 2.643% yield, the TP is +37% higher at $127.13 since $3.36/0.02643 = $127.13. Analysts tend to be between these two TPs. For example, Yahoo! Finance reports that the average TP of 29 analysts is $112.32. Similarly, Barchart's mean TP survey price is $112.23. AnaChart.com, which tracks recent analyst price targets, reports that 15 analysts have an average TP of $118.39. That's right between my price target and the $127.13 highest dividend yield target. A research team led by Felix Viana, co-director of the Sensory Transduction and Nociception laboratory at the Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint research centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Miguel Hernandez University of Elche (UMH), has demonstrated that the body uses different molecular mechanisms to detect cold in the skin and in internal organs. These findings represent a significant advance in understanding thermal homeostasis and certain pathologies associated with cold sensitivity. The study, recently published in the journal Acta Physiologica, shows that cold perception is not a homogeneous process throughout the organism. In the skin, cold is mainly detected through the ion channel TRPM8, which is specialised in sensing low temperatures and cooling sensations from the environment. In contrast, internal organs such as the lungs or the stomach primarily rely on a different sensor, known as TRPA1, to perceive temperature decreases. This difference in molecular mechanisms explains why the sensation of cold on the body surface can be very different from that experienced when breathing cold air or ingesting very cold food or drinks, as each type of tissue activates and uses distinct pathways to detect thermal changes. "The skin is equipped with specific sensors that allow us to detect environmental cold and adapt defensive behaviours", explains Felix Viana, principal investigator of the study. He adds: "In contrast, cold detection inside the body appears to depend on different sensory circuits and molecular receptors, reflecting its deeper physiological role in internal regulation and responses to environmental stimuli". The study was carried out using animal models that allowed direct analysis of the activity of sensory neurons involved in cold detection. Specifically, the team compared neurons from the trigeminal nerve, which transmits information from the skin and the surface of the head, with neurons from the vagus nerve, the main sensory pathway connecting the brain with internal organs such as the lungs and the digestive tract. To examine how these neurons respond to temperature changes, the researchers used calcium imaging techniques and electrophysiological recordings, allowing real-time monitoring of neuronal activation. These approaches were combined with the use of specific pharmacological agents capable of blocking particular molecular sensors, helping to identify which ion channels are involved in cold detection in each type of neuron. In addition, the team used genetically modified mice lacking the TRPM8 or TRPA1 sensors, together with gene expression analyses, to confirm the differential role of these channels in cold perception. This multidisciplinary approach demonstrated that cold detection is finely tuned to the physiological functions of each tissue and that internal organs employ molecular mechanisms distinct from those used by the skin. Our findings reveal a more complex and nuanced view of how sensory systems in different tissues encode thermal information. This opens new avenues to study how these signals are integrated and how they may be altered in pathological conditions, such as certain neuropathies in which cold sensitivity is disrupted." Katharina Gers-Barlag, first author of the article This study was made possible thanks to funding from the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation; the Spanish State Research AgencyMinistry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence; and the Valencian Regional Government (Generalitat Valenciana). The work is part of an international project funded by the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) and coordinated by Viana at the Institute for Neurosciences, aimed at studying the molecular bases of cold perception in different species adapted to extreme thermal environments. 2 cops among 3 injured in attack on check post in Pakistan's KPK Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 02:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Peshawar, Dec 22 (PTI) An attack on a police check post by unknown armed assailants left three people injured, including two policemen, in northwest Pakistan late on Sunday night, officials said. The armed assailants opened fire on the Qazi Talab check post, located within the limits of City Police Station, Hangu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving three people injured. According to police, those injured in the firing were police constables Ali Raza and Sabir, and a mosques imam, Farman. The injured police officials and the imam were shifted to DHQ Hospital for medical treatment. Police teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident, and an exchange of fire between the cops and the armed assailants ensued. PTI AYZ AMJ AMJ News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 22, 2025, 02:00 IST News agency-feeds 2 cops among 3 injured in attack on check post in Pakistan's KPK Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 9 terrorists killed in separate ops in Pakistan's KP Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 03:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Peshawar, Dec 22 (PTI) Security forces have killed nine terrorists in two separate operations conducted in Pakistans northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the militarys media wing said on Sunday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), On 19 December 2025, nine khwarij belonging to Fitna al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province." Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It added that the first intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out in the Dera Ismail Khan district of the province, wherein four terrorists were killed. The second IBO was conducted in the Bannu district, and five more terrorists were neutralised by the security forces. PTI AYZ AMJ AMJ News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 22, 2025, 03:00 IST News agency-feeds 9 terrorists killed in separate ops in Pakistan's KP Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bangladesh 'rejects' MEA comments over demonstration in New Delhi Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 20:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Dhaka, Dec 21 (PTI) Bangladesh on Sunday entirely" rejected Indias comments over Hindu extremists" demonstration in front of its high commission in New Delhi, questioning how the protesters were allowed to come so close to the installation in a secured diplomatic enclave. Interim governments foreign affairs adviser M Touhid Hossains comments came hours after India trashed as misleading propaganda" reports in Bangladesh media that a demonstration outside its mission in New Delhi against the killing of a Hindu man in Mymensingh attempted to create a security situation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Saturday, raised slogans protesting the horrendous killing" of Dipu Chandra Das, 25, who was lynched to death by a mob in Mymensingh on Thursday. The protesters also called for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh, the MEA said. Regarding the Indian press note, we completely reject it, entirely reject it. The issue has been presented as if it were very simple, whereas in reality it is not," state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) quoted Hossain as saying at the media briefing. He questioned how a group of 25 to 30 people, described as belonging to a Hindu extremist organisation, could reach such a sensitive zone," adding under normal circumstances this should not have been possible unless they were allowed the access." Hossain also called the MEA statement oversimplified" saying they (India) say it may have been 2025 people, but that is not the point." He also said the protesters also did not merely raise slogans over the killing of a Bangladeshi Hindu citizen but made other statements as well," and claimed that reports published in Bangladeshi newspapers were largely accurate and not misleading. Asked if he had any concrete proof about death threats to the Bangladesh envoy in Delhi as speculated, the adviser said no. Hossain said Bangladesh was compelled" to respond openly following the Indian press note but added that both sides remain in contact through diplomatic channels and convey their positions accordingly. Dhaka still trusted India to take appropriate security measures, but would consider scaling back its presence if the situation deteriorates, he added. PTI AR NPK NPK News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 20:15 IST News agency-feeds Bangladesh 'rejects' MEA comments over demonstration in New Delhi Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... ITAT strong pillar of India's tax justice system: Arjun Ram Meghwal Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 16:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Lucknow, Dec 21 (PTI) Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday described the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal as a strong pillar of Indias tax justice delivery system, saying the institution has been providing fair, accessible and speedy justice to taxpayers for decades. He made these remarks while addressing the silver jubilee celebrations of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Lucknow Bench, an official statement said. He said the ITAT has developed a judicial process that is free from excessive technicalities, cost-effective and based on expertise, thereby strengthening access to justice in a democratic framework. Praising the digital initiatives of the tribunal, the minister noted that facilities such as e-hearings and video conferencing have ensured timely justice even for taxpayers from remote areas. The ITAT was established on January 25, 1941, and is the countrys oldest quasi-judicial tribunal. It is also referred to as the mother tribunal", the statement said, adding that the Lucknow Bench was set up on May 5, 2000, and the hearings commenced from August the same year. Currently, two benches are functioning in Lucknow, hearing income tax appeals from 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh, the statement mentioned. Over the past 25 years, the Lucknow Bench has disposed of more than 16,000 income tax appeals, providing relief to taxpayers. Currently, 1,592 appeals are pending, it said. PTI ABN ABN APL APL News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 16:30 IST News agency-feeds ITAT strong pillar of India's tax justice system: Arjun Ram Meghwal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Mumbai Congress discusses possible alliance with Prakash Ambedkars VBA Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 19:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) A Congress delegation met Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Sunday to discuss the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections, a leader of the grand old party said. The delegation was led by the All India Congress Committee Mumbai in-charge UB Venkatesh. The meeting saw an exchange of views on civic governance, key urban challenges, and the need for inclusive development that genuinely serves the people of Mumbai, city unit chief Varsha Gaikwad said in a statement. The interaction underscored the importance of constructive dialogue and democratic engagement in the days ahead," she said. The Congress has announced plans to contest the elections to the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on its own, but is engaging with the VBA and other RPI (Republican Party of India) factions to align with it, she said. Elections to the 29 civic corporations in the state, including the BMC, will take place on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day. PTI MR NR News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 19:45 IST News agency-feeds Mumbai Congress discusses possible alliance with Prakash Ambedkars VBA Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Telangana: NIA arrests activist over remarks 'supporting' CPI (Maoist) Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Hyderabad, Dec 21 (PTI) An activist and former naxalite was on Sunday arrested by the NIA in Jangaon district for his remarks allegedly promoting and supporting the outlawed CPI (Maoist), officials said. Gade Innaiah alias Gade Inna Reddy, (64), also a representative of Bharat Bachao organisation, was booked under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and BNS. According to the NIA, Innaiah, while addressing a gathering at the funeral of a deceased CPI (Maoist) cadre, had encouraged support for the banned outfit with an intention to further its activities". The NIA further said he incited the gathering to commit an unlawful activity and encouraged those present to continue the Maoist revoultion". Meanwhile, a family member of Innaiah told mediapersons that, based on his remarks made during an interview to an online channel, the NIA officials arrested him. He is a peoples man and there is no need for him to go anywhere and being a holiday on Sunday, around 50 personnel came in vehicles and arrested him," the family member said. PTI VVK VVK KH News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 22, 2025, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds Telangana: NIA arrests activist over remarks 'supporting' CPI (Maoist) Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Woman run over by car in Dehradun, accused held from Jaipur Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 00:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Dehradun, Dec 21 (PTI) A youth who allegedly hit and killed a woman with his speeding car in the Rajpur area of Uttarakhands Dehradun a week ago was arrested from Rajasthan on Sunday, police said. Anmol Yadav (22), who had fled after the accident, was arrested from Jaipur following a tip-off, they said. Pawan Kumar Gupta of Rajpur had filed a complaint with the police stating that on December 14, his wife had gone for a morning walk when an unknown person, driving his car negligently, hit her near Sai Temple on Rajpur Road, seriously injuring her. Gupta alleged that the driver fled the scene and his wife was declared dead by doctors when she was taken to the hospital. The police said that based on the complaint, a case was registered at Rajpur police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent and dangerous driving, and an investigation was launched. During the investigation, the police team identified the car involved in the accident through CCTV cameras near the accident site and other possible locations and gathered information about it through its registration number. The police said that the car was recovered on December 18, and it was found that it was being driven by Anmol at the time of the accident. However, the accused had also switched off his mobile phone fearing arrest. To apprehend the accused, the police activated their informer network, and based on the information received, he was arrested, they said. PTI DPT NB NB News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 22, 2025, 00:00 IST News agency-feeds Woman run over by car in Dehradun, accused held from Jaipur Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Aquarius Horoscope Today, December 21, 2025 Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 07:00 IST Aquarius Daily Horoscope, December 21, 2025: You will spend today listening to the problems of your children. Aquarius Horoscope Today: Astrological predictions by Chirag Daruwalla for kumbha rashi on December 21 2025. (AI-generated image) Aquarius Daily Horoscope Today, 21 December 2025: Ganesha says today is going to be a good day for your married life, because today you may get to hear some good news from your spouse, for which you have been waiting for a long time. If you are facing any mental stress, you may also get rid of it. But people doing business will have to be careful before trusting anyone today because someone can betray them today. You will spend today listening to the problems of your children. Positive A pleasant day will be spent. Brothers will make plans regarding property or financial transactions, which will be positive. An auspicious wedding ceremony for a family member is also possible. Negative Its important to be flexible in your behavior and routine as time permits. Keep in mind that even a slight anger can disrupt ongoing tasks. Its best to avoid any interactions with strangers. Business Trust your abilities in any business endeavor at this time. Profitable contracts will be secured in machinery-related businesses. Relations with a superior at work may deteriorate over an issue. Finance Ganesha says today will prove to be an average day for Aquarius people from a financial point of view. You will get satisfaction from your todays income and will get relief from mental stress. You may get a chance to invest in property-related matters. Some property matters may be beneficial. Employed people will need to be cautious at this time. Conflict with higher officials can lead to transfer and loss of jobs. There are signs of you getting surprising profits in business. Time will be favorable for you financially. Today is not the right time to invest. Think carefully before using big capital by investing more money. Today you can spend money on luxury things, but there will be no shortage of money. Love Family differences will be resolved. There will be good harmony among all family members. Health Headaches and fatigue will persist. Take rest from time to time. Lucky Colour Purple Lucky Number 2 (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 07:00 IST News astrology Aquarius Horoscope Today, December 21, 2025 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... '16 Years Of Trauma': Deaf And Mute Woman Registers Complaint Against Serial Sexual Abuser In Mumbai Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 16:09 IST A deaf and mute womans 16-year-old complaint in Mumbai led to accuseds arrest, exposing his abuse and blackmail of at least seven speech and hearing impaired women. The survivor broke her silence after 16 years. (File for representation) A harrowing complaint by a deaf and mute woman regarding a sexual assault that occurred 16 years ago in Mumbai has exposed a serial predator, unveiling a disturbing pattern of abuse and blackmail directed at multiple women within the same community. The perpetrator, identified as Mahesh Pawar, was arrested on December 13 after the survivor broke her silence, prompted by the suicide attempt of another woman allegedly harassed by him. Distressed by this incident, she disclosed the 2009 assault to her friends during a video call. According to the police, the survivor, who lives in the western suburbs, used sign language to communicate her ordeal to friends and colleagues in a WhatsApp group. She recounted how Pawar had drugged and raped her when she was a minor. Gaining the support of her husband, Thane Deaf Association president Vaibhav Ghaisis, activist Mohammed Farhan Khan, sign language interpreter Madhu Keni, and a retired officer from the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities Divyangjan, she approached the police. Accompanied by her husband and friends, the survivor went to the Kurar police station where her statement was recorded with Keni acting as the interpreter. Pawar was subsequently arrested a few hours later in Virar, a suburb of Palghar district. Recalling her traumatic experience, the survivor described how a female friend had invited her to explore the city in July 2009 and taken her to Pawars home in Vakola, Santacruz. At his residence, Pawar allegedly offered her samosas and a spiked beverage under the pretext of celebrating the friends birthday. The survivor was then overpowered and raped by Pawar, who later blackmailed her with a recorded video of the assault. The survivors pain persisted over the years, and the suicide attempt of another victim compelled her to seek justice. A police investigation revealed that Pawar had similarly drugged and assaulted several speech and hearing-impaired women, coercing them into silence with obscene videos. He allegedly extorted money, gold, and mobile phones from these women and forced them into participating in nude video calls, which he recorded to further threaten them. As per initial investigation so far, we have evidence of his abuse of seven women, but the number can increase to more than 24," the official told PTI. Currently, Pawar is in judicial custody. Despite this, no other women have yet come forward with complaints. Keni informed PTI that all women who experienced abuse and harassment from Pawar intend to file complaints against him. One of the victims had also been extorted for money by Pawar, which he failed to return even during her medical emergency. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 13:22 IST News mumbai-news '16 Years Of Trauma': Deaf And Mute Woman Registers Complaint Against Serial Sexual Abuser In Mumbai Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nvidia (NVDA) rival Cerebras Systems is eyeing another shot at going public, and this time, the timing seems deliberate. According to Reuters, the AI chip startup is set to refile for a U.S. IPO as early as next week, with a target debut in Q2 2026. Whats interesting is that the eye-opening move comes months after Cerebras pulled its previous filing. The decision was based on a national security review linked to a foreign investor, along with growing scrutiny on where U.S. AI technology ends up. To be fair, this isnt a story thats unfamiliar in any way. You have another fast-growing AI semiconductor business thats looking to capitalize on surging demand. However, with Cerebras, the picture gets slightly more complicated. The financials weve seen are dated, and the companys growth appears to be heavily concentrated in a single customer, with a regulatory backdrop that remains unclear. So, this IPO hinges less on clever chip design and more on whether public-market investors are comfortable with the risks that come with it. Nvidia rival quietly lines up for a 2026 debutPhoto by I-HWA CHENG on Getty Images Photo by I-HWA CHENG on Getty Images Cerebras isnt just another GPU company Cerebras takes a more novel approach than Nvidia does with its GPUs. More Tech Stocks: Instead of linking thousands of chips, it develops a single, wafer-scale processor, which is essentially one massive chip, thats about the size of an dinner plate. In doing so, its latest WSE-3 packs quite the punch, with nearly 4 trillion transistors and 900,000 cores onto a single piece of silicon. That gives Cerebras a significant edge, especially in handling massive AI models that can be trained on a single system or spread seamlessly across multiple GPUs, thereby reducing complexity and bottlenecks. That design prioritizes less versatility and more robust performance. Cerebras IPO is coming back with a bigger price tag Cerebras Systems is apparently getting ready to test the public markets again. Related: Cathie Wood trims $11.2 million in longtime favorite stock According to Reuters, the AI chip startup is targeting a Q2 2026 debut, as it looks to ride the red-hot demand for specialized AI silicon. Its important to note that this is a comeback attempt. Cerebras withdrew its previous IPO filing in late 2025, following a whopping $1+ billion funding round with U.S. national-security reviews linked to Abu Dhabis G42. Caught On Camera: BJP MLA Slaps Auto Driver For Driving In Wrong Direction In Mumbai Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:09 IST The incident took place in Ghatkopar East, where Parag Shah and local residents were protesting against traffic issues and illegal hawkers in the area. The entire incident was recorded and the video is now going viral on social media. (Photo: X) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Parag Shah slapped an auto-rickshaw driver in Mumbais Ghatkopar area during an altercation. The auto driver was allegedly driving in the wrong direction. The entire incident was recorded, and the video is now going viral on social media. The incident took place in Ghatkopar East, where Shah and local residents were protesting against traffic issues and illegal hawkers in the area. Shah shared the details of the protest on his X account and wrote, Strong movement against hawking in Ghatkopar East." As per the video of the incident, the BJP MLA stopped the auto driver as he was driving in the wrong direction and slapped him during an argument. BJP MLA Parag Shah Beats A Common Daily Wage Earner!BJP MLA was seen beating AutoRickshaw Driver in Mumbai! But Now BjPs Andhbhakt wont even talk on this topic as they were talking earlier, why? It will Affect their Bhaiya VoteBank!#Marathi #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/gsjpjXr4Rt | Sumit (@SumitMNS9) December 20, 2025 The incident sparked a row, and several opposition leaders are criticising the act. Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad criticised the act and shared a post on X. She alleged that BJP MLAs were misusing their power. In her X post, she said, BJP MLAs have become so arrogant that they dont even spare poor auto-rickshaw drivers. In Ghatkopar, BJP MLA Parag Shah beat up an auto-rickshaw driver today because he broke traffic rules. BJP MLAs take the law into their own hands because they think they are above the law, and now they are even resorting to street brawls! This is the true face of the BJP. The BJP rolls out the red carpet for big industrialists and contractors, and takes pleasure in beating up the poor and working class!" News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : mumba, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:09 IST News mumbai-news Caught On Camera: BJP MLA Slaps Auto Driver For Driving In Wrong Direction In Mumbai Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 424 Yachts, Sailing School, 2,000 Jobs & More: Inside Mumbais Rs 887-Crore World-Class Marina Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 11:32 IST Mumbai Marina: Planned over nearly 12 hectares of water area, the marina will have the capacity to berth 424 yachts of up to 30 metres in length The proposed Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina has been cleared by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. (X) The Centre has approved plans to develop a world-class marina in Mumbai Harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 887 crore, a move expected to give a significant push to coastal shipping, maritime tourism and waterfront-led urban development in the countrys financial capital. The proposed Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina has been cleared by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said, This approval of the Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina marks an important step in our efforts to strengthen coastal shipping and maritime tourism. Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the project will create world-class infrastructure, open the waterfront for public use, encourage private investment and generate new employment opportunities. It will help position Mumbai as a global maritime tourism hub while advancing Indias broader blue economy goals." The features Planned over nearly 12 hectares of water area, the marina will have the capacity to berth 424 yachts of up to 30 metres in length. Marine infrastructure will include an approach trestle, piled breakwater, service platforms, pontoons and gangways designed to support safe and efficient yacht operations. Onshore facilities to be developed by the private operator will include a marina terminal building, a Namo Bharat International Sailing School, a maritime tourism development centre, hotel and clubhouse facilities, a skill development centre, and yacht stacking and repair infrastructure. The project aligns with key national frameworks such as Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, the Sagarmala Programme and the Cruise Bharat Mission, as well as the Port Master Plan 2047 of Mumbai Port Authority. Mumbais waterfront is set for a major upgrade!Glad to announce that GoI has approved the 887 Cr Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina, a project rooted in the transformative vision of Honble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji. This world-class infrastructure will: Transform Mumbai into a pic.twitter.com/OXS0XqdN4P Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) December 18, 2025 Project funding The project will be implemented through a hybrid development model, under which the Mumbai Port Authority will invest about Rs 470 crore to construct the core marina infrastructure on an EPC basis, while a private operator will develop onshore facilities with an estimated investment of Rs 417 crore. The ministry has approved the port authoritys investment, and tenders have been floated, with bids scheduled to close on December 29, 2025. This project reflects PM Narendra Modi jis vision of positioning Mumbai as a global marina destination. The project will strengthen maritime tourism, attract private investment and create over 2,000 jobs across allied sectors, while opening new opportunities in coastal and blue economy activities," said Sonowal. How it will help The marina is expected to generate over 2,000 jobs across marina operations, cruise services, hospitality and allied activities, while facilitating private sector participation in coastal infrastructure. It is also aimed at improving public access to the waterfront and strengthening Mumbais position as a major hub for maritime tourism and cruise traffic. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 16:58 IST News mumbai-news 424 Yachts, Sailing School, 2,000 Jobs & More: Inside Mumbais Rs 887-Crore World-Class Marina Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... People Back Development: PM Modi Hails BJP-Mahayuti Victory In Maharashtra Local Body Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 21:33 IST Narendra Modi thanked Maharashtra for supporting BJP-led Mahayuti in Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat polls, highlighting trust in development and Mahayutis decisive win. Narendra Modi thanked Maharashtra for supporting BJP-led Mahayuti in Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat polls, highlighting trust in development and Mahayutis decisive win. (PTI/File) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked the people of Maharashtra for backing the BJP-led Mahayuti in the recently concluded Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections, calling the verdict a strong endorsement of development-focused governance. In a post on X, Modi said the outcome reflected public trust in the alliances vision. Maharashtra stands firmly with development! Grateful to the people of Maharashtra for blessing the Bharatiya Janata Party and Mahayuti in the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections. This reflects trust in our vision of people-centric development," he wrote. Maharashtra stands firmly with development!Grateful to the people of Maharashtra for blessing the BJP and Mahayuti in the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections. This reflects trust in our vision of people-centric development. We remain committed to working with https://t.co/X5jmfpb3M8 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2025 We remain committed to working with renewed energy to fulfil the aspirations of every citizen across the state," the prime minister added, lauding the BJP and Mahayuti workers for their grassroots efforts. Civic poll results The BJP-led Mahayuti delivered a decisive performance, winning or securing control in over 200 of the 288 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats where elections were held. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning well over 120 urban local bodies, while its allies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, together added several dozen councils and panchayats to the alliances tally. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, was limited to fewer than 80 local bodies, retaining strength only in select pockets. The civic elections, spread across urban and semi-urban Maharashtra, are seen as a key test of organisational strength at the grassroots and a curtain-raiser to bigger contests such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Political observers say the results consolidate the Mahayutis dominance in urban Maharashtra and are likely to shape momentum ahead of future civic and state-level polls, a message the prime minister underscored in his post. Additionally the Prime Minister also thanked the people of Arunachal Pradesh for backing the BJP in the civic polls. The people of Arunachal Pradesh show unwavering support for the politics of good governance! I thank the people of Arunachal Pradesh for the affection they have shown towards the BJP. This strengthens our resolve to keep working for the states transformation," he posted on X. The people of Arunachal Pradesh show unwavering support for the politics of good governance!I thank the people of Arunachal Pradesh for the affection they have shown towards the BJP. This strengthens our resolve to keep working for the states transformation. I appreciate the https://t.co/FCff5iHZxJ Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2025 News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 21:17 IST News cities People Back Development: PM Modi Hails BJP-Mahayuti Victory In Maharashtra Local Body Polls Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... BJP Single-Largest Party As Mahayuti Dominates Maharashtra Local Body Polls; MVA Cries Foul Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 22:57 IST The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a sweeping win in the Maharashtra municipal council and nagar panchayat polls, with the BJP emerging as the largest party. BJP Maharashtra President Ravindra Chavan and party leaders celebrate victory | Image: X The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance recorded a decisive victory in the Maharashtra municipal council and nagar panchayat elections, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party, while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alleged irregularities and bias by the election machinery. Counting of votes for all 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats began at 10 am on Sunday. The elections were held in two phases, with polling in 263 local bodies on December 2 and the remaining 23 councils and some vacant posts voting on Saturday following court-directed delays. The contests were largely seen as a direct face-off between the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition MVA. According to the Election Commission, the BJP won 127 councils, followed by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 54 victories and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with 37, underlining the alliances strong foothold at the grassroots level. The Opposition MVA trailed behind. The Congress secured 29 local bodies, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction secured six, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP secured eight. The local body elections, conducted after nearly a decade, were viewed as a key political test in semi-urban and rural Maharashtra. Issues such as agrarian distress, delays in welfare payouts and farmers grievances were expected to give the Opposition an edge, but the results favoured the ruling alliance. PM Modi Hails NDA Victory Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the verdict, saying Maharashtra had reaffirmed its support for development-oriented politics. In a post on X, Modi said the mandate reflected public trust in the BJP and the Mahayutis governance model and pledged to work with renewed commitment to meet peoples aspirations. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP had created a record in the local body polls, with nearly 48 per cent of councillors elected on the party symbol and BJP-backed candidates securing the presidents post in 129 municipal councils. He said around 3,300 BJP councillors were elected and Mahayuti nominees won the top post in nearly 75 per cent of local bodies, attributing the success to organisational strength and a development-focused agenda. Union Minister and BJP president JP Nadda also congratulated NDA workers, describing the outcome as a historic endorsement of the double-engine" governments welfare policies under Modis leadership. MVA Cries Foul The Opposition, however, questioned the credibility of the process. The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the State Election Commission of facilitating the Mahayutis victory. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated party winners but alleged institutional bias. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed the results were influenced by manipulation of electronic voting machines and the excessive use of money power. He alleged that huge sums were spent in council elections with relatively small budgets, making it impossible for the Opposition to compete on equal footing. NDA Sweeps Pune District Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also swept the Pune district local body polls, winning all 17 president posts across municipal councils and nagar panchayats. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP emerged as the largest NDA constituent in the district with 10 president posts, followed by the Shiv Sena with four and the BJP with three, leaving the MVA without a single presidents post in the region. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 22:57 IST News elections BJP Single-Largest Party As Mahayuti Dominates Maharashtra Local Body Polls; MVA Cries Foul Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Assault Rifle Telescopic Sight Recovered Near NIA Office In Jammu Amid Heightened Security Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 21:16 IST Reports claimed that the device, bearing Chinese markings and typically used as an attachment to assault and sniper rifles Rifle scope found in Jammu | Image: News18 Amid heightened security across Jammu province, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday recovered the telescopic sight of an assault rifle from the Sidhra area, close to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters in Jammu. Reports claimed that the device, bearing Chinese markings and typically used as an attachment to assault and sniper rifles, was found in overgrown land located between the NIA office and the Jammu and Kashmir Polices Security Headquarters. The area is also in proximity to the battalion headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Senior police officials who reached the spot did not comment on the recovery. However, security sources said the find has raised concerns, as such telescopic sights are commonly used by terrorists. The recovery near multiple high-security installations has heightened apprehensions among security agencies, which are already on alert following intelligence inputs about possible infiltration attempts from across the border, particularly under the cover of fog. For the past four days, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with other security forces, have been conducting coordinated search and area domination operations stretching from locations near the international border to mountainous areas along the Line of Control (LoC). The operations are aimed at ruling out any infiltration. The intensified searches were launched after intelligence inputs suggested that terror groups could attempt to infiltrate the region amid a spike in militant activity at launch pads across the border, particularly opposite Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Rajouri districts. Last month, a senior Border Security Force (BSF) officer had said that Pakistan had reactivated several terror launch pads across from Jammu province, nearly seven months after many of them were damaged during Indias Operation Sindoor. According to the officer, around 72 launch pads have become active, including 12 in the Sialkot and Zafarwal sectors near the international border and about 60 across the Line of Control. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 21:16 IST News india Assault Rifle Telescopic Sight Recovered Near NIA Office In Jammu Amid Heightened Security Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bangladesh Unrest Puts India At Rohingya Risk? What Intel Sources Say | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 18:59 IST The instability has reduced border coordination between India and Bangladesh," say top intelligence sources Rapid Read Bangladesh witnessed violent protests recently after the death of a student leader. (Reuters) Bangladeshs current crisis could lead to Rohingya spillover for India, said top intelligence sources. The instability has reduced border coordination. Indian real-time intelligence sharing is not working these days. Hostility from Dhaka could add to Rohingya spillover risk for India," they said. Bangladesh is facing unrest, with protests and violence, following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a prominent student activist and a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 2026 national elections, on December 18, 2025. Amid the chaos, Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy, and his body was set on fire. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. #Exclusive | Inputs from Dhaka flag a Rohingya spillover risk, with sources warning that shelter bases may be used to target India, while forged Aadhaar networks are making detection harder as illegal Rohingyas remain embedded in urban clusters.INPUTS: @manojkumargupta | pic.twitter.com/ojPY0fkAIy News18 (@CNNnews18) December 21, 2025 How Rohingya enter India Most infiltrators use low-visibility routes and riverine gaps in West Bengal, forest corridors in Assam and Tripura. These groups no longer see the camps as temporary shelters but as permanent operational bases," they said. Security agencies have flagged the risk of secondary radicalisation, where economically desperate Rohingya become soft targets for Islamist recruiters. The recruiters use forged documents and trafficking routes to move cadres toward India, Malaysia, and the Gulf. Indian agencies have seen repeated Rohingya-linked arrests across Assam, West Bengal, Jammu, Delhi and Hyderabad. This confirms that Bangladesh camps are already functioning as feeder zones for illegal entry into India. These groups are offering protection, money or ideological purposes," they said. Another easy entry is forged Aadhaar networks which make detection in India tougher. Rohingya migrants get increasingly embedded in urban clusters. They work in informal labour markets where verification is weak and radical preachers can operate under the radar," said sources. Even small Rohingya-linked incidents can trigger diplomatic pressure, social tension, and security diversion. Any law and order action against Rohingya inside India quickly attracts international scrutiny. This is creating a humanitarian versus security dilemma that hostile actors exploit deliberately," they said. SCs firm stance The Supreme Court on December 2 took a sharp stance while hearing a habeas corpus petition alleging the disappearance of Rohingya refugees, questioning whether the judiciary was expected to extend extraordinary protections to those who enter the country illegally. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, heading the bench, said, Do you want us to roll out a red carpet for them?" The Court noted that Rohingya were entering India through underground routes and then demanding rights such as food and shelter. We have a very sensitive border in North India. If an intruder enters illegally, do we have the obligation to keep them here?" the CJI said, highlighting the national-security side of the issue. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 18:51 IST News india Bangladesh Unrest Puts India At Rohingya Risk? What Intel Sources Say | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bengaluru Seasonal Flu Alert: Air Pollution Peaks After 4 Years; Experts Warn Of Serious Heart Risks Curated By : Local18 Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:13 IST With seasonal flu cases rising from December to March, Karnatakas Health Department has issued strict guidelines to hospitals, urging preparedness, testing and vaccination. Seasonal Flu Cases Expected To Rise; Health Department Directs Hospitals To Prepare (Image-AI) Seasonal changes are not limited to shifts in weather alone; they also have a direct impact on human health. With a rise in seasonal flu cases being reported across the state, the Health Department has issued strict guidelines to hospitals and health authorities for the safety and security of the citizens. The department has warned that the risk of seasonal flu typically increases from December and January through March. In view of this, hospitals have been instructed to take precautionary measures and remain prepared for the forthcoming changes in health. What Is Seasonal Flu? Seasonal flu is a contagious infection that spreads through respiratory droplets or saliva from infected individuals. This condition has prompted the state health authorities to stress vigilance and preventive care. Children, senior citizens, pregnant women and patients with comorbidities are considered high-risk groups and have been advised to exercise extra caution during the changing season. Common symptoms of seasonal flu include fever, cough, sore throat, loss of appetite, body aches, cold and dry cough. The illness generally lasts between one and three weeks. All district health officers have been directed to take necessary action to manage and monitor cases effectively. What Do The Health Department Guidelines Say? Pay close attention to ILI (Influenza-like Illness) and SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) cases Test at least five ILI cases and 100 SARI cases daily Ensure the availability of adequate testing kits in all laboratories Maintain a sufficient stock of essential medicines Stock PPE kits, N95 masks and other necessary medical supplies Store oseltamivir tablets and prescribe them as required Advise healthcare workers, pregnant women and high-risk patients to take appropriate vaccination Clinical Management And Preparedness Ensure readiness of ventilators and critical care facilities Strengthen community awareness initiatives Conduct real-time monitoring of cases (Reported by: Ashish Mulki, News18 Kannada, Bengaluru) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:05 IST News india Bengaluru Seasonal Flu Alert: Air Pollution Peaks After 4 Years; Experts Warn Of Serious Heart Risks Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... CBI Books Former Accounts Officer For Siphoning Rs 2 Crore From Indias Geneva Mission Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 18:48 IST The case adds to a growing list of investigations involving public officials accused of siphoning government funds to finance online trading, gaming and crypto-related activities. Representative Image The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against a former accounts officer posted at Indias Permanent Mission in Geneva for allegedly diverting more than 200,000 Swiss francs, estimated at around Rs 2 crore, from official accounts to fund cryptocurrency gambling activities. According to officials cited by PTI, the accused, identified as Mohit, joined the Indian mission in Geneva on December 17, 2024, as an Assistant Section Officer. He was tasked with submitting payment instructions to the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), where the Mission maintains accounts in US dollars and Swiss francs. Investigators said the irregularities were detected in the Missions Swiss franc account. The Mission routinely makes payments to local vendors in Switzerland based on invoices carrying pre-printed QR codes that contain the vendors bank and invoice details. These QR codes, along with payment instruction slips signed by authorised officials, are physically submitted to UBS for processing. Multiple vendor payments are often consolidated under a single instruction slip. As part of his duties, Mohit was responsible for carrying the QR codes and payment documents to the bank. He also had account-viewing access alongside the Head of Chancery. The CBI suspects that Mohit replaced some of the vendors QR codes with self-generated ones, redirecting payments into his personal Swiss franc account at UBS instead of the intended vendor accounts. Using this method, he allegedly transferred over 200,000 CHF to his personal account during 2025. Officials said the fraud went undetected for months as Mohit allegedly manipulated monthly bank statements, substituting his name with that of the legitimate vendors. These altered statements were used during routine account reconciliations, allowing the diversion of funds to escape scrutiny. The alleged scam came to light during an audit after duplicate payments were flagged in transactions linked to a local vendor, Ejey Travels. A detailed review pointed to a suspected loss of approximately CHF 200,000. When confronted, Mohit allegedly submitted a written confession admitting that he diverted the funds to support crypto-gambling activities. He was subsequently repatriated to India along with his family. Officials said Mohit later deposited CHF 12,830, CHF 9,825 and CHF 28,000 into the Missions account before his return to India. These transactions were reflected in the Missions bank records. The CBI has booked him under charges of criminal breach of trust, forgery, falsification of accounts and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case adds to a growing list of investigations involving public officials accused of siphoning government funds to finance online trading, gaming and cryptocurrency-related activities. Earlier this year, the CBI arrested a senior finance manager of the Airports Authority of India for allegedly diverting over 232 crore, and also booked a Bank of India officer accused of misappropriating more than 16 crore for similar purposes. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 18:48 IST News india CBI Books Former Accounts Officer For Siphoning Rs 2 Crore From Indias Geneva Mission Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Dense Fog Delays Around 200 Flights, Disrupts Air Travel Across North India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 11:41 IST Officials said two scheduled commercial flights were cancelled at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. Around 200 Flights Delayed as Fog Reduces Visibility in Northern India Around 200 flights were delayed on Sunday as dense fog continued to disrupt air and rail travel across northern India, as per reports. Low visibility has become a regular morning feature over the past few days, affecting movement and causing inconvenience to passengers. Flights cancelled and delayed Officials said two scheduled commercial flights were cancelled at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. These included Air India Express flight IX1284/IX1274 on the DelhiAyodhyaDelhi route and SpiceJet flight SG615/SG614 operating on the MumbaiAyodhyaAhmedabad sector. At Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, more than 200 flights were delayed due to foggy conditions. While no major cancellations were reported at IGI, passengers faced longer waiting times as flight schedules were adjusted to cope with reduced visibility. AAI issues advisory The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued an advisory on Sunday, warning that fog in parts of northern India was affecting visibility and could lead to changes in flight operations at select airports. Passengers are advised to check flight updates with their airlines through official channels and allow extra time for airport travel and formalities," the advisory said. AAI also confirmed that passenger assistance teams had been deployed at affected airports to provide on-ground support. Delhi airports status Delhi airport said that operations were continuing as normal despite the weather conditions. However, passengers were asked to consult their respective airlines for the latest flight schedules. The airport authorities wished travellers a safe journey and urged them to plan ahead. Smog worsens air quality Alongside fog, Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of toxic smog on Sunday morning. The Air Quality Index stood at 390 around 7 am, placing it in the very poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Several areas recorded severe pollution levels, with dense haze causing discomfort across the city. Helpline numbers AAI shared customer support numbers of major airlines to assist passengers: IndiGo: 0124 497 3838 Air India: 011 6932 9333 SpiceJet: 0124 498 3410 / 0124 710 1600 Air India Express: 0124 443 5600 / 0124 693 5600 Akasa Air: 9606 112 131 Alliance Air: 044 3511 3511 News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 11:30 IST News india Dense Fog Delays Around 200 Flights, Disrupts Air Travel Across North India Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Dense Fog, Low Visibility Hits Flight Ops; IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet Warn Of Delays, Cancellations Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 08:25 IST The airline also advised passengers to factor in extra travel time to reach airports, as fog may affect runway operations and air traffic flow. Winter Fog Causes Flight Disruptions Across Northern and Eastern India. (Representative Image) Major Indian airlines have issued fresh travel advisories as dense fog and poor visibility continue to disrupt flight operations across several parts of northern and eastern India. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have warned passengers of possible delays, diversions and cancellations, particularly during early morning hours over the next few days. The advisories were issued late on Saturday night through the airlines official social media handles, asking travellers to check flight status regularly before leaving for the airport. IndiGo warns of early-morning disruptions IndiGo said reduced visibility due to fog is likely to affect flight movements in Delhi and other parts of north India. The airline added that operations teams are closely monitoring weather conditions to limit disruption wherever possible. In a post on X, IndiGo said low visibility over Bengaluru and Amritsar had already impacted schedules. The airline urged passengers to stay updated through its website and assured travellers that ground staff were available to provide assistance during delays or rescheduling. The airline also advised passengers to factor in extra travel time to reach airports, as fog may affect runway operations and air traffic flow. Travel Advisory Low visibility and fog over #Bangalore and #Amritsar has impacted flight schedules. We're keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly.We request that you stay updated on your flight status IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 21, 2025 Air India flags continued fog conditions Air India also cautioned that dense fog is expected to persist in Delhi and several regions in northern and eastern India. The airline said the weather conditions could affect flights across its network, despite steps being taken to minimise inconvenience. In its advisory, Air India said unexpected delays, diversions or cancellations could still occur due to the fog. Passengers were advised to remain in contact with the airline for updates and support. The national carrier added that its ground teams are available to help passengers with alternative arrangements if flights are disrupted. It also shared 24-hour contact numbers for assistance, encouraging travellers to seek support if required. SpiceJet issues multi-city warning SpiceJet issued a broader advisory, warning that poor visibility could affect operations at several airports across northern and eastern India. The airline said departures, arrivals and connecting flights could all be impacted by the prevailing weather conditions. According to SpiceJet, airports likely to be affected include Delhi, Bengaluru, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Jammu, Amritsar, Patna and Bagdogra. Passengers were advised to keep checking their flight status and stay alert for schedule changes. #WeatherUpdate (21st Dec'25): Due to expected bad weather (poor visibility) in Delhi (DEL), Bengaluru (BLR), Ayodhya (AYJ), Gorakhpur (GOP), Varanasi (VNS), Darbhanga (DBR), Jammu (IXJ), Amritsar (ATQ), Patna (PAT) and Bagdogra (IXB), all departures/arrivals and their SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) December 20, 2025 Passengers asked to plan ahead With winter fog becoming more frequent, airlines have urged passengers to plan journeys carefully, especially for early morning flights. Travellers have been advised to reach airports well in advance and remain flexible in case of delays. Airlines said weather conditions can change rapidly and impact flight safety, making fog-related disruptions unavoidable at times. Passengers are expected to face intermittent delays until visibility improves. Authorities have not mentioned how long the foggy conditions are likely to last, but airlines have said they will continue to monitor the situation and issue updates as required. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 08:25 IST News india Dense Fog, Low Visibility Hits Flight Ops; IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet Warn Of Delays, Cancellations Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Were nearing the last call for deal announcements in 2025, and several firms placed their final orders this week. Wealth Enhancement made a splash with three deals this week, while MCF Advisors made its first acquisition since receiving a minority investment, a trend that has become increasingly common in 2025. If there was any doubt that 2026 would continue to bring interesting RIA deals, WealthManagement.com also reported Thursday that sources familiar with a pending acquisition expect Creative Planning to acquire a United Kingdom-based RIA with $4.8 billion in AUM. For now, read on for the deals that have been booked. Wealth Enhancement Pens Three Deals Totaling $1.1B Wealth Enhancement, a Minneapolis-based registered investment advisor with more than $131 billion in client assets, has agreed to acquire three firms this week located in Wisconsin, Utah and California. The companies oversee combined client assets of about $1.1 billion. The largest firm Wealth Enhancement acquired by assets is Wealth Advocates, a hybrid RIA based in Logan, Utah, overseeing $476 million in assets. The firm is led by John Mickelson, wealth manager, and includes Managing Partner Patrick Jenkins, along with Ammon Doman, a financial advisor, and a staff of six. They had partnered with broker/dealer CreativeOne Securities, but will now be using Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services, according to a spokesperson. The firm was founded in 2017 with a focus on business owners, retirees and current and former employees of the State of Utah, Intermountain Healthcare, Northrop Grumman and Utah State University. The group offers investment, tax, insurance, estate planning and income planning services. Wealth Enhancement also announced the acquisition of RIA AEGIS Financial, which has offices in Oshkosh, Appleton and Milwaukee, Wis., overseeing $468 million in client assets. AEGIS was founded in 1993 to provide financial planning, retirement planning, tax mitigation, estate planning and investment strategy services to families and business owners in Wisconsin. The firm is led by President William Bowman, who joined in 2011, when the company was affiliated with Raymond James, according to BrokerCheck. AEGIS broke from Raymond James in 2019, when it went to broker/dealer Private Client Services through 2020. Wisconsin has been a strong growth market for us since we first entered it in 2018, and we look forward to building on that momentum, said Jim Cahn, chief strategy officer of Wealth Enhancement, in a statement. Drunk Man Kills 4-Year-Old Son By Slamming His Head On Ground Following Domestic Dispute Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 20:05 IST A man allegedly killed his 4-year-old son after a quarrel with his wife in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi. Representative Image In a tragic incident, a heavily inebriated man allegedly killed his four-year-old son by repeatedly slamming him on the ground following a quarrel with his wife, police reported on Sunday. As per a report by PTI, the incident took place on Saturday night in Guwali village in Suriyawan area. According to Station House Officer Mohammad Shakeel Khan, the accused, identified as Ramji Vanvasi, returned home around midnight on Saturday in an intoxicated state. He allegedly engaged in an argument with his wife, during which he picked up his sleeping son, Vikas, 4, and threw him on the ground multiple times before fleeing the scene. Family members attempted to administer first aid to the child, but he had already succumbed to his injuries, Khan stated. On Sunday afternoon, the victims grandmother, Prabhawati Devi, filed a complaint, prompting the police to register a case of murder and arrest the accused. The childs body has been sent for post-mortem examination, Khan added. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Bhadohi, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 20:05 IST News india Drunk Man Kills 4-Year-Old Son By Slamming His Head On Ground Following Domestic Dispute Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Hindus Must Be United': Mohan Bhagwat Addresses Bangladesh Situation During Bengal Visit Reported By : News18.com Edited By: News Desk Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 10:45 IST Mohan Bhagwat said the Indian government should take note of the situation facing minorities in Bangladesh and act accordingly. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat (Image: PTI/File) RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed a gathering of intellectuals and members of the intelligentsia in Kolkata on December 21, speaking for over four hours on a range of issues, with a strong focus on Hindu unity in West Bengal and Bangladesh. He said the Indian government should take note of the situation facing minorities in Bangladesh and act accordingly, while expressing confidence that Hindus in West Bengal would unite and bring about social change. The event marked a decade of the RSS initiative New Horizon. Bhagwat delivered two lectures and later participated in an extended question-and-answer session lasting more than two hours. Reflecting on the RSSs 100-year journey, he said the organisation is often misunderstood and can only be properly understood by observing its work directly rather than relying on perceptions. Bhagwat reiterated that while RSS members may serve in the armed forces or participate in politics, this does not mean the organisation represents either the military or any political party, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The centenary-related programme has been held in several cities across the country, and the Kolkata edition drew over 1,000 participants from academic and intellectual circles. Questions for the interaction were submitted in advance, with developments in Bangladesh and their possible impact on Bengal emerging as a key theme. Queries on the issue were raised by News18 as well as BJP Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who referred to what he described as the Islamisation" of Bengal. On Bangladesh, Bhagwat said minorities there were facing difficult circumstances and called for unity and support. Hindus there must remain united. The global Hindu community should stand with them. We are doing whatever is possible and will do more in the future. India is the country of Hindus, and the government should take note and act. Some steps are already being taken, though not all can be made public," he said. Speaking about West Bengal, Bhagwat said that once Hindus unite, change in the state would take place very soon. He clarified that he was referring to social, not political, change, but added that a transformed society would take its own decisions and take the right path". Responding to questions on the Babri Masjid issue, Bhagwat described it as another political conspiracy". He also reiterated his view that India is a Hindu nation, remarking that civilisational realities do not depend on constitutional wording. Do we need constitutional approval to know that the sun rises in the east?" he said. On the role of the state in religious matters, Bhagwat said governments should not be involved in the construction of temples or mosques. Addressing a wide range of topics from social issues to foreign policy, Bhagwat praised Indias external engagement while suggesting that it needed to move at a faster pace. Observers say Bhagwats extended address in Kolkata, linking social change with developments in Bangladesh, carries political implications and reflects the RSSs effort to reshape its image and expand its footprint in West Bengal. With the number of RSS shakhas in the state increasing in recent years, the organisation appears focused on reshaping perceptions and mobilising Hindu society. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 23:51 IST News india 'Hindus Must Be United': Mohan Bhagwat Addresses Bangladesh Situation During Bengal Visit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Kashmiri Shawl Seller Forced To Chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Student Body Demands Legal Action Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 22:40 IST The incident took place in the Dera area of Kangra, where the shawl seller, who hails from Kupwara in north Kashmir, was allegedly forced to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Kashmiri shawl seller | Image: Instagram The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Sunday condemned the alleged harassment of a Kashmiri shawl seller in Himachal Pradeshs Kangra district and demanded the registration of an FIR against those involved, calling the incident a violation of constitutional rights. According to the association, the incident took place in the Dera area of Kangra, where the shawl seller, who hails from Kupwara in north Kashmir, was allegedly forced to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai," threatened with eviction, and asked to leave the state if he continued his business. The trader reportedly refused to chant the slogan, stating that while he loves India, the Constitution allows citizens to express patriotism in their own way. The JKSA described the episode as an act of coercion and humiliation. Its national convenor, Nasir Khuehami, said this was the 15th reported incident this year involving the harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers in different parts of the country, indicating a worrying pattern of targeting traders who travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for their livelihood. Forcing anyone to chant slogans to prove patriotism is unconstitutional and deeply degrading. The Constitution of India does not compel any citizen to chant any slogan. Patriotism cannot be imposed through fear or intimidation," Khuehami said in a statement. He urged Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to intervene and direct the police to register a case against those responsible under appropriate legal provisions. Khuehami said firm action was necessary to send a message that vigilantism and communal harassment would not be tolerated. The association noted that Kashmiri shawl sellers have been working in Himachal Pradesh for decades and have contributed to the local economy and social fabric. However, it said repeated incidents of harassment were creating fear and insecurity among traders and their families. Nothing harms the idea of India in Kashmir more than the repeated humiliation of Kashmiris while claims of integration are made. True integration comes from respect and dignity, not intimidation," Khuehami said. The JKSA also called on the state government to ensure the safety and dignity of Kashmiri traders and issue clear instructions to district administrations to prevent harassment, profiling or coercion based on identity or region. It said swift and visible action was essential to uphold constitutional values of equality, fraternity and justice. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Himachal Pradesh, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 21:45 IST News india Kashmiri Shawl Seller Forced To Chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Student Body Demands Legal Action Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Maharashtra Civic Poll Results Today: Key Battles In Vidarbha, Baramati As Mahayuti Faces MVA | Updates Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 10:02 IST Early trends indicate an advantage for the Mahayuti in several regions. Counting across 246 municipal councils, 42 nagar panchayats will begin at 10 AM. Local Body Election Results in Maharashtra to Be Declared Today. (Representational image/PTI) Counting of votes for elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra began at 10 am on Sunday, a day after polling concluded. Voting was held in two phases, on December 2 and December 20, to elect representatives in 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats across the state. The polls were conducted amid reports of violence, bogus voting and alleged cash distribution in some areas. Despite these concerns, polling for the remaining seats, including posts of presidents and members in 23 civic bodies and 143 vacant member posts, ended at 5.30 pm on Saturday. Key political contest The civic elections are seen as a direct contest between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti includes the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, while the MVA comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and Sharad Pawars NCP. Early trends indicate an advantage for the Mahayuti in several regions. In Vidarbha, the BJP is contesting all 27 municipal councils, facing Congress in 18 of them. The alliance is also showing gains in urban centres, including parts of Nagpur. Several traditional opposition strongholds have seen tough contests. In Sillod, where Congress had won 24 of 28 seats in 2019, and in Tuljapur, an NCP bastion with 13 of 23 seats earlier, the contests have been closely watched. Prominent civic bodies that went to the polls include Baramati in Pune district and Ambernath in Thane district. The Mahayuti is looking to build on its strong performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, where it won 235 seats with a vote share of nearly 50 per cent. In contrast, the MVA secured 49 seats and faced difficulties in several multi-cornered contests. Where to check results Voters and political observers can track real-time updates and results on the official websites of the Maharashtra State Election Commission at mahasec.maharashtra.gov.in and mahaseclec.in. BMC elections next Sundays counting is being seen as a curtain-raiser for the next major political test in the state. The State Election Commission has announced that elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16. A total of 2,869 seats will be contested in these elections, with around 3.48 crore voters eligible to vote. The upcoming civic polls, especially the BMC election, are expected to be closely fought amid intense rivalry and allegations of vote manipulation. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 07:51 IST News india Maharashtra Civic Poll Results Today: Key Battles In Vidarbha, Baramati As Mahayuti Faces MVA | Updates Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Maharashtra Civic Polls: BJP-Led Mahayuti Crosses 200-Mark, Takes Decisive Lead Over MVA Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 14:40 IST BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 127 victories, followed by the Shiv Sena with 54 and the NCP with 37. Maharashtra Civic Polls: Mahayuti Crosses 200-Mark as MVA Trails. (Image: PTI/File) The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has taken a commanding lead in the elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra. Early trends available showed the ruling alliance ahead in a large majority of the 288 local bodies where counting is under way. The results and trends from Maharashtras Nagar Panchayat and Municipal Council elections point to a clear dominance of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which has won 218 of the 288 civic bodies. The BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 127 victories, followed by the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with 54 and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with 37, reinforcing the alliances strong grassroots presence. Opposition trails The Opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) lagged behind in the early trends. The Congress was leading in 29 local bodies, followed by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) in six and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar in eight. These elections, held after nearly a decade, were seen as a key test of political strength in semi-urban and rural Maharashtra. With issues such as agrarian distress, delayed welfare payments and farmers complaints over lack of financial support, the Opposition was expected to pose a stronger challenge. Key upsets and local battles There were, however, some notable exceptions. In the Uran municipal council, Bhavna Ghanekar won the presidents post with backing from the MVA, dealing a setback to the BJP despite its control over the council. Overall trends show the BJP leading in around 125 bodies, Shiv Sena (Shinde) in 48 and the NCP in 38. The Mahayuti is ahead in nearly 192 local bodies, while the MVA trails with leads in about 46. Campaign strategy made a difference? Political observers noted a clear contrast in campaign strategies. While Congress leaders campaigned actively in Vidarbha and Marathwada, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership was largely absent from the ground. Leaders of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) were mostly confined to their traditional strongholds. In contrast, the ruling Mahayuti ran an aggressive campaign. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, travelled extensively and addressed meetings even in remote areas. This coordinated approach appears to have paid dividends. Alliance tensions fail to dent results The run-up to the polls was not without friction within the Mahayuti. Several Shiv Sena ministers skipped a cabinet meeting and accused the BJP of high-handedness. Shinde also reminded allies about maintaining alliance dharma" during public speeches. Despite these internal strains, the alliance has managed to present a united front at the grassroots level, limiting the impact of the disputes on voter behaviour. Signal ahead of BMC elections The results are being closely watched ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections scheduled next month. The strong showing by the ruling alliance suggests it enters the next contest with momentum, as Maharashtras political battle shifts to the states biggest civic body. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 14:40 IST News india Maharashtra Civic Polls: BJP-Led Mahayuti Crosses 200-Mark, Takes Decisive Lead Over MVA Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Mukesh Ambani Narrates How Gyan Yogi Dr Raghunath Mashelkar Inspired His Reliance Journey Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 19:49 IST Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani attended the felicitation of eminent scientist Dr Raghunath Mashelkar who has secured 54 honorary PhDs Rapid Read Mukesh Ambani (left) with Dr Raghunath Mashelkar at the book launch. Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani on Saturday delivered an emotional speech at the felicitation of eminent scientist Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, marking the launch of his book and celebrating his rare achievement of receiving 54 honorary PhDs. The launch of More from Less for More: Innovations Holy Grail" by Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar and Sushil Borde, was held at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day on Saturday. Excerpts from Mukesh Ambanis speech: In Dr Mashelkars life journey, I see the journey of Modern India: Ambani To have first and foremost Prof. M. M. Sharma who has had the largest impact on me since I was 20 years old. Ill give my age away. It was 44 years. And Dr Mashelkar in my personal life. I got to know him in the 90s. Both these personalities have influenced my thinking and are responsible for some of the outcomes that Reliance has achieved. That is why I want to start with my deep respects To Professor Sharma. We have our dynamic Education Minister Shri Chandrakant Patil ji is here," said Ambani. Fifty-four honorary doctorates. Yes fifty-four. Most people struggle to get one degree in their lifetime. Dr. Mashelkar has earned them the way some people collect frequent-flyer miles! Whenever I congratulated him on his Honorary PhDs or the even more awards he has won, he would say, Arre Mukesh, but the real work is yet to begin." That is how we have seen worked together for 2 or 3 decades now. Dr Mashelkar is like that proverbial rich tree laden with fruits, but which always bends low. He is humility personified," he said. In Dr Mashelkars life journey, I see the journey of Modern India. A young boy studying under Mumbai streetlights grows up to illuminate the scientific imagination of an entire nation. All he had in his childhood was his mother Smt. Anjanijis love and his own steely determination and diligent efforts. He rose from scarcity to global respect. In his books and speeches, he has often described Indian society as an iceberg, where most people live below the visible surface. He says: Our challenge as scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators is to lift this iceberg above the surface so that everyone can have the quality of life they deserve." And this is common between Prof Sharma, Dr Mashelkar and my father. My father Dhirubhai founded Reliance with the sole aim of we must develop the quality of life of Indians. India and Indians must move forward and that is what the purpose of Reliance was, said Ambani. Yeh MUMKIN hai: Ambani on possibilities of new India New India is full of young dreamers. Millions of dreams are becoming a reality In India itself and not by chasing them as Prof Shama said in foreign lands. Of course, we still have a long way to go. But as Dr Mashelkar always says, Yeh MUMKIN hai." Its POSSIBLE. And that is what he has done all his life In rebuilding CSIR into a world-class scientific research ecosystem. In defending Indias traditional knowledge in global patent battles. In advising the government and corporates on innovation. And above all, for me, in building Reliance as a Science and deep tech led country," he said. I go back to mid-90s when he talked to us, at that time from Government of India, Science & Technology. I still remember Ajay, Swati. They were all around. I called him even then, Doc. I told him Doc, I want Reliance to become an a truly innovative company. We are good in project execution. Prof. Sharma always tells me that you buy technology, when will you make your own technology? And that is how our association started. And if I give credit on vision, I think that bulk of Reliances vision I have always validated with Prof Sharma has corrected it. And for the record, right, it has been royalty free. The only royalty that has happened is hes seen a smile on our face. But everything that weve done right, he has spent hours and after that with Dr Mashelkar. He has really been involved, hands on with us, in terms of from the trenches. And over the last two decades, he has been very much an integral part of what Reliance has achieved," he said. I can say today with great pride that we have over 100,000 technical professionals in Reliance out of our 550,000 people. All of them are now at the threshold of really being a deep innovation, deep tech science led company. That is what Dr Mashelkar has contributed to Reliance. I told him that, if we want to I will take three hours to really enunciate his contribution to Reliance. I just want to share with this audience that when we started, he was the first to really bring in the Reliance Innovation Council, where we brought in a lot of Nobel laureates, global thinkers to really talk to our people in terms of what does local innovation mean? This we started in the year 2000. It was his idea. That Reliance Innovation Council, with grassroot capabilities in Reliance, have now spread, and they have become a movement. They are now basically our culture," he said. Ambani on the mantra of More from less for more Many years ago, he once told me: Mukesh, Reliance must become a deep-tech company. But it should be different from those in advanced countries." The formula he suggested was Extreme Affordability". He called it Gandhian Engineering. He has described it in his latest book with his famous mantra: MORE from LESS for MORE". Produce MORE using the latest technologies, with LESS natural and financial resources, to benefit MORE and MORE people is nothing but a philosophy that he has practiced for 30 years," Ambani said. I still remember when India sent its space mission, he had mentioned to me, Look, India has sent a rocket to Mars for less than the cost of a Bollywood movie. This is what Indian corporates should do with self-reliant efforts to offer products and services of highest quality to improve the lives of common Indians." I think that at Reliance we have taken his vision. We are always grateful for you to implement. Weve done this beyond the area of Chemical Engineering. Jio is a classic example where you are on my Board. There were lots of disbelievers in Jio for many years. Today, in my view, it has catapulted India into the digital mainstream of the world in terms of where we are and if we want to lead digital. I think the idea of us being the lowest data and with the world entering the intelligence age, Jio lays that foundation. Thank you, Doc, for describing the Jio story in your latest book," he said. Ambani on clean and green energy One of the things that Prof Sharma, myself and particularly my father believed in was, if India imports 80 % of its energy, we can never become rich. Whatever else we do, we have to solve these issues. And I can say that, when we started, Dr Mashelkar again, said, with everything, one good thing is that with age actually increases his energy. Whenever I tell him we want to do this, he says, Yes, from tomorrow, Im putting 24 hours on it. We will have many conference calls and do it. So he sets up a new Energy Council, which we set up few years ago. I can say that with great confidence, with the people and the work that we have done is that we are at the doorsteps of solving local energy of not using solar only as a four-hour fuel, we can use solar to really solve some of the problems that India has to solve for a long time," he said. I will always be grateful to you to make sure that, like you have laid the foundation, and we will show the way as to how we can make green and clean energy available in abundance and affordable way with green fuels to not only India but most of the world. And that will be the best tribute that we can pay for this path of less for more. He has taught all of us to see Reliance not as an industrial company. But as a science company." Passion and pursuit of knowledge I must mention one more thing I have learnt from Doc. One day he told me, Mukesh, technology without compassion is just machinery. Technology with compassion becomes a social movement." I have reflected a lot upon this. The world is full of intelligent people. Now the world has also entered a new era of Artificial Intelligence. Of course, we need AI. We must become world leaders in AI. But we need EMPATHY and COMPASSION even more. By combining intelligence with empathy, prosperity with purpose, India can present a new model of development to the rest of the world," said Ambani. There are two more qualities that all of us and especially young Indians should learn from this proud son of India. Both qualities seem to grow with his age. One is his PASSION. Whenever he talks whether he is talking to politicians, businessmen or young students you can see how passionate he is. His other quality is his KEEN and TIRELESS PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE. He is a true Gyan Yogi. A lifelong learner. And he generously shares his learning. He is all the time sharing his knowledge and his rich experience with IITs, IIMs, IISERs, even small local colleges. This is because he wants India to become a nation of world-class universities and research institutes." As we honour Dr Mashelkar on his almost unparalleled achievement, I wish to share with you another important reflection. He is the best-known bridge between the scientific community and the business community. But India needs more bridge-builders like him. We need much stronger integration of Indian businesses with Indian universities and research institutions. This is how India can become a deep-tech superpower. An India where AI, quantum, synthetic biology, advanced materials, space technologies, healthcare solutions and new agricultural practices are invented through the joint efforts of our scientists and enterprises, with right government policies. Dear Doc, I am sure this has been your lifelong dream. You have ignited millions of Indian minds with your words and deeds. Your life tells every Indian child: It doesnt matter where you start. What matters is how big you dream. How hard you work. And how deeply you care." On behalf of Reliance On behalf of this audience And on behalf of a grateful nation Thank you for inspiring India. Thank you for inspiring us. And thank you for shaping a future where India will not just join the world but lead it," said Ambani. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 19:43 IST News india Mukesh Ambani Narrates How Gyan Yogi Dr Raghunath Mashelkar Inspired His Reliance Journey Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PFI Sought Arms From Neighboring Countries, NIA Tells Delhi Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 17:07 IST NIA told a Delhi court that Popular Front of India leaders tried to procure arms from neighbouring countries, train cadres, and radicalise youth to establish a caliphate in India. File image used for representative purpose. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has informed a Delhi court that the Popular Front of India (PFI) was attempting to procure arms from neighbouring countries and provide arms training to its members. This revelation was shared by NIAs special public prosecutor, Rahul Tyagi, following an in-camera court proceeding on Saturday. Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma was presiding over the hearing concerning charges against 20 accused PFI leaders. Tyagi, speaking to reporters outside the court, reiterated that PFI leaders were not only trying to procure arms but were also sending their members to Syria to gain tactical knowledge from ISIS, intending to implement these tactics in India. He further revealed that the PFI had organised specific hit squads to surveil leaders of BJP, RSS, and VHP. The prosecutor accused the group of being formed with the objective of radicalising the youth to establish a caliphate and Sharia law in India. He highlighted that the PFI was organising camps to provide arms training and radicalise the youth to wage Jihad against India, for which they were collecting funds. The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 23. It is noteworthy that in September 2022, the Central government banned PFI and several of its associates for five years under a strict anti-terror law, accusing them of having connections with global terror groups like ISIS. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 17:07 IST News india PFI Sought Arms From Neighboring Countries, NIA Tells Delhi Court Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Pays Tribute To Assam Movement Martyrs At Swahid Smarak Kshetra In Guwahati Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:39 IST Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described PM Modis visit to the Swahid Smarak Kshetra as an emotional moment for the State. Rapid Read PM Modi visits Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Guwahati. (X/@himantabiswa) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Swahid Smarak Kshetra at Paschim Boragaon in Guwahati, to paid homage to the martyrs of the Assam Movement. The Prime Minister will also interact with 25 meritorious students of Assam as part of the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme in Guwahati. The interaction will take place aboard a cruise on the Brahmaputra River, offering a unique setting for the Prime Ministers engagement with students ahead of their examinations. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described PM Modis visit to the Swahid Smarak Kshetra as an emotional moment" for the State. Posting on social media, Sarma recalled the difficult days in Assams history when, he said, the Congress party had plundered the State," citing issues like illegal infiltration, violence against locals, and financial mismanagement. He contrasted that with the present, highlighting PM Modis personal efforts to honor the sacrifices of Assams people while actively promoting the States development. We are privileged to have Adarniya Pradhan Mantri Modi Ji leading Assams renaissance from the front," Sarma wrote, emphasising his own role in supporting the governments Double Engine" initiatives to drive peace, prosperity, and stability in Assam. An emotional moment for me and everyone in Assam.Today, as Adarniya @narendramodi ji paid his tributes at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra and garlanded the bust of Swahid Khargeswar Talukdar, I could not help but reminded of those dark days in Assams history when the Congress party pic.twitter.com/1GsjupYqRm Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 21, 2025 Later in the day, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of a fertiliser plant with a capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes at Namrup in Dibrugarh district, a project aimed at strengthening fertiliser production and supporting agricultural growth in the region. Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi inaugurated the New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati. He also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi at the entrance of the new terminal complex, paying tribute to the iconic leader and the first Chief Minister of Assam. Addressing the gathering during the inauguration, the Prime Minister said that Assam and the entire Northeast are emerging as a new gateway to Indias development. He described the occasion as a celebration of development and progress for Assam and the northeastern region, adding that the transformation underway reflects the governments sustained focus on infrastructure and connectivity. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Assam, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:39 IST News india PM Modi Pays Tribute To Assam Movement Martyrs At Swahid Smarak Kshetra In Guwahati Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... MEA Asks Bangladesh To Bring Perpetrators Of Barbaric Killing Of Dipu Chandra Das To Justice Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 22:32 IST MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Sunday said that no attempt was made to breach the fence of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi Rapid Read Security personnel keep vigil outside the Bangladesh High Commission amid high alert in view of the ongoing unrest in the neighbouring country, in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI) In a clarification after protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Sunday said the government has urged that perpetrators of Dipu Chandra Das, Hindu man who was lynched to death in Bangladesh, be brought to justice. He also said that no attempt was made to breach the fence of the High Commission. India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice," said Jaiswal. We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the [High Commission] incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," said the statement. There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensure the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention," he said. Who is Dipu Chandra Das? Dipu Chandra Das, 27, a garment factory worker, was lynched to death by an enraged mob in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, over allegations of blasphemy. He was tied up, killed and then his body was set afire while thousands of people watched, in a glaring display of lawlessness and mobocracy in Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus regime. However, Mohd Samsuzzaman, a Company Commander of Rapid Action Battalion in Mymensingh, told The Daily Star that no evidence was found indicating that the deceased had written anything on Facebook that might have hurt religious sentiments. Additionally, he said that local people or other workers of the garment factory could not point to any blasphemous activity either. Everyone is now saying that they did not personally hear him (Dipu) say anything of that sort. No one has been found who claims to have heard or seen anything themselves hurting religion," he told the outlet. The official said as the situation became volatile in Bangladesh after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, Dipu Chandra Das was forcibly pushed out of the factory to protect the factory. He was then beaten to death by a mob with sticks and locally made weapons, and his body was hung from a tree and set on fire. The Rapid Action Battalion on Saturday arrested seven suspects over the lynching of Das after conducting operations at various locations. They were identified as Md Limon Sarkar, Md Tarek Hossain, Md Manik Mia, Ershad Ali, Nijum Uddin, Alomgir Hossain and Md Miraj Hossain Akon. Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) of Mymensingh Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun said a case has been filed in connection with the incident, and three people were being interrogated. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 15:19 IST News india MEA Asks Bangladesh To Bring Perpetrators Of Barbaric Killing Of Dipu Chandra Das To Justice Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Winter Solstice 2025: Why December 21 Brings The Shortest Day And Longest Night Published By : Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 07:20 IST Winter Solstice occurs when one half of the Earth is tilted farthest from the Sun. On December 21, 2025, India experiences its shortest day and longest night. Winter Solstice 2025 falls on December 21 at 8:33pm IST. Winter Solstice 2025 arrives today, bringing the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the official start of astronomical winter. While meteorological winter officially began on December 1, some prefer to wait for the solstice before considering winter truly underway, according to BBC. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere, signalling the start of astronomical winter. The solstice is in fact not an entire day but a precise moment. Winter Solstice 2025: Date And Exact Time According to USA Today, the Northern Hemispheres astronomical winter will officially begin with the winter solstice at 10:03 a.m. EST on Sunday, December 21, 2025 (8:33 p.m. IST). This marks the point when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the Sun. The date of the solstice can occur anytime between December 20 and 23, though it most commonly falls on December 21. Winter Solstice 2025: What Happens Winter solstice marks the moment when the Sun appears to pause in its movement across the sky before reversing direction. During this event, the Sun is positioned directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, the southernmost latitude it reaches each year. As a result, the Southern Hemisphere experiences its longest day and shortest night. In contrast, the Northern Hemisphere receives the least amount of sunlight, leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. Solstices occur because the Earth is tilted on its axis by about 23.5 degrees, according to BBC. This tilt determines which part of the planet receives the most direct sunlight at different times of the year, shaping the changing seasons. What Is The Opposite Event Of The Winter Solstice? The opposite of the winter solstice is the summer solstice. After the winter solstice, the Sun gradually begins its northward journey relative to the equator. This movement continues for about six months. This culminates in the summer solstice, when the Sun reaches its most northerly position directly above the Tropic of Cancer. Summer solstice marks the start of astronomical summer and is the point at which the Sun sits highest in the sky, bringing the longest day and shortest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere. Between these two solstices lie the equinoxes, which occur in March and September. During an equinox, the Sun is positioned directly above the equator, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night across the globe. These events signal the beginning of spring and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter Solstice 2025: Astronomical And Cultural Significance Astronomically, the winter solstice is not the day with the latest sunrise or the earliest sunset. Instead, it marks the moment when the Sun appears at its lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere sky and reaches its farthest position south. The solstice also highlights a key scientific reality. That the changing seasons are caused by the Earths axial tilt, not its distance from the Sun, even though the planet is actually closest to the Sun in January, PBS News reported. Beyond its astronomical significance, the period leading up to the winter solstice has long been viewed not merely as a time of hardship, but of renewal and hope. Across cultures, the solstice has carried deep symbolic meaning. Indigenous communities in North America observed the solstice through ceremonies and solar-aligned structures such as Cahokia, reflecting sophisticated astronomical knowledge and a belief in the interconnectedness of the world. Elsewhere, traditions took different forms, including the Persian festival of Yalda, when families stayed awake through the longest night to welcome the return of light at dawn. The solstice also found expression in architecture, as noted by PBS News. Ruben Mendoza, an archaeologist at California State University, Monterey Bay, discovered that in many Spanish colonial-era mission churches, the winter solstice triggers a rare event in which a beam of sunlight enters the building and illuminates a central religious object, such as an altar, crucifix or saints statue. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 07:20 IST News lifestyle events Winter Solstice 2025: Why December 21 Brings The Shortest Day And Longest Night Aubrey from Denver called into The Ramsey Show with a nightmare scenario: her Airbnb investment had turned into a financial disaster (1). Yet, the source of the problem was uncomfortably close to home. Aubrey and her husband own two properties near ski resorts and live in one while renting out the other. They'd been running a successful Airbnb operation from the basement of the second home until they decided to help family by renting the upstairs to Aubrey's mother and 11-year-old sister at a reduced rate. Must Read The arrangement seemed perfect at first. They were helping loved ones while still generating income from short-term rentals. But Aubrey's mother is a hoarder, and what started as minor clutter has escalated into a full-blown crisis. When good intentions meet bad reviews Aubrey's situation reflects a broader trend. According to the Pew Research Center, 59.7 million Americans about 18% of the population now live in multigenerational households, up from under 20 million in 1981 (2). Financial pressures are the primary driver for 40%, plus more saying it's a minor reason they choose to live this way (3). In Aubrey's case, her mother's accumulation of possessions eventually led to a cockroach infestation that spread throughout the property, including the Airbnb unit. Guest reviews plummeted, and Aubrey had no choice but to shut down the entire short-term rental operation. For hosts like her, bad Airbnb reviews aren't just embarrassing; they're financially devastating. Hosts have seen their revenue plummet tens of thousands of dollars when review scores drop below 4.5 stars. The problem is, properties with those ratings often get fewer bookings and may not show up prominently in search results. According to OptimizeMyAirbnb.com, only about 70% of guests leave reviews, meaning even one negative review can significantly impact a rental's visibility and income for months (4). And the financial toll extends beyond lost bookings. Aubrey mentioned they'd already had to replace the refrigerator due to overstuffing, and cockroach remediation isn't cheap. According to Angi, homeowners typically pay between $100 and $600 for cockroach extermination, with an average cost of around $200. However, severe infestations like Aubrey described often require multiple treatments at $300 to $700 each, and extreme cases involving fumigation can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $7,500 (5). Kylie Jenner Embraces Showgirl Era In Racy Pink Feathered Dress For Kylie Cosmetics Party Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:46 IST Kylie Jenner makes a splashy entry to her Kylie Cosmetics Christmas party in Los Angeles in a Conner Ives dress from the spring 2026 collection. Kylie Jenner at the Kylie Cosmetics holiday party Kylie Jenner is not the person to wear, throw or attend an ugly Christmas sweater party. If the Kardashian-Jenner brood is involved, you best believe that the party will have all glam vibes. For the holiday party thrown by her own beauty brand, Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Jenner turned up in an over-the-top, racy, pink feather dress. The party was held at Casa Vega Restaurant in Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles. Styled by sisters Mackenzie and Alexandra Grandquist, Kylie wore Look 26 from Conner Ivess latest line, the Spring 2026 Collection. She mirrored the look straight off the runway, even adding the face-framing feathers cradling her neck, which brought the look up a notch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Just Jared (@justjared) The halter gown featured a sheer grey overlay on top of a bright pink slip, lending it a two-tone illusion. A seamless blend of glamour and sensuality, it was secured by a single strap at the back. With an ankle-length hemline, the body-hugging dress featured pink feathered accents along her waist and hips. She accessorised with strappy nude sandals, laced up each ankle and kept the jewellery to a minimum: a pear-shaped diamond ring on her pointer finger. Timothee Chalamets shout to Kylie Jenner in new Rap song Timothee Chalamet celebrated his billionaire girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, and dismissed the rumours of their relationship being one-sided with a subtle nod to the latter in his recent rap collaboration. On December 19, Timothee Chalamet dropped the craziest collab of the year" with UK rapper EsDeeKid on Instagram. In the verse, Chalamet rapped, My girl got a billion, what the f? With a wonderful feeling, head to the ceiling, hit to the, since 2017, Im living a dream getting the cream, Im living on, Im doing my thing, Marty Supreme, Marty Supreme, Marty Supreme." It was a reference to Kylie Cosmetics, which has elevated Kylies status, gaining her the title of one of the youngest billionaires. The beauty mogul launched Kylie Cosmetics in 2015 when she was 18, with a collection of lip liners and liquid lipsticks. Four years later, she sold the majority stake in the cosmetics company to Coty, which further increased its value to nearly $1.2 billion (approximately Rs 10,749.28 crore). News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:46 IST News lifestyle fashion Kylie Jenner Embraces Showgirl Era In Racy Pink Feathered Dress For Kylie Cosmetics Party Breaking The Myth: Understanding Desire And Female Sexuality During Menopause Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 11:36 IST Menopause is a biological transition characterized by hormonal changes, not a loss of desire, identity, or intimacy. Open dialogue and medical support can improve sexual well-being during menopause. For decades, menopause has been framed as an endpoint a phase where vitality, sexuality, and desire quietly fade into the background. This narrative has done more harm than good. Menopause is not a loss of identity or intimacy; it is a biological transition marked by hormonal changes that can reshape how desire is experienced, not erase it. Yet silence, stigma and misinformation continue to make many women feel invisible or unsure of their sexual selves during midlife. Today, doctors are urging a shift in perspective one that recognises sexual health as a lifelong component of overall wellbeing, not something limited by age. Menopause Is Not The End Of Desire Menopause is a biological transition marked by hormonal shifts, not a loss of desire, identity, or intimacy," says Dr Suhasini Inamdar, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Bengaluru. She explains that while physical responses may change, including vaginal dryness, reduced lubrication or mood fluctuations. These are medical concerns with effective solutions. Echoing this, Dr Nikita Maan Singh, Consultant in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Infertility at Rainbow Childrens Hospital, Bengaluru, adds, The idea that desire simply shuts down after 45 is a stubborn myth, born more from stigma and silence than from science." She emphasises that a satisfying sexual life is not a luxury, but a key pillar of emotional, physical and relational wellbeing at every age. Hormones Matter, But Theyre Not The Whole Story Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause, particularly declining estrogen and testosterone, can influence libido, arousal and comfort. This decrease in estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness or discomfort during intercourse," explains Dr Nikita. However, she stresses that sexual wellbeing in midlife is shaped by far more than hormones alone. Stress, sleep disruption, demanding careers, caregiving responsibilities and mental health all play a significant role. Low desire during menopause is often transient," she notes, adding that many women report feeling sexually liberated during this phase free from concerns about pregnancy or menstruation. Sexuality Is Multifaceted, Not Just Physical Sexuality includes emotional connection, intimacy and the pursuit of physical pleasure," says Dr Yuvakshi Juneja, Senior Consultant at Apollo Cradle Royale, Delhi. She highlights that while hormonal changes can affect sexual functioning, they do not eliminate a womans capacity for desire or satisfaction. Women retain the ability to become sexually engaged and fulfilled into their 50s and 60s," she explains. Dr Yuvakshi also points out that societal silence around menopause often leads women to internalise shame or guilt. Open conversations with partners, peers and healthcare providers are critical to reframing sexual dissatisfaction as a common, manageable experience rather than a personal failure. Support, Solutions, And Self-Awareness Medical support can make a meaningful difference. Open conversations, appropriate counselling, lifestyle adjustments and evidence-based treatments can significantly improve sexual wellbeing," says Dr Suhasini. Options range from lubricants and vaginal moisturisers to hormone therapy and non-hormonal treatments, depending on individual needs. Dr Nikita adds that holistic care by addressing mental well-being, relationship dynamics and self-perception is equally important. Emotional intimacy, trust and non-sexual affection can deepen connection and improve sexual satisfaction for both partners. Menopause is not an ending. Desire may evolve, but it remains valid, natural and worthy of attention. With accurate information, compassionate medical care and open dialogue, women can reclaim sexual confidence and intimacy well beyond midlife. By dismantling outdated myths and embracing a more nuanced understanding of female sexuality, menopause can become a phase of renewed self-awareness, empowerment and fulfilment. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 11:36 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness Breaking The Myth: Understanding Desire And Female Sexuality During Menopause How Sleeping In Late On Weekends Disrupts Your Brain More Than You Realise Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 10:33 IST Sudden change in sleeping schedule may lead to the circadian rhythm being out of sync. This lead to short periods of attention loss, brain fog, and decline of cognitive skills. Consistent sleep routines help maintain focus and long-term brain health. Sleeping in on weekends feels like a well-earned reward after long, demanding weekdays. Late nights, delayed alarms and catch-up sleep are often seen as harmless ways to recover lost rest. But neuroscience suggests otherwise. Repeated shifts in sleep timing, even by a few hours, can confuse the brains internal clock, affecting attention, memory, mood and overall cognitive efficiency. What feels like rest may actually be subtle stress on the brains most critical systems. Why The Brain Craves Routine Dr. Sreenivas M, Consultant Neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, explains that while the brain is flexible, it functions best with predictability. Irregular sleep-wake patterns can impair executive function, reduce cognitive capacity and diminish attention," he says, adding that these changes disrupt the brains internal timing system and even its waste clearance mechanisms. Contrary to popular belief, the brain does not adapt easily to frequent schedule changes. Our muscles adapt well to irregular use. But it is not the same with the brain," Dr. Sreenivas notes. He describes this repeated weekdayweekend shift as social jet lag, where the brain is forced to reset its internal clock over and over again, draining mental energy and reducing focus. Circadian Rhythm And Hormonal Confusion At the core of the issue lies the circadian rhythm the bodys 24-hour internal clock that responds to light, darkness, activity and meal timing. According to Dr. Sreenivas, irregular sleep schedules interfere with melatonin and cortisol signalling. Late nights on weekends followed by early weekday mornings confuse this system, leading to inconsistent hormonal signalling and cumulative cognitive strain," he explains. Dr. Mahendra JV, HOD & Consultant Neurologist at Ramaiah Institute of Neurosciences, Bengaluru, adds that modern Indian lifestyles make this disruption more common than ever. Shift work, long commutes, late dinners and constant screen exposure mean many people have lived with a misaligned body clock for years," he says. The Glymphatic System: Why Sleep Timing Matters One of the most important, yet lesser-known, consequences of irregular sleep involves the brains glymphatic system, responsible for clearing metabolic waste during sleep. Dr. Chandana R Gowda, Consultant Neurologist at Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru, explains, Disrupted sleep timing can hinder this clearance and result in temporary brain fog, memory lapses and slowed thinking." Dr. Sreenivas adds that shortened or inconsistent sleep makes glymphatic clearance less efficient, allowing waste products to remain in brain tissue longer. While these effects are reversible, persistent disruption can accelerate cognitive fatigue and reduce mental clarity. Who Is Most At Risk? Young adults and shift workers are particularly vulnerable. Dr. Chandana notes that college students, IT professionals and healthcare workers often follow highly irregular sleep patterns, placing sustained stress on their internal clocks. Dr. Mahendra highlights that early circadian disruption is linked not only to anxiety and depression but may also precede long-term cognitive decline, increasing vulnerability to conditions like Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. How To Realign Your Body Clock The good news: circadian disruption is highly modifiable. Consistency matters most," says Dr. Mahendra, stressing the importance of fixed sleep and wake times, even on weekends. Morning sunlight exposure, reduced screen use at night, regular meal timings and daily physical activity all act as powerful signals for the brains internal clock. Dr. Chandana also recommends minimising late-night screen exposure, maintaining a sleep-friendly environment and avoiding reliance on weekend sleep-ins. In cases where symptoms persist, neurological evaluation and interventions may be needed. Brain fog isnt just an inconvenience; its a signal. While occasional late nights are part of modern life, repeated disruption of sleep timing quietly strains the brains circadian rhythm, hormonal balance and waste-clearance systems. A consistent sleep routine may not feel exciting, but it remains one of the most effective, evidence-backed investments in sharper thinking, better focus and long-term brain health. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: December 21, 2025, 10:33 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness How Sleeping In Late On Weekends Disrupts Your Brain More Than You Realise Why Vaccination During Pregnancy Is One Of The Simplest Ways To Protect Mother And Baby Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 14:59 IST Vaccination during pregnancy protects mothers from infections and passes vital antibodies to newborns. Experts explain why maternal immunisation is crucial for a healthy start. Vaccination during pregnancy is not just a medical recommendation, it is an act of foresight and care Every expectant mother wants to give her child the strongest, safest start in life. While nutrition, rest, and regular check-ups are often prioritised, one of the most powerful forms of protection begins even before birth: vaccination during pregnancy. Often overlooked or misunderstood, maternal vaccination is a simple, evidence-backed step that safeguards both the mother and the baby during a particularly vulnerable period. According to Dr Raghuram Mallaiah, Senior Director of Neonatology, Fortis La Femme, Delhi, pregnancy brings natural changes to a womans immune system, making her more susceptible to certain infections. Vaccination is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent infectious diseases," he explains. Protecting the mother during pregnancy also protects the developing baby." How Maternal Vaccination Protects Two Lives When a pregnant woman receives recommended vaccines, her body produces protective antibodies. These antibodies cross the placenta and enter the babys bloodstream, especially during the later stages of pregnancy. This process provides the newborn with passive immunity, shielding them during the first few months of life, when their own immune system is still immature and too young to receive several important vaccines. This transfer of antibodies is critical," says Dr Mallaiah. Newborns are highly vulnerable to infections, and maternal antibodies act as their first line of defence." Breastfeeding continues this protection after birth, as antibodies are also passed on through breast milk, offering extended immune support. The Risks of Missing Vaccination During Pregnancy When key vaccinations are missed, both mother and baby face increased health risks. Infections during pregnancy can lead to serious complications, including spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital fetal defects. Some diseases, such as tetanus and diphtheria, can be fatal during pregnancy, while influenza may cause severe respiratory illness and increase the likelihood of hospitalisation. For newborns, the consequences can be even more severe. Whooping cough (pertussis), for example, is potentially life-threatening in infants. Most babies under two months who contract the infection require hospitalisation, and it remains a leading cause of infant mortality. Since babies cannot be vaccinated against pertussis until six weeks of age, they rely entirely on the antibodies transferred from their mothers during pregnancy. Addressing Common Myths and Misconceptions Despite strong scientific evidence, myths around vaccination during pregnancy persist. Many women worry that vaccines could harm their baby or believe natural immunity alone is sufficient. Others assume vaccines such as pertussis are unnecessary because they are not included in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Dr Mallaiah emphasises that vaccines recommended during pregnancy are inactivated vaccines, meaning they do not contain live viruses or bacteria and cannot cause infection in either the mother or the baby. Large-scale studies have shown these vaccines to be safe, with no increase in pregnancy-related complications," he says. In fact, vaccinated mothers are less likely to transmit infections to their newborns." Timing Matters The timing of vaccination during pregnancy plays a crucial role in ensuring maximum protection. Research has shown that vaccines such as pertussis are most effective when administered during the third trimester, as this allows sufficient time for antibody production and transfer. Studies indicate that pertussis vaccination during this period can reduce neonatal infection by up to 78 per cent. The Role of Families and Healthcare Providers Overcoming vaccine hesitancy requires empathy and clear communication. Dr Mallaiah believes healthcare workers should listen patiently to expectant mothers concerns and address them with simple, factual information. Family support is equally important. In India, newborns are often surrounded by relatives and visitors, increasing the risk of infectionsometimes from people who may not even realise they are carriers. When families understand the importance of maternal vaccination, they become allies in protecting both mother and baby," he says. Where India Stands Today India has made significant progress in maternal immunisation, including the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus and the annual vaccination of over three crore pregnant women with the Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) vaccine under the UIP. However, gaps remain, particularly for vaccines like pertussis. Integrating vaccination as a routine part of antenatal care can help bridge these gaps. Early antenatal counselling allows healthcare providers to educate women, plan vaccination schedules, and ensure timely administration. A Simple Step With Lifelong Impact Vaccination during pregnancy is not just a medical recommendation, it is an act of foresight and care. By protecting the mother, we protect the baby," says Dr Mallaiah. It is one of the simplest, safest, and most effective ways to ensure a healthier start to life." In a journey filled with countless decisions, maternal vaccination stands out as a small step with a profound, lasting impact offering protection when it is needed most. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 14:59 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness Why Vaccination During Pregnancy Is One Of The Simplest Ways To Protect Mother And Baby Psychologist Shares 2 Tips For Couples To Be Happy, In Sync Ahead Of Christmas Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 20:02 IST Whether you want to skip the holiday festivities altogether or deciding on spending the day with family, it is important for couples to be open and honest with each other. Christmas time can be a great time to spend with your loved ones Holidays can be hectic, with parties, get-togethers with family and holidays with friends. Add to it that emotions are running high as we reach the end of the year. There is a lot happening, and things can escalate. If any of those cliche Christmas movies have taught us anything is that you need to expect the unexpected. For couples, holidays are a scary time because they often call for revealing a new side of yourself to your partner," Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist, professor and researcher from New York, tells CNBC Make It. Every family has their own way of doing things, celebrating festivals and upholding traditions. While you might be excited to introduce your partner to all the things you have been doing since childhood, it also works the same way for them. It is important that you be mindful of their choices, too. To have a smooth holiday season, being flexible is key. Ultimately, the goal is to blend each others cultures and worlds," says Romanoff. Heres how successful couples tackle tough decisions and come out stronger during this festive time of year. Couples who create new traditions together Every couple have their own baggage which can be good or bad that they bring into their relationship. It includes past experiences, family traditions, life goals, habits and ways of doing things. But when you get into a relationship, it is vital that you compromise, unlearn and try new things together. Being open to new experiences and forming core memories with each other is what keeps a couple together. Sabrina Romanoff shares what defines a successfully happy couple they create new traditions together. That could mean going to see the tree together at Rockefeller Centre or getting an ornament together," says Sabrina Romanoff. It could also mean taking a vacation for the holidays, cooking the holiday meal, going on a hot chocolate crawl or even just taking a photograph at the same place every year. Building something new together is a bonding experience, and thats what brings security" in the relationship. Couples who are direct and honest about what they want Ask any couple your grandparents, parents, uncles or aunts whove been married for a long time, and they will tell you that the secret to a happy and long union is communication. Both partners have to communicate with each other about their likes, dislikes and desires. For that, one needs to know what they want in the first place. Whether it is splitting time with the in-laws, how much to spend on gifts, going on vacation and skipping the festive get-togethers it is important that you tell your partner what you want from them. You are better off being direct and honest with your partne,r so you both can really get what you both need," shares Sabrina Romanoff. And it is also vital to keep an open mind and be flexible with the ideas. The final decision needs to be agreed upon by both sides. I think the healthiest couples are those who can get creative and compromise," she says, adding, Theres only one Christmas Eve; theres only one Christmas Day." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 20:01 IST News lifestyle relationship Psychologist Shares 2 Tips For Couples To Be Happy, In Sync Ahead Of Christmas Anupam Kher Bumps Into Kareena Kapoor On Flight, Recalls Her Debut: 'Amazingly Real Person' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 15:12 IST Anupam Kher shares photos with Kareena Kapoor Khan after meeting her on a flight and fondly recalls her debut days on Refugee. Anupam Khers Mid-Air Reunion With Kareena Kapoor Khan. A routine flight to Delhi turned into a moment of nostalgia for Anupam Kher when he ran into Kareena Kapoor Khan onboard. The chance meeting prompted the veteran actor to revisit their first interaction on the sets of Refugee in 2000, where Kareena made her Bollywood debut, and reflect on how she has grown over the years. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, December 21, Kher recalled meeting Kareena for the first time during the film that launched her Bollywood career. Sharing his memories, Kher wrote, First time I met #Bebo was on the sets of JP Duttas #Refugee! Year was 2000! And It was her debut film. She was stunningly beautiful, confident yet vulnerable, restless to make it big (which she did) and amazingly real as a person! Over the years I have watched her grow into a very fine and elegant actress!" The actor added that their recent meeting felt just as warm. During the flight, the two spoke at length, and Kher said he was struck by how unchanged Kareena remains even after 25 years in the industry. Reflecting on their conversation, Kher said that Kareenas curiosity and love for meaningful conversations stood out the most. He wrote that he was happy to see that, decades later, she continues to be someone who is real, enjoys conversations, and is still hungry for strong roles. Thanking her for the interaction, he added, Thank you dearest #Kareena for your warmth and appreciation! Yes! I do look the same in all these years. May God keep you and your family happy and healthy! Love and prayers always." Refugee marked the beginning of Kareena Kapoor Khans journey in Hindi cinema, a career that has since spanned over two decades and seen her move seamlessly between commercial hits and performance-driven roles. On the work front, Anupam Kher is set to appear in The India House, where he plays Shyamji Krishna Varma. The film, directed by Ram Vamsi Krishna, is set against the backdrop of Indias freedom struggle and marks Khers 542nd film. Kareena, on the other hand, will be seen in Meghna Gulzars Daayra. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 15:12 IST News movies bollywood Anupam Kher Bumps Into Kareena Kapoor On Flight, Recalls Her Debut: 'Amazingly Real Person' Give These Lines To Him: Sanjay Dutt Lost His Temper, Refused To Do Scene After Govinda Arrived Late Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 11:25 IST Govinda arriving nine hours late on Jodi No. 1 sets led to Sanjay Dutt losing his temper and scenes changing on the spot. News18 For audiences, Govindas films of the 1990s were effortless fun. Songs, jokes and friendships flowed easily on screen. Behind the scenes, though, that ease often came at a cost. Govindas chronic habit of turning up late had begun to strain working relationships, frustrate co-stars and, in some cases, derail entire shooting schedules. One such moment, involving Sanjay Dutt, remains one of the most talked-about off-screen stories from that era. Hits, Friendships and a Growing Problem At his peak in the 1990s and early 2000s, Govinda delivered hit after hit. His long partnership with Kader Khan resulted in some of Hindi cinemas most loved comedies, including Aankhen, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Hero No. 1 and Dulhe Raja. Around the same time, Govindas films with Sanjay Dutt Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Jodi No. 1 and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah gave audiences humour rooted in warmth and male bonding. On screen, the chemistry felt natural. Off screen, repeated delays were beginning to test patience. The Day Sanjay Dutt Lost His Cool Years later, actor Rajat Bedi revisited one particularly tense incident from the sets of Jodi No. 1. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Rajat described how a long wait turned into an explosive situation. He had taken on too much work. In Jodi No. 1, David was supposed to start shooting at 7 am but Sanjay Dutt and I were there at 6 in the morning for some reason," Rajat recalled. Hours passed, but Govinda did not arrive. Director David Dhawan sent someone to Govindas house, only to discover that he was not even there. By then, the unit had already waited most of the day. Govinda Arrived Nine Hours Late As frustration mounted, Rajat said Sanjay Dutt began to lose his temper. By the time it was 2 pm, Sanjay was freaking out," he said, imitating Sanjay abusing Govinda. It later turned out that Govinda had another commitment in Hyderabad and was flying directly to the set. He finally arrived around 3 pm, keeping the cast and crew waiting for nearly nine hours. In those days, nobody would know where he was because at that time, he would do 4-5 shifts," Rajat recalled. The Scene That Changed on the Spot The tension didnt end with Govindas arrival. Rajat revealed that Sanjay Dutt was handed a much heavier set of dialogues than Govinda, which only added to the anger. Sanju started abusing the assistant and told him, you give these lines to Govinda, I will not do this. So the whole scene changed on the spot," Rajat shared. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 11:25 IST News movies bollywood Give These Lines To Him: Sanjay Dutt Lost His Temper, Refused To Do Scene After Govinda Arrived Late I Saw My Life Flash: Nora Fatehi Recounts Horrific Accident After Being Flinged Across Car In Crash Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 08:00 IST Nora Fatehi survived a serious Mumbai car accident caused by a drunk driver, suffered minor injuries and urged fans not to drink and drive. Nora Fatehi Shares Health Update After Car Accident In Mumbai. Nora Fatehi has issued a detailed update after being involved in a road accident in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon. Despite suffering injuries, she proceeded with her scheduled stage appearance at a concert headlined by DJ David Guetta later the same day. Hours after the mishap, Fatehi addressed the incident through Instagram Stories, describing the crash and urging the public not to drive under the influence. Police confirmed that a case has been registered against the driver accused of ramming into her vehicle. According to Fatehi, the collision occurred when another car, allegedly driven by a drunk motorist, hit her vehicle with significant force. She explained how she was flung across the seat during the impact and struck her head. Hey guys, Im just coming here to tell you guys that I am okay. Yes, I was in a really serious car accident today in the afternoon. A drunk person that was driving under the influence smashed my car and unfortunately, the impact was quite severe and it flinged me across the car. I bashed my head on the window," Nora said. She continued, Im alive and Im well. Except for some minor injuries, swelling and a slight concussion, Im okay. Im grateful for that. That could have ended terribly, but I came to say this to say that this is why you should not not drink and drive. I hate alcohol to begin with." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Mumbai Police confirmed that Fatehi was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors found her stable and treated her for minor injuries. Officers booked the accused driver under provisions related to rash and drunk driving, and placed him in custody pending further investigation. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for first aid, where her condition was confirmed to be stable. A case was registered against the intoxicated driver, and he was taken into custody," said Mumbai Police. Speaking further on social media, the actor reiterated her stance against alcohol use. In fact, I am not someone who has ever liked the idea of alcohol or anything like such as drugs, weed, anything that puts you in a different state of mind It is not something I promote or even enjoy being around You should not drink and drive. Its 2025. I cannot believe that this is even a conversation," she said. Reacting to the incident, she emphasised how unexpected the crash was. I cant believe that this is even a scenario that has to happen at 3 p.m. in the afternoon. I could never imagine someone would be driving under the influence and putting people in harms way. Having said that, I just want to let everyone know Im okay. Im going to be suffering from pain for some time, but, thank God I am alive." Fatehi described the experience as deeply distressing. Im not going to lie. That was a very scary, terrifying, traumatic moment. Im slightly still traumatized." Despite the ordeal, she chose to continue with her performance. I dont let anything get in the way of my work, my ambition, and any opportunities that I get. So, no drunk driver was going to get in that kind of opportunity. I worked way too hard to reach these milestones and moments. That might look crazy to you, but long story short, dont drink and drive," Nora shared. She closed her message by acknowledging the support that poured in from fans and well-wishers. I want to say thank you to everyone whos been reaching out to see if Im okay. I really appreciate that. It does mean a lot to me and thank you to my fans who have been messaging, I know everyones so concerned. But again, I have to reiterate, dont drink and drive," she said. Fatehi also referenced recent fatal cases linked to drunk driving in Mumbai. There have been so many cases in India, in Mumbai itself, of people who killed other innocent people because they were drinking and driving. There is no excuse for that. Im grateful that Im okay and safe. I definitely saw my life flash behind right in front of my eyes, and I dont wish that upon anybody." Police officials confirmed that the investigation is underway. Fatehi is recovering from swelling and a concussion, and is expected to remain under observation for some time. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 08:00 IST News movies bollywood I Saw My Life Flash: Nora Fatehi Recounts Horrific Accident After Being Flinged Across Car In Crash Ajith Kumars Iconic 2011 Film Mankatha Set For Big-Screen Comeback In January 2026 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:29 IST Ajith Kumars cult hit Mankatha, directed by Venkat Prabhu, is set for a January 2026 re-release, reigniting nostalgia for Vinayak Mahadevans thrilling heist saga. Mankatha is an action crime thriller starring Ajith Kumar in the lead role. Back in 2011, when Ajith Kumar lit up screens as the stylish, ruthless Vinayak Mahadevan, fans cheered, whistled and turned theatres into celebration zones. Now, over a decade later, nostalgia is kicking in again, as his cult action thriller Mankatha is poised to return to the big screen. According to industry tracker Lets Cinema, the re-release is being planned for January 2026. The original film marked Ajith Kumars 50th outing as a lead actor and became a major commercial success. Buzz intensified recently when director Venkat Prabhu dropped a one-word tweet: Kingmaker." The iconic reference sparked speculation about the films comeback, though the makers are yet to confirm an official date. The KINGMAKER venkat prabhu (@vp_offl) December 20, 2025 Mankatha centres on suspended Mumbai cop Vinayak Mahadevan, who teams up with a gang attempting to steal Rs 500 crore from illegal IPL betting. His hidden motive: betray them all and take the money for himself. What follows is a tense chain of twists, double-crosses and dangerous alliances. The film features Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Raai Laxmi, Anjali, Andrea Jeremiah, Vaibhav, Ashwin Kakumanu and Premji Amaren in prominent roles. Yuvan Shankar Raja composed the music, with Sakthi Saravanan behind the camera and editing by Praveen K. L.-N. B. Srikanth. Cloud Nine Movies produced the feature and Sun Pictures released it theatrically via Radaan Mediaworks. Principal photography began in October 2010 and took place across Chennai, the Dharavi area in Mumbai, and Bangkok, wrapping in June 2011. The film opened worldwide on 31 August 2011 to critical praise and delivered one of the strongest openings for a Tamil film at that time. Meanwhile, Ajith Kumar is preparing to collaborate with director Adhik Ravichandran once racing commitments ease. The untitled project, referred to as AK64, is expected to start production during the racing off-season and is aimed at a wider audience following the fan-driven Good Bad Ugly. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:29 IST News movies regional-cinema Ajith Kumars Iconic 2011 Film Mankatha Set For Big-Screen Comeback In January 2026 Sachin Pilgaonkar And Sadhana Singhs Nadiya Ke Paar Returns To Theatres After Four Decades Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 10:30 IST Nadiya Ke Paar returns to Patnas big screen after 43 years, celebrating Bhojpuri culture, Govind Mooniss direction, and Rajshri Productions legacy at House of Variety. A still from the movie. After 43 years, the beloved Bhojpuri film Nadiya Ke Paar is coming back to the big screen, giving audiences a chance to relive a classic that captured the heart of rural India. Released in 1982 by Rajshri Productions, the film was loved for its simple story, emotional depth, and authentic portrayal of Bhojpuri culture. To celebrate its legacy, a special screening was held in Patna at the House of Variety, Regent Cinema Campus, Gandhi Maidan, as part of the Bihar State Film Development and Finance Corporations weekly programme, Coffee With Film. The initiative, run by the Department of Art, Culture and Youth, regularly shows films that reflect Bihars culture and folk traditions and includes discussions to connect young audiences with their roots. Directed by Govind Moonis and produced by Rajshri, Nadiya Ke Paar was a hit when it released. Based on Keshav Prasad Mishras novel Kohbar Ki Shart, the film tells a story of love, family, and village life in Bhojpuri. Its songs, especially Kaun Disa Mein Leke Chala Re Batohiya" composed by Ravindra Jain, are still loved today. The film also helped launch the career of Sachin Pilgaonkar, who went on to become a well-known actor in both Hindi and regional cinema. The movie was shot in the villages of Bijaipur and Rajepur in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, and featured a talented ensemble cast including Sachin, Sadhana Singh, Inder Thakur, Mitali, Savita Bajaj, Sheela David, Leela Mishra, and Soni Rat. Its story and charm inspired Rajshri Productions to remake it in 1994 as Hum Aapke Hain Koun!, which became one of the biggest hits in Hindi cinema. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 10:30 IST News movies regional-cinema Sachin Pilgaonkar And Sadhana Singhs Nadiya Ke Paar Returns To Theatres After Four Decades In recent days, Goldman Sachs appointed Qatalyst Partners co-founder Brian Cayne as global co-head of its software investment banking group, and it has been actively issuing a range of medium-term senior and subordinated notes under a new US$30.00 billion shelf registration. Together with its push into AI-focused software advisory and alternative investments, these moves highlight Goldmans effort to deepen higher-fee franchises while broadening its funding flexibility across the maturity spectrum. Next, well examine how Caynes hire to strengthen software and AI dealmaking could influence Goldman Sachs existing investment narrative. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 22 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Goldman Sachs Group Investment Narrative Recap To own Goldman Sachs, you need to believe in its ability to compound fee-based and capital-light earnings while still monetizing large, complex deal cycles. The Brian Cayne hire and the new US$30.0 billion note shelf look directionally aligned with that story but do not materially change the near term picture, where the key upside remains a sustained M&A and financing upturn and the biggest risk is shifting capital rules and regulatory expectations on returns. Among recent developments, the US$30.0 billion shelf registration for medium term senior and subordinated notes stands out, because it underpins Goldman's flexibility to fund growth in advisory, financing and alternatives without relying on any single market window. For shareholders watching catalysts like a stronger investment banking pipeline and continued balance sheet resilience, this kind of diversified term funding capacity can matter more than any one deal announcement. Yet for all the focus on new AI and software deals, investors should also be aware that tighter or less predictable capital requirements could... Read the full narrative on Goldman Sachs Group (it's free!) Goldman Sachs Group's narrative projects $61.4 billion revenue and $17.0 billion earnings by 2028. This requires 3.9% yearly revenue growth and a $2.3 billion earnings increase from $14.7 billion today. Uncover how Goldman Sachs Group's forecasts yield a $802.53 fair value, a 10% downside to its current price. Exploring Other Perspectives GS 1-Year Stock Price Chart Ten members of the Simply Wall St Community currently peg Goldmans fair value between US$500 and US$900, underscoring how far opinions can diverge. Against that backdrop, the reliance on a sustained rebound in large scale M&A as a key earnings catalyst gives you another lens to weigh before deciding which of those views you find most reasonable. Kritika Kamra Says Shooting The Great Shamsuddin Family Felt Like A Grandparents Summer Break Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 07:29 IST The Great Shamsuddin Family, led by Kritika Kamra as Bani, explores authentic relationships. Directed by Anusha Rizvi, it premiered on JioHotstar on 12 December 2025. Kritika Kamra On Audience Love And Female-Led Set Of The Great Shamsuddin Family. A new family-centred comedy-drama, The Great Shamsuddin Family, has sparked conversations for its intimate portrayal of relationships and everyday emotion. Actress Kritika Kamra, who leads the cast as Bani, says the project stands apart for its warmth and authenticity both on and off screen. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Kamra reflected on the response to her character and the experience of shooting a story rooted deeply in lived personal histories. Kritika said the messages pouring in from viewers indicate how strongly people are identifying with Bani. My inbox is full of messages. Women are writing to me saying, I saw myself in Bani. I have these really long messages where people are listing out scenes and moments and telling me, This is exactly how I feel. Thats precisely what I felt when I read the script." Her own sense of belonging to the character was immediate. When I read Bani, I connected with her frustration, her questions about belonging, and that constant sense of responsibility. She feels like she has to take care of everybody, but sometimes she just wants to be taken care of. Im that elder daughter, that elder sistersomeone everyone relies on for decisions. So every time Bani voiced those emotions, it felt very real to me." Kamra emphasised that the familial atmosphere on set contributed to the emotional truth on screen. She noted that the house in Delhi where the film was shot fostered a sense of shared space among the mostly female ensemble. It was very nice. Anusha and Dilip Shankar brought such wonderful people togethernot just good actors, but genuinely good human beings. We were shooting in one house in Delhi, so it honestly felt like being on a family holiday." Describing how the cast bonded when the cameras were off, she added: We would eat together, sit, laugh, sing songs. No one would go back to their vanity vans. Farida ji would tell us stories. It reminded me of summer holidays at our grandparents house, when all the cousins and massis would sit together. That same feeling." The film also offered Kamra the opportunity to work closely with industry veterans Sheeba Chaddha and Farida Jalal. Reflecting on their presence on set, she said, They have such incredible experience and are such great actors, yet theyre so easygoing and fun. Of course, theyre seniors, and we were very respectful, but it was never stiff or formal. Farida ji is exactly how she appears on screen, bubbly and endearing." She credited both actors for setting a high bar for professionalism. Thats the thing about great people, they dont tell you what to do, they show you how its done. Farida ji, at this age, is so flexible and patient, even with chaotic schedules and long hours. She doesnt need to do it, shes a superstarbut its her passion. Sheeba also brings immense sincerity, which is why her performances feel so truthful. Just watching them perform and observing their discipline teaches you more than any verbal advice ever could." Kritika also commented on the representation of women in Indian cinema, pointing to how the personal lens of the films writer-director informs the story. This is womens story told by a woman, thats the difference. Our writer-director is a Muslim woman, and the story and relationships are inspired by her personal experiences. Thats why the characters feel so rounded." While acknowledging that male filmmakers can also write strong female characters, she added, You cant compare it to when a woman writes women. In fact, even the men written by women are very attractive. If we see more female filmmakers, it creates a beautiful atmosphere altogether." The Great Shamsuddin Family is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi. The film features Kritika alongside Shreya Dhanwanthary, Sheeba Chaddha, Farida Jalal and Purab Kohli. It premiered on JioHotstar on 12 December 2025. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 07:29 IST News movies web-series Kritika Kamra Says Shooting The Great Shamsuddin Family Felt Like A Grandparents Summer Break Opinion | What Bangladesh Unrest Means For Dhakas Politics Written By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 16:33 IST The protests mark a shift from symbolic protest to physical disruption of political and economic activity Prominent media houses in Bangladesh were vandalised amid violent protests. (AFP) On December 18, 2025, the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha and a prospective candidate for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, triggered a rapid escalation of protests and violence across Bangladesh, exposing deepening political polarisation, institutional vulnerability, and rising anti-India sentiments. Hadi, who had reportedly been shot in the head on December 12, 2025, by an armed man identified as Faisal Karim Masud aka Daud Khan, died at approximately 9:45 pm (BST) on December 18, 2025, while undergoing treatment in Singapore. His death acted as a catalyst for escalating nationwide unrest, rather than an isolated cause. Hadi was a fiery face in the July Uprising of 2024. Masud fired the fatal shot while riding pillion on a motorcycle, and Alamgir Sheikh has been identified as the person who was driving the motorcycle at the time. The two fled after the attack and are said to have crossed into India via the Haluaghat border route the same night a claim that authorities are still probing. A reward of BDT 5 million has been announced by the Government for Masuds arrest. Two persons, Sibion Diu and Sanjay Chisim, have been remanded by a Dhaka court for allegedly helping Masud escape after the shooting. Masuds parents have also been sent to jail, after a confessional statement before a magistrate. Following the news of Hadis death, protesters began gathering in Dhakas Shahbagh area on the night of December 18. Demonstrators marched around the Shahbagh Police Station, chanting slogans such as Tumi ke ami ke? Hadi, Hadi," Delhi na Dhaka? Dhaka, Dhaka," Surround the Indian embassy," and Inqilab Zindabad." Shahbaghs historical role as a mobilisation hub lent symbolic legitimacy to the protests and facilitated further crowd formation. After 11:00 pm, violence escalated sharply as hundreds of protesters attacked and vandalised the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, two of the countrys leading media institutions. Protesters damaged glass panels, dragged furniture and documents outside, and set them on fire, while chanting religious and nationalist slogans including Nala-e-Takbir, Allahu Akbar and Bharoter Dalalera-Hushiar, Sabdhan (Agents of India, Beware). Law enforcement agencies were initially absent, resulting in several media employees being trapped on rooftops. The Army was eventually deployed at around 12:35 am on December 19 to restore control, highlighting a delayed security response during the critical escalation phase. The unrest quickly spread beyond the capital city, Dhaka. In Rajshahi, protesters bulldozed the Rajshahi Metropolitan Awami League office, directly targeting the partys infrastructure. Simultaneously, highways were blocked in several districts, disrupting transportation and indicating coordinated efforts to exert nationwide pressure. On December 19, 2025, the violence further escalated into the personal targeting of political figures. In Bandarban, protesters set fire to the residence of former Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur U Shwe Sing. Firefighters were initially prevented from extinguishing the blaze, necessitating intervention by the Army and Police to disperse the crowd. This incident marked a significant expansion in protest tactics, moving from institutional targets to the private property of former government officials. Violence also assumed an international dimension as protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chittagong, reflecting intensifying anti-India sentiment following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas flight to New Delhi. After the Rajshahi incident, students from different halls of Rajshahi University also joined and protested by setting fire to the road, chanting anti-India slogans. On December 14, 2025, Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Manch, had warned that if Hadis attackers fled to India and the Indian government sheltered or returned them, the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh would not be allowed to conduct any activities, inflaming anti-Indian sentiments with unsubstantiated claims. Parallel to street violence, political reactions played a critical role in shaping the protest environment. On December 18, 2025, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), National Citizen Party (NCP), and Islami Andolan of Bangladesh (IAB) issued statements expressing grief over Hadis death and demanding justice. BNP described Hadi a martyr;" JeI referred to him as a brave July fighter and true patriot;" NCP called him our comrade". These statements, while not directly calling for violence, contributed to legitimising public anger and intensifying mobilisation. The Government, meanwhile, has characterised the violence following Hadis death as criminal and condemned attacks on institutions, including media houses, while asserting security forces are working to restore order and uphold justice. The government statement also condemned the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh. Hadi was shot just after the elections in Bangladesh were formally announced, on December 11, 2025. The killing of such a political aspirant at this critical juncture of Bangladeshs politics angered the public. Collectively, the incidents following Hadis death expose a fragile security environment marked by delayed law enforcement responses, politicised narratives of martyrdom, and a narrative that fuels and normalises anti-Indian sentiments in the general public. These actions mark a shift from symbolic protest to physical disruption of political and economic activity. The events underscore the risk of protest-triggered violence becoming a recurring feature of Bangladeshs political landscape. Shivangi Sharma is a Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management. Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 16:33 IST News opinion Opinion | What Bangladesh Unrest Means For Dhakas Politics Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Who Really Suffers From A Cultural Inferiority Complex? Written By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 18:28 IST The question of the inferiority complex turns back on those who seek to diagnose it and examine its causes Rapid Read Akbar In a recent book by Romila Thapar titled Speaking of History", in which she discusses Indian history, caste, gender, religion, myth, and nationalism with Namit Arora, one of the questions explored concerns what Arora calls the cultural inferiority complex" of Indians. Arora suggests that this sense of inferiority helps explain why many Indians respond enthusiastically to comforting historical myths and to assertive, majoritarian forms of cultural nationalism promoted in contemporary politics. He then asks Thapar where this inferiority complex originates. Thapar argues that its primary source lies in Indias experience of conquest. As might be expected, she is careful to distinguish between different kinds of conquerors, particularly between the Mughal rulers and the British. In her account, the Mughal period was marked by economic prosperity, state support for mathematics and the sciences, and encouragement of traditional culture alongside philosophical and religious dialogue. By contrast, British colonial rule introduced a fundamentally different dynamic. Colonialism, she argues, was premised on the assumption of Indian inferiority and sought to legitimise this assumption through racial theories presented as objective knowledge. As Thapar puts it: There was the constant supervision of an alien people who regarded Indians as inferior. This was sought to be justified by theories of race, claimed as knowledge, and which underlined the theory of inferiority of the Indian. The consistent repetition of inferiority did the damage." As someone without formal academic training in history, I do not claim the authority to evaluate her account in which the Mughals are portrayed as benign conquerors and the British as malign ones. Nor am I in a position to critically assess her argument that the Mughals encouraged philosophical and religious dialogue and patronised regional culture, even though Baburs own memoirs and accounts from Aurangzebs reign present a markedly different picture, including major temple destructions and episodes of forced conversion. Colonial influences on history writing have been damaging," Arora remarks in the conversation; by that logic, one might ask whether recorded instances of attacks on religious faith are also to be dismissed as distortions of a flawed historiographical tradition. My doubts concern the idea of a cultural inferiority complex" and, specifically, how left-leaning historians have sought to address it. If colonial influences on history writing were indeed damaging, and if they rested on assumptions about Indian inferiority, what steps did these historians take to correct that legacy? Did their work help resolve this problem? Or did it, instead, continue to operate with implicit assumptions of an inferior pastone portrayed as violent, caste-ridden, primitive, and uniformly negative? Did they succeed in undoing the intellectual damage produced by colonial historiography? Thapar attempts to present the Mughal conquest in a largely positive light. But how positive was the advent of Islam for Indiaor, for that matter, for any society it entered? In his classic study of Islam, Marshall Hodgson observed that the coming of Islam marked a breach in cultural continuity unparalleled among the great civilisations known to us. This rupture is visible in every region that Islam reached and is evident in Indias past as well, even to the untrained eye of a non-historian. In Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions among the Converted Peoples", V. S. Naipaul writes that conversion to Islam fundamentally alters ones sense of history: He rejects his own; he becomes, whether he likes it or not, a part of the Arab story. The convert has to turn away from everything that is his." Naipaul would later go on to argue that it was only Nehruvians such as Romila Thapar who pretended that Islamic rule in India had been benevolent. As with Hodgsons observation, Naipauls view too is supported by readily observable historical patterns. Yet Thapar seems to overlook such inconvenient evidenceevidence that complicates any attempt to portray the Mughals or Islam in uniformly favourable termsmuch like any other left-leaning historians. When one continues to portray a religion and a political order that entered India through conquest as wholly benevolent, and argue that philosophical and religious dialogue, along with the Bhakti tradition, flourished under that rule, one is implicitly endorsing the idea that such a culture possessed a higher civilisational authority. Thapar, however, maintains that India, in the course of its history, never conceded that another culture was distinctly superior." Given such arguments and assumptions about the conquerors, and such a benevolent portrayal of the Mughal invasion and rule, how are left-leaning historians expected to remedy the so-called cultural inferiority complex"? How can these assumptions and historical narratives built upon them be distinguished from the damaging legacies of colonial historiography? If a cultural inferiority complex does exist, are not those leftist scholars who celebrate and glorify the invaders for political reasons its primary contributors? When people are repeatedly told that the invaders did a great service by conquering themthat they enriched their culture, strengthened their economy, fostered religious dialogue, and encouraged the Bhakti traditionwhat position does such a narrative ultimately ask them to accept? It is not only through such narratives that these views are advanced; there is more to it. S. L. Bhyrappa, the eminent Kannada novelist and public intellectual who passed away recently, recalled an experience from his time as a member of a five-member committee tasked with promoting national integration through education during 196970. Bhyrappa describes the committees first meeting, at which the chairman, G. Parthasarathy, openly suggested that accounts of atrocities associated with Islamic invasions, including Mahmud of Ghaznis attack on the Somnath Temple and Aurangzebs destruction of temples, were useless facts" and should not be taught in schools, as they might be detrimental to the idea of national integration. Bhyrappa challenged this view by pointing to what visitors encounter at ancient temple sites such as Kashi and Mathura. He observed that pilgrims see large mosques constructed using the walls, pillars, and columns of demolished temples, while a small, makeshift structure that resembles a cow-shed, stands in for the original place of worship. Such scenes, he argued, deeply unsettle devotees, who then recount the condition of these temples to others after returning home. He questioned whether suppressing such visible and emotionally charged realities could genuinely foster national integration. Shortly thereafter, he was removed from the committee. The distortions and manipulations in education did not end there. When the CPI(M) was in power in West Bengal, a circular issued by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education in 1989 reportedly instructed that Muslim rule should never attract any criticism" and that the destruction of temples by Muslim rulers and invaders should not be mentioned in the textbooks. Along with these directives, the circular introduced several other changessome subtle, others more explicit. These developments were highlighted years ago by Arun Shourie, who has written about them consistently over time. The secular intelligentsia, however, chose to look the other other way. These are some of the ways in which leftist historians adulterated and manipulated history, promoting a version in which the people of the country and their religious traditions were diminished, disparaged, and implicitly portrayed as primitive. It is this same group that now seeks to examine why a cultural inferiority complex" exists in the country. The question of the inferiority complex turns back on those who seek to diagnose it and examine its causes. The narratives presented for decades by this group sanitised violent conquests and conversions, suppressed the trauma associated with them, and framed the countrys past as being redeemed only through its conquerors. When they now return to analyse the so-called inferiority complex," it not only reeks of double standards but also reproduces the very sense of diminishment they claim to oppose. The source of the problem may lie not in history, but in its narration. The writer is a commentator with a research degree in philosophy from the University of Sheffield, focusing on the intersections of culture, history, and politics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 18:28 IST News opinion Opinion | Who Really Suffers From A Cultural Inferiority Complex? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Need Immediate Decision On Karnataka Tussle: Sudarshan To Kharge As Shivakumar Ramps Up Outreach Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 13:11 IST Karnataka power tussle: As deputy CM DK Shivakumar ramps up his diplomatic efforts among party veterans, senior leaders are now calling on the central high command to intervene Rapid Read In what is being viewed as a strategic counter-move, Shivakumar has intensified his "outreach diplomacy" to build consensus among senior cabinet members. (News18) The internal debate over leadership in Karnatakas Congress government has reached a critical juncture. As Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar ramps up his diplomatic efforts among party veterans, senior leaders are now calling on the central high command to intervene and prevent administrative paralysis. Sudarshan warns of administrative impact Senior Congress leader and AICC member VR Sudarshan has formally written to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, urging an immediate resolution to the ongoing power-sharing speculation. Sudarshan, a former Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council, warned that the continued leadership ambiguity" is beginning to take a toll on the state. Immediate decision and direction are required to strengthen the administration of the Karnataka Government and the affairs of the Party," Sudarshan stated in his letter. His intervention reflects a growing anxiety within the party that the public disagreement over the Chief Ministers post could derail the governments momentum and weaken its governance image. Shivakumars strategic outreach The letter comes just 24 hours after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly asserted that no power-sharing deal exists. In what is being viewed as a strategic counter-move, Shivakumar has intensified his outreach diplomacy" to build consensus among senior cabinet members. On Saturday, Shivakumar met with KN Rajanna, a prominent former minister and a staunch loyalist of Siddaramaiah. While sources officially described the meeting as a discussion regarding the Apex Bank chairmanship, insiders suggest the true agenda was navigating the states evolving political landscape. This meeting is part of a broader pattern of engagement by Shivakumar, who has recently reached out to several influential ministers close to the CM, including K.J. George, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Satish Jarkiholi. High command under pressure With several veterans like BK Hariprasad, Veerappa Moily, and now Sudarshan taking the matter to the national stage, the pressure is now on Mallikarjun Kharge and the AICC to provide a definitive roadmap. As the two power centres of Karnataka Congress continue their delicate balancing act, the partys rank and file remain on edge, waiting for a signal that will ensure stability for the remainder of the term. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 13:06 IST News politics Need Immediate Decision On Karnataka Tussle: Sudarshan To Kharge As Shivakumar Ramps Up Outreach Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Right To Disconnect, YouTubers To IndiGo Chaos: Winter Session Saw Substance Amid The Noise Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 14:26 IST Even as the opposition and government were up in arms on electoral reforms and Vande Mataram, the winter session managed to strike a fine balance with MPs raising some key issues (From left) MPs Supriya Sule, Raghav Chadha and Priyanka Chaturvedi raised key issues. (PTI) Amid the acrimony and high-decibel exchange between the government and opposition, there were a few issues which were raised by some MPs, which gives hope that Parliament can be a peoples Parliament, or MPs can be peoples MPs. While the winter session ended with no discussion on the matter which should matter the most pollution there were some issues which were taken up. Some suggestions made. Take for example, Nationalist Congress Partys (NCP) Supriya Sule. In India, random calls during leave, being called to work over weekends, late-night calls, and emails which you have to take, is considered a given. To address this concern, Sule moved a private members bill called the Right to Disconnect Bill. This nudges employers to give time off to employees and if they have to be on duty beyond duty hours, then a mutually agreeable compensation would be worked upon. Then there were some important ones raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha, who has stayed away from party politics and tu tu main main by raising some pertinent issues. Chadha is being remembered and appreciated for raising the issue of high cost of tea and coffee at airports, which made it inaccessible for poor travellers. He said this was contradicting the governments vision of hawai chappal to hawai jahaaz tak narrative. The result was the setting up of UDAAN cafes across airports at a reasonable cost. This was a big win for air travellers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by News18.com (@cnnnews18) He has also taken up issues of people stuck at toll plazas and suggested that those stuck at plazas for more than five minutes must have their toll fees waived . Also, a strong pitch to protect the rights of YouTubers and digital creators who lose revenue due to copyright strikes, he suggested changes in Indias Copyright Act. He also pitched for help from the government for those who cant afford immediate investments through a tokenisation bill. Priyanka Chaturvedi, meanwhile, did not mince her words on the issue of pollution and Indigo chaos. In fact, when many in the opposition, like the Congress, walked out, Priyanka preferred to stay put and demand discussion on it. Even on the pollution issue, her party was the first to ask to adjourn all matters and take this up on an urgent basis. Its a fact that often those in government are handicapped by legislative business they have to move and support, and often cant even raise issues or private bills which may be seen as taking on the government. Its usually left to opposition leaders to do so. In the winter session, in Lok Sabha, 137 private member bills were listed, and in Rajya Sabha, there were 59, ranging from topics such as reptile bites moved by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy to compulsory education for little children to the right to disconnect. With the opposition and government up in arms on contentious issues like discussion on electoral reforms to Vande Mataram, once again the debate became on whether Parliament has lost its flavour and sheen by not raising peoples issues. But the winter session managed to find a fine balance on this. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 13:23 IST News politics Right To Disconnect, YouTubers To IndiGo Chaos: Winter Session Saw Substance Amid The Noise Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Shiv Sena (UBT)MNS Tie-Up Likely Next Week, Says Sanjay Raut Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 20:37 IST The proposed alliance has raised concerns within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly from the Congress, which is a key ally of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Uddhav and Raj Thackeray (Credit: Instagram) Alliance talks between the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are close to completion, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Sunday. He indicated that the two parties could formally announce their decision within the next two to three days. Raut was speaking to reporters while vote counting was underway for local body elections. He said the meeting held earlier in the day was likely the final round of discussions between the two sides. The proposed tie-up is aimed at the upcoming municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. This (the talks which took place on Sunday), we believe, is the last meeting. In two to three days there will be an official announcement," Raut said, referring to the discussions with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS. Elections to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, are scheduled for January 15. The counting of votes will take place a day later. However, the proposed alliance has raised concerns within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly from the Congress, which is a key ally of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Raut acknowledged that the Congress has reservations about partnering with the MNS. The Congress has expressed its reservation over Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). We tried to convince the Congress that to defeat the BJP, it is necessary to come together. However, efforts are on to convince them," he said. At the same time, Raut refuted claims about tensions within the alliance, saying differences over Mumbais civic polls had not affected ties between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress. There is no bad blood among us (with Congress) despite not having an alliance in Mumbai," he added. The Congress, meanwhile, has signalled that it may contest the BMC elections on its own. On Saturday, All India Congress Committee general secretary and Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said party workers were strongly in favour of going solo. We will fight the polls on issues of common Mumbaikars like pollution, healthcare, and corruption. Mumbaikars should give us a chance to serve them well. The Congress is firm on contesting polls independently to protect the secular fabric of the metropolis," Chennithala had said. With the civic polls fast approaching, the next few days are expected to be crucial in determining how alliances shape up for Mumbais closely watched municipal elections. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 20:37 IST News politics Shiv Sena (UBT)MNS Tie-Up Likely Next Week, Says Sanjay Raut Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... After Dipu Chandra Das, Hindu Rickshaw Driver Assaulted By Mob In Bangladesh Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 17:11 IST A Hindu rickshaw puller was assaulted by a mob in Jhenaidah district of Khulna Division on Friday, according to local authorities. Mob assaults Hindu man in Bangladesh | Image: X Days after the killing of Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh over alleged blasphemy, another incident involving an attack on a Hindu individual has been reported from the country. A Hindu rickshaw puller was assaulted by a mob in Jhenaidah district of Khulna Division on Friday, according to local authorities. The victim, identified as Gobinda Biswas, was attacked after members of the public noticed a red sacred thread on his wrist, a symbol commonly worn by Hindus. Gobinda Biswasa rickshaw puller. A red thread on his wrist was enough for extremists to brand him an RAW agent." He kept saying he was just a rickshaw puller, but no one listened.The young man from Jhenaidah was brutally assaulted and left critically injuredhis survival pic.twitter.com/9qvDNgl7FA Sahidul Hasan Khokon (@SahidulKhokonbd) December 20, 2025 Eyewitness accounts indicate that rumours were spread at the scene alleging that Biswas was linked to Indias intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Following the rumours, a crowd gathered and assaulted him. Biswas was beaten near the gate of the Jhenaidah district municipality before being handed over to the police. He sustained injuries to his throat and chest, officials said. Videos circulating on social media show Biswas pleading with police while being taken into custody, saying he was a rickshaw puller and asking to be released. He was later detained at the Jhenaidah Sadar police station. In another video filmed inside the police station, an unidentified voice claims that Biswass mobile phone showed multiple WhatsApp transactions linked to the Reserve Bank of India and that he had received a call from a person in India. Biswas reportedly told police that the caller, identified as Akash, was personally known to him. The officer-in-charge of Jhenaidah Sadar police station confirmed Biswass detention and said preliminary inquiries revealed that he had lived in India for several years. The official said police were examining the allegations regarding possible links to Indian agencies. The incident comes amid heightened concern over attacks on minorities in Bangladesh following the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, which triggered protests and reports of vandalism in several areas. Earlier, India conveyed strong concerns" to Bangladeshi authorities over recent attacks on minorities. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had urged Dhaka to ensure that those responsible for the killing of Dipu Chandra Das are brought to justice. Addressing protests held outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on December 20, 2025, Jaiswal said India remains committed to ensuring the safety of foreign diplomatic missions in accordance with the Vienna Convention. He rejected reports in sections of the Bangladeshi media suggesting a security breach at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. According to the MEA, a small group of protesters gathered briefly outside the mission to condemn the killing and call for the protection of minorities in Bangladesh before being dispersed by police. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: December 21, 2025, 17:11 IST News world After Dipu Chandra Das, Hindu Rickshaw Driver Assaulted By Mob In Bangladesh Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Pilot, Stewardess Of Flight Carrying Khaleda Zia's Son Changed Overnight Over Awami League Links Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 09:33 IST Two cabin crew members were removed from the flight carrying the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman over political links and security concerns. Rapid Read Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia's son and acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Tarique Rahman. (AFP photo) The pilot and stewardess of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zias son, Tarique Rahman, were changed overnight due to security reasons after intelligence reports suggested that they had a past affiliation with Sheikh Hasinas Awami League. Two cabin crew members were removed from the flight carrying the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman at midnight based on information about security concerns and political affiliations", sources told CNN-News18. Rahman is scheduled to return to Dhaka from London on Thursday after 18 years of living away from Bangladesh. The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-202 carrying him is scheduled to depart from Londons Heathrow Airport for Dhaka on Wednesday evening. Rahmans family members and top BNP leaders will also be on the flight. According to Biman sources, the names of junior purser Mohd. Saugatul Alam Saugat and flight stewardess Jinia Islam Jinia were finalised on Saturday afternoon to serve as cabin crew on the flight. However, an intelligence report received late at night mentioned their political affiliations and potential risks to the safety of VIP passengers, so their duties were cancelled. Proximity With Awami League Under Scrutiny Intelligence sources told CNN-News18 mentioned that Saugatul Alam and Jinia Islam used to regularly serve on various lights of ousted PM Sheikh Hasinas family members, especially Awami League Sheikh Salim. There are also allegations against the flight crew over their closeness to the leaders of the fallen Awami League government. Later, flight purser Mustafa and flight stewardess Ayat were included in their place, said Bimans flight service department. Bimans Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD and CEO) Dr Shafiqur Rahman confirmed that two cabin crew members have been removed from the flight on the basis of intelligence reports. At the same time, he said that action will be taken against the culprits after investigating why people associated with the fallen government are repeatedly being given responsibility for important VIP flights. This came after two cabin crew members Al Kubrun Nahar Kosmik and Mohd. Kamrul Islam Bipon were removed from Khaleda Zias flight on May 2, based on intelligence reports. Bimans cabin crew positioning activities are conducted by the Planning and Scheduling Branch of the Customer Service Department. Shahnaz Begum has been serving as the manager of this department for a long time. According to relevant sources, the crew positioning of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahmans flights was completed through her. Khaleda Zia, the 80-year-old chairperson of the BNP, has been undergoing treatment at Dhakas Evercare Hospital since November 23 for multiple health complications and was shifted to a coronary care unit (CCU) later. On December 11, she was placed on ventilator support to give rest to her lungs and other vital organs." Her condition was later reported as more stable." After last years uprising that ousted Hasinas regime, the former Prime Minister has been living in India, while the Awami League was banned from all electoral activities in Bangladesh. Several Awami League leaders are either living in exile or were imprisoned. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: December 21, 2025, 09:31 IST News world Pilot, Stewardess Of Flight Carrying Khaleda Zia's Son Changed Overnight Over Awami League Links Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Found & Lost: Democrats Claim DOJ Deleted Trump Photo, Other Records From Released Epstein Files Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 05:20 IST Less than 24 hours after being posted, several files became inaccessible without any formal explanation or notice from the government The release of the files immediately drew fierce political reactions. Image/X The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing intense scrutiny following reports that at least 16 filesincluding a significant photograph featuring President Donald Trumphave disappeared from its public database of Jeffrey Epstein investigative records. The documents were initially released on December 19 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law signed by Trump himself just a month earlier. However, less than 24 hours after being posted, several files became inaccessible without any formal explanation or notice from the government. The most controversial of the missing documents, originally labelled File 468, reportedly featured a photograph found inside a desk drawer during the FBIs investigation. The image depicted Donald Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epsteins longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Other missing files allegedly included images of paintings and various investigative photographs from Epsteins properties. While the DOJ has not officially commented on whether the removals were intentional or a technical error, the mystery of File 468" has already triggered a firestorm on social media and in the halls of Congress. Democratic leaders have been quick to label the disappearing files a potential cover-up." Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer characterised the handling of the release as potentially one of the biggest cover-ups in American history", while the House Oversight Committees Democratic minority demanded immediate transparency from Attorney General Pam Bondi. Critics argue that the removals, combined with heavy redactionsincluding a 119-page grand jury document that was entirely blacked outviolate the spirit and letter of the transparency law. In contrast, the White House has defended the administrations record, with a spokesperson asserting that they have been the most transparent in history" by facilitating the release of hundreds of thousands of pages. Trump allies have instead pointed to the numerous photos of former President Bill Clinton included in the dump as evidence of the administrations impartiality. However, legal scholars and co-sponsors of the Transparency Act, such as Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, have expressed dissatisfaction with the rolling basis" of the release, arguing that the law mandated a complete disclosure by the December 19 deadline. As the DOJ prepares for further document dumps in the coming weeks, the focus remains squarely on whether the deleted files will be restored or if their disappearance marks a new chapter in the long-standing intrigue surrounding Epsteins powerful associates. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 05:20 IST News world Found & Lost: Democrats Claim DOJ Deleted Trump Photo, Other Records From Released Epstein Files Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Heavy Redactions In Released Epstein Files Frustrate Survivors, Hurt Hopes Of Justice Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 20:26 IST Thousands of Epstein documents were released but heavily redacted, frustrating lawmakers, survivors, and fueling conspiracy concerns over missing details. Thousands of Epstein documents were released but heavily redacted, frustrating lawmakers, survivors, and fueling conspiracy concerns over missing details. The release of thousands of pages of documents linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has left lawmakers, legal experts and survivors frustrated, with many saying the disclosure falls short of the transparency promised by US authorities. The documents were released after an act of Congress directed the US Justice Department to make public records related to Epsteins crimes. However, many of the files are heavily redacted, while thousands of other documents have yet to be disclosed. Lawmakers who championed the legislation said the release was incomplete and accused the department of failing to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law. Some legal experts warned that the extensive redactions could further fuel conspiracy theories surrounding Epsteins network. What was released Among the materials made public are photographs of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell outside Downing Street, images of Epsteins properties and overseas travel, and photos featuring several high-profile public figures. The documents also include claims that Epstein introduced a 14-year-old girl to Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has not been accused of crimes by Epsteins victims. Images of former president Bill Clinton also appear in the files; Clinton has denied knowledge of Epsteins abuse and has not been accused by survivors. Other individuals pictured include celebrities and public figures such as Prince Andrew, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Peter Mandelson. Officials stressed that being named or photographed in the files does not imply wrongdoing, and many of those mentioned have previously denied any involvement in Epsteins crimes. Heavy redactions raise concerns Large portions of the released material are blacked out. The Justice Department said the redactions were legally required to protect victims identities, prevent the release of child sexual abuse material, avoid compromising ongoing investigations, and safeguard classified information linked to national security or foreign policy. Deputy US Attorney Todd Blanche said the department had identified more than 1,200 victims or their relatives and withheld information that could expose them. In a post on X, the DOJ said it was not redacting the names of politicians unless they were victims, adding that all redactions applied were required by law. However, criminal defence attorney John Day said the scale of redaction was unexpected. This is just going to feed the fire if you are a conspiracy theorist," he told the BBC, adding that questions remain about what exactly is being withheld. Under the law, the department must provide Congress with a detailed log explaining the redactions within 15 days. US Attorney Jay Clayton said the department chose to redact faces of women appearing in photographs with Epstein to protect potential victims, acknowledging that the approach could be seen as over-redaction" but arguing it was necessary given time constraints and victim safety. Survivors express frustration Epstein survivors were among the most disappointed by the release. Marina Lacerda, who said she was abused by Epstein at the age of 14, said survivors had waited years for full disclosure and feared a prolonged, piecemeal release of incomplete information. We are worried this will continue with the same level of redaction," she said. Another survivor, Liz Stein, accused the Justice Department of undermining the Epstein Files Transparency Act, saying survivors want all of the evidence of these crimes out there." Human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy said authorities face a difficult balance between transparency and protecting victims from further harm, noting that some survivors may not fully realise how distressing the unreleased material could be. Political backlash Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who led the push for the files release alongside Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, called the disclosure incomplete" and said lawmakers were considering options including contempt proceedings and referrals for prosecution. Massie said the release grossly fails" to meet legal requirements and warned that senior Justice Department officials could face consequences under future administrations. The White House defended the disclosure, describing the Trump administration as the most transparent in history" and saying it had done more for Epsteins victims than previous governments. Asked whether all documents mentioning Trump would eventually be released, Blanche said any material consistent with the law would be made public, stressing there was no effort to withhold information because of the names involved. Were not redacting the names of famous men and women associated with Epstein," he said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: December 21, 2025, 20:26 IST News world Heavy Redactions In Released Epstein Files Frustrate Survivors, Hurt Hopes Of Justice Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model . Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of SIA Engineering Company Limited ( SGX:S59 ) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Analyst price target for S59 is S$4.02, which is 41% above our fair value estimate Story Continues The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.5%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 5.8%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2035 (1 + g) (r g) = S$133m (1 + 2.5%) (5.8% 2.5%) = S$4.1b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= S$4.1b ( 1 + 5.8%)10= S$2.3b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is S$3.2b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of S$3.5, the company appears slightly overvalued at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. SGX:S59 Discounted Cash Flow December 21st 2025 Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at SIA Engineering as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 5.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. View our latest analysis for SIA Engineering SWOT Analysis for SIA Engineering Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is not viewed as a risk. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Infrastructure market. Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Singaporean market. Threat Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year. Moving On: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Why is the intrinsic value lower than the current share price? For SIA Engineering, we've put together three additional aspects you should consider: Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for SIA Engineering you should know about. Future Earnings: How does S59's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the SGX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. If You Call Usha Vance A Jeet, You Have No Place: Ramaswamy Slams Racism Among Conservatives Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 17:13 IST Vivek Ramaswamy condemned racist and personal attacks at AmericaFest, defending Usha Vance. Vivek Ramaswamy condemned racist and personal attacks at AmericaFest, defending Usha Vance. Senior Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy used the stage at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest to draw sharp red lines against extremism, conspiracy theories and personal attacks within the American conservative movement, as internal divisions spilt into public view. Ramaswamy forcefully condemned personal attacks directed at JD Vances wife, Usha Vance, responding to online abuse aimed at the second lady. If you call the second lady of the United States of America a Jeet, you have no place in the future of the conservative movement," he said, drawing loud applause. Vivek: If you call Usha Vance, the second lady of the United States of America, a jeet, you have no place in the future of the conservative movement."Its amazing how this is way clearer than anything Vance has ever said to defend his wife. pic.twitter.com/4sAf04yxVp Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) December 20, 2025 Addressing the crowd, Ramaswamy warned that the movement risked losing moral and political credibility if it failed to confront extremist rhetoric head-on. Referring to online commentator Nick Fuentes, he said anyone who glorifies Adolf Hitler has no place in the future of the conservative movement." Anyone who engages in that kind of rhetoric has no place in the conservative movement," he added. And if you cant say these things clearly and without hesitation, you have no place as a leader at any level certainly not in my state of Ohio." Ramaswamy also criticised what he described as the heritage American" ideology, arguing that it fundamentally misrepresents American identity. He said such thinking would imply that President Joe Biden is more American" than Donald Trump, the son of an immigrant, or that Senator Bernie Sanders is more American" than Bernie Moreno, who immigrated to the United States from Colombia. By the same logic, he added, Elizabeth Warren would be considered more American" than Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents were immigrants. All of this is utterly loony," he said. An American citizen is an American, period." The remarks came amid heightened tensions triggered by viral online rumours involving senior Republican figures. In the days leading up to the convention, social media was awash with unsubstantiated speculation about a rift between JD Vance and Usha Vance, including claims of a possible divorce and allegations of an affair involving Erika Kirk, who now heads Turning Point USA following the assassination of her husband and the organisations founder, Charlie Kirk. The rumours were fuelled by a viral image of Erika Kirk hugging the vice president at Charlie Kirks funeral, as well as renewed scrutiny of past remarks by Vance in which he said he would prefer" if his wife converted to Christianity. The speculation prompted a surge of conspiracy-driven commentary online. Neither the Vance family nor Erika Kirk have substantiated or acknowledged the claims. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: December 21, 2025, 17:13 IST News world If You Call Usha Vance A Jeet, You Have No Place: Ramaswamy Slams Racism Among Conservatives Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indian H-1B Workers Stranded After Visa Interviews Delayed, Sparking Panic Over Job Losses Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 07:49 IST Recent changes to the H-1B visa vetting process have left many Indian workers stranded in India after their visa appointments were suddenly cancelled or delayed by several months. Rapid Read Several H-1B workers were affected by abrupted cancellations or delay in visa appointments. (Photo Credit: Representative Image) Indian H-1B visa holders who travelled back to India to renew their work permits in America are reportedly stranded in the country after their appointments were abruptly cancelled by US consular offices and rescheduled for months later, according to immigration lawyers. These long wait times are largely attributed to the rollout of rigorous new vetting protocols by the US Department of State earlier this month. Under new directives from the Donald Trump administration, consular offices are now required to conduct online presence reviews", which involve a deep-dive screening of an applicants social media accounts. Thousands of Indian professionals who travelled to India for H-1B and H-4 visas between December and February have had their consular interview appointments abruptly postponed by several months. In some cases, the rescheduled dates extend to mid-2026 or even 2027, leaving them stuck in India and facing serious uncertainty about their employment, as per reports. Immigration lawyers told The Washington Post that the sudden cancellations have upended lives, leaving workers on expired visas fearful of losing their jobs. Emily Neumann, a partner at the Houston-based immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, said she had at least 100 clients stranded in India. Veena Vijay Ananth, an immigration attorney in India, and Charles Kuck, who practices immigration law in Atlanta, said they each had more than a dozen similar cases. These lawyers said many of those affected by the sudden H-1B visa rules are tech workers in their 30s or 40s, who have been living in the United States for years. READ MORE: Stamped Out: Google Warns Staff With US Visas Against International Travel Amid Embassy Delays Biggest Mess Under Trump Administration Several workers are now scrambling to find alternative work arrangements with their US companies, while others are debating whether to keep their children out of school or send them home alone. Other people are completely separated from their families. This is the biggest mess we have seen," said Ananth, who has worked on H-1B cases for over 20 years. Im not sure there is a plan." A spokesperson for the State Department told The Washington Post that while in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else." India has long been the biggest beneficiary of the H-1B programme, accounting for 71% of visa holders, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). As of September, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft were the three largest sponsors of H-1B workers, the USCIS data shows. However, the H-1B programme came under sharp attack after US President Donald Trump took office in January, with some of his influential far-right backers claiming that it takes jobs from American workers. On September 19, Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications in a bid to reduce misuse. On December 3, the Trump administration announced expanded screening and vetting" procedures for H-1B and H4 dependent visa holders, including a review of their online presence. Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," the State Department said. A US visa is a privilege, not a right." Why Are Indians Facing Delays In Visa Interviews? In the following days after the new vetting process was announced, H-1B visa holders with renewal appointments in mid to late December started receiving emails from the State Department saying that operational constraints" had forced consulates to reduce the number of appointments they could take each day, as per the report. The bulk of the renewal appointments are being rescheduled between March and June 2026, while one applicant was given a makeup date in 2027. An Indian man living in Detroit and working as an engineer narrated his ordeal, saying he flew back to India in early December for a wedding and had consular appointments set up for December 17 and 23 to renew his H-1B visa, which is now expired. On December 8, he got a series of emails from the US State Department saying his consular appointment had been cancelled and rescheduled for July 2, 2026, more than six months away. This caused panic, as the man has a wife in the US and a five-year-old son. He was later able to secure an expedited appointment after his company submitted documentation showing several of the projects hes working on are ramping up next year. The engineer told The Washington Post that the changes to the H-1B programme are misguided because foreign workers help power many leading American companies. If you see an overnight exodus of people working on H-1Bs, I promise you, a lot of companies are going to fall flat," he said. Even companies are not immune to this recent H-1B shockwave. Unable to predict when employees will return, US tech executives are scrambling to come up with accommodations and workarounds, said a person familiar with the issue. US tech giant Google has issued a stern travel advisory to its foreign employees, warning them to avoid international travel as US embassies and consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays. Charles Kuck, the attorney in Atlanta, said the delays may be justified as an operational necessity, but the driving force is partisan politics. Social media is the excuse," he said. But the reason is the extraordinary rise in attacks on the H-1B program, and Indian nationals in particular." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: December 21, 2025, 07:24 IST News world Indian H-1B Workers Stranded After Visa Interviews Delayed, Sparking Panic Over Job Losses Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indian Student Captured In Ukraine Warns Against Joining Russian Army, Seeks Help From Govt Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 23:28 IST Gujarat student Sahil Hussain said he was trapped into joining the Russian Army after false drug charges and appealed to India for help after capture in Ukraine Sahil Mohammad Hussain hails from Morbi district A Gujarat man, who travelled to Russia on a student visa, has appealed to Indians not to join the Russian military under any circumstances. In a video message recorded after his capture by Ukrainian forces, he said he was forced into military service after being threatened with a false drugs case. The student, Sahil Mohammad Hussain hails from Morbi district in Gujarat, shared his message through videos released by Ukrainian authorities. He said he had gone to Russia for higher studies and was working part-time for a courier company to support himself. According to Hussain, he was falsely accused by Russian police in a narcotics case. He claimed officials offered to drop the charges if he agreed to join the Russian Army. Facing pressure, he said he accepted the deal to avoid jail. In one of the videos, Hussain requested help from the Indian government for his safe return. President Vladimir Putin was in India recently. I would like to request the government to speak to Putin for my safe return home," he said. He also described how he was given just 15 days of training before being sent to the frontline. Hussain said that once he reached the combat zone, he surrendered immediately to Ukrainian forces. The first thing I did on reaching the frontline was surrender," he said, adding that Ukrainian soldiers later contacted his mother in Gujarat and urged her to spread awareness about Indians being misled into military service. Hussains mother has since filed a petition in a Delhi court seeking her sons safe return. The matter is scheduled to be heard again in February. In another video, Hussain explained how his troubles began. I came to Russia for studies in 2024. But due to financial and visa issues, I came in touch with some Russians who turned out to be in narcotics I have not done anything. At least 700 people were jailed by Russia on drugs charges. But the jail authorities gave them a choice of getting the charges dropped by joining the Russian military," he said. Expressing fear and uncertainty, he warned other young Indians, saying, I feel hopeless. I dont know what will happen. But I do have a message for young people who are coming to Russia, be careful. There are many scamsters here who can falsely implicate you in a drug case." I would like to appeal to the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, please help," he added. On December 5, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India is actively working to bring back Indian citizens who have joined the Russian armed forces. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Our concerted efforts continue on a regular basis to secure the early release of Indian citizens from the Russian Army," Misri said, adding that Indians should be extremely cautious about accepting any offers to join the Russian military. Meanwhile, families of several Indians stranded in Russia have been holding protests, demanding government intervention to bring their relatives home safely. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 23:28 IST News world Indian Student Captured In Ukraine Warns Against Joining Russian Army, Seeks Help From Govt Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indian Visa Operations In Bangladesh's Chittagong Suspended Till Further Notice After Recent Unrest Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:52 IST Bangladesh has recently seen protests erupt near the Indian High Commission in Dhaka as well as the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi. Rapid Read Bangladesh witnessed violent protests recently after the death of a student leader. (Reuters) Indian visa operations in Bangladeshs Chittagong have been suspended till further notice after the country experienced one of its worst bouts of violence after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, as several media houses, cultural centres and political offices came under attack. As the violence spread in Bangladesh on late Thursday, protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chittagong, in an escalation of diplomatic tensions since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an uprising last year. A large crowd attempting to storm the building were pushed back by security forces. Due to a recent security incident at AHCI Chittagong, Indian visa operations at Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) Chittagong will remain suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice. The announcement for reopening the visa centre will be made after reviewing the situation," the centre said in an update on its website. In recent days, Bangladesh has seen protests erupt near the Indian High Commission in Dhaka as well as the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi, with demonstrators taking to the streets following last weeks deadly attack on Osman Hadi. On Thursday, India resumed operations at its Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka after it was temporarily closed due to security concerns over an anti-Indian march. The IVAC located at Jamuna Future Park (JFP) in Dhaka serves as the principal integrated centre for all Indian visa services in the capital. Dozens of protesters attempted to march to the office of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Rajshahi, demanding the repatriation of all the killers including Sheikh Hasina." There have been similar anti-India protests in Dhaka and other parts for some time. The development came after India summoned Bangladeshs High Commissioner in New Delhi, Muhammad Riaz Hamidullah, to issue a formal diplomatic protest over recent threats to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and inflammatory anti-India statements by Bangladeshi political leaders. There are five IVAC centres in Bangladesh. Apart from those in Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi, the two others are in the northeastern port city of Chattogram and northeastern Sylhet. IndiaBangladesh relations have been strained since the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, 2024, following student-led protests. Hasina fled to India after her ouster and has since been staying in a secret safe house in New Delhi. Tensions further increased over allegations that Sharif Osman Hadis attackers fled to India after last weeks attack. In its reaction, New Delhi asserted that it has never allowed its territory to be used for activities inimical to the interests of Bangladesh. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: December 21, 2025, 12:51 IST News world Indian Visa Operations In Bangladesh's Chittagong Suspended Till Further Notice After Recent Unrest Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements, Minister Says Aim Is To Block Palestinian Statehood Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 19:48 IST US President Donald Trump has warned Israel against any move to annex the West Bank, saying it would come at a heavy diplomatic cost. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP file photo) Israels Cabinet has cleared the creation of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move announced on Sunday by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich. The decision further accelerates settlement expansion under the current government. According to Smotrich, the approval includes two settlements that had been dismantled during Israels 2005 disengagement plan. He said the latest decision takes the total number of new settlements approved over the past two years to 69. Rights groups say the move marks a sharp rise in settlement activity. Peace Now, an Israeli organisation that tracks settlements, said the total number of settlements in the West Bank will increase from 141 in 2022 to 210 following the latest approval an increase of nearly 50 per cent during the present governments term. Settlements in the occupied territory are widely regarded as illegal under international law. The decision has drawn criticism beyond Israels borders. US President Donald Trump has warned Israel against any move to annex the West Bank, saying it would come at a heavy diplomatic cost. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened," Trump said in a recent interview with Time magazine. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and tensions there have sharply increased since the Gaza war began in October 2023 following Hamass attack on Israel. Violence in the territory has escalated alongside the conflict. The decision comes at a sensitive time, as the United States is urging Israel and Hamas to move forward with the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10. The U.S.-backed plan refers to a possible pathway" to a Palestinian state, an idea that settlement expansion is seen as undermining. Peace Now said the Cabinet decision also retroactively legalises several settlement outposts and neighbourhoods that were previously considered unauthorised. In addition, new settlements are set to be established on land from which Palestinians had earlier been displaced. Israel took control of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza during the 1967 war. These areas are claimed by Palestinians as part of a future independent state. More than 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements across the West Bank, while over 200,000 more reside in contested east Jerusalem. The current Israeli government includes strong supporters of the settler movement. Along with Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who oversees the police is also a prominent advocate of expanding settlements. Settlement growth has coincided with a rise in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in recent months. During the olive harvest in October, settlers carried out an average of eight attacks a day, according to the United Nations humanitarian office the highest level recorded since data collection began in 2006. The violence continued into November, with at least 136 further incidents reported by November 24. The United Nations said settlers set fire to vehicles, vandalised mosques, looted industrial facilities and damaged farmland. Israeli authorities have largely limited their response to occasional statements condemning the attacks, drawing criticism from rights groups. The latest Cabinet decision has renewed international concern over the future of the two-state solution and rising tensions in the occupied territories. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 18:35 IST News world Israel Approves 19 New West Bank Settlements, Minister Says Aim Is To Block Palestinian Statehood Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... No Evidence Of Blasphemy Found Against Hindu Man Lynched In Bangladesh Amid Unrest Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 11:29 IST Dipu Chandra Das, a young garment factory worker, was lynched to death and his body set on fire in Mymensingh as violent protests erupted across Bangladesh. Rapid Read Dipu Chandra Das was brutally lynched by Islamists in Bangladesh over alleged blasphemy. After shocking scenes of a Hindu man being brutally lynched by a mob in Bangladesh sent shockwaves across the world, officials have said there is no direct evidence that he had made any remarks hurting religious sentiments. Dipu Chandra Das, a young garment factory worker, was lynched to death by an enraged mob in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, over allegations of blasphemy. He was tied up, killed and then his body was set afire while thousands of people watched, in a glaring display of lawlessness and mobocracy in Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus regime. However, Mohd Samsuzzaman, a Company Commander of Rapid Action Battalion in Mymensingh, told The Daily Star that no evidence was found indicating that the deceased had written anything on Facebook that might have hurt religious sentiments. Additionally, he said that local people or other workers of the garment factory could not point to any blasphemous activity either. Everyone is now saying that they did not personally hear him (Dipu) say anything of that sort. No one has been found who claims to have heard or seen anything themselves hurting religion," he told the outlet. ALSO READ: It Was Horrible: Father Of Hindu Man Lynched In Bangladesh Recounts Horror Das Forced Out Of Factory The official said as the situation became volatile in Bangladesh after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, Dipu Chandra Das was forcibly pushed out of the factory to protect the factory. He was then beaten to death by a mob with sticks and locally made weapons, and his body was hung from a tree and set on fire. The Rapid Action Battalion on Saturday arrested seven suspects over the lynching of Das after conducting operations at various locations. They were identified as Md Limon Sarkar, Md Tarek Hossain, Md Manik Mia, Ershad Ali, Nijum Uddin, Alomgir Hossain and Md Miraj Hossain Akon. Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) of Mymensingh Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun said a case has been filed in connection with the incident, and three people were being interrogated. The incident sparked widespread outrage among minorities in Bangladesh and political circles in neighbouring India, underscoring the danger facing Hindus in Bangladesh following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in last years student uprising. Since Yunus came to power as a caretaker head of government, several attacks have targeted the minority Hindu community. The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has strongly protested against the killing of garment worker. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has strongly condemned the brutal murder of Das, calling for the immediate arrest of those responsible and the assurance of exemplary punishment. In a statement, the interim government on Friday condemned the lynching of the Hindu man in Mymensingh city, saying there is no space for such violence in the new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared," it added. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: December 21, 2025, 11:29 IST News world No Evidence Of Blasphemy Found Against Hindu Man Lynched In Bangladesh Amid Unrest Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nine Killed, Several Injured In Mass Shooting In South Africas Johannesburg Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 12:34 IST Police have launched an investigation into the mass shooting, while details about the motive and suspects remain unclear. Ten Dead, Several Injured in Bekkersdal Mass Shooting in South Africa (Photo: X) At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a mass shooting in Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, on Sunday. Gunmen reportedly stormed a tavern and opened fire on a crowd without warning, causing panic and chaos. Bekkersdal is around 40 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg. The attackers fled the scene before police arrived, leaving several victims dead and wounded. Emergency services rushed the injured to nearby hospitals, with some said to be in critical condition. Police have launched an investigation into the attack, but no suspects or motive have been identified so far. Police said the motive behind the shooting was not immediately clear. Gauteng province police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili told AFP that 10 people were killed, but authorities did not yet have details about the victims. The shooting took place near an illegal tavern in Bekkersdal, a poor area located close to several major gold mines. Watch more videos Share this Article WhatsApp facebook Twitter telegram copy link Security has been increased in the area. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : South Africa First Published: December 21, 2025, 10:20 IST News world Nine Killed, Several Injured In Mass Shooting In South Africas Johannesburg Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'This Is Not India': Protestors Disrupt Sikh Kirtan In New Zealand, Perform Haka Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 16:11 IST The incident took place on Sunday during a Nagar Kirtan, a sacred Sikh procession marked by the singing of hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Screengrab of video going viral on social media A Sikh religious procession in South Auckland, New Zealand, was disrupted by local protestors who blocked the route, performed the Haka dance and held placards stating, This is New Zealand, not India," in an effort to halt the religious event. Reacting to the incident, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised the disruption, calling it an attack on religious freedom. The incident took place on Sunday during a Nagar Kirtan, a sacred Sikh procession marked by the singing of hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The event represents peace, unity and selfless service. The procession had begun from Gurdwara Nanaksar Thath Ishar Darbar in Manurewa and was on its way back when it was stopped. Strongly condemn the disruption of the peaceful Nagar Kirtan procession in South Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday by local protesters. Nagar Kirtan is a sacred Sikh traditiona joyous religious parade involving the singing of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, promoting devotion, unity, and sharing of blessings with all humanity," Badal wrote on X. Such acts of intimidation threaten religious freedom and the spirit of universal brotherhood," Badal said. He also appealed to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to raise the issue with the New Zealand government to ensure the safety and religious rights of the Indian diaspora and to prevent similar incidents in the future. Strongly condemn the disruption of the peaceful Nagar Kirtan procession in South Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday by local protesters.Nagar Kirtan is a sacred Sikh traditiona joyous religious parade involving the singing of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, promoting pic.twitter.com/DnCwX0XO5b Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) December 21, 2025 According to reports, around 30 to 35 local youths blocked the route of the procession. They performed the Haka dance, a traditional Maori dance, historically associated with war rituals and strong physical movements. Police reached the spot and intervened to control the situation. After discussions, the protesters moved aside, allowing the Nagar Kirtan to continue and return safely to the gurdwara. Members of the local Sikh leadership were present throughout the incident. The incident has sparked concern among diaspora communities over the security and freedom to practise their faith abroad. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 16:11 IST News world 'This Is Not India': Protestors Disrupt Sikh Kirtan In New Zealand, Perform Haka Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... TPUSAs First Major Event After Charlie Kirks Murder Marred By ShapiroCarlson Spat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 16:12 IST Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson clashed over values, Israel, and free speech at AmericaFest, revealing deep rifts in US conservatism after Kirks death. Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson clashed over values, Israel, and free speech at AmericaFest, revealing deep rifts in US conservatism after Kirks death. (Pic: Wikipedia) Phoenix: What was meant to be a memorial-filled show of unity at Turning Point USAs annual AmericaFest instead turned into a rare, unscripted display of open warfare within Americas conservative movement. Midway through the four-day convention, Erika Kirk, who now heads Turning Point USA after the assassination of her husband and founder Charlie Kirk in September, tried to put a brave face on the growing tensions. Say what you want about AmFest, but its definitely not boring," she said. It feels like a Thanksgiving dinner where your familys hashing out the family business." The comparison proved apt. On the main stage, some of the biggest names in conservative media spent more time attacking one another than their traditional political opponents, laying bare ideological rifts that now run through President Donald Trumps political coalition. Shapiro draws the first blood The confrontation erupted on the very first day when Ben Shapiro, co-founder of the Daily Wire, delivered a fiery speech warning that the conservative movement itself was under threat not from liberals, but from voices within. The conservative movement is also in danger," Shapiro said, from charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle, but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty." Without naming them initially, Shapiro accused certain right-wing influencers of exploiting Charlie Kirks murder to push baseless theories. He then called out a fellow conservative commentator, Candace Owens, directly, accusing her of spreading unfounded allegations involving foreign intelligence agencies and Turning Point USA itself. Shapiro argued that prominent conservatives had a responsibility to respond. We, as people with a microphone, have a moral obligation to call that out by name," he said. Turning to Tucker Carlson, Shapiro added pointedly: So no, Tucker Carlson, it is not an excuse to go silent." Carlson fires back with mockery Carlson responded barely an hour later, taking the same stage to ridicule Shapiros remarks and the idea of deplatforming" dissenting voices at a Turning Point event. I just got here," Carlson said, opening his speech with heavy sarcasm. I feel like I missed the first part of the program. I hope I didnt miss anything meaningful." After a pause, he added: No, Im just kidding. I watched it. I laughed." Carlson described what he saw as an upside-down moment for the conservative movement. That kind of bitter, sardonic laugh," he said, when Upside Down World arrives. When your dog starts doing your taxes and youre like, wait, its not supposed to work this way." Calling it hilarious" that there were calls to denounce fellow conservatives at an event founded on free speech, Carlson dismissed Shapiros criticism as self-defeating. A deeper split over Israel and Gaza Beneath the personal attacks lay a more serious ideological divide, especially over Israel and the war in Gaza. Several speakers, including Carlson, questioned whether Americas long-standing, unconditional support for Israel aligns with Trumps America First" philosophy. Carlsons remarks on civilian casualties in Gaza struck a tone rarely heard at conservative gatherings. Forgive me," Carlson said, because killing people who committed no crime is immoral. It will always be immoral." He warned of what he described as a coordinated effort to normalise civilian deaths, arguing that nations that endorse such actions ultimately face consequences. These comments resonated with a younger segment of Republicans at the conference, many of whom are increasingly vocal in questioning whether Trumps close alliance with Israel truly reflects an America-first agenda. Memorial event overtaken by infighting The clashes threatened to overshadow what was meant to be a convention focused on remembering Charlie Kirk and consolidating conservative unity ahead of the next election cycle. Other speakers escalated the feud in the days that followed. Steve Bannon, former White House Executive, denounced Shapiro in harsh terms, while Megyn Kelly, senior political commentator, publicly declared that her friendship with him was over. Owens, who was not invited to the convention, responded from outside the venue, further fuelling the dispute. Why this matters beyond America The episode offers insight into how American politics now functions, where media personalities rival elected leaders in influence, and ideological battles play out live before cheering crowds. More importantly, the showdown between Shapiro and Carlson reflects a larger struggle within the US conservative movement between institutional conservatives and a newer, more populist, sceptical base. As the Republican Party looks toward a post-Trump future, these divisions could shape not just American elections but US foreign policy positions that directly affect countries like India. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: December 21, 2025, 16:12 IST News world TPUSAs First Major Event After Charlie Kirks Murder Marred By ShapiroCarlson Spat Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US Apprehends Venezuela-Linked Tanker In Caribbean Over Illicit Oil Trade Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 07:03 IST US said the Venezuelan tanker was stopped as part of efforts to curb the illegal movement of sanctioned oil used to fund narco-terrorism in the region. US Seizes Venezuela-Linked Oil Tanker in Caribbean. (Representative Image) The United States has intercepted an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela, said US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. On Sunday, Noem said the operation was carried out before dawn on December 20 by the US Coast Guard with support from the Department of War. She said the tanker was stopped as part of efforts to curb the illegal movement of sanctioned oil. According to Noem, such oil is used to fund narco-terrorism in the region. In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you," reads her post on X. In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund pic.twitter.com/nSZ4mi6axc Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) December 20, 2025 This was the second such interception near Venezuela in recent weeks and comes amid a growing US military presence in the region. Since the first tanker seizure last week, many oil-loaded vessels have stayed in Venezuelan waters to avoid interception. As a result, Venezuelan crude exports have fallen sharply. While many tankers linked to Venezuela are sanctioned, others carrying oil from Iran and Russia are not. Some firms, including US-based Chevron, transport Venezuelan oil using authorised vessels. China remains the largest buyer of Venezuelan crude, accounting for about four per cent of its imports. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: December 21, 2025, 06:59 IST News world US Apprehends Venezuela-Linked Tanker In Caribbean Over Illicit Oil Trade Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Sergio Avedian started driving for Uber and Lyft after retiring from his job as a Wall Street trader. Sergio Avedian Sergio Avedian was a Wall Street trader before he retired early. He has spent the last decade as a ride-hailing driver and creates videos about Uber and Lyft. Now, he wants drivers to think about how they can invest given the spread of self-driving cars. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sergio Avedian, a 58-year-old ride-hailing driver for Uber and Lyft in Southern California. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. I was born in Istanbul, Turkey, to Armenian parents. I went to high school in Germany and later came to the US for college. I was always interested in finance, so I ended up becoming a trader at a boutique Wall Street firm. I saw the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s. After I retired from my day job in 2005, I was looking for things to keep myself occupied. Algorithms fascinated me because I had seen widespread automation in the world of finance. In 2016, I was getting lunch with a friend who was telling me about this app called Uber. My friend said, "I think they use algorithms." Curiosity got the better of me, and I started reading about it and meeting drivers to learn more. Eventually, I signed up as a driver myself in the Los Angeles area. Back then, Uber was offering $1,000 bonuses to sign up as a driver. I also earned up to $80 an hour. But what really intrigued me were the parallels with trading. On Wall Street, we used to say that "a trend is your friend" because you could make money if you caught one early enough. Picking ride-share trips was like that. You had to know when and where trip prices would surge. That meant, for example, I had to position myself in Santa Monica between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., because prices would usually be higher there at that time. I've also spent the last several years writing articles for and making videos with Harry Campbell, who has a YouTube channel called The Rideshare Guy. I've been working with Harry since about 2018, with a break during COVID when demand for rides went down. I think Uber, Lyft, and the other gig work apps are wonderful. They've created massive opportunities for people. But I also don't want the people who make these services work each day to get left behind. The people who do this work need to start saving for their future. That's why my latest project is a personal finance website and YouTube channel. It's not just for gig workers, but they're a big part of the audience. They don't have access to the same benefits that employees do, such as retirement benefits. Will Bangladesh Shrink Diplomatic Presence In India Over Security Concerns? Heres What Dhaka Says Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 22, 2025, 00:01 IST We will go down that road if the situation warrants...We completely reject Indian press note on Saturday's protest, says Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain Rapid Read Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain (right) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. (File) Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain on Sunday said Dhaka may consider shrinking its diplomatic presence in India over security concerns if the situation warrants". We will go down that road if the situation warrants For now, we will keep our faith in India to do its bit," he said at a press briefing, reacting to Saturday evenings protest. Amid Bangladesh unrest, Dipu Chandra Das, 27, a garment factory worker, was lynched to death by an enraged mob in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, over allegations of blasphemy. He was tied up, killed and then his body was set afire while thousands of people watched, in a glaring display of lawlessness and mobocracy in Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus regime. However, Mohd Samsuzzaman, a Company Commander of Rapid Action Battalion in Mymensingh, told The Daily Star that no evidence was found indicating that the deceased had written anything on Facebook that might have hurt religious sentiments. What MEA said on Sunday The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Sunday said that no attempt was made to breach the fence of the High Commission on Saturday, and that the Centre has urged that the perpetrators of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man who was lynched to death in Bangladesh, be brought to justice. We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the [High Commission] incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," said the statement. Our response to media queries regarding the reported demonstration in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December 2025 https://t.co/tQ29y4EMbS pic.twitter.com/CgBqKqBYfp Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 21, 2025 There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensure the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention," he said. The unjustifiable incident at the Bangladesh High Commission residence in New Delhi on 20 Dec 2025 is highly regrettable.@bdhc_delhi pic.twitter.com/XopXufH3dw Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) December 21, 2025 India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice," said Jaiswal. We reject Indian press note: Hossain responds Hossain dismissed the Indian statement. Regarding the Indian press note, we completely reject it, entirely reject it. The issue has been presented as if it were very simple, whereas in reality it is not. Our mission is located deep inside the diplomatic area, not at the periphery," said Hossain. ALSO READ | Urged Bangladesh To Bring Perpetrators Of Barbaric Killing Of Dipu Chandra Das To Justice: MEA We dismiss/rebut what was said by the Indian side. Why are Hindu right-wing, violent groups being allowed to venture this close to a diplomatic location. They did not only protest Dipu Dass murder, but I know, I dont have proof, but I know they gave some other slogans also," he said. Police usually stop people far from a diplomatic location. This time, how did they venture this close? Why tie the condition of minorities in Bangladesh to Dipus murder? He is a Bangladeshi citizen, Bangladesh will take action," he said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: December 21, 2025, 17:43 IST News world Will Bangladesh Shrink Diplomatic Presence In India Over Security Concerns? Heres What Dhaka Says Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Won't Bow Before Anyone': Bangladesh's Yunus Vows To Follow Anti-India Leader's Ideals Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 13:01 IST Sharif Osman Hadi, a spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha platform and a prominent critic of India, was killed by unidentified assailants last week, triggering nationwide protests. Rapid Read Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at Sharif Osman Hadi's funeral in Dhaka. (Reuters) Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Saturday gave an emotionally charged speech at the funeral of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent anti-India voice who was shot dead by masked assailants last week, saying the entire nation will remember him and work to fulfil his ambitions. Hadi, a spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha platform, rose to prominence during last years political uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas 15-year rule. He was shot in Dhaka on December 12, later flown to Singapore, and died there on Thursday. His death triggered widespread protests across Bangladesh. As thousands gathered to pay their final respects to Hadi at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Yunus addressed the crowd before the funeral prayer, saying, O dear Osman Hadi, we have not come here to bid you farewell. You are within our hearts, and as long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis." Millions of people have gathered here today, coming in waves while crores of people across Bangladesh and Bangladeshis living abroad are waiting for this moment to listen about Hadi," he was quoted as saying by The Daily Star. ALSO READ: Hadis Blood Wont Go In Vain: Chants Mark Funeral Of July Uprising Leader In Bangladesh We Will Fulfill Your Promise The interim government chief said the gathering was not a farewell, but a pledge. We have come to make a promise to you-that what you told us, we will fulfill," he said. Not only us, but generation after generation of people of Bangladesh will fulfil this promise," Yunus added. Your love for humanity, your way of living and interacting with people, and your political outlook are being praised by everyone. We are accepting them. You have given us such a mantra that this nation will never forget. It will echo in our ears forever." Yunus said Hadi had demonstrated how an election campaign, how to express views without creating a nuisance and how to engage people with dignity. With this mantra, we will prove ourselves in all our work. We will walk before the world with our heads held high. We will not bow before anyone," he added. You will not be lost. No one will ever forget you. You will remain with us for ages, reminding us again and again of your mantra," he further said. Today, on behalf of all of us, we make a promise to you that we will move forward imbued with your mantra." Sharif Osman Hadis Funeral This came as hundreds of thousands of mourners paid their last respects to Sharif Osman Hadi at the Sangsad Bhaban. Many wrapped themselves in the national flag, while others voiced demands for justice over Hadis death amid tight security at his funeral. The gathering echoed with political slogans such as Delhi or Dhaka Dhaka, Dhaka" and brother Hadis blood will not be allowed to go in vain." Police say suspects have been identified and may have fled to India, where Hasina is living in exile, fueling fresh diplomatic tensions. Soon after Hadis death, violent protests broke out in several parts of Bangladesh. Media houses, cultural centres and political offices were attacked. A Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched and burnt to death in Mymensingh over alleged blasphemy. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: December 21, 2025, 10:18 IST News world 'Won't Bow Before Anyone': Bangladesh's Yunus Vows To Follow Anti-India Leader's Ideals Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'You're A Weak Man': Australian PM Albanese Booed At Bondi Beach Vigil Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 18:27 IST At the Bondi Beach vigil for Hanukkah attack victims, Anthony Albanese was booed and escorted away amid anger over rising antisemitism and security failures in Australia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends a press conference following the shooting at Bondi Beach. (Reuters) Australia held a national vigil on Sunday to honour victims of the deadly Bondi Beach attack, but the sombre ceremony was marked by angry scenes as Anthony Albanese was heckled, booed, and ultimately escorted away under heavy police protection. As the vigil concluded, Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon were marched out of the area by his Australian Federal Police security detail, with NSW Police forming a protective cordon to keep members of the public at a distance. Witnesses said the prime minister was escorted out in darkness as angry voices rang out from the crowd. Youre a weak man, Albo weak and dangerous," one man shouted. Youve got blood on your hands." Albanese, who did not address the gathering, had earlier been repeatedly heckled and booed as he arrived at the vigil alongside Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. It was the prime ministers first visit to Bondi Beach since a brief appearance earlier in the week following the attack, which authorities have described as a terrorist incident motivated by antisemitic hatred. Tens of thousands of people gathered under heavy security including rooftop snipers, police boats and large patrols to remember the victims of the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded in the attack, which occurred a week ago. A minute of silence was observed at 6:47 p.m., the moment the violence began. Albanese, who wore a Jewish kippah during the ceremony, was booed both on arrival and when his name was mentioned during the memorial. Critics have accused his government of failing to adequately address a rise in antisemitism in Australia following the war in Gaza. While Albanese faced hostility, Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, received applause from sections of the crowd for his handling of the aftermath. Survivors and family members of victims also addressed the gathering, including a 14-year-old girl who recounted her experience during the attack. The ceremony, intended as a moment of national unity, instead highlighted growing public anger and anxiety over antisemitism, security failures and political leadership. Albanese used the occasion to announce a review of Australias law enforcement and intelligence agencies, saying it would examine gaps in coordination and prevention. The review, to be led by a former head of the countrys intelligence agency, is expected to be completed by April 2026. Authorities are also considering a nationwide gun buyback programme after the massacre exposed potential weaknesses in gun licensing and information-sharing between agencies. The attack in which one gunman was killed by police and another charged with multiple counts of murder and terrorism has reignited a national debate over hate crimes, public safety and the threat of extremist violence in Australia, prompting renewed calls from community leaders for decisive action. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Sydney, Australia First Published: December 21, 2025, 18:27 IST News world 'You're A Weak Man': Australian PM Albanese Booed At Bondi Beach Vigil Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A group of unscrupulous and corrupt paramedics employed by the Harare City Council (HCC) is reportedly siphoning thousands of dollars through underhand deals in which they are pocketing fees that would have been charged to desperate patients. Investigations conducted by The Sunday Mail Society after a tip-off from sources privy to the goings-on indicate that the paramedics collect ambulance fees directly from patients but do not remit the payments to the HCC. The standard council ambulance fee is pegged at around US$30 per patient for a single trip, with private operators charging slightly higher rates. However, many clients who opt for HCC ambulances are often cash-strapped and unable to afford the full fee at once. When a client requests services but cannot pay the required amount, the corrupt paramedics allegedly persuade them to pay a lower fee, which is, however, not receipted. Although council policy allows patients to receive ambulance services and settle the debt later, the ambulance teams are allegedly manipulating this provision for personal gain. After receiving the negotiated payment far less than the standard US$30 the paramedics allegedly create fictitious receipts under false names and addresses, which are then submitted to the local authority. Council claims teams later encounter difficulties when attempting to follow up on the phantom debts. The scandal came to light after several unsuspecting residents were contacted by the HCC and told they owed money for ambulance services they never received. This has raised serious concerns about accountability and oversight within the local authoritys ambulance service. Standard procedure dictates that patients should later approach the council to clear outstanding bills. If they fail to do so within a specified time frame, the council is obligated to pursue the matter through debt collectors. The fraudulent activities of these paramedics are not only jeopardising the HCCs finances but also causing undue stress and anxiety on individuals falsely accused of owing the local authority for services not rendered. I was shocked when the council visited us in Waterfalls looking for a patient named Vimbai, said Chiratidzo Hungwe. They claimed Vimbai lived at our residence and owed US$30 for ambulance services she supposedly received four months ago. But we do not know anyone by that name, and no one at our home received ambulance services. In Glen View, Marshal fell ill and, after consulting a local clinic, was referred to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital. With limited resources, his family called an HCC ambulance. They paid US$20, intending to settle the remaining US$10 later, but were never issued a receipt. We were emotionally disturbed by the sudden illness, and due to the stress, no one followed up on the receipt, said Marshals wife. To our surprise, the HCC later contacted us demanding we pay a US$30 debt or risk having debt collectors attach our property. Without a receipt, the family had no way to challenge the claim and eventually paid the US$30 demanded. Gracia Ngwerumes case is different. The 57-year-old from Epworth called an HCC ambulance when her daughter-in-law experienced complications in the third trimester of her pregnancy. Ngwerume paid US$18, intending to settle the balance later. However, when she visited the HCC to clear the outstanding amount, she was told her receipt was counterfeit. The revelation highlights not only the vulnerability of patients in emergencies but also serious concerns about the integrity of the HCC Ambulance Service, which currently has five operational ambulances. Each ambulance receives about 12 calls per day. It gets worse. Some of the paramedics are understood to be also siphoning fuel from the ambulances. The criminal network led by paramedics whose names have been withheld but identified by the authorities drains fuel from ambulances and sells it to motorists at discounted prices. To conceal the theft, they reportedly prepare fraudulent receipts using fake names and addresses, claiming the fuel was used to transport patients. Internal investigations are underway following numerous reports that have been filtering in from the paramedic department. Preliminary findings suggest the problem may involve a larger syndicate, enabled by cover-ups and neglect of basic duties such as cross-checking information. Financial toll Overall, the underhand deals are bleeding the local authority of thousands of dollars monthly. An insider revealed that instead of the average US$20 000 the HCC used to earn from ambulance services each month, revenue has dropped precipitously to less than US$1 500. This translates to about US$18 000 per year instead of a potential US$240 000. Things are bad and something needs to be done urgently. Recently, the local authority bought three new ambulances . . . it was supposed to be a boost, but alas . . . , said a source from the administration department. Instead, paramedics are taking turns to steal. For most of the month, we receive bogus receipts, and, unfortunately, we only discover this when we follow up on payments. Another source revealed that some receipts bear fake names and forged addresses, while others are entirely counterfeit. The syndicates are protecting one another by failing to hold paramedics accountable for receipts that do not contain correct client addresses or for submitting what appear to be fraudulent receipts, a source added. We also have cases where individuals are transferred before settling their debts, making it difficult for us to trace them. HCC divisional medic and head of ambulance services Dr Elliot Muchena said the local authority cannot rule out misconduct and malfeasance, emphasising that such cases constitute fraud. He also confirmed that several paramedics have recently lost their jobs over similar allegations. This underscores the gravity of the issue and the need for a thorough investigation. We intend to launch our own investigations into these cases. It is fraud and if anyone is caught on the wrong side, we will engage law-enforcement agencies, he said. In the past, some council employees lost their jobs due to such unethical behaviour. We are very particular about our image and do not hesitate to act. Dr Muchena warned that these fraudulent activities could severely damage public trust in the HCC and its paramedic services. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour. Patients who conspire with paramedics to exploit the HCC will be viewed as accomplices and face the law, he added. The fight against corruption requires collective effort and awareness from both the authorities and the community. We also encourage whistleblowing. Fraud is a serious criminal offence prosecuted under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. Fraud cases are handled by the Commercial Crimes Division (CCD) of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, a specialist unit that deals with serious and complex economic crimes. High-profile cases or those involving significant misrepresentation are often handled by the CID Serious Frauds section. Sunday Mail Voter turnout was notably low in yesterday's by-election for Bulawayo's Nkulumane constituency, with reports of massive apathy, particularly among the youth, amid allegations of vote-buying. The seat became vacant following the death of sitting legislator Desire Moyo in a car accident in October. Nine candidates contested the seat, including the late MP's widow, Esther Zitha. Zanu-PF heavily mobilised its campaign machinery ahead of the election, with prominent figures such as Presidential Investment Advisor Paul Tungwarara, National Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, and other ministers actively campaigning for the party's candidate, Freedom Murechu. A survey conducted across 34 polling stations by The Standard revealed that senior citizens formed a significant portion of voters, many of whom arrived with crutches to receive assistance. Nkulumane constituency command officer, Sithembiso Khuphe, reported that by 4 PM, only 3 992 votes had been cast out of 22 883 registered voters, with 2 410 males and 1 582 females participating. A further 296 individuals were turned away for various reasons, including being absent from the official voters' roll or presenting invalid identification such as expired passports or defaced IDs. Ward 22 presiding officer, Siphetheni Moyo, confirmed the low turnout, stating that some voters were disqualified for not appearing on the roll. Despite these challenges, voting proceeded peacefully across all polling stations, which opened at 7 AM. At Mabhukudwana Primary School polling station A, 50 voters had cast ballots by 10 AM, while Station B saw 55 voters by mid-morning. Several individuals were turned away at other stations due to invalid or missing identification. Some voters and opposition candidates accused Zanu-PF of engaging in vote-buying, citing the drilling of boreholes during the election period as an inducement. Candidates included Zitha, Murechu, comedian Mothusi "Madlela" Ndlovu of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Ethel Sibanda (MDC-T), Alson Moyo (EFF Zimbabwe), Vivian Siziba (ZAPU), Nompilo Ncube Malala (ZANC), and independents Rodney Donovan Jele and Fuzwayo of Ibhetshu LikaZulu. For comparison, over 13 000 votes were cast in the parliamentary elections in 2023, with the late CCC MP receiving 9 880 votes and runner-up Murechu obtaining 2 402 votes. The markedly lower turnout in this by-election underscores ongoing voter disengagement and highlights challenges facing the constituency ahead of the final results. Zanu PF has won the election. Standard Radhika posts about the tang of spicy chutneys and her lunchtime meals of saffron noodles, although she can't taste either. That's because Radhika is one of a growing number of AI-generated travel influencers quietly populating social media as tourism boards and travel firms look to cut costs, speed up content creation, and precisely control messaging, per the New York Times . It's easy to see why: Per Expedia's Traveler Value Index , 73% of consumers say an influencer has helped shape a trip decision, a figure that jumps to 84% among those under 40. Although human travel influencers are able to command $100,000 or more for one post, per marketing agency founder Steve Morris, AI avatars never need flights, hotel rooms, or per diems. The avatars, often young, attractive women, are designed to look and sound real. Germany's tourism board uses "digital storyteller" Emma, for example, to tout wine country. Some followers leave heart emojis or flirtatious comments, while others call out the accounts as AI. Human influencers see the trend as a direct threat. Travel creator Jen Ruiz describes an "uproar" among peers who "feel they're being replaced" by entities that don't actually travel. Lifestyle influencer Christiana Ballayan, who has 5 million-plus followers, says in the past year she's seen hotels trim perks and paybecause now "they have another advertising option: AI." For brands, the math is stark: An off-the-shelf avatar might cost as little as $500 to $2,000, with fully customized, constantly learning "synthetic characters" topping out around $15,000, which is still far less than repeated shoots with live talent. Travel marketers say AI isn't meant to replace humans entirely. Qatar Airways, for instance, insists it will use both. But experts expect these virtual influencers to become more "agentic," able to not only recommend hotels but also book them, or to make dinner reservations. As image quality and realism improve, distinguishing between a human traveler's imperfect experience and an AI-crafted fantasy will likely get harder. For some users, that's another reason to be wary. Social media already feels "fake and vapid," says one 28-year-old filmmaker. Knowing that some exciting travel feeds aren't tied to anyone's real life only deepens that sense of inauthenticity, he notes. NDTV highlights some of these "new faces of travel" (Emma and Radhika both make the cut). The Washington Post also has more, from a deep dive it did last year. The Trump administration has aggressively gone after political rivals over alleged mortgage games. Newly unearthed paperwork, however, suggests he once played a similar game himself. ProPublica reports that Trump signed two mortgages in Palm Beach in late 1993 and early 1994, each time listing the property as his main home. The houses sit just north of Mar-a-Lago and were financed by Merrill Lynch. Standard language in the documents required Trump to move in within 60 days and live there for at least a year, unless special arrangements were made with the lender. Yet news coverage, rental listings, and an interview with the Trump family's longtime broker indicate the homes were treated as rentals from the get-go, and that Trump continued to live in New York. "They were rentals from the beginning," says Shirley Wyner, the deceased agent's wife and business partner. "President Trump never lived there." Mortgage law specialists tell ProPublica that holding more than one "primary residence" loan isn't automatically illegal and is rarely prosecuted, especially decades later. But they said Trump's situation crosses the threshold his own administration has set in accusing others of fraud for similar or lesser conduct. Suffolk University law professor Kathleen Engel quipped that under Trump's standard, "he's going to either need to fire himself or refer himself to the Department of Justice." The loans have long since been paid off and are well beyond the statute of limitations. The White House dismissed the report, noting both loans came from the same bank and calling it "illogical to believe that the same lender would agree to defraud itself." A spokesperson labeled the story a partisan attack and said Trump "has never, or will ever, break the law." Bank of America, which now owns Merrill Lynch, declined to discuss the specific loans. New York Attorney General Letitia James was chargedbefore the case was thrown out on procedural groundsover allegedly treating a declared "second home" as a rental. Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook, whom Trump has tried to oust, was accused of taking out two primary-residence mortgages weeks apart; Trump called that potentially criminal and evidence of "gross negligence." Similar allegations have been leveled at other Democrats, while no public referrals against Republicans have emerged from the administration's mortgage crackdown. ProPublica, which also reviewed the mortgages of some of Trump's Cabinet members in September, notes that Trump hung up on one of its reporters when asked for comment. Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear brain trust had a code name, a target list, and years of prep behind it, according to a joint Washington Post/PBS Frontline investigation. They report that Israel's 12-day June assault on Iran unfolded under two labels: "Rising Lion" for the wider military campaign, and "Operation Narnia" for a targeted effort to kill top nuclear scientists. As Israeli jets and US bombers hit enrichment plants, missile launchers, and air defenses, people viewed as central to turning enriched uranium into a bomb were also attacked. Israel says it ultimately assassinated 11 senior nuclear figures, including explosives expert Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and former atomic energy chief Fereydoun Abbasi, both of whom were under Western sanctions for alleged weapons work. The reporting, based on current and former officials from Israel, Iran, Arab states, the US, and the UN, describes a years-in-the-making operation that Israel accelerated after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the crushing of Hezbollah, and the collapse of Syria's Assad regime. Mossad built detailed dossiers on roughly 100 key Iranian scientists before narrowing the kill list to about a dozen. "They built dossiers on each man's work," per the report. "Their movements, their homesdrawing on decades of espionage." But what that enabled them to carry out "wasn't flawless," the outlets write. The Post and Bellingcat independently verified at least 71 civilian deaths in the scientist-targeted strikes, including infants and teenagers. Tehranchi, for instance, was killed in his sixth-floor apartment in Tehran; 10 civilians, including a 2-month-old, also died in that strike. An initial strike on Mohammad Reza Sedighi Saber's home killed only his teen son; Saber and at least a dozen others were killed more than a week later in a hit on a family member's home where Saber was participating in a mourning ceremony for his son. (Read the full story here.) The European Central Bank has confirmed that it will begin allowing blockchain-based transactions to settle in central bank money in 2026, as political attention increasingly shifts to the unresolved privacy questions surrounding the proposed digital euro. In a statement released Friday, ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone said the institution is preparing to make distributed ledger technology settlements possible within its existing monetary infrastructure next year. At the same time, he said the ECB is continuing technical work on the digital euro, a central bank digital currency that would function as a digital form of cash across the euro area. The move marks a concrete step toward integrating blockchain-based systems into Europes financial plumbing. ECB Readies Digital Euro System, Puts Decision in Lawmakers Hands Under the plan, transactions executed on DLT platforms would be able to settle directly in central bank money rather than relying on private intermediaries. The ECB has argued that this is necessary to prevent fragmentation in tokenized markets and to ensure that new digital asset ecosystems continue to rely on a risk-free public settlement asset. Cipollone said the digital euro infrastructure would also be designed to interact with other central bank digital currencies, allowing institutions to use it for cross-border payments. He added that safeguards such as holding limits and the absence of interest payments would be built in to prevent large-scale shifts of deposits away from commercial banks, preserving their role in credit creation and monetary transmission. The ECBs technical preparations are largely complete, following a two-year preparation phase that ended in October 2025. Source: ECB The project has now moved into a readiness phase, with the central bank selecting potential system providers and testing settlement mechanisms. However, officials have stressed that the ECB cannot proceed without a legal framework approved by EU lawmakers. ECB President Christine Lagarde stated this week that the central banks design work is finished and that responsibility now lies with political institutions. If the legislation is adopted in 2026, pilot transactions using the digital euro could begin in mid-2027, with the ECB aiming to be ready for a first issuance in 2029. ECB Promises Privacy, but EU Rules Complicate the Digital Euro Vision As the timeline becomes clearer, the debate over privacy has intensified. The ECB has consistently said it does not support a programmable digital euro that would restrict how users can spend their money. China may be further along in its bid to break the West's chokehold on the most advanced computer chips than Washington expected. Reuters reports that Chinese scientists in a secure Shenzhen lab have built and are testing a prototype extreme ultraviolet lithography machinethe ultra-complex equipment needed to manufacture top-tier chips for AI, smartphones, and advanced weapons. Until now, only Dutch firm ASML has been able to make EUV tools, which are tightly controlled by US-backed export restrictions. The Chinese system, completed in early 2025, can generate EUV light but has yet to produce working chips, sources say. The project is described by people involved as China's answer to the Manhattan Project, with the goal of eventually making cutting-edge chips entirely on domestically built machines and pushing US suppliers "100%" out of its supply chain. Beijing has quietly spent six years on the effort, pulling together thousands of engineers across state institutes and firms, with Huawei acting as a central coordinator. Key to the progress, sources say, are former ASML engineers who were lured with large bonuses and, in some cases, given fake IDs and new names to work under inside the compound, reverse-engineering ASML's EUV machines. Dutch intelligence has warned that China is using wide-ranging espionage programs to obtain advanced technology. China still faces steep technical hurdles, particularly in replicating the precision optics supplied in the West by companies like Germany's Zeiss. To bridge the gap, Chinese teams are salvaging parts from older ASML machines and sourcing restricted components from secondary markets and intermediary firms, sometimes involving equipment originally made by Japan's Nikon and Canon, according to Reuters' sources. Beijing's internal target is to produce working chips on the prototype by 2028, though those close to the project see 2030 as more realisticstill earlier than many outside analysts predicted. For the US and its allies, the breakthrough underscores the limits of export controls imposed since 2018 to keep China at least one chipmaking generation behind. Reuters' sources say that inside Huawei's operation, some engineers sleep at work sites and operate in isolated teams, with restricted phone access. Earlier this year, the Financial Times reported that satellite images revealed that Huawei had rapidly built multiple large facilities in Shenzhen. The company "has embarked on an unprecedented effort to develop every part of the AI supply chain domestically from wafer fabrication equipment to model building," said Dylan Patel, founder of chip consultancy SemiAnalysis. At the movies this fall, Josh O'Connor plays a hot priest with a complicated past, Keanu Reeves is an angel who lost his wings, and Elizabeth Olsen has a romantic dilemma in the afterlife. Hollywood, it seems, has found God. But it's not just star-studded, big-budget Netflix films or A24 indies that are grappling with religion and its place in entertainment. In recent years, there's been an explosion of films and TV shows made from a confessional perspective that evangelize or portray a particular faith, often Christianity, that have performed particularly well with audiences, per the AP . These selections include everything from animated biblical films like the upcoming musical David, which Angel Studios says exceeded $14 million in theatrical presale tickets ahead of its release on Friday, to docudramas like Martin Scorsese's The Saints. While episodes from that show's second season are still being released, the first season, which premiered last year, was the most watched on the Fox Nation platform. "There has been a revival, a revolution of sorts, of spirituality and faith content," says Traci Blackwell, head of targeted content for Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. Trying to define what counts as faith-based programming, however, is a bit like trying to define what counts as pornography. For instance, themes of belief, guilt, and "foolish grace" abound in O'Connor's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third of filmmaker Rian Johnson's hit Netflix franchisebut few would call it a religious film. For studios and filmmakers, acknowledging that a project is told from a religious perspective can also be a double-edged sword. "If you're buying in on going to the movie theater for a faith-based movie, you know you're gonna have people around you who are really into the experience," says Comscore media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "The minute you say faith-based, though, it kind of puts a movie in a box." While it's too soon to tell whether there's been a sea change in Hollywood or if this is just a short-term fad, the success of some of these projects has stood out amid an otherwise perilous time in the business. "Hollywood usually follows money," Jason Klarman, Fox News Media's chief digital and marketing officer, says as he touts Fox Nation's packed slate of upcoming faith-based content, including Zachary Levi's David: King of Israel docudrama. "Even when the trend ends, we'll still be doing it." More here. Nine people have died and at least 10 others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said. The incident occurred just before 1am in the township of Bekkersdal, 28 miles west of Johannesburg. It is the second mass shooting to happen in South Africa in three weeks. About 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan opened fire at pub patrons at KwaNoxolo tavern and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police. "Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen," the police said of the incident. Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana, the acting provincial commissioner of Gauteng, told the AP at the scene that the gunmen, some of whom wore balaclavas, had one AK-47 and several nine-millimeter pistols. Police did not release information about the victims, but police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed that a ride-hailing driver was among those who were caught in the crossfire. She said the driver had just dropped off a client. "He was shot and killed," she told the AP. A manhunt for the suspects in the multiple gunshot event has been initiated by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit. There have been several mass shootings at barssometimes called shebeens or taverns in South Africain recent years, including a mass shooting carried out by multiple suspects in an unlicensed bar near the South African capital that left at least 12 people dead and 13 injured earlier this month. Another shooting killed 16 people in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022. On the same day, four people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in another province. With almost 26,000 homicides in 2024, or more than 70 per day on average, South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides. Although the nation of 62 million has comparatively stringent gun control laws, officials say many murders are carried out using illegal firearms. A large slice of San Francisco briefly went dim Saturday night, but most lights were back on by early Sunday. At the peak, about 124,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customersnearly a third of the citylost electricity as darkness fell, according to PowerOutage.com. By around 1:30am Sunday, that number had dropped to roughly 24,000 of the city's 414,000 customers, with PG&E saying crews worked through the night to restore service, the New York Times reports. The outage confused self-driving cars, per the San Francisco Chronicle , which became confused by the lack of traffic lights and caused traffic jams when they stopped in intersections. Waymo then suspended service. The outage swept across much of the city's northern and western neighborhoods, from the Richmond and Sunset districts through Haight-Ashbury and into downtown. City Hall's dome went dark, some restaurants resorted to candlelit service, and pedestrians used phone flashlights to cross streets. The disruption shuttered stores, stalled electronic payments, and closed key Bay Area Rapid Transit stations downtown, while San Francisco's Muni light-rail system scaled back service after its train-control computers lost power. The San Francisco Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker was called off. Officials have not yet pinned down a single cause of the outage, per the Times. A substation fire contributed to the problem, officials said. Residents and businesses improvised. Some gas stations couldn't pump fuel, while bars and restaurants that stayed open took cash only. At one neighborhood bar, staff borrowed battery-powered lamps and candles from neighbors. When lights started coming back on shortly after 9pm, some people watching the city's silhouette from Alamo Square said they were almost sorry to see the brief, low-tech evening come to an end. "I wanted to do a puzzle by candlelight," one said. Israel has signed off on another round of settlement growth in the occupied West Bank, formally recognizing 19 additional sites despite mounting international criticism. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler leader who advanced the plan with Defense Minister Israel Katz, framed the move Sunday as part of a strategy to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state, the BBC reports. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are regarded as illegal under international law by most nations, and they're illegal under Israeli law, per CNN . Saudi Arabia denounced the decision, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that continued settlement expansion heightens tensions, limits Palestinian access to land, and jeopardizes prospects for Palestinian statehood. The approvals extend a trend under the current government, which since taking office in 2022 has accelerated authorizations for new settlements and moved to retroactively legalize previously unauthorized outposts by designating them as parts of existing settlements. Smotrich said the new batch brings the number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69. The latest list includes the return of Ganim and Kadim, two settlements dismantled nearly two decades ago. The decision follows a UN assessment that settlement expansion has reached its highest rate since 2017, and comes after Israel in May approved 22 new settlements, described as the largest expansion in years. Settlement growth has fueled concern that Israel is entrenching its control over territory Palestinians claim for a future state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, roughly along pre-1967 lines. About 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in roughly 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to Israeli group Peace Now. Arab governments have repeatedly said the policy erodes the viability of a two-state solution and risks de facto annexation of West Bank land. Israel's far-right Nahala movement praised the expansion and said it will lead to settlements in Gaza, as well. US authorities were pursuing an oil tanker off Venezuela on Sunday, after the ship did not submit to being boarded by American forces and sailed away in the Caribbean Sea. Officials said the US Coast Guard approached the vessel, which they said was not flying a valid national flag, late Saturday. Under international law, the flag issue made the Bella 1 subject to boarding as a stateless vessel, the New York Times reports. The officials said the US forces had a seizure warrant from a federal magistrate judge. The Bella 1 had no oil yet; it was on its way to Venezuela to load the cargo. A US official confirmed the ship is sanctioned, per Reuters. US forces had boarded another tanker Saturday under the blockade President Trump announced Tuesday that's increased pressure on Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro. It applies to all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. The interception of the Bella 1 would be the third by the US this month. The Trump administration has not imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil, per the Washington Post. With the Justice Department facing criticism over the initial, incomplete release of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that references to the president are not being excluded. "We are not redacting information around President Trump," Blanche said on NBC's Meet the Press, after at least 16 of the files, including a photo of Trump, were pulled after being posted late Friday. Blanche said the photo was removed because of concerns about women pictured in other photos, the New York Times reports. The department said it restored the photo to its website on Sunday, per CNN . "It has nothing to do with President Trump," Blanche said. "The absurdity of pulling down a single photo because of President Trump is laughable." The snapshot is of a desk containing multiple photos. One shows Trump with his wife, Melania; Epstein; and Ghislaine Maxwell, per Axios. In another, per NBC News, Trump is shown with several women, including at least one in a bikini. Blanche said victim advocacy groups had requested that the photos be taken down from the Justice Department website, per USA Today. Hundreds of government lawyers are reviewing roughly a million pages of material, Blanche said, to remove identifying details of victims. Victims, advocates, and lawmakers have criticized the handling of the release, which only partly complies with a new law. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who co-wrote the legislation, said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation that Trump administration officials are "flouting the spirit and the letter of the law." Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said they're consulting other lawmakers about holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt over the issue, per NBC. The dynamic urban centers dotting the vast Texas landscape play a dominant role in the economic prospects of the state. Our latest forecast shows expansion for all metropolitan areas in Texas in the decades to come, though the specific industries and growth patterns vary markedly among them. World economic events will impact the outcomes, but Texas cities are well positioned to add jobs and increase output over the next 30 years. The largest population centers are expected to provide most of the increase, but the smaller metropolitan areas will also contribute to employment and overall economic growth in the state. The largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), which are currently home to around 70% of the Texas population, are expected to generate about 78% of the job growth in Texas over the next 30 years. In the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA, employment is projected to increase at a pace of 1.76% per year through 2054, adding 947,700 new positions and substantially outpacing the Texas growth rate. The Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division (MD) is forecast to add 1.97 million net new positions, up 1.63% annually over the long term, while growth of 1.57% per year is projected for the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, adding 732,200 new jobs. The El Paso MSA is expected to grow at a rate of 1.42% yearly, adding 204,000 jobs through 2054, and the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA is forecast to see an increase of 1.60% per year for an additional 2.16 million positions. Growth is also expected in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA, adding 181,000 new jobs at a yearly rate of 1.53% over the forecast period. The San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA is projected to grow at a 1.58% annual rate for total job gains of 749,400 new positions through 2054. Though the absolute employment increases are not as large, several of the less-populous MSAs are expected to see expansion at or above Texass annual rate of 1.57%. Midland (1.67%), Tyler (1.60%), Brownsville-Harlingen (1.59%), Waco (1.57%), and Sherman-Denison (1.57%) are expected to lead the way for smaller MSAs, Strong expansion of over 1.50% yearly is also projected for Laredo (1.53%) and Odessa (1.51%). The remaining small population centers are forecast to add jobs at a pace of 1.35% or more per year over the next three decades. Although the latest forecast has contracted somewhat from last years outlook due to economic uncertainty and the impact of current policies, the outlook for Texas metropolitan areas remains strong. The most significant absolute gains will naturally occur in the largest population centers as they continue to expand their geographic footprints, but smaller areas will also play a critical role in ensuring the continued availability of jobs and economic opportunities for Texas residents. Stay safe! The post THE ECONOMIST: Metro magnets appeared first on Odessa American. 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West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a pay package worth $139 billion restored by the Delaware Supreme Court late Friday. - Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters The Delaware Supreme Court has restored a massive pay package awarded to Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2018 that had twice been voided by a lower court judge. The package awarded Musk the option to purchase 303 million split-adjusted shares, a package worth $139 billion at Fridays closing share price. Delaware Chancery Court Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, who oversaw the bench, had found that even though Tesla shareholders twice approved the compensation plan, the size of the package was unfair to shareholders. She wrote that the Tesla board bore the burden of proving that the compensation plan was fair, and they failed to meet their burden. Even after shareholders voted again in favor of the package, McCormick rejected the package as unfair a second time. But the Delaware Supreme Court ruled Friday that the lower court erred in its opinion and that tossing out the 2018 pay package was inequitable and that doing so leaves Musk uncompensated for his time and efforts over a period of six years. Musk is already the richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $644 billion, according to Bloombergs billionaire tracker. A large chunk of that wealth comes from the 413 million shares of Tesla he owns outright, shares worth $199 billion at Fridays closing price. Teslas stock is near the record high it reached earlier this week. He was recently awarded a new pay package by Tesla that could be worth $1 trillion if the value of Tesla stock climbs as much as he and the company project. And Tesla is only part of Musks net worth. He also is the primary shareholder of SpaceX, a company he is planning to take public sometime next year at a valuation that would also massively increase his wealth further. Thank you for your unwavering support, Musk replied on X Friday evening in response to someone who had posted about the Delaware Supreme Courts decision. This story has been updated with additional developments and context. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is one of the 14 Best Large Cap Stocks to Invest In Now. On December 16, Wells Fargo increased its price target on GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) from $717 to $831 and kept an Overweight rating. This change reflects stronger sales and profit outlooks in the companys Power and Electrification segments. Wells Fargo pointed to GE Vernova Inc.s (NYSE:GEV) strong performance as demand grows, which is supporting prices and margins. The research firm increased its 2026 EBITDA forecast from $5,460 million to $5,839 million because of an expected increase in gas turbine prices and deliveries in the second half of 2026 and a decrease in variable costs. GE Vernova (GEV) Gets Higher Price Targets from Wells Fargo and UBS Pixabay/Public Domain For 2028, Wells Fargo raised its EBITDA forecast from $8,879 million to $11,566 million. This is based on expectations of 24 gigawatts of annual gas turbine deliveries and increased revenue from grid equipment. The firm also increased its EPS estimates for GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) from $13.03 to $14.05 for 2026 and from $23.29 to $31.39 for 2028. Earlier on December 10, UBS also increased its price target on GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) from $760 to $835 and kept a Buy rating. This update came after the companys analyst meeting in New York. The research firm noted that the companys long-term guidance might be too cautious, especially for the Power business. The guidance suggests just 34% incremental margins from 2025 to 2028, but UBS believes the potential for 50% or more. UBS believes higher margins could add $1 billion to earnings. The firm also sees room for further growth for GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) after 2028, including about $10 billion in high-margin service revenue by the mid-2030s. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is an energy equipment manufacturing and services company. It operates in Power, Wind, and Electrification segments. While we acknowledge the potential of GEV as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 14 Most Promising Fintech Stocks to Invest In and 15 Best Technology Penny Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. The U.S. Coast Guard made a long distance rescue on Saturday, flying 70 miles to medically evacuate a fisherman suffering from an apparent stroke, authorities said. Around 10:15 a.m., watchstanders at the Coast Guard Delaware Bay sector received a call that a crewman aboard the fishing vessel Ocean Prowler was seriously ill, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said. The Coast Guard initially responded by sea and air. A 45-foot boat got underway from the Coast Guard station in Cape May while a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter took off from Atlantic City. The victim was a 39-year-old fisherman who was exhibiting stroke-like symptoms. The victim needed to get to a hospital and fast so the helicopter flew ahead, officials said. The flight surgeon advised the man needed to be taken ashore as quickly as possible, said Petty Officer Brandon Hillard, a Coast Guard spokesman. He was safely hoisted aboard the helicopter and taken to the hospital for a higher level of care. Winds at the time of the rescue were 10 knots gusting to 15 and seas were 5 feet, making for choppy conditions. The fisherman, who was not immediately identified, was flown to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City. His status was not available as of Saturday night. A passenger was killed and four others seriously injured when two cars collided at a Cumberland County intersection on Saturday evening. A 72-year-old Vineland woman was driving a car north on South Woodruff Road in Upper Deerfield Township shortly before 6 p.m. when she failed to stop at a red light at the intersection with Irving Avenue, according to New Jersey State Police. She made a right turn and collided with a vehicle traveling west on Irving Avenue, police said. A passenger in the other vehicle, Yerlimari Quinones, 38, of Bridgeton, was killed, police said. The 33-year-old man driving the other vehicle and three other passengers in the vehicle, all from Bridgeton, were seriously injured. The Vineland motorist suffered minor injuries, police said. The crash remains under investigation. No charges have been announced. After their flight had to turn around for mechanical issues, the Minnesota Vikings finally arrived in New Jersey late Saturday for their Sunday afternoon game against the New York Giants. The Vikings team plane took off from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Saturday, but the problem was discovered soon after departure and the flight returned to the airport, a team spokesperson told the Associated Press. A second plane carrying the team took off just after 7:30 p.m. CST and landed at Newark Liberty International Airport shortly before 11 p.m., according to a social media post by a Minnesota Star Tribune reporter who covers the team. Minnesota is 6-8 and, like the 2-12 Giants, has been eliminated from playoff contention. Kickoff time is 1 p.m. Sunday. Hudson County authorities are investigating a death in Kearny and a fire reported early Sunday on the same street. Kearny police issued a shelter-in-place advisory on Saturday night for residents on Kearny Avenue between Johnston and Woodland avenues. Residents were told to remain out of the area as a serious police investigation is underway, Kearny police said on Facebook. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office issued a statement Sunday morning saying they are investigating the death of a male in the area of Kearny and Johnston avenues. Subsequent to the investigation, a fire began on the same block of Kearny Avenue, prosecutors office spokeswoman Caitlin Mota stated in an email. Mota described the investigation as active and ongoing, but no additional details were released. A New Jersey police chief has been arrested following his indictment on kidnapping and domestic assault charges in Boston, authorities said. The charges against Totowa police Chief Carmen Veneziano stem from a September incident at a Boston hotel, according to James Borghesani, spokesman with the Suffolk County District Attorney in Massachusetts. Totowa Mayor John Coiro announced Sunday that Veneziano has been suspended without pay. Veneziano makes $260,780 a year, according to state pension records. An attorney representing the chief called the charges baseless. There is absolutely no merit to these charges, said attorney Jared Drill. They are allegations by an ex-girlfriend, who was extremely intoxicated and got into a verbal argument with the chief at a hotel. Veneziano, 47, was arrested on a warrant and placed in Bergen County jail on Friday, according to jail records. Venezianos attorney said the police chief and his ex stayed together and got into an argument at a hotel in Boston on Sept. 14. When hotel security and Boston police arrived at the couples hotel room, no arrests were made, Drill said. The couple then drove back home together, according to the attorney. Veneziano was indicted in Boston last week on one count of kidnapping and three counts of domestic assault and battery in the September incident, the District Attorneys spokesman said. Veneziano will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday afternoon, Borghesani said. Drill said Veneziano is not challenging extradition to Massachusetts. He is hopeful he will be released before Christmas so he can be with his family, Drill said. A man was indicted Thursday on multiple charges following a May crash that resulted in the death of his passenger. Martine Taylor Jr., 56, of Toms River, was indicted by a Grand Jury in Ocean County on charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and causing death while driving with a suspended drivers license, the prosecutors office said in a statement. Police previously said Taylor Jr. who was taken into custody in September was drunk and traveling more than 90 mph when his vehicle crashed in Lakewood Township on May 13, 2025. The crash resulted in the death of Christine Kroliczak, 52, of Matawan. In May, Taylor Jr. was charged with causing death while driving with a suspended license. Taylor was discharged from the hospital where was treated after the crash and given the initial charge and sent to the Ocean County Jail. He was then released as a result of New Jersey Bail Reform, authorities noted. Four months later, police said he was taken into custody by Lakewood Township Police Department Traffic Unit officers without incident at a hotel in Toms River. He was sent back to county jail (where he remained as of this week). After being taken into custody, Taylor Jr. was charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office said. The new charges came after a blood draw from the day of the crash found that Taylors blood alcohol concentration was .182, more than double the legal limit of .08, officials said. It was also determined that his was driving at a speed between 94 and 98 mph on a road with a posted speed limit of 50 mph, prosecutors added. Shortly after 1:30 a.m. on May 13, police found Taylors Nissan Altima upside down in a drainage ditch in Lakewood. At the time, the officers were near the scene, on Cedar Bridge Avenue, investigating an unrelated incident. Investigators said Taylors car was traveling west on Cedar Bridge Avenue when it veered into the opposing lane, left the road and became airborne, traveling 189 feet through the air. While airborne, the vehicle struck a utility pole, resulting in severe damage to the vehicles undercarriage. The vehicle briefly made contact with the ground before becoming airborne again, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office said in a summary of the crash. During the second airborne phase, the vehicle struck a tree and ultimately came to an uncontrolled final rest on its roof in the drainage ditch. Taylor and Kroliczak were both extricated from the vehicle after the crash. Kroliczak, who was unconscious when police arrived, was pronounced dead on the scene following life-saving efforts, officials said. NJ Advance Media staff writer Nicolas Fernandes contributed to this report. By Mitchell Zimmerman At least four U.S. Supreme Court justices recently signaled their apparent agreement with Donald Trumps effort to roll back the Fourteenth Amendments definition of American citizenship. The case at issue, Trump v. Barbara, involves birthright citizenship the principle that youre a citizen of the country where you were born. In the United States, birthright citizenship was written into the U.S. Constitution after the Civil War. Following the end of slavery, the amendment confirmed that the fundamental rights of citizenship do not depend on white ancestry, but belong to everyone born in this country. On Day One of his presidency, Trump issued an executive order to overthrow that principle. He ordered that babies born in the U.S. of undocumented immigrants should not be considered citizens. If Trumps order were deemed legal, he would have the power to annul the citizenship of tens of millions of Americans, deny their right to vote and other legal entitlements, and even deport them. It could be an especially consequential decision in New Jersey, where over 40% of children come from immigrant families. The first judge to hear a challenge to Trumps order, federal Judge John Coughenour, concluded it was plainly illegal. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. It just boggles my mind. Ive been on the bench for over four decades, he continued. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order. Coughenour is no radical liberal. He was appointed to the bench by conservative Republican President Ronald Reagan. But any reasonable judge would reach the same conclusion and many did, including judges of the Ninth and First Circuits. Disturbingly, however, the Supreme Court may validate this blatantly unconstitutional order. Under Supreme Court rules, at least four justices must vote to take up a lower court ruling. So at least four decided Trumps incredible claims were sound enough to put on the Supreme Court docket. The decision is unsupportable. The Fourteenth Amendment begins with this plain statement: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Trumps lawyers assert that children born in the United States of undocumented immigrants arent citizens because they arent subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Thats nonsense jurisdiction has nothing to do with whether someone is legally in the United States. Jurisdiction refers to the lawful authority a government exercises over individuals within its territory. If someone is not subject to U.S. jurisdiction, that means U.S. laws dont apply to them. It turns the law upside down to say that people arent subject to our law because they entered illegally and absurd to claim their newborn babies arent subject to U.S. jurisdiction either. Since everyone in the U.S. is subject to U.S. law, why does the Fourteenth Amendment even mention jurisdiction? Because theres an exception to the citizenship grant: foreign diplomats. Diplomats enjoy diplomatic immunity, so theyre not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and cant be charged with crimes under U.S. law. The same is true of their children. Since they are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction, their kids dont become U.S. citizens by being born here. If those who wrote the Fourteenth Amendment wanted to put the children of people not lawfully in the U.S. in the same category, they would have said so. They didnt. America is one nation of many peoples, and most of our ancestors came from other lands. When newcomers children are born here, they are automatically and conclusively Americans and citizens. The Fourteenth Amendment was adopted to resolve that question with finality. Its intolerable that the Supreme Court should consider reopening an issue it took a Civil War to resolve. Calling your elected representative in the U.S. House Of Representatives or U.S. Senate is the most effective way to influence policy. To find your representative and senator to voice your position, go to the House website and the Senate website. Mitchell Zimmerman is an attorney, longtime social activist, and author. His writing can also be found on his Substack, Reasoning Together with Mitchell Zimmerman. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org. UPDATE: This story was updated Monday with comments from Gov. Phil Murphys office. Parole reform legislation introduced this month in the state legislature would emphasize rehabilitation while reducing reincarceration for technical parole violations. Gov. Phil Murphy has long touted his goal of making the parole system less punitive. Right now, roughly 10% of our states entire prison population consists of people who are being held behind bars for committing a technical parole violation, like missing a scheduled meeting or forgetting to report a move to a new town, Murphy said during his State of the State address last January. Nobody should lose their freedom because of a technicality. Of those who had their parole revoked, 67% were for technical violations rather than for new criminal charges, according to figures from the state Office of the Public Defender. The association representing New Jerseys county prosecutors, however, says the new legislation raises public safety concerns, erodes victim rights and weakens the parole system. Some of the most violent offenders would be the main beneficiaries of the lenient legislation, the prosecutors association said. A key component of the bills introduced in the state Assembly and Senate, A6206 and S5000, would limit reincarceration for technical parole violations, such as missed appointments, drug use or other failures to follow parole officer instructions. Under the proposal, parole revocation could not be based solely on violations such as use of drugs or alcohol, failure to pay fines or driving without a valid drivers license. Also, multiple violations from a single incident would not be counted as separate violations when determining whether parole will be revoked. Committing a new crime is not considered a technical parole violation, the legislation notes. For those found to have committed parole violations, the bill would allow alternatives to reincarceration, including continued parole supervision with or without additional conditions, allowing parolees to receive re-entry services in the community and revocation of compliance credits. The County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey issued a lengthy statement last week saying it is strongly opposed to the legislation. While we support efforts to promote successful reentry and reduce unnecessary reincarceration, this legislation, as drafted, raises profound concerns for victim rights, public safety, accountability, and the integrity of the parole process, said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, who serves as the association president. Proposed changes regarding technical violations could endanger the public, he argued. Limiting the ability to revoke parole for serious and persistent infractions, that, under this legislation, are defined as mere technical violations not subject to revocation, undermines the authority of the parole board and weakens the guardrails set to reduce recidivism and protect the public, Billhimer wrote in the statement. While the association said its appropriate to limit incarceration for minor infractions, repeated violations by violent offenders should trigger a tougher response. For example, convicted sex offenders who fail to report the address where they are living or who violate a restriction on contact with minors by living in a home with a child have committed technical violations that require severe consequences, Billhimer said. Gov. Murphys office said the bill still allows for violators with repeated or escalating violations to have their parole revoked. The proposal is intended to prevent automatic incarceration for minor, one-off conduct, Murphys spokesperson said, adding that the legislation preserves the parole boards authority to revoke parole when conduct presents a public-safety risk. The legislation does not bar revocation for serious or persistent violations, including violations of sex-offender conditions such as residency reporting or contact restrictions with minors, the spokesperson said. New Jersey Public Defender Jennifer Sellitti also disagreed with claims that the legislation undermines public safety and victim protections. These bills preserve parole supervision and the authority to incarcerate individuals who pose a genuine risk to the community, she said in a statement. They draw a clear, evidence-based distinction between new criminal conduct which remains fully sanctionable and technical violations, such as missing an appointment, failing a drug test, or violating a non-criminal condition of supervision. The legislation will reduce unnecessary reincarceration, Sellitti said, and will lower recidivism while allowing parole officers to focus on those who pose the greatest risk. The proposal also addresses compliance credits for parolees abiding by release conditions. Currently, a parole term can be cut by one day for every six days of completed parole supervision. Under the bill, compliance credits would be awarded at a rate of one day for every two days of completed supervision. Credits cannot currently be awarded to those serving under the states No Early Release Act or to those serving parole supervision for life. No Early Release Act offenses are violent crimes such as homicide, robbery and sexual assault, and those convicted must serve at least 85% of their sentence before they are eligible for parole. Under the new legislation, those serving post-incarceration parole terms under the No Early Release Act could earn parole credits at a rate of one day for every six days of compliance. Those under parole supervision for life would still not qualify for credits under the new bill. While rewarding good behavior is a sound approach, the bills credit structure is overly broad and insufficiently tied to measurable rehabilitation, the prosecutors association argued. The accumulation of credits could substantially shorten parole terms, even when the underlying offense is a serious crime, Billhimer said. In practice, A6206 and S5000 would award compliance credits when an offender has not complied with a single condition of supervision as long as he or she has not been convicted of another crime, he said. The legislation also fails to ensure victims are informed of parole status changes, the association argued. The bill does not clearly protect the right of victims to receive timely notice of violations, proposed releases, or credits applied that may shorten supervision periods, Billhimer said. State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, D-Middlesex, one of the bills sponsors, said the legislation does not excuse serious violations or new criminal conduct, but prevents unnecessary reincarceration for non-criminal parole violations. A6206 and S5000 were written to reduce strain on parole officers, State correctional facilities, and other State resources, while supporting rehabilitation and successful reentry and keeping our communities safe, Zwicker said in a statement. The senator said he remains open to working with the prosecutors association to ensure the bill reflects those intentions. New Jerseys parole system is recognized as one of the most effective in the nation, Billhimer wrote. He questioned why reforms are needed. The states approach, which includes graduated sanctions prior to parole revocation, has been effective in reducing recidivism without compromising public safety, he said, adding that New Jerseys parole revocation rate is about 6%, while the national average is 10%. It should be noted that of the 6% of parole revocations that have occurred, the vast majority involved NERA (No Early Release Act) offenses and sex offenses which are arguably the most violent offenses in New Jersey. These offenders would be the primary beneficiaries of this lenient legislation, Billhimer said. The governors spokesperson said that NERA offenders still serve their full, mandatory prison sentences and any compliance credits are earned only after release by complying with all parole conditions, not just avoiding new crimes. Calling this lenient toward violent offenders in prison is misleading, because it doesnt reduce their incarceration at all. Offenders must comply with supervision requirements, residency rules, treatment programs, and other restrictions to receive credits, Murphys spokesperson said. Other prosecutors have issued statements echoing the associations stance. Our responsibility is to protect the public while also supporting reentry and rehabilitation, Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns said. This legislation limits the tools that have proven effective in supervising offenders who have committed serious violent offenses. The bill doesnt take away the authority of parole officers, Murphys spokesperson argued. The bill gives officers more tools to have parolees follow the rules so they can stay on track without relying only on jail, the official said. The bill updates New Jerseys parole system to match what most other states do in rewarding good behavior, using intermediate sanctions instead of automatically sending people back to jail for minor missteps, and keeping serious violations punishable. Other bill advocates also weighed in after the prosecutors association criticized the legislation. Currently, someone released from prison in New Jersey is three times more likely to return to prison for a technical violation than for committing a new crime, said Jessica Jackson, CEO of REFORM Alliance, an advocacy group that supports parole reform. This bill will ensure better outcomes for communities and those on parole, according to Jackson, who lives in New Jersey. REFORM has seen firsthand through dozens of laws passed in red and blue states nationwide: when you prioritize treatment over incarceration and reward people who follow the rules, you get better outcomes for families and communities without compromising public safety, Jackson said. An office building in Bridgewater has been purchased by Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu organization known as BAPS that has its North American headquarters in Robbinsville. The 66,500-square-foot building located at 1130 Route 22 East was vacant but had formerly been occupied by Allstate Insurance Company. Its part of a four-building office park known as CenterPointe I that sits on nearly 21 acres. BAPS paid Sig 1130, LLC $6.15 million for the property, in a deal brokered by Colliers that closed Nov. 10, according to Somerset County property records. Colliers cited the transaction as part of a trend of suburban office property buyers who plan to use the asset themselves. To navigate todays shifting office market, many New Jersey companies are taking control of their real estate futuredriving a surge in owner-user acquisitions, Jacklene Chesler, vice chair at Colliers said. As institutional investors pull back and property values soften, businesses are stepping in to secure long-term control and cost stability. Its unclear how BAPS plans to use the building. The religious organization did not respond to requests for comment. BAPS has eight locations in North America, including its North American headquarters in Robbinsville and a facility in Edison. The Hindu temple in Robbinsville has been said to be the largest in the country. Its construction drew a federal probe and lawsuit involving labor trafficking allegations. The federal investigation concluded in September but a civil lawsuit, filed in May 2021, accuses BAPS of recruiting workers from marginalized castes and tribes in India and forcing them to work in inhumane conditions under the guise of religious volunteerism. Washington Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett said Sunday that President Trump's idea to give Americans $2,000 checks funded by tariff revenue will "depend on what happens with Congress." "I would expect that in the new year, the president will bring forth a proposal to Congress to make that happen," Hassett said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Since July, Mr. Trump has floated a possible rebate for some Americans based on tariff revenue. And last month, the president posted on social media that a "dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News last month that the checks would likely go to households making less than $100,000. He said at the time it remained "in discussion." Hassett noted that Congress would have to approve the funds, which would likely be issued through the tax code and require lawmakers to pass new legislation authorizing the Treasury Department to send checks. But Hassett touted "a lot of positive news about the economy" since July that he suggested makes the checks more possible. "We've had a couple of quarters of almost 4% growth, we've got a big government surplus actually running for a few months in a row, the deficit relative to last year is down by $600 billion," Hassett said. "And so, in the summer, I wasn't so sure that there was space for a check like that. But now I'm pretty sure that there is." Hassett said the funds could come from tariff revenue, while noting that "in the end, you know, we get taxes, we get tariffs, we get revenue from lots of places, and then Congress decides how to spend those money. That's an appropriation." The comments come as the president has defended the tariffs as one of his administration's signature policies, touting the approach for helping the U.S. raise new revenue and driving investment in U.S. manufacturing. Hassett said most of the tariffs put in place this year "have proven their mettle," pointing to high growth, reduction in the trade deficit and lower imports from China. "So there's a lot of success to crow about in the tariff space," Hassett said. "But there are also things that we're hearing, when we talk to people like trading partners and companies that trade a lot in the U.S., there are also things that maybe could be adjusted." Hassett said "there's an appetite to exempt things if they're really not meant to be made in the U.S.," because of factors like climate. He said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is leading that effort. Louisiana Economic Development, the state's economic development agency, is sitting on a stimulus pot of up to $113 million, an amount that the U.S. Treasury should unlock about $1 billion in investment to help start-up and other small businesses. Bourbon has been distilled in this location for nearly 100 years. Making bourbon requires following specific rules. When you add costs to a product, consumers tend to migrate to cheaper options. That's what's happening to American liquor brands as tariffs have forced other countries to cut back on, or simply stop importing, U.S. liquor. "Exports of U.S.-made liquor fell sharply in the second quarter of 2025 as tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump took hold," according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The American Distilled Spirits Exports 2025 Mid-Year Report showed declines were particularly steep in exports to key markets, including the European Union (EU), Canada, United Kingdom (UK), and Japan. The EU accounted for half of all U.S. spirits exports in 2024, and collectively, these four markets represented 70% of total exports by value. After celebrating a record year for U.S. spirits exports in 2024, this new data is very troubling for U.S. distillers, DISCUS CEO Chris Swonge said in a press release. Persistent trade tensions are having an immediate and adverse effect on U.S. spirits exports. Theres a growing concern that our international consumers are increasingly opting for domestically produced spirits or imports from countries other than the U.S., signaling a shift away from our great American spirits brands. Sales are down, and that's very bad news for one of the most iconic American bourbon brands, Jim Beam. The 230-year-old brand has decided to close down its distillery, which has been in regular operation since prohibition. Canada has stopped buying American liquor Trump's trade war has particularly angered Canada, which has led to many Canadians boycotting American products. Swonger said nowhere is this shift more pronounced than in Canada, where U.S. spirits exports plummeted 85%, falling below $10 million in the second quarter of 2025. U.S. spirits sales in Canada declined 68% in April 2025, whereas sales of Canadian and other imported spirits rose around 3.6% each. Canada removed its retaliatory tariff on U.S. spirits on Sept. 1, but the majority of Provinces continue to ban American spirits from their shelves. Canada remains the only key trading partner to retaliate against U.S. spirits. "U.S. spirits exports experienced notable declines across all key international markets. Exports to the EU the U.S. spirits industrys largest market fell 12% to $290.3 million, while exports to the UK dropped 29% to $26.9 million and those to Japan decreased 23% to $21.4 million," shared DISCUS. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code For grieving Palestinians, the desperation is growing. How much longer will they be able to stay? For grieving Palestinians, the desperation is growing. How much longer will they be able to stay? are increasingly on their own, surrounded and isolated. are increasingly on their own, surrounded and isolated. Palestinian communities that for centuries were part of a closely knit landscape, like these three near Ramallah Palestinian communities that for centuries were part of a closely knit landscape, like these three near Ramallah Over the past two years, Israeli settlers have established a record number of new outposts in the occupied territory. The goal is to win on the ground what might otherwise be lost at a negotiating table. Over the past two years, Israeli settlers have established a record number of new outposts in the occupied territory. The goal is to win on the ground what might otherwise be lost at a negotiating table. Armed Israeli settlers, often protected by soldiers, harass and attack Palestinian villagers daily, with the undisguised goal of driving them out. Armed Israeli settlers, often protected by soldiers, harass and attack Palestinian villagers daily, with the undisguised goal of driving them out. Olive grove by olive grove, sheep pasture by sheep pasture, village by village, the idea of a Palestinian state is withering in the West Bank. Olive grove by olive grove, sheep pasture by sheep pasture, village by village, the idea of a Palestinian state is withering in the West Bank. Every Saturday, sheep owned by Jewish settlers march through the olive groves that Rezeq Abu Naim and his family have tended for generations, crushing tree limbs and damaging roots. The extremist settlers, armed and sometimes masked, lead their herds to drink from the familys scant water supplies while Mr. Abu Naim watches from the ramshackle tents of Al Mughayir, where he lives above the valley. I beg you, I beg you. God, just let us be, Mr. Abu Naim recalled telling settlers during a recent confrontation. Just go away. We dont want any problems. Vast stretches of his familys farm and wheat have been seized by Israeli settlers who have set up outposts, illegal encampments that can eventually grow to become large settlements, on the nearby hills. New roads cut through the land on which his own flock of sheep graze and settlers routinely steal the animals, he said. Six months ago, a masked settler armed with a gun broke into his family home at 3 a.m., he recalled. He described raiders tearing through his sons nearby home at night last December, slashing tents and stealing solar panels. The family takes turns at night guarding their sheep against attacks from settlers. On a recent day, we found Mr. Abu Naim resting on pillows, a portable radio pressed to his ear listening for regional news. Go away. Go away from here. Leave, Mr. Abu Naim said the settlers have told him repeatedly. Im 70 years old, and Ive been here all my life, he replies. But you came yesterday, and you want me now to leave, to go home. This is my home. The fate of a farmer trying to wrest a livelihood out of a landscape dotted since biblical times by sheep and gnarled olive trees may seem distant from a modern world of clashing superpowers. But these remote hilltops and hamlets sit at the leading edge of an intractable geopolitical conflict. Even as the war in Gaza commanded the worlds attention over the past two years, the facts on the ground were shifting in the West Bank, intensifying the battle for control of the lands of Bethlehem and Jericho, Ramallah and Hebron. For many Palestinians, they are the foundation of a future state of their own and a future peace. But for many Jews, they are a rightful homeland. Extremist Jewish settlers and Palestinian farmers are the foot soldiers in this endless conflict, an extension of the war in 1948 that accompanied the establishment of Israel. And since the Oct. 7., 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militants from Gaza, Israels far-right government has embraced a playbook of expanding settlements across the West Bank, transforming the region, piece by piece, from a patchwork of connected Palestinian villages into a collection of Israeli neighborhoods. The unrelenting violent campaign by these settlers, that critics say is largely tolerated by the Israeli military, consists of brutal harassment, beatings, even killings, as well as high-impact roadblocks and village closures. These are coupled with a drastic increase in land seizures by the state and the demolition of villages to force Palestinians to abandon their land. Many of the settlers are young extremists whose views go beyond even the far-right ideology of the government. They are not generally operating on direct orders from Israels military leadership. But they know the military frequently looks the other way and facilitates their actions. In many cases, it is the military that forces Palestinians to evacuate or orders the destruction of their homes once settlers drive them to flee. Accelerating violence and displacement in the West Bank New Israeli outposts New Israeli state land Displaced Palestinians Settler attacks Palestinian fatalities Road gates Checkpoints Demolished structures Sources: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; Peace Now (outposts and state land) We attempted to speak to settlers near two of the West Bank villages that have been the targets of such pressure. None were willing to speak with us. In a statement, the Israeli military said that its security forces are committed to maintaining order and security for all residents of the area and act decisively against any manifestations of violence within their area of responsibility. The far-right Israeli government has been transparent about its mission: to sabotage what diplomats call the two-state solution and its goal of an Israeli and a Palestinian nation living side by side. Every town, every neighborhood, every housing unit, Bezalel Smotrich, the ultra-right-wing finance minister, said recently, is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea. For years, the United Nations, the United States and much of the Western world have warned that the continuous expansion of Israeli settlements would eventually make the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state impossible. Across the West Bank, there is desperation among Palestinian villagers and farmers as they watch the takeover of their lands at a pace never seen before. And there is fear that the changes are already becoming irreversible. We spent more than two months in a dozen villages in the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian families, local officials, Bedouin farmers and young human rights activists, often visiting from abroad. We watched as groups of young Israeli settlers showed up in Palestinian villages to harass or intimidate them. We met a family in Tulkarm whose 21-year-old daughter, Rahaf al-Ashqar, was killed in February by an explosion set off by Israeli soldiers who raided their home, claiming they were looking for terrorists. We saw a 16-foot fence covered with razor wire that was built this year in the town of Sinjil that now separates Walid Naim from his familys orchards. We watched settlers block the road and try to stop Palestinian farmers from leaving their land after harvesting their olive trees in October. In October, after settlers and soldiers stormed the gate of Masher Hamdans farm in the village of Turmus Aya, he decided to evacuate his sheep, goats, lambs and poultry to save his livelihood. The New York Times studied mapping data and court orders that document the expansion of claims by the Israeli government to land that had long been in Palestinian hands. We photographed the construction of Israeli roadblocks designed to limit Palestinian movements and saw the installation of fences that cut off farmers from their land. The Israeli onslaught has all but vanquished a free Palestinian existence in the West Bank. While the Palestinian Authority governs part of the West Bank, the Israeli military remains the occupying power of the whole territory, and military law supersedes the authoritys rule. There is little due process and villagers live at the mercy of vigilante settlers and members of military platoons who exert almost total power over them. Settlers, who are subject to Israeli civil and criminal law rather than the militarys jurisdiction, are rarely detained or arrested for extremist or violent actions, while the military routinely rounds up Palestinians with little explanation or justification. In late November, the Israeli military launched what it called a counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Tubas, arresting 22 Palestinians. On Dec. 10, Israeli officials approved construction of 764 homes in three West Bank settlements. The day before, the military uprooted about 20 acres of olive trees in a village south of Nablus. How to Empty a Village The campaign to isolate Palestinians and drive them off their land is evident in Al Mughayir, about 20 miles north of Jerusalem. What used to be a thriving Palestinian village has been surrounded by Jewish settlements, and villagers like Mr. Abu Naim have been squeezed into increasingly smaller areas, cut off from their land and their livelihoods. Al Mughayir is one of several small Palestinian villages clustered roughly in the center of the West Bank, all of which have been relentlessly targeted in recent months by settlers and the Israeli government. Turmus Aya Sinjil Al Mughayir Sinjil Turmus Aya Al Mughayir Note: Settlements and outposts are shown. Source: Peace Now Established 2025 Established 2024 Established 2025 Established 2024 Al Mughayir Established 2025 Established 2025 Established 2023 Established 2024 Established 2025 Established 2024 Established 2024 Established 2025 Al Mughayir Established 2025 Established 2024 Established 2023 Established 2025 Note: Settlements and outposts are shown. Source: Peace Now April 2024 May 2025 October 2024 September 2024 Al Mughayir May 2025 November 2024 February 2024 May 2024 March 2025 November 2024 April 2024 May 2025 October 2024 September 2024 Al Mughayir May 2025 November 2024 February 2024 Source: B'Tselem (attack locations and photos) Ain al Sukhun Expelled March 2023 Ain Duma Expelled Nov. 2024 Ain al Rashash Expelled Oct. 2023 Khirbat Jibeet Expelled Dec. 2023 Al Mughayir Wadi Qatunya Partially expelled Dec. 2024 Ras al Tin Expelled Dec. 2022 Ain al Sukhun Expelled March 2023 Ain Duma Expelled Nov. 2024 Ain al Rashash Expelled Oct. 2023 Khirbat Jibeet Expelled Dec. 2023 Al Mughayir Wadi Qatunya Partially expelled Dec. 2024 Ras al Tin Expelled Dec. 2022 Marajmah Expelled Dec. 2023 Source: B'Tselem Earth mounds New earth wall Closed gate (Installed after Oct. 7) Earth mound Al Mughayir New military checkpoint Earth mounds New earth wall Earth mound New military checkpoint Al Mughayir Closed gate (Installed after Oct. 7) Source: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Aug. 2025 Ahiya Outpost established 1997 Settlement legalized 2025 Adei Ad Outpost established 1998 Settlement legalized 2025 Malachei Hashalom Outpost established 2015 Settlement legalized 2023 Al Mughayir Ahiya Outpost established 1997 Settlement legalized 2025 Adei Ad Outpost established 1998 Settlement legalized 2025 Al Mughayir Malachei Hashalom Outpost established 2015 Settlement legalized 2023 Source: Peace Now Ahiya Outpost established 1997 Settlement legalized 2025 State land Declared 2025 Adei Ad Outpost established 1998 Settlement legalized 2025 Malachei Hashalom Outpost established 2015 Settlement legalized 2023 Al Mughayir Ahiya Outpost established 1997 Settlement legalized 2025 Adei Ad Outpost established 1998 Settlement legalized 2025 State land Declared 2025 Al Mughayir Malachei Hashalom Outpost established 2015 Settlement legalized 2023 Source: Peace Now The Israeli government first established settlements near Al Mughayir in the 1970s. The Israeli government first established settlements near Al Mughayir in the 1970s. Since 2023, new outposts have proliferated rapidly, with Al Mughayir now nearly surrounded. Since 2023, new outposts have proliferated rapidly, with Al Mughayir now nearly surrounded. Settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are occurring with greater frequency than at any time since the U.N. began keeping records, with dozens in Al Mughayir in 2025 alone. Settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are occurring with greater frequency than at any time since the U.N. began keeping records, with dozens in Al Mughayir in 2025 alone. The violence has had its intended effect. Since 2022, Palestinians in several communities around Al Mughayir have been driven out in whole or in part. The violence has had its intended effect. Since 2022, Palestinians in several communities around Al Mughayir have been driven out in whole or in part. The center of Al Mughayir itself is cut off intermittently by a new military roadblock, denying residents unfettered access to a hospital and making it difficult for them to tend their land or send their children to school. Israel says roadblocks are to prevent attacks on Israelis. The center of Al Mughayir itself is cut off intermittently by a new military roadblock, denying residents unfettered access to a hospital and making it difficult for them to tend their land or send their children to school. Israel says roadblocks are to prevent attacks on Israelis. The outposts are illegal under international and Israeli law but often tolerated by the Israeli government. And over time, Israel has legalized many outposts, making them official settlements. The outposts are illegal under international and Israeli law but often tolerated by the Israeli government. And over time, Israel has legalized many outposts, making them official settlements. Israel has also declared that vast stretches of the West Bank the most last year since records have been available are state land, a designation that makes it off limits to Palestinians and allows Israelis to build more settlements. Israel has also declared that vast stretches of the West Bank the most last year since records have been available are state land, a designation that makes it off limits to Palestinians and allows Israelis to build more settlements. This is the pattern that has played out across the West Bank, transforming the entire territory. A Jewish outpost, not authorized under Israeli law, pops up a small trailer, perhaps, or a large tent housing just a few young men. Settler attacks soon follow. Then come the military orders demanding evacuations of Palestinian communities and the installation of large, iron roadblocks cutting off Palestinian villagers from the rest of the West Bank. Over weeks and months, the outposts grow and are often eventually authorized by the Israeli government. Settlers build homes, businesses, schools and roads to accommodate hundreds and eventually thousands of Jewish families. In the Palestinian villages, the opposite happens. Schools are shuttered, farmers are cut off from their lands, and homes are destroyed. Destroyed Bedouin homes near Al Mughayir. The campaign started in earnest after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to office in 2022 and accelerated after the war began. In 2024 and 2025, Israelis built about 130 new outposts, more than the number built in the previous two decades, according to Peace Now, an Israeli activist group that tracks settlement expansion. Erasure The flip side of the construction is destruction. Across the West Bank, settlers and the military razed more than 1,500 Palestinian structures in 2025 double the annual average in the decade before the war. The dismantling of one long-established Palestinian community, East Muarrajat, began not long after a settler attack. On July 3, settlers, aided by members of the Israeli military, went house to house through the village where Bedouin families had lived for several generations in the white sand hills of the Jordan Valley, just north of Jericho. The residents, who had already suffered years of harassment, decided that night to abandon their homes in the middle of the night when dozens of masked settlers, many of whom appeared to be drunk, showed up on four-wheeled ATVs. Some brandished guns as they raced through the village on the vehicles and circled crying women and children. The settlers rammed the vehicles into peoples homes, then ransacked them, tearing down furnishings and throwing belongings outside while screaming obscenities. It was like the whole village was a compound of people screaming and yelling, recalled one villager, Mohammed Mlehat. We were afraid of things that are unspeakable, because they were dozens of young men who seemed to be drugged or drunk. A statement by the Israeli military said soldiers arrived in East Muarrajat that night after receiving reports of friction between Palestinians and settlers but no violent incidents were identified. Fearful of more attacks, the villagers left that night, Mr. Mlehat said, and the destruction of the homes happened in the days and weeks that followed. His family now lives in tents without access to drinking water or electricity, just a few miles from where the village, now reduced to mostly rubble, once stood. Among the few buildings still standing in East Muarrajat is an abandoned school that began operating in 1964. Through broken classroom windows, there are SpongeBob curtains still visible and school supplies scattered on the ground. A playground is littered with discarded hula hoops and backpacks strewn about. Expelled villagers building makeshift homes. An abandoned school in East Muarrajat. A settler herding animals by Bedouin homes. Mr. Mlehats nephew, Jamal Mlehat, said the attacks showed the hypocrisy of settlers who seek sympathy, saying they want only to establish homes for themselves. He cited a Bedouin proverb: You attack with the wolf and you cry with the sheep. This is what they did with us, he said. Unending Harassment The episodes of intimidation rarely let up. The number of attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank has skyrocketed in the last two years. In October, there were an average of eight incidents per day, the highest since the United Nations began keeping records two decades ago. That coincided with the start of the olive harvest in the West Bank, when many Palestinian farmers have just four weeks to secure their livelihoods from the ancient trees that cover the regions valleys and hills. We saw Yousef Fandi and his brother, Abed Alnasser Fandi, being attacked in a field of olive trees in the village of Huwara on the morning of Oct. 9. They told us later that day that they had been tending the family olive grove when they were surrounded by settlers. One was on horseback, armed and masked. Two others walked beside him. A fourth carried an assault rifle. What are you doing here? demanded the man with the gun, leveling the weapon at them, Yousef Fandi recalled. The settlers took the mens phones, ordered them to the ground and proceeded to kick them in the ribs and head for about a half-hour, a scene we witnessed ourselves. Blood spotted Mr. Fandis shirt as he later recounted the beating to us. I thought that they might shoot us, he said. Since Oct. 1, the United Nations reports, 151 Palestinians have been injured in more than 178 separate attacks on olive harvesters. About half were tied to settlers and the rest to soldiers, the organization said. By the time the Israeli soldiers arrived that morning in the village of Huwara, southwest of the city of Nablus, a large group of villagers had gathered, joined by journalists and activists who had heard about the clash. The soldiers told the settlers to leave but bore bad news for the Palestinians eager to return to their harvest. As the villagers pushed to gain access to the fields, one of the soldiers waved a copy of a military order. A map on the document showed the olive orchard in Huwara completely covered in red, indicating that Palestinians were not allowed in the area for the next 30 days. The order was signed following an operational situation assessment, the Israeli military said in a statement in response to questions. Accordingly, farmers were informed that they would not be permitted to harvest in the area at that time. Settlers attacking the Fandi brothers. An Israeli soldier with the land-closure order. Mohamed Suleiman, 76, with his olive trees felled by settlers. Military orders have become a staple of the Israeli settlement drive in the West Bank, with the government often declaring territory to be state land and denying Palestinian claims to family-owned property. The clash in Huwara that day ended the way many others did during the olive harvest: with the farmers denied access to their fields. I have the documents of this land, Yousef Fandi protested. This is my land. Deadly Confrontations For Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American, one of the clashes with settlers turned deadly. One Friday in July, young Israeli settlers cascaded down from their hilltop outpost above Sinjil, armed and masked, instigating a clash with Palestinian farmers whose land the settlers claimed as their own. A pickup truck driven by the settlers ran into a crowd of Palestinians and activists, breaking one mans leg before speeding off, according to Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli activist who witnessed the incident. When a Palestinian ambulance arrived, settlers pelted it with rocks and batons, cracking its windshield, Mr. Pollak said. During the confrontation, Israeli settlers beat Mr. Musallet to death, according to his family members and the Palestinian authorities. Mike Huckabee, the American ambassador to Israel and a staunch supporter of the Netanyahu government, called the death a criminal and terrorist act and demanded that the Israeli authorities aggressively investigate it. Masked settlers hurled stones in Sinjil. Soldiers kept Palestinians from their wounded. Sinjil villagers were taken for treatment. A second Palestinian man, Mohammad Shalabi, 23, was also killed during the clash. His body was found by villagers late that night with a gunshot wound and extensive bruising on his face and neck, according to his uncle. Both men were buried at a funeral two days later that was attended by hundreds of villagers. In the past three years alone, there were more than 1,200 Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank, nearly double the number for the decade before that, the United Nations reports. A statement about the incident in Sinjil from the Israeli military said that terrorists threw stones at Israeli civilians near the village and said that the incident was being investigated. Mr. Pollak, who was helping the Palestinians in Sinjil and was arrested by the Israeli military that day, said the violence by the settlers was part of a clear pattern. I want to say it was an inconceivable tragedy, but really, tragedy isnt the right word, he said. You know, a tragedy is a force of nature. A tragedy is being hit by a lightning bolt. This is not what happened here. Renewed Attacks For Mr. Abu Naim, the farmer in Al Mughayir, the threats to his family have not stopped. On Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1:40 a.m., eight masked settlers armed with clubs attacked the caves and tents where Mr. Abu Naim and his nine children and grandchildren live. Six members of the family were sent to the hospital, including his 13-year-old grandson, who suffered cuts and bruises to his head. The scene was described to us by activists, several of whom were sleeping at the home and were also injured. One of them, Phoebe Smith, who is from Britain, was wakened by screams, she said. When she went outside, she was attacked, too. I was outside of the tent, being beaten by them around the torso, the legs, the head, Ms. Smith recalled as she recovered in Ramallah. It was terrifying. Really terrifying. The Dec. 7 onslaught lasted about 10 minutes, she said. The attackers turned over furniture, grabbed three phones and used Ms. Smiths laptop computer to beat several of the family members. They did not enter another tent, where Mr. Abu Naims daughter, nearly nine months pregnant, was cowering inside with two children. A cave became home for some in the Abu Naim family. Mr. Abu Naim guarding his sheep. Some of the Abu Naim children playing near the cave. Before heading out, the settlers issued a warning: Leave for good within two days, they said, or we will return and burn you in your home. The Israeli military did not show up on Dec. 7. But three days later, on Dec. 10, settlers did return for another round of intimidation. Then a few hours later, activists said, five military jeeps carrying 20 soldiers and border police officers arrived with an order declaring the familys compound a closed military zone. Two activists were detained, and Mr. Abu Naims pregnant daughter and several children fled to safety. On Dec. 12, the military returned and extended the closure for 30 days. In a statement, the Israeli military said Palestinians instigated the Dec. 10 clash by throwing stones and rolling burning tires toward Israelis, which the villagers deny. The statement said the area was declared a military zone on Dec. 12 to maintain calm in the area following a prolonged period of tension. From the rocky edge of a cliff overlooking the valley, Mr. Abu Naim can keep an eye on his sheep. He can see the Jewish outposts that have sprung up in recent months. And he can try to spot any settlers headed toward his home to warn his children and grandchildren. The war in Gaza, Mr. Abu Naim said, was a turning point. We used to come and go, mostly without any problems, he recalled recently. If we met the army, they would ask for our IDs. We give them. We went back and forth. We didnt have the same problems. But, he added, these guys are completely different. Maybe Portland just prefers to stay at home. The number of people hailing Uber, Lyft or taxis in Portland remains well below pre-pandemic levels falling even more than public transit ridership has. Taxi and rideshare activity has recovered from the lows seen during the depths of the pandemic recession. But only partially, another sign of how much the regional economy has changed since COVID-19. Portland tallied about 8 million trips on rideshare services and taxis in the fiscal year ended June 30, down 37% from 2019, according to city data. The number of rides was essentially unchanged from the prior year. Ridership during the current fiscal year (which began in July) appears even slower. The steep decline in Portland is a big contrast to whats happening elsewhere. Worldwide, for example, Uber ridership was up 63% last year compared to 2019, according to the companys financial reports. The ridesharing service says Portland is among the slowest cities anywhere it operates to recover from the pandemic. Whats going on? The answer depends on who you ask. Lower taxi and rideshare figures are likely a result of much larger trends, said Hannah Schafer, spokesperson for the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Oregon has one of the highest rates in the nation of people working at home, she notes. Business travel hasnt bounced back from COVID-19. And TriMet ridership is also down by about a third. The rideshare industry points in another direction to explain its local decline: City fees and rules. Compounding layers of regulation local fees, rigid pay rules, and government insurance mandates have pushed rideshare prices well above what they are in cities with comparable costs of living, an Uber spokesperson said in a written statement. Portland had been charging 65 cents per ride. This past July it increased that to $2 per ride to address the budget crunch in the citys faltering transportation bureau. The rideshare companies say thats the nations highest citywide fee. Portland International Airport levies an additional $4 per-ride fee. Portlands fees dont just add to costs for riders, according to CJ Macklin, spokesperson for Lyft: It also reduces overall ride volume, which directly translates to fewer earning opportunities for drivers. Portland does indeed have fewer rideshare and taxi drivers. There were about 12,600 at the end of last year, down by a third from 2019. Fewer drivers may also be translating into longer waits for rides. City data shows waits were nearly 7 minutes last year, compared to less than 4 minutes in 2019. Longer waits, fewer drivers and higher fees may all be contributing to the reasons the taxis and ridesharing services have become less popular in Portland. Coupled with remote work, the metro areas sluggish economy and the sleepy state of downtown Portland, it all suggests a long road back for the local ridesharing market. Correction: The graph in this article initially misstated the decline in taxi and rideshare volume since the pandemic. Its down by more than a third. This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonians weekly look at the numbers behind the states economy. View past installments here. It was shortly before 3 a.m. on early Wednesday morning, and Shawn and Krissy Anderson couldnt sleep. Outside their home in south Tualatin, they could hear howling winds and the sound of branches and debris buffeting their house as a storm tore through the Portland metro area, downing power lines and knocking over trees. On high alert, the couple looked out their bedroom window as their neighbors enormous Douglas fir swayed in the wind, seemingly on the verge of crashing down on another neighbors house. Worried, Shawn Anderson continued watching the dark shadow of the tree even after his wife laid back down in bed and then it fell, right on top of their backyard neighbors house. I just knew that it had to hit one of their houses, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. And it wasnt going to be good. The Andersons later learned that the enormous tree landed right on top of Patty Robleto and Rick Sanders home, where Sander was sleeping in bed with the couples dog, Leo, while his wife was on vacation in Costa Rica. The resulting crash caved in the roof, went through Sanders bedroom ceiling, and dumped piles of debris onto the bed where he was sleeping. The tree brought debris from the ceiling crashing down onto Rick Sander and Patty Robleto's bed. Brad Rentfro And the tip of the tree broke off during the fall, crashing onto the roof of Sander and Robletos next-door neighbors house. But miraculously, nobody was injured including Sander and his dog, who woke up to find the trunk of the tree mere feet above their heads. Robleto told The Oregonian/OregonLive that shes still in disbelief that her husband and dog managed to survive the incident unscathed, and added that she would have been in the bedroom with them had her husband not suggested she extend her vacation in Costa Rica until the weather in Oregon settled down. But besides the couples remarkable streak of luck in the face of an unexpected disaster, she said that shes been blown away by the outpouring of support from their neighbors, including the Andersons, who were some of the first on the scene. Shawn Anderson said that after he witnessed the tree come down, he and his wife immediately rushed into action: He said he grabbed a high-powered flashlight from his work van and rushed toward the house, while Krissy Anderson dialed 911 and stayed behind with the couples 3-year-old child. Although he and his wife didnt even know their backyard neighbors by name, Shawn Anderson knew he had to help so he didnt think twice about crashing through their shared fence and rushing to Sander and Robletos collapsed house. The scene before him was pure carnage, he said, and under the beam of his flashlight he could see that the trunk of the tree had sent chunks of the ceiling raining down on his neighbors bed. I could see parts of the tree branches and the tree inside of the bedroom as I looked in their window, he said. It was just like a bomb had gone off. Fearing the worst, he looked inside and started banging on the window. He was just kind of like, not even sure if he was being robbed or what was going on, Robleto said of her husband, who consented to have his story told but declined to be interviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. He said he realized there was a tree right over our bed and our dog was right next to him. After Sander began to gradually come to his senses, Anderson repeatedly asked him if he was injured or bleeding. To his shock and surprise, Sander and his dog appeared mostly uninjured as they crawled out from under the tree hanging over their heads. But the house was another story. In addition to the collapsed roof, the crash broke a gas line outside the house, filling the air near the ruined structure with the stink of natural gas. Afraid that an electrical spark would turn into a fireball, Anderson, Sander and other neighbors that had congregated in the area scrambled to a safe distance while the fire department and NW Natural worked to defuse the situation. But in yet another remarkable coincidence, the very winds that knocked the tree onto the house also knocked out the electricity in the area not long after the tree fell. Theres so many aspects of this whole ordeal that were extremely lucky, Anderson said. The tree didnt land on his bed. The power went out when it did. The gas broke outside the house. Shortly after Sander got to safety, Robleto still in Costa Rica got a surprising phone call from her husband. I dont think I fully processed until I saw pictures, she said. I think at the moment I was just thankful he was okay. (From left to right): Rick Sander, Patty Robleto and their dog, Leo. Rick Sander Robleto said that the morning after and the days that followed brought more developments that left her feeling grateful, despite the loss of her home. Half a dozen neighbors offered her husband a place to stay, while others offered to help him dig clothes out of the debris which he declined due to fears about the house collapsing further. Thats been so heartwarming to me, she said. What a blessing to look at our circle of neighbors that just showered my husband with support and being like, what can I do? Robleto added that the experience has reminded her of whats most important in her life. Im just so thankful that theyre alive, she said. Im like, man, screw the rest of the stuff. Its all materialistic stuff. CORRECTION: A previous version of this article printed Krissy Andersons name inaccurately. It has been corrected. Portland police arrested 41-year-old Jason Norwest, of Portland, on suspicion of murder following a womans Saturday slaying in the Hazelwood neighborhood. Officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the 12600 block of Southeast Stark Street just after 6 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release. They found a woman dead at the scene and detained one man, later identified as Norwest. Officers booked Norwest on suspicion of second degree murder (domestic violence) and unlawful use of a weapon. Police have not yet released the name of the woman who died. Norwest has faced several criminal charges before, court records show. He was convicted of second degree robbery in 2016, harassment in 2014 and menacing in 2010. Police are asking anyone with information about the case to please email homicidetops@police.portlandoregon.gov or call (503) 823-0479 and reference case number 25-347614. Police are investigating a stabbing at a Portland bar and nightclub on Northwest 13th Avenue, Sgt. Kevin Allen said Sunday. One woman was injured and taken to a hospital in an ambulance with injuries that were not expected to be life threatening. KPTV reported that the stabbing happened inside a Pearl District bar called the River Pig Saloon just before midnight Saturday. Police did not make any immediate arrests, Allen said. Portland police are asking anyone with information about the case to email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 25-348310. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was asked about. Noting that XOM stock has performed better than CVX, a caller asked if Cramer thinks the company can produce similar results. In response, he said: I think that Mike Wirth is going to be able to do it. Hes got, look, he could get Venezuela if that government, if someone gives that guy $100 million Im a believer in Mike Wirth. I think hes the real deal, and I think that thats a good stock with 4.6% yield and a gigantic buyback, and I would stick with it. Photo by Luis Ramirez on Unsplash Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is an integrated energy company that explores, produces, refines, and markets oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products. During the December 10 episode, a caller asked Cramer about the stock and what he thought of the company CEO. The Mad Money host responded: I spoke to Mike today about the fire. Im not really worried about that at all. I think you can own this, 4.5% yield. Now, Im not a big fan of oil. I think it could go below $60. So be ready if it does do that. Remember, this stock had been at one point just not that long ago down to $135. And so its at $153. I think you buy some and then you wait to see if it breaks down because of that $60 possible breakdown. While we acknowledge the potential of CVX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. It may not have been biting off anybodys hands, but a loose seal was still a cause for concern on the Oregon coast this weekend. Police helped the puttering pinniped as it plodded toward U.S. 101 Saturday morning, making sure to keep it safe from moving traffic, the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office said. Arrested Development jokes aside, what sheriffs deputies identified as a seal actually turned out to be a Stellar sea lion pup, according to staff at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, who deputies called to help with the creature. After the sea lion made its way up to the highway and waddled down the shoulder of the road, deputies stepped in, using a rope to keep the animal out of the roadway. Aquarium animal care director Jim Burke told the Lincoln Chronicle that aquarium staff treated the pup and took it to an island near Seal Rock where other Stellar sea lions gather. The pup was likely separated from its mother during recent bad weather, Burke said. Travelers who see a wild animal in the road should contact Oregon State Police or the local city or county police department to help keep the animal safe, the sheriffs department said. This story was updated on Dec. 21 to correct that the animal spotted by Lincoln County Sheriffs deputies on Saturday was a Stellar sea lion. World War II Navy veteran Ira Ike Schab, one of the dwindling number of survivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died. He was 105. Daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs told The Associated Press that Schab died at home early Saturday in the presence of her and her husband. Schab lived in Beaverton. With his passing, there remain only about a dozen survivors of the surprise attack, which killed just over 2,400 troops and propelled the United States into the war. Schab was a sailor of just 21 at the time of the attack, and for decades he rarely spoke about the experience. But in recent years, aware that the corps of survivors was dwindling, the centenarian made a point of traveling from Beaverton to the annual observance at the Hawaii military base. To pay honor to the guys that didnt make it, he said in 2023. Pearl Harbor survivor Ira Schab, right, is saluted by various members of the armed forces as he leaves the 75th Anniversary National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration on Kilo Pier at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Honolulu. AP For last years commemoration, Schab spent weeks building up the strength to be able to stand and salute. But this year he did not feel well enough to attend, and less than three weeks later, he passed away. Born on Independence Day in 1920 in Chicago, Schab was the eldest of three brothers. He joined the Navy at 18, following in the footsteps of his father, he said in a February interview for Pacific Historic Parks. On what began as a peaceful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, Schab, who played the tuba in the USS Dobbins band, was expecting a visit from his brother, a fellow service member assigned to a nearby naval radio station. Schab had just showered and donned a clean uniform when he heard a call for fire rescue. He went topside and saw another ship, the USS Utah, capsizing. Japanese planes roared through the air. We were pretty startled. Startled and scared to death, Schab recalled in 2023. We didnt know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it. He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun above. His ship lost three sailors, according to Navy records. One was killed in action, and two died later of fragment wounds from a bomb that struck the stern. All had been manning an anti-aircraft gun. An attendee asks Pearl Harbor survivor Ira "Ike" Schab, 103, to sign an U.S. flag during the 82nd Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. AP Schab spent most of the war with the Navy in the Pacific, going to the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, and then the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan. After the war he studied aerospace engineering and worked on the Apollo spaceflight program as an electrical engineer for General Dynamics, helping send astronauts to the moon. Schabs son also joined the Navy and is a retired commander. Speaking at a 2022 ceremony, Schab asked people to honor those who served at Pearl Harbor. Remember what theyre here for. Remember and honor those that are left. They did a hell of a job, he said. Those who are still here, dead or alive. Portland police arrested two people while monitoring protests at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building south of downtown Friday. Both arrests stemmed from the same initial incident, a confrontation between two people near the intersection of South Moody Avenue and South Bancroft Street, the Portland Police Bureau said in a news release Saturday. Officers saw Stephen V. Squire, 29, of Portland, stop his car, get out and confront another person, police said. In the altercation, Squire allegedly hit a phone out of the other persons hands. Squire was immediately arrested. Portland police then called a tow truck to move Squires car, which they said was blocking the ramp of a parking garage. While they waited, Shean D. Broughton, 28, of Portland, allegedly confronted police and punched an officer in the face. Broughton was arrested and charged with assaulting a public safety officer, a Class C felony, police said. The consequences of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities at childcare centers is both a national story and a local one, (Crackdown on immigration takes a toll on childcare workers, Dec. 11). The story in Portland is not news to families across Oregon who have been impacted by ICE threats as far back as February. Hundreds of childcare workers had Temporary Protective Status swept away by the Department of Homeland Security. These workers risk deportation without due process and are afraid to show up at work, leaving their employers without teachers and parents without childcare. Some teachers have been in the childcare for decades and are much more than employees; they are dedicated teachers and a nurturing presence for the children. Childcare centers across the state have initiated ICE preparedness drills. Some have temporarily postponed outdoor walks, which takes a toll on both teachers and children. Beyond the operational disruptions, the emotional strain on staffers and communities is significant. We cannot kid ourselves that these children are left emotionally unscathed. I would argue that ICE tactics are just as damaging to children as proximity to a school shooting would be. Harm is being done. And about those parents whose childcare program is now without teachers? Thirty four of Oregons 36 counties are already child care deserts. ICE activities are leaving parents who were lucky enough to have childcare to cast about for another plan, which might ultimately be an uncertified, less safe option. The ripple effect of ICE rampages is steadily creeping into the wellbeing of all. It must end. Julie Swendsen Young, Portland As rainfall inundated the Pacific Northwest this month, swelling the regions rivers to record levels, the Desimone levee seemed destined to fail. Severe flooding in 2020 had damaged the 2.2-mile earthen barrier near Tukwila. Muddy waters from the Green River bubbled up on the opposite side and seeped into nearby properties. A King County report months later described the levees weakened state as the most important issue on the rivers lower reach. The years that followed were filled with red tape and bureaucratic infighting among the agencies most responsible for the regions levee system: King County, its flood control district and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. All the while, cities in the flood plain clamored for help, and the Desimone awaited repair. Construction was set to begin this summer, but the Corps pulled out of the work in January, revoking promised federal funding and setting the project back years, according to interviews and public records obtained by The Seattle Times. Reagan Dunn, chair of the districts advisory committee and a Metropolitan King County Council member, described a pattern of tension between the flood control district and the Corps. This months back-to-back atmospheric rivers pushed the levee system like never before. The Desimone was the first of two to fail. Earlier in the series of storms, water had once again begun to seep through Desimones earthen barrier, which shields a mostly commercial and industrial hub in Tukwila. On Monday, the river tore its way through, sparking a widespread evacuation. Officials feared the ensuing flash flood might be deadly. Workers plugged the hole quickly. Knowing the levees risk, they had already been watching the site for days. No injuries were reported in the breach. The patchwork nature of repairs at Desimone, and levees like it, illuminates the growing challenge of protecting Western Washington communities from flooding worsened by climate change. For generations, Washington has relied on levees as a simple solution to a complex problem, said Alan Hamlet, a former Seattle resident and scientist who now works as an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Notre Dame. Explosive growth behind them has combined with an overarching desire to spend the minimum required for flood protection, he said. That often means deferring costlier long-term maintenance, mitigation and upgrades of these emergency barriers in favor of more pressing needs. This has resulted in higher risks for the very communities the levees were designed to protect. The state, and much of the country, stands at the nexus of that growth behind the walls of inadequate infrastructure to keep natural disasters at bay, Hamlet said. Put all those things together and you have a hidden crisis that is going to begin to express itself more and more frequently, Hamlet said. The 18-year-old King County Flood Control District shuffles its priority levees based on disrepair that changes with the weather. The district has started to plan for the long term, but in its earliest years, it focused on inexpensive and easy fixes in high-risk areas, Dunn said. In other words, low-hanging fruit, he said. 26 1 / 26 Flooding in Washington state 2025 Bureaucratic tangle The Desimone levee has been damaged and repaired multiple times over the past six decades. Most recently, years of disagreements among agencies dragged out Desimones renovation. The flood control district asked the Corps to step in not long after the 2020 flood. High waters in the Green River then had not only left water seeping through the levee in at least three places, but also bubbling up from underneath. Federal officials agreed to spearhead a plan to repair the levee and cover 80% of the cost. It proposed estimates up to $16.6 million for a project focused solely on restoring the levee to its preflood condition, records show. Such is frequently the case for levee systems nationwide, Hamlet said. Restoring them to their original condition is typically less expensive and complicated. Expanding them or exploring other options takes more time, money and political will. But the flood district wanted more for Desimone: a design that would fix the damage and relieve water pressure further by setting the levee back, restoring some of the rivers natural bank. It was projected to cost the district about $30 million. The districts plan would take longer and cost more but reduce long-term risks, said Michelle Clark, the districts director. We want to do a bigger project so that were not coming back to do more repairs. The flood control district handles planning, but the project hinged on King County finding land along the river for the new work, records show. But it fell short. These types of repairs are more complicated than they might seem, Hamlet said. Strengthen a levee in one place, and youll send floodwaters careening into another. Set a levee back from the river, or remove one to restore a flood plain, and first you have to clear out any homes or businesses already there. These structures arent the only way to hold back floodwaters, but in many places, theyre the system thats already there. A failed deal The Corps worked in fits and starts, at one point in 2022 halting its involvement due to staffing challenges. Even when the county made headway securing land, the Corps said it had used the wrong language in the agreements. At the same time, the county accused the Corps of clerical errors that dragged out the planning process, according to county records. The county officials for which said they were unable to immediately comment, citing the ongoing flood emergency was confident it could secure the land, just not on schedule, according to a county brief from April. It proposed breaking ground in 2026 instead. Citing the countys inability to provide the needed land along the highly developed and industrial area, the Corps backed out of the agreement in a January letter. We have been pushing them since 2020, Clark said. And its frustrating. The Corps worked diligently with King County but couldnt move forward without land for construction, the agency wrote in an email to The Times. Levee rehabilitation can be complex, it added. The federal process, sponsor timelines and real estate actions do not always align well, but we are committed to finding a solution when possible, the agency wrote. Abandoned by the Corps, the county and its partner cities faced their biggest setback, Clark said. Everybody blamed each other as the flood season approached. Concerns heightened after the Corps pulled its support. In July, city leaders from Tukwila, Kent and Renton asked the flood district to more immediately prioritize the levee repair project. Tukwila officials declined to comment, and Kent and Renton officials did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. As the fall rains approached and without significant improvements on the levee officials from Tukwila, Kent, King County and the Corps of Engineers spoke in late October to review the contingency plan in case the structure failed, according to Tukwila city records. They walked the levee bank to flag logistical challenges and clarified roles and responsibilities in case of an emergency. The Corps passed along its nearly complete project design for the Desimone levee, according to its January letter to the district. But without the federal government to offset the cost, the countys grand plan was too pricey. The district has years of research and $25 million set aside for the levee repairs, but it might not be enough, Clark said; it needs to prepare options before it can move forward with a plan. The King County Flood Control District is now, in many ways, exactly where it was in 2020: waiting for the water to recede, preparing to assess the damage and on the verge of once again planning how to fix the Desimone. --Conrad Swanson and Lulu Ramadan 2025 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. an aberration that led the Sophists to be skeptical of Logos and truth? Simone Weils references to Plato and her constant appeal to a new Eudoxus represent a desire to es or he tries to be: hes rapped and sang in at least three or four black Angloph I thought birds were pure sound / until I was 5 months old / and one fluttered to my sill / and into my sight.as if in removing him from her sight she staunches the feelings so eventually I fished out a Balzac novel from my purse and started pointedly reading it in the middle of dinner at the table.He was highly ambitious but profligate with mone When people come to visit us we have to tell them that the shower is disgusting and even then they cannot manage to remember not to look crestfallen when they see it.Wha underscores some of the parallels between the two artists bodies of work: an e one has to recite a particular prayer: I emulate this devout rule by thinking with each chestnut of something lovely that refers to you and Clara Westhoff.and the rest of th My parents had set up those meetings with Archbishop Mahoney because they didnt know what to do with me.in order to correct what he now sees as sacrilegious or impious with r Maybe its ironic that its at my butchest that Ive come to appreciate the very feline sensibility of being is narrated by a young girl caught between her motherimprisoned for her part in a botched robbery intended to finance revolutio General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is one of the one of the stocks Jim Cramer was bullish on due to share buyback activity. Cramer praised the companys CEO during the episode. The Mad Money host said: Now, the next five buyback monsters are more elite. Theyve retired more than 40% of their shares in the last decade. For starters, theres General Motors. Now, get this, General Motors has shrunk its share count by 40.1% since 2015. This ones interesting because GMs simply retiring the new shares it issued during the financial crisis and its aftermath. Still, when you look at the rest of the auto industry, its clear CEO Mary Barra has been doing a remarkable job. She is so good. After tariff concerns kept a lid on GM for much of the first half of the year, the stocks exploded higher in recent months. Its now up over 50% year to date, trading at its highest level since the company returned to public markets in 2010. The best part, even after this move, GM still sells for just under seven times next years estimates. I bet it can keep climbing, especially if we get more rate cuts from the Fed. Now, you know, I expect that. Pixabay/Public Domain General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) manufactures vehicles and parts under brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Baojun, and Wuling. Cramer discussed the company during the October 27 episode and said: up in thy way-out pad And it being the only cop story (phrase via Tom Jenkins) or maybe second or third that Ive read.I would never have known how real my feeling was o and I feel that speaks for itselfthe more we sense desperation: Some unfortun where Nicole Kidmans on-screen avatar assured me that the display was IMAX and the projectors laser.photography (an optional part of the game involves taking pictures of eve isnt he?) all I want to say is that if I didnt write the book myself in another life then you wrote it for (O Doctor.already some thirty years oldas pungen Obviously the way porn and misogyny and patriarchy interact is massively tangled and anything but unidire I woke up to Lous voice crying out: Help! I cant breathe! I pushed Gabe and he bolted into the Blue Room.in which he seemed to m and I find it a little scarynot for reasons of vulnerability but because such writing is embedded with the impossible imperative to get it right.H is for:harom puszi = t a collaboration with Ishmael Reed and a murderers row of excellent Black actor are some of her poems like postcards? The first postcard in the exhibition is a photograph from the 1910s.a literary form uniquely popular in Chinaworks of fiction betwe inaccessible to anybody else (it seems) but bountiful enough to supply two rad My mystery diarist could not have been the only one in the nineteenth century to choose to record an aspe There were bright drugstores and restaurants and a picture show with a shiny tin portico and gaudy placards.including one of us By Karla Ward and Janet Patton, Lexington Herald-Leader (TNS) The James B. Beam Distilling Co. had nearly 1,500 employees in Kentucky last year. How many of them might be affected by the decision to shutter distilling operations at the plant in Clermont throughout 2026? That remains unclear. We continue to assess how best to utilize our workforce during this transition, and conversations with the union are ongoing, a company spokesperson said Saturday morning. ALSO READ: Major Kentucky bourbon maker Jim Beam shuttering distillery for 2026 The company said in a statement Friday that the decision to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beamcampus would allow it to invest in site enhancements. Suntory Global Spirits operates the Clermont facility in Bullitt County, as well as a larger distillery in Boston, Kentucky, in Nelson County, which is not affected. We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026, the company statement said. Weve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our ( Freddie Booker Noe) craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beamcampus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act, or WARN, requires companies with at least 100 employees to give 60 days notice of impending layoffs or plant closures. The notice is required when at least 50 employees are affected at one site, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. As of Saturday afternoon, no WARN notice had been published on the state website where such notices are posted. Workers at Jim Beam are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers. While distilling operations are paused, bottling and warehousing will continue in Clermont, the company said. The visitors center will remain open, and patrons will still be able to eat at The Kitchen Table restaurant. ALSO READ: Jack Daniels parent says profits down 14% for quarter. $59M in losses this year James B. Beam Distilling Co.hosts more than 100,000 visitors a year, according to the company. Suntory Global Spirits Japanese parent company Suntory also owns Makers Mark, but distilling there is not affected, according to a Suntory spokesperson. 2025 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer shed light on. During the lightning round, a caller sought Cramers opinion on the stock, and he said: Okay, Pfizer, really good yield, not a lot of momentum. Didnt like the update yesterday. Im going to say just weak hold. Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) creates and sells medicines and vaccines for several health conditions, including heart disease, infections, COVID-19, and rare diseases. Cramer was asked about the stock during the December 1 episode, and he responded: 2026, yeah, there is. Its got, they got a lot of irons in the fire. I think Dr. Bourla is going to trace things out in January at the JPMorgan conference. I think you might like what you hear 6.8% yield. Until then, I would hold onto it. Thats my, I would hold on to it. In addition, Cramer mentioned the stock during the November 21 episode and stated: All right, next up, controversial, its Pfizer. Its the big pharma titan, 6.9% yield. Now, I gotta tell you, these days I see Pfizers basically as a bond equivalent It hasnt given you much in the way of share price appreciation, hence its controversial nature. But since it yields nearly 7%, you can still get a decent return even if the stock does nothing. Although I obviously want it to do something I think that Pfizer has the ability to use some of the businesses its acquired in recent years to build up a powerful pipeline, one thats bountiful enough to offset the wave of patent expirations that everybody seems to be so worried about when it comes to Pfizer. While we acknowledge the potential of PFE as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. A 45-year-old Lancaster County man will spend 20 to 45 years in prison after he was convicted of cutting another mans throat during an altercation at a bar last year. A jury found Syeen Hill, of Manor Township, guilty of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime following a two-day trial in October. He was sentenced Nov. 24. Assistant District Attorney Emily Corcuera, who prosecuted the case, said all it took was a bump in a club to bring out Hills murderous intent. Hill told the court he wasnt going out looking for trouble when he went to a bar on the 200 block of Queen Street on July 28, 2024, and instead trouble found him. Surveillance footage from the area and inside the bar showed Hill walking behind the victim while holding a weapon in his hand. Hill is then seen slashing the victim across the neck shortly after 2 a.m. The victim suffered a seven-inch wound on his neck, the county district attorneys office said. An anonymous tip received by police corroborated the events leading up to the attack. The tipster also told police Hill later bragged about attacking the victim, saying that he didnt see it coming. Before he was convicted, Hill argued he acted in self-defense because the other man towered over him. As I said on the stand, I didnt intend to take a life, said Hill. He also said a 15-year sentence requested by his attorney would be a lifetime to him. Weve seen a lot of people commit more heinous crimes, Hill said before he was sentenced. Prosecutors said the victims size and physical fitness helped save his life. Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Ryan Burgett filed the charges. Howard Stern fans have been wondering about two things all year, and the King of All Media addressed them both during his show Tuesday. Stern put the rumors to rest about whether he would be returning to the airwaves in 2026, by announcing that he has agreed to a new, three-year contract with SiriusXM. And, while discussing that, he also addressed another big question fans have had by shedding light on the health of his sidekick, Robin Quivers. Stern and Quivers, who began her radio career as a newscaster at WIOO in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, have been together since 1981. Quivers has been battling endometrial cancer since 2012, and she has been back in treatment lately. When Stern announced the new deal, he said that he would not have agreed to it if Quivers was not prepared to come along for the ride. Im happy to announce that Ive figured out a way to have it all, Stern said on his show. More free time and continuing to be on the radio. So yes, we are coming back for three years. Im excited about it, because you know what? I do still love radio. He then discussed Quivers battle some. Lets be honest, Robin, if I may speak for you, you needed a more flexible schedule, he said. Robins also busy trying to save her own life with a battle of cancer and it does require a tremendous amount of her time. Like when shes not on the air, shes busy literally fighting cancer. Shes a go-getter, if you know what I mean, Stern added. Shes a busy body, but shes got to say home, and shes got to take care of herself. God forbid, anything gets into her body that could be a foreign agent. So she has really lived a lifestyle of perfection but shes still got to fight this (expletive) thing, right? Sterns announcement that the show was returning comes after months of speculation that the company was ready to part ways with the 71-year-old star, and that his staffers were looking for new work. Many fans speculated that Quivers health would play a role in Sterns decision and it appears that was the case. Heres a friendly, fair warning. If youre a longtime fan of Charlie Sheen, then youd know to always expect the unexpected when it comes to the legendary actor. He can be unfiltered so you just never know what the guy might say. Which brings us to his recent appearance on the Howie Mendal Does Stuff podcast. Sheens HIV status he announced he had the disease in 2015 was the big topic of discussion. The Two and a Half Men star said his HIV has been completely manageable, but he revealed he believes there was once a better option for treatment out there. Sheen, 60, detailed how an experimental drug he once took to manage his HIV never saw the light of day. There was one that was really good that I was hoping would come to market one day, and it never did, Sheen explained. That was a thing called PRO 140. It was an MAB [monoclonal antibody] that had much just quicker and I think more stable results with no side effects than the traditional. When asked why the medicine never made it to the market, Sheen replied, Its a threat, I suppose. It works, better than what they have. The way Sheen explains it, he said the company that created the medication got into trouble. Mandel suggested that they should get to the bottom of this, Sheen shared the same sentiment. While the star was on Good Morning America during a recent appearance, the Ferris Buellers Day Off actor - who had a brief appearance in the film - dove into his past sexual encounters with men, which he believes ultimately led to him contracting the virus. But Sheen said his entire spiral began with his addiction to crack. Thats what started it, he admitted. Thats where it was born or sparked. And in whatever chunks of time that I was off the pipe, trying to navigate that, trying to come to terms with it Where did that come from? Why did that happen? and then just finally being like, So what? So what? Some of it was weird. A lot of it was [expletive] fun, and life goes on. Sheen appeared on the Today show in 2015 and revealed his HIV status, saying doctors had detected the virus four years prior. He claimed he went public with his status only because he was being blackmailed for millions of dollars. He even wrote about the sense of relief he felt in his memoir, The Book of Sheen. But since learning of his status, Sheen has been adamant that hes been safe. I do know for a fact that I never passed it on, he shared with People in September. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Authors: Carrie McDonough, Carnegie Mellon University; Brian G. Henning, Gonzaga University; Cara Poland, Michigan State University; Nathaniel M. Tran, University of Illinois Chicago; Rachael Sirianni, UMass Chan Medical School, and Stephanie J. Nawyn, Michigan State University From beginning to end, 2025 was a year of devastation for scientists in the United States. January saw the abrupt suspension of key operations across the National Institutes of Health, not only disrupting clinical trials and other in-progress studies but stalling grant reviews and other activities necessary to conduct research. Around the same time, the Trump administration issued executive orders declaring there are only two sexes and ending DEI programs. The Trump administration also removed public data and analysis tools related to health disparties, climate change and environmental justice, among other databases. February and March saw a steep undercutting of federal support for the infrastructure crucialto conducting research as well as the withholding of federal fundingfrom several universities. And over the course of the following months, billions of dollars of grants supporting research projects across disciplines, institutions and states were terminated. These include funding already spent on in-progress studies that have been forced to end before completion. Federal agencies, including NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Agency for International Development have been downsized or dismantled altogether. The Conversation asked researchers from a range of fields to share how the Trump administrations science funding cuts have affected them. All describe the significant losses they and their communities have experienced. But many also voice their determination to continue doing work they believe is crucial to a healthier, safer and more fair society. Pipeline of new scientists cut off Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University People are exposed to thousands of synthetic chemicals every day, but the health risks those chemicals pose are poorly understood. I was a co-investigator on a US$1.5 million grant from the EPA to develop machine-learning techniques for rapid chemical safety assessment. My lab was two months into our project when it was terminated in May because it no longer aligned with agency priorities, despite the administrations Make America Healthy Again report specifically highlighting using AI to rapidly assess childhood chemical exposures as a focus area. Labs like mine are usually pipelines for early-career scientists to enter federal research labs, but the uncertain future of federal research agencies has disrupted this process. Im seeing recent graduates lose federal jobs, and countless opportunities disappear. Students who would have been the next generation of scientists helping to shape environmental regulations to protect Americans have had their careers altered forever. Many researchers are working to advocate for science in the public sphere. John McDonnell/AP Photo John McDonnell/AP Photo Ive been splitting my time between research, teaching and advocating for academic freedom and the economic importanceof science funding because I care deeply about the scientific and academic excellence of this country and its effects on the world. I owe it to my students and the next generation to make sure people know whats at stake. Fewer people trained to treat addiction Cara Poland, Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University I run a program that has trained 20,000 health care practitioners across the U.S. on how to effectively and compassionately treat addiction in their communities. Most doctors arent trained to treat addiction, leaving patients without lifesaving care and leading to preventable deaths. This work is personal: My brother died from substance use disorder. Behind every statistic is a family like mine, hoping for care that could save their loved ones life. With our federal funding cut by 60%, my team and I are unable to continue developing our addiction medicine curriculum and enrolling medical schools and clinicians into our program. Meanwhile, addiction-related deaths continue to rise as the U.S. health system loses its capacity to deliver effective treatment. These setbacks ripple through hospitals and communities, perpetuating treatment gapsand deepening the addiction crisis. Communities left to brave extreme weather alone Brian G. Henning, Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies and Sciences, Gonzaga University In 2021, a heat dome settled over the Northwest, shattering temperature records and claiming lives. Since that devastating summer, my team and I have been working with the City of Spokane to prepare for the climate challenges ahead. We and the city were awarded a $19.9 million grant from the EPA to support projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience and build capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. Cooling centers are becoming more critical as extreme heat becomes more common. Nathan Howard/Getty Images Nathan Howard/Getty Images As our work was about to begin, the Trump administration rescinded our funding in May. As a result, the five public facilities that were set to serve as hubs for community members to gather during extreme weather will be less equipped to handle power failures. Around 300 low-income households will miss out on efficient HVAC system updates. And our local economy will lose the jobs and investments these projects would have generated. Despite this setback, the work will continue. My team and I care about our neighbors, and we remain focused on helping our community become more resilient to extreme heat and wildfires. This includes pursuing new funding to support this work. It will be smaller, slower and with fewer resources than planned, but we are not deterred. LGBTQ+ people made invisible Nathaniel M. Tran, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Administration, University of Illinois Chicago This year nearly broke me as a scientist. Shortly after coming into office, the Trump administration began targeting research projects focusing on LGBTQ+ health for early termination. I felt demoralized after receiving termination letters from the NIH for my own project examining access to preventive services and home-based care among LGBTQ+ older adults. The disruption of publicly funded research projects wastes millions of dollars from existing contracts. Then, news broke that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would no longer process or make publicly available the LGBTQ+ demographic data that public health researchers like me rely on. But instead of becoming demoralized, I grew emboldened: I will not be erased, and I will not let the LGBTQ+ community be erased. These setbacks renewed my commitment to advancing the publics health, guided by rigorous science, collaboration and equity. Research on LGBTQ+ health informs the kind of care patients receive. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Pediatric brain cancer research squelched Rachael Sirianni, Professor of Neurological Surgery, UMass Chan Medical School My lab designs new cancer treatments. We are one of only a few groups in the nation focused on treating pediatric cancer that has spread across the brain and spinal cord. This research is being crushed by the broad, destabilizing impacts of federal cuts to the NIH. Compared to last year, I am working with around 25% of our funding and less than 50% of our staff. We cannot finish our studies, publish results or pursue new ideas. We have lost technology in development. Students andcolleagues are leaving as training opportunities and hope for the future of science dries up. Im faced with impossible questions about what to do next. Do I use my dwindling research funds to maintain personnel who took years to train? Keep equipment running? Bet it all on one final, risky study? There are simply no good choices remaining. Inequality in science festers Stephanie Nawyn, Associate Professor of Sociology, Michigan State University Many people have asked me how the termination of my National Science Foundation grant to improve work cultures in university departments has affected me, but I believe that is the wrong question. Certainly it has meant the loss of publications, summer funding for faculty and graduate students, and opportunities to make working conditions at my and my colleagues institutions more equitable and inclusive. But the greatest effects will come from the widespread terminations across science as a whole, including the elimination of NSF programs dedicated to improving gender equity in science and technology. These terminations are part of a broader dismantling of science and higher education that will have cascading negative effects lasting decades. Infrastructure for knowledge production that took years to build cannot be rebuilt overnight. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/this-year-nearly-broke-me-as-a-scientist-us-researchers-reflect-on-how-2025s-science-cuts-have-changed-their-lives-271282. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Author: Alan K. Chen, University of Denver Colorado passed first-in-the-nation legislation requiring warning labels on gas stoves in June 2025. These warnings are similar to what is required by cigarette labelling laws. The required labels urge consumers to educate themselves about the air quality implications of indoor gas stoves and direct consumers to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for information on the health impacts. This could have a substantial impact, as government agencies estimate that about one-third of Colorados households use gas as their primary cooking source. The law went into effect on Aug. 6. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is now suing Coloradoand is asking a federal court to temporarily block the law from being enforced while the case proceeds. The parties are awaiting a hearing on this request. Im a legal scholar with expertise in First Amendment law. I research and publish papers focusing on laws, such as the new Colorado statute, that compel businesses to disclose information to consumers. In my opinion, in opposing warning labels, the gas industry and its trade association are weaponizing the First Amendment to undermine a commonsense regulation that aims to keep residents safe and informed. Warning labels in the US Walk down an aisle in any toy store and youll see tags alerting parents to the risk of choking. Flip over your prescription medication and you can read its side effects and interactions with other drugs. In the grocery store, food products have labels bearing information about calorie and sugar content to help consumers make healthier decisions. Warning labels on cigarettes have been required in the U.S. since 1965. MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images Often taken for granted, these warning labels provide critical information to protect Americans health and safety. Perhaps the most recognizable warning labels can be found on cigarette packages, required in the U.S. since 1965, to inform customers about the health harms of smoking. Despite the fact that warning labels on cigarettes have saved millions of lives, the tobacco industry fought tooth and nail against them to keep consumers in the dark. Since that time, federal, state and local laws requiring businesses to make truthful factual disclosures about their products have become commonplace. Colorado lawsuit In its lawsuit, the gas industry invokes the First Amendments compelled speech doctrine. This doctrine prohibits the government from forcing people to make ideological statements they dont actually believe, such as reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2018, in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly expanded this rule and opened the door for challenges to government efforts to require businesses to disclose truthful statements of fact. The court held that the government cannot compel businesses to disclose factual information if it is controversial. Of course, it would be hard to find a manufacturer who does not think such disclosures are controversial, given that businesses are likely to disagree that their products are dangerous. If a subjective claim that a disclosure is controversial is all it takes to strike a law down, many such laws are vulnerable to legal attacks. Interest groups representing the tobacco industry, the gas industry and others have seized on this opportunityto dismantle what most people understand to be routine labeling requirements. For example, companies have filed lawsuits challenging federal laws requiring companies to disclose that they use conflict minerals and local laws requiring beverage manufacturers to disclose that drinking sugar-sweetened drinks contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. In its lawsuit, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, a trade association that lobbies on behalf of the home appliance industry, argues that Colorados law compels gas stove manufacturers to place warning labels on their products that it believes contain scientifically controversial and factually misleading information around gas stoves. However, abundant evidence shows that cooking with a gas stove releases pollutants that harm human health. Multiple studies have shown that burning methane gas produces nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene that can worsen respiratory illnesses such as asthma and increase the risk of cancer. Cooking with gas stoves indoors has been linked to human health harms such as asthma. Michael Robinson Chavez/GettyImages Michael Robinson Chavez/GettyImages Furthermore, in 2022, the American Medical Association recognized that gas stove use can increase household air pollution, the risk of childhood asthma and asthma severity. The same year, the American Public Health Association recommended putting warning labels on gas stoves as an official policy position. Public health advocates contend that the gas industry has known about the health harms of gas stoves for decades, but that the industry has repeatedly attempted to paint its products in a better light. A 2023 expose by The New York Times, for example, revealed that the gas industry paid toxicologist Julie Goodman to downplay the health impacts of gas stoves. Just eight years earlier, Goodman provided testimonyon behalf of tobacco companies. A judge described her testimony on tobacco as contrary to consensus of the scientific community. Risk to consumers If the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers claim succeeds in court, it could, in my analysis, make it much easier for companies to fund biased research or bring in experts to argue that something is not well-established science. For example, a drug manufacturer could hire an expert to dispute the side effects of a drug. Food producers might claim their experts disagree with the science underlying nutrition and calorie information required by government regulation. Even manufacturers of everyday items such as lawnmowers or toasters could hire experts and proclaim that their products pose no safety harms. Everyday people would bear the brunt of harm from the invalidation of warning label laws. These people currently have the right to know critical health and safety information before buying any product. If we let corporate interests undermine regulations such as warning labels, I believe we will no longer be able to inform the public about commonsense steps they can take to protect their health. Read more of our stories about Colorado. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/what-are-gas-stove-manufacturers-trying-to-hide-warning-labels-271370. In the space of just a few days during this holiday season, communities worldwide have suffered immeasurably. A massacre of Jews celebrating the Hanukkah festival in Australia was reminiscent of the senseless slaughter at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018. American soldiers and an American interpreter were murdered in Syria. A gun massacre occurred at Brown University, and accomplished actor and producer Rob Reiner and his wife were slain. At the same time, peace in Ukraine and the Middle East appears elusive, and the killing continues to take place. All of this takes place as we are seeking holiday cheer through the celebration of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. We look to our leaders for moral guidance and comfort, but often find those traits to be scarce. A cherished prayerbook that had been used at my house of worship includes the following in a passage of responsive reading: In a world torn by violence and pain, a world far from wholeness and peace, a world waiting still to be redeemed... The writer knew that our world would always be afflicted. Oren Spiegler, Peters Township, Pa. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. Cramer highlighted the companys R&D investments during the episode. The Mad Money host stated: If you ask me what tech stock I like right now, right here, Id tell you that my favorite tech stock is Procter & Gamble, a house of innovation. It spends more than $2 billion a year on research and development to make the best personal products imaginable. From Pampers that can handle a pounding to Tide evo detergent with six levels of clean to the Gillette Labs heated razor for the best shaving imaginable, this company is loaded with the kind of tech Im willing to pay for. And get this, its stocks on sale, down more than 13% for the year. And management already told you theyre going to miss the quarter, so its what we call de-risked A laptop and a computer monitor display a detailed stock market technical analysis chart. Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) provides branded consumer goods across beauty, grooming, health care, home care, and family care. The company sells its products through renowned names such as Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Crest, Olay, and Febreze. While we acknowledge the potential of PG as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. The plan was to reach six players for the final day of the 1,100 PokerStars Open Cannes Main Event at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres. The day was full of action, but by the end of the night, seven players qualified for Day 4 and are still in contention for the 195,700 first-place prize. From a total field of 1,202 entries, which generated a 1,153,920 prize pool, Paul Tedeschi leads the way at the end of Day 3 with 10,200,000 in chips. I had a shaky start today, but after that everything went smoothly, he explained after he bagged his chips. Two hands in particular came to his mind when he summed up his day: first, a hero call with king-seven for his tournament life, where he caught Davis Modans (20th - 6,910) bluffing with ace-high; then a straight completed on the turn against Andrew Kings two pair, a pot that "propelled" him into a commanding lead just before the final table. Final Table Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Paul Tedeschi France 10,200,000 85 2 Nikolai Mamut Russian Federation 8,800,000 73 3 Kamel Atoui France 6,400,000 53 4 Axel Bayout France 4,475,000 37 5 Julien Sitbon France 2,850,000 24 6 Adria Diaz Dalmau Spain 2,075,000 17 7 Michel Marcone France 1,250,000 10 Nikolai Mamut Slowly but surely, Nikolai Mamut built the second-largest stack of the day with 8,800,000 and now has one goal in mind: pull off an impressive back-to-back after winning the $1,100 PokerStars Open event at NAPT Las Vegas last month for $158,700. He will, however, face heavy pressure from a French contingent led by Tedeschi and Kamel Atoui (6,400,000), who hit several miracle rivers today. When 35 players remained, Atoui first cracked aces with tens, and later won Giovanni Rennas big stack by hitting one of the three remaining jacks in the deck, completing a straight to overcome Rennas flopped set. Kamel Atoui WSOP bracelet winners Axel Bayout (4,475,000) and Julien Sitbon (2,850,000) remain among the favorites for the win. But the trophy could also head to Spain, with Adria Diaz Dalmau holding a 2,075,000-chip stack. Meanwhile, after starting the day second in chips, Michel Marcone had a tough Day 3 but managed to double up multiple times, including in the very last hands of the night. He will return for the restart with the shortest stack at 1,250,000. Axel Bayout After the eliminations of Arthur Lacroix (9th 18,110) and Gianfranco Ironico (8th 23,540) at the start of the final table, the seven remaining players have already locked up 30,600 each. But who will take the trophy and 195,700? The answer will be revealed from 12:30 local time this Sunday, December 21, for the final day of the 2025 PS Open Cannes Main Event. Play will resume with blinds of 100,000/150,000 and a 150,000 big blind ante. Since the start of the final table, the structure has switched from timed levels to a hands-per-level format, which will continue until a winner is crowned. And same as today, all the action will be to follow on stream. Place Player Country Prize 1 195,700 2 122,410 3 87,430 4 67,250 5 51,730 6 39,790 7 30,600 8 Gianfranco Ironico Italy 23,540 9 Arthur Lacroix France 18,110 Stay tuned as PokerNews brings you live updates from Cannes until a winner is crowned! Mark Cuban offered his advice for those seeking jobs in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the benefits of working for smaller companies over large corporations. What Happened: Recently during an interview, Cuban shared his insights for those entering the job market in the AI era. His advice leans towards choosing smaller companies over large corporations. Cuban believes that in larger corporations, AI skills may not stand out as they would likely be common among the numerous IT department employees. Don't Miss: On the other hand, smaller to medium-sized companies, which often lack this depth, are usually led by entrepreneurs without the luxury of conducting extensive research. These companies could greatly benefit from fresh graduates working on AI projects, leading to immediate results. "Small- to medium-size companies don't have that depth. They are typically entrepreneurially driven and don't have the flexibility to have people research things. Bringing a new graduate on to work on agentic AI projects is inexpensive for them and can get them immediate results," Cuban told CNBC. Using his own company, Cost Plus Drugs, as an example in a podcast episode of The Dumbest Guy In the Room, Cuban stressed that individuals with a grasp on AI can help automate processes, thereby increasing the companys productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. Cuban also shared that 95% of companies have not yet seen a measurable revenue return from their AI investments. See Also: Earn While You Scroll: The Deloitte-Ranked #1 Software Company Growing 32,481% Is Opening Its $0.50/Share Round to Accredited Investors. The exceptions are mostly early-stage tech startups led by young entrepreneurs who design their companies processes around AI models specifically tailored to their businesses. He urged his children and other young individuals to learn as much as they can about AI and its implementation in companies. Cuban perceives that companies are currently grappling with understanding how to utilize AI for a competitive edge. Small companies have to compete differently, and they don't have the resources to just have a huge IT department. Just like we saw with the early days of the internet, you hired young kids who were more comfortable with it, who learned it already and could come in and implement new things," Cuban said. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 13:01:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 414 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 21, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or "the Company") (NYSE:ARE) and certain of its officers.Class DefinitionThis lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Alexandria securities between January 27, 2025 and October 27, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/ARE Case DetailsThe Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of the Company's Long Island City (LIC) property; (2) The Company's claims and confidence regarding the leasing value of the LIC property as a life-science destination were misleading and lacked a reasonable basis, particularly in connection with ARE's Megacampus strategy; and (3) As a result, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.What's Next?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/ARE or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Alexandria you have until January 26, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 13:01:15 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 421 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 21, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Freeport-McMoRan Inc. ("Freeport" or "the Company") (NYSE:FCX) and certain of its officers.Class DefinitionThis lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Freeport securities between February 15, 2022 and September 24, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/FCX Case DetailsThe Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Freeport did not adequately ensure safety at the Grasberg Block Cave mine in Indonesia; (2) the lack of proper safety precautions constituted a heightened risk that could foreseeably lead to the death of Freeport's workers; (3) this constituted an undisclosed heightened risk of regulatory, litigation, and reputational risk; and (4) as a result, defendants statements about Freeport-McMoRan's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.What's Next?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/FCX . or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Freeport you have until January 12, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller 332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 01:30:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 618 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 20, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., December 20, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:INSP) between August 6, 2024 and August 4, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 5, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Inspire Medical common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Inspire Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21452 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 5, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants misrepresented and failed to disclose key facts about Inspire V, a sleep apnea device, including the actual market demand for the device and whether Inspire Medical had taken the steps necessary to launch it. Defendants issued a series of materially false and misleading statements that led investors to believe that demand for Inspire V was strong and that Inspire Medical had taken the necessary steps for a successful launch. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Inspire Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21452 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 01:16:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 593 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 20, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., December 20, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of James Hardie Industries plc (NYSE:JHX) between May 20, 2025 through August 18, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period") of the important December 23, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased James Hardie common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the James Hardie class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=46976or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 23, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, James Hardie Industries plc misled investors about the strength of its key North America Fiber Cement segment between May 20 and August 18, 2025. Despite knowing by April and early May that distributors were destocking inventory, James Hardie falsely claimed demand remained strong and that stock levels were " normal." When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the James Hardie class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=46976 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. Chinese chip designer Moore Threads Technology has unveiled a suite of new products, including its next generation of chip architecture and artificial intelligence chips as it looks to challenge US chip-making heavyweights Nvidia and AMD. The Beijing-based firm, hailed as China's "little Nvidia", introduced two forthcoming chips Huashan and Lushan, named after two famous Chinese mountains, at a developer conference in the Chinese capital on Saturday. The Huashan chip, designed for AI training and inference, delivers better performance than Nvidia's Hopper series and comes close to the US tech firm's newer Blackwell line, according to James Zhang Jianzhong, founder, chairman and CEO of Moore Threads. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The launch marks Moore Threads' latest bid to challenge foreign rivals like Nvidia, and comes close on the heels of the company's blockbuster initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on December 5. Zhang Jianzhong, founder and CEO of Moore Threads, pictured in November 2023. Photo: Handout alt=Zhang Jianzhong, founder and CEO of Moore Threads, pictured in November 2023. Photo: Handout> The company's shares have gained more than 480 per cent since their debut, closing at 664.1 yuan on Friday. Zhang claimed that Huashan's performance exceeded that of Nvidia's Hopper series, which includes the H100 and H200 chips, in computing power, memory bandwidth and capacity, but did not provide specifications for the chips. The sale of Nvidia's H100 and H200 - popular choices among global tech firms for AI training - to China was banned until recently by the US government, which cited national security concerns. Washington, in a surprising move, recently approved the sale of the H200 chips to China in a move to balance export control, economic interests and national security concerns. But Beijing has yet to approve its domestic sale. Zhang, 59, an Nvidia veteran and former China market general manager who left to found Moore Threads in 2020, acknowledged that local AI developers had previously hesitated to use domestic chips to train their AI models, fearing subpar outcomes. "But now we can confidently say that if you previously used Hopper [chips], switching to our new product for your large language models will yield better results," he said. PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 01:00:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 457 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 20, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., December 20, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Nidec Corporation (OTC:NJDCY) resulting from allegations that Nidec may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.SO WHAT: If you purchased Nidec securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=47559 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On September 3, 2025, after market close, CNBC published an article entitled "Nidec shares plunge 22% as China unit probe finds accounting issues tied to management." The article further stated that shares of Nidec fell "after the company announced a probe into allegations of improper accounting in its group. This marks the largest one-day drop in the Japanese electronics components manufacturer's shares." On this news, Nidec American Depositary Receipts' ("ADRs") fell 22.7% on September 4, 2025.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 00:00:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 491 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 20, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Avantor, Inc. ("Avantor" or the "Company") (NYSE:AVTR). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Avantor and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until December 29, 2025 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Avantor securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On April 25, 2025, Avantor reported disappointing first quarter 2025 financial results, cut its guidance for 2025, and announced that Michael Stubblefield would be stepping down from his roles as President and Chief Executive Officer. Avantor's management attributed its weak performance and outlook to "the impact of increased competitive intensity." On this news, Avantor's stock price fell $2.57 per share, or 16.5%, to close at $12.93 per share on April 25, 2025.Then, on August 1, 2025, Avantor reported disappointing second quarter 2025 financial results, including a year-over-year decrease in net sales, and further reduced the Company's 2025 guidance-now projecting organic revenue growth of -2% to 0%. Avantor's management again attributed the Company's lackluster results and outlook to "increased competitive intensity" and further admitted that Avantor did not expect the competitive environment to materially improve in the remainder of 2025.On this news, Avantor's stock price fell $2.08 per share, or 15.48%, to close at $11.36 per share on August 1, 2025.Then, on October 29, 2025, Avantor reported weak third quarter 2025 financial results, including -5% organic revenue growth and a net loss of $712 million, which management primarily attributed to a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $785 million. Avantor's management said that the impairment charge was necessary due in part to "competitive pressures" that had "meaningfully impacted" Avantor's margins and further disclosed that the Company had lost several large accounts.On this news, Avantor's stock price fell $3.50 per share, or 23.21%, to close at $11.58 per share on October 29, 2025.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 13:02:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 668 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 21, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) between January 27, 2025 and October 27, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period") of the important January 26, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Alexandria Real Estate Equities securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Alexandria Real Estate Equities class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48531 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 26, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided investors with material information concerning Alexandria Real Estate's expected revenue and funds from operations ("FFO") growth for the 2025 fiscal year, particularly as it related to the growth of Alexandria Real Estate's real estate operations. The defendants' statements included, among other things, confidence in Alexandria Real Estate Equities' lease activity, occupancy stability, and ability to develop its tenant pipeline.According to the lawsuit, defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of its Long Island City ("LIC") property. In particular, Alexandria Real Estate's claims and confidence about the leasing value of the LIC property as a life-science destination. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Alexandria Real Estate Equities class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48531 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-12-21 13:01:59 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 578 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 21, 2025 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all former stockholders of Smartsheet Inc. (NYSE:SMAR) in connection with the January 2025 sale (the "Merger" or "Buyout") of Smartsheet to affiliates of investment funds managed by affiliates of Blackstone Inc. (collectively "Blackstone"), investment funds managed by Vista Equity Partners Management, LLC ("Vista Equity Partners" or "Vista"), and Platinum Falcon B 2018 RSC Limited, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which participated as an indirect minority investor in Smartsheet ("Platinum Falcon," and together with Blackstone and Vista, the "Consortium").This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased shares of Smartsheet in connection with the January 2025 Merger of Smartsheet (the "Merger Date"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/SMAR Smartsheet Case DetailsThe complaint alleges that Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:In connection with Smartsheet's solicitation of stockholder approval of the Buyout, defendants issued and filed with the SEC a false and misleading Schedule 14A Proxy Statement (the "Proxy");Defendants used the Proxy to intentionally mischaracterize Smartsheet's financial success and performance during the sales process;Specifically, defendants deliberately portrayed Smartsheet's quarterly earnings in an unduly negative light and emphasized a financial metric that was apparently created solely to solicit approval for the Buyout;Defendant Mark P. Mader failed to exercise reasonable care in fulfilling his disclosure obligations; andAs a result of the foregoing, defendants' statements about Smartsheet's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.What's Next for Smartsheet Investors?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/SMAR or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you purchased SMAR shares in connection with the January 2025 sale, you have until February 9, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.No Cost to Smartsheet InvestorsWe, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Smartsheet Securities Class Action?Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com "Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Contact InfoPeretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan MillerBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC 917-590-0911 | info@ bgandg.com Attorney advertising.Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Plush, temperature-controlled seating. Ample legroom for a family of four and even your dog. Space for your mugs. Amazon is betting that the couch is the best place to shop for cars particularly if youre a busy family. Since launching Amazon Autos a year ago, the online retail juggernaut is keen to expand its reach and selection and is directly appealing to parents to promote the service (1). Must Read At first, you could only buy a new Hyundai on Amazon Autos. By August 2025, dealers could list any brands used cars on the platform (2). Then in November, Ford joined, but is also limiting its offerings to used cars only. The platform is partnered with 130 dealers in 48 markets. Amazon Autos Global Director Fan Jin says there have been growing pains. I would love to see more selection, she said at the Presidio Group Auto Technology Conference in October (3). Thats the No. 1 customer feedback. She added that based on feedback, the company is shifting gears to give online car buyers more time for everything: choosing the vehicle they want, deciding what extras theyd like to go with that choice and considering the total cost associated with those decisions. Were slowing that process down so that customers really understand of course the vehicle decision, but also the financial and product decision, she said (5). So how do we build flexibility there and give them the time to think about it before they press that Place Order? Thats important. While the process is undeniably fast and convenient no haggling, just picking up the car it flips the entire script on the traditional car purchasing process. And because financing happens before the test drive, its easy to feel locked in even when the car isnt what you expected. Small details can derail the speedy transaction. For example, any mistakes in the trim selection or disappointments during the test drive could make it difficult to walk back from the purchase, as financing is already finalized. If you want to use the online car shopping experience and its available in your area, heres what to know before jumping in. Financing a click-to-buy transaction when its a car, not a coffee pot Amazon Autos click-to-buy shopping experience starts with an easy-to-use interface that allows you to search for vehicles that suit your needs and compare options. The Nigerian Army troops, under Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised more than 21 terrorists in a fierce encounter in Sojiri and Kayamla villages along the DamboaMaiduguri Road in Borno. This operation was carried out in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday. The source said the encounter, which occurred around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, followed credible intelligence of a large gathering of terrorists along the axis, suspected to be preparing for coordinated attacks. He said the troops immediately mobilised and made contact with the terrorists, estimated at 100, at noon on Saturday. According to him, despite attempts by an additional group to flank our forces, troops held their ground, employing superior firepower. At least 17 bodies were confirmed at the scene, with more suspected as blood trails were observed leading into nearby bushes. Items recovered included arms, ammunition, and other logistics, as troops continued to apply pressure to deny the terrorists freedom of movement. A tactical withdrawal was carried out to stabilise the situation and allow troops to regroup, with morale reported as high despite the intensity of the encounter, he said. The source reiterated the commitment of the military to sustaining offensive operations to protect Maiduguri, Damboa, and the surrounding communities in the North-east. (NAN) The Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has committed to creating a favourable atmosphere for journalists and other media workers in Nigeria to practice. Making the commitment in a letter to the President of the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, Mr Ajayi said he will champion fair treatment of journalists and create conducive atmosphere for them to carry out their legitimate duties, in line with the drive of President Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to protect all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or profession. The SSS DG was reacting to the commendation award conferred on him by IPI Nigeria. In the letter dated 19 December, 2025, which he personally signed, Mr Ajayi also said that, I have initiated further engagements with my colleagues and heads of other security agencies, to prioritise protection and fair treatment of members of the Press across the country. He commended IPI Nigerias sustained efforts to ensure balanced reportage of delicate national security and developmental issues, and reassured of his continued cooperation with the organisation and its members. A press statement signed by the IPI Nigerias Secretary, Ahmed I. Shekarau, recalled that the organisation, at its 2025 annual conference held on the 2nd of this month in Abuja, conferred a commendation award on the SSS DG, for his notable commitment to media freedom and safety of journalists. In justifying the award, IPI Nigeria disclosed that since his appointment as director-general of the Service in late August 2024, Mr Ajayi has demonstrated an unmistakable commitment to press freedom and respect for journalists and media organisations. According to the media advocacy body: Unlike in previous years when the SSS was notorious for serial harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists, the agency under Mr Ajayis leadership has shown remarkable restraint, professionalism, and openness to dialogue. Conflicts between the Service and the media are now resolved amicably, through engagement rather than coercion. Among the examples cited to illustrate the transformation in the SSS, IPI Nigeria noted that barely hours into his tenure, a journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka, was intercepted and detained in Lagos, but within hours of IPI Nigeria bringing the matter to his attention, Mr Ajayi directed the Lagos Command to release the journalist immediately. Similarly, the SSS DGs handling of a case of Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), was another reference point. For decades, Mr. Arogundade had suffered humiliating treatment at Nigerias borders, having been placed on the SSS watchlist since the 1980s. Despite years of advocacy, previous assurances that his name had been removed turned out to be untrue until Mr. Ajayi acted swiftly on the matter shortly after a formal complaint was presented to him by IPI Nigeria. In the Order Paper case, the SSS arrested a staff member of the newspaper following an inaccurate report alleging the Service invaded the National Assembly to facilitate the removal of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Once notified, Mr Ajayi immediately ordered that the detained journalist be granted administrative bail. Through constructive engagement, the matter was later resolved, all charges filed in court were withdrawn, and the case was closed. In February 2025, the SSS contacted IPI Nigeria, accusing several media organisations of publishing falsehoods about its role in the Lagos Assembly crisis. Though understandably aggrieved, the DG worked patiently and collaboratively with us to resolve the dispute. The agency provided evidence that it had been invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the complex, and the matter was amicably settled without confrontation. In October 2025, without any prompting from IPI Nigeria, Mr Ajayi ordered disciplinary action against officers involved in the arrest and detention of two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM, a private radio station in Jos. He subsequently caused the SSS to issue a formal apology to the journalists and their organisation, said IPI Nigeria. The organisation said it publicly acknowledged the commendable press freedom credentials of the SSS DG to encourage him to do even more, and to inspire other officials, institutions, and organisations to emulate his example. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released a comprehensive timetable for its 2025/2026 nationwide ward, local government, state and zonal congresses, setting the stage for the partys National Convention scheduled for March 2026. The detailed schedule, signed by the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, underscores strict adherence to Articles 11 and 17 of the partys constitution, which govern membership, congresses and internal democracy. The timetable outlines a phased, bottom-up process that begins with membership registration and culminates in the election of national party officers at the convention. The document signals the formal commencement of preparations for the convention, widely regarded as crucial to the APCs organisational cohesion ahead of future electoral contests. The release of the timetable followed the conclusion of the APC National Caucus meeting, held on Thursday, and the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, held on Friday. Membership update and notice of congresses According to the schedule, the process will begin with the commencement and completion of membership electronic registration, which will run from Monday, 1 December, to 30 January 2026. This will be followed by the issuance of formal notices of congresses to state chapters and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, 2 February 2026. The party will then open the window for the purchase and submission of forms for ward and local government area (LGA) congresses from Wednesday, 4 February to Monday, 9 February 2026. On Tuesday, 10 February 2026, the APC will inaugurate ward and LGA congress and screening appeal committees to oversee the conduct of the exercises at the grassroots level. Screening, ward and LGA congresses The screening of aspirants for ward and LGA party positions is scheduled to take place between Wednesday, 11 February, and Friday, 13 February 2026, followed by the inauguration of the LGA/Ward Congress and Congress Appeals Committees on Saturday, 14 February. Ward congresses will be held nationwide on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, after which appeals arising from the ward congresses will be received on Thursday, 19 February 2026. The LGA congresses are slated for Friday, 20 February 2026. These congresses will include the election of three delegates per LGA to the National Convention, with at least one of the delegates required to be female, in line with the partys gender inclusion provisions. Appeals arising from the LGA congresses will be heard on Saturday, 21 February 2026. State and zonal congresses Activities at the state level will commence with the purchase of forms for state executive committee positions from Monday, 23 February to Friday, 27 February 2026. Screening and screening appeal committees for state executive aspirants will be inaugurated on Saturday, 28 February 2026. Screening of aspirants for state executive positions will hold from Monday, 2 March to Wednesday, 4 March 2026, while appeals arising from the screening exercise are scheduled for Thursday, 5 March and Friday, 6 March 2026. State congresses will then take place on Saturday, 7 March 2026, followed by the consideration of appeals from the state congresses between Monday, 9 March and Wednesday, 11 March 2026. Zonal Congresses and National Convention For the zonal congresses and the National Convention, the APC has fixed Thursday, 12 March to Tuesday, 17 March 2026 for the purchase and submission of forms. The inauguration of the zonal congress and National Convention screening and appeals committees will take place on Wednesday, 18 March 2026. Screening of aspirants for zonal and national positions will be conducted on Thursday, 19 March 2026, and continue through Friday, 20 March 2026. Zonal congresses are scheduled for Thursday, 19 March and Saturday, 21 March 2026, across the six geopolitical zones, with designated zonal offices in Ibadan for the South West; Enugu for the South East; Rivers and Cross River states for the South South; Kaduna for the North West; Gombe and Bauchi for the North East; and Nasarawa for the North Central. READ ALSO: APC governors pass vote of confidence in Tinubu Appeals arising from the zonal congresses will be considered on Monday, 23 March 2026, ahead of the APC National Convention, which is scheduled to hold from Wednesday, 25 March to Saturday, 28 March 2026. The release of the schedule effectively kickstarts the APCs march towards its 2026 National Convention, a pivotal event expected to shape the partys leadership structure and strategic direction in the years ahead. Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has defected from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Mrs Kingibe announced her defection in a statement on Saturday shortly after she registered as a member of the ADC at its secretariat in Abuja. She said her decision to quit the LP, which sponsored her to the Senate, was deliberate, strategic, and driven by conviction. The defection makes her the second serving member of the National Assembly on the platform of the ADC. Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Moro Federal Constituency of Kogi State, was elected into the lower chamber in 2023 on the platform of the party The move comes amid ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Recently, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the ADC as part of a coalition aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections. Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, is part of the coalition but has yet to formally register as a member of the ADC. The ADC maintains that the coalition seeks to prevent Nigeria from drifting toward a one-party state and to build a united front ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Assuming leadership responsibility Mrs Kingibe said she has assumed leadership responsibilities within the ADC at both the FCT and national levels, stressing that the party is now positioned to present a united and competent alternative government. By joining the ADC, I automatically assume leadership responsibility within the party structure in the FCT and nationally, as a coalition partner committed to building a credible, people-centred alternative for governance. This decision marks the beginning of a new chapter, one focused on unity, competence, and purposeful leadership, she said. The senator noted that her political journey has been guided by integrity and service, adding that she believes strongly in technical governance as a tool for national development, particularly in the FCT. My political journey has always been guided by service, integrity, and results. As a civil engineer and legislator, I believe deeply in technical governance, evidence-based policymaking, and sustainable developmentespecially for infrastructure, housing, urban planning, and the unique needs of the Federal Capital Territory. She maintained that her defection would strengthen the ADC in the FCT ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections and position the party as a growing force in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. READ ALSO: Two Bayelsa Reps dump PDP for APC This development strengthens the ADC in the FCT ahead of the February 2026 Area Council elections and positions the party as a serious and growing force towards the 2027 general elections. More importantly, it enhances my capacity to advocate more forcefully for the rights, welfare, and aspirations of FCT residents on the national stage, she added. Mrs Kingibe assured residents that she would remain committed to representing the FCT with courage, clarity, and competence, saying, I remain steadfast in my commitment to represent the FCT with courage, clarity, and competence. The journey continues with renewed energy, broader collaboration, and a clear focus on the future. The lawmaker will still need to notify the Senate through an official letter for the notification of her defection from the LP to ADC. Investing.com -- Morgan Stanley told investors in a note on Wednesday that it believes agentic commerce will be a paradigm shift for e-Commerce, reshaping how consumers discover, compare, and buy products, with meaningful implications for retailers and digital advertising platforms. Analysts, led by Brian Nowak, stated that agentic shopping, effectively a personal digital interactive shopper, is the next substantial GenAI-enabled unlock, potentially adding ~$50bn to ~$115bn to US e-commerce spend by 30. Early agentic offerings are already emerging from platforms such as Alphabet and OpenAI, as well as retailers including Amazon and Walmart. Morgan Stanley expects the e-commerce funnel to become more conversational, personalized, interactive, with agents handling tasks such as real-time price comparison, item pairing and automated repeat purchases. Using its 5 Is framework (Inventory, Infrastructure, Innovation, Incrementality and Income Statement), Morgan Stanley assesses which retailers are best positioned. The framework is said to highlight risks from third-party agents potentially displacing high-margin direct traffic. On that basis, Morgan Stanley believes Amazon, Walmart and eBay screen favorably, while Five Below and Etsy screen less favorably. The firm warns that profitability will hinge on incrementality. Its analysis shows retailers would need ~50% of agentic transactions to be incremental for EBIT breakeven (at a 5% fee), which Morgan Stanley calls a tall order. Through this lens, Amazon, Walmart, Target and eBay face higher margin risk from third-party agentic partnerships, while Chewy and Wayfair may have more opportunity, Morgan Stanley wrote. In digital advertising, Morgan Stanley expects leading performance-based reach platforms to become more valuable, naming Meta, YouTube and AppLovin as potential winners as agentic shopping changes traffic patterns and monetization models. Related articles Morgan Stanley maps the retail winners and losers from agentic shoppers These Under-$10 Stocks Are Up 100%+ This Quarter - And Some Still Have Room to Run Gold: $4K Breakout Faces First Real Test as Stocks and Sentiment Rise Together Nigeria survives not because its systems work, nor because its leaders are always wise, but because its people carry a quiet bravery that defies the logic of our realities. Every dawn in this country is a resurrection morning. Men and women rise from the ashes of yesterdays disappointments with the stubborn hope of a new day. Like the Psalmist, they whisper, I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord not as poetry, but as survival. This land is not held together by infrastructure or policy frameworks; it is stitched daily by the invisible courage of ordinary Nigerians who refuse to let the fabric tear completely. I have lived long enough to know that the greatest miracles in Nigeria do not always happen in crusade grounds or within cathedral walls. They happen in the classroom where an underpaid teacher still shows up to shape the minds of children who may one day repair the nation. They happen in hospitals where nurses work double shifts, holding life together with compassion that runs deeper than their salaries. They happen on highways where police officers often mocked and maligned stand under the anger of the sun and the suspicion of citizens, still trying to maintain a semblance of order. They happen in markets where women who have been disappointed by government after government still wake before dawn, tie their wrappers, and feed the nation without fanfare. They happen in the small buses and Keke Napeps where drivers navigate daily chaos with a strange mix of humour and endurance. These people do not make headlines, but they hold the line. They are the reason Nigeria has not collapsed under the weight of her contradictions. They are the embodiment of that scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:89: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. If Nigeria were a verse, that is the verse she would be. But this quiet bravery should not be mistaken for passivity. There is a difference between surrender and endurance. Nigerians have not surrendered; they have simply endured. Yet endurance has a way of transforming into expectation. The nation is like Elijah on Carmelhead between the knees, waiting for a cloud the size of a mans hand. We keep scanning the horizon for a sign that things can be different. We keep believing that if we do not faint, we shall reap. And maybe, just maybe, this endurance is the womb of the miracle we seek. Still, it must be said: bravery without justice is a slow martyrdom. Nigerians should not have to be this heroic just to survive. We should not need the resilience of Job to get fuel, nor the patience of Moses to renew a passport. We cannot continue to live in a nation where survival requires spiritual gifts. Every country has its problems, but no citizenry should have to live life as a permanent endurance test. God who daily loads us with benefits did not design a nation to daily load its people with burdens. So when I write about the quiet bravery of ordinary Nigerians, I write with both admiration and lament. Admiration because what these people carry is not natural. It is a grace. A divine stubbornness. A refusal to bow to despair. Lament because this grace is being exploited by a system that has grown comfortable with dysfunction. Our leaders have become like Pharaoh convinced that the people will continue making bricks without straw forever. But every Exodus begins quietly. Before the sea parts, there is the cry. Before Moses stands before Pharaoh, there is the groaning of the oppressed that came up unto God. Nigeria is groaning now, and history teaches that a nation cannot groan forever without provoking divine or human intervention. Yet in the midst of all this, I keep returning to the ordinary people the backbone of Nigerias resilience. The woman who still manages to send her children to school with a smile. The civil servant who refuses to join the corruption he sees daily. The young person who learns a skill, starts a business, or builds technology because government has failed to provide opportunities. The security officers who continue defending a nation that often forgets them till tragedy strikes. These are not just citizens; they are intercessors in motion. They stand in the gap without knowing it. Through their daily sacrifices, they make prophetic statements: that Nigeria is bruised but not broken, wounded but still breathing. For years, analysts have argued that Nigeria survives on oil. I disagree. Nigeria survives on sacrifice. This land lives on the fasting and prayers of mothers, the midnight hustles of fathers, the diligence of professionals who refuse to lower their standards, the creativity of young people who convert frustration into innovation. Oil may fund the budget, but ordinary Nigerians fund the continuity of this nation. Everywhere I look, I see this quiet bravery. I see it in churches where people come to pray not for luxury but for basic amenities that should be rights. I see it in IDP camps where displaced families still sing worship songs because hope is the only currency they have left. I see it in communities where neighbours contribute money to fix transformers and boreholes because the state has forgotten them. I see it in volunteers who step into crises long before the authorities arrive. I see it in the countless Nigerians who carry on with dignity even when the system mocks their efforts. This bravery is quiet, but it is loud in Heaven. God sees. And nations are not healed only by policies they are healed by people. In times like this, I am reminded of Psalm 11:3: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The scripture does not ask this question in despair; it raises it as a summons. When the foundations are shaking, the righteous do not resign they rebuild. And rebuilding does not begin with politicians; it begins with citizens who choose character over chaos, courage over cynicism, compassion over complaint. Perhaps the future of Nigeria is not as far as we think. Maybe it is already maturing in the hidden placesinside classrooms, shops, farms, clinics, and co-working spaces. Maybe the next chapter of our national story will be written by the same people who have been underestimated the most. Nations are rarely rescued by the privileged; they are revived by those who have nothing left to lose but hope. This is why I believe Nigeria is not finished. A nation with this level of quiet bravery cannot die. A people who carry this much resilience will eventually produce leaders who reflect their strength. God never wastes endurance. Every season of hardship becomes seed for a harvest of transformation. And though weeping may endure for a night our night has been long joy still comes in the morning. Until that morning comes, may the quiet bravery of ordinary Nigerians remain our national light. May it convict our leaders, comfort our wounded, inspire our youth, and challenge all of us to rise above the cynicism that seeks to swallow hope. May it remind us that even in the valley of dry bones, a mighty army can still rise. Nigeria is not a graveyard; she is a battlefield. And on this battlefield, ordinary Nigerians are the unnamed warriors who keep the flag standing. Their bravery may be quiet, but it is the loudest prophecy over our land. Sunday Ogidigbo is Senior Pastor of Holyhill Church, Abuja. He writes on faith, leadership, and the intersection of spirituality and culture. X/Instagram/Facebook: @SOgidigbo. Email: [email protected] Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, attended the grand finale of the 40th National Quranic Recitation Competition, Borno 2025, where he announced a 20 million donation to support Quranic reciters and the promotion of Islamic education in Nigeria. The week-long competition, hosted by the Borno State Government, featured 296 contestants from 30 states of the federation, who competed across eight categories designed to test different levels of Quranic memorisation and recitation. The categories included: 5th Category (Male and Female) 10 Hizbs with Tangim; 4th Category (Male and Female) 30 Hizbs; 3rd Category (Male and Female) 60 Hizbs; and 1st Category (Male and Female) Qiraat. At the end of the competition, Borno State emerged overall winner in the male category, with Musa Ahmed Musa taking first place, while Hafsat Muhammad Sada of Kano State emerged overall female winner. Speaking after the announcement of results, Governor Radda congratulated the organisers and participating states, commending the Borno State Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for successfully hosting the national event. The successful organisation of this competition is a clear testament to Borno States resilience, growing stability, and effective leadership, Governor Radda said. He noted that the smooth conduct of the competition and the wide participation of states reflected Borno States steady return to normalcy and renewed commitment to education, spirituality, and national unity. Events like this strengthen our shared values, promote unity, and reaffirm the central role of faith in building disciplined and responsible citizens, he added. Governor Radda reaffirmed Katsina States commitment to the promotion of Quranic education and moral development, stressing that sustained investment in religious education remains vital to building peaceful and God-fearing communities. Announcing his 20 million donation to Quranic reciters nationwide, the Governor described the gesture as a long-term investment in the future. This support is an investment in knowledge, faith, and the future of our young people, whose grounding in the Quran will help shape a more peaceful and morally upright society, he said. He also commended Islamic scholars, teachers, and traditional institutions for their consistent role in promoting discipline, unity, and moral values through religious education. Earlier, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, described the hosting of the 40th edition of the competition as a strong indication of the return of peace and stability to the state. Hosting this landmark edition affirms our commitment to peace, education, and the noble pursuit of knowledge rooted in the Holy Quran, Governor Zulum said. He congratulated the winners and participants, noting that every contestant was a winner for standing to recite the Holy Quran with dedication and courage. The event attracted dignitaries from across the country, including the Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Nana Kashim Shettima; The Minister of Transportation Saidu Ahmed Alkali; Deputy Governor of Sokoto State; and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, among others. Governor Radda was accompanied by the Member representing Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency, Hon Abdullah Aliyu; the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Abubakar Danladi; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Shehu Dabai and an APC stalwart Baba Jinjiri. Recently, the Abia State Government announced the acquisition of Star Paper Mill Ltd from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). This was after several years since the company went moribund, throwing thousands of direct and indirect staff into the labour market. The Star Paper Mill was a notable Aba-based Indigenous company that was outstandingly reputable for producing high quality paper materials, especially tissue papers and exercise books. At a point in Aba, if you didnt have Star exercise book as a primary or secondary school student, you were seen as a mugu. In line with his campaign promise to bring back to life all moribund industries that once impacted the economy of Aba in particular and the state in general positively, Governor Otti swung into action and began the process of recovering the company and others. While Governor Otti was making efforts to acquire the company, news filtered in that some other investors from outside the state were also making serious effort. In fact, a particular company had made an audacious offer, far bigger than the amount the state finally paid to acquire the company. Governor Otti swiftly deployed his contacts and influence, bringing his negotiation skills to bear and paving the way for the successful acquisition of the company. Governor Otti didnt just acquire the company on behalf of Abia State; he did so at a cost that shocked everyone N2.5billion. If youre a businessman or come from a family that has a business background in Aba, you will appreciate that this is more than a masterstroke. In acquiring the company, Governor Otti took a few things into consideration. First, the job opportunities it would create when revitalised. Two, the insecurity it would help fight through job creation. Three, the popular brand thats about to be restored. Four, the pride of Aba that is being regained. Five, the encouragement and inspiration it would drive in the minds of other willing local investors, especially Abians. As expected, some people, especially members of the opposition have criticised the acquisition, describing it as a bad investment. The criticisms have largely been anchored on two grounds. One, that the companys assets, especially production equipment, have become obsolete and useless. Secondly, that printing press is no longer a lucrative business, therefore there would be no return on investment. These views, including those made in bad faith and aired without decorum are all respected. Thats part of democracy. However, as a Bende man with some business understanding, I would like to narrow it down to buying and selling, backed by some empirical data. Sometime in 2021, my boss, the present Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, had asked me to look for a location in Aba for the establishment of the branch of the about-to-be-opened Signature Bank. I got a six plot of land belonging to a well-known senior citizen. They were only disposed to selling the entire six plots at N600 million. I suggested to Dr Otti that part of the land could be used to build a shopping mall since we didnt need up to six plots for the bank. He asked me to go ahead and tidy up the discussion for the purchase. Midway into my discussion with the representatives of the sellers, I discovered that the children of the man were at war with each other over the property, so I called off the transaction. Fast forward to 2025, my kinsman, a businessman, purchased five plots of land in the same location for N1.5 billion. Thats N300 million per plot. Of course, this development is predicated on the transformational leadership of Governor Otti, which has impacted positively on the value of properties in Aba. I do not know the exact number of plots of land on which the Star Paper Mill Aba sits on, but anyone who has the smallest idea about the value of properties in the city presently will agree that the empty plot of the company located along Aba Owerri Road cannot go for anything less than N1billion, excluding the buildings. Additionally, the Star Paper Mill at Owerrinta occupies 10 hectares of land. If youre to measure by 500 square meters per plot, this would give you 200 plots. If a plot goes for N10 million, this would give you N2billion. This my laymans arithmetic did not consider the material assets of the company, especially in Aba. Simply put, Governor Otti has already generated a substantial profit for the state, even before production commences. Profitability Some of the items/services that are still being produced and rendered in large quantities today by a Paper Mill include, but are not limited to, paper bags, cartons for packaging, books of all kinds, Tissue papers, serviettes, souvenirs, etc. Demands for all these come in millions. The argument that the printing press is no longer profitable is baseless. Honestly, thats obviously an argument made in bad faith. In siting an industry, one of the most critical factors for consideration is population. Given the population of Aba in particular and Nigeria in general, and the high volume of demand for most of the aforementioned products, its safe to say that this is one of the most sensible and profitable investments a state government has made in Nigeria in recent times. The real challenge that was not mentioned Star Paper Mill didnt disappear because of lack of patronage, but because of government-induced failure. Because the Star Paper Mill was synonymous with quality, the cost of production was high. Sadly, when power generation became a serious issue, the company was unable to compete with goods being imported from China, which were cheaper due to the low cost of production. Solution With Governor Ottis intentional and patriotic involvement and investment in the power sector in Abia State, he is carefully laying the foundation for the re-industrialisation of Aba. This development would enable the Star Paper Mill to return to profitability following revitalisation. Conclusion I commend those who have genuinely asked questions and expressed concerns about the acquisition and governments intentions, and wish to restate Governor Ottis assurances that beyond de-risking the company by the government for the expected turnaround, the government is sincerely committed to ensuring that it takes off in the hands of private investors, employs Abia youths, returns to profitability and impact the Abia economy positively. *Ferdinand Ekeoma is a special adviser on media and publicity to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. The Enugu State Government has asserted its ownership of a disputed plot of land located at Cadastal Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja, saying the disputant, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, had no valid claim or interest in the said property. The government accused Simonis of a failed attempt to fraudulently acquire Plot 804 in the said Wuye District measuring about 1.04 hectres through fraudulent transfer of ownership, insisting that the property had not changed ownership since it was first allocated to Enugu State. It explained that investigations by both the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had since established the Enugu State Government as the rightful owners of the said property. The assertions were made by the General Manager (GM), Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Dr Gerald Asogwa, at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, during which he also exhibited all the documents claimed. According to Mr Asogwa, the initial (first) application for a plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory was made by the Enugu State Government during the administration of former Governor Okwesilieze Nwodo in 1992, a request that was granted on 14 January, 1993. The government, however, explained that the allocation was erroneously issued in the name of Enugu State Property Development Corporation, instead of Enugu State Government or Enugu State Housing Development Corporation. It, therefore, wondered how a non-legal personality could have been transferred to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited. There has never existed any parastatal, corporation, or company known as Enugu State Property Development Corporation at the time of allocation or thereafter. The named allottee therefore lacked legal personality and contractual capacity ab initio. Yet in 2002, the said non-existent entity purportedly transferred the land to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited using a fake and fraudulent Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated 25/02/2002, suspiciously witnessed in 2005. But the said Power of Attorney was not sealed, had no Governors consent as required by law, was not co-signed by any government official, and failed to disclose the name or designation of any lawful executor. The document was clearly concocted to deceive authorities and is attached as Exhibit 3, Mr Asogwa declared. He explained that upon discovery of the said anomaly, the Enugu State Government applied to the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS)/FCT Authorities for correction, following which the wrongful allocation was cancelled, and Plot 804, Wuye, was re-allocated to Enugu State Government as the rightful owner. The Right of Occupancy, Certificate of Occupancy, and all requisite building approvals were subsequently obtained in the name of Enugu State Government, and development commenced before the unlawful destruction carried out by agents of Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, he stated. Mr Asogwa, however, said that the police were unable to prosecute those behind the faking of the Power of Attorney, as the purported directors were discovered to be ghost identities and frustrating prosecution, noting that the addresses were equally nonexistent. He also faulted the attempt by Simonis to dress its directors in the images of Senator Ayogu Ezes family members, more so as the late senator while alive had averred that the land belonged to Enugu State Government. In 2015, the EFCC Abuja investigated the matter. The late Senator Ayogu Eze was identified as the person who received the Certificate of Occupancy on behalf of Enugu State Government. He categorically stated that the land belonged to Enugu State Government and that he never claimed ownership, he stated. On the court order paraded by Simonis Limited, Mr Asogwa stated that at no time was any court order served on, submitted to, or delivered to Enugu State Government, Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, or any person, authority, or entity representing Enugu State Government. The state government accused Simonis of abuse of court process, wondering why a court order purportedly obtained in 2016 only surfaced in 2025 after the demise of Senator Eze. In November 2025, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited resurfaced and filed an action at the Gwagwalada High Court seeking to enforce a 2016 order. The original 2016 order contained only one paragraph, yet the enforcement application fraudulently expanded it to two paragraphs, introducing reliefs that never existed. This constitutes a clear abuse of court process and fraud. The resurrection of the suit followed the death of Senator Ayogu Eze. Corporate records of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) show that ghost directors were replaced with family members of the deceased. The status report is attached as Exhibit 9, it explained. Enugu State Government insisted that the said court order was fundamentally defective. The alleged order is fundamentally defective because: no court process was served on Enugu State Government or its agencies, the State became aware of the matter only days after judgment, enforcement was attempted through self-help without court bailiffs, no pre-action notice was served, the 2016 order relied upon was not certified as required by the Evidence Act (Exhibit 11), the proof of service relied upon was false and forged (Exhibit 12). Indeed, the order was obtained by fraud and is liable to be set aside, the GM declared. The state government accused Simonis and its partner, Zoe New Dawn, and one Stephen Achama of criminal conduct and public deception, including attack on Enugu States site workers, destruction of property as well as fraudulent marketing of the said property as though it belonged to them. The state government asserted that the land was currently being developed as Woodlands Estate by Tout Moi Nigeria Limited under a valid and subsisting contractual arrangement for Enugu State Government, warning that anyone transacting with Simonis Limited, Zoe New Dawn, and Achama in respect of the said plot does so at his or her own risk. Mr Asogwa added that contrary to the claims by a representative of Simonis in the media, Enugu State Government, not Simonis Limited, carried out all the physical development of the said plot. These purported sales are illegal, void, and of no legal effect, as Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited has no valid interest in the land and no right whatsoever to alienate, assign, sell, transfer, or otherwise deal with the property, he concluded. The Plateau State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme to strengthen institutional capacity, attract investment, and drive development across key sectors of the states economy. The Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor, Gyang Bere, said the agreement was signed on Friday at the Old Government House in Jos. The MoU was signed between Governor Caleb Mutfwang and the UNDP in the presence of members of the state executive council, development partners, private sector stakeholders, and the media, Mr Bere said in a statement. Governor Mutfwang said the partnership was aimed at repositioning Plateau State through structured planning and data-driven policies. He said the states natural and human resources had not translated into sustained growth due to years of weak coordination and poor planning. He said sectors such as tourism, agriculture, livestock, health, and information and communication technology had suffered from uncoordinated development efforts, adding that the state needed a clear framework to compete for national and international investment. The governor disclosed that the state would commit an estimated 10 billion to the partnership, noting that the UNDPs technical expertise and global reach could help attract additional international development financing beyond the states contribution. He said the administrations priorities included strengthening institutions, improving agricultural productivity, expanding opportunities for young people, and improving the delivery of health services. According to the official statement, the UNDP Country Director, Elsie Attafuah, said the agreement marked a shift from traditional aid to a co-investment model under the organisations Integrated Smart and Sustainable Programme. She said the approach was designed to move beyond isolated projects to a coordinated development framework that converts government priorities into investment-ready plans. READ ALSO: UNDP commends Gov Lawal as pacesetter in counterpart funding implementation Ms Attafuah said the partnership would use state resources as anchor capital to attract private investors and development finance institutions, particularly in agriculture, tourism, solid minerals, and digital development. She added that the UNDP would deploy a core technical team to Jos by January 2026 to develop a joint action plan and align development priorities with budgetary commitments. According to her, the collaboration would focus on areas such as agriculture, youth development, digital transformation, tourism planning, sustainable energy, and investment promotion. She said the programme would place emphasis on youth enterprise, data systems, and long-term economic planning to support job creation and inclusive growth in the state. Suspected gunmen have again struck in Niger State, abducting a woman during a midnight raid on Ebbo community in Lapai Local Government Area, heightening security concerns among residents. Residents said the heavily armed assailants invaded the community late Sunday night, firing sporadically into the air for nearly an hour to instil fear and force people indoors before carrying out the abduction. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the prolonged gunfire caused widespread panic, leaving the usually busy community deserted as no one dared to step outside. They came around midnight and kept shooting into the air for about an hour. Nobody could come out. They kidnapped a woman named Precious, the wife of Mr Monday Musa, a well-known Point-of-Sale operator in Ebbo. She gave birth about three months ago, but the baby was left behind. They also took one Mr Anthony, but he managed to escape and returned this morning, the resident said. Sources said residents had noticed the presence of unfamiliar faces in the community for about four days before the attack and had remained on alert. However, the local vigilante group, which usually conducts routine patrols, was reportedly not on duty at the time of the incident. Confirming the attack, Niger State Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun stated that the incident occurred on 20 December at approximately 11:45 p.m. Some armed men, about six in number, attacked a compound in Ebbo and abducted a woman to an unknown destination. Police operatives from the Lapai Division promptly moved to the scene, and one Salisu was arrested in connection with the incident, Mr Abiodun said. He added that investigations were ongoing, while efforts had been intensified to rescue the abducted woman and apprehend the gunmen. The remaining students and teachers abducted from St. Marys Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have regained their freedom, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt from local residents and security sources. A security official familiar with the rescue operation confirmed that those released account for all the remaining victims taken during the 21 November attack on the school. The exact number of the latest batch of freed abductees, however, could not be immediately ascertained. The victims were among students and teachers seized when armed assailants, riding on motorcycles, stormed the boarding school at about 2:00 a.m. The attackers reportedly operated for nearly three hours, moving systematically from one dormitory to another before marching their captives into nearby forests. At least 50 students escaped during the raid, while scores of others were taken away. On 8 December, security agencies secured the release of about 100 abductees, leaving an unspecified number in captivity until the latest breakthrough. Sources said the freed students and teachers are currently being transported to Minna, the Niger State capital, where they are expected to undergo medical checks and reunite with their families. As of the time of filing this report, neither the Federal Government nor the Niger State Government has issued an official statement on the development. Following the abduction in November, the Federal Government imposed a security cordon around border communities and deployed ground troops and aerial surveillance across parts of Niger, Kebbi and Kwara States to track the kidnappers. President Bola Tinubu also cancelled an official trip to personally coordinate rescue efforts, while authorities ordered the temporary closure of schools across Niger State and some federal institutions located in high-risk areas. This is a developing story. More details shortly. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Saturday said it has removed illegal structures encroaching on its transmission line Right of Way (RoW) in some areas of Enugu State. The company said that the removal of the structure was part of ongoing efforts to protect critical power infrastructure and ensure public safety. TCNs General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. Mrs Mbah said that the demolition affected fences and other structures erected dangerously close to Tower 31 of the UgwuajiMakurdi 330 Kilo Volt (KV) Double Circuit Line at Akpuoga Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area. According to her, the company also removed other structures along the corridor of a 132kV transmission line, which posed serious safety risks and obstructed maintenance access. She said that prior to the demolition exercise, TCN had consistently carried out sensitisation campaigns warning residents and traders against conducting activities within the transmission corridors. The action was unavoidable, and necessitated by the need to prevent accidents, safeguard lives and property, and ensure unhindered access for linesmen during routine inspections and emergency repairs. For prospective land developers, the clearance for transmission lines right of way is 50 Meters (M) for 330kV lines (25M on each side) and 30M for 132kV transmission lines (15M on each side), she said. She warned that strict adherence to the approved safety clearances around transmission lines, remains essential for reliable power delivery and overall safety of host communities. (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a female drug kingpin with 23.50 kilogrammes of cocaine recovered from her childrens room in Lagos. This was contained in a statement by Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said the arrest came 20 months after a cocaine trafficking cartel led by a couple was smashed in Lagos and Ogun states by operatives of the NDLEA. He recalled that multi-billion-naira worth of the illicit drug was recovered from the cartel. Mr Babafemi said that the newly arrested suspect was another leader of the syndicate who had gone underground since May 2024 and had been nabbed in her Lagos home. He said the couple earlier arrested were nabbed on 25 May 2024 by operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry expressway. According to him, they were nabbed while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana. He said that at the point of their arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilogrammes were found on them. Mr Babafemi said that a swift follow-up operation in their residence at OPIC extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg. This brings the total weight of the consignment seized from the couple to 57.5 kilograms. Determined to rein in every member of the syndicate, the NDLEA operatives continued with follow-up intelligence and surveillance on the trans-border drug trafficking organisation until a 39-year-old female stash keeper was identified as a key member of the DTO, he said. Mr Babafemi said that as a result, she was trailed to her Surulere, Lagos residence on Tuesday, 9 December A thorough search of her home led to the discovery of blocks of cocaine weighing 23.50 kilograms concealed in a black suitcase recovered from her childrens room. She admitted ownership of the drug consignment worth over N5billion in street value, he said. Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, MMIA and Seme commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity. Mr Marwa, a retired brigadier general, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to remain extra vigilant during the festive season. He also tasked them to ensure that the highest standard of professionalism was maintained in all their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities throughout the period and beyond. (NAN) The company will present its AI-Enabled Engineering Maturity Model, chip-to-cloud Automotive Technology Platform, and partner-driven solutions designed to accelerate the future of intelligent mobility CHICAGO, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Intellias, a global software engineering and digital consulting company, will participate in CES 2026, taking place on January 69, 2026, in Las Vegas. This year, Intellias welcomes attendees to its Meeting Space #3377 in the LVCC West Hall, Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility Area, where the company will present next-generation solutions shaping the future of software-defined mobility. Yuri Shvalik, Senior Director, Head of Mobility Solutions at Intellias At CES, the Intellias modular chip-to-cloud Automotive Technology Platform IntelliKit will offer a multitude of new capabilities. The centerpiece of space will be Intellias' live demonstration of the IntelliKit, the company's modular chip-to-cloud Automotive Technology Platform. Built on a real-vehicle E/E architecture, the IntelliKit showcases next-generation IVI features, high-quality 3D instrument clusters, seamless OTA updates, cloud connectivity, and AI-enabled driving scenarios. The platform highlights Intellias' end-to-end engineering expertise and its ability to support modern, flexible, and scalable vehicle architectures. The CES 2026 version of the IntelliKit introduces the following new capabilities: Natural and conversational interactions with a context-aware GenAI Voice Assistant powered by SoundHound AI that understands intent and delivers personalized responses to drivers. Computer vision features based on YOLO v12 for real-time object detection and tracking on QNX RTOS, combined with OpenCV integration for AI object recognition inside AAOS, providing enhanced situational awareness and safety. Seamless integration of Rust-based components into the AUTOSAR Classic environment via the Intellias ECU Kit, fully assessed for ASPICE CL2, Functional Safety, and Cybersecurity compliance to ensure production-ready performance and reliability. A customizable digital ecosystem combining an OEM AppStore, seamless OTA software updates, an Unreal Enginebased instrument cluster, and VicOne cybersecurity integration to enable personalized services, continuous updates, immersive in-vehicle experiences, and enhanced cockpit protection. These innovations demonstrate how AI-driven technologies, flexible automotive platforms, and chip-to-cloud engineering expertise empower OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to accelerate digital transformation and deliver customer-centric, intelligent vehicle experiences. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore practical use cases, production-ready demos, and best practices drawn from Intellias' extensive mobility engineering portfolio. As part of its presence at CES, Intellias will present its vision for AI-enabled engineering. Artificial Intelligence is a foundational element across the company's development processes, and Intellias will share its AI-Enabled Engineering Maturity Model with attendees. This is a framework that maps the evolution from traditional workflows to fully orchestrated AI-driven engineering. It outlines four main levels: Traditional Engineering, AI as an Assistant, AI as a Collaborator, and AI as an Orchestrator, providing organizations with a clear path for adopting AI at scale. During CES, Intellias experts will discuss how this model helps automotive and mobility players accelerate their AI transformation, improve engineering efficiency, and achieve measurable goals in product quality and innovation speed. "For us at Intellias, CES is the perfect place to demonstrate how AI is reshaping mobility through our own journey. We're excited to share our AI maturity framework and Automotive Technology Platform that empower clients to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation across software-defined mobility." Yuriy Shvalik, Senior Director, Head of Mobility Solutions at Intellias Throughout the event, Intellias will also showcase solutions together with technology partners, demonstrating the company's wide partner ecosystem and deep expertise in automotive software development, navigation, embedded engineering, connectivity, and eMobility. Attendees are invited to visit Meeting Space #3377 in the LVCC West Hall, Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility, to explore the IntelliKit firsthand and engage in discussions about the future of AI-driven and software-defined mobility. Media Contact: Jeff Perlman 8183173070 [email protected] SOURCE Intellias L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) is one of the best aerospace and defense stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts. On December 16, analysts at Morgan Stanley upgraded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) to an Overweight from Equalweight and raised the price target to $367 from $350. Morgan Stanley Upgrades L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX) Buoyed by Golden Dome Opportunities Jirat Teparaksa/Shutterstock.com The upgrade is in response to the investment banks touting of strong operating momentum heading into 2026. L3Harris Technologies boasts of a favorable positioning for the future of warfare with reduced disruption risk from emerging defense technology competitors. Likewise, the investment bank is confident in its platform-agnostic approach, which is not subject to significant changes, unlike its competitors. Consequently, Morgan Stanley expects the company to capitalize on Golden Dome opportunities heading into 2026 and to propose improvements in Aerojet output. The company has already secured a follow-on production contract worth $200 million to manufacture Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Insensitive Munition propulsion units. It has already initiated construction of an Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facility focused on increasing manufacturing capacity by sixfold for various missile and defense systems. L3Harris subsidiary, Aerojet Rocketdyne, missile solution president Scott Alexander said: This GMLRS IM contract demonstrates L3Harris expertise in missile propulsion technology and its commitment to delivering high-performance, reliable propulsion solutions for military operations. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) is an aerospace and defense technology company that provides advanced solutions for military, government, and commercial customers, focusing on mission-critical needs in air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. It develops and supplies high-tech systems, including avionics, electronic warfare, cyber security, and unmanned systems. While we acknowledge the potential of LHX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. RADNOR, Pa., Dec. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against StubHub Holdings, Inc. ("StubHub") (NYSE: STUB) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired StubHub common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the "Offering Documents") issued in connection with StubHub's September 2025 initial public offering. The lead plaintiff deadline is January 23, 2026. CONTACT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP: If you suffered StubHub losses, contact KTMC at: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/stubhub-holdings-inc?utm_source=PR_Newswire&mktm=PR You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at [email protected]. DEFENDANTS' ALLEGED MISCONDUCT: The complaint alleges that, in the Offering Documents, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) StubHub was experiencing changes in the timing of payments to vendors; (2) those changes had a significant adverse impact on StubHub's free cash flow, including trailing 12 months free cash flow; (3) as a result, StubHub's free cash flow reports were materially misleading; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. YouTube Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/OdXl5OZsZXE?feature=share THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: StubHub investors may, no later than January 23, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages StubHub investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. SIGN UP FOR THE STUBHUB CASE AT: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/stubhub-holdings-inc?utm_source=PR_Newswire&mktm=PR ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (KTMC) is a leading U.S. plaintiff-side law firm focused on securities-fraud class actions and global investor protection. The firm represents individual investors as well as institutions, such as major pension funds, asset managers, and international investors. KTMC has led some of the largest recoveries in securities litigation and has been recognized by peers and the legal media with numerous accolades, including The National Law Journal's Plaintiff's Hot List and Trailblazers in Plaintiffs' Law, BTI Consulting Group's Honor Roll of Most Feared Law Firms, The Legal Intelligencer's Class Action Firm of the Year, Lawdragon's Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, and Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar. The firm operates globally with offices in Pennsylvania and California. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq. (484) 270-1453 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 [email protected] May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Happy Creek Minerals Ltd (TSX-V:HPY, OTC:HPYCF) CEO Steve Gray talked with Proactive about recent drilling results from the companys Fox tungsten project in British Columbia. Gray, who joined the company just one month ago, shared that he brings a mix of operational and M&A experience from Rio Tinto, Kinross, and Centerra. He discussed results from a 2025 drill program at the projects RC and BN zones, where the company is working to incrementally grow its existing high-grade tungsten resource. The resource is about 1% tungsten, which puts it at one of the highest-grade tungsten deposits in the world, Gray said. Pinnacle Silver and Gold Corp (TSX-V:PINN) has closed the second and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement, raising C$1.53 million and bringing the total proceeds from the offering to C$2.6 million. Under the offering, the company issued 10.9 million units at C$0.14 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one-half of a share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable for one share at C$0.20 for 24 months. The offerings first tranche was previously announced in November 2025. Including both tranches, Pinnacle issued a total of 18.5 million units. Insiders subscribed for 336,000 units in the second tranche, contributing roughly C$47,000. Finders fees for the second tranche totaled around C$29,000 in cash and 208,000 non-transferable finders warrants, exercisable at C$0.20 per share over two years. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Kyiv, Dec 21 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he generally supports the idea of a trilateral meeting involving the national security advisors of Ukraine, the United States and Russia, expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of such a meeting. Zelensky said the proposal was put forward by the United States and conveyed to him by Ukraine's chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Zelensky said that he was not sure that the meeting would bring something new, but noted that the result of previous talks in TArkiye was the return of captured soldiers and civilians. "I am very glad that we had exchanges. Our people, our military, primarily prisoners, returned home. And civilians. And therefore we need to take such steps," he said. Zelensky added that "if the results are exchanges or some other agreements, I cannot be against it, then we support the proposal of the United States of America. Let's see how it goes." He noted, however, that the most difficult issues in the ongoing peace process remain unresolved, including territorial issues, control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and funding for Ukraine's reconstruction. US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to represent the US side, while the Russian delegation is expected to include Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, said the report. Ukrainian National Security Advisor Rustem Umerov is also expected to meet with the US delegation separately in Miami or another location in the United States. The US, European and Ukrainian officials have reached consensus or significantly closed gaps on 90 per cent of their differences on a 20-point US draft peace plan during the Berlin talks last weekend, officials with the Trump administration said. Havana, Dec 21 : Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said that the US government's designation of the legitimate government of Venezuela as a "foreign terrorist organization" is a politically motivated act. "It is a new arbitrary, fraudulent, unilateral and politically motivated act. It shows, once again, the lack of credibility of these decisions and the manipulation of terrorism as a political weapon, which also weaken international efforts against that scourge," Rodriguez said on X. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced the designation of Venezuela as a "foreign terrorist organization." Rodriguez said the United States intends to impose an international isolation, increase pressure, escalate on an aggression that would have unpredictable consequences for peace, security and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean, Xinhua news agency reported. He also emphasised Cuba's all-out solidarity and support for the people and government of Venezuela in the face of "this infamous barbarism." Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department last Thursday announced sanctions on six additional tankers -- White Crane, Kiara M, H Constance, Lattafa, Tamia and Monique -- and six shipping companies it said transported Venezuelan crude oil in recent months. The Treasury Department said the sanctions are designed to attack Venezuelaas oil sector, which they claim "continues to fund Maduroas illegitimate regime." The measures were part of a larger package that also sanctioned three Maduro family members and a business associate of the Venezuelan president. Washington, Dec 21 : US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Saturday that the US forces seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela earlier in the day. "In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela," Noem said on X. The US military seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on December 10, a move the Venezuelan government condemned as "a blatant theft and an act of international piracy," Xinhua news agency reported. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has ordered a total blockade of all US-sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela. He also said in a later interview that the United States will continue seizing additional oil tankers. Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America," Trump wrote in a lengthy post on his social media platform. "It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before -- Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us." In the post, Trump announced "A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela" and demanded the return of oil and assets. The Venezuelan government responded to Trump's post, calling his declaration a "reckless and serious threat," against the country that it says violates international law, free trade and freedom of navigation. "The President of the United States intends to impose in an absolutely irrational manner, a supposed naval military blockade on Venezuela with the objective of stealing the wealth that belongs to our homeland," the Venezuelan government said in a statement. Seoul, Dec 21 : South Korea's auto exports rose 13.7 per cent in November from a year earlier, data showed on Sunday, driven by robust shipments of eco-friendly and hybrid models. The combined value of automobile exports came to $6.4 billion in November, supported by base effects after outbound shipments tumbled last year due to snow-related shipping disruptions, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Exports of eco-friendly cars jumped 23.4 percent to 78,436 units, marking 11 consecutive months of on-year gains, reports Yonhap news agency. Among eco-friendly models, exports of hybrid automobiles surged 40 percent to 54,296 units in November. By destination, exports to the United States rose 5.1 percent on-year in November to $2.69 billion, snapping eight consecutive months of declines following Washington's new tariff policy. Seoul and Washington reached an agreement to lower tariffs on automobiles to 15 percent from the 25 percent imposed in April. Exports to the European Union increased 3.4 percent to $820 million, while those to Asian countries advanced 32.1 percent to $730 million, the data showed. Meanwhile, South Korea's exports increased 8.4 per cent from a year earlier in November to over $61 billion, marking the sixth consecutive month of increase on the back of strong demand for semiconductors, government data showed. Outbound shipments came to $61.04 billion last month, the highest for any November, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, reports Yonhap news agency. Imports gained 1.2 per cent on-year to $51.3 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $9.73 billion. Accumulated exports in the January-November period reached $640.2 billion, a record high for the cited period, raising expectations that the country's annual exports will surpass the $700 billion mark for the first time in its history this year. a"IANS na/ Chennai, Dec 21 : As the state edges closer to the 2026 Assembly election, the DMK government is moving at full throttle to complete the second phase of its flagship Kalaignar Kanavu Illam (KKI) housing programme -- a Rs 3,500-crore initiative aimed at replacing huts with permanent dwellings across rural Tamil Nadu. Officials said the construction work has reached the final stretch, with 25,657 families already occupying newly built houses and another 74,343 units nearing completion. The administration has set an ambitious deadline, promising that all remaining beneficiaries will receive their homes by the first week of February. "The second phase will be fully delivered by early February," a senior official from the panchayat raj and rural development department confirmed. The pace of implementation is being closely tracked at the highest levels of bureaucracy. Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam and Principal Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi are holding weekly reviews -- an unusually rigorous monitoring schedule for a rural housing scheme -- underscoring its priority status within the government's welfare agenda. Launched in March 2024, the Kanavu Illam project seeks to create a 'hut-free Tamil Nadu' by 2030. A government survey had earlier mapped nearly eight lakh huts statewide, highlighting the scale of the housing deficit the scheme aims to address. A distinctive feature of KKI is its beneficiary-led construction model. Instead of awarding bulk contracts, the government credits funds directly to selected families in four instalments, empowering them to hire workers and oversee construction themselves. Each household receives assistance of Rs 3.5 lakh. This approach, officials said, has reduced the scope for delays and given beneficiaries greater control over quality and timelines. The scheme has drawn strong demand, particularly in northern districts, including Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore and Villupuram, and across the delta region -- areas with a higher concentration of hut settlements. Should the government meet its self-imposed February target, it would mark a significant milestone: one lakh homes completed in the second phase alone, with total beneficiaries touching two lakh since the launch. As Tamil Nadu enters election mode, the achievement is expected to feature prominently in the DMK's campaign messaging, offering the party a tangible welfare accomplishment to showcase -- one that combines scale, speed, and grassroots participation in rural housing transformation. With the economy still in a downturn, the second half of 2025 ended up dealing the final blow to a number of small and in some cases flag carrier airlines. In September 2025, Malmo-based Braathens Aviation filed for bankruptcy in Swedish court over "financial challenges" and a "lack of liquidity" needed to continue operations. Reykjavik-based low-cost airline Play Airlines had canceled all its flights in an abrupt end to multiple attempts to turn its finances around just a few weeks earlier. The national carrier for the Balkan country of Albania, Tirana-based Air Albania has not run any flights since the start of December after main investor Turkish Airlines announced plans to sell its stake and local residents wait to see whether it will be able to restart or go into liquidation. ECAir cancels flight, travelers reports receiving "no information" On the African continent, the national carrier for the Republic of the Congo is also currently in an unclear state, as locals set to fly with the airline reported coming to the airport and finding no staff at check-in counters, local outlet Business in Cameroon reported. Launched in 2011 out of the Republic of the Congo capital of Brazzaville, Equatorial Congo Airlines had a fleet of one Boeing 737-700 that it used to run flights within the Central African country and to neighbors such as Gabon and Cameroon. The airline is more frequently referred to in the shortened form of ECAir. Related: 100-year-old travel company leaving country, winding down operations Travelers set to take the EJ211 flight from Brazzaville to Yaounde in Cameroon on Dec. 19 arrived to the airport to discover that it has been canceled. They said they did not receive any prior notice but instead discovered it when the flight did not appear on any departure boards, and the ECAir check-in counters were roped off, with no staff attending to them. "The airline provided no information," one Brazzaville travel agency announced to its clients, as reported by Business In Cameroon. One source close to the airline said the problem arose over a technical issue that made the plane inoperable. The flag carrier for the Republic of the Congo had restarted operations in 2024.Shutterstock Shutterstock These are your options when an airline cancels your flight The airline had only resumed operations in 2024, having lacked the aircraft needed to run flights. These airlines filed for bankruptcy in 2025: New Delhi, Dec 21 : Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's net worth rose to nearly $750 billion after a US court reinstated Tesla stock options worth $139 billion. According to Forbes' billionaires index, this development has taken Musk closer to become the world's first trillionaire. Earlier, the Delaware Supreme Court in the US restored Musk's 2018 pay package from Tesla, overturning a lowercourt decision that had struck it down as "unfathomable". The ruling reverses a 2024 decision that rescinded the package and found that total rescission "leaves Musk uncompensated for his time and efforts over a period of six years," the 49page ruling said, according to reports. The 2018 package was worth about $139 billion based on Tesla's closing stock price on Friday, and if Musk exercises all stock options from the pay package, his stake would rise from about 12.4 per cent to 18.1 per cent of an expanded share base. The 2018 pay deal provided Musk options to buy about 304 million shares at a discounted price if Tesla met specific milestones. Tesla's board had warned that Musk, the world's richest person, leading the SpaceX rocket venture, could leave the electric car company if his pay was disrupted. Earlier this week, the Tesla CEO became the first person ever to surpass $600 billion in net worth over reports that SpaceX was likely to go public. With his company SpaceX reportedly launching a tender offer, valuing the firm at $800 billion, Musk's net worth has surged by $168 billion to an estimated $677 billion. SpaceX is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) next year that may value the firm at around $1.5 trillion. Also, Musk's 12 per cent stake in electric vehicle maker Tesla is worth $197 billion, excluding stock options. Moreover, Musk's xAI Holdings is reportedly in talks to raise new funding at around $230 billion valuation. Musk owns a 53 per cent stake in xAI Holdings, worth $60 billion. IANS na/ Guwahati, Dec 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday take part in a series of engagements on the second day of his two-day visit to Assam, including an interaction with students, paying homage to the martyrs of the historic Assam Movement, and laying the foundation stone of a major ammonia-urea fertiliser project in Namrup. The dayas schedule will begin with the Prime Minister interacting with 25 meritorious students from various schools during a special session to be held aboard the cruise vessel 'Charaideo' while sailing on the Brahmaputra River. The interaction is expected to last around 30 minutes. In view of the Prime Ministeras river cruise, security arrangements have been tightened along the riverfront, and ferry services on the Brahmaputra have been suspended until noon, officials said. Following the interaction with students, PM Modi will visit the newly constructed Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Guwahati to pay tribute to the 860 martyrs of the Assam Movement, a six-year-long mass agitation against illegal foreigners that began in 1979. During his visit, the Prime Minister will tour the martyrsa gallery, where busts of all 860 martyrs have been installed, and will also garland the statue of Khargeswar Talukdar, the first martyr of the movement. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will travel to Dibrugarh and proceed to Namrup, where he will perform the bhumi pujan of the Rs 10,600 crore ammonia-urea fertiliser plant. The project is expected to significantly boost Assamas industrial growth, strengthen fertiliser availability, and contribute to the regionas economic development. Furthering the Prime Ministeras vision of Farmersa Welfare, the project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 10,600 crore, will meet fertiliser requirements of Assam and neighbouring states, reduce import dependence, generate substantial employment and catalyse regional economic development. It stands as a cornerstone of industrial revival and farmer welfare, according to a government press release. PM Modi will also address a public rally in Namrup before returning to New Delhi. On Saturday, the Prime Minister began his Assam visit by inaugurating the new terminal building of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, unveiling an 80-foot statue of Assamas first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, and addressing a public meeting in Guwahati, where he set the political tone ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled next year. He also participated in a roadshow in the city. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Non-aggression, synthesis and unity of all existence reflect the ancient Indian thought that continues to define the standing of this country even in today's world. New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Non-aggression, synthesis and unity of all existence reflect the ancient Indian thought that continues to define the standing of this country even in todayas world. Independent India began its journey with the call of afriendship for all, malice towards nonea and years later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the mantra of aVasudhaiva Kutumbakama or aone earth one family one futurea at the G20 summit held at Delhi in September 2023. He struck the cord that Indiaas strategic culture was known for. This advocated peaceful coexistence not pacifism and PM Modi regime has made it abundantly clear that India would build its self-defence on the motto of self-reliance -on a scale that deterred its adversaries. At the same time India has followed the strategy of pursuing bilateral relations with all for serving mutual security and economic interests, working for peaceful resolution of military conflicts and upholding the cause of suffering humanity anywhere. India rightly believes that in a multipolar world it could -as a major voice on issues of world peace - serve this cause without getting into aalignmentsa. This approach to international relations has benefited India in a large measure. The success of Indiaas handling of international relations can be judged to an extent from the newly documented US National Security Strategy released by President Donald Trump on December 5. Although NSS focused on MAGA-related aAmerica Firsta priorities, Trump has attached special importance to Indo-Pacific region and recognised Indiaas contribution as a partner to Indo-Pacific security through the Quad framework. He seemed to be elevating Quad as a grouping of strategic importance against China. As regards Pakistan, Trump is known to have cultivated its leadership, but that country found mention only in the context of the claim once again made by the US President, for his personal reasons- that he should be given credit for fostering peace between India and Pakistan in the Indo-Pak military stand off in May. Trump would have been happy if India like Pakistan, endorsed his claim and perhaps he carried a grudge on this count but he could not disregard Indiaas role as a major power advocating global peace and human development. Given to making commercial deals, Trump is shrewdly watching the course of Indo-US talks on trade and tariffs. India believes that competition should not lead to collision. Its policy of sticking to bilateral relations that served Indiaas security and economic interests was being applied to US as well. This has affirmed Indiaas strategic autonomy. While Indo-US relations have been fluctuating between good and business-like under President Trumpas second tenure, Vladimir Putinas visit to India for the India-Russia summit has helped to enhance the geopolitical balance from Indiaas point of view. The Russian President visited India at a time when US was pushing this country to cut down on its oil import from Russia on the plea that this was strengthening the Russian war machine in the Ukraine-Russia military conflict. Prime Minister Modi described India-Russia friendship as something as stable as athe guiding stara while Putin also emphasised that the two countries were aimportant partnersa in trade, investment and technologies. Putin pledged that Russia would continue with uninterrupted shipments of fuel for the fast growing Indian economy and implicitly urged India to disregard US tariff pressure. On the Russia-Ukraine confrontation, Putin stated that Russia was taking steps with mediators, including the US, in search of a possible peaceful settlement. He seemed to have a certain equation with Trump, who in turn, wanted President Zelensky of Ukraine to accommodate Putin on the territorial issue. While economic cooperation was the adriving impulsea of Putinas visit - as Indiaas Foreign Secretary put it- both India and Russia evidently benefited from it and what is perhaps even more important from Indian perspective, the summit added to geopolitical stability and international equilibrium. Indiaas strategy of not aligning with any asuperpowersa and preferring an approach of bilateral friendships, has served the country well and strengthened its position as a major votary of global peace and development. It has enabled India to emerge as an advocate for the global South on the forum of ASEAN and elsewhere and as a helping hand in resolving military conflicts whether it was Ukraine-Russia awara or Israelas military offensive in Gaza following the October 7 terror attack of Hamas. India does at the same time take serious notice of its adversaries like Pakistan which harboured Islamic terrorists for using them against India and China which had entered into a strategic alliance with Pakistan that was mainly directed against this country -as was seen in the post-Pahalgam military confrontation between India and Pakistan. India is active in both BRICS and SCO but is also prepared to upgrade its profile in Quad for countering Chinese aggressiveness in the Indo-Pacific and supporting arules based ordera in that region. India is watching out against any Chinese outreach to Indian Ocean. It has in PM Modi regime adopted a policy of becoming self-dependent in economic and military planes that was in keeping with Indiaas approach to strategic autonomy and positive non-alignment. India has shown flexibility and patience in dealing with US and retained its belief that the two largest democracies of the world ought to have a natural friendship. The geopolitical scene today is marked by signs of return of Cold War on the horizon with a resurgent China trying to emerge as the second superpower through a build up of its economic, technological and military might and with Russia playing the second fiddle to China. In Iran and Afghanistan US on one hand and China-Russia combine on the other seemed to be pitted against each other. Also, competing interests of US and China in the global South and a return to the Monroe Doctrine by Donald Trump that considered the Western Hemisphere as the exclusive area of American influence-Trump viewing it as a component of Make America Great Again (MAGA) mission- add to this bipolarity in international relations. The American Presidentas attitude of withdrawal from NATO and the European Union is part of his reluctance to get into international projects through USAID that only awasted US fundsa -as Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it. Trump has tilted towards Russia in the Ukraine-Russia military conflict -he had a personal bonhomie with Putin. India can maintain even relationships with both US and Russia, notwithstanding the atariff pressurea exercised by Trump on this country. India can also remain firm on its stand that athis was not an era of warsa- as stated by Prime Minister Modi in his first response to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. India is , at the same time, free to plan its countersteps against a hostile China. A prime challenge in the present is the Trump administrationas move to cultivate Pakistan for reasons of trade in disregard of Pak complicity in faith-based terrorism, at a time when China was colluding with Pakistan against India. India has to find ways and means of dealing with the threat from the Sino-Pak axis that comes on top of the national security agenda of this country. (The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau) Dhaka, Dec 21 : The Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration in Bangladesh has received a 24-hour ultimatum from the radical organisation Inquilab Mancha, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the killing of its leader, Sharif Osman Hadi. The ultimatum was issued after Hadi's funeral, as thousands of his supporters assembled at Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection on Saturday, turning the area into a major flashpoint. Issuing a warning to the interim government, leaders of the radical group said, "If no response comes from the government regarding the arrest of Sharif Osman Hadi's killers by 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, we will organise another sit-in protest at Shahbagh." The group also demanded that the iconic Shahbagh intersection be renamed 'Hadi Chottor', according to a report by leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune. Sharif Osman Hadi, a candidate from the Dhaka-8 parliamentary constituency for the forthcoming general elections, was critically injured in a shooting incident carried out by unidentified criminals in Dhaka's Paltan area on December 12. Following the attack, he was initially admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital as his condition remained serious. After his health further deteriorated, Hadi was flown to Singapore for advanced medical treatment. He succumbed to his injuries on Thursday night while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital. His mortal remains were brought back to Bangladesh on Friday. Meanwhile, Muhammad Yunus has vowed to uphold and carry forward the ideals of the slain radical leader, assuring supporters that Hadi's vision would not fade with his death. Yunus said he would fulfil Hadi's "dream" and ensure that it is carried forward across generations. "O dear Osman Hadi, we have not come here to bid you farewell. You live within our hearts, and as long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis. No one can erase you from there. Millions have gathered here today in waves, while crores across Bangladesh and Bangladeshis living abroad are waiting to hear about Hadi," Yunus said, as quoted by The Daily Star. Kyiv, Dec 21 : Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro on Saturday did not rule out the possibility of his country participating in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after the conclusion of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. "We do not want to be here during a war, but in the Coalition of the Willing, Portugal participates and will participate in peacekeeping operations," the visiting Prime Minister said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. He emphasised, however, that no such mission is currently being planned. Portugal is part of the Coalition of the Willing -- a group of about 30 countries supporting Ukraine. Montenegro added that Portugal is already supporting Ukraine in developing underwater drones. Zelensky said that Ukraine and Portugal had signed a partnership agreement for the production of underwater drones. Montenegro arrived in Kyiv earlier on Saturday. On Friday, the European Council approved a 90-billion-euro (about $105.4 billion) loan package to support Ukraine's military and economic needs over the next two years. According to a European Council statement, the loan will be financed through European Union borrowing on the capital markets and backed by the EU budget "headroom," the unused margin in the budget that can be mobilised as a guarantee to support EU borrowing. Because EU-level joint borrowing often hinges on unanimity, the statement adds that any EU budget guarantee for the loan "will not have an impact on the financial obligations" of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, an opt-out meant to secure their nod and keep the deal intact. The statement noted that part of the Ukraine-related text was "firmly supported" by 25 leaders. However, Russia's TASS news agency reported that Hungary and Slovakia did not sign the joint statement. Zelensky on Friday welcomed the EU's decision to provide the loan. "This is significant support that truly strengthens our resilience," Zelensky wrote on X, adding that the deal provides Ukraine with a financial security guarantee for the coming years. Kolkata, Dec 21 : The socially backward class in West Bengal, including people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the Other Backward Class (OBC), continues to have limited access to institutional loans, according to findings from a bankers' body. Kolkata, Dec 21 (IANS) The socially backward class in West Bengal, including people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the Other Backward Class (OBC), continues to have limited access to institutional loans, according to findings from a bankersa body. During the first six months of the current financial year, 2025-26, the total institutional loan granted in West Bengal stood at Rs 48,08,752.02 crore, out of which just Rs 29,654.03 crore was granted to the socially backward classes. Statistically, it means that only six per cent of the total loans granted in the state during the period under review were for socially backward class people. In terms of the number of recipients of such loans during the same period, the representation from the socially backward classes was negligible of the total number of recipients. During the period under review, the total number of institutional loan recipients from the socially backward class was 15,12,216 as compared to the total number of recipients at 64,07,678. This means that the number of institutional loan receipts from the socially backward classes was just 23 per cent of the total number of recipients. The figure was given at the latest meeting of the State Level Bankersa Committee (SLBC), West Bengal, a committee which has representations from the banks operating in the state as well as the state government. The minutes of the meeting are available with IANS. However, the silver lining was that the credit to deposit (CD) ratio in West Bengal as on September 30, 2025, improved substantially over the figure during the corresponding period of the previous financial year. The CD ratio as of September 30, 2025, stood at 70.59 per cent compared to 69.88 per cent as of September 30, 2024. However, at the same time, a negative trend in the CD ratio was observed during that period in the case of districts like Birbhum, Kolkata, Malda, and Purulia. Former West Bengal finance minister and the current chief economic advisor to the state government, Amit Mitra, urged the lead district managers of these districts to initiate immediate remedial measures. Seoul, Dec 21 : A Seoul court has upheld an earlier decision by the Justice Ministry to deny naturalisation to a foreign national over his past criminal record. According to legal sources on Sunday, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by the foreigner, who had sought to overturn the ministry's rejection of his naturalisation application. The applicant, whose nationality was not disclosed, had applied for a South Korean passport after marrying a South Korean citizen. After the couple divorced, the legal basis for his application changed, and the ministry rejected the request, citing his criminal record, Yonhap News Agency reported. The ministry ruled that the person failed to meet the "good conduct" requirement under the Nationality Act. The foreigner was once referred to juvenile protection proceedings for aggravated theft and was also fined for driving without a license. The person argued that despite his record, the Justice Ministry was too harsh in denying his naturalisation application. However, the administrative court said he was a repeat offender over an extended period, and his offences could not be considered minor. It also pointed out that the person had not initially disclosed his criminal history when applying for naturalisation. The court noted that the Justice Ministry was not excessive in its decision because the foreigner is still allowed to stay in South Korea based on his F-6, marriage migrant visa, and may reapply for naturalisation at a later date. Earlier in January, the Transport Ministry stated that individuals with serious criminal records will face employment restrictions in online delivery services, such as Baemin and Coupang Eats, as well as in taxi services for disabled people. Under the revised enforcement ordinances of transportation and services acts approved by the Cabinet, those with criminal records, including sex and drug offenders, will be denied a job in the sectors for up to 20 years following their release from prison or termination of penalties. Organisations hiring drivers for disabled taxi services and goods delivery, including the popular food delivery platform operators, will now be required to check criminal records through local police stations. Failure to verify criminal records or terminate contracts within one month after discovering disqualifying factors will result in fines of up to 5 million won ($3,418), the ministry said. Guwahati, Dec 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party after inaugurating the fertiliser unit in Assam's Namrup. Addressing a public meeting here, PM Modi came down heavily on the opposition, alleging that the Congress party has always opposed the development of Assam and the Northeast. "Congress insulted Assam's icon Bhupen Hazarika when the music maestro was conferred Bharat Ratna by the BJP government. The Congress party even opposed our decision to set up a semiconductor manufacturing unit in Assam's Nagaon district," he said. The Prime Minister claimed that Congress has no love and respect for the Assamese people, and instead, they are biased towards the infiltrators. "Congress backed the infiltrators who have destroyed the demography of Assam because those infiltrators are the vote bank of the opposition party. The BJP, on the contrary, has always been protective about ensuring the rights of people of Assam," he said, adding that the current dispensation has been working tirelessly to protect the indigenous people of the state. Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid homage to the martyrs of the historic Assam Movement at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Guwahati, marking a deeply emotional moment for the people of the state. The Prime Minister offered floral tributes and garlanded the bust of Khargeswar Talukdar, the first martyr of the six-year-long anti-foreigner agitation that began in 1979, remembering the sacrifices made to protect Assam's identity, culture and rights. The Swahid Smarak Kshetra is dedicated to the 860 people who lost their lives during the Assam Movement. During his visit, PM Modi also toured the martyrs' gallery, where busts of all the martyrs have been installed, paying respect to each of them. His presence at the memorial was seen as a strong gesture of acknowledgement of Assam's turbulent past and the price paid by its people. The Prime Minister also held a special and inspiring interaction with 25 selected students from different parts of Assam aboard the cruise vessel 'Charaideo' on the Brahmaputra River, marking a unique engagement during his two-day visit to the state. --IANS tdr/dpb New Delhi, Dec 21 : The Indian Army celebrated the 42nd Corps Day of Judge Advocate General's Department on Sunday, even as the Ministry of Defence paid tribute to the legal framework that strengthens the Force from within. On the Raising Day of the Judge Advocate General Branch, the Ministry also shared on social media a podcast bringing focus to the institution that upholds discipline, justice and the rule of law within the Indian Army. "In an insightful conversation, Major General Sandeep Kumar, JAG of the Indian Army, explains the role, responsibilities and evolving challenges of the JAG Branch- from military justice and operational legal advice to emerging domains of warfare," wrote the Ministry about the podcast in a message on X. The Judge Advocate General's Department traces its history to the British Articles of War-1385. The Army Act Bill was laid in Parliament on December 21, 1949, and therefore, December 21 is celebrated as the Corps Day of the Judge Advocate General's Department. Being the legal branch of the Indian Army, it deals with military-related disciplinary cases and litigation. The Judge Advocate General is the legal advisor to the Chief of Army Staff in matters of military, martial (in its fighting service aspect) and international law and also assists the Adjutant General in matters relating to discipline involving application of military law. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court set aside the limit restricting the seats of women in the JAG Branch, holding it to be violative of the right to equality. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan said that the selection should be based only on merit. The top court was hearing a writ petition of two women, who ranked fifth and sixth in merit, and challenged the Army's gender-based vacancy split (six for men, three for women) in the JAG Entry Scheme, arguing it unfairly denied them selection despite higher eligibility. "The executive cannot reserve vacancies for men. The seats of six for men and three for women are arbitrary and cannot be allowed under the guise of induction. The true meaning of gender neutrality and the 2023 rules is that the Union shall select the most meritorious candidates. Restricting the seats of women is violative of the right to equality," the bench said. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday that the government wants every woman to feel safe, assuring them of freedom to work and equal opportunity to move forward. "Women of Delhi are also playing an important role in the construction of a developed Delhi. The priority of our government is that every woman feels safe, every talent gets an opportunity, and confidence accompanies every step," said CM Gupta in a message on X. CM Gupta, who is the fourth woman head of government in Delhi since 1998, said, "There should be the freedom to work, the assurance to move forward, and equal opportunities should be available. Today, under the leadership of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, women's empowerment is our resolve, our direction, and our mission." Earlier on Saturday, CM Gupta said that the government has prepared a comprehensive framework for an Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, which is likely to be implemented from the next financial year to promote seamless adoption of electric vehicles and reduce pollution. CM Gupta said that the EV Policy will play an effective role in controlling pollution in the national capital, as emissions from vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution. She said the policy is not merely about providing financial incentives, but about securing a clean future for Delhi. "When every citizen adopts EVs, there will be a direct reduction in PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels. The government is integrating charging infrastructure and subsidies in a manner that enables Delhi to emerge not only as the country's, but also the world's, 'EV capital'," she said. "In this fight against pollution, technology and government support are our strongest tools," she said. The Chief Minister clarified that under the new EV policy, the government's primary focus will be on financial incentives. To reduce the significant price difference between petrol-diesel (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles, adequate subsidies will be provided, she announced. In addition, the Delhi government has already abolished road tax and registration fees on the purchase of EVs, making new vehicles significantly more affordable, she said. The Chief Minister said that people often express concern about what will happen to their old vehicles if they purchase an EV. To address this, the government has formulated a 'scrapping' plan for old vehicles. A 'scrapping incentive' scheme is being introduced to remove highly polluting vehicles from the roads. If a citizen scraps an old petrol or diesel vehicle, they will receive additional financial benefits while purchasing a new EV. This system will encourage residents to shift to electric vehicles, she said. It has been a rollercoaster ride for Netflix (NFLX) investors this year. The stock was considered a bastion of safety and a defensive play amid the tariff war earlier in the year and was outperforming tech peers by a wide margin in the first four months. Then came the period of consolidation, and the stock traded flat for the next few months. As economic and tariff worries receded, investors pivoted to other tech names, ditching Netflix. However, the worst was yet to come for the streaming giant, and it crashed following its Q3 2025 earnings. Netflix saw some traction following the stock splitthe old rulebook of shares rising after the split announcement almost invariably holdsbut soon came under selling pressure after the company announced that it would acquire Warner Bros. (WBD) following the separation of Discovery Global. More News from Barchart www.barchart.com Netflix and Paramount Battle It Out for WBD The deal, valued at an enterprise value of $82.7 billion, is the biggest in Netflixs history, and according to the company, it would combine Netflixs innovation, global reach and best-in-class streaming service with Warner Bros. century-long legacy of world-class storytelling. The deal wont go through easily, though, and Paramount (PSKY) has made a counteroffer of $30 per share in cash, which is higher than the $27.75 that Netflix offered in the cash and stock transaction. Even if Netflix can win over support from WBD shareholders, the deal is set to face regulatory scrutiny given the size of the transaction. Bob Iger, CEO of rival streamer Disney (DIS), has expressed concerns over the deal, citing the alleged pricing power it would give to Netflix. Meanwhile, NFLX shares have moved southward amid all the drama over the WBD acquisition and are now up just around 6% for the year. Let alone outperforming the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), the stock is now trailing its returns by a wide margin and is in bear market territory after falling almost 30% from its 2025 highs. NFLX Stock Forecast Netflixs proposed acquisition of WBD wasnt received well by sell-side analysts, and at least three have downgraded the stock. Heres a brief rundown: Islamabad, Dec 21 : A police vehicle was targeted by assailants near an Afghan refugee camp on Kohat Road in Bannu district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in authorities ordering the settlement's evacuation on security grounds, media reports said on Sunday. Police said that the attack happened when Deputy Superintendent of Police Mufeez Khan was travelling from Township to Domel. Officials stated that the attackers hiding near the camp opened fire on his vehicle in what they termed a planned ambush, Pakistan's The Express Tribune reported. In response, police personnel fired at the attackers; however, they managed to flee from the spot. No casualties were reported in the incident, though the police vehicle suffered partial damage. After the attack, police cordoned off the area and started a search operation to find the suspects. District administration officials stated that 2,567 people lived in the Afghan refugee camp. Of those, 1,700 had been deported to Afghanistan before the attack on Saturday. After the attack, another 120 people from 20 families were deported to Afghanistan. Authorities have deployed heavy machinery to dismantle structures in the camp as part of the evacuation process. On December 8, a policeman was injured after assailants targeted a police station in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local media reported. A police officer said that assailants targeted the Ahmadzai police station with sniper fire, Dawn reported. On December 3, three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were killed in a blast targeting a police vehicle in the Dera Ismail Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to district police spokesperson Yaqoob Zulqarnain. Zulqarnain stated that an improvised explosive device was used to carry out the blast in the Paniyala area, Dawn reported. The police spokesperson stated that ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq and the driver of the mobile van, Sakhi Jan, were killed in the attack, while another constable accompanying them remained unhurt. Pakistan has witnessed an increase in militant activities in the past year, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Congress MP Tariq Anwar on Sunday weighed in on the political controversy sparked by remarks made by Union MSME Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, asserting that the episode has strengthened the Congress party's long-standing allegations regarding electoral irregularities. Reacting to Manjhi's comments on vote recounting during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Anwar said that the minister's own words have lent credibility to the Congress's claims. "It has become evident, and people are beginning to believe that there is truth behind what the Congress Party has been saying. Union Minister Manjhi's statement has proven this to be true," Anwar said, adding that public trust in the electoral process is being shaken by such admissions. The controversy erupted after a video clip surfaced in which Manjhi is allegedly heard claiming that he contacted the District Magistrate to ensure the victory of a candidate who was trailing by around 2,700 votes during the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls. The video quickly went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions from opposition parties, particularly the Congress, which accused the ruling alliance of interference in the electoral process. Following the backlash, Manjhi strongly rejected allegations of vote manipulation, calling the video misleading and his remarks misinterpreted. He clarified that he was referring strictly to the legal provision of seeking a recount, not to any form of vote rigging or administrative interference. "This is a false and misleading video," Manjhi said while explaining his position. "You must remember that in the 2020 election, after recounting, one candidate won by just 27 votes, while a JD(U) candidate lost by the same margin. My reference was only to requesting a recount of votes, which is allowed under election rules." Despite Manjhi's clarification, the Congress has maintained that the episode raises serious questions about the misuse of influence by senior leaders. Tariq Anwar said that even the suggestion of contacting administrative officials during an election process is troubling and warrants greater scrutiny. Chennai, Dec 21 : Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian on Sunday said that the state government has already informed protesting contract nurses that several of their demands are under consideration, even as he appealed to them to ensure that their agitation does not jeopardise healthcare delivery. Addressing the ongoing stir, Subramanian, in a statement, said that while the nurses have every right to protest, such demonstrations must be conducted responsibly. "They certainly have the right to protest. But doing so without prior intimation is not appropriate. Those participating -- as well as those encouraging them -- must remember that this is a profession where lives are at stake," he said in the statement. The minister also pointed out that many of the contract nurses currently agitating were appointed during the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaaas tenure in 2014. These appointments, he said, were made on the condition that the recruits would serve for two years, after which they would be regularised based on seniority and the creation of new posts. However, he pointed out that for four to five years thereafter, no new batches were regularised. According to him, it was only after the DMK assumed office under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that vacancies began to be filled on a yearly basis. "So far, 3,783 nurses have been regularised. On Tuesday, another 169 nurses will receive their appointment orders," he said. Responding to the protestersa demand for the creation of additional posts, Subramanian said policy decisions must be guided by factors such as the structure of the medical sector, patient load, and financial feasibility. New jobs cannot be sanctioned without considering these aspects, he added. Highlighting the governmentas efforts, he said that 18,000 posts have been created, 35,000 employees regularised, and 45,000 personnel transferred under a transparent counselling process since the DMK government assumed office. Subramanian further hinted at political motives behind the agitation, particularly in the context of elections. "Some people are influencing them during election time. They must understand the realities," he said. Reaffirming the governmentas commitment to engage constructively, he said officials have already met protest representatives. While asserting that legitimate demands will be addressed, he urged nurses to balance their right to protest with their responsibility towards patients and public health. --IANS aal/vd Kolkata, Dec 21 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday asserted that there are some misconceptions about the organisation among a section of people. Addressing a gathering at the Science City auditorium in Kolkata to mark the centenary celebrations of the RSS, Bhagwat clarified that the Sangh has no enemy. He called for a greater Hindu unity and said it would be a mistake to conflate the BJP and the RSS, and the only goal of the Sangh is the unity and solidarity of the Hindu community. Bhagwat said, "The Sangh is often misinterpreted. Many know the name but do not understand the work of the Sangh. The RSS only thinks about the betterment of Hindu society. It does not operate with any kind of animosity. While the growth of the Sangh may hurt the interests of many, the Sangh itself has no enemies." The Sarsanghchalak claimed that politics is unnecessarily conflated with the Sangh. Bhagwat said, "It is true that many BJP leaders are in the RSS. But it is wrong to conflate the RSS and the BJP. The RSS does not operate with a mindset of conflict. It only thinks about the betterment of Hindu society." However, shops of narrow interest will shut down if the organisation grows. "To bring the reality in front of people, lecture and interaction sessions have been organised in four cities of the country. RSS does not have any political agenda. The Sangh works for the betterment and protection of the Hindu society," said Bhagwat. The RSS chief said that the country will again become 'Vishwaguru' and it is the duty of the Sangh to prepare the society for the purpose. In a message aimed at uniting the Hindu community, the RSS chief emphasised the need to return to forgotten roots. He also mentioned Bengali icons like Swami Vivekananda, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Notably, Bhagwat highly praised Raja Ram Mohan Roy, echoing the sentiments of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. He said, "Ram Mohan Roy fought tirelessly for social reform throughout his life. The work of social reform began during his time. The RSS wants to carry forward that very legacy," he said. Ahmedabad, Dec 21 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the Property Fest organised by NAREDCO Gujarat at Ognaj, underscoring the growing role of the real estate sector in Gujarat's development journey. Ahmedabad, Dec 21 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the Property Fest organised by NAREDCO Gujarat at Ognaj, underscoring the growing role of the real estate sector in Gujaratas development journey. The three-day Property Fest, organised by the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), has brought together more than 40 real estate groups from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, showcasing a wide range of residential, commercial and urban development projects. Addressing the significance of such initiatives, the Chief Minister said that with Ahmedabad, Gujarat, having secured the hosting rights for the Commonwealth Games 2030, platforms like the Property Fest will help create new dimensions of parallel infrastructure and real estate development. He noted that landmark projects such as GIFT City, Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), and the expanding metro rail network have already accelerated unprecedented growth in the real estate and infrastructure sectors across the state. Emphasising the vision of aViksit Gujarat for a Viksit Bharata, Patel said the real estate sector will play a crucial role in achieving this goal by contributing to planned urbanisation, economic activity and employment generation. During his visit, the Chief Minister toured various stalls set up by leading real estate groups and gathered detailed information about modern construction techniques and upcoming urban development projects. The NAREDCO Gujarat Property Fest began on December 19 and features stalls by 41 real estate groups. Over the three days, the event has witnessed enthusiastic participation from investors, homebuyers and property enthusiasts. Chairman of NAREDCO Gujarat Suresh Patel, President Yogesh Bhavsar, Secretary Deepak Patel, along with other office-bearers, stakeholders from the real estate sector and a large number of visitors were present on the occasion. Gujarat has emerged as one of Indiaas leading states in infrastructure development, driven by a strong focus on connectivity, industrial growth and urban planning. Mega projects such as GIFT City, the Dholera Special Investment Region, extensive metro rail networks in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, and world-class expressways and highways have significantly strengthened the stateas economic backbone. The expansion of ports, logistics hubs and industrial corridors has enhanced Gujaratas position as a manufacturing and investment destination, while smart city initiatives and sustainable urban infrastructure have improved the quality of life. Backed by consistent policy support and timely execution, Gujaratas infrastructure growth continues to play a pivotal role in attracting investment and accelerating overall development. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday led a review of the status of human-elephant conflict across the country, focussing on findings from ongoing studies on conflict drivers and mitigation measures, an official said. The meeting holds significance considering the Sairang (Mizoram)-New Delhi Rajdhani Express killing seven elephants and injuring a calf in Hojai district of Assam a day earlier. The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change also brainstormed with experts to refine strategies for the conservation of tigers and elephants during the meeting held at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, the official said. The 28th Meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant brought together senior government officials, scientists, and field experts from tiger and elephant range states, along with representatives of key conservation institutions, to review the progress of Project Tiger and Project Elephant. Minister Yadav emphasised Indiaas globally recognised tiger conservation model and underscored the importance of science-based management, landscape-level planning, community participation, inter-state coordination, and international collaboration. The minutes of the 27th Meeting held on April 18, 2025, were confirmed, and the Action Taken Report on decisions taken therein was reviewed. The outcomes of four Regional Meetings were discussed, with a focus on key challenges faced by tiger reserves, said an official statement. Measures to address human-tiger conflict, including a three-pronged strategy and the launch of the project aManagement of Tigers Outside Tiger Reservesa, were highlighted. Issues related to staff shortages, financial constraints, habitat degradation, and invasive species management were also reviewed, with directions issued for appropriate follow-up by states and concerned authorities. The meeting ratified the decisions of the Technical Committee Meetings of the NTCA, covering approval of Tiger Conservation Plans; extension and expansion of Project Cheetah; tiger translocation; prey augmentation; landscape management planning; carnivore health management training programmes; and inputs provided by the NTCA on project proposals to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). A comprehensive review of the status of human-elephant conflict across the country was also undertaken, said an official statement. The committee discussed findings from ongoing studies on conflict drivers and mitigation measures, along with the status and adequacy of compensation mechanisms adopted by elephant range states. The meeting also deliberated on the evaluation of elephant population estimation methods, progress on integrated conservation and management strategies for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve, and future action plans, the statement said. These include the conduct of Management Effectiveness Evaluation for all Elephant Reserves with CAMPA funding support and a proposed study on elephant corridors, habitat utilisation, and conflict hotspots in the Bandhavgarh region. The Steering Committee reaffirmed the Government of Indiaas commitment to science-based conservation, inter-state coordination, technological innovation, and community-centric approaches to ensure a sustainable future for elephants and the people living in elephant landscapes. Lucknow, Dec 21 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday highlighted plans to achieve the target of "one district, one co-operative bank" soon, criticising the previous governments for harming farmers and banks by focusing more on "one district, one mafia". Lucknow, Dec 21 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday highlighted plans to achieve the target of "one district, one co-operative bank" soon, criticising the previous governments for harming farmers and banks by focusing more on "one district, one mafia". Speaking at the inauguration of Youth Cooperative Conference and UP Co-operative Expo-2025, CM Yogi said, "Today, there are over two lakh accounts and Rs 550 crore deposit in district co-operative banks -- a complete change in scenario from the pre-2017 era when 16 district co-operative banks were declared defaulters by the RBI." During those dark times, these banks faced the threat of losing their licences, he said. "Today, the district co-operative banks are not defaulters or sick but contributing to the prosperity of farmers and the state," said the CM. The Chief Minister said that the 50 district co-operative banks in the state are profitable today. He said that earlier there was an infection that was slowly taking all the district co-operative banks towards sickness. "But we treated the disease well in time and restored the health of these banks," he said. The CM hit out at the previous Samajwadi Party government for ignoring co-operative banks and focusing more on promoting lawlessness and extortion through "one district, one mafia". He said the mafia rule in the pre-2017 era spelt doom for the co-operative sector. "Farmers' money got stuck in co-operative banks. We gradually got farmers' Rs 4,700 crore restored through the revival of these banks," he said. "Today, Uttar Pradesh is rid of mafia and moving towards 'One district, One Co-operative bank' as this is the right strategy even for financial inclusion and employment generation," he said. Urging the youth to lead the cooperative movement and take the state on the path of development, the Chief Minister said the youth are the future and the architects of the cooperative movement. "This youth cooperative conference will prove to be a new milestone in the direction of the state's prosperity and collective development," he said. Seoul, Dec 21 : 26 South Korean nationals were apprehended during a joint police crackdown at a scam centre in a Cambodia-Vietnam border town last week, with one Korean freed from confinement, police said Sunday. A joint team of South Korea and Cambodia on Thursday raided the site located in the province of Mondulkiri, eastern Cambodia, near the Vietnamese border, and took the 26 South Koreans into custody for suspected involvement in scam operations, according to the National Police Agency (NPA), Yonhap News Agency reported. The operation also led to the rescue of a man in his 20s who had been confined and tortured at the site. The raid involved 40 Cambodian police officers and four South Korean officers, the NPA said. The move comes as South Korea has been ramping up efforts to combat crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia, such as online scams, following the torture and death of a Korean college student lured to a scam center in the Southeast Asian country in August. The Seoul-Phnom Penh joint team has apprehended 92 scam suspects and rescued two Korean victims so far this month. "Through close cooperation between the two countries' police authorities, we will intensify the crackdown on online scams and voice phishing crimes," an NPA official said. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also praised the officers involved in the operation and pledged stronger international cooperation to eradicate such crimes. "I appreciate their dedication to completing their mission despite the dangerous and harsh conditions in unfamiliar territory," Lee said in a post on X. "We will further strengthen cooperation with law enforcement agencies worldwide to eradicate international organised crime, including online scams and voice phishing," he added. On Friday, the South Korean presidential office said South Korea has repatriated 107 nationals suspected of involvement in online scam crimes in Cambodia since October, as part of a sweeping crackdown launched following the death of a Korean student in the Southeast Asian nation. The pan-government campaign began in October to curb a surge in scam crimes targeting Koreans, after President Lee Jae Myung ordered the launch of a special response team to work with the Cambodian authorities to track down suspects, arrest them and bring them back to South Korea. As of November, the cumulative number of Korean suspects arrested in Cambodia, including those still awaiting repatriation, stood at 154, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters The crackdown has also led to a sharp decline in reports of Koreans confined or going missing in Cambodia, with the number falling from 93 cases in October to just 17 in November, Kang said. The government pledged to continue taking a tough stance on transnational crimes that threaten the safety of Koreans abroad. "The government will continue to take stern, firm action against transnational crimes that endanger the lives and security of our citizens," Kang said. During a pan-government meeting in late October, Lee ordered the establishment of a special response headquarters involving the foreign and justice ministries, intelligence agencies and the police. A dedicated police unit was also set up in Cambodia to deal specifically with crimes involving Korean nationals in the country. Mumbai, Dec 21 : Congress MP Kumari Selja on Sunday countered the "anti-India" allegations made by the BJP against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his foreign visits, and accused the party of becoming "habitually compelled" to criticise him. Congress MP Kumari Selja on Sunday accused the BJP of having only one agenda -- "communal divide" -- for every election, while contrasting it with Congress, which she claimed always connects with the people. Mumbai, Dec 21 (IANS) Congress MP Kumari Selja on Sunday countered the "anti-India" allegations made by the BJP against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his foreign visits, and accused the party of becoming "habitually compelled" to criticise him. Congress MP Kumari Selja on Sunday accused the BJP of having only one agenda -- "communal divide" -- for every election, while contrasting it with Congress, which she claimed always connects with the people. She also accused the BJP of having only one agenda -- "communal divide" -- for every election, while contrasting it with Congress, which she claimed always connects with the people. In an interview with IANS, Selja said that the Congress party is ready for the high-stakes BMC polls, scheduled for next month. She also said that the BJP always resorts to "slandering Congress" instead of presenting its own report card for the last 11 years at the Centre. The Congress leader also talked about the Maharashtra local body polls, BJP's allegations against Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi over his foreign visits, Hate Speech Bill, Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill, hijab row, etc. The following are the excerpts from the interview: IANS: You are currently in Mumbai. The Maharashtra local body election results will shortly be announced, and the schedule for the BMC elections has been announced. The BJP has released a list of star campaigners, including Himanta Biswa Sarma, Yogi Adityanath, etc. How are you planning to counter the BJP? Kumari Selja: The party will decide this; they will decide where star campaigners are needed, whom they want to call, and the party will make this decision considering the local situation and circumstances. However, the BJP only has one agenda -- communal divide. When their star campaigners come here, they will also make statements in line with this agenda. Our party has always been connected with the people. It's a different matter that political circumstances change, but our workers, and especially here, have always raised the issues of the people. Our people are always among the people, working, and in the coming time, when the BMC elections come, you will see that all our people are fully prepared for these elections. IANS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the BJP-led Centre is "correcting the mistakes of the Congress", adding that the party gave "free rein to infiltrators for votes". He said that the government is identifying and expelling these infiltrators. What is your opinion on this? Kumari Selja: When the Honourable Prime Minister speaks, the media and everyone else have to pay attention, but the facts should also come to light: where he has spoken, and in 11 years, how many infiltrators have been identified and how many have been expelled? He should also provide some information on that instead of always criticising the Congress party without reason. Slandering the Congress party has become a trademark of the BJP. It would be better if they gave their own answer about the last 11 years. There can be no achievements merely by changing the names of schemes. IANS: The BJP has made several allegations regarding Rahul Gandhi's foreign visits, accusing him of meeting with "anti-India forces" and "defaming the nation". What do you have to say about this? Kumari Selja: If any such activity had taken place until now, do you think the BJP would have just made such statements instead of doing anything? It has become a habit of the BJP to criticise Rahul Gandhi. These BJP members are habitually compelled to point fingers at Rahul Gandhi. They should also look into their own shortcomings before criticising Rahul Gandhi. IANS: First, Karnataka announced to bring a legislation regarding hate speech, and now Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has also announced that the government is going to bring a new law against hate speech and communal statements. Do you think this is the need of the hour? Kumari Selja: Everyone sees how much poison there is in politics. Harmony is our culture, but hate speech is not our culture. So we should never stoop so low; we should maintain harmony among ourselves. If we criticise someone in politics, it should be based on issues. Neither our country's culture allows hate speech, nor should there be any place for it. IANS: Revanth Reddy has also said that Telangana is able to celebrate Christmas because of the "sacrifices and contributions of Sonia Gandhi. What is your take on this? Kumari Selja: I don't know what he said or didn't say, but our country is a country of religious harmony. We give respect to everyone, and all of us together celebrate each other's festivals. IANS: The Aravalli issue has become a national topic. People are also protesting against the government's stance. Do you think that the Centre has taken the right decision? Kumari Selja: Humans cannot mess around with nature. It is not only a threat to the future generations but also to the wild animals who live there, who have all the rights of our forests. If we tamper with it, people will surely stand up against it. IANS: The MGNREGA is being replaced with Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill. The Opposition is protesting against this change. What is your opinion? Kumari Selja: The government has two motives: one is to erase the good work that has been done, and the other is to change the name. They have no connection with the poor; their connection is with the wealthy. You can see this happening in this Bill. IANS: How do you see the hijab row? PDP leader Iltija Mufti has also filed an FIR against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Kumari Selja: I wouldn't call this just a hijab controversy. I would say that for any woman, regardless of her religion, whether she wears a veil or a burqa, laying hands on her is a very serious matter, and no one should allow this. Nitish Kumar should apologise. He is getting old, and everyone can see that for quite some time, his public behaviour has not been right. Gandhinagar, Dec 21 : Gujarat has emerged as a leading hub of entrepreneurship, securing top position in the Startup Ranking for the fourth consecutive term. With around 16,700 startups currently operating across the state, it has recognised as the country's best-performing state. While promoting entrepreneurship in Gujarat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, "Start-ups have the power to enable youth to start their own businesses and become a source of employment for others. Gujarat has built an ecosystem in which programmes such as 'WEStart' and the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) empower women entrepreneurs." The astounding feat was however not achieved overnight, it took years of toiling and favourable investment climate coupled with carefully devised policies by the Union government as well as the state government to prop up aspiring entrepreneurs. The Gujarat government, under Chief Minister Patel has built a foundation for innovation among youth and announced the SSIP 2.0 policy for five-year period from 2022 to 2027. Under this policy, students from the school level to higher education are provided with appropriate guidance, encouragement, and financial support to nurture their creativity and innovation. A total allocation of Rs 300 crore has been made under SSIP 2.0 for a five-year period, with an annual grant of Rs 60 crore. The Gujarat Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub) went to emerge as the central pillar of the state's innovation ecosystem. On December 5, 2023, the new state-of-the-art campus of i-Hub was inaugurated by Chief Minister Patel. I-Hub is the largest facility in the state dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship, providing legal, financial, technical, and operational guidance through a single-window support system. This facility supports early-stage innovators and startups in transforming ideas into successful enterprises. The new i-Hub campus spans nearly 1.5 lakh square feet and can accommodate around 500 startups at a time. As of now, i-Hub has provided direct assistance to about 620 startups. In addition, under the Startup Srujan Seed Support Scheme, financial assistance of more than Rs 23 crore has been extended to 402 startups. Startups incubated at i-Hub have created around 1,400 skilled jobs across the state, while their combined market valuation has reached nearly Rs 3,569 crore. Through i-Hub, startups have secured more than Rs 416 crore in private funding from various venture funds. In addition, i-Hub has expanded its outreach to more than 20 districts through a hub-and-spoke model and has raised awareness about startups and innovation among more than four lakh youth. Under the 'WEstart' initiative, steps have been taken to promote women's participation in the startup sector. Today, more than 196 women-led startups are receiving assistance, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the total supported startups. To further strengthen the startup and innovation ecosystem in the state, four new centres are set to be created in Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, and Mehsana over the next year, following the i-Hub currently operational in Ahmedabad. This robust startup ecosystem will also make a significant contribution to the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Gujarat' to 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. Nike logo positioned in front a running shoe, highlighting the recent strength of its running product line. Key Points Nike beat revenue and EPS estimates in its latest earnings report but still showed underlying operational weaknesses. The companys DTC strategy faces challenges, especially in China, while wholesale and running product lines are performing well. Nikes long-term recovery hinges on its Sport Offense strategy and managing tariff impacts, but investor confidence remains shaky. Interested in NIKE, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. The last three years have not been kind to U.S. apparel giant Nike (NYSE: NKE). As of the Dec. 18 close, shares had dropped approximately 34%, with sales, margins, and profits all down significantly over the same period. A series of strategic missteps contributed to this, including weak product innovation versus emerging competitors like ON (NYSE: ONON). The companys direct-to-consumer (DTC) push also had unintended consequences. As Nike focused on its own sales channels, competitors gained visibility through retailers like Foot Locker, which had to fill shelves with alternative products. The Application-Layer Rotation: 3 AI Pure Plays Poised to Win in 2026 Additionally, excess inventory and tariffs have put pressure on margins. Still, analyst price targets are forecasting solid upside potential in Nike shares. Below, well dive into the companys Dec. 18 earnings release to evaluate its path to recovery. Why NVIDIAs AI Power-Play Could Drive the Next Major Rally in 2026 Nike Beats on Top and Bottom Lines In its latest quarter, Nike reported revenue of $12.4 billion. This equated to a growth rate of 1% (or flat on a currency-neutral basis). This beat Wall Street expectations of just under $12.2 billion. Nike's diluted earnings per share (EPS) came in at 53 cents, a decline of 32% versus the prior year. This was much better than Wall Street forecasts of 38 cents, which called for a decline of almost 53%. The Lazy Way to Play NVIDIAs $20B Groq Deal Next quarter, the company expects revenue to fall by low single digits. It also sees gross margin falling 200 basis points at the midpoint, due to significant tariff headwinds. Mixed Operational Metrics Highlight Strengths and Weaknesses Gross margin fell by 300 basis points to 40.6%, largely due to tariff-related headwinds. Nike anticipates that tariffs will continue to have a significant impact on the business, though it is taking measures to reduce the impact on gross margins to 120 basis points in FY2026. While North American sales grew strongly by 9%, a bright spot in the report, every other region posted negative currency-adjusted growth. Greater China was particularly weak, with sales falling by 16%. Dhaka, Dec 21 : Bangladesh's former minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury on Sunday termed the situation in Bangladesh "tense and volatile" as the election is approaching. He claimed that the Yunus regime is assisting or instigating some of the extremist parties to create chaos on a daily basis to continue their gripping power. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Chowdhury stated that anti-India protests are only concentrated in certain parts of Dhaka and Chittagong and there is no country-wide sentiment against India and termed these demonstrations "staged". He also spoke about the killing of Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Excerpts: IANS: What is the condition in Bangladesh right now? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: The condition in Bangladesh is very tense, especially in the capital city Dhaka and our second city Chittagong, because it is being patronised by the ruling regime. They are assisting or instigating some of the extremist parties and platforms to come out on a daily basis and cause chaos and trouble on a daily basis. So, yes, it remains quite volatile because the election is approaching. It appears that they want to postpone at least the schedule of the election and continue their gripping power. With that in mind, they are continuing their agitation. They have a couple of YouTubers and demagogues online who are being constantly asked to instigate people. Besides, they also have some extremist political parties such as Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jamaat-e-Islami student outfit Shibir. So they are constantly using these resources to create social instability in the country. IANS: Your opinion on the killing of Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: See, who had killed Hadi is something that we can't, of course, comment on. But from what we are seeing out in the public and on social media is that it appears he was attacked by someone within his close circle. It appears to be a very planned action and he had powerful enemies, political enemies, within the BNP as well as the Jamaat-e-Islami. One of the student leaders of Dhaka University had declared his intention to stand against Hadi, and he was a candidate, an independent candidate, against one of the powerful BNP leaders. So, the suspicion is that whoever had attacked him didn't want him to continue into the election. So, that is our understanding. But if it was done by the regime itself, I won't be surprised because several individuals within the government had been quite vocal about taking revenge and escalating the situation to what it is today. So, it just appears as if the whole thing was planned to instigate and agitate a certain quarter of our society. Hadi was not a politically significant individual. He was a fringe element with extremely radical and fanatic views and he was not even taken seriously by anybody inside the country, amongst his electorate or outside of the country. He was a political nobody. Now he has been turned into somebody in Bangladesh politics and someone has done it, or a group of people have done it, intentionally. So, of course, our suspicion is that whoever wanted to turn him into a martyr had probably planned this action. Perhaps they didn't want to get him killed because what we have seen is that he was attacked and eventually, after treatment failure or mismanagement, or even not being able to treat him, he had passed away. So it was probably something that had gone out of control. They wanted to stir up tension and trouble and then it just went out of control because he had passed away and then they wanted to capitalise on it, the raw emotion of certain individuals, because this political party, NCP, and their allied extremist outfits had gone into complete political oblivion. They were not even considered by the people as a true challenger in the next upcoming election that they are trying to hold in a one-sided manner. Even in the one-sided election, these people don't seem to have any relevance or any electoral significance. So, they want to create that, they want to beef up, and this is what they have done even in the run-up to the 5th of August 2024. We had seen evidence of targeted killings, stirring up emotion and targeted attacks on protesters themselves. So, it looks like an insider job. IANS: Is there an internal conspiracy behind Hadi's death? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: If I were to look at the impact of his death, it appears that a group of people had benefited from it. So those who are the beneficiaries of this killing may or may not have planned it. They may have planned an attack to create sympathy for them. The attack had probably turned into something that they didn't anticipate, or that they wanted to kill him and then they wanted an immediate reaction. But of course, he did not die immediately. So, these are all speculations. I don't want to go into these speculations. Of course, we want an investigation, but the situation is such that they're not doing any investigation. And some social media personality had declared that one of Hadi's former colleagues had done the job. And based on what he had shared on social media, there is some kind of a hunt going on in the country where random individuals are being picked up and arrested. So, we've seen this in the past in Bangladesh as well, when our leader, opposition leader at the time, Sheikh Hasina, was attacked. They had staged a drama with some random individual called George Mia, and created this drama where they were claiming that Mr George Mia, an insignificant citizen with no ties to any political party or even terrorist outfit, a random individual picked up from the street, and they claimed that he was the one who planned to kill our leader. And at that time, a lot of people were killed and he threw military grenades towards the procession. So, it looks like another drama is being staged. So we don't know what's happening inside. We don't know what's happening inside the investigative process, because a lot of it is staged, from what we understand. IANS: Is there a connection between the upcoming election in Bangladesh and Hadi's death? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: It appears so. If they can continue this volatile situation, they have an argument in their favour that the election cannot be held in good time. Although it's a one-sided election, they want it to be delayed as long as possible. You see, the election is being held just before the Ramadan period, and then if it is delayed by a month, you have the whole month with people not turning up for the election. And then you have the summer Vaisakh season, where you have a lot of north-westers and cyclones in the country because of the monsoon coming during that season. So, that means that the entire end of summer and rainy season will be off from elections being held and they can postpone it to the end of the year. This is just a timeline I'm telling you about. So it seems like they want to delay it so that Mr Yunus can continue and groom probably a successor for him, or they might also be looking at the end of the tenure of the President, who I think near the end of 2026 will have his tenure ended, in which case Mr Yunus could just be in the position of the Presidency. So, a lot of these things are scenarios which he's probably working out, which one is the most beneficial scenario for him to go ahead with. So, it looks like a plotted incident, something that they plotted themselves. IANS: Is it true that illegal Bangladeshis have been pushed into India during the Yunus regime? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't want to go into the legality of the people who had gone into India. There had been a lot of persecution of political activists and religious minorities. So, people may have tried to come to India legally or illegally in order to save themselves. So, even if the legality is questionable after the 5th of August, the humanitarian consideration is primary here. Why would someone try to cross after the 5th of August? The context has to be taken into account. People have come with the hope that they will find refuge here. I mean, those who have come to cause trouble are, of course, a different category altogether. But I would assume that many of the people who had come to India after the 5th of August have come to seek refuge, in fact, not necessarily to cause any trouble. IANS: Your opinion on anti-India protests in Bangladesh? Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury: Anti-India protests are only concentrated in certain parts of Dhaka and Chittagong. It's not like a country-wide sentiment against India. A few angry, extremist, fanatic students from different institutions, including Qawmi Madrasas and Dhaka University itself, a few of them have brought in or forced many Madrasa students to join them. You see, Madrasa students who live inside the compounds are dependent on the Madrasas for their food and shelter. If they're forced to attend these processions, they have no choice. They will lose the only shelter they have, food and lodging. So, you'd see that their procession may look quite big because of this forced participation, but the individuals who are speaking and shouting out and trying to cause trouble are a very small number of people. You will not see average citizens of Dhaka or Chittagong taking part willingly in this kind of crazy procession. These are very manageable processions. All it takes is willingness on the part of law enforcement. If they do not allow institutions to force students to join these protests, no one will come. If they simply declare that tomorrow at Shahbagh Square, let's gather those of us who are opposed to India or whatever, you know, against the Awami regime or whatever, you won't even get more than 100 people in a city of three crore. So, these are all staged, including, you know, the funeral that we've seen yesterday. They force people to attend. Even BNP activists do not come to their processions anymore. They now realise that these people are extremists who have somehow gotten into power and they don't want to leave. So, average Bangladeshis, if you look even tomorrow, if you go to an Indian visa centre, there is a line of people who are wanting humanitarian support, medical care, healthcare, education, etc. If there is an anti-India sentiment, why would people want to come here for these services? It's absolutely wrong, and not a single Indian citizen has been attacked in the country. But these people are wanting people to do this. People don't want these extremists to run Bangladesh. Bangladeshis, by their very nature, also carry a very important ethnic identity, which is called the Bengali identity, which is a combination of our hundreds of thousands of years of shared history and tradition with our Bengali ethnic people in India and abroad. So, it's not just some kind of Salafist Wahhabi, extremist-minded identity that they have in the country. It's not just a religion-based identity that we have as citizens of the country. Some people may or may not have some unreasonable level of grievance against India, against the West, against everything, but there are very few such people. If the grievance is so much, why don't we see average, common citizens of the country taking part in any of their processions? You will not find an average rickshaw puller or an office-goer or a student, without being under duress, attending these kinds of processions. They're being forced to go for these events. Bhopal, Dec 21 : The district town of Harda in Madhya Pradesh is buzzing with anticipation as the Karni Sena members are staging the "Jan Kranti Nyay Andolan" (People's Revolution Justice Movement) at Nehru Stadium on Sunday. The district administration has granted permission for the one-day event, transforming the venue into a centre of protest and communal solidarity. The core objective of the movement is to denounce the alleged police lathi-charge on Karni Sena members and the Rajput community during protests on July 12-13 earlier this year. The clashes originated from a fraud case dispute, leading to arrests and injuries. Later, the state government transferred the additional superintendent of police, a sub-divisional magistrate and a sub-divisional police officer. Organisers are also pressing for the implementation of a detailed "21-point charter," encompassing justice for the Harda incident, punitive measures against the implicated police officers, and broader concerns like economic reservations and community rights, stated Jeevan Singh Sherpur, national chief of Karni Sena. He emphasised that the movement enjoys broad unity, with numerous similar social organisations and groups extending solidarity. A significant number of individuals from various other social organisations have converged in Harda. They warned that if their demands remain unaddressed, the next phase of the movement will shift to road protests in Bhopal and New Delhi. In the buildup, Karni Sena activists have dedicated the past three months to extensive public awareness campaigns in villages to garner support and sustain momentum, Sherpur said. The district collector has yet to issue a response to their demands. A huge assembly is organised, with thousands of members from various social groups participating and intensifying their demands for justice. Security arrangements have been substantially reinforced, featuring extensive police presence and drone surveillance to maintain order during the event. Raipur/Bilaspur, Dec 21 : Chhattisgarh Additional Advocate General Ranveer Singh Marhas has resigned from his post. The resignation of the senior law officer has fuelled speculation that the state government is moving towards comprehensive reforms in the Advocate General's office. Raipur/Bilaspur, Dec 21 (IANS) Chhattisgarh Additional Advocate General Ranveer Singh Marhas has resigned from his post. The resignation of the senior law officer has fuelled speculation that the state government is moving towards comprehensive reforms in the Advocate Generalas office. Marhas was serving at the Advocate Generalas office at the Bilaspur bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Following his resignation, significant changes are expected in the Advocate Generalas office, which handles the state governmentas legal representation in the Chhattisgarh High Court. Last month, Advocate General Praphulla Bharat had resigned, a development that surprised many lawyers associated with the High Court. However, the move was not entirely unexpected for the Law and Legislative Department and senior government officials. Now, approximately a month after the Advocate Generalas resignation, Additional Advocate General Ranveer Singh Marhas has also submitted his resignation to the Secretary of the Law and Legislative Department. Interestingly, neither Advocate General Praphulla Bharat nor Additional Advocate General Ranveer Singh Marhas cited any specific reason for their resignations. The content of both resignation letters is said to be almost identical, suggesting that the decisions may be linked more to institutional changes than to personal reasons. In his letter, Ranveer Singh Marhas wrote that it was an honour for him to serve as Additional Advocate General for the past two years. During this period, he had the opportunity to contribute to the stateas legal matters and represent the government in various courts. He expressed gratitude for the trust and cooperation extended by the government, stating that he discharged his responsibilities to the best of his ability and that it was now an appropriate time to step down from the post. After Praphulla Bharatas resignation, the state government appointed Vivek Sharma as Advocate General of Chhattisgarh on November 21, 2025. Vivek Sharma is the youngest Advocate General in the history of Chhattisgarh. He had earlier served as an Additional Advocate General and has extensive experience practising in the Chhattisgarh High Court. Los Angeles, Dec 21 : Hollywood star Ariana Grande crooned her own rendition of Mariah Carey's superhit song, 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' during her 'Saturday Night Live' monologue. Her monologue was about the difficulties of buying presents for acquaintances and friends of friends, titled 'What Do I Get for Christmas for This Dude?', reports 'Variety'. Saturday marked the Christmas episode of this 'Saturday Night Live' season 51, with Grande as host and Cher as her musical guest. As per 'Variety', it also was cast member Bowen Yang's final episode, as news broke Friday that he would be exiting the show. Yang, who appeared with Grande in 'Wicked' and this year's 'Wicked: For Good', joined her on stage for her spoof of Carey's song. She said, "December is my favorite time of year in New York. I love the decorations, the snow on the ground. I love shopping for all my loved ones. But I have to admit, I get a little stressed shopping for certain other people in my life". The 'Saturday Night Live' audience cheered when they realized Grande was doing her own take on 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'. "I don't know what to get for Christmas for my cousin's boyfriend Steve. I don't know a thing about him, only see him on Christmas Eve", she added. She also poked fun at her seemingly non-stop press tour for 'Wicked: For Good', joking that her director Jon M. Chu wouldn't give her any bathroom breaks. She added, "Haven't shopped a lot for Christmas, 'cuz my schedule's never free. Had so much press for 'Wicked', Jon Chu will not let me pee". When Yang joined her on stage, Grande teased that he had very few lines in 'Wicked'. "Can I just say how much I loved your line in 'Wicked'? Thank you", he said, to which Grande replied "You're welcome". "No", Yang said. "That was my line." Saturday's episode marked Grande's third time hosting 'SNL'. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Kabul, Dec 21 : Over 5,400 Afghan migrants have been repatriated from Iran and Pakistan in a single day, a Taliban official said on Sunday. Sharing the High Commission for Migrantsa Issues report on X, Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that 981 families, comprising 5,412 people, returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan on Saturday, Pajhwok Afghan News reported. He said Afghan migrants travelled to Afghanistan through Spin Boldak in Kandahar, Bahramcha in Helmand, Islam Qala crossing in Herat, Pul-i-Abresham in Nimroz, and Torkham crossing in Nangarhar. Fitrat stated that 1,283 Afghan refugee families, comprising 5,992 individuals, were taken to their respective areas, while 894 families were given humanitarian assistance. He further stated that telecommunication companies distributed 861 SIM cards to Afghan returnees. As many as 5,028 Afghan migrants were forcibly deported from Iran and Pakistan on Friday. Last month, several Afghan migrants who recently returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan said that they are facing serious challenges ahead of the winter season. They raised concerns about a lack of shelter, the need for winter assistance, and difficulties in obtaining electronic ID cards (tazkira), local media reported. Abdul Baqi, one of the Afghan refugees who returned from Pakistan, stated: "Our main problem is that we have no shelter. When we return to the country, we don't know where to go. We ask the Islamic Emirate to address our situation." They stated that the aid available is inadequate and mentioned that they still struggle to meet their basic living needs, Afghan media outlet Tolo News reported. Another returnee, Abdul Bari, said: "Everyone knows most people are homeless, spending their days in the streets and along the roads." Abdul Malik, a returnee, said that they are asked to apply for electronic ID cards when they reach their provinces and urged the authorities to provide them with ID cards. Another Afghan refugee who returned from Pakistan, Abdul Qahar, urged the Taliban government to provide them with essential things like tents and shelter. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat, on Sunday, criticised the move to lay a foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-like structure in West Bengal, calling it a "political conspiracy" aimed at reviving a settled dispute for electoral gains. His remarks assume significance as they come nearly months ahead of the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled in 2026. Addressing a programme at the Science City auditorium in Kolkata, RSS Chief Bhagwat said the Ayodhya dispute had been resolved through a long legal process and a Supreme Court order, following which the Ram Temple was constructed. "The matter is closed. Now, trying to rebuild the Babri Masjid and restart the dispute is a political strategy being carried out for vested interests. This is being done for votes; it is neither for Hindus nor for Muslims," he said, without naming the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The RSS Chief was reacting to the controversial move by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid-like mosque in Beldanga in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. RSS Chief Bhagwat termed the act a deliberate provocation and warned that such attempts to reopen old wounds could damage social harmony. "This should not happen," he asserted. Clarifying the RSS's position on the matter, RSS Chief Bhagwat stressed that the organisation is not against Muslims and that its primary objective is Hindu unity, not political mobilisation. He cautioned against viewing the Sangh through the prism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling it a "huge mistake". "The RSS has no political agenda. Comparing it to political entities only leads to misunderstandings," he said. RSS Chief Bhagwat also underlined that governments should not use public funds to build religious structures. Citing the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple and the Ram Mandir, he said both were built through public contributions, not government money. Touching upon broader issues in West Bengal, RSS Chief Bhagwat expressed concern over rising Islamic extremism, incidents of violence against Hindus, and illegal infiltration, as well as the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh. He appealed to the Hindus in India and abroad to support their "persecuted brethren". Mumbai, Dec 21 : The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra on Sunday claimed it has topped among all parties by winning the maximum number of presidents and other posts in the nagar parishad and nagar panchayat elections, saying that the nagar parishad and nagar panchayat polls have rejected the fake narrative while voting for the development agenda. The polling for 246 nagar parishads and 42 nagar panchayats took place in two phases on December 2 and 20, and the counting took place on Sunday. As of 1:44 p.m., the BJP claimed it has won 129 seats as the counting is still underway. Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said the party would now focus on Mumbai after a decisive mandate in the recently concluded civic body elections, asserting that voters had rejected the opposition's "fake narrative". Addressing reporters and party workers at the BJP headquarters here, Chavan said the opposition levelled "all kinds of allegations" during the campaign, but people saw through them. "Uddhav Thackeray himself said he had nothing to offer to the people, and that is why his party was rejected. His party could not even win council chairperson posts in double digits," he said. "Now, the Mumbaikars will also do the same. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has decided to replace all existing local trains with AC trains without increasing fares," he said. "Following the Assembly elections, the people of Maharashtra once again placed their trust in the Bharatiya Janata Party in the nagar parishad and nagar panchayat elections across the state. The BJP family has once again emerged as the largest political party in Maharashtra. This is a victory of the unwavering trust shown by the people, alongside the visionary urban development agenda of the esteemed Modiji, the farsighted leadership of the esteemed Devendra Fadnavis, and the tireless efforts of BJP office-bearers and workers," he said. "Heartfelt thanks to all the voters who blessed the BJP's transparent, people-centric, and developmental ideology like a mother! Heartfelt congratulations to all the victorious candidates and sincere best wishes for the journey ahead! Where there is the BJP's lotus, development is inevitable," he stated. Chavan stated the results showed the benefits of the same party being in power at the Centre and in the state. He praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for touring the state extensively, holding rallies and interacting with party workers through online meetings. "We salute his dedication and hard work," he said, adding that Mumbaikars too would reject the opposition's narrative in the upcoming BMC polls. Calling the outcome a clear signal of the state's direction, Chavan said, "This is a solid mandate for progress and development. We respect the people's mandate and will meet the high expectations voters have from the BJP and its allies." He claimed the Mahayuti had won more than 250 councils, nagar parishads and nagar panchayats out of 288, with BJP candidates securing 134 out of 236 council chief posts and over 3,000 corporator seats. A senior BJP leader and state revenue minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, attributed the victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the administrative efficiency of Chief Minister Fadnavis. "For the first time, the BJP has secured such a large mandate in civic body polls," he said, congratulating Chavan and Mahayuti partners Shiv Sena and NCP. On alliance dynamics, Bawankule said it was not feasible to contest all small nagar parishad and nagar panchayat elections jointly. "Candidates were fielded after discussions, and there was no bitterness. Congress remains our traditional opponent, and it is shrinking further," he said. BJP leader and Sindhudurg guardian minister Nitesh Rane, meanwhile, struck a conciliatory note, stressing that development would be the priority now. "Elections are over, and there is no need to politicise anything further. Development will remain in focus," Rane told reporters, congratulating winners in Malvan, Kankavali, Sawantwadi and Vengurla. "As guardian minister, I will address their demands and expectations without any bias. I assure them of full support. It is taxpayers' money, and it must be used responsibly," he said, lauding BJP workers for their efforts in Malvan and Kankavali. "Our workers worked very hard and did not fall short anywhere. In a democracy, such efforts must be respected," he added. Responding to allegations of money power, Rane said, "If huge money had been used, all candidates of my panel in Malvan would have won. People are wise, and we should trust their choice. I need some time to understand what exactly went wrong." He also acknowledged the impact of campaigns by his elder brother Nilesh Rane. "His rallies did make an impact and cannot be ignored. There were other factors too, and we also made some mistakes. I respect the mandate of the people," he said. In Malvan and Kankavli civic polls, his elder brother and Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane backed candidates won the election. Islamabad, Dec 21 : Over 1,300 police officers and security personnel have been deployed in Rawalpindi to maintain law and order situation ahead of possible Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest and a Jamaat-e-Islami gathering at Liaquat Bagh, local media reported on Sunday, citing officials. The deployment of police and security personnel comes amid rising tensions after a court on Saturday sentenced PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 yearsa imprisonment in the Toshakhana-II case. PTI leaders have expressed support for their leader and vowed action against the verdict they termed baseless. PTI's Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Saturday revealed that Imran Khan has urged his supporters to prepare for a street movement, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. According to officials, the deployment includes two superintendents of police, seven deputy superintendents of police, 29 inspectors and station house officers, 92 upper subordinates, and 340 constables. Furthermore, seven sections of Elite Force commandos, 22 Rapid Emergency and Security Operations personnel, and 400 members of the Anti-Riots Management Wing have been posted in Rawalpindi to maintain law and order. Police has set up 32 pickets, each supervised by an upper subordinate, while Elite Force Commandos are carrying out patrols. Imran Khan has issued a call for nationwide protest and announced his intention to challenge the court's verdict in the Toshakhana-II case in the Islamabad High Court. "I have sent a message to (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister) Sohail Afridi to prepare for the street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights," Imran Khan said as per the account of the conversation between the PTI leader and his lawyer shared on X, the Dawn reported. He said that the court's decision did not come as a surprise; however, he asked his legal team to approach the high court against the verdict. The Toshakhana-II corruption case involves the purchase of an expensive jewellery set, gifted to Imran Khan, by the Saudi Crown Prince during an official visit in May 2021, at a nominal price. The verdict was pronounced by Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)'s special court during proceedings conducted at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail, where Imran Khan is imprisoned. Under the ruling, Imran Khan was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison, receiving 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, and seven years under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Bushra Bibi also received a 17-year imprisonment sentence under the same legal provisions. Additionally, both were fined Rs 16.4 million, with failure to pay the fines resulting in further imprisonment. Chandigarh, Dec 21 : On the occasion of the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday attended a grand 'Shaheedi Samagam' at Gurdwara Sahib Gobindpura in Bhamboli in Yamunanagar as the chief guest and paid floral tributes to the ninth Sikh Guru. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said standing on this sacred land among the asangata filled his heart with reverence and pride. He said everyone had gathered to bow before a great legacy that not only safeguarded Indiaas identity but also showed humanity the path of offering everything for faith and truth. He said the Shaheedi Samagam was dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur and the supreme sacrifices of Mata Gujri and the four Sahibzadas. He said the flow of Gurbani through eminent kirtani ajathasa and akathavachaksa would not only spiritually uplift the asangata but also inspire the younger generation with the sacrifices of the Gurus and the brave Sahibzadas. On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 31 lakh for the Gurdwara trust. The trust honoured the Chief Minister with a asiropaa, a portrait of Guru Tegh Bahadur and a sword. The Chief Minister said a large blood donation camp was organised during the asamagama, which reflected the teachings of the Gurus that service to humanity is the highest form of worship. He lauded the youth who came forward to donate blood and said the blood donated by them could save precious lives. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Baba Jasdeep Singh and the organisers for successfully conducting the asamagama. The Chief Minister said the martyrdom of the family of Guru Gobind Singh is regarded as the greatest sacrifice in world history. Remembering the martyrdom of Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh at the tender ages of six and nine years, respectively, he said there is no parallel in world history where innocent children accepted being bricked alive for the protection of faith but refused to bow down. He said within a single week, from December 20 to 27 in 1704, all members of the Guruas family laid down their lives for the protection of faith and humanity, a week that will remain etched forever in the annals of history. This sacrifice, he said, teaches that bravery is not dependent on age. He highlighted how Mata Gujri, despite enduring the freezing conditions of imprisonment, instilled unwavering faith in her grandsons, becoming an eternal source of inspiration for mothers and sisters even today. Kabul, Dec 21 : Afghan counter-narcotics police have destroyed a drug processing laboratory and arrested one suspect in connection with the case in the eastern Laghman province, according to a statement released by the provincial police headquarters on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, police carried out an operation on Saturday in Mehtarlam district, where they uncovered a drug processing facility. A large quantity of materials and equipment used for heroin production was seized and destroyed at the site, the statement said, Xinhua News Agency reported. The Afghan government has repeatedly pledged to combat poppy cultivation and illicit opium trade across the war-torn country as part of its broader counter-narcotics efforts. On November 14, provincial police spokesman Nizamudin Omir said that Afghan police have arrested a suspected drug smuggler and confiscated illicit narcotics during an operation in the northern Takhar province. According to the official, the suspect was detained while attempting to transport crystal methamphetamine and other chemicals used in heroin production to Taluqan, the provincial capital, where he allegedly planned to sell the materials. The suspect has been placed in custody for further investigation, the spokesman added. Afghanistan has intensified counter-narcotics measures in recent years, launching targeted operations against trafficking networks, clandestine laboratories, and illegal markets. On November 9, provincial police spokesman Gul Mohammad Qudrat said that Afghan counter-narcotics forces had confiscated 170 kg of opium poppy and apprehended two suspected smugglers in the western Nimroz province. The seizure took place during a targeted operation in the Zanjer Sharqi area along the Zaranj-Delaram highway, the official said. On November 4, the provincial police office said that police in eastern Afghanistan's Ghazni province seized 225 kg of opium from a car. The official said the contraband was hidden in secret compartments of the vehicle and was discovered during a routine search in Muqar district on November 3. The driver of the car fled the scene, the official confirmed, adding that search operations are underway to locate and bring to justice the owner of the drugs. So, as a result of the significant drop this morning, the $60 strike would now deliver a 135.5% annualized return, up from 38.3% previously. Of course, the possibility that you are assigned the shares and must buy them at $60 each is a factor. Now, initially, I thought the $60 put expiring a week from today would be the cash-secured put to sell for income because it was 8.58% OTM (out of the money) and the company had just reported healthier earnings. Investors have other ideas. Nikes (NKE) stock is taking a hit in early Friday trading, down more than 11% on the day. Thats despite reporting Q4 2025 results yesterday after the close that beat on both revenue and earnings per share. Investors are concerned about tariffs and their impact on the company's business. Its a risk for sure. None of the six puts Ive listed has massive Vol/OI ratios. However, they are considered unusually active, and so Im running with them. Since Christmas is less than a week away, I thought Id find some Cash-Secured Puts expiring on Dec. 26 to help cover some of the costs this holiday season. Of the 1,228 unusually active options on Thursday, the standout was (APLD) with a Vol/OI (volume-to-open-interest) ratio of 654.35, 8.1 times the second-highest on the day. Interestingly, Applied Digitals Jan. 21/2028 $8 call traded 65,435 contracts against an open interest of 100. You dont often see a situation where the volume and Vol/OI ratios are the same, but aligned in a different order (65,435 / 654.35). But I digress. The markets continue to perform well heading into the new year. In Thursdays trading, the S&P 500 closed up 0.8%. The index is now up 15.2% year-to-date with nine full or partial trading days left in 2025. Barring an absolutely horrific correction, the index will close up for the fourth consecutive year. I write this a few minutes before the opening of todays trading, the penultimate Friday of 2025. Story Continues With Nike stock not too far off a 52-week low of $52.28, reached in early April, and CEO Eliott Hills turnaround plan midway to completion, its probably not a good fit for more risk-averse investors. You might consider the $58 strike. It has a lower, but still attractive, 43.5% annualized return. Tilray Brands (TLRY) Cannabis investors got a bit of a cheap thrill earlier this week when news got out that President Trump would issue an executive order rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I drug like heroin to Schedule III. Shares jumped on hopes that licensed producers could soon sell pot from coast to coast and across state lines. Unfortunately, the executive order signed yesterday doesnt go nearly that far; its a step in the right direction. As a result, Tilray (TLRY) announced the creation of a new subsidiary, Tilray Medical USA, that will focus on medical cannabis sales in the U.S. Its not there just yet, but the horizon looks a little closer for the cannabis industry, and thats good news in the long term for Tilray investors. However, like Nike, the news yesterday was good, but it came with a big but. So, the $10 strike from above, because the share price is down $1, or more than 8% in morning trading, has an annualized return of 95.6% as I write this. Thats up from 64.86% as of yesterdays close. Therefore, you might want to go with the $9.50 put. It has a similar annualized return to yesterday's $10 strike, but is OTM by an additional 50 cents, with an 86.26% probability of being above the $9.38 breakeven at expiration next Friday. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Between Nov. 3 and Nov. 21, Palantir Technologies (PLTR) lost 25% of its market cap amid concerns that its valuation had become overheated amid accelerating AI speculation. That has died down some. Its shares are up 23% in the past month, trading within shouting distance of its $207.52 all-time high. Im not sure where AI heads in 2026 and beyond. Im not sure anyone knows the answer to that. What I do know is that Palantir is a much different business today than it was five years ago, and those differences show up in its financial statements. In 2020, its cash from operations was -$299.6 million. In the 12 months ended Sept. 30, it was $1.82 billion, an increase of over $2 billion. In the 12 months ended Sept. 30, its free cash flow was $1.79 billion, a free cash flow margin of 46%. Thats an extraordinary return on revenue. For every $1 of net income, its generating $1.64 in free cash flow. Unless CEO Alex Karp goes on some lavish spending spree, Palantirs cash pile will continue to get bigger and bigger. It currently stands at $6.45 billion, with no long-term debt and only $189 million in long-term leases. Its a fortress. What I like about the $172.50 put is that it offers investors a 93.88% probability of success. As I write this, its shares are up more than $5. As a result, the 11.2% annualized return is down from yesterdays close, when it was around 55.2%. If you want more income, consider something slightly less OTM, somewhere in the low to mid $180s. For example, the annualized return on the $185 put right now is 59.3%, with a probability of profit of 77.16%. Worst-case, you end up buying 100 shares of Palantir for $18,500. In five years, it should be worth a lot more than that. On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Seoul, Dec 21 : South Korea's Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok underwent nearly 10 hours of questioning on Sunday by a special counsel team over allegations of election meddling linked to former First Lady Kim Keon Hee. Lee appeared before a team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki at 10 a.m. and left around 7:40 p.m. The team was set up in July to investigate corruption and other allegations surrounding the former First Lady, Yonhap News Agency reported. "I sincerely cooperated with the investigation," Lee told reporters as he left. "I also sincerely testified about former President Yoon Suk Yeol." It was the first time Lee had been questioned by the special counsel. Min's team is investigating allegations that Lee colluded with former President Yoon and his wife, Kim, to meddle in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. Lee was the leader of the then-ruling People Power Party (PPP) at the time. Yoon and Kim are suspected of receiving free opinion polls from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2022 presidential election in exchange for the nomination of former PPP Rep. Kim Young-sun as a candidate for the by-elections. Lee has denied the allegations. On Saturday, former President Yoon underwent more than eight hours of questioning by a special counsel team over corruption allegations linked to his wife. It marked the jailed former President's first appearance before special counsel Min's team, which launched in July to investigate corruption and other allegations surrounding Kim. Yoon is accused of being an accomplice to his wife when she allegedly received opinion polls worth 270 million won (US$183,000) for free from a self-proclaimed power broker and when she allegedly accepted a painting worth 140 million won from a former prosecutor. He is also suspected of violating the Public Official Election Act for allegedly speaking a falsehood about his wife during a 2021 debate when he was a presidential candidate. Min's team is also looking into whether Yoon was involved in Kim's alleged acceptance of luxury gifts from others, including Lee Bae-yong, former head of the National Education Commission, in exchange for favours. Yoon denied all allegations against him, his lawyers said. Asked by reporters earlier about whether Yoon was aware of Kim's acceptance of luxury gifts, his lawyer said the former President was "completely unaware." Saturday's interrogation likely marked Yoon's final appearance before Min's team, as the special counsel investigation is scheduled to endon December 28. Mumbai, Dec 21 : Actor Kunal Kemmu, who is receiving a lot of good response to his recently released streaming series 'Single Papa', has said that one can't fake laughter. The actor spoke with IANS during the promotional campaign of the show, and shared what it takes to mount a film like 'Madgaon Express', which marked his directorial debut. He told IANS, "I always say that for an actor, acting is for free. A major part of an actor's job is waiting, that's what you get paid for. Similarly, as a writer, I can speak for myself, I wanted to tell the story, so I wrote it. I didn't. Did I know how to mount it? No, I had no idea. Did I know I was going to direct it? No. At best, I thought, 'Maybe I'll just play one of the parts of the three friends'. But it's been its own journey. I wrote it in 2015 and like seven years later, you know, somebody read it and said that I really like this". He further mentioned, "The producers said, 'We should make it'. And I was like, 'Okay', they said, 'You should direct it'. I was like, 'Great, let's do it'. And then things when they have to fall in place, they fall into place. So I would be lying to you if I gave you a solid answer of saying this is what it takes to mount a film because it takes a lot and sometimes it takes nothing. Like I said, if your stars are in your favor, it'll happen like that or it might just not happen. But I'm very happy that for me it did happen and it happened at the right place. It happened with the right people". "It was interesting to be in that trailer launch when there was silence and I was so nervous, saying, 'I don't know what's going to happen'. But I remember when it played, the room went berserk. I think that's the good thing with laughter. It's pretty much like being on stage because it's so natural. You can't fake laughter. You can either laugh or you can't laugh", he added. Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 21 : Training guns on the Pinarayi Vijayan government over mob lynching of a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh in Kerala's Palakkad, the Congress party on Sunday demanded immediate action against all those involved in the ghastly crime and also adequate compensation for the victim's family. It also demanded that the Kerala government make due arrangements for the dignified transportation of the mortal remains of Ramnarayan Baghel to his native village, who was allegedly mistaken for being a 'Bangladeshi national' and brutally beaten to death. KC Venugopal, Congress MP from Kerala, tore into the state government, accusing it of failing to rein in the violent forces who ran amok, killing the poor labourer from Chhattisgarh. The 31-year-old Ramnarayan Baghel, a resident of Sakti district, had gone to Kerala in search of work and better earnings; however, this marked the end of his life as he was mercilessly thrashed to death by an unruly mob in Palakkad district. A video of the incident also surfaced on social media, where the victim was seen bleeding with multiple injuries on his head and body, sparking a wave of anger and outrage online. According to reports, Ramnarayan tried to reason with the ruffians, but the latter didn't listen and kept on brutally beating him, calling him "Bangladeshi". The Congress General Secretary, reacting to the incident, slammed the state government for the deteriorating law and order situation and also its "lackadaisical approach" in dealing with the brutal killing of Ramnarayan. "The Kerala Government has displayed a completely lackadaisical attitude in curbing the spread of fear-based propaganda and unchecked rumour-mongering. They must answer for the lack of timely action and their complete failure in managing the law and order situation in the state," he wrote in a post on X. The Congress leader also raked up the shocking 2018 case, in which a tribal youth named Madhu was lynched to death in a similar fashion, and the perpetrators were brought to justice only after a widespread outpouring of anger and outrage from people. "It is deplorable how a society with a rich history of communal harmony like Kerala is seeing repeated instances of mob violence," he said, ruing the loss of another innocent life, over suspicion and misinformation. Madhu was badly beaten by the mob, who mistook him as thief. Hours later, he had succumbed to injuries. New Delhi, Dec 21 : Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 2025, which have been notified recently, will introduce a paradigm shift in India's quest to strengthen and boost domestic production of hydrocarbons, and provide momentum to efforts towards achieving India's energy security. New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 2025, which have been notified recently, will introduce a paradigm shift in India's quest to strengthen and boost domestic production of hydrocarbons, and provide momentum to efforts towards achieving Indiaas energy security. The minister highlighted the case of the ONGCas commercial oil discovery at Ashok Nagar in West Bengal, which was made in 2018 but still has not been put into production because of the dispute between the state government and ONGC over the "value of the lease" on which stamp duty should be paid. However, with the Oilfields (Regulation & Development) Amendment Act, 2025, which has now been passed into law, all ambiguity around what counts as the "value of the lease" has been clarified. The new rules also stipulate a time limit on approvals. Any application for a petroleum lease now has to be decided within 180 days. The new rules have now cleared the way for starting production from the ONGCas oilfield in Ashok Nagar, 50 km from Kolkata. Instead of forcing companies to juggle multiple licences at different stages, a single petroleum lease now covers exploration, development, production, and even related activities like renewable energy projects, the minister further said. The ONGC has already spent over Rs 1,000 crore on exploration and appraisal in the Ashoknagar oilfield, yet production hasnat started. West Bengal has not earned any royalty or revenue either. Thus, both parties lost out due to the ambiguities in the rules. The minister also informed the Rajya Sabha recently that production from the ONGC's oilfield in Ashok Nagar could now start within the next few weeks. And an issue thatas been stuck for years, now has a clear way ahead. The Petroleum Minister earlier said that Indiaas energy journey is entering a new era as 7 sedimentary basins are under study with advanced technology for the exploration of oil and gas across the country. "Mission Anveshan, one of the largest seismic mapping programmes for oil and gas in Indiaas history, has been launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modias vision. The Rs 792 crore programme launched in October 2024 is targeting 20,000 ground line kilometres (GLK) of seismic surveys, of which over 8,000 GLK has already been surveyed," he stated. "From the sands of Rajasthan to the sea depths of the KG Basin - Bharat is mapping its own energy future," the minister remarked. While a 1 million square km offshore area is now open for oilfield exploration, 99 per cent of 'No-Go' areas have been cleared, he said. The oil and gas blocks being offered under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) have already garnered attention from global and domestic energy players, and Round X is expected to set new benchmarks for participation and investment. He has highlighted that "25 blocks have been marked under OALP-X; 154 exploration blocks are active; 14 new oil and gas discoveries; ONGC producing 34,000 BOPD oil and 3 MMSCMD gas". Thane, Dec 21 : Following the momentum of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena Chief leader Eknath Shinde said on Sunday that the party has maintained a formidable strike rate in the recent nagar parishad and nagar panchayat elections. He attributed this success to a development-focused agenda and grassroots connectivity, asserting that the poll results have finally settled the debate over the "real" Shiv Sena. Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde took a sharp swipe at the Opposition, saying, "The people have sent home those who tried to keep others restricted to their homes. The voters have clearly demonstrated who the true Shiv Sena belongs to." The Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the recent local body polls. While the BJP emerged as the leading party by crossing the century mark, Shiv Sena secured the second position with more than 50 seats. Notably, despite contesting fewer seats, Shiv Sena maintained a high winning percentage and dominated several President (Nagaradhyaksha) posts, Deputy CM Shinde said. He also added that the poll results indicate that in many regions, the combined strength of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) fell short of the numbers achieved by Shiv Sena alone. Dismissing allegations that the Shiv Sena's influence is limited to Thane or Mumbai, Deputy CM Shinde emphasised the party's performance in the coastal belt in Maharashtra. "The poll results have reaffirmed that Konkan region is a Shiv Sena stronghold as significant victories were recorded in Raigad, Palghar, and other parts of Maharashtra. The Bow and Arrow symbol has now reached "every household" across the state," he noted. He credited the victory to the tireless efforts of Shiv Sena's office-bearers and ground-level workers. He emphasised that the people of Maharashtra prefer leaders who prioritise infrastructure and basic amenities over political rhetoric. "People want a leader who works. Shiv Sena has always stood by the citizens during crises, and the 'Sena-Sankat' (Sena in times of trouble) equation remains deeply rooted in the public mind," he remarked. Congratulating Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the alliance's performance, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde described the poll victory as a "receipt of approval" for the work done by the Mahayuti government over the past three-and-a-half years. Looking ahead to the upcoming Municipal Corporation and Zilla Parishad elections, Deputy CM Shinde expressed high confidence. "This is just a trailer; the full movie is yet to come," he said, predicting a clean sweep for the Mahayuti alliance in future polls in Maharashtra. New Delhi, Dec 21 : The CBI has launched an investigation into the "mysterious" death of hotel management graduate Arnav Duggal, whose body was allegedly found hanging from a ceiling fan in his girlfriend's flat in Delhi's Dwarka neighbourhood in 2017. New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) The CBI has launched an investigation into the "mysterious" death of hotel management graduate Arnav Duggal, whose body was allegedly found hanging from a ceiling fan in his girlfriend's flat in Delhi's Dwarka neighbourhood in 2017. The federal probe agency registered the case on the directions of the Delhi High Court, which, accepting the plea of 23-year-old Duggal's parents about a shoddy probe by Delhi Police, handed over the probe to the CBI. Superintendent of Police, CBI, Rajesh Kumar, approved the registration of a fresh FIR on Friday and started monitoring the re-examination of evidence. Earlier, the victim's parents, residents of West Patel Nagar, claimed that they had failed to contact their son on the night of the incident, during which Arnav partied with his female friend and others. They alleged that they were informed about his death the next evening and shown his body by the local police in Shakuntalam Apartments, Dwarka Sector 10, at 5.25 p.m. on June 13, 2017. Arnav's female friend lived in a flat in these Apartments. A murder case over Arnav's death was registered on February 22, 2018, at the direction of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), who pulled up the local police for rejecting the family's allegations of foul play and sticking to their own theory of suicide by the victim. Apart from the disappearance of some key photographs from the police case file, Duggal's family had alleged irregularities in the probe while knocking at the door of the CMM. Later, their petition in the Delhi High Court seeking the transfer of the probe to the CBI stated that the "probe/investigation in this case has been unfair, tainted, mala fide and smacks of foul play, thus necessitating invocation of writ jurisdiction of this Court seeking transfer of investigation to CBI". The FIR registered by the CBI over Arnav's death on Friday said, "The allegations in the FIR disclosed the commission of cognizable offence and accordingly, FIR No. 45/2018 dated 22.02.2018 u/s 302 IPC of PS Crime Branch is re-registered at CBI SC-I, New Delhi on 19.12.2025 and investigation is taken up by CBI by re-registering the same as Regular Case No RC.15(S)/2025/CBI/SC-I/New Delhi." Earlier, the High Court in its order on November 27, 2025, directed the CBI "to take up fresh investigation into the circumstances under which the death of the deceased occurred and take necessary consequential steps in accordance with law". "The CBI, apart from conducting the aforesaid investigation, would also require to conduct an enquiry into the lapses, if any, by the officers of the Delhi Police conducting the investigation, and if deliberate act for such omission or commission is revealed, a report be generated and furnished to the CMM and also to the Commissioner of Police who may take appropriate disciplinary action if so required," said Justice Tushar Rao Gedela of the Delhi High Court. Chennai, Dec 21 : In a major development that has raised concerns over accountability in civic works, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran has written to the Chennai City Police seeking a formal investigation into an alleged fraud involving private contractors entrusted with the maintenance of parks in three city zones, officials said on Sunday. The contractors are suspected of fabricating bank documents to claim payments from the civic body while failing to disburse wages to park workers. According to senior officials, GCC received bank transaction statements from contractors showing that salaries had been credited to workers engaged in maintaining parks in Manali, Perungudi, and Sholinganallur zones. However, several workers whose names appeared in these documents reported that they had not received any payment in their accounts for several months. Initial verification by the Corporation has indicated that the bank entries may have been tampered with to falsely portray legitimate salary payments. The issue came to light after Councillors representing various wards raised repeated complaints that park workers -- mostly from economically and socially deprived communities -- had not been paid salaries for up to three months. They also pointed to the deteriorating state of park maintenance, particularly in terms of cleanliness and upkeep, owing to the absence of regular wages affecting worker morale and attendance. Earlier this year, GCC floated tenders and awarded contracts in packages for the operation and maintenance of 781 parks across the Corporation's 15 zones. As part of its attempt to enforce transparency, the Corporation made it mandatory for contractors to submit bank proof showing timely salary payments to workers before bills were cleared. However, a recent report submitted by the project management consultant to the Parks Department found that at least one contractor had allegedly provided forged bank documents for August, September, and October to show payment of wages. As per tender norms, park workers are entitled to Rs 19,994 per month, supervisors receive Rs 22,460, and electricians/pump operators earn Rs 29,943. Citizen groups have also expressed concern. T.K. Shanmugham, President of the Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association, said residents in many localities had complained about poorly maintained parks and weak conservancy operations. "We want strict monitoring and better security arrangements in the early morning hours," he added. GCC officials said that they are assessing the scale of the suspected fraud and the number of workers affected. The Corporation has assured that stringent action will be taken against violators, including blacklisting of contractors and recovery of payments, following the outcome of the police inquiry. Chennai, Dec 21 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Union government for keeping the Adichanallur archaeological museum project on hold, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit the Keeladi and Porunai museums to understand the antiquity and richness of Tamil civilisation. Addressing a public programme in Tirunelveli, Stalin said he took immense pride in being a Tamil, adding that the inauguration of the Porunai Archaeological Museum at Reddiarpatti on Saturday night was a milestone in taking ancient Tamil culture to the global stage. He said the BJP-led Centreas apathy towards Adichanallur stood in stark contrast to Tamil Naduas efforts to preserve and promote its heritage. The Chief Minister also strongly criticised the Union government for what he described as a "systematic dismantling" of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He alleged that the scheme, a vital source of livelihood for rural families, was being undermined by reducing central funding and pushing states to bear the burden. "From full central funding, Tamil Nadu is now forced to shoulder 40 per cent of the cost. This is a historic blunder," he said, announcing that the DMK would launch statewide protests against the move on December 24. Taking on AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Stalin questioned the Opposition leaderas silence on the issue. "He calls himself a genuine farmer, yet he stands with the NDA and has no concern for farmers affected by this decision," he said. Highlighting achievements of the DMK government, Stalin said welfare schemes such as the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to women heads of households and the free bus travel initiative had significantly improved lives across Tamil Nadu. In Tirunelveli district alone, 1.83 lakh women have benefitted from the free bus travel scheme since its launch in 2021, he noted. Despite political hostility from the Centre, Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu continued to excel and remains a model for other states. The DMK chief expressed confidence that the party-led front would secure victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. Earlier in the day, Stalin inaugurated 33 development works worth Rs 235.95 crore and laid the foundation stone for 11 projects costing Rs 356.59 crore. He also distributed welfare assistance of Rs 101.49 crore to 45,477 beneficiaries and flagged off 15 new bus services. Speaker M. Appavu, Ministers K.N. Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu, and E.V. Velu, Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab, and District Collector R. Sukumar were among those present. --IANS aal/vd New Delhi, Dec 21 : Underscoring the convergence of ancient Yogic wisdom and modern medical science in addressing stress, the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) held meditation sessions to mark the World Meditation Day on Sunday. The sessions organised by MDNIY, under the Ministry of Ayush, brought together eminent scholars, Yoga practitioners, and enthusiasts. Addressing the gathering, Prof. (Dr) Kashinath Samagandi, Director, MDNIY, highlighted the clinical relevance of meditation in today's competitive world, said an official statement. He noted that nearly 60-70 per cent of stress is occupational in nature and stressed the need to align body and mind through techniques prescribed in the Patanjala Yogasutra. Referring to contemporary research, he explained that neuroimaging studies show Om chanting reduces activity in the amygdala the brain's centre for fear and negative emotions by activating the prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotional responses. A study has demonstrated significant deactivation of the amygdala during loud Om chanting compared to the resting state. He further cited findings from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, indicating that Yoga Nidra produces measurable changes in brain activity associated with deep relaxation and emotional regulation, thereby reducing stress and systemic inflammation. Representing the spiritual lineage of meditation, Swami Muktimayananda of the Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi, encouraged participants to turn inward for lasting peace. He emphasised that calming mental fluctuations begins with self-understanding and recognition of one's true nature Sat Chit Anand Swaroop grounded in love and compassion. He also stressed adherence to Yama and Niyama to overcome ego, jealousy, and unfulfilled desires that disturb inner harmony. The programme featured practical demonstrations of various meditation techniques, aimed at equipping participants with effective tools to enhance mental and emotional resilience. The event concluded with a collective pledge to incorporate meditation into daily life to promote the vision of a "Healthy Mind, Healthy India." It may be noted that the United Nations General Assembly last year proclaimed December 21 as World Meditation Day, reaffirming the right of every individual to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Ayush's ongoing efforts to integrate traditional Indian wisdom with modern lifestyle practices for a healthier society. Kolkata, Dec 21 : A youth from Bangladesh has been arrested in West Bengal's Hooghly district, the police said on Sunday. The youth is accused of illegally residing in India for a long time. The police arrested the youth on Saturday night after receiving a complaint from local residents. According to police sources, the accused man has been identified as Riyad Hasan. He originally hails from Barishal in Bangladesh. After questioning him, it was revealed that the youth came to Kolkata nearly three years ago through an agent. He had no valid documents with him, police added. At first, the accused youth stayed in the Tollygunge area in Kolkata. However, recently he moved to the Hooghly district and had been living in the Tinna area of aaPandua for some time. Local residents became suspicious and informed the police. The Pandua police arrested the youth on Saturday night. A case has been registered against the accused Bangladeshi man on charges of illegal entering the country. No visa or passport was found in his possession, police said. Amid the violent situation unfolding in Bangladesh and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal, the arrest of a Bangladeshi infiltrator has become a cause for concern. For last one month, several illegal residents from Bangladesh were caught living in Bengal for a long time. Meanwhile, the police are investigating why the youth from Barishal was here and whether he has any relatives or acquaintances illegally residing in India. Riyad was produced before the Chinsurah court on Sunday where the police sought his custody. Kalyan Sarkar, the Additional Superintendent of Police of Hooghly Rural Police District, said, "A resident of Bangladesh was illegally residing here. He has been arrested. We are investigating the reason why he came to Pandua. We are also trying to find out through whom he came to the country and for what purpose." Frontier investors doled out another $313 million for 16 crypto startups this week, bringing total investment into industry players to $25.4 billion this year, DefiLlama data shows. Thats over 160% more than what was raised in 2024 and far above analysts expectations for 2025. This week was dominated by investments from tech-centric firms including Pantera Capital, Circle Ventures, and Sequoias Chinese arm Hongshan Capital. The landscape has shifted significantly, Illia Otychenko, lead analyst at crypto exchange CEX.IO told DL News. Rather than scattering investments across numerous small projects, VCs are now writing bigger cheques to fewer companies. Deal count has decreased, but the average round size has jumped to nearly $37 million, Otychenko said. Here are the crypto companies that raised the most money in the third week of December. RedotPay, $107 million RedotPay topped this weeks funding table after raising $107 million in a Series B round, the largest deal disclosed by the company. The Hong Kong based fintech specialises in stablecoin payments. Backers include GoodWater Capital alongside Pantera Capital, Blockchain Capital, HongShan and Circle Ventures. RedotPay is building infrastructure that connects crypto rails with everyday finance. Its platform supports crypto to fiat spending through physical and virtual cards, multi currency wallets and cross border payout tools, allowing users to pay at millions of merchants worldwide. With our latest funding, we plan to accelerate product innovation and expand our global reach, CEO Michael Gao said. Operating under regulatory licences in Hong Kong and Lithuania, RedotPay is positioning itself as a compliant, high throughput gateway for stablecoin use in retail and e-commerce. RedoPay said it will use the fresh capital to fund global expansion, deeper peer to peer payment functionality and tighter integration of stablecoin services into daily consumer workflows. Fuse Energy, $70 million Fuse Energy secured $70 million in Series B financing led by Lowercarbon Capital and Balderton. It will use the cash influx to scale its decentralised physical infrastructure network for renewable power across the US, Ireland and Spain. The company is building a blockchain based energy network that enables communities and individuals to generate, trade and manage electricity without relying on centralised utilities. Its platform supports peer to peer power trading and decentralised energy installation, with the ambition of reshaping how energy is produced and distributed. METYA, $50 million METYA, an AI-driven web3 social platform, raised $50 million in a strategic round including Castrum Capital, Alpha Capital, M2M Capital and Vertex Capital. Srinagar, Dec 21 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday congratulated the railway authorities as the first foodgrain freight train of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reached the Kashmir Valley. Speaking on the development, the Office of the J&K Chief Minister said on X: "Chief Minister congratulates @Drm_Jammu as, for the first time, a foodgrain freight train of the Food Corporation of India reached Kashmir today, with the first rice rake placed at the Anantnag goods shed." The rake comprises 21 wagons carrying about 1,384 tonnes of rice for buffer stock and public distribution. The Chief Minister said this will ensure faster transit, reduce pressure on National Highway-44, and strengthen the foodgrain supply chain for the Kashmir Valley. It may be mentioned that in a major boost to food security and logistics in Kashmir, the first-ever Food Corporation of India foodgrain freight train reached the Anantnag Goods Terminal on Sunday, marking a new chapter in rail-based supplies to the Valley. The train, dispatched from Ajitwal railway station in Punjab's Firozpur Division, is carrying about 1,384 tonnes of foodgrains loaded in 21 covered wagons. Officials said the move will help ensure uninterrupted supplies, particularly to far-flung and remote areas of Kashmir. The Anantnag Goods Terminal, inaugurated on August 9 this year under the Jammu Division of Northern Railway, has so far handled cement rakes and other industrial and mixed goods. The arrival of the first foodgrain rake adds a critical component to its operations. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal said rail transportation of foodgrains would ensure faster, cheaper and more reliable supplies. "This will help maintain uninterrupted availability of foodgrains, especially in remote areas of the Valley, while reducing transportation costs," the senior divisional manager said. The arrival of the train service to the Kashmir Valley has not only eased passenger and goods pressure on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, but the rail link has also ended the uncertainty of passenger and goods movement into the Kashmir Valley caused by rain and inclement weather, which often leads to highway closures for days. Seoul, Dec 21 : South Korea's trade minister has expressed concern over Ottawa's plan to implement stronger safeguard measures for its steel industry, warning the decision could adversely affect businesses in both countries, Seoul's ministry said on Sunday. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu in Toronto last Thursday to convey concerns from South Korean steelmakers over the upcoming policy, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, reports Yonhap news agency. Canada recently announced plans to reduce current tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for steel imports starting Friday to protect its steel industry amid a global oversupply. Under the plan, Canada's steel TRQs for countries with a free trade agreement (FTA), including South Korea, will be cut from 100 percent to 75 percent of 2024 levels. As a result, South Korean exporters will face a 50 percent tariff on steel shipments that exceed the quota ceiling. During the meeting, Yeo said many South Korean companies are making large-scale investments in Canada and urged his counterpart to consider favorable measures, such as granting exemptions or expanding quotas. Yeo said the new measure could also hurt Canadian industries, noting that South Korean steel products are used in pipelines in Canada's oil industry. The two ministers agreed to establish a dialogue channel for strategic areas under the bilateral FTA framework. Meanwhile, South Korea's exports jumped 17.3 per cent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of December, bolstered by robust global demand for semiconductors and an increase in working days, data showed. Outbound shipments reached $20.58 billion in the December 1-10 period, compared with $17.54 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. It marked the largest figure ever for any 10-day period, reports Yonhap news agency. Average daily exports climbed 3.5 percent on-year to $2.42 billion, according to the customs office. The number of working days during the period came to 8.5 days, compared with 7.5 days a year earlier. Imports rose 8 percent on-year to $20.65 billion over the period, resulting in a trade deficit of $70 million, the data showed. a"IANS na/ Kolkata, Dec 21 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to hold an important meeting with the Trinamool Congress booth-level agents (BLAs) at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday, a senior Trinamool Congress leader said on Sunday. According to the Trinamool Congress leader, the Chief Minister will hold a meeting with selected BLAs from Kolkata and surrounding districts. BLAs from 11 Assembly constituencies in Kolkata, as well as from selected constituencies in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly districts, have been called to this meeting. The main discussion at this meeting will be the situation arising from the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of West Bengal's electoral rolls. Following the publication of the draft voters' list in the first phase of SIR, the names of nearly 58.5 lakh voters have been dropped across the state. In terms of percentage, Kolkata's 11 Assembly constituencies have set a record for the highest number of voters removed from the list. This list includes the Chief Minister's own constituency, of Bhabanipur. However, Mamata Banerjee had held a meeting with the BLAs of Bhabanipur at her Kalighat residence last week. At that time, she had hinted that there would be further discussions with the BLAs on a large scale. According to some political observers, the Chief Minister might train her gun at the Election Commission over its role from holding the SIR in Bengal in Monday's meeting. A section of the political observers is keeping a watch on Monday's meeting and what message she sends to the BLAs. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly and senior BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, will also be present in the Assembly premises around the same time on Monday. aa BJP sources said that LoP Adhikari has summoned several BJP MLAs to the state Assembly on Monday. The BJP's Legislative Party will be keeping a close eye on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's speech at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday. New Delhi, Dec 21 : The early 19th century in India was not an era of equitable administration, but a period defined by the unrelenting political despotism of the British East India Company (EIC). Despite the Company's self-serving claims that the "welfare and happiness of the inhabitants" was its "chief object" and that it had replaced a chaotic system with "courts of justice", the reality for the seventy to eighty millions of souls under its command was subjugation. They were ruled, as critics in Britain conceded, as those whom the British were "despots over". New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) The early 19th century in India was not an era of equitable administration, but a period defined by the unrelenting political despotism of the British East India Company (EIC). Despite the Companyas self-serving claims that the "welfare and happiness of the inhabitants" was its "chief object" and that it had replaced a chaotic system with "courts of justice", the reality for the seventy to eighty millions of souls under its command was subjugation. They were ruled, as critics in Britain conceded, as those whom the British were "despots over". This despotic control was made necessary by a simple, terrifying fact: the EIC was drowning in debt. The immense territorial revenues extracted from India were "largely consumed by the costs of the British administration and its military activities". The interest-bearing debt had ballooned to approximately 26 million pounds by 1813, having absorbed 6,289,405 pounds of surplus trade profits and requiring frequent public loans to cover obligations. This financial precipice necessitated a constant search for revenue and political mechanisms to transfer the burdens of empire onto its subjectsa"and, ironically, onto its own British merchants. The debate over the East India Circuitous Trade Bill in late 1813, a direct consequence of the 1813 Charter Act, laid bare this financial desperation and the profound hypocrisy of the colonial economic system. Ostensibly opening trade, the Bill was in truth a complex legal mechanism designed to coerce British merchants into shouldering the EICas financial burden of procuring bullion, while simultaneously ensuring that Indian commerce remained shackled by restrictions designed purely to protect domestic British interests. The Problem of Bullion: A Desperate Imperial Need The renewal of the EICas Charter in 1813 marked a pivotal transition. Under immense pressure from British manufacturers and merchants across the United Kingdoma"from Glasgow and Liverpool to Bristol and Birminghama"who demanded access to the vast Eastern market amidst European trade closures caused by France's anti-commercial system, the EICas monopoly over trade to India was fractured. This, however, was not an act of benevolence toward India, but a calculated move to benefit the "broader British merchant class and the state". Lord Castlereagh, in moving for the East India Circuitous Trade Bill in November 1813, immediately exposed the government's central concern: the logistics of imperial finance. The Bill was "considered essential for providing bullion for Indian trade," a requirement of the previous session's Charter Act. India's traditional trade pattern favored hard currency. Due to protectionist British policies that restricted the sale of competitive Indian manufactured goods (like textiles) in Britain via bans and high tariffs (70a"80%), India had a limited ability to exchange its finished products directly for British manufactures. The British had actively dismantled India's industrial capacity and transformed it into a supplier of raw materials and a captive market for British goods. Yet, even with British goods flooding the Indian market, the system still required specie (bullion) to balance accounts, particularly for internal EIC expenditures and debt servicing. The Circuitous Trade Bill was thus not truly about opening new channels; it was about forcing the newly admitted private British merchant to solve the EIC's perennial cash flow problem. The goal was to ensure that if British private traders could not sell enough British manufactures in India to cover their purchases of Indian produce, they would somehow arrange to transfer bullion through the sale of Indian goods elsewhere. The Circuitous Chokehold: Inequality in the Name of Empire While the 1813 Act allowed British merchants direct trade to India, the Circuitous Trade Bill sought to regulate how they brought Indian produce out of Asia, thereby imposing a crucial, debilitating restriction: British merchants were generally prohibited from carrying Indian produce to European markets. The measure was debated, with Mr. Finlay lamenting that it seemed extraordinary that British merchants were excluded from equality with foreigners only in territories acquired and maintained by British arms. He noted that the Bill continued to sanction this exclusion, forcing British merchants to be at a "decided advantage" compared to foreign competitors. The restriction forced British merchants onto a "circuitous trade" route that funnelled all products through the metropolis. They were compelled to bring East India sugar, coffee, and other articles of India produce to the Port of London. Meanwhile, foreign merchantsa"specifically subjects of foreign nations in amity with Britain, who were allowed to trade to India by the Act of the 37th year of ahis Majestyaa"were entirely free from such restrictions. These foreign traders were at liberty to take their East Indian cargo for sale "to any market in Europe or elsewhere". This meant they could take the "direct route" to lucrative continental markets like Amsterdam and Rotterdam, or even other global markets, while British merchants could not. From the Indian perspective, this policy was doubly damaging: 1.Stifling Indian Trade: It meant Indian produce was barred from reaching its most profitable European destination directly, suppressing potential gains and market expansion. 2.Affirming Foreign Privilege: It provided a massive, government-sanctioned advantage to foreign nations over Britain's own citizens, confirming the belief that the monopoly operated "directly in favour of foreign nations". This situation was not merely unfair; it was structurally designed to ensure that the principal part of the East India trade was "likely to fall into the hands of foreigners," who possessed the advantage of being able to deliver goods more cheaply and directly to the continental markets. The American Indictment: Proof of Unjust Restriction The clearest proof of the harm inflicted by the circuitous route was the glaring success of nations that faced no such restrictions, particularly the United States of America. Petitions from merchants across the UK, like those from Greenock, Glasgow, and Manchester, repeatedly cited the "extensive and flourishing commerce of the United States of America with India and the Chinese empire" as irrefutable evidence that private enterprise could handle the trade successfully. iThe Glasgow Chamber of Commerce stated that American merchants, availing themselves of the liberty "at the expense of our own people," had prosecuted the East India trade to a degree that had "supplied, as far as was possible, not only the continent of Europe," but had also enriched American individuals and increased their national wealth. iAmerican merchants, being "unfettered," were able to "undersell" the EIC itself in many European markets. Their commerce had increased "with unexampled rapidity," and had supplied the British West India colonies, the Mediterranean, and other parts of Europe with East India and Chinese products. iMr. Finlay pointed out that the profits yielded by the unrestricted American trade might, in a great measure, be attributed as the means by which America was "waging her present unnatural war with this country". The conclusion for the Indian populace was inescapable: the EIC's monopoly and the continuing circuitous trade restrictions were not necessary for national stability or security, but were deliberate, political mechanisms that "infringed the privileges of others" and restricted Indiaas potential, forcing it to see its produce carried "under every flag, but that of their natural and legitimate protector". The ability of foreigners to trade more freely than British subjects with territories maintained by British taxes was considered "unnatural and extremely hard, if not an unjust arrangement". The Protectionist Paradox: Manufacturers Over Merchants If the exclusion of British merchants from the direct European route was economically illogical and financially burdensome, what was the parliamentary justification for this rigidity? The governmentas primary stated objective was to make Britain the "emporium of trade". By compelling British merchants to stop in England, they were expected to re-export the Indian produce to the continent "with an assortment of other articles of our produce and manufacture," thereby stimulating British commerce generally. However, the real, deeper justification for the restrictionsa"and the most injurious aspect from the Indian economic perspectivea"was raw protectionism. During the debates, Mr. Fawcett raised serious concerns about the implications of relaxing the circuitous route, warning that allowing British merchants to carry Indian produce to places like the Havannah and the Brazils (colonies the EIC sought to protect) would "harm British manufacturers". Why? Because the cheapness of Indian produce, due to "cheaper labour and materials in the East," would enable the India trader to "easily undersell" the British manufacturers in those markets. This argument revealed the core tension: The EIC empire was structured so that Indian production was only tolerated when it served Britain's needs (supplying raw materials or paying debts) but was immediately suppressed when it threatened British domestic industry. The British economy demanded a circuitous route to protect their manufacturers from the superior cost-efficiency of Indian labor and production. This same protectionist fear was visible in the related debate over India-built ships. Although Lord Castlereagh postponed the discussion on India-built shipping, the issue was fundamentally tied to the circuitous trade. British ship-builders in London fiercely opposed India-built ships, arguing they would "ruin their industry" and undermine the British Navy. They claimed Indian ships and labor were too cheap, constituting an act of "injustice and oppression" against British industry that denied India the benefit of its "great natural advantages" (like durable teak wood). This opposition, which sought to prohibit India-built ships entirely, shows that the principle behind the circuitous route was pervasive: stifle any Indian advantage that threatens British domestic employment. The Circuitous Trade Bill, therefore, acted as a gatekeeper. It ensured that the profits derived from India were managed in London, benefiting London ports (which feared ruin if trade extended to out-ports), and that cheap Indian goods did not bypass Britain to contaminate protected colonial markets. The Legacy of Shackled Trade The passage of the East India Circuitous Trade Bill cemented a policy of controlled, constrained liberty for British subjects operating within India. It affirmed that India's vast economic potentiala"acknowledged by petitioners from all UK ports who believed free trade would alleviate national distress and create new marketsa"would remain subservient to the imperial debt structure and the protectionist demands of the metropole. The Indian perspective on this legislation is one of profound, calculated injustice: 1.Financial Coercion: The bill forced private merchants to manage the EICas dire need for bullion, a financial problem created by the EICas costly military expansion and misgovernance. 2.Commercial Disadvantage: It institutionalized an unequal trade system that placed foreigners in a superior commercial position, ensuring that the fruits of Indian production were suppressed by unnecessary detentions and high expenses. 3.Endorsement of Despotism: This regulation, like the denial of judicial transparency and the enforcement of the "fettered press", underscored the belief that India was ruled as a dependency where economic and political rights were suspended whenever they threatened the stability of a government "founded upon blood and supported by injustice". In essence, the Circuitous Trade Bill was not a route to freedom, but a carefully measured leash. The British subjects who were permitted to trade were burdened with the EICas debts, and Indiaas commerce was constrained to ensure it never became competitive enough to truly enrich its own inhabitants or threaten the established economic order of the sovereign power. The cost of Indian trade was thus deliberately inflated and diverted, perpetuating the process of colonial underdevelopment. (The author is a researcher specialising in Indian history and contemporary Geopolitical Affairs) Itanagar, Dec 21 : Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lieutenant General K.T. Parnaik (Retd.), on Sunday, exhorted the National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets to imbibe the 'Nation First' spirit in both thought and action, reminding them that true service to the country begins with character, commitment, and a sense of responsibility. Interacting with the NCC cadets from various institutes of Arunachal Pradesh attending an annual training camp at the Himalayan University Campus at Jollang in Itanagar, the Governor motivated them to become masters of their own destiny by practicing the highest standards of discipline. He also said that this motivates the NCC cadets to make them a perfect human being, nurturing unwavering determination, and cultivating perseverance and self-motivation in every sphere of life. Advising the cadets to take utmost pride in their roots, rich cultural heritage, and the nation, Lieutenant General Parnaik (Retd.) called upon them to embrace life with ambition and fearlessness and lead by example, and contribute meaningfully to the progress and unity of the nation. He encouraged the cadets to move forward with confidence and resilience and rise above challenges with courage, and to remain steadfast in their resolve to excel. The Governor visited the NCC stall and took a keen interest in the displays and presentations showcasing the achievements of 1 Arunachal Pradesh NCC Battalion. He commended the cadets for maintaining exceptionally high standards of drill, describing it as a reflection of their rigorous training, teamwork, and pride in the NCC ethos. The Commanding Officer of 1 Arunachal Pradesh NCC Battalion, Colonel Samudra Vijay Sarma, briefed the Governor on the activities and achievements of the NCC and outlined that the CATC-134 Camp aims to foster camaraderie, discipline, and nationalism through a comprehensive programme of physical training, drills, yoga, battle craft, firing practice, sports, and leadership-building activities, complemented by creative engagements and motivational sessions to promote confidence, holistic development, and responsible citizenship among cadets. Three associate NCC officers, and 12 Army instructors are actively involved in imparting training in the 10-day combined annual training camp, which started on December 13. Two more persons were arrested on Sunday in connection with the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, according to a media report. IMAGE: People burn effigy of Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus over atrocities against Hindus, in Varanasi. Photograph: ANI Photo With the latest arrests, 12 people have been held for their alleged involvement in the murder, The Daily Star newspaper reported, quoting police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) sources. Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched to death by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Baluka in Mymensingh on Thursday. According to the police, Das was first beaten up by a mob outside the factory over blasphemy allegations and hanged from a tree. The crowd then left the body of the deceased on the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and later set it on fire. The police recovered the body and sent it to the Mymensingh Medical College morgue for autopsy. The victim's brother, Apu Chandra Das, filed a case with the Bhaluka Police Station on Friday, accusing 140-150 unnamed people. It was alleged that Das had written a social media post hurting religious sentiments. However, Company Commander of RAB-14 in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, told The Daily Star on Saturday that no evidence was found indicating that the deceased had posted anything on social media that might have hurt religious sentiments. He also said that local people or other workers of the garment factory could not point to any such activity either. "Everyone is now saying that they did not personally hear him say anything of that sort. No one has been found who claims to have heard or seen anything themselves hurting religion," Samsuzzaman said. "When the situation became volatile, Das was forcibly pushed out of the factory to protect the factory," he said. The interim government on Friday condemned the lynching, saying there is no space for such violence in the new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared, it said in a statement. The Hindu population in Bangladesh has faced a series of anti-minority incidents across the country after the ouster of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Bharatiya Janata Party has set a record in local body polls with 48 per cent of councillors winning on the party symbol, and its candidates elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils. IMAGE: BJP workers celebrate party's victory in local body polls in Maharashtra. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff.com He attributed the Mahayuti alliance's success in the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections to the BJP organisation and development agenda of the government. Counting of votes for elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats held in two phases began in the morning. Fadnavis said the BJP has once again emerged as the single largest party. "48 per cent councillors have been elected on the BJP symbol, which is a record. The BJP has created another record with 3,300 councillors being elected from the party. "BJP candidates have been elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils. In 75 per cent of the local bodies, Mahayuti nominees have been elected as municipal presidents," he said. Fadnavis emphasised that the BJP's national leadership has put faith in the state leadership for elections. "It is the team effort - the organisation and government. We fought the polls on the development plank. I led a positive campaign on the development agenda. I never criticised any political leader or party. I solicited votes on the development agenda, the work done by the government so far, and our blueprint for the future," the chief minister told a press conference. In the multi-dimensional contests, Mahayuti allies- the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP- contested against each other in some places. There were alliances as well as "friendly fights" among Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents -- the Shiv Sena-UBT, the NCP-SP, and Congress. The opposition Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) virtually conceded defeat in the elections, accusing the election commission of "facilitating" the victory of the ruling Mahayuti. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated the party candidates who won the posts of municipal president and councillors. In a terse comment, he "congratulated" the state poll body for "helping" the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the elections. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attributed the victory of Mahayuti to "tampering" of EVMs. He said the opposition couldn't withstand a "hailstorm" of money. His party colleague Ambadas Danve alleged "money and muscle power" shaped the Mahayuti win. "The Mahayuti has bagged a larger number of seats as compared to constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, thanks to the muscle and money power deployed by the ruling parties," Danve told PTI in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan claimed the party had got a decisive mandate as voters had rejected the Opposition's "fake narrative". He claimed the Mahayuti had won more than 250 councils, nagar parishads and nagar panchayats out of 288, with BJP candidates securing 134 out of 236 council chief posts and over 3,000 councillor seats. "The Opposition levelled all kinds of allegations during the campaign, but people saw through them. Uddhav Thackeray himself said he had nothing to offer to the people and that is why his party was rejected. His party could not even win council chairperson posts in double digits," Chavan claimed. "Now, Mumbaikars too would reject the opposition's narrative in the upcoming BMC polls," he said. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the "overwhelming success" of the BJP was a "victory of the (party) workers. "This is a victory of our workers. Thank you to the people who supported the BJP by maintaining faith in its development-oriented working style," the Union minister stated. Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed the Mahayuti is headed to secure two-thirds seats. "The Mahayuti has taken a very good lead in Maharashtra and the people have rejected the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP)," he added. State minister Shivendrasinh Bhosale claimed BJP candidate Amol Mohite was elected municipal president in Satara district by 42,000 votes, an outcome that even surpassed the vote margins typically seen in assembly elections. Minister of state for home Yogesh Kadam claimed the Mahayuti had registered a clean sweep in Khed municipal council in Ratnagiri district by winning all 21 seats, including 17 seats won by Shiv Sena. The BJP has won the president's post in four out of five local bodies in Udgir, Ahmedpur, Nilanga, and Renapur in Latur district, while its ally NCP bagged the seat in Ausa. In the Beed district, the Mahayuti combine has taken a decisive lead. "People have demolished the plot of the Opposition to defame Parli and Beed through the results of the local body polls," former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde claimed. The Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) claimed they had retained their party bastions in Chandrapur and Sangli districts. The Congress won the municipal council president's post as well as 21 of the 23 seats in the Brahmapuri municipal council in Chandrapur district, party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said. The BJP and NCP have secured one seat each. In the Urun-Ishwarpur municipal council in Sangli district, the NCP (SP) has won 23 seats as well as the post of council president, senior leader Jayant Patil claimed. In Palghar district, the Shiv Sena has won the president's election in the municipal councils of Palghar and Dahanu, while the BJP bagged the president's posts in Jawhar municipal council and Wada Nagar Panchayat. Recounting of votes was ordered after the Congress objected to the 116-vote win of BJP candidate Ajay Agrawal in Kamptee municipal council polls in Nagpur district, an official said. In a setback for the BJP, the party candidate for the post of Loha municipal council president, Gajanan Suryavanshi, and his five kin lost. The post was won by Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, whose candidate, incidentally, is named Sharad Pawar. The NCP emerged victorious in Loha, Kandhar, Degloor and Umri, while the BJP won in Kundalwadi, Mudkhed and Bhokar in Nanded district. The Shiv Sena and Marathwada Janhit Party won from two places each, while the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress emerged victorious from one place each, officials said. Only the NCP (SP) led by opposition stalwart Sharad Pawar failed to capture any of the municipal councils that went to polls in the district, they added. India on Sunday suspended visa operations at its mission in Bangladeshi port city of Chattogram until further notice, according to media reports. IMAGE: A man holds a placard as tens of thousands of people join the funeral prayer for Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader, who died after being shot in the head, at the Parliament building area of Manik Mia Avenue, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on December 20, 2025. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters The move comes in the wake of a fresh wave of unrest witnessed in the country following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. His death triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian high commissioner's residence in Chattogram on Thursday. Hadi, a prominent leader of the student-led protests last year that led to the ouster of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections. He was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen at an election campaign in central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area and died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on December 18. Due to the recent security incident at Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) Chittagong, Indian visa operations at IVAC Chittagong (Chattogram) will remain suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice, the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) said in a brief statement. The announcement for reopening the visa centre will be made after reviewing the situation, the statement added. The decision came into effect on Sunday. There are five IVAC facilities across Bangladesh at Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram and Sylhet. An IVAC official told PTI that the other four offices have remained operational as of Sunday. India on Thursday resumed operations at its visa application centre in Dhaka, a day after closing it over escalated security concerns, but closed for a brief period two other identical facilities in Rajshahi and Khulna as anti-India protestors tried to march towards the Indian missions there. On Saturday, security was strengthened at the Indian Assistant High Commission office and the visa application centre in Bangladesh's Sylhet city. The enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure that no third party can exploit the situation, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Saiful Islam was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune newspaper on Saturday. Hadi, 32, was laid to rest on Saturday amid extra-tight security beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University mosque. Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral prayers, and ahead of the ritual, chanted anti-India slogans like Delhi or Dhaka - Dhaka, Dhaka and brother Hadi's blood will not be allowed to go in vain. Earlier on December 17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Bangladesh envoy Riaz Hamidullah and conveyed its strong concern over certain extremist elements announcing plans to create a security situation around the Indian mission in Dhaka. We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of Missions and Posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations, it said. The envoy was apprised of India's strong concerns about the deteriorating security environment in Bangladesh, it added. India on Sunday trashed as "misleading propaganda" media reports in Bangladesh that a demonstration outside Bangladesh's mission in New Delhi against the killing of a Hindu man in that country attempted to create a security situation. IMAGE: A security official stands guard outside the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi following violent protests in Bangladesh after the death of uprising leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Photograph: ANI Photo The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission on Saturday and raised slogans in protest against the "horrendous killing" of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh's Mymensingh. It said the protesters also called for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh. New Delhi also urged the interim government in Dhaka to bring to justice the perpetrators of the "barbaric killing" of Das. Certain reports in Bangladeshi media claimed that the youths protesting outside the Bangladesh high commission tried to breach the security of the premises. There was "no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time", the ministry said, adding the police dispersed the group after a few minutes and visual evidence of these events is publicly available. Das, 25, was lynched to death by a mob in Mymensingh city on Thursday. Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. He was a prominent face in the anti-government protests that forced the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government. "We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "The fact is that about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi on December 20 and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," he said. Jaiswal said there was "no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation" at any time. "The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensuring the safety of foreign missions and posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention," he said. Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue. "India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities," he said. "We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice," he noted. The National Investigation Agency told a Delhi court that the Popular Front of India was trying to procure arms from the neighbouring countries and give arms training to its cadres, a special public prosecutor of the agency has said. IMAGE: In September 2022, the Central government banned the PFI and several of its associates for five years under a stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having "links" with global terror groups such as ISIS. Photograph: ANI Photo The submissions were made before Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma on Saturday, who was hearing arguments on charges against 20 accused Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders. Mediapersons were not allowed to cover the in-camera court proceedings. Speaking to reporters outside the court on Saturday, NIA's special public prosecutor Rahul Tyagi said he argued before the court that PFI leaders were trying to procure arms from neighbouring countries and give arms training to its cadres. On the allegations against the PFI leaders, Tyagi said, "They were also sending their cadres to Syria to learn tactics from ISIS so that they could be implemented in India. They organised specific hit squads which were keeping a list of BJP, RSS and VHP leaders, and conducting surveillance on them. The prosecutor alleged that the group was formed with the motive of radicalising the youth. "The case against the PFI and its leadership is that they formed the organisation to radicalise Muslim youth with a view to establishing a caliphate in India and to establish Sharia law," Tyagi said. They were organising camps, giving them arms training, radicalising them, and training them to wage 'Jihad' against India, for which they were collecting funds," the prosecutor said, adding that these submissions were made before the court. The court has posted the matter for further proceedings on December 23. In September 2022, the Central government banned the PFI and several of its associates for five years under a stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having "links" with global terror groups such as ISIS. Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images For more than two centuries, the penny has quietly anchored American cash transactions as the nation's smallest unit of currency. First minted in 1793, the copper-colored coin is now reaching the end of its run, with the U.S. Treasury producing its final pennies earlier this year. Although the decision was announced in May, the effects are already being felt: penny shortages are cropping up nationwide, driving up costs for businesses and prompting some retailers to offer cash incentives to customers willing to part with their spare change. What's that old saying? You don't miss something until it's gone? Maybe the penny was more important than we thought. But the old one-cent coin had been fighting a losing battle for respect for years. You can't buy anything with them anymore, not even a gumball. Most of us just toss them into a junk drawer or a glass jar. A sad penny can even lie on a sidewalk all day and not get scooped up. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. Gael Cooper/CNET The US Mint struck the last pennies marking the end of an era. According to the Mint, it was costing 3.69 cents to make every penny. That is hardly a smart return on investment for taxpayers. However, with the discontinuation of penny production, some brick-and-mortar businesses across the country have been unable to give exact change because they lack sufficient pennies, if any. A Retail Industry Leaders Association survey revealed that thousands of stores have no pennies, and they are calling on the federal government to take action. Grocery chain Price Chopper and Market 32 recently held a Double Exchange Day, when people brought in their pennies and received double the value back in the form of a shopping voucher. Similarly, grocery chain Giant Eagle offered gift cards worth twice the amount of pennies customers brought in during a one-day event on Nov. 1. Millions at stake CBS News asked several large companies how they would handle cash transactions if there were shortages of pennies at the counter. McDonald's said its restaurants would round up or down to the nearest nickel, meaning an order costing $12.43 would round up to $12.45, but an order costing $12.42 would round down to $12.40. Wendy's, Kwik Trip, and GoTo Foods parent company of Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, Jamba and Carvel all said they would round down to the nearest nickel in favor of the customer. Kroger will encourage customers to use exact change, but still accepts pennies. Rounding down is beneficial for consumers, but the National Association of Convenience Stores estimates that thousands of stores across the US could collectively lose more than $1 million a day by rounding down. The NACS wants US lawmakers to create a law that would allow businesses to round transactions up to the nearest nickel. Until the federal government establishes guidelines or regulations on how to address the disappearing penny, things will remain chaotic for a while. Others have ditched the penny Mark Stiving, the CEO of pricing strategy company Impact Pricing, said the discontinuation of the penny will have "almost zero impact" on consumers and businesses in the long run. And he's got the receipts from New Zealand to prove it. "What I think is about to happen is that companies will still put prices out in '9's (like $49.99)," Stiving told CNET. According to him, New Zealand used the rounding method after demonetizing and phasing out its penny. "You'd still price something at $9.99, but you just rounded it to the nearest nickel. So whenever a transaction happened, it was always the nearest nickel." Canada and Australia also dropped their penny equivalents years ago. Be penny-wise and take action You're not going to find a fortune by foraging all the pennies in your home, unless you have an exceptionally rare one lying around. Still, if you dig around your bedroom, garage, kitchen and even your car, you might collect a few bucks worth. That's not nothing. Would you let a $5 bill collect dust in a drawer? Of course not. Find a Coinstar kiosk: You've likely walked by one of the 17,000 Coinstar machines without even noticing it. This is a pretty handy way to convert those pennies and other coins into cash. The process is simple: locate a kiosk (typically found inside a grocery store) and deposit your coins to receive a cash voucher, which you can then redeem at checkout or at the customer service desk. There is a service fee of nearly 13%, so if you redeem $100 worth of coins, you get $87. Amazon Wrap the pennies and find a bank: Many banks and credit unions will accept your coins. They mat have a coin-counting machine, or they may ask you to organize the coins into wrappers, which is time-consuming, but it also will give you an idea of just how many coins you have been stashing. There may or may not be a fee, depending on whether you're an account holder. (Note: Some banks will not accept prewrapped coins. They must be counted out or machine-checked to ensure they are legitimate.) Yes, people do hide same-weight slugs inside coin rolls.) Just spend the coins: Gone are the days when you could ride your horse down to the general store and buy something with a penny, but there are still a few holdouts. Dollar General offers a weekly Penny List featuring out-of-season or discontinued items that have been marked down to one cent. Websites such as The Krazy Koupon Lady and The Freebie Guy provide weekly updates on what you can get for a penny at Dollar General, if those items haven't already been removed from the shelves. The Krazy Koupon Lady even has a Home Depot hack where you can get items for a penny. Find a collector's item: It's doubtful, but you never know. The most valuable penny is a 1943 Lincoln Wheat Cent Penny in bronze and copper, which could fetch nearly $2.5 million. Or perhaps you have an 1880 Indian Head Cent, which could net you around $150. The USA Coin Book list of valuable pennies is available here. Fun and skills for kids: Those pennies could help you level up your arts and crafts toolbox. Help kids learn about budgeting, create some art, or do a science experiment. You've got options! Check out even more ideas at Greenlight. Is the nickel next to go? The penny is the latest US coin to be discontinued. The half-cent, the half-dime, the large cent, the double eagle and several others have all come and gone. The nickel could be next. It costs nearly 14 cents to make, almost three times the face value of the five-cent coin. The problem is nickels are comprised of 75% copper and 25% nickel, metals which have doubled in price over the last decade. It will be tougher, however, to eliminate the nickel than the penny. Rounding up or down to the nearest dime could cost US taxpayers $56 million per year, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. That is significantly more than the estimated $6 million rounding hit per year caused by the penny's retirement. A penny for your trivia The penny may be vanishing, but its history is full of fun facts. President Lincoln was not always on the penny: Honest Abe only became the star attraction in 1909, in honor of the 100th anniversary of his birth. Lady Liberty was the first to appear on the penny, back in 1793. Newer pennies have little copper: Pennies minted after 1982 are made of copper-plated zinc, which consists of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. You can easily clean pennies: Vinegar, vegetable oil and water can help wash away decades of soot and grime off those pennies. But "don't, don't, don't, don't" even think about it if you want to hunt for any collectables in your penny stash. It could significantly damage their worth, says one coin shop owner. 50/50 coin toss? Try 80/20: Stanford math professor and former magician Persi Diaconis says that a penny will land tails up 80% of the time because the side with Lincoln's head weighs significantly more than the tails side. What D, S and P mean: Lettering on the front of the penny indicates where it was minted: D for Denver, S for San Francisco and P for Philadelphia. But you will only see P on pennies minted in 2017, which was done to celebrate the Mint's 225th anniversary. In all other years, pennies minted in Philly did not have the P engraved on them. Five special pennies: The final five pennies ever minted feature a special omega symbol, chosen because omega is the final letter in the Greek alphabet. You are unlikely to ever see one in real life. Those five pennies will not enter circulation, according to the Treasury Department. Instead, the government plans to auction them. Details about the auction are not yet available. Security has been strengthened at the Indian Assistant High Commission office and the visa application centre in Bangladesh's Sylhet city in the wake of heightened tensions following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, officials said on Saturday. IMAGE: The funeral procession of Osman Hadi at Manik Mia Avenue, in Dhaka on Saturday. Photograph: Chief Adviser's Press Wing/ANI Photo The enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure that 'no third party can exploit the situation', Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Saiful Islam was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune newspaper. According to police, security was reinforced from Friday morning at the Assistant High Commission office located in Upashahar area, the residence of the Assistant High Commissioner in the same locality, and the visa application centre in the Shobhanighat area. Members of the security forces also remained deployed throughout the night. Following the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Hadi on Thursday, Gano Odhikar Parishad had announced a programme to besiege the Assistant High Commission office. "Inqilab Mancha had staged a sit-in in front of the Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar, protesting Hadi's killing and raising slogans against what they described as Indian dominance," the report said. Hadi, a prominent leader of the student-led protests last year that led to the ouster of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections. He was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen at an election campaign in central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area. He died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on Thursday. His death triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner's residence in Chattogram on Thursday. Hadi, 32, was laid to rest on Saturday amid extra-tight security beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University mosque. Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral prayers, and ahead of the ritual, they chanted anti-India slogans like 'Delhi or Dhaka - Dhaka, Dhaka' and 'brother Hadi's blood will not be allowed to go in vain'. Just after the funeral, Hadi's party Inqilab Mancha issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the interim government, demanding 'visible progress' in the arrest of those responsible for his killing. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said there are some misconceptions about the organisation among a section of people, owing to "misleading campaigns". IMAGE: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks at a programme at the Science City auditorium in Kolkata. Photograph: @RSSorg/X Speaking at a programme at the Science City auditorium in Kolkata to mark the centenary celebrations of the RSS, Bhagwat said the Sangh has no enemy, but there were some "whose shops of narrow interest will shut down if the organisation grows". He said people were free to form opinions about the RSS, but those views should be based on facts and not on "narratives and secondary source information". "In order to bring the reality in front of people, lectures and interaction sessions have been organised in four cities of the country," Bhagwat said. Maintaining that the RSS does not have any political agenda, he said the Sangh works for the betterment and protection of the Hindu society. Bhagwat said India would again become a 'Vishwaguru' and that "it is the duty of the Sangh to prepare society for the purpose". The RSS has been holding such sessions as part of the centenary celebrations in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. "The strength of Hindus is awakening and will certainly happen," he said. Asserting that Bharat's rise is a certainty, Bhagwat said the rise of Hinduism is also imminent and as such the bad people are worried about it. "That is why propaganda against India and organisations like the Sangh is happening with more tempo," the RSS chief said. He said the RSS will discuss ways to bring to the people the truth so that they are not swayed by such propaganda. "If everything remains fine in our neighbouring countries, which were part of Bharat earlier, our position will also be fine," he added. "The government will decide its policies on such matters, but at the society-to-society level, wishing well for each other is something we would like to discuss," he said. Neighbouring Bangladesh has been going through turmoil since protests against the Hasina government broke out in mid-2024 with reports of atrocities on minority Hindus there. The death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner's residence in Chattogram on Thursday. The RSS chief also said one should not buy things which can be made at home and that only those objects should be bought which can increase the income of locals. "One should not buy anything from a foreign country which can be made at home," he said, advocating Swadeshi for the interest of the nation. The RSS leader said one should use mother tongue instead of a foreign language. "When you are Bengali-speaking people, write 'Swagatam' instead of 'Welcome' at the entrance of your residence," he said. He also encouraged people to travel within the country and explore its cultural and historical sites. "There are so many places across Bharat which are worthy to be visited," he said, adding, "whether one sees other parts of the world or not, one should see his own country." The RSS chief said one should read the basic tenets of the Constitution, including the Preamble and the fundamental duties of citizens. BRATTLEBORO Education, housing and infrastructure are agreed to be important ongoing priorities for legislators in the new session as they t Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Authorities in Hungary expelled a visiting senior official of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and took other actions that caused the abrupt cancellation of the group's youth wing meeting in the capital Budapest this week, according to WUC officials who believe the European nation was acting under pressure from China. Umit Hamit Agahi, the WUC Vice-President, was detained and interrogated by the Hungarian police for nearly 12 hours on Thursday before he was expelled to Germany, the headquarters of the WUC, which champions the rights of the minority ethnic Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region. Police also sealed off the venue of the meeting organized by the World Federation of Hungarians and the Budapest Attila Hotel where the Uyghur delegation was staying, citing a bomb scare, the WUC officials said. The actions forced the cancellations of the meeting, which was scheduled for three days from Friday, and a pre-meeting press conference to be attended by foreign envoys and members of Hungary's parliament. I strongly believe the dark hand of China is behind this," Umit Hamit Agahi told RFA's Uyghur Service on his return to Germany. Terrorism He said that during his interrogations, he realized that he was being held on suspicion of terrorism and that police had told him he was "a threat to the security of Hungary" without providing any evidence. This is something unexpected for me and for my organization. We were holding the meeting legally and with the support of the World Federation of Hungarians, which was registered in Hungary," said Umit Hamit Agahi, who is in charge of WUC's European affairs. "I have been living in Germany for the past 19 years, I am a German citizen, and have been working with human rights organizations in the EU [European Union] over the past 10 years. I have gone to Hungary eight times for the past 10 years. I have close links with rights organizations in Hungary. I am no stranger to Hungary." He said Chinese state security organs may have provided the Hungarian police with "false" information about himself and "triggered alarm" in Hungary. "Only China calls the WUC a terrorist organization," he said. China has blamed much of the violence in the restive Xinjiang region on Uyghur "terrorists," but rights groups say Beijing exaggerates the terrorism threat to take the heat off domestic policies that cause unrest or to justify the authorities' use of force against the Uyghur minority. Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness, blaming the problems partly on the influx of Han Chinese into the region. Explanation Dilxat Raxit, the WUC spokesman, said the Hungarian government owed an explanation for the explusion of Umit Hamit Agahi and for clamping down on the WUC meeting. "We call upon the Hungarian government to elaborate on the reasons why our activities were stopped." Dolkun Isa, the WUC Chairman of the Executive Committee, said the Munich-based group had been in contact with German and Hungarian envoys in their efforts to gain the release of Umit Hamit Agahi. "If he was detained because of fears of the Chinese government, then it is very unfortunate news not only for the Uyghurs but also other suppressed nationalities around the world," he said. Dolkun Isa charged that China was using its economic might to obstruct the activities of overseas Uyghur organizations. Pressure He said Beijing was pressuring countries in the Middle East and Central and South Asia to control Uyghur activities there and deport home Uyghur political aslyum seekers. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos have been listed as among countries which have bowed to demands by Beijing to repatriate the Uyghur minority fleeing persecution in their homeland in China's northwestern Xinjiang region, according to Uyghur exile groups. "If China has made Hungary to submit [to its demands], that is very unfortunate and dangerous not only for the Uyghur human rights situation but also for the world's human rights development," Dolkun Isa said. "We urge all justice-seeking countries and organizations to pay attention to this incident and express their concerns over this." Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur Service. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. A senior Kremlin official played down the chances of swift progress on Ukraine peace talks as separate meetings in Florida between US and Russian envoys and US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up on December 21. Meanwhile, Ukraine has accused Russia of abducting 50 civilians in a cross-border attack. "Fighting is currently ongoing in the village of Hrabovske," Ukrainian military authorities said, adding the troops were "making efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory." No Peace By Christmas Russian chief negotiator Kirill Dmitriev concluded the second day of talks with US counterparts, while US and Ukrainian envoys met separately, also in Florida. The Ukrainian team said it also met at the site "with key national security advisers" from its European allies. But Yury Ushakov, foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters in Moscow on December 21 to expect no breakthrough. Dmitriev, he said, would simply return to Moscow and make a report. "The Americans are celebrating Christmas in these days. Not many people are going to be working," Ushakov said. Rustem Umerov, who has led Ukrainian diplomats in Florida, said he met separately with the US team -- led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. "We work constructively and substantively. We hope for further progress and practical results," he wrote on social media. Ushakov also poured cold water on a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington had proposed three-way talks. "So far, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and it is not being worked on, as far as I know," he said, adding that Dmitriev was only holding talks with US officials. The Florida talks follow a week of intense diplomatic activity, with US envoys meeting with European and Ukrainian officials. Trump in November began pressing Kyiv to accept a 28-point proposal that critics said was heavily skewed in Russia's favor. Ukraine and its European backers scrambled to make amendments to protect Ukraine's interests on territory, security guarantees for Kyiv, and other issues, with reports suggesting the plan now consists of 20 points and takes in more of Kyiv's interests. I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace, Ushakov said. Ukraine Evacuates Civilians As diplomacy continued, so did Russian military attacks on Ukraine. Authorities were evacuating people from part of Ukraine's Sumy region bordering Russia, amid reports that Russian forces had abducted civilians and taken them to Russia. "Its unclear whats going on there. They keep coming at us," one evacuee, who gave her name as Tetyana, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on December 21. Ukraine's ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he had written to his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, demanding information about the whereabouts of the kidnapped Ukrainian citizens. He has also appealed to the International Red Cross for help. "I call on the international community...to stop the illegal deportations of the civilian population of Ukraine," he said. The Ukrainian Air Force reported 97 incoming Russian drones across the country, of which 19 managed to get through air defenses. There were no immediate reports of fatalities. Pokrovsk Fighting Continues The Ukrainian General Staff reported ongoing battles on the front lines on December 21. A statement said there had been 235 combat clashes on the front over the past 24 hours, many of them around Pokrovsk in the eastern Donbas region. During his annual news conference on December 19, Putin highlighted Russian advances in Pokrovsk, a Donetsk region city that Moscow has prioritized for nearly a year and is in danger of falling to Russia. Ukraine claims its forces still control the city center and northern districts. It has not been possible to verify battlefield reports. With reporting by Reuters Armenia is facing its gravest church-state clash since gaining independence, as tensions continue to grow between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The dispute has led to arrests, public accusations, and competing narratives about Armenia's identity, governance, geopolitical orientation -- and whether or not the prime minister respects the country's constitution. The standoff could reshape Armenias political landscape and relations with its diaspora ahead of parliamentary elections in June next year. What Is The Dispute About? The government claims its targeting corruption and entrenched business interests within the church, an Oriental Orthodox institution. For example, the church, which is exempt from property tax by law, has been accused of using this exemption for enrichment. However, no official legal judgement or independent verification has so far confirmed these claims. Pashinian has accused Garegin II of violating celibacy vows by allegedly fathering a child and being a threat to Armenias national security." The prime minister has also implied that Garegin II and figures close to him -- including his brother, who serves as a diocese primate in Russia -- have links to foreign intelligence services. In a recent speech to parliament, Pashinian said, "I do not need a Catholicos who obeys me; I need a Catholicos who does not obey a senior lieutenant of a foreign intelligence service and does not report to lieutenants of a foreign intelligence service on a daily basis. The church has insisted the government is overstepping its constitutional limits. RFE/RLs Armenian Service contacted the Investigative Committee, which handles preliminary probes into serious crimes, as well as the Prosecutor-General's Office and National Security Service, and learned that no criminal case has ever been opened against Garegin II. How Did Things Escalate? Tensions between church and state deepened after Armenia's second war with Azerbaijan over its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. The war lasted six weeks before a Russia-brokered cease-fire came into force and resulted in Armenia losing control over parts of the region. In September 2023, Baku completely retook Karabakh from Armenian separatists following a lightning offensive. Between April and June of 2024, church cleric Bagrat Galstanian led protests -- the largest of Pashinian's tenure -- over what he sees as Armenia's territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. At the time, he was serving as bishop of the Diocese of Tavush, where four villages were returned to Azerbaijan after having been under Armenian control since the first war over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended in 1994. Galstanian was later arrested on charges of plotting a coup and attempting to seize power. And since April 2024, four archbishops have been arrested on different charges. Accusations Of Russian Ties When Galstanian was arrested, Russia responded angrily, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling for an end to what he called unjustified attacks against the church, which he described as one of the key pillars of Armenian society. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan fired back, accusing Moscow of meddling in Armenias internal affairs. Some analysts claim church leaders, including Garegin II, maintain close ties to Russia. Theres a Russian connection to the leader of the church, Richard Giragosian, head of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center, told RFE/RL. In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Garegin II the Order of Honor for his "great contribution to the development of cultural-humanitarian links between Russia and Armenia." Giragosian adds that while the allegations of corruption and ties to Russia may be valid, the governments response has been punitive: I think the government is [getting] carried away. This is a vendetta. Its too personal. Accusations that the church has ties with Russia have emerged at a time when the Armenian government is experiencing strained relations with Moscow. Pashinian has argued that Russia abandoned Armenia during the 2020 war, prompting a strategic shift toward the EU and other Western partners. 'Real Armenia' The backdrop to the church-state confrontation has been Pashinian's Real Armenia doctrine. According to the prime minister, Armenia should refocus national identity on the Republic of Armenia rather than territory outside its borders. Pashinian has said that focusing on a historical homeland for Armenians, which includes parts of Turkey and Azerbaijan, has only caused geopolitical vulnerability and leaves room for Russian meddling. Elections Ahead The standoff between church and state comes at a sensitive time for Armenia, with the country heading toward parliamentary elections in June. Analyst Giragosian cautions that the government is going too far, too fast, undermining legal norms and public confidence. If this conflict continues next year, the government will suffer in terms of worse relations with the diaspora and will be seen as unnecessarily vindictive, he adds. Critics of the government's actions say that the arrests of clergy and investigations into the church violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Another sensitivity is Armenia's peace agreement with Azerbaijan. While the presidents of both countries initialed the draft peace deal in August, the full treaty has not yet been formally signed or ratified. The prime minister, however, has not let off the pressure, recently confirming that he ordered the National Security Service to censor church services by instructing priests not to mention Garegin IIs name during liturgies. Pashinian has defended his actions, saying that he is criticizing the catholicos as an ordinary believer calling for church reform rather than prime minister. Women, including celebrity women, have often taken issue with the fact that clothing stores don't reflect the size of actual American women. Some have even taken stands on the issue. Dont put a plus-size model on the runway if you dont have their sizeIf youre not going to design for my body, then I dont want to wear your clothes," Ashley Graham told Vogue Business. Tess Holliday, a model and the founder of #effyourbeautystandards, took a bold stand on the issue. Its not about size, its about style. We shouldnt have to conform our bodies to fashion; fashion should conform to our bodies, reported Fashionable Collections. Men, including fashion consultant and former "Project Runway" personality Tim Gunn, have been outspoken on the topic as well. More Bankruptcy: The fashion industry is not making it work for plus-size women. Its time to start celebrating diversity on the runway and in clothing stores, he said, according to Fashionable Collections. Plus-size clothing has become somewhat more accessible, but one of the leading retail chains serving women in that space, Ashley Stewart, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Facts on the average American woman Bangladesh Unrest: RJD MP Manoj Jha Expresses Concern, Urges Govt to Keep Close Watch (Photo: Screenshot of PTI video) The RJD leader urged the government to keep a close watch on such situations of anarchy. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Sunday said he was concerned over the unrest in Bangladesh, noting that the developments were taking place in Indias neighbourhood. He said that India, being a democratic country and one of the largest nations in South Asia, has certain responsibilities, and added that the government should have taken some proactive steps. Advertisement I am also worried that when an atmosphere of chaos developed there, we were not even aware of it. There were some proactive initiatives that we should have taken. In the entire South Asian region, we are the largest country and also a democratic nation, and this places certain responsibilities on us. There was at least one step that we should have taken proactively, Manoj Jha said while speaking to news agency PTI. The RJD leader urged the government to keep a close watch on such situations of anarchy. Meanwhile, the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) in Bangladesh announced that visa operations at IVAC Chittagong will remain suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice due to a recent security incident at AHCI Chittagong. Advertisement The IVAC said that an announcement regarding the reopening of the visa centre will be made after reviewing the security situation. (For more news apart from Bangladesh Unrest: RJD MP Manoj Jha Expresses Concern, Urges Govt to Keep Close Watch" stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Rs 50 Lakh Scam Exposed in Kharar Municipal Council | Contractor Flees After Taking Road Funds \'In BJP, Dalits and backward classes got the most ministries\' - MP Satnam Sandhu 23 Jan 2026 6:34 PM Seems like Delhi has turned into a gas chamber, Says a tourist in Manali, Himachal Pradesh Meanwhile, in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, a fresh snowfall blanketed the region. As Christmas approaches, many Delhi residents are travelling to Manali in Himachal Pradesh and other hill regions to escape the citys toxic air, where AQI levels remain well within the good category. A tourist from Delhi told news agency ANI, "The pollution in Delhi is so bad that it's difficult to even breathe, so we thought we'd make a plan to go somewhere where the AQI is less... The AQI here is approximately below 50, while in Delhi it's around 700. It seems like Delhi has turned into a gas chamber. Surviving in Delhi is extremely difficult.." Advertisement Fresh snowfall at Rohtang Pass, and Atal Tunnel A fresh spell of snowfall was witnessed at Rohtang Pass and Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. Ashish Soni, a tourist from Indore, told ANI, We are enjoying ourselves here a lot. We didnt expect the snowfall, but its such a good experience. Its very fresh snowfall. Advertisement VIDEO | Himachal Pradesh: Fresh snowfall in Rohtang Pass, and Atal Tunnel peaks. Ashish Soni, a tourist from Indore, says, We are enjoying ourselves here a lot. We didnt expect the snowfall, but its such a good experience. Its very fresh snowfall. (Full video available on pic.twitter.com/oFaBvQcnR4 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 21, 2025 Fresh Snowfall in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir: Advertisement Meanwhile, in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, a fresh snowfall blanketed the region on Sunday, drawing visitors to enjoy the scenic views, chilly weather, and wintery ambience. Some people who were having the best moments of their life, speaking to news agency PTI, called it the best experience of their life so far, while another said the live snowfall was unexpected and that he was enjoying it. VIDEO | Gulmarg: Fresh snowfall across parts of Jammu and Kashmir blanketed the region in snow, drawing visitors to enjoy the scenic views, chilly weather and wintery ambience. (Full video available on PTI Videos https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/J5pHa413zJ Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 21, 2025 (with inputs from news agencies) Advertisement (For more news apart from Delhi Pollution: Seems like Delhi has turned into a gas chamber, Says a tourist in Manali, Himachal Pradesh," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) India Dismisses Bangladesh Media Reports of Security Breach Near High Commission Police stationed at the spot dispersed the group within minutes and that visual evidence of the incident is publicly available. New Delhi News: Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Sunday said that the reports in the Bangladesh media about a demonstration in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi were misleading propaganda. Responding to media queries on the reported demonstration on December 20, 2025, Jaiswal said, We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident. Advertisement He clarified that while some youths did gather near the high commission, there was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh. There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time, the minister added in the written response. Also Read: Indian Visa Application Center in Bangladesh Suspends Visa Operations at IVAC Chittagong Advertisement The ministry added that police stationed at the spot dispersed the group within minutes and that visual evidence of the incident is publicly available. Reaffirming Indias commitment to the safety of foreign missions under the Vienna Convention, the MEA said it continues to closely monitor the situation in Bangladesh. Advertisement Our officials remain in touch with the Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed strong concerns over attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the killing be brought to justice, the statement said. #WATCH | Kalaburagi, Karnataka: On the mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge says, "I condemn this. Hindus should be protected, and the government of India should protect the Hindus there." pic.twitter.com/PIZvFIDYqQ ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2025 Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday condemned the mob lynching. Speaking to the Media, the Congress leader said, "Hindus should be protected, and the government of India should protect the Hindus there." Advertisement (For more news apart from India Dismisses Bangladesh Media Reports of Security Breach Near High Commission" stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Kharge Alleges VBGRAM G Will Turn Poor Villagers, Farm Labourers Into Slaves of the Rich' The VBGRAM G Bill was passed by Parliament during the Winter Session 2025, recently. Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, on Saturday, stated that the party would protest against the VBGRAM G Bill, a replacement for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He said the Congress has instructed party members across states and districts to carry out sustained demonstrations against the legislation. Speaking to the media, Kharge said, We have already told our people in each state and district that the agitation should take place and it should be continued, not closed. And even opposition parties are also supporting us. Advertisement Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP-led NDA government is making the country's poor slaves to the rich. MGNREGA is a lifeline for the poor. They are purposely destroying that and they want to make the poor villagers and farm laborers slaves of the rich. That's why we fought to retain the MNREGA law, and all its provisions should remain as they are. I condemn the new law, which is only helping the government, Kharge added. Referring to changes introduced in VBGRAM G with respect to funding, Kharge said, Earlier, it was 90 percent from the central government and 10 percent from the state government, but now they have changed it to 60-40. This means they don't want to help the states. They want money from the state governments, and they want to reduce their own contribution. This clearly shows that they have no interest in the development of the poor. Advertisement The VBGRAM G Bill was passed by Parliament during the Winter Session 2025, recently. (For more news apart from Kharge Alleges VBGRAM G Will Turn Poor Villagers, Farm Labourers Into Slaves of the Rich" stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) SGPC Halts Punjab Govt Project in Anandpur Sahib, Says Changes Around Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Need Sikh Panth Approval (Representative Image) Gargaj emphasised that changes around Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib require Sikh Panth consent. Punjab News: The Sikh Gurudwara Prabandak Committee (SGPC) has objected and halted the work on the Heritage Street project in Anandpur Sahib, citing concerns over blocking the view of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, the Tribune reported. Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib is a significant Sikh heritage site in Rupnagar (Ropar) district of Punjab. Advertisement The Heritage Street Project is an initiative of the Punjab Governments Tourism Department, and Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj stated that the project wasnt discussed with SGPC or Sikh High Priests, according to the report. Gargaj emphasised that changes around Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib require Sikh Panth consent. The project, it said, aimed to beautify Anandpur Sahib, mirroring Amritsars Heritage Street, and coincide with Guru Tegh Bahadurs 350th martyrdom anniversary. Advertisement The street would feature redesigned shopfronts, architecture reflecting Sikh cultural legacy, and enhanced spiritual appeal. Most of the shopkeepers running businesses along the Keshgarh Sahib road have agreed to the project, the report added. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, as quoted in the report, said, Anandpur Sahib is the soul of Sikh history. Well persuade SGPC to allow work. It added that the citing Tourism Department sources that the project by approved by SGPC, and delays risk budget lapse. Advertisement (For more news apart from SGPC Halts Punjab Govt Project in Anandpur Sahib, Says Changes Around Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Need Sikh Panth Approval" stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is one of the 14 Best Large Cap Stocks to Invest In Now. On December 12, RBC Capital reaffirmed its Outperform rating on Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) with a $110 price target after investor meetings with the companys CFO, US Deliverys Senior Director of Strategic Finance, and Senior Director of Investor Relations. RBC Capital analyst Brad Erickson said the talks left the firm feeling positive. The analyst noted that even with some higher investments in 2026, Uber Technologies, Inc.s (NYSE:UBER) management shared plans to durably sustain mid to high teens growth for the foreseeable future with margin leverage. RBC and Mizuho Stay Positive on Uber Technologies (UBER) Discussions also touched on autonomous vehicle (AV) strategies. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) sees its financing plans as a competitive advantage. RBC Capital expects market and partner growth for AV initiatives next year. The research firm also noted that the companys management demonstrated open-mindedness on capital allocation. However, share buybacks are still the main focus for now. Earlier, on December 11, Mizuho also reiterated an Outperform rating on Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) with a price target of $130. This update came after hosting the companys CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, as well as Bec Nyst and Dominic Taylor, APAC General Managers of Delivery and Mobility, respectively, in Japan. Mizuho cited local press reports that show Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) has announced plans for a big investment in Japan over the next five years to target what it sees as the biggest taxi market in the world. As part of its growth strategy in the region, the company is looking to tap into Japans relatively early adoption rates across taxi services and food delivery platforms. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is a global transportation technology company that focuses on ride-hailing, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport. While we acknowledge the potential of UBER as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 14 Most Promising Fintech Stocks to Invest In and 15 Best Technology Penny Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. December 21, 2025 A roundup of local and world news December 21, 2025 Newsroom, 21.12.2025, 13:55 MOTIONS Two simple motions tabled by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR, the self-proclaimed sovereignist opposition) against the ministers of Justice and the Interior are expected to be debated upon and voted in Parliament in Bucharest on Monday. The signatories of the aforementioned documents are denouncing the abuses in the two domains of activity, their interventions in the election process and the imbalances in the countrys legal system. According to the signatories, the simple motion against Interior Minister, Catalin Predoiu, is focusing on his political and moral responsibilities. They say the ministry he is heading is politicized with prerogatives and competences that overlap, and fails to meet international obligations in its relationship with foreign partners. The second motion targeting Justice Minister, Radu Marinescu, calls for his resignation as he failed to regain the citizens trust in the legal system. The AUR MPs have also blamed Minister Marinescu for having failed to ensure effective legal actions, predictable and equitable, for the excessive lengths of the trials and the lack of a firm reaction to the issues the system is presently facing. LABOUR The Romanian Ministry of Labour has proposed for 2026 a contingent of 90 thousand foreign workers, 10 thousand less than in 2025. The recruitment process will be stricter and require the applicants to know Romanian or English. The agencies bringing foreign workers to Romania will be closely monitored. In an interview to Radio Romania, Labour Minister, Florin Manole, explained the measures are necessary because in the past years thousands of foreign workers only transited Romania. The chair of the Association of Workforce Importers, Romulus Badea, says the restrictive measures imposed to recruitment companies are excessive and have a negative impact upon the small and medium-sized enterprises. Roughly 95 thousand work permits have been issued for foreign nationals since the beginning of the year in Romania. EVENTS Romanian President, Nicusor Dan, on Sunday laid a wreath of flowers at the Monument of the Heroes of the 1989 Revolution in the University Square in Bucharest. On this occasion Romanias Prime Minister, Ilie Bolojan, has conveyed a message saying that Romania is a free country today thanks to the courage of those who rose against the dictatorship. The Prime Minister has cautioned that people should not let themselves attracted by dangerous nostalgia nor by attempts to downplay the crimes of the communist dictatorship. Romanias capital city, Bucharest, is today seeing a series of events marking 36 years since the 1989 anti-communist Revolution. A commemoration march will pass through the University Square where a moment of silence is to be observed. On December 21 1989, the communist regime staged a meeting in Bucharest to condemn the anti-communist protests that had taken place in Timisoara, western Romania, a couple of days before. During the meeting the participants started booing and dictator Nicolae Ceausescu froze in mid-speech. At night groups of people gathered in the city center and started building barricades. Riot police opened fire killing and wounding hundreds. The anti-communist uprising reached its climax on December 22, when the dictator and his wife fled in a helicopter. They were caught and three days later executed following a brief trial by a military court. Over 1000 people were killed and 3 thousand wounded in the only communist country where the regime was overthrown through bloodshed. GASTRONOMY The County of Harghita in central Romania has been designated European Region of Gastronomy 2027 by the International Institute for Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism. In preparation of this moment, the Intercommunity Development Association Harghita launched a survey to put up a list of 12 dishes representative for the county. The survey focuses on various tastes, the ingredients used and the regions traditional dishes, project manager Biro Robert told Radio Romania. According to him the survey is targeting both the locals and tourists familiar with the local cuisine. A questionnaire is available in Romanian and Hungarian and can be filled in until January 8. Sibiu county, also in central Romania, was designated European Region of Gastronomy in 2019. (bill) The return home A conversation with Mihai Ghyka The last ruler of the Principality of Moldavia, Grigore Alexandru Ghyka, has finally returned home, 170 years after his death. Ceremonie Grigore Alexandru Ghyka (Foto: presidency.ro) Vlad Palcu, 21.12.2025, 14:00 Todays Sunday Show features a special interview with Mihai Ghyka, great-grandson of Grigore Alexandru Ghyka V, the last ruler of Moldavia. The conversation highlights the repatriation of the princes remains, more than 170 years after his exile in France. Mihai Ghyka recalls how the initiative began, the support received from Romanian and French authorities, and the crucial role of the Gendarmerie, an institution founded by his ancestor. The interview revisits Grigore Ghykas bold reformsfrom abolishing censorship and the death penalty to introducing compulsory education and freeing the last enslaved Roma. Listeners will also discover the cultural and spiritual legacy he left behind, as well as the emotion of the ceremonies that welcomed his coffin to Iasi. A tribute to memory, patriotism and the values that shaped modern Romania. Sedans posted a strong year-on-year recovery in November 2025, even as month-on-month volumes dipped slightly. Total sedan sales stood at 35,039 units, compared to 24,154 units in November 2024, translating into a 45.06% YoY growth. However, compared to October 2025, sales declined by 5.84%, indicating some cooling after festive-season momentum. Maruti Dzire Dominates the Segment Maruti Dzire continued to be the undisputed leader of the sedan segment. With 21,082 units sold in November 2025, Dzire alone accounted for a major chunk of overall sedan volumes. This marked a massive 78.98% YoY growth over November 2024 and a modest 1.4% MoM increase over October 2025. Dzires strong showing highlights how entry-level and affordable sedans are still finding wide acceptance among Indian buyers. Hyundai Aura retained second position with 5,731 units, posting a healthy 34.91% YoY growth, though sales dipped marginally by 1.44% MoM. Honda Amaze followed with 2,763 units, registering a mild 5.14% YoY increase, but saw a sharper 23.88% MoM decline, suggesting demand normalization after higher October dispatches. Mid-Size Sedans: Mixed Performance Among mid-size sedans, Volkswagen Virtus delivered a strong performance with 2,225 units, growing 52.71% YoY, despite a 9.29% MoM drop. Skoda Slavia reported 1,120 units, remaining largely flat YoY with a marginal 0.97% decline, while seeing a sharper 32.04% MoM fall. Hyundai Verna continued to face pressure, recording 709 units, down 41.55% YoY and 13.96% MoM, indicating sustained softness in demand. Premium Sedans and EVs: Niche but Notable Honda City sales stood at 605 units, declining 14.67% YoY, though it managed a small 4.67% MoM increase. Tata Tigor and Tigor EV combined sales fell sharply to 488 units, reflecting a 43.19% YoY and 59.2% MoM decline. On the premium end, Toyota Camry posted 222 units, growing 70.77% YoY, while Skoda Octavia registered 94 units, marking its return to meaningful volumes after negligible sales in October. Overall, November 2025 proved positive for sedans on a YoY basis, driven primarily by strong demand for compact and affordable models. However, the MoM decline suggests that sedan volumes may stabilise rather than accelerate further, especially with continued consumer preference for SUVs. That said, the strong Dzire-led performance shows that sedans still have relevance, particularly in value-focused segments of the market. SACW Compilation of Statements by campaigns and parties following the repeal of MGNREGA in India [last update, Jan 11, 2026] 1. NREGA Sangharsh Morcha Statement on Repeal of MGNREGA 2. CPI(M) statement on repeal on NREGA 3; Radical Socialist Statement on the Repeal of MGNREGA 4. Joint Call by Left Parties 5. Sign-on Open Letter calling for reversal of the repeal of MGNREGA 6. URLs to Relevant readings & resources ++++++++++ 1. NREGA Sangharsh Morcha Ph: 9433002064/ 7982910587/ 7012919362/ 9945767607 Twitter: @NREGA_Sangharsh Facebook: @NREGASangharshMorcha Email: nrega.sangharsh.morcha[at]gmail.com The Right to Work Repealed The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha condemns the proposed Viksit Bharat - Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-G RAM G) that seeks to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA). Introduced without any consultation with workers and workers-groups, the bill represents a fundamental shift from a rights-based law that provides an enforceable entitlement into a budget-constrained scheme without any accountability of the Union Government. Excessive Discretionary Power for the Centre: MGNREGA establishes a statutory right to work that is demand-driven and universal i.e. any person willing to do unskilled manual work in any rural area must be provided work. But under the VB-G RAM G Bill, Section 5(1) states the State Government shall, in such rural areas in the State as notified by the Central Government, provide to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work, not less than 125 days of guaranteed employment. Therefore, if a rural area is not notified by the Centre, there is no right to work for the people of that area, effectively reducing universally guaranteed employment to any other scheme run at the mercy of the Union Government. Demand-driven to Supply-based: MGNREGA draws its power from its demand-driven nature i.e., every rural worker must be given work within 15 days, failing which they are entitled to an unemployment allowance. 100% of labour wages are the union governments prerogative. However, Section 4(5) of the VB-G RAM G Bill states The Central Government shall determine the State-wise normative allocation for each financial year, based on objective parameters as may be prescribed by the Central Government, while Section 4(6) further provides that Any expenditure incurred by a State in excess of its normative allocation shall be borne by the State Government in such manner and by such procedure as may be prescribed by the Central Government. This enables the Union Government to arbitrarily decide the quantum of funds to be allocated to states which, in turn, will determine how many days of employment can be provided in that state. This completely upends the logic of MGNREGA where funding follows demand to a supply-driven system where demand must conform to a pre-determined budget Burdening of States: Under MGNREGA, the Union Government is responsible for 100% labour wages and 75% of the material wages. In practice, this translates to a 90:10 cost share between the Centre and the States. Section 22(2) of the G-RAM-G bill provides that the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments shall be 90:10 for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States and Union territory (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir) and 60:40 for all other States and Union territories with legislature. This clause not only puts a massive burden on states, but also disproportionately impacts poorer and high migrant-sending states which are more in need of rural employment. The increased financial burden will lead to states resorting to fiscal conservatives and not registering workers demand for work. Bottom-up to Top-Down: In accordance with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, in MGNREGA, the planning of works was done through Gram Sabhas based on local needs. But this provision is overturned by Schedule 1, clause 6(4) of the VB-G RAM G Bill which states that Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack shall guide States, Districts and Panchayati Raj Institutions in identifying priority infrastructure gaps, standardising work designs, and ensuring that public investments contribute measurably to saturation outcomes at the Gram Panchayat, Block and District levels. By shifting the planning process from local to a pre-defined centralised priority system of a National Rural Infrastructure Stack would subvert the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. Technocratic Monitoring and Surveillance: Workers organisations have repeatedly highlighted widespread exclusions resulting from the imposition of opaque, arbitrary technologies in MGNREGA like digital attendance (NMMS) and Aadhaar-based payment systems (ABPS). Despite this, the VB-G RAM G Bill seeks to introduce a framework rooted in top-down, technology-driven surveillance by mandating the use of biometric authentication for MGNREGA workers and functionaries as well as the use of geospatial technology and geo-referencing of works. Biometric authentication is fraught with problems, particularly for agricultural and manual labourers, as evidenced by numerous studies and ground reports. Year-round Right to work to Blackout Periods: Any rural resident can demand and get work at any time of the year in MGNREGA. Section 6(2) of VB-G RAM G bill states The State Governments shall notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting, during which works under this Act, shall not be undertaken. Workers, especially women workers, in need and willing to work, will now be legally deprived of work for at least 2 months. The VB-G RAM G Bill is not a reform but a rollback of democratic and constitutional guarantees won by workers through decades of sustained struggles. By replacing the statutory right under MGNREGA with a centrally-controlled, budget-capped and surveillance-heavy scheme, the Union Government is seeking to dismantle a historic rights-based legislation and reduce the right to work to a discretionary dole. This Bill violates the spirit of the Constitution, undermines the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, and strikes at the core of social and economic justice by shifting power away from workers, Gram Sabhas, and States into the hands of the Union Government. The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha unequivocally rejects the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, and demands its immediate withdrawal. Any attempt to repeal or fundamentally alter MGNREGA without the consent and participation of workers and their organisations is unacceptable. We call upon all democratic forces to resist these unilateral and regressive proposals and to defend NREGA as a cornerstone of livelihood security for millions of rural workers. Allied Organisations of NREGA Sangharsh Morcha: Anna Suraksha Adhikar Abhiyan, Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, Dalit Bahujan Front, Grameena Koolikarmikare Sangathane, Gram Vikas Manch, Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, Jagruta Mahila Okkutta, MGNREGA Majdoor Union - Banaras, MGNREGA Majdoor Union - Haryana, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Majdoor Navnirman Sangathan, National Federation for Indian Women, Jharkhand NREGA Watch, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity, Pravasi Majdoor Sanagthan, Rajasthan Asangathit Majdoor Union, Rashtriya Seemant Kisan Majdoor Union, Samalochana, Jan Vikas Shakti Sangathan, Sangatin Kisan Majdoor Sangathan, Soochna Evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan, Swabhimani Mazdoor Sangathan, Right to Food and Work Network - West Bengal, Right to Food Campaign, Ambedkarism Punadi Association, Samaj Parivartan Shakti Sangathan, Bhakhar Bhitrod Vikas Manch, Odisha Khadya Adhikar Abhijan 2. CPM statement on withdrawal of MGNREGA December 15, 2025 The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement: Withdraw VB-GRAMG Bill Immediately The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposes the Union governments move to introduce the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-GRAMG Bill), which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The proposed bill completely negates the basic character of the MNREGA, which is a universal demand driven law providing a limited right to work. It legally absolves the Union government from its responsibility to allocate funds according to the demand. The governments claim of increasing guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days is merely cosmetic. In reality, the Bill opens the door to the exclusion of large sections of rural households in the name of rationalisation of job cards. The provision allowing governments to suspend employment for up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons will deny work to rural households when it is most needed and make them dependent on landlords. Mandating digital attendance at work place is bound to cause immense difficulties to workers, like loss of work, and denial of their rights. A major concern is the proposed shift in the funding pattern. The Bill reduces the Centres responsibility for wage payments from 100 per cent to a 60:40 sharing arrangement for major states. It shifts the responsibility of bearing the expenditure on unemployment allowance and delay compensation to the states. This places an unsustainable financial burden on state governments while denying them any role in the decision making process. The introduction of normative allocation with state-wise expenditure ceilings imposed by the Centre and excess costs borne by states will further curtail the programmes reach and dilute the Centres accountability. The sinister change in the schemes name from MNREGA to G RAM G also reflects the BJP-RSS ideological bent. The CPI(M) demands that the VB-GRAMG Bill be withdrawn immediately. The Union government must instead engage in consultations with political parties, trade unions and organisations of the rural poor to strengthen MGNREGA and ensure its effective implementation as a universal and rights-based employment guarantee. 3. Radical Socialist Statement on the Repeal of MGNREGA On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was repealed and replaced with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025. The Modi government, through deliberate and calculated dissimulation, tabled the bill for discussion in Parliament without any prior consultation, allocated inadequate time for debate and finally passed the bill through a voice vote despite widespread dissent from opposition parties. The removal of Gandhis name from the Act is calculated to offend many outside the Hindutva fold and is particularly aimed at the Congress Party. But it also serves to divert attention publicly from the substantive changes made. By increasing the guaranteed number of workdays per household from 100 to 125 days the government can pretend that this is a reform to strengthen MGNREGA. However, please note that this new ceiling is not at all binding and because this scheme, unlike the previous one, is not demand driven from below, its application or otherwisewhere, when, to what extent or not at all---is at the behest of the powers above. MGNREGA provided individuals with a legally enforceable right to work. Those in rural India who were willing and able to work could demand employment and were entitled to be provided with work and wages by the central government. There is a substantial body of evidence suggesting that the implementation of MGNREGA, led to increases in household earnings in rural India and contributed significantly to the decline in rural poverty. All of this is now set to be reversed. 4. Joint Protest Call By Left Parties 22 December - All India Protest Day Left Parties Call for Protest Against Changes in MGNREGA The Left parties strongly oppose the BJP-led Union Governments move to alter the basic character of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which was enacted due to the pressure exerted by the Left parties on the UPA government. We call upon the people to mobilise in large numbers and protest on 22 December, against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB G-RAM-G Bill), which is sought to replace MGNREGA. MGNREGA is a universal, demand-driven law that provides a limited right to work. The new Bill changes this character and denies people even this limited right. It legally absolves the Union Government of its responsibility to allocate funds in accordance with demand. The governments claim of increasing guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days is yet another of its well-known jhumlas. The Bill excludes large sections of rural households in the name of rationalising job cards. The suspension of employment for up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons will deny work when it is most needed by rural workers and make them dependent on landlords. Mandatory digital attendance causes immense difficulties for workers, including loss of work and denial of their rights. By proposing a change in the funding pattern, the Centre shifts its responsibility onto the states. This places an unsustainable financial burden on state governments while denying them any role in the decision-making process. The states are also expected to bear the expenditure on unemployment allowance and delay compensation. All these changes are intended to curtail the reach of the scheme and dilute the Union Governments accountability. The change in the schemes name from MGNREGA to G-RAM-G is an affront to Mahatma Gandhi and reflects the BJP/RSSs hostility towards his legacy. We demand that the BJP government immediately withdraw the VB G-RAM-G Bill. The Left parties will protest against these proposed changes throughout the country on 22 December. We appeal to the people to join in large numbers and demand the immediate withdrawal of the new Bill. We demand the government to strengthen the MGNREGA by making it universal, allocating necessary funds to ensure that at least 200-days of minimum employment is provided. M A Baby General Secretary, CPI(M) D Raja General Secretary, CPI Dipankar Bhattacharya General Secretary, CPI(ML)- Liberation Manoj Bhattacharya General Secretary, RSP G Devarajan General Secretary, AIFB 5. Sign-on Open Letter by scientists, academics, and civil society organisations to the Government of India Calling for Reversal of the Repeal of MGNREGA 6. Select URLs for relevant reports & materials : Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is one of the best aerospace and defense stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts. On December 9, Canaccord Genuity analyst Austin Moeller reiterated a Buy rating, impressed by Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW)s strategic positioning and growth potential. Redwire Corporation (RDW) Poised for Growth on Defense Business Model Transition: Cannaccord Genuity According to the analyst, the company is positioned for long-term growth as it transitions from a commercial space company to a defense technology business model. Consequently, the company is positioned to benefit from recurring revenue streams and expanded market presence. The analyst has also touted the companys innovative technologies, such as the Stalker UAS and the Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), which offer an extended range and a low acoustic profile. The system has already been selected for the Armys Long Range Reconnaissance program, expected to generate a solid revenue stream. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Colin Canfield has also touted the companys long-term prospects. On December 10, the analyst reiterated a Buy rating on the stock and set a $9 price target. The wave of positive ratings comes on the heels of Redwire Corporation securing a $44 million phase 2 contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for its Otter Very Low E Earth Orbit VLEO Mission. VLEO represents an exciting new frontier for defense, intelligence, and communications missions, said Tom Campbell, President of Space Missions at Redwire, in the announcement. With Otter and our SabreSat platform, we are delivering higher-performance missions at lower altitudes. Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is an aerospace & defense company building space infrastructure, technologies, and solutions for exploration, defense, and commercial use, focusing on digital engineering, AI, microgravity R&D (like in-space manufacturing/biotech), advanced avionics/sensors, and unscrewed systems (drones) for both space and defense applications. While we acknowledge the potential of RDW as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Economists use the term "income mobility" to describe how easily people or families can move up or down the income scale compared with others in their community. It reflects whether financial positions tend to stay fixed or change over time. Norway stands out for having relatively high income mobility. Many people are able to improve their financial standing, but the system also allows incomes to fall. Movement goes in both directions. "Your income is the sum of what you earn from work and from capital income," says Professor Roberto Iacono at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Department of Social Work. Capital income refers to money earned from assets such as shares, housing, or business ownership. While economists have long studied income mobility, there has been much less focus on how different income sources contribute to these changes. In particular, the distinct roles of earnings from work and income from capital have not been closely examined. That gap led Iacono and his colleagues to ask two key questions. What helps people move up financially, and what causes them to fall behind compared with others? Jobs Are the Main Driver of Income Gains To find answers, Iacono worked with Marco Ranaldi from University College London and Joel Buhler from Universitat de Barcelona. The team analyzed detailed records from Norway's income registers (Statistics Norway), covering nearly 300,000 people aged 26 and older. They also developed a new approach to track how labor income and capital income influence earnings over an entire working life. The results were clear. "When people's income increases compared to others, it is largely due to what their earnings from work," Iacono said. In practical terms, this means having a well paying job is the most important factor in getting ahead financially. Income from investments can help, but it rarely plays the leading role in long term income growth. The picture changes, however, when incomes begin to fall. Why Falling Incomes Are Linked to Capital "When people's income declines compared to others, it is mostly due to the fact that their capital income is declining," says Iacono. Losses from investments, property, or businesses tend to be the biggest reason people slip down the income ladder. These declines often happen at the same time as lower earnings from work, but capital income plays the dominant role. For most people, steady employment remains essential for improving their financial position. "Labor income systematically lifts individuals up in comparison to others. Capital income, which is more unstable and concentrated, is more often associated with decreasing income," Iacono said. Why Labor and Capital Behave So Differently According to Iacono, labor income and capital income operate in fundamentally different ways, which explains their contrasting effects on income mobility. "Employment income often increases gradually throughout life, such as when we gain more experience, switch to better jobs or increase our skills. These processes mean that many people's incomes increase over time," he said. Capital income follows a very different pattern. "Capital income is more unevenly distributed; it fluctuates a lot and can easily fall if the markets go down or an investment fails. A few earn very well on capital, but for most this is more uncertain and more often results in a decline than sustained growth," Iacono said. Access to capital also varies widely. High income individuals receive a much larger share of their earnings from investments than the rest of the population. For the majority of people, wages and salaries remain the primary source of income. Building Stability Through Work First As a result, most cases of upward income mobility are driven by employment income, either on its own or alongside smaller amounts of capital income. "Lasting progress in an income position is usually based on solid income from work, which can later make it possible to save and earn more capital," he said. The findings suggest that for most people, financial progress starts with stable earnings from work. Capital income may follow later, but it is rarely the foundation. Since 2020, scientists have installed monitoring instruments around the Barry Landslide in Alaska's Prince William Sound to closely track seismic activity in the area. Their goal is to detect warning signs early, before a sudden landslide could trigger a destructive tsunami. By analyzing these seismic recordings, researchers identified a previously unrecognized type of signal. These events are marked by sharp, high-frequency pulses that become more common from late summer through mid-winter, then suddenly stop in late winter or early spring. Strange Signals Linked to Freezing and Thawing Rock Writing in Seismological Research Letters, Gabrielle Davy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and her colleagues propose that the signals are caused by water freezing and thawing inside tiny cracks in the rock beneath the nearby Cascade Glacier. The research team is the first to carry out a systematic analysis of these short, impulsive seismic events near the Barry Landslide. The scientists emphasize that these signals are not signs that the landslide itself is moving. However, they may still provide valuable insight into changes in underground water conditions behind the slope. Those changes could eventually play a role in triggering slope movement. Why the Barry Landslide Poses a Serious Risk Searching for seismic warning signs at Barry Arm is especially important because the landslide sits in a highly unstable setting. The slope is steep and underlain by weak, heavily fractured bedrock, making it prone to failure. It has also lost critical support from Barry Glacier, which has rapidly melted and retreated over the last century. "What makes Barry Landslide especially concerning is the size of the landslide," Davy explained. "It's a large, slowly moving mass -- on the order of about 500 million cubic meters -- that has been creeping for decades." "If a rapid collapse were to occur, the material would fall directly into the fjord, and that could generate a tsunami with potentially high wave heights," she added. "Barry Arm is visited by kayakers and cruise ships, and nearby communities such as Whittier could be affected, so understanding the hazard is important from both a scientific and a public-safety perspective." Sorting Through a Year of Seismic Data Because of these risks, the landslide area has been extensively instrumented since 2020. The study by Davy and her colleagues is among the first to carefully examine the large volume of seismic data collected by those instruments. For this research, the team manually reviewed an entire year of continuous seismic waveform recordings. They searched for signals that might help determine when and where a landslide could occur. This hands-on approach allowed the researchers to recognize the wide range of signals present in the data. These included vibrations from small earthquakes, glacier motion, slope deformation, and other sources of seismic background noise. "We needed to build a clear baseline understanding of the types of signals that routinely occur in the area, so that any unusual or previously unrecognized signals would stand out. By spending time with the raw data, you train your eye to recognize what 'normal' looks like" before developing classification tools and detection algorithms, Davy explained. Seasonal Patterns Reveal a Freeze-Thaw Process After learning how to identify the unusual short-impulsive events in the seismic records, the researchers compared them with weather and rainfall data. They also used ground-based radar to track subtle changes in slope movement. This combination allowed them to study when and where the signals occurred. The timing, location, and characteristics of the signals pointed to small, brittle events that happen seasonally as water freezes and thaws inside cracks in the rock. "Similar seismic signals have been documented in other settings, although they are not widely reported," Davy said. She pointed to a recent study from Norway that observed comparable signals near an unstable rock slope and "suggested that their signals may be linked to freeze-thaw processes acting on cracks within the bedrock." Toward Better Landslide Early Warning Systems Co-author Ezgi Karasozen said the Alaska Earthquake Center is now testing a regional landslide detection system at the Barry Landslide site. According to Karasozen, the system "will alert us to any slope failures in this area." "As research on landslide seismology grows, there's increasing recognition that precursor seismic activity -- when it does occur -- can be an important source of early warning," Karasozen said. "That motivates broader investigations not only at Barry Arm, but also at other sites in southern Alaska where similar hazards exist." Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, expressed concerns about Googles dominance in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). He believes that Googles immense power and business model could pose a significant threat in the AI space. Altman Warns of Google's AI Power Altman, in a conversation with Alex Kantrowitz on the Big Technology Podcast, highlighted the potential danger that Googles AI capabilities pose. Google is still a huge threatyou know extremely powerful company, stated Altman. Don't Miss: He reflected on the situation in 2023 when Googles AI efforts were not as effective due to their product direction. Altman suggested that if Google had chosen to focus on OpenAI at that time, the latter would have been in a really bad place. I think they would have just been able to smash us, stated the OpenAI CEO. Altman also noted that Googles business model is one of the strongest in the tech industry, and he believes that the company will be slow to relinquish it. However, he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Google simply integrating AI into existing systems like web search, suggesting that a complete redesign with AI at the forefront would be more successful. See Also: Deloitte's #1 Fastest-Growing Software Company Lets Users Earn Money Just by Scrolling Accredited Investors Can Still Get In at $0.50/Share. AI Shake-Up Puts OpenAI Under Pressure Altmans remarks come amid a rapidly evolving AI landscape. Earlier this month, OpenAI declared a Code Red crisis, pausing its monetization strategy to focus on product quality. Meanwhile, Jim Cramer predicted that OpenAIs future could be in jeopardy following Googles advancements in AI technology. The CNBC host had posted, "It was only a matter of time before we heard from OpenAI about how it fell behind, and the rush of tens of millions of users right to Gemini 3 would be upon us." Altmans analysis of Google also comes amid reports that OpenAI was eyeing a potential $1 trillion IPO, with the AI startup in discussions with investors for a $100 billion fundraise at a $750 billion valuation. Read Next: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is no longer in the soybean business and the details of his $12.4 million divestiture are now public. Bessent raised eyebrows in late October when he told ABCs Martha Raddatz that he, too, felt the pain of the agricultural trade war with China, saying, Im actually a soybean farmer. The claim set off a frenzy of online memes and commentators skewering the 63-year-old Ivy League graduate rolling up his sleeves and firing up the combine. In truth, Bessent disclosed early in the Trump Administration that he owned several thousand acres of farm land in North Dakota through a limited liability partnership. He was supposed to divest those holdings 90 days after taking office, by April 28. In August, government ethics officials warned in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee that the secretary failed to comply with the rules and needed to sell the land. Bessent's Treasury ethics officials explained that the "assets are illiquid and not readily marketable." The August letter said Bessent "would be recused from particular matters affecting these assets." But that was just weeks before Bessent flew to Malaysia to meet with Chinese counterparts and hash out the framework of a deal that crucially included a commitment to buy American soybeans. The Treasury Department unveiled the Trump accounts website, with the IRS noting that parents will have to file the new Form 4547. In early December, he announced in an interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation," that his run as a farmer had finally concluded: I run a soybean farm, he told host Margaret Brennan, who quickly pointed out he invests in the farm. More: Fed should be independent but has made mistakes, Treasury Secretary Bessent says People in my family go out and work on it. I actually just divested this week as part of the my ethics agreement, so Im out of that business, Bessent said. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden slammed the slow divestment process this week in a statement to USA TODAY. The point of requiring federal officials to sign and comply with these agreements is to prove that people in power are putting the interests of the American people ahead of their own," Wyden said. "This wildly corrupt administration makes a mockery of ethics as an overall matter, so its no shock that Bessent treated his legally-binding ethics agreement like it was more of a pinky swear. More: Trump accounts are a 'backdoor for privatizing Social Security,' Treasury secretary says Soybean prices jumped in late October after the announcement of the trade deal with China from $9.80 to $11.12 per bushel. On Dec. 8, the Trump administration also rolled out a $12 billion relief plan for farmers. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed proposed final consent judgments today seeking officer-and-director bars against three former FTX executives who testified against Sam Bankman-Fried, with Caroline Ellison facing a decade-long prohibition, while Gary Wang and Nishad Singh would receive eight-year restrictions. The filings in Manhattan federal court formalize settlement terms for executives who cooperated extensively with prosecutors during Bankman-Frieds criminal trial but still face permanent securities law injunctions. Ellison, Wang, and Singh agreed to permanent injunctions barring future violations of federal antifraud provisions, along with five-year conduct-based restrictions, according to SEC Litigation Release 26450. The proposed judgments require court approval before taking effect. Notably, the latest SEC enforcement action was conducted by Amy Burkart alongside investigators Devlin Su, Ivan Snyder, David Brown, Brian Huchro, and Pasha Salimi under the supervision of Laura DAllaird and Amy Flaherty Hartman from the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit. FTX Executives Consent to Permanent Securities Fraud Injunctions The SECs original complaints alleged that from May 2019 through November 2022, the executives participated in raising over $1.8 billion from investors through false claims about FTXs safety measures and risk controls. Prosecutors charged that Bankman-Fried, Wang, and Singh exempted Alameda Research from automated risk mitigation while granting the trading firm unlimited access to customer deposits. Wang and Singh wrote software that diverted FTX customer funds to Alameda, while Ellison directed misappropriated assets toward the hedge funds trading operations. Bankman-Fried subsequently transferred hundreds of millions in additional customer funds to Alameda for venture investments and personal loans to executives, including Wang and Singh. The three defendants consented to final judgments without admitting or denying the SECs allegations. Beyond permanent antifraud injunctions under Securities Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Securities Act Section 17(a), they accepted conduct-based restrictions that would prevent similar violations for five years. Cooperation Yields Divergent Criminal Sentences Despite Securities Bars Just days ago, it was discovered that Ellison completed approximately 11 months at Danbury Federal Correctional Institution before transferring to community confinement in October, with her projected release now set for February 2026. One of Kentuckys largest bourbon producers has decided to halt whiskey production in 2026, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. According to the outlet, Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey in the world, is planning to shut down production in Happy Hollow in Clermont on Jan. 1 through 2026. We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026, the company said in a statement to the Lexington Herald Leader. Weve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our (Freddie Booker Noe) craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. Our visitor center at the James B. Beam campus remains open so visitors can have the full James B. Beam experience and join us for a meal at The Kitchen Table. According to the outlet, bottling and warehousing will continue to take place at Clermont. Kentuckys bourbon industry troubles have increased due in part to a surplus of whiskey and a drop in demand at home, according to the outlet. As a result, the industry has pulled back production by more than 55 million proof gallons, or 28%, through August the lowest level since 2018. Canada has been boycotting American spirits since March in retaliation for President Trumps ongoing trade war and U.S. whiskey sales to that country are down by more than 60% through October, Lexington Herald Leader reported. Jim Beam has not filed a layoffs notice with the state of Kentucky, according to the states WARN Act online database. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A recently signed law in New York state would open access to adjoining properties during construction or repairs. On Dec. 5, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that would provide homeowners access to adjoining properties while making repairs or improvements under certain circumstances. First introduced in January, the law would establish a framework for property owners to make improvements and repairs that require access to adjoining property, according to an explanation of the legislation. The newly-signed bill also outlines the rights of adjoining property owners during this process, according to the explanation. In a sub-section of the text of the bill, the law also states that adjoining property owners would have to be compensated for the loss of use and enjoyment of the adjoining property during construction. The homeowner initiating the construction or repairs would also be liable for any damages made to the adjoining property, according to the bill. In justifying the new legislation, the sponsors of the bill acknowledged that there are some instances where improvements or repairs must spill over onto adjacent properties, and that sometimes an agreement cannot be reached without going to court. The law, according to the sponsors, would create a more predictable framework in these instances to make sure that the projects can be completed safely and efficiently while protecting the rights of adjoining owners. My bill, A357B is now lawmaking home and building repairs faster, safer, and easier for everyday New Yorkers," Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, the lead sponsor of the legislation in the state Assembly, wrote in a social media post celebrating the signing. This law creates a clear process for accessing a neighbors property when necessary, protecting everyones rights and preventing costly delays, the Democrat representing Queens continued. A win for homeowners, tenants, and safer communities! The New York City Police Department is asking for the publics assistance in identifying a man who is sought for questioning in connection with an assault that occurred in Astoria, Queens. It was reported to police that on Saturday, Dec. 20, at around 2:07 a.m., a 40-year-old male victim was approached by an unidentified individual while onboard a southbound R train at the Steinway Street subway station. The unidentified individual and the victim engaged in a verbal dispute and then the unidentified individual stabbed the victim multiple times in the torso and left leg with a knife. The victim exited the train, and the unidentified individual remained onboard. EMS responded and removed the victim in stable condition to NYC Health and Hospitals in Elmhurst. The sought individual is described as a male. He was last seen wearing a beige jacket, blue shirt, black pants and black sneakers. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. Police are searching for this man in connection with a Steinway Street subway stabbing on Dec. 20, 2025. Photo courtesy of NYPD Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. For the fourth consecutive year, youth from Staten Islands Cub Scout Troop 6 earned their way to Arlington National Cemetery, where they took part in the Wreaths Across America mission honoring fallen service members through months of dedication, fundraising and service to their community. On Dec. 13, the scouts helped purchase and place wreaths at the historic Virginia cemetery, joining thousands of volunteers nationwide in a solemn tribute to Americas heroes. This year alone, nearly 300,000 wreaths were laid at Arlington, part of an annual effort that spans nearly 50 cemeteries across the country. It truly takes a village, said Cubmaster Matthew Sculli, noting that the trip would not have happened without the scouts determination and the support of the Staten Island community. The Cub Scouts get ready to place wreaths at the national cemetery. (Courtesy of Matthew Sculli) To make the trip possible, Troop 6 scouts children ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade raised funds by dedicating their days off from school to community-based efforts, including standing outside local ShopRite locations to ask for donations. Their hard work was supported by the newly formed Friends of Pack 6/Troop 6 Foundation, which was created to help fund initiatives like this trip and to offset the costs of scouting programs throughout the year. Troop 6 completed their fourth annual "Wreaths Across America" trip with support from local businesses, veterans groups, and the newly formed Friends of Pack 6/Troop 6 Foundation. (Courtesy of Matthew Sculli) Matthew Sculli Like any out-of-state trip, this one had challenges. The group departed on Dec. 12 and endured more than seven hours of traffic after an accident shut down the New Jersey Turnpike. They returned home on Dec. 14 amid snowfall. Despite the long travel days and difficult conditions, leaders said the Scouts remained positive, respectful, and focused on the mission. These kids did great through it all, said Sculli. The trip required significant funding to cover transportation and lodging, and Troop 6 expressed deep gratitude to the Staten Island community for once again stepping up. Dozens of veterans organizations, local businesses, nonprofit foundations, and families contributed to making the experience possible. This is not an inexpensive trip, said Sculli. We absolutely could not do this without the incredible support of our Staten Island community. We are deeply grateful to the individuals, families, organizations and businesses who helped make this experience possible for our scouts. Dozens of veterans organizations, businesses and families contributed to Troop 6's fourth annual journey to honor fallen heroes through the "Wreaths Across America" program. (Courtesy of Matthew Sculli) Matthew Sculli The scouts also honored the memory of service members and community figures for whom the mission holds special meaning, including: John E. Barnas (U.S. Army); Dennis M. Hayes (U.S. Navy); Gregory P. Kapsalis (U.S. Army); John J. Leahy (U.S. Navy); Scoutmaster Michael Pelucco; Roberta A. Satta (U.S. Army); Stanley Werstak (U.S. Army), and Lt. John Leary (U.S. Army). Community members interested in learning more about or supporting future Pack 6/Troop 6 initiatives can visit their website. Critics have long argued that memecoin markets are rigged against retail investors. A team of lawyers says it can prove that theory in federal court. Earlier this year, Michael Okafor and other memecoin investors sued executives at Solana Labs, the Solana Foundation, Jito Labs, the Jito Foundation, and Pump.fun. The lawyers alleged they worked together to create an insider-rigged casino. In September, some defendants demanded that Judge Colleen McMahon toss the case. Before she could, however, the plaintiffs lawyers said they had new information: over 5,000 private messages that show Solana Labs and Pump.fun engineers discussing the alleged scheme in real time. An initial review of the logs, provided by a confidential informant, showed multiple direct communications in which engineers from Solana Labs and Pump.fun discussed integration of key software components, Max Burwick, one of Okafors attorneys, told the judge. On December 11, the judge approved Okafors request to file an amended lawsuit that will include new information gleaned from those messages. Okafor and his attorney now have until January 7 to file the amended lawsuit. Some Solana-affiliated attorneys have said they are skeptical the lawsuit will survive the judges scrutiny. Still, her decision comes as the lawsuit has turned ugly. I am being threatened with rape and murder for representing my clients, Burwick, a bombastic attorney with a nose for spectacle, wrote on X on Thursday, just three days after sharing developments in his multiple crypto lawsuits on the social media platform. Threats of violence will not stop us from fulfilling our ethical duties as attorneys or from continuing our work to bring accountability and help build a better crypto industry. Rigged slot machine The investors who bought memecoins on Pump.fun were victims of a coordinated racketeering enterprise, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit likens Solana to a casino and Pump.fun to a slot machine. Jito-created software completes the alleged scheme, by letting certain traders move ahead in the transaction queue by paying tips. The lawsuit calls the Pump.fun memecoin market extractive, a rigged slot machine that gave insiders early access to every token while inflicting catastrophic losses on retail investors. Pump.funs homepage, interface design, and social media campaigns all emphasised fair launch, reinforced by claims of no presales, no insider allocations, and rug-pull proof launches, the lawsuit reads. In reality, Pump.fun tutorials and guides recommended that memecoin creators use Jito software to buy an outsize share of their own tokens before anyone else could, virtually guaranteeing profit at the expense of less sophisticated investors, according to the lawsuit. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. After years of being bound by the relentless grip of addiction, a Staten Island woman is celebrating a remarkable new chapter in her life, and has been honored by the borough addiction center where she received treatment. A 40-year-old mom with a teenage son, Claudia will celebrate her sobriety for two years on Jan. 4. (Claudia, who requested privacy, is not her real name.) Her addiction manifested itself through a variety of drugs throughout her life, the latest being crystal meth. But Claudia has gotten her life back on track. Shes now an emergency medical technician, and is currently enrolled in college, pursuing a degree that will enable her to become a counselor to others in the throes of addiction. Claudia is sharing her story because she feels strongly about helping others who feel lost in the spiral of addiction and feel theres no hope. I kept telling myself I couldnt go to rehab because I had to pay my bills, or I would go after I handled one more thing. The truth is, nothing matters more than your life. If today is the day you realize you need help, dont wait. Tomorrow isnt promised. CLAUDIAS EARLY LIFE Born in Queens, Claudia was reared by her grandparents after being removed from her parents home at the age of 3 due to their own addictions. She comes from a family of addiction. Her mom was addicted to drugs, her dad to alcohol and drugs and she lost her brother to a fentanyl overdose. Claudia began drinking alcohol when she was just 12 years-old. And by the time she was 15, she was using ecstasy. By 16 it was cocaine and she moved on to crystal meth by age 18. By age 19, she was using meth with her mother and continued to use meth up until two years ago. She spent three years in prison from 2012 to 2015 for assault, while she was under the influence, after which, she made her way back to New York. A REAWAKENING Then one day just about two years ago, Claudia said she had had enough of not feeling well, feeling depressed, and using self-destructive behavior. She made the decision to get help. It came from a place of exhaustion, being tired of the chaos, the consequences, and the person I was becoming, she said. Addiction slowly took priority over everything that mattered to me, and at some point I had to face the reality that if I didnt change, I was going to end up dying. She visited the South Beach Psychiatric Center first and attended meetings every day. She didnt want to enroll in inpatient care. The meetings got her to stay on a positive path. For the first six months she didnt work, just attended AA meetings, and focused on sobriety. For Claudia, using alcohol led to the desire to use drugs. So her goal was to first kick the alcohol addiction to avoid the urge to use. ADDICTION PROGRAMS In February 2023, Claudia enrolled in addiction programs provided by Richmond University Medical Center through its Silberstein Clinic. The clinic is located at 1130 South Ave. in RUMCs Center for Integrative Medicine in Bloomfield. Claudia credits a nurse and counselor at Silberstein, Anthony Arpaia, as her guardian angel. An exterior view of Richmond University Medical Center's Center for Integrative Behavioral Medicine on South Avenue in Bloomfield, where "Claudia" was treated in the Silberstein Clinic. (Courtesy/RUMC) Staten Island Advance With a desire to help others and have some direction in her life, she decided to become an EMT. Now an EMT for nearly two years, Claudia admitted that completing the EMT training program was the first thing shes ever completed in her life. According to a RUMC spokesperson, this past September, which is National Addiction Awareness Month, the counselors at Silberstein selected Claudia to be one of a small group deserving of special recognition for all they have done to better their lives and kick their addictions. She was honored at a ceremony at Silberstein and presented with an award by her counselors. MOTIVATION TO STICK WITH IT Claudia credits her son as motivation to get clean and stay clean as well as her girlfriend who was a driving force for her to actually seek out rehab and stay with it. The biggest motivation for me was my son, she noted. I realized I was setting an example whether I wanted to or not, and I didnt want him to grow up remembering me as someone who wasnt present, reliable, or healthy. I wanted to be someone he could look up to, someone who showed strength by choosing recovery instead of continuing a destructive cycle. Claudia continued, My girlfriend also played a major role in motivating me. Her support, honesty, and belief in who I could be, even when I wasnt showing up as my best self, made a difference. At the same time, I knew I couldnt keep hurting someone who cared about me by continuing down the same path. I wanted to be a better partner, not just someone asking for patience while making no changes. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Its been more than a year since the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity was implemented, but Staten Islanders are still fighting back against the controversial zoning initiative that they fear will lead to overdevelopment across the borough. The changes to the New York City zoning code are expected to bring a city-estimated 82,000 units of new housing to the five boroughs in the coming years through a series of regulation changes, including the legalization of ancillary dwelling units, loosening of parking mandates and allowance of higher-density development in transit hubs and town centers. Earlier this month, Mayor Eric Adams celebrated the one-year anniversary of the City Council passing the plan, which officials have repeatedly said will bring a little more housing to every neighborhood. One year ago today, our city said yes to more housing and a more affordable future for working-class New Yorkers. We turned the page on decades of half-measures and proved that government can still meet the challenges of our time with energy, ambition, and resolve. One year later, we are already seeing the results, with thousands of new affordable homes in the pipeline across our city, Adams said at the time. But while city officials rejoice, many Staten Islanders remain up in arms over the zoning changes, fearing they will drastically change the character of their low-density neighborhoods due to new rules as to what can be developed where. Borough President Vito Fossella holds a press conference following litigation against the City of Yes of outside Richmond County Surrogate Court on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon) Jason Paderon Lawsuit filed, dismissed In March, a host of local civic groups and conservative elected officials, represented by attorney Jack Lester, brought a lawsuit against the city challenging the zoning changes. A host of Staten Islands elected officials had signed onto the lawsuit, including Borough President Vito Fossella, a Republican representing the full borough; Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican representing Staten Island and South Brooklyn; State Sen. Andrew Lanza, a Republican representing the South Shore; Assemblymember Michael Reilly, a Republican representing the South Shore; Assemblymember Michael Tannousis, a Republican representing the East Shore and South Brooklyn; Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo, a Republican representing the Mid-Island; and Councilmember David Carr, a Republican representing the Mid-Island and part of South Brooklyn. Three local civic groups the Old Town Civic Association, the South Beach Civic Association and the Westerleigh Improvement Society were also party to the suit. Lester argued that Mayor Eric Adams administration failed to meet state-mandated environmental review requirements for the three-pronged rezoning plan, which included carbon neutrality and economic opportunity components in addition to housing. He had argued that the Department of City Planning circumvented mitigation requirements under New Yorks environmental review laws, and split the City of Yes plan into three parts carbon neutrality, economic opportunity and housing opportunity to avoid some of those requirements. But Supreme Court Judge Lizette Colon disagreed, dismissing the lawsuit and writing in her decision that the citys land-use approval process functioned as intended and created a voluminous and diverse record. It is not the place of the court to second-guess policy decisions, nor interject policy opinions into this review of [state environmental law] compliance, she wrote. Rather, the court is merely here to confirm that respondents fulfilled their environmental review obligations under state and city law. To that extent, the court finds that the actions of respondent in creating the Final Environmental Impact Statement are not affected by an error of law and are not arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion. Borough President Vito Fossella held a press conference on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to oppose a plan to replace a single-family home in Great Kills with five, two-family homes. (Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome) Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome Public outcry While the lawsuit may have been dismissed, Staten Islanders are still fighting back against the zoning changes by applying public pressure to developers looking to build higher-density housing in places they would not have been able to before. At a Community Board 3 meeting in October, South Shore residents raised concerns about plans to replace a single home on Uncas Avenue with five, multifamily homes. Residents who attended the meeting argued that the development would lead to overcrowding and change the character of the neighborhood, which features mostly single-family homes. It would just be such a detriment to that area. It would just change the entire makeup of the community, said one resident who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years. Were also afraid, very afraid of this setting a precedent for future developers to gobble up other lots and do the exact same thing. Christopher Stout, a New York City developer who owns the Uncas Avenue property, eventually scrapped the plans for the project, telling the Advance/SIlive.com he took into account the neighborhood outcry and decided not to move forward. After reviewing community feedback on the proposed townhouse project, we decided not to move forward at this time. While we stand behind the quality and integrity of our developments, we also make it a priority to invest in areas where our work is a clear fit for the neighborhood. We appreciate those who shared their perspective and look forward to continuing to bring responsible, high-quality housing to the community in the future, Stout told the Advance/SILive.com. However, just one week after Stout abandoned the Uncas Avenue project, a similar project he has in the works was brought to light. Earlier this month, the borough president held a press conference in Great Kills to blast another one of Stouts plans to demolish an existing single-family home and build five, two-family homes in its place, this time on the corner of Oakdale Street and Ramblewood Avenue. Fossella, who is a Great Kills resident, again blamed the project on the City of Yes. Im not a big fan of the expression we told you so, but were seeing today the results of we told you so with respect to the City of Yes. We fought as much as we could on behalf of the people of Staten Island, on behalf of the people in this community, to prevent whats about to happen here and elsewhere across the South Shore, Fossella said. We said then and we are finding out now whats going to happen is that one home could be knocked down... and now the plan is to replace this one home with five, two-family houses. So one family leaves and 10 families come in, he continued. But this time Stout plans to hold strong, telling the Advance/SILive.com he has no plans to reverse course in the way he did with the Uncas Avenue property. Representatives from the Building Industry Association of NYC spoke with the Advance/SILive.com editorial board on Nov. 25, 2025, to voice concerns about the City of Yes. Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel Concerns over transit-oriented development One particular area of concern regarding the wide sweeping zoning changes is how they may disproportionately impact the neighborhoods along the Staten Island Railway in terms of density increases. Under the zoning changes, the city has re-legalized the construction of small apartment buildings in low-density areas so long as they meet various requirements, which include being located near a mass transit station. But officials from the Building Industry Association of NYC recently told the Advance/SILive.com that the new rules allow these apartments to be built too far from Staten Island Railway stations that qualify them for the development. Its very aggressive. Its basically a blank sheet of paper. If youre within 2,500 feet of any of the Staten Island Railway stops, either station, you qualify, said Robert Kelly, chair of government relations for the Building Industry Association of NYC. Theres a spot for some of these buildings, right? And I believe theyre much closer to the train stations themselves than what the City Council or [City Planning] Commission has devised... its just too large, he added. To qualify for a transit-oriented development increase in density, a lot on Staten Island must be located within a half-mile of a Staten Island Railway station. This map from the Department of City Planning shows areas on Staten Island where transit-oriented development now permits small apartment buildings in low-density neighborhoods. (Department of City Planning) Department of City Planning A Department of City Planning map that highlights the areas where transit-oriented development is permitted shows that the boroughs transit zone essentially spans the entire length of the rail line due to the spacing of the stations. Additionally, the lot must be at least 5,000 square feet and on the short end of the block or facing a street that is at least 75 feet wide. These apartment buildings can range from three to five stories, depending on the existing zoning in the area. A representative from the Department of City Planning told the Advance/SILive.com that the half-mile radius was chosen as a commonly-used urban planning measure for a comfortable walking distance to transit. Modest apartment buildings exist in town centers across the outer boroughs, and in fact help give New York neighborhoods much of the character that we know and love. City of Yes made targeted zoning changes to re-legalize these three-, four-, or five-story buildings where they fit into the neighborhood, enabling a little more housing in every neighborhood in order to address the citys dire housing crisis. Over time, these changes will play an important, but gradual, role in giving New Yorkers the housing options they need, a City Planning spokesperson said. President Donald Trump has officially endorsed a candidate for New York governor after Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped out of the race. Trump threw his support Saturday to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who launched his gubernatorial bid earlier this month. Stefanik ended her campaign Friday. Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN! Stefanik and Blakeman are both Republican allies of Trump, but the president initially refused to choose one over the other and called them both great people. According to the New York Post, Trump further avoided taking sides by hosting both candidates at the White House, including Blakeman for a Hanukkah event Tuesday. That has to be demoralizing when you kind of hitch your wagon to him and then he doesnt come out and emphatically endorse you, a New York Republican operative told the Post, referring to Stefanik. That has to be difficult, especially when you got your nomination to the UN pulled and then all of a sudden you dont have 100 million percent backing. President Donald Trump is greeted by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman after arriving at the Republic Airport on Air Force One on September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Getty Images Stefanik, who represents all or part of 15 different counties in Upstate New York in the states 21st Congressional District, had been a longtime ally of Trump. She was first elected to Congress in 2014 and rose in the GOP ranks with her support of Trumps MAGA agenda, even being rumored as his potential vice presidential candidate last year. But their relationship appeared to falter when Trump dropped his support for Stefanik as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, citing concerns about the slim GOP majority in the House. If confirmed for the cabinet post, a special election would have been held in New York to fill her congressional seat. When Stefanik officially began her campaign for New York governor in November, she avoided saying Trumps name in her announcement. Trump avoided endorsing her outright, simply calling her great. Meanwhile, Blakeman has been a rising figure in the GOP and the Make America Great Again movement with a ban on transgender athletes, work alongside federal authorities in Trumps immigration crackdown, and with the creation of a volunteer law enforcement unit on Long Island, which Democrats decried as an illegal, taxpayer-funded civilian militia. Blakeman has also refused to recognize Juneteenth, making Nassau County the only county in New York state that does not observe the federal holiday. Stefanik wasnt expecting to face a primary challenger in her race against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2026 election. A second GOP operative told the New York Post that she was stabbed by the White House when Trump declined to explicitly support her over Blakeman. While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York, Stefanik said Friday. Stefanik also said she would not seek reelection to the House, opting to take a break from politics. And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom, Stefanik said. I believe that being a parent is lifes greatest gift and greatest responsibility. I have thought deeply about this, and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I dont further focus on my young sons safety, growth, and happinessparticularly at his tender age." Hochul, New Yorks first female governor, is running for another term in 2026. Her former lieutenant governor Antonio Delgado is among the Democrats challenging her for the states top job. A Siena Research Institute poll released last week showed Hochul had a strong lead over all candidates, including a 56%-13% advantage over Delgado among Democratic respondents. Hochul also led Stefanik by 19 points in a head-to-head matchup while Republican voters favored Stefanik over Blakeman, 48%-17%, in a hypothetical GOP primary. Donald Trump endorsed Bruce Blakeman for one reason: hell put Trump first, New York last, and leave families to foot the bill, Hochul campaign communications director Sarafina Chitika said Saturday. Advertisement Tips & adviceSeasonal produce Sunny with a chance of mangoes: Heres the fresh produce forecast for Christmas Ordering early is the secret to a wilt-free festive feast. Beat the heat, and the last-minute panic, with these expert tips on securing the best produce. Dani Valent December 22, 2025 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Plenty of potatoes, lots of lettuce and as many mangoes as you can fit in your basket: thats the Christmas forecast from Australias produce purveyors. In Sydney and Melbourne, provedores are keeping a close eye on the weather and combing wholesale markets for the freshest and best. Weve had a colder than average September, October and November, but its all starting to catch up for Christmas, says Melbourne trader Graham Gee, who owns Happy Apple stores in Ascot Vale, Seddon, Newport and Essendon. Happy Apples Graham Gee recommends placing your fruit and vegetable order early. Chris Hopkins Were at the market every day buying the freshest produce, so it has the best home life people dont buy it and watch it wilt on Christmas Eve. Advertisement In Sydney, John Velluti runs The Fruit and Veg Company, which home-delivers produce, and Franks Fruit Market in Haberfield. Hell be happy if heatwaves hold off until after the festivities. The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox. Sign up We have hot days forecast between now and Christmas, he says. All the hardier produce eggplants, zucchinis, root vegetables will be OK. But I hope we can get the leafy veg and herbs out of the ground before it gets too hot. Both traders recommend that customers get their orders in early. If you have a recipe in mind, the best idea is to let your greengrocer know what you need, says Gee. Particularly with berries, edible flowers and specific herbs, it means youre guaranteed the exact ingredients. Its likely to be the best of the bunch, too. We always pick the orders first, and they are all wrapped up in cotton wool, says Velluti. Advertisement Choose brushed sebagos if youre planning to make potato gratin. William Meppem Potatoes There has been talk of shortages but weve had good supply, says Gee. His pick is kipflers for a salad and Dutch creams or brushed sebagos for roasting. Use the old trick of a little parboil, then tumble them in a strainer to rough them up before you bake them. The rough abrasion gives that crunchiness. Sebagos are also good for gratins, frying and chipping, says Velluti. Whichever you buy, you want them to feel nice and hard, not spongy, he says. Neil Perrys potato gratin Advertisement Check the tops look fresh and green if youre roasting carrots for this Danielle Alvarez salad. William Meppem Carrots Melbourne Market expects to trade 170 tonnes of carrots in the week leading up to Christmas. There will be plenty of mixed bunches with that heirloom flair for roasting or putting in a salad, says Gee. Look to the tops for a guide on freshness: you want nice, fresh, vibrant green. A limp top is a giveaway that its a bit older. Theres no need to peel slender Dutch carrots: a quick scrub suffices. Danielle Alvarezs roasted carrot salad with dates, mint and feta Advertisement Leaves and lettuces You dont have to be a genius to deal with an iceberg, says Velluti. They are pretty straightforward and hardy. With softer greens, he recommends washing them when you get home, putting them through a salad spinner to ensure they are as dry as possible, then storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. Its the water that can make them go slushy, he says. Adam Liaws simple green salads for every occasion Look for colourful, perfumed fruit to make Adam Liaws mango and peach pavlova. William Meppem Mangoes Advertisement There are plenty in the market, says Velluti. Well have good quality and reasonably priced. His customers only want classic Kensington Pride, but Gee also likes the tangy R2E2 hybrid for salads. The flesh is slightly firmer and it holds a bit, he says. Look for bright fruit with good colour and a lovely perfume as it ripens. Adam Liaws mango and peach pavlova Cherries Theres nothing that says Christmas like cherries, says Gee. We are starting to see more and more come through. Look for firm, unblemished, dark fruit with a fresh green stem. Lower-grade cherries are great for compotes. Throw them in a pan with sugar and water, eat them hot or cold. They are very enjoyable. Helen Gohs cherry pavlova with almond and yoghurt noyaux cream Advertisement More than 100 pro-Palestine protesters are gathering at Sydneys Town Hall to rally against the NSW Labor governments proposed protest crackdowns. Protesters held a minute silence for the victims of the Bondi attack, before moving into criticisms of the state of Israel and the NSW government. Protesters at Sydneys Town Hall on Monday afternoon. Dominic Lorrimer The crowd yelled shame at both Premier Chris Minns and envoy to combat antisemitism Jillian Segal, who they claim aimed to suppress protest by using antisemitism for their own political purposes. NSW parliament was recalled today to urgently debate legislation to crack down on gun ownership and to ban protests when a terror declaration is made. A NSW Police spokesperson urged Sydneysiders not to attend the rally. Protesters against some aspects of the NSW governments response to the Bondi terror attack gathered at Town Hall on Monday. Dominic Lorrimer Meanwhile in Victoria, a rescheduled gathering by fringe group Anti-Zionism Australia has attracted about 80 protesters on the steps of the states parliament. The groups initial plans for a Saturday gathering earlier sparked outrage. The group, which claims to have a predominantly Jewish membership, has been joined by an organiser of the regular weekend pro-Palestine marches who are wearing armbands and organising themselves to monitor police and onlookers. Anti-Zionism Australia organiser David Glanz said it would be racist hypocrisy to mourn for the dead of Bondi and overlook deaths in the Gaza Strip. We need to acknowledge that something like 5000 Bondi massacres have taken place in Gaza in the last 26 months, he said. Glanz also criticised what he said was the politicisation of the Bondi shooting. The gathering comes hours after Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced a five-point plan to crack down on extremism and antisemitism. The Victorian plan included stopping protests after terror attacks, and extending anti-vilification laws to social media companies. Advertisement Opinion NationalNSWEditorial NSW gun reforms must pass without delay The Herald's View December 22, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The NSW government will today introduce laws to parliament for the biggest overhaul to gun laws in decades. The way two terrorists were able to fire high-powered weapons at members of the Jewish community from a bridge at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens, shows the proposed firearms reforms are justified and necessary. NSW Premier Chris Minns has unveiled sweeping new gun law reforms for NSW. Sam Mooy Most of the states residents will welcome the changes; polls show a clear majority of voters support tighter gun restrictions, especially on the types of weapons used in the devastating mass shooting at Bondi. Under the new laws announced by Premier Chris Minns on Friday, each gun owner in NSW will be restricted to four firearms, with exemptions for primary producers and sports shooters, who will be allowed a maximum of 10. Advertisement Related Article Bondi shooting Anthony Albanese backs Chris Minns call for state-based inquiry into Bondi shooting There will be a complete ban on firearms that can use belt-fed magazines, while ownership of some other powerful weapons will be further restricted. Gun club membership will become mandatory for all firearm licence holders, some licensing rules will be tightened, and there will be new controls on ammunition. The changes will be accompanied by a gun buyback, funded 50-50 by federal and state governments, that will purchase surplus and newly illegal firearms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday he expects hundreds of thousands of firearms to be collected and destroyed. This buyback scheme will be similar to the one introduced by the Howard government in 1996 following the Port Arthur massacre, when a single shooter killed 35 people and wounded 26. Advertisement Following the 1996 buyback, the number of guns in Australia fell from about 3.2 million to 2.5 million, research by The Australia Institute shows. However, the national gun count has since climbed above 4 million, driven in part by population growth (Australias population has risen from 18.3 million to 27.5 million since Port Arthur). There are 1.13 million legally registered firearms in NSW and, as the Heralds Ben Cubby and Craig Butt reported last week, gun ownership is widespread across suburban Sydney. The Camden postcode area in the citys south-west is home to 2621 licensed gun owners the highest number in Sydney followed by Windsor with 2232 and Liverpool with 2010. Sajid Akram, the alleged terrorist who was shot dead by police during the Bondi attack on Sunday, lived in suburban Sydney and was the legal owner of six guns. The proposed four-weapon limit on each individual gun owner promises to deliver a welcome reduction in the number of firearms per person in NSW. Western Australia, which already caps the number of firearms at five for recreational shooters and 10 for farmers and competition shooters, has the lowest number of guns per person of any state or territory. Advertisement Tighter gun control wont eradicate hate crimes or banish the scourge of antisemitism. But it must be part of the response to the sickening bloodshed at Bondi on December 14. The Herald urges all parties in the NSW parliament to ensure the strong firearms laws proposed by the Minns government be passed into law without delay. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Advertisement NationalQueenslandBondi shooting Brisbane leaders unite against antisemitism at City Hall rally Cameron Atfield December 21, 2025 8:50pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Seven days on from the horrific event that claimed the lives of 15 people at Bondi Beach, members of Brisbanes Jewish community and their supporters filled City Hall on Sunday evening in a stand against antisemitism. Security was tight for the event, with all attendees having to submit to security screening before they entered City Hall. But that did not deter more than 1000 people who filled the auditorium, with even more outside to watch the event on the big screen in King George Square. Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg told the packed auditorium the events of December 14 changed the lives of Australian Jews forever. Attendees hold a minutes silence for the Bondi victims at Brisbane City Hall on Sunday. Cameron Atfield The loss of 15 innocent, incredible people is a wound so deep that we wonder if we will ever truly recover, he said. And, to be honest, were holding our breath to see what happens next. Advertisement Steinberg said the parallels to history were clear, noting the Jewish community held an event in the very same auditorium in 1933 to raise money for Jews fleeing Europe, as the Nazis rose to power in Germany. Eighty years ago, after the Holocaust, the world seemed to unite around a saying never again, he said. Today, I ask you to ensure that we are never here again, never in this auditorium or anyone like it, talking about the plight of the Jews. Because what starts with the Jews, never ends with the Jews. Crowds gathered outside City Hall ahead of the event. Cameron Atfield And in memory of those who perished in Bondi, I pray and I hope and I implore each and every one of you no matter your role or station in life, which neighbourhood you live in, which congregation you attend, who your family are, or who your friends are I want you to use your strength, your inner strength, to make sure that never again is not just a platitude. Advertisement An emotional Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner fought back tears as he spoke of the victims of the Bondi massacre, particularly 10-year-old Matilda. This would have been their perfect day out, but it wasnt a perfect day it was Matildas last day, and it was the last day her family will ever be happy, Schrinner said, his voice breaking. Thats [Matildas parents] words. Can you imagine the inextinguishable pain? The innocent, happy daughter taken from them, stolen from them? Matilda is our daughter now. Matilda is Australias daughter, but our nation let Matilda down. Schrinner said political and religious extremism had been allowed by our weakness as a nation to grow in Australia. And he had a subtle criticism for the federal government, which has been working with states to further strengthen gun laws. Advertisement Dont be distracted. This is not about guns there will always be other weapons, he said. Police sweeping King George Square ahead of the event. Cameron Atfield And this is not about immigrants. Just ask Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man from Syria who bravely disarmed one of the shooters, or Amandeep Singh, the passer-by who rushed to help the police restrain the other shooter. Both immigrants, both protectors of the innocent, both true Aussies. Premier David Crisafulli said the events at Bondi last Sunday had been two years in the making. Advertisement We will do everything we can to make sure that tragedy like this never happens again, but we must address the root cause, he said. Related Article Bondi shooting Police vow to protect Brisbanes Jewish community as events go ahead It was those who either turned the blind eye, or indeed even were prepared to stand with those who were prepared to incite violence against people based on faith. We cant do that as a nation for the sake of those 15 innocent lives lost, for the sake of who we are. Other speakers included Opposition Leader Steven Miles, Catholic Archbishop Shane Mackinlay, Anglican Archbishop Jeremy Greaves and Holland Park Mosque Imam Uzair Akbar. Advertisement Australias beautiful country is our shared home. It is a place where people of different faiths, backgrounds and histories live side by side, Akbar said. That diversity is not an accident and it is not a weakness. It is a trust and it comes with great responsibility the responsibility to protect one anothers safety, the responsibility to speak with restraint and integrity and the responsibility to stand together when hatred threatens any one of us. Solidarity does not mean that we all think the same. It means that we agree on something far more important, far more greater that human dignity is not negotiable, and that violence against civilians is never, never acceptable. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and all forms of dehumanisation feed from the same source fear combined with silence. When good people hesitate to speak clearly, hatred finds room to grow. Advertisement Before the doors opened, a small crowd sang Advance Australia Fair outside City Hall, followed by a rendition of Am Yisrael Chai meaning the people of Israel live. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Exclusive NationalQueenslandGreyhound racing Secret plan to abandon $90 million greyhound track as death toll hits 21 Cameron Atfield December 22, 2025 7:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Racing Queensland considered temporarily abandoning its new $90 million flagship facility if the spate of deaths at the troubled Ipswich track continued. Documents obtained through right to information legislation show Racing Queensland decided to return to Albion Park if conditions at The Q, a newly built $90 million racing complex at Purga near Ipswich, continued to be unsuitable for racing. The revelations come days after the death of another greyhound at The Q the 21st to die from injuries sustained at the track this year. The Q officially opened in June, at a cost of more than $80 million. The Q Racing at The Q was suspended in July due to unsafe conditions, leading to the cancellation of the annual Brisbane Cup. Advertisement Meeting minutes obtained by this masthead show the Racing Queensland board decided to move greyhound racing back to its former home at Albion Park if The Qs problems continued. That was to happen in the event of further track failures at The Q but greyhound races would not otherwise be scheduled at Albion Park, now predominantly a trotting track. Data presented to the board showed an injury rate at the two-turn Q2 Parklands track of 3.73 per cent and a mortality rate of 0.25 per cent, meaning one in every 400 greyhounds that raced at on that track perished. A month earlier, on June 25, board meeting minutes showed optimism about The Q, despite its deadly operational start. Q2 was expected to have a higher injury rate than the one-turn Q1 in the same complex, the board was told, but features such as transition turns, radius and cambers provided reason to expect improved rates over time. Advertisement As reducing serious injuries is an ethical imperative, a transition to a predominance of one-turn and straight track racing should be prioritised, the FY25 Greyhound Injury Summary and Benchmarking report presented to the board found. The same report sought to downplay publicity about the greyhound deaths at The Q. The fall that killed Cool Hand Rio, the 12th greyhound to die as a result of racing at The Q, on July 22. Racing Queensland The Q facility has drawn media attention in relation to greyhounds sustaining injuries or being euthanised as a result of injuries. There are several nuances behind the headlines that warrant noting, the report says. To 30 June, 12 greyhounds were confirmed as being euthanised as a result of sustaining injuries during racing (4) or trialling (8) at the venue. The majority of these greyhounds were euthanised off-track (7), despite the [Race Meeting Injury Scheme] being available to cover the cost of treating the injuries [redacted text follows]. Advertisement The reporting of serious injuries and fatalities and subsequent off-track euthanasia for trials was unique to The Q during the period of familiarity trials overseen by stewards, with no other jurisdiction currently publishing trial data. Related Article Animal cruelty Poor track design contributed to Queensland greyhound deaths: report The documents showed trainers were now happy with the track in July, yet the deaths continued to mount. By October, the toll had risen to 16. The documents release to this masthead came as yet another greyhound death was recorded at The Q, bringing the total to 21 since races started in March. The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds reported the death of Dynamic Ethics, following a serious leg injury on Q Straight last Monday. The FastTrack database showed she was dead by Wednesday. Advertisement Less than a month earlier, and after the release of a damning report that found poor track design has contributed to greyhound deaths, Casemiro Magic suffered a serious leg injury on November 20. The FastTrack database showed he was dead by December 9. Among the governments responses to a review into Queensland racing industry were a new greyhound retirement program and a dedicated greyhound racing media team that would better recognise the sports social contribution, ownership benefits and commitment to strengthening animal welfare. The industry is more interested in creating a propaganda unit than addressing the systemic failures of greyhound racing in Queensland, Coalition president Amy MacMahon said. The states animal protection groups are urgently seeking a meeting with Racing Minister Tim Mander to discuss the ongoing failures. Mander declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement NationalVictoriaPlanning Australias biggest Hindu temple is slated for Melbournes fringe but a skink could stop it Lachlan Abbott December 21, 2025 1:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A A large Hindu temple precinct possibly the largest in Australia is proposed for Cranbourne South, sparking environmental concerns and fears that thousands of daily visitors will overburden local infrastructure. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Australia has planned the $250 million project on 44 hectares off the Western Port Highway as it seeks space for devotees of the countrys fastest-growing religion. Residents concerned about a $250 million Hindu temple proposed for land behind them in Cranbourne South. Simon Schluter However, six glossy grass skinks were found at the site, triggering a referral to the federal government as the tiny reptile is likely to soon be listed as a vulnerable species. The application for environmental approval advertised this month revealed early designs for the BAPS Hindu Maha-Mandir, including estimates that the temple would attract up to 10,500 people on holidays, 5000 on weekends, and 2800 on weekdays. Advertisement The precinct is also slated to include gardens, a welcome centre, a religious service complex, a gift shop, cafe and 1500-space car park. The Western Port Green Wedge Protection Group was alarmed by the developments scale when it discovered the plans by chance on December 12. An early render of a Hindu temple proposed for Cranbourne South by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Australia. Our community is shocked and angered by what appears to be an attempt to progress the proposal through the [environment protection and biodiversity conservation] process with minimal public comment, spokesman David Cole said. The environmental group worries the temple would further erode the green wedge in Melbournes south-east, possibly harming other native plants and animals, such as the southern brown bandicoot. Advertisement Jenny Dalgleish, another green wedge group member, said large places of worship should be built in urban parts of Melbourne instead, such as better-serviced industrial areas with sufficient space closer to where people live. The infrastructure here just cant support it, she said. Jenny Dalgleish, a member of the Western Port Green Wedge Protection Group. Simon Schluter BAPS volunteer project co-ordinator Kalpesh Makwana said temple designs were still preliminary, and no planning application had been submitted. The congregation is growing at a fast pace, and the community is looking for a purpose-built facility, he said. We are still in the pre-application phase. As part of this process, there will be a community consultation. Advertisement The significant economic investment means that if a planning application is submitted, it is likely to be assessed by the planning minister rather than Casey Council under the fast-tracked Development Facilitation Program. Kunal Patel, a BAPS spokesman, confirmed the temple precinct would be the Hindu sects biggest in Australia if realised, but said the design could change. Were not taking this lightly, he said. As an organisation, we want to obviously do the right thing making sure that vision becomes a reality, but also not take people for a ride as well. According to planning documents, the major place of worship would host events and community services. Advertisement The BAPS project team also created a website on Friday to share information and allow locals to submit questions. Related Article City life Food fight: Albert Park locals call for Hare Krishna kitchen to move out However, the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association has already lodged a submission against the temple proposal to the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Association president Anthony Tassone said he appreciated the value of religious institutions but believed the BAPS proposal for Cranbourne South was too large, particularly with forecasts of up to 10,500 people on peak days. Those visitation levels are comparable to a major metropolitan destination, Tassone said. Advertisement Local residents are understandably concerned about what that means for traffic, noise, lighting, environmental disturbance and the gradual urbanisation of land that is meant to remain non-urban. The BAPS community has two other centres in Melbourne: a temple in Mill Park and a small converted house in Cranbourne South near their proposed development. The Hindu temple in Mill Park. Chris Hopkins Hindu Council of Australia president Sai Paravastu said devotees across the country were looking for room to practise rituals in purpose-built facilities, such as Hindu crematoriums. Its so we can self-sustain and theres no need for us to go overseas to do this, he said. Advertisement Before a planning application for the Cranbourne South temple can be submitted, the federal environment department must decide whether the proposal is likely to significantly impact a protected species. Public submissions on an initial referral closed on Friday, and the department will issue a preliminary assessment next year. A map of a Hindu temple development site in Cranbourne South that shows where the threatened glossy grass skink has been discovered. Nature Advisory If the temple proposal is approved, the next step may be a formal planning application to the state government, when further issues such as sewerage and road safety would be assessed. Any future proposal would be considered on its merits, a state government spokesperson said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Most people dont think twice about a spilled water bottle in the car. Maybe you roll your eyes, grab a towel, clean it up and move on. But for one Florida driver, a 20-ounce splash turned into an almost $12,000 repair bill. Michael McCormick adored his Hyundai Ioniq 5, the all-electric SUV he drove along Interstate 4. But after he tapped the brakes in traffic, the bottle on his back seat launched forward, hit the drivers seat and sent water toward his ankles (1). Must Read Minutes later, warning lights lit up the dashboard. By the time he made it home, his turn signals had failed and the car wouldnt shut off. At the dealership, the service team delivered the bad news: moisture had damaged the wiring harnesses beneath the seat and floorboard. Sand on the drivers side may have played a role, too. The fix was replacing the entire floor and drivers seat wiring system at $11,882.08 none of which was covered under warranty or insurance. I was shocked, McCormick told WFTV 9s Jeff Deal. Thats a huge amount of money and not covered. Im like, thats not right, because I didnt do anything wrong. McCormicks frustration is easy to understand. One moment, he was dealing with a minor spill, and the next, he was staring at a repair estimate bigger than many used cars. But as he soon learned, even a splash in the wrong spot can trigger a chain reaction in todays tech-heavy vehicles. A small spill, a big bill McCormick says the dealership wouldnt cover the damage under warranty because it wasnt considered a manufacturer's defect. Staff blamed external factors for the failure. When that door closed, he turned to his insurer, State Farm, to file a claim. But they denied it too, determining the issue was caused by corrosion building over time, not a sudden accidental event. Denial from two different sources came as no surprise for Action 9s consumer advisor, Clark Howard, who says todays vehicles especially electric ones are far more vulnerable to expensive failures. Cars are so complicated now; fixing them as a result is so much more expensive, Howard said, adding modern vehicles are computers on wheels and are more intricate than the models from 15 or 20 years ago. Advertisement Exclusive NationalVictoriaFood Restaurant empires debts to super fund blow out as celebrity chef eyes new backer Sarah Danckert December 21, 2025 4:57pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Debts owed by Melbourne chef Scott Picketts restaurant empire to a collapsed superannuation fund have blown out to more than $18 million, as he readies to bring in a new backer for four venues. A fuller picture of the borrowings from the First Guardian superannuation fund by Picketts Rogue Traders business has emerged ahead of a key meeting this week, when more details of the mystery partner could be revealed. Hotshot chef Scott Pickett is working to bring in a new financial backer to four of his restaurants following the collapse of a superannuation fund. Scott Pickett Group Pickett appointed administrators to Rogue Traders in late September to assist with restructuring the business, which is majority owned by the now-collapsed First Guardian superannuation fund. Rogue Traders owns four of Picketts noted restaurants Matilda 159, Smith St Bistrot, Longrain and Chancery Lane. All the venues are open for trade and remain hugely popular. Advertisement Advertisement It was previously thought that Picketts business had only borrowed $12 million from the fund. Most of the money has never been repaid after First Guardians manager and Anderson waived the payments. Anderson, who has denied any wrongdoing and has long claimed ASIC does not understand his business model, resigned as a director of Rogue Traders in February this year. Celebrity chef Scott Pickett (second from left) has regularly appeared on TV cooking shows including MasterChef. Channel 10 A new report from liquidators to the First Guardian Master Fund released this month reveals Rogue Traders appears to have received $17.63 million from the fund to acquire real estate and to build Picketts restaurant group. The tracing shows the money was received between June 2020 and August 2024. Another Pickett business, a catering enterprise, borrowed $530,000 from the fund, according to the report. Advertisement Pickett went on a buying spree during 2020 and 2021, while most of Melbournes restaurateurs struggled with COVID-19 restrictions including rolling lockdowns. Related Article Exclusive Investigations The quiet partnership behind a $1 billion superannuation collapse In mid-2020, Pickett picked up the shuttered Longrain and its upstairs bar, Longsong, as well as the site off Little Collins Street that he opened later that year as Chancery Lane, a plush bistro fitted out with green marble, chandeliers and stone archways. In 2021, he opened several venues at The Continental Sorrento, including fine-diner Audreys. In February 2022, he unveiled Smith St Bistrot, featuring red leather booths, marble-topped tables and a mezzanine reached via wrought-iron spiral stairs. According to the liquidators to the First Guardian fund, some of the money advanced to Rogue Traders was also used to help buy two properties an apartment in Fitzroy and the Little Collins Street venue for Chancery Lane. Advertisement Both of those properties are in the process of being sold by receivers appointed by Commonwealth Bank, which had loaned Rogue Traders $10 million before its collapse. Pickett has been left scrambling for a new business partner after First Guardian collapsed, but has continued to trade his popular eateries. A spokesperson for the noted chef confirmed the business would soon announce a new partner. We continue to work with a potential strategic partner with the goal of ensuring the long-term future of our business, the spokesperson said. Whilst this process continues, our restaurants remain full, all bookings have been fulfilled, all gift vouchers have been honoured and we continue to plan events with our customers on their needs for 2026 and beyond. Our key priorities are to our loyal customers, our staff and our suppliers. All restaurants continue to trade, all staff entitlements are up to date, and we remain an integral part of Melbournes vibrant and exciting dining scene. Advertisement Rogue Traders new partner will act more like a backer than a co-owner or manager of the business, according to a source familiar with the discussions not permitted to speak publicly. Whilst this process continues, our restaurants remain full, all bookings have been fulfilled, all gift vouchers have been honoured and we continue to plan events with our customers on their needs for 2026 and beyond. Spokesperson for Scott Picketts Rogue Traders Group The new partner will also have capacity to assist Rogue Traders in its financial management and also participate in new ventures by Pickett in the future. Administrators to Rogue Traders said in a new report in December that the funding arrangement for Picketts business that was being brokered would not clear out CBAs debt, which is around $12 million, and there would be little left for other creditors including First Guardian. Administrators have previously revealed that the Pickett venues owned by Rogue Traders owed large sums of cash to their parent entity and the books had not been properly done since 2022. Advertisement At the time of the administration, Matilda in Domain Road, South Yarra, owed Rogue Traders $5.6 million, and Chancery Lane in the CBD owed $5.8 million. Collingwood fine-diner Smith St Bistrot was due to pay $3.7 million, while hotspot Longrain owes $2.1 million, and his food preparation business owes a further $1.8 million. Smith St Bistrot in Collingwood is one of Picketts popular eateries owned by his Rogue Traders Group. Alex Squadrito Despite First Guardian being owed massive amounts, liquidators to the collapsed superannuation fund have warned that any recoveries will be minimal. Liquidators to First Guardian revealed in their report that another Pickett business that received money from the fund Pickett Commercial appointed liquidators in November after receiving a statutory demand from the First Guardian fund in September. Advertisement The report noted that liquidators had received no substantive engagement nor payment of accrued but unpaid interest in response to their inquiries. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Updated NationalWAFishing WA fishing ban challenge lands in court as industry mounts fightback Cameron Myles Updated December 22, 2025 7:35pm ,first published December 21, 2025 3:35pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A A major court challenge to the WA governments sweeping demersal fishing ban has been decried as corporate bullying by the states peak conservation body, as a petition launched by an industry coalition urges a reassessment of the fish stock data used to justify the heavy restrictions. The local arm of South African-headquartered Sea Harvest Group and Westmore Seafoods have lodged legal action against the government reforms, specifically the ban on trawling in the Pilbara fishing zone, which the companies argue raises issues of sovereign risk, and protection of property rights, among others. WAs sweeping fishing ban was brought in to protect fish stocks of species including pink snapper. Adobe Stock Lawyers for the companies and the state government converged on the WA Supreme Court on Monday for the first hearing, with the matter to return to court in April. In a statement released before Mondays hearing, Sea Harvest Australia chief executive Danie du Toit said the governments ban effectively meant a legitimate and approved foreign direct investment has been expropriated without consultation or compensation. Advertisement Banning a fishing method thats globally recognised and certified as most efficient and sustainable in the context of food security considerations simply makes no sense, du Toit said. Related Article Fishing Less local, higher prices: How will WAs fishing ban flow through to the public? Sea Harvest executive director Richard Duncan said in the statement that the decision would have significant flow-on impacts across the seafood supply chain. This sort of capricious action creates an acute sovereign risk to investment across the fishing industry throughout Australia, Duncan said. The statement claimed the Pilbara demersal fishery had been operating under a long-term, science-led recovery plan to stabilise and regenerate fish stocks while continuing commercial fishing that was still in its first phase when the government ban was announced. Advertisement However, Conservation Council of WA executive director Matt Roberts said the demersal ban was a hard decision for the government to make but it is the right call. The decline of demersal fish stocks is not new and other actions to protect the species have failed resulting in a population in serious decline, he said. If Sea Harvest and Sea Fresh didnt see this coming, then they need to look at how their companies assess risk. Roberts said the court case launched by the companies was the sort of action that curtailed the governments appetite to do the right thing. Fishing industry bands together in face of permanent ban Advertisement Meanwhile, the industry further south in the state is questioning the claim some demersal fish stocks are in such dire straits that a complete commercial fishing ban from Kalbarri to Augusta is warranted. Phil Clark of Fins Seafood. A coalition of industry figures have banded together to form Fish For All, and have launched a petition to urge Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis to pause the bans implementation, conduct an independent statewide biomass survey and give the fishing community opportunity to identify a sustainable solution. Fins Seafood co-owner Phil Clark, who owns licenses in several WA fisheries, told media on Sunday the industry had not predicted such a severe cut and permanent ban. It doesnt need to be this way, and theres enough fish resource out there, and we really need to do some really good, reliable science to work out whether or not theres more there than what we think, he said. Advertisement Clark said there had been significant changes in the recreational and commercial sector, and claimed the data used to justify the ban had been taken from before those changes were made. He called for an independent scientific body to study the fish biomass off the WA coast, because that way we can all trust the data. At the moment, we dont trust the data thats been put into the models, he said. Commercial fisherman Phil De Grauw, who has worked out of Kalbarri for 40 years, said he was blindsided by the governments decision. Our whole goal is to have sustainable fishing, [if] we havent got a sustainable fishery, our livelihood and everything we do is in question, he said. Advertisement Related Article Fishing Struggling WA fishers told to reach out to defunct mental health organisation But unfortunately, this decision made ... was more a blanket approach. De Grauw said pink snapper stock, judged by catch-per-unit, was at a record high, and claimed the government had ignored suggestions over the past decade to move restrictions to a quota system. Jarvis would not comment on the legal action from Sea Harvest and Westmore Seafoods, but said she welcomed the opportunity to meet Fish For All and had already reached out to the collective. The latest scientific stock assessment by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development shows demersal species like dhufish and snapper are at severe risk of overfishing in parts of WA, she said. Advertisement Urgent action is needed to protect these iconic species for future generations. DPIRD fisheries scientists have been monitoring fish stocks for more than 50 years and their stock assessments are independently verified and use globally accepted best practice methods. Jarvis said the government knew the restrictions would have an impact, but the actions were not taken lightly. We want to ensure our kids and grandkids can continue to enjoy fishing in our beautiful State for years to come, she said. Jarvis pointed to the $29.2 million Fisheries Support Package to support those affected by the bans, however opposition fisheries spokeswoman Kirrilee Warr has previously lashed that for being inadequate. Advertisement This governments attempt at compensation for shutting down industries in multiple parts of the state is pathetic, Warr said. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Opinion 2025, a year best to forget? We never will George Brandis Former high commissioner to the UK and federal attorney-general December 29, 2025 5:00am December 29, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The year 2025 will be forever defined in our history by the horror of December 14. But as it ends in sorrow, this is the time to reflect on all the other things for which 2025 will also be remembered. Here is my pastiche of a year none of us will forget, even if we wish we could. 2025: A year to forget? Back row: Murray Watt; James Paterson; Matt Canavan; Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Middle: Trump; Putin; Sanae Takaichi. Bottom: Albanese; Troy Bramstons book cover; Sarah Hanson-Young; Its time 50th Anniversary. Benke Most shameful day December 14: Why did it take the slaughter of 15 innocent souls to awaken the government to the magnitude of the danger about which Jewish Australians have been warning, with ever-greater urgency, ever since the pogrom of October 7, 2023? Real leadership required more from Anthony Albanese than formulaic condemnations of antisemitism and words of sorrow for the victims. His stubborn refusal to hold the royal commission for which there is such overwhelming demand underlines the inadequacy of his response. Best performance by a minister Murray Watt: The Queensland senator, promoted after the election to the difficult environment portfolio, emerged this year as cabinets best fixer. His success in landing a last-minute deal with the Greens to secure the governments environment legislation was the latest of several tricky issues he has handled with skill. With the reputations of the other two Left faction ministers in the Senate, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher, so diminished by revelations of their ugly role in falsely maligning former Liberal minister Linda Reynolds (about which more is likely to be revealed next year in Reynolds action against the Commonwealth), Watts future looks bright. Best performance by an opposition minister James Paterson: Yet again this year, Paterson was the Coalitions most effective voice. Alone among his colleagues, he emerged from the catastrophic Liberal campaign with his standing enhanced. In the months of mayhem that followed, he remained calm, reasoned and resolutely on-message. His Tom Hughes Oration which was bracingly candid about the Liberal Partys obligation to learn the lessons from its electoral calamity was the best Coalition speech of the year. Patersons wise counsel that the party cannot succeed by trying to be Farage lite will be heeded by every Liberal with a brain. Advertisement Related Article 'They're not the nutters they used to be': Liberal Party open to Greens 'arrangement' Best performance by a crossbencher Sarah Hanson-Young: Hanson-Young achieved something I never thought possible for a Green: she managed to sound sensible. Her critique of the Optus Triple Zero debacle was measured and forensic. Her pragmatism (a very un-Green virtue) landed the deal with Labor on environment laws. And she had the most brutal cut-through line on the Coalitions decision to abandon net zero: Theyre nutters. Perhaps its the fact that she has served in the Senate for longer than any of her Greens colleagues that has made Sarah a political grown-up. No wonder they wont make her leader. Best performance by a backbencher Matt Canavan, by a country mile: The net zero debate was undeniably the most vexed issue for the opposition this year. Canavan effected a policy change first within the National Party, and then he strong-armed the Liberal Party into following suit. Whether or not you agree with him, theres no doubt that he shaped the politics and led the debate. As a result of relentless tenacity and effective advocacy, he ended up getting everything he wanted. And all from the backbench. Fastest falling star: Jacinta Nampijinpa Price: From her disastrous performance during the election campaign, when she gave Labor its best line tying Peter Dutton to Donald Trump, to her embarrassing run at the Liberal deputy leadership, in which she fell flat on her face (and ratted on the National Party in the process), to her insults to Indian Australians at the very time Liberals needed to rebuild trust with multicultural communities, the star of the No case in 2023 spent 2025 proving just how bad she is at politics. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price: The fastest-falling star. Fairfax Media Advertisement Most important new face on the world stage Sanae Takaichi: Japans first female prime minister quickly showed that her reputation as the Japanese Margaret Thatcher was more than just caricature. Amping up her rhetoric towards China, she declared that a naval blockade of Taiwan could be considered a survival-threatening situation which, under Japans pacifist constitution, might justify its military response. The fury of Chinas reaction was a measure of its concern that the new PM meant what she said; the cost to China of invading Taiwan just got significantly higher. Deterrence only works as a diplomatic strategy when the threats are credible as Takaichi no doubt learnt from Thatcher. You only get one Donald Trump in your lifetime, as Russian President Vladimir Putin might have said. AP Most cringeworthy moment in global politics Donald Trump greeting Vladimir Putin in Alaska: As the US president rolled out the red carpet for the worlds most dangerous autocrat, Russias attack on Ukraine accelerated. Trump got precisely nothing out of the meeting, except for the chance to hang out with a gangster he so obviously admires and of whom he is embarrassingly in awe. At an event designed more for photo opportunities than diplomacy, the image that captured the moment best was that of Putin, gazing through the window of Trumps limousine, looking like the cat that had swallowed the canary. Although normally as inscrutable as the KGB officer he once was, that bemused smirk left no one in any doubt what he was thinking. Akin to what Kerry Packer said of Alan Bond, you only get one Donald Trump in your lifetime. Best political book Troy Bramstons Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New: While clearly sympathetic to his subject, Bramston avoids the hagiography in which so many of Whitlams biographers have indulged, with measured and sometimes scathing assessments. His account of the Khemlani loans affair made me laugh out loud: did Australia really once have senior ministers, like Rex Connor and Jim Cairns, who were such clueless suckers? In the chapters on the blocking of supply and the Dismissal, Bramston is as unsparing of Whitlams tactical obtuseness as he is of Sir John Kerrs lack of candour, while comprehensively demolishing the conspiracy theory, based on a tortured reading of the palace letters, promoted by less forensic Whitlam biographers. Advertisement Norman Gunston (Garry McDonald) with Gough Whitlam on the day of the Dismissal. ABC Most embarrassing commemoration 50th anniversary of the Dismissal conference: This gathering brought together most of the luminaries of the left, with a token sprinkling of Liberals, at the superbly atmospheric Old Parliament House. It could have been a serious opportunity to discuss still-unresolved constitutional issues while marking a defining historical event. Instead, it degenerated into a festival of Gough, as true believers of a certain age hugely enjoyed themselves reliving those long-ago days of wine and rage (as Frank Moorhouse called them). Sadly, the wine had been cellared for far too long; the rage aside from the customary ritualistic denunciations of Kerr was that so few people cared any more. The conference dinner ended in sublime self-parody, as that songstress of the 1970s, Little Pattie, led the thinning ranks of Whitlam warriors in a croaking rendition of their tribal anthem Its Time with all the gusto of a nursing home singalong. It was time for bed. I wish all of my readers a restful holiday and a better year ahead. George Brandis is a former high commissioner to the UK, and a former Liberal senator and federal attorney-general. He is now a professor at the ANUs National Security College. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Advertisement Analysis PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership One leader has handled the Bondi attack aftermath well. Its not Anthony Albanese or Sussan Ley Natassia Chrysanthos December 22, 2025 5:16am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The partisanship that has dominated federal politics since the terror attack at Bondi Beach has not created any winners. Not Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, not Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. Certainly not among the Australian people, who are the ones losing out. This weeks Resolve Political Monitor delivers a clear finding: Australians are concerned about racism and torn over social cohesion. A clear majority, 72 per cent, see more racism and intolerance in Australia than they did two years ago. More than half point to antisemitism as the cause. Personal approval ratings for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) fell, but support rose for NSW Premier Chris Minns. Aresna Villanueva They expect strong action, and they have not seen that from the federal government. They also expect strong leadership, and they have not seen that anywhere in the federal political sphere. Advertisement Albanese has been the subject of vociferous criticism from the Jewish community, former Liberal leaders, the federal opposition and parts of the media for his handling of antisemitism in the two years before the December 14 targeted attack on Jewish Australians, and in the days since. His response has been interrogated at length, including in this masthead. Some of this commentary has been extraordinarily personal. The polling does not indicate that voters share the opinions of John Howard or Josh Frydenberg, who have leapt in front of cameras to single out Albanese for blame. But many Australians agree with the broad sentiment: 46 per cent think the Albanese government has delivered a weak response to the Bondi terror attack, compared with 29 per cent who think its been strong. This has rubbed off on Albaneses personal approval ratings, which have taken a 15-point tumble. (The survey period also takes in two weeks of furore around politicians expenses, where the prime minister was also found lacking.) The findings vindicate the substance of the Coalitions criticism, but they do not vindicate its leadership. Theres a message in this for Ley, too. Australians may agree when Ley says the governments response has felt inadequate in the face of such horror, but this has not translated into personal support. Quite the opposite. Leys approval ratings have also fallen, by 7 points. Advertisement The opposition leader has been usurped in the news headlines by the likes of Howard and Frydenberg, who came out swinging against the government harder than she did. But Ley is also widening the divides that have emerged since the Bondi attack, breaking from the bipartisanship that has followed moments of tragedy in years past. Related Article Exclusive Political leadership Albaneses approval rating plummets as social cohesion frays, Australians fear a rise in antisemitism: poll She has accused Albanese of personal failure. She has pointedly questioned his whereabouts at Bondi and at the funerals of shooting victims, when she knows well that his presence, particularly at funerals, would jar with the wishes of families mourning their loved ones. Ley has made repeated visits to the Bondi Pavilion. These have been met with some rapture; she is feeling deeply for Australias Jewish community and reflecting real anger. Still, remarks she delivered at the memorial on Wednesday, declaring what she would do if I am prime minister, had echoes of a stump speech. The Coalitions early positioning on gun control is also questionable. On Friday, Ley said she supported a sensible and proportionate examination of gun laws, but reserved support for the governments buy-back scheme and said she needed more detail. This is despite gun control being one of Australias boldest bipartisan reforms, one which has shaped the country and still carries strong public support. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Bondi shooting Cynicism about Frydenberg is familiar and tempting. Its also grossly uncharitable If Ley is thinking of making this another point of political division, rather than a chance to unite around action on well-founded public fear, she should think again. Contrast all of this with NSW Premier Chris Minns, whose popularity has jumped 8 points since the last time voters were asked, to +22. The premier has been recognised for his decisiveness on gun control and steadfast condemnation of antisemitism over the past two years. At Central Synagogue on Thursday night, he accepted his deep responsibility for any failures that preceded what happened in Bondi. Its a cue for Albanese, whose more cautious approach to complex social issues has been found wanting in a time of crisis. Neither Albanese nor Ley find themselves in the disastrous predicament of having plummeted to record lows in public opinion. Their ratings sit roughly on par with lows at other points since the election. Advertisement But it is clear feedback that not much will be won from dithering on decisions, nor in wrecking bipartisanship to score political points in the aftermath of a tragedy. Australians are in shock, and they arent feeling good about the countrys social fabric. The country wants strong leadership that rises above the political fray that should be both leaders priority. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsNSWBondi shooting Call for transparency as NSW parliament prepares for historic debate Jessica McSweeney December 22, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Greater transparency is being demanded of politicians voting on gun reforms as the government prepares to introduce wide-ranging changes to firearms, protests and hate speech laws in one bill. The Liberal Party is broadly expected to support the government bill, but it will seek to introduce its own stricter measures on antisemitism, either by a fresh bill or amendments. Nationals MPs have signalled concerns over the impact of gun reform on farmers and regional communities, while Premier Chris Minns may face pushback in his own party over protest reforms. NSW Premier Chris Minns at the funeral of Boris Tetleroyd. Janie Barrett The Centre for Public Integrity on Sunday wrote to all NSW MPs asking them to divulge any recent meetings with lobbyists working on behalf of gun interest groups ahead of Mondays debate, so the public can be sure parliamentarians are acting in the public interest. A voluntary disclosure commitment would demonstrate leadership, integrity and respect for the gravity of this moment, wrote the centres chair, Anthony Whealy, KC. It would reassure the community that debate on these reforms is informed by evidence and public safety priorities not by behind-the-scenes pressure from vested interests. Advertisement This masthead does not suggest that MPs have been unduly influenced, only that a call for transparency has been made. Only ministers are required to disclose their diaries, the latest disclosures covering up to September this year. Related Article Updated Bondi shooting Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to be reviewed after Bondi attack Parliament will on Monday debate what Minns has described as the toughest firearms law in the country, which would include limiting the number of guns an individual can own to four, or 10 for exempted individuals such as farmers. The government will also introduce legislation to ban protests after a terror declaration has been made by police, which can be extended by up to three months. The government will move to ban the public display of symbols associated with terrorist organisations too, including al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab, Hamas, Boko Haram, Hezbollah, Islamic State, on top of existing laws covering Nazi symbols. The gun reforms, changes to protest laws and crackdown on hate symbols will be introduced to parliament in a single bill an issue for the Greens, who support the governments gun reforms but are opposed to restrictions on protests. Advertisement The Nationals have publicly backed the protest reforms, but many MPs hold concerns about the impact of some of the proposed changes on farmers, particularly the limit on gun ownership. At the end of the day, this is actually attacking law-abiding citizens in this state, Nationals MP and opposition police spokesman Paul Toole told Sky. NSW Farmers blasted the gun reforms as unworkable for their members, accusing the government of misleading farmers. President Xavier Martin said the government had not consulted adequately with farmers, who are concerned that a cap of 10 firearms could create issues for those with several properties who may need to transport guns between them. Its incredible this government has allowed generous capping exemptions for recreational shooters but for farmers who need firearms to control pests, minimise biosecurity risks and for the humane management of animals, the government hasnt given us a seconds thought, Martin said. Advertisement MPs in both houses of parliament could move a motion to split the bills into two or more parts to have each category of reform dealt with separately, which would require majority support. Related Article Bondi shooting Hateful chants and flags to be banned as Islamic State claims it inspired Bondi attack The Coalition is expected to come to a formal position after a joint party meeting on Monday morning, just hours before the bill is introduced. Last week, Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said the Liberals would reintroduce previously defeated reforms to make protesters pay police after three demonstrations on the same issue. Sources not authorised to speak publicly said the party would seek to ensure the focus of debate was on measures to combat antisemitism, rather than squarely on gun reform. The Labor Friends of Palestine released a statement on Sunday urging the government to reconsider the protest element of the bill. Members of Minns cabinet, including ministers Jihad Dib and Penny Sharpe, attended the Harbour Bridge pro-Palestine march earlier this year. Advertisement While the protest reforms will probably have the support of the majority of the Labor caucus, party sources not authorised to speak publicly indicated that several MPs have reservations about the crackdown. Labor is also expected to face questions during the bills debate on what it will do with a nearly $8 million budget allocation for a Conservation Hunting Authority, which is yet to be created and will only exist if a controversial bill from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party passes. Gun reform advocates have warned that the bill would create too many freedoms for hunters, including by opening up more public land for hunting. Despite budgeting for the authority, Minns said on Friday that the hunting bill will not pass. Weve got to work out what to do with the $7.9 million, he said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Travel newsAir travel New non-stop flights to make fast-growing holiday spots easier to reach Katherine Scott December 22, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Travel to burgeoning international destinations will become easier from next year, with several airlines and travel companies set to launch new direct flights from Australia. Australian travel company Luxury Escapes will launch the first non-stop flights from Australia to the Maldives, with a new Melbourne-Male service, operated by Maldives national carrier Maldivian, to launch in 2026 significantly reducing travel time to the archipelago. Also in the Indian Ocean, Jetstar will begin the non-stop flights to Sri Lanka. The Melbourne-Colombo route will start on August 25, operating three times a week. Further afield, Finnair will start a daily Melbourne-Helsinki service, via Bangkok, from October 26. Luxury Escapes new seasonal Maldives service marks the first time Australian travellers will have access to regular scheduled non-stop weekly flights to the luxury holiday favourite. Luxury Escapes will launch Australias first non-stop flights to the Maldives in 2026. Advertisement The Platinum Overwater Pool Villa at Hard Rock Hotel Maldives. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Seats on the new route, launching May 18, will be sold exclusively as part of new Luxury Escapes Maldives packages, which start from $2599 per person and include flights, accommodation and other extras. The inaugural Maldivian service will cut current transit times to Male by at least five hours down to 11 hours on flights to Male, and just over 10 hours for the return leg. The current shortest Melbourne-Male service is about 16 hours 30 minutes, operated by Malaysia Airlines with a nearly four-hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur. Currently, all flights from Australia to the Maldives require a stopover in Singapore, Colombo, Dubai or Doha, pushing average travel times out to more than 20 hours. The new weekly route will operate a Monday evening service from Melbourne, landing in Male on Tuesday morning and leaving Sunday evening. The Maldivian service will cut travel time from Australia by more than five hours. Advertisement Maldivian will operate an Airbus A330-200 on the route with a total of 263 seats, including 18 lie-flat business seats and 246 economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. The non-stop flights will run initially for six months, following approval from Australian regulators, with the possibility of extending for a second season or making the service permanent. Related Article Maldives The things no one tells you about visiting this bucket-list paradise The new South Asian routes from Melbourne reflect growing travel demand in the region. Maldives hotel reservations have surged 17 per cent in 2025, according to Luxury Escapes bookings data. Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the fastest growing destinations for Australia residents in 2025, with visitor numbers up nearly 19 per cent to more than 130,000. Victorian travellers wont be the sole beneficiaries of more travel choices in 2026. Further details on specific new routes for Western Sydney International will be revealed in the new year, with the NSW government and soon-to-launch airport announcing separate incentives for airlines. A spokesperson for state tourism agency Destination NSW said: Between the NSW Take Off Fund and the Western Sydney International Take Off Fund, there is $41 million of aviation support available to airlines and airports that commit to launching new or additional services into NSW. Advertisement WorldEuropeRussia-Ukraine war Putin wants more: Amid peace talks, US spies say Russia still aims to reclaim former Soviet bloc Jonathan Landay , Erin Banco and John Irish December 21, 2025 2:22pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Washington/Paris: US intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, even as negotiators seek an end to the war that would leave Russia with far less territory. The reports from six sources familiar with US intelligence present a starkly different picture from that painted by US President Donald Trump and his Ukraine peace negotiators, who have said Putin wants to end the conflict. The most recent of the reports dates from late September, according to one of the sources. Loading The intelligence also contradicts the Russian leaders denials that he is a threat to Europe. The US findings have been consistent since Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022. They largely align with the views of European leaders and spy agencies that he covets all of Ukraine and territories of former Soviet bloc states, including members of the NATO alliance, according to the sources. Advertisement The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more, Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters. The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think theyre first. Russia controls about 20 per cent of Ukraines territory, including the bulk of Luhansk and Donetsk, the provinces that comprise the industrial heartland of the Donbas, parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces and Crimea, the strategic Black Sea peninsula. Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual news conference and call-in show last week. AP Putin claims Crimea and all four provinces as belonging to Russia. Trump is pressuring Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the small part of Donetsk they control as part of a proposed peace deal, according to two sources familiar with the matter, a demand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and most Ukrainians reject. The presidents team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the war and Trump has stated that a peace deal is closer than ever before, said a White House official without addressing the intelligence reports. Advertisement In an X post on Saturday, US National Intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard said intelligence officers had briefed politicians that Russia seeks to avoid a larger war with Europe and that its troops performance in Ukraine shows it lacks the capacity to overrun all of Ukraine, let alone Europe. The office of the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA and the Russian embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trumps negotiators, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and billionaire real estate developer Steve Witkoff, have for weeks been negotiating the 20-point peace plan with Ukrainian, Russian and European officials. While US officials say they have made progress, major differences remain on the issues of territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels last week. AP Advertisement Kushner and Witkoff met Russian officials in Miami on Sunday AEDT for the latest talks aimed at ending Russias war in Ukraine, following a meeting the previous day with Ukrainian and European officials. Putins special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told reporters after the meeting that the talks had been constructive and that they would continue on Monday AEDT. US, Ukrainian and European negotiators reached a broad consensus last week in talks in Berlin on what four European diplomats and the two sources familiar with the matter said were robust US-backed guarantees of Ukraines security against future Russian aggression. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at talks in Alaska in August. AP One source and a diplomat said that those guarantees hinged on Zelensky agreeing to cede territory to Russia. But other diplomats said that was not the case and alternatives were still being examined as Zelensky has ruled out ceding territory. Advertisement The diplomats said the guarantees, which would take effect after the signing of a peace agreement, call for the deployment of a mostly European security force in neighbouring countries and in Ukraine away from the front lines to aid in repulsing any future Russian attack. Related Article Updated Russia-Ukraine war We had to go to Plan B: EU to loan $160 billion to Ukraine for war effort Ukraines military would be capped at 800,000, said the source. But several diplomats said Russia sought a lower cap to which the Americans were open. The US would provide intelligence and other support, and the package would be ratified by the US Senate, they said. According to two sources familiar with the talks, Washingtons plan would also include US-backed air patrols over Ukraine. Advertisement Zelensky on Thursday appeared cautious on the proposals, saying: Theres a question I still cant get an answer to: What will these security guarantees actually do? And it is deeply uncertain whether Putin will agree to such guarantees, as he has repeatedly rejected the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine. Putin on Friday offered no compromises, although he told an annual news conference that he was ready to discuss peace. He said his terms would have to be met as his forces have advanced by 6000 square kilometres this year. Related Article Blood Oil The British expat tracking Russias shadow fleet from his Singapore deck It is unclear how US officials have responded to Putins demands. Witkoff has previously suggested that Russia has a right to claim the four provinces and Crimea. Advertisement Some Trump administration officials have acknowledged that Putin may be unwilling to settle for less than his initial goal of conquering Ukraine. I dont know if Putin wants to do a deal or Putin wants to take the whole country. These are things that he has said openly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday US time at a press conference. We know what they wanted to achieve initially when the war began. They havent achieved those objectives. Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaEpstein fallout Trump had nothing to do with removal of photo from Epstein file, lawyer says Maria Paula Mijares Torres December 22, 2025 8:52am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Washington: US Justice Department officials were protecting victims of Jeffrey Epstein when they removed several images at the weekend from the agencys release of files tied to the notorious sex offender, Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche said. There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday, Blanche said on NBCs Meet the Press. Thats because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group if they have any concerns about the material that were putting up. A picture of Donald Trump in a drawer was released by the Justice Department on Friday before being removed from its website. Department of Justice Attention has focused on an image of a desk drawer with a number of photos, including one showing future President Donald Trump, that was among those removed from the departments website after a massive release of material on Friday (Saturday AEDT). You can see in that photo theres photographs of women, Blanche said. And so we learned after releasing that photograph that there were concerns about those women and the fact that we had put that photo up. So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump. Advertisement The New York Times reported on Monday morning that the photo had since been re-uploaded to the online files, and that the Justice Department said it had reposted it after determining it did not contain images of any victims. Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, has emerged as the Justice Departments main public face in the release of the agencys Epstein files, which was mandated by Congress after a bipartisan groundswell overcame Trumps objections to publicising the material. In a letter to Congress on Friday, Blanche said the department couldnt meet the December 19 deadline for a full release because of the volume of material and restrictions imposed by a federal judge in Manhattan aimed at preventing the identification of victims. Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche. AP He said more than 1200 victims or relatives were identified during the review process and that references to them were redacted, along with information covered by legal privileges such as attorney-client and deliberative-process protections. Advertisement Blanche said on Monday (AEDT) that he and Attorney-General Pam Bondi had spoken to victims groups as recently as Thursday, though he didnt provide specifics about the decision to pull the image showing Trump. If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, Blanche told NBC. And then well put it back up. The partial release and extensive redactions prompted immediate criticism by some lawmakers. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee accused the administration of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act and shielding Trump. Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and an unnamed woman in an image released previously. @OversightDems/X Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said on CNNs State of the Union that the administration is covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesnt want to go public. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Epstein fallout Sex toys and shotguns: What happened when Andrew invited Epstein to Sandringham Blanche rejected that allegation, pledging that nothing related to Trump in the files would be withheld. If President Trump is mentioned, if theres photographs that we have of President Trump or anybody else, they, of course, will be released with the exception of any victims or survivors that weve identified, he told NBC. Blanche also argued that the law allowed for leeway in the timeline to protect victims. Bring it on, he said. We are doing everything were supposed to be doing to comply with this statute. Advertisement The Washington Post reported that congressmen Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who led the charge to release the Epstein files, said they would seek to find Bondi in contempt of Congress for not releasing more documents. The quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi, Massie said on CBSs Face the Nation in an appearance with Khanna. Ro Khanna and I are talking about and drafting that right now. Before working in the Justice Department, Blanche represented Trump during his 2024 criminal trial in New York City where he was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on May 30, 2024. Bloomberg Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Are you nearing retirement and considering taking Social Security? There are some key numbers to keep in mind, especially if you want to receive the highest possible monthly check. Most of us associate retirement with the age of 65. However, Social Security considers the "full retirement age," during which you receive unreduced benefits, as 66 for those born between 1943 and 1954. Were you born after that? Your full retirement age is a few months higher, as those born in 1960 or later have a full retirement age of 67. Another date to consider: 62. That's because you can actually start getting Social Security benefits at that age you can sign up when you are 61 years and 9 months old, so that your benefits begin to arrive after you turn 62, according to the Social Security Administration's website. However, your benefit payment will be lower if you wait until your full retirement age. "For example, if a person is eligible for $1,000 per month at full retirement age, their monthly benefit could shrink to $700 if they retire at 62," according to personal finance site Nerdwallet. The longer you wait to claim Social Security, the larger your payment; your highest amount comes if you wait until age 70. For instance, payments for those who wait until age 70 to claim Social Security are 124% of what they would get if they claimed benefits at age 67, notes investment firm Charles Schwab. Social Security: These 9 states tax Social Security benefits. Here's what to know. What is the full retirement age for Social Security? To collect what's considered full Social Security benefits, you wait until at least your "full retirement age," which has changed over the years. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation gradually increasing the retirement age as a way to shore up Social Security. In 2027, the law hits its objective of raising the full retirement age to 67 for those born in 1960 and later. Here's the full retirement age for those born from 1943 and on; you can also check it on the Social Security Administration website: 1943-1954: 66 years old 1955: 66 years and two months 1956: 66 years and four months 1957: 66 years and six months 1958: 66 years and eight months 1959: 66 years and 10 months 1960 and later: 67 years of age When is the best time to retire to get Social Security? Determining when to retire and apply for Social Security is a personal decision that usually involves many factors. However, the longer you delay taking Social Security, the bigger your monthly check and, eventually, that of your spouse, too. Taking Social Security before your full retirement age "could reduce your monthly payment by as much as 30%," according to AARP.In June 2025, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for a 62-year-old retiree was $1,377.03, while the payment for a retiree at age 67 was $1,962.63, according to Nerdwallet. "Any year that you delay claiming after 62 until you reach 70, increases the monthly benefit that you get," Gal Wettstein, a senior research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, previously told USA TODAY. Social Security COLA: Cost of living hike coming in 2026. Dont expect it to feel like a raise Social Security's looming funding crisis For some, it may be worth applying early, as Social Security faces a looming funding shortfall and won't be able to pay 100% of benefits in the coming years unless some action is taken by Congress to address the shortfall. The Social Security Administration's primary trust fund for paying retirement benefits is expected to be depleted as early as 2032, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That's even sooner than had been expected, due to the passing of President Donald Trump's megabill, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over a decade, the centrist group says. There have been discussions of raising taxes and raising the full retirement age to make Social Security more solvent. Americans of all ages worry about the viability of Social Security, which currently pays benefits to more than 74 million Americans. The program's preservation has divided generations, with 53% of Americans under the age of 30 saying they shouldn't be saddled with higher taxes even if it means lowering benefit checks for beneficiaries, according to a recent survey conducted by the Cato Institute and YouGov. Most of those 65 and older who responded (89%) say current retirees' benefits should be protected even if it means higher taxes on younger workers. Social Security "is on an unsustainable trajectory, and substantial reforms will be required if Americans want to avoid roughly 25% benefit cuts in the next decade," according to the Cato Institute/YouGov report. "Although most people recognize that Social Security faces financial challenges, they underestimate the scale of the shortfall and are unfamiliar with its underlying causes." Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day This story was updated to correct a typo. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Social Security 2026: Know your full retirement age US intercepts oil tanker off coast of Venezuela Washington, United States, Dec 20 (AFP) Dec 20, 2025 The United States "apprehended" an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, the latest salvo in a pressure campaign against Caracas, the US government said Saturday. It was the second time in two weeks that US forces have interdicted a tanker in the region, and comes days after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela. "In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela," US Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem said in a post on X. The post was accompanied by a nearly eight-minute video of aerial footage that showed a helicopter hovering just above the deck of a large tanker at sea. "The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you," Noem added. The New York Times, citing an unnamed US official and two people inside Venezuela's oil industry, reported that the vessel was a Panamanian-flagged tanker carrying Venezuelan oil that had recently left Venezuela and was in Caribbean waters. Noem did not share any identifying information of the tanker, and it was not immediately clear if the interdicted vessel was under US sanctions. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment Saturday. - 'Waging a battle against lies' - On December 10, US forces seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which the attorney general said was involved in carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela to Iran. The United States has for months been building a major military deployment in the Caribbean with the stated goal of combatting Latin American drug trafficking, but taking particular aim at Venezuela. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez voiced defiance in comments at a public event in Caracas broadcast Saturday on state TV -- although he made no mention of the interdicted ship. "We are waging a battle against lies, manipulation, interference, military threats, and psychological warfare," the defense minister said, adding "that will not intimidate us." There are currently 11 US warships in the Caribbean: the world's largest aircraft carrier, an amphibious assault ship, two amphibious transport dock ships, two cruisers and five destroyers. There are US Coast Guard vessels deployed in the region as well, but the service declined to provide figures on those assets "for operational security reasons." Caracas views the operation as a campaign to push out leftist strongman Nicolas Maduro -- whom Washington and many nations view as an illegitimate president -- and to "steal" Venezuelan oil. The US military has also conducted a series of air strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September. Critics have questioned the legality of the attacks, which have killed more than 100 people. Lido regular Kate Orr, 56, from Camden, said: There are a lot of people who come here who are really struggling with their mental health or are lonely, or who dont quite fit in in the world, or who dont have much money. Former teacher and creator of gritty comedy gritcom? Man Like Mobeen Guz Khan is the co-star of this major festive film in which he plays a worker in Coventry who can't believe his luck when an 8000 bonus lands in his bank account. And sure enough it's too good to be true and he has to pay the money back. The only trouble is that he has blown it on an extravagant once-in-a-lifetime family trip to Lapland. How on earth is he going to recoup the cash to return it? And not only that, how is he going to break the news to his wife, played by Morgana Robinson. He therefore landed in Vienna with a huge but troubled reputation, which made him a source of fascination. The show posits that girls were all over him, and that he was a chaotic drinker and partier, but he managed to swiftly gain access to see the new Austrian Emperor Joseph II. In real life he wrote to his father I am absolutely determined he should get to know me, but the reality of doing so and gaining work from him was trickier. He was still under the employment of Colloredo, who was blocking him doing work for anyone else Mozarts father sided with the Archbishop and was putting him under pressure to return to Salzberg. At one stage, Mozart had his resignation accepted by the Archbishop but was literally kicked up the arse on his way out by one of his stewards. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue As the holiday season arrives, its worth looking back at some of the political presents both wanted and otherwise that landed in the laps of Texas leaders over the past year. Texas House Democrats handed out one of the biggest gifts of 2025, and it went to a Republican. On the first day of the legislative session in January, 49 of the chambers 62 Democrats joined 36 Republicans to elect Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock as speaker. Burrow's rise followed one of the most publicly contentious speaker races in recent memory and came at the expense of Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield. GOP leaders had hoped to unite their 88 members behind a single candidate and shut Democrats out of the process. When Cook failed to secure enough Republican support, the outnumbered Democrats suddenly found themselves with outsized leverage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad House Speaker Dustin Burrows tries to keep order as Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, speaks in favor of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman What did the Democrats get in return? If not an empty box, it was something pretty close. Under House rules adopted at the start of the session, the longstanding tradition of awarding Democratic lawmakers some committee chairmanships was scrapped. Republicans also passed legislation allowing providers of so-called abortion pills to be sued and approved a measure requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools, which Democrats warned would further blur the separation of church and state. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source For Burrows, the gift of the gavel appears to be one that will keep on giving. Despite early complaints from Republicans that he lacked caucus backing, Burrows now looks well positioned to retain the speakership if the GOP holds the House after the 2026 midterms. And for Republicans who backed him over Cook, Burrows does not appear to be an electoral albatross heading into primary season. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, delivered a lump of coal to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in June when he vetoed his fellow Republican's signature legislation a near-total ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products that would have wiped out much of a multibillion-dollar industry that has boomed in the state. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico received a different kind of gift when conservative podcaster Joe Rogan invited him on for a 2-hour conversation in July, introducing the Austin lawmaker to a national audience of millions and burnishing his bipartisan credentials. When Talarico officially launched his U.S. Senate campaign weeks later, he looked every bit like Texas Democrats chosen candidate for 2026, raising $6 million in a matter of days. But that shine dimmed somewhat in December, when U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, entered the race. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Crockett's big gift came from the pollsters. An October University of HoustonTexas Southern University poll showed her leading Talarico and 2024 nominee Colin Allred, prompting speculation that she might jump in. After commissioning her own survey, and not sharing the results, Crockett said she liked what she saw and on Dec. 8 launched her campaign for U.S. Senate. Less than a week later, another Texas Southern University poll showed her with an 8-point lead over Talarico. Republicans also got a boost from the U.S. Supreme Court, which allowed Texas to move forward with a redistricting plan that Democrats had successfully challenged in lower court. But Democrats got a gift of their own from California voters, who embraced a redistricting overhaul that could cost Republicans as many as five congressional seats. Perhaps the year's biggest one-sided gift on the Texas political front went to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and it came from an unlikely source: Republican President Donald Trump. Trump announced this month that he had pardoned Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, on federal bribery charges dating back to the Biden administration. Trump said the Cuellars were unfairly targeted for criticizing Bidens border policies, a claim they have echoed while maintaining their innocence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad So what did Trump receive in return for his generosity? Not a darn thing, unless you count the fact that Cuellar, the Democrats' most conservative member of Congress, upended speculation that he was planning to switch parties and seek reelection as a Republican. Instead, the newly absolved Cuellar filed to run for his 12th term as a Democrat. Shea Rouda shows a photo of himself in the hospital in November as he recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman At a dinner party in California last month, Harley Rouda had barely sat down when his phone rang. He stepped away to take the call and returned moments later, delivering an urgent message to his wife, Kaira: "We have to go now." Their 31-year-old son, Shea, had been found unconscious on an Austin street after a crash on a Lime electric bike. As they scrambled onto the only flight they could get out of Los Angeles International Airport, they didnt know whether he would survive the night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shea Rouda recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Shea Rouda recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Shea Rouda recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Shea Rouda recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Kaira Rouda sorts through medical documents for her son, Shea Rouda, as she helps him recover from a craniotomy at his apartment on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Doctors at Dell Seton Medical Center discovered a large epidural hematoma a pool of blood pressing Sheas brain to one side of his skull. They were about to release him from the ER when they finally did a scan and saw the hematoma, Harley Rouda said. The surgeon basically told us, If we get to this in time, the person is going to have a good outcome. If we dont, theyre going to die. Shea was [expletive] close to dying. Surgeons rushed Shea into the operating room for an overnight emergency craniotomy. He survived but the family says the ordeal didnt end there. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source After Shea suffered a life-threatening brain injury in the e-bike crash on Nov. 15, his family says a lack of immediate police response and a delayed investigation left them scrambling for answers. Austin police were not dispatched to the scene, no report was initially filed and detectives are still working to determine whether the incident was a hit-and-run more than a month later. As Shea works through a painful and uncertain recovery, his family is pleading for the driver they believe struck him and any witnesses to come forward. The night of the crash On the night of Nov. 15, Shea had left Hotel ZaZas Group Therapy bar around 8 p.m., riding an electric bike west on West Ninth Street to meet a friend near Winflo Drive, according to a timeline the family shared with the American-Statesman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At 8:11 p.m., Shea called his friend for directions. By 8:19 p.m., someone was calling 911 to report an unconscious bicyclist in the road near West Ninth and Blanco streets. Shea's parents believe a vehicle struck him from behind and left him in the street. Shea doesn't remember anything from the crash, so the family's timeline is largely based on footage they later obtained from nearby cameras. First responders did not initially recognize the incident as a hit-and-run. "All indications from the scene were that this was an isolated fall from an electric bicycle, which would not typically be a law enforcement issue," Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services told the Statesman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shea was transported by EMS to Dell Seton, the nearest hospital. Shea's parents say they were lucky the facility is a Level 1 trauma center, because they believe he would not have survived at another type of hospital. Shea Rouda recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman When the family finally saw him, the explanation that Shea had simply fallen off a bike did not align with what they observed, the Roudas said. A massive bruise on the back of his head, injuries to his elbows and the absence of defensive wounds on his hands or wrists all suggested to them that something more had occurred. They assumed he was just a drunk kid who fell off a bike, Harley Rouda said. They didnt check for head wounds. No police response. No report. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Kaira Rouda said Austin police detectives later assigned to the case told the family the injuries were consistent with a hit-and-run, because it is difficult to sustain a fracture just above the tailbone in an e-bike crash on a residential street. Austin police told the Statesman that detectives are still working to determine if a hit-and-run occurred. According to EMS, the bike at the scene was not heavily damaged, and electric bike crashes "could absolutely cause serious or fatal injuries, especially if the rider is not wearing a helmet and protective gear." A police department spokesperson said the initial call was taken by Austin 311, which then filed a report for a hit-and-run and requested police follow up within 14 days. Police said their presence wasn't requested by EMS on the scene of the accident. EMS said police were aware of the incident, but it was assigned to paramedics to handle without an initial law enforcement response.f The police report Less than 24 hours after the crash, the family assumed Austin police were already on the case. That assumption didnt last long. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I just assumed that if someone had an accident like this, the police would know about it, Kaira Rouda said. We were in the ICU, watching him every minute to make sure he stayed alive. We werent thinking, Maybe this hasnt even been reported yet. When they started checking, they discovered there was no case. Harley Rouda said he first tried to follow the police departments instructions online, but he and Kaira found the process frustrating. They said they called police, visited headquarters, called again and followed up on the original 311 request. Kaira Rouda said they were told someone might get back to them in two weeks. Shea Rouda, right, recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment with the help of his mother, Kaira Rouda, and brother, Dylan Rouda, on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Two weeks? For a kid with a brain injury? she asked. And still, no one called us back. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Harley Rouda said it took multiple demands to speak with supervisors across multiple phone lines before someone connected them with a person who could open a formal case and assign a detective. Austin police confirmed to the Statesman that a report was created 10 days after the incident, within the two-week timeline requested by 311. A police department spokesperson said a detective from the Highway Enforcement Investigations division reached out to Shea on Nov. 26, the day after the police report was created. Piecing together the crash and searching for witnesses As they worked to file the police report, the family conducted its own investigation. Sheas phone records showed an 8:11 p.m. call to a friend as he tried to find the house. Minutes later, one of his friends called him back but a stranger answered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A good Samaritan picked up Sheas phone while he was lying in the street unconscious, Harley Rouda said. He told the friend, Your friend is in the street unconscious, you should come here. Based on video footage the family obtained, the Roudas believe that man, his wife and her daughter had been riding in a black SUV with an Uber sticker when they saw Shea in the road, stopped their driver, checked on him and called 911. They left before EMS arrived. Austin police said they have since contacted the Uber passengers and obtained statements from them. Members of Shea's family went door to door along West Ninth Street, asking neighbors to review their doorbell camera footage. Using that video, the family assembled a rough timeline. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shea Rouda, middle, recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment complex with the help of his mother, Kaira Rouda, and brother, Dylan Rouda, on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman The Statesman reviewed the footage, which shows a man the family identifies as Shea riding westbound past 1115 W. Ninth St. at 8:14 p.m. About two minutes later, the family says, the same camera records a dark-colored midsize vehicle heading west on the same stretch, roughly 90 seconds behind him. The Roudas told the Statesman they believe the car is a Nissan Rogue. Austin police told the Statesman in a statement that "a vehicle similar in appearance to a Nissan Rogue was in the area of the incident at about the same time, but there is no evidence to indicate it was involved in a hit and run, however the detective has not ruled out its involvement." By about 8:17 p.m., the vehicle appears again, this time turning south on Blanco Street near Rosies Wine Bar and heading toward West Sixth Street. Around that same time, other vehicles appear pulled over farther west on West Ninth Street, in a configuration the family believes is consistent with a crash blocking part of the road. Harley Rouda said that according to a detective, there were roughly 20 feet between where Shea was found and where his bike came to rest. Police did not confirm these details to the Statesman. The family is asking anyone who was driving a vehicle matching that description in Old West Austin between 8:10 and 8:20 p.m. that night to come forward. Theyre also urging residents and businesses with security cameras or dash cameras along West Ninth Street between West Avenue and Blanco Street and along Blanco Street between West Ninth and West Sixth streets to review footage from 8:05 to 8:25 p.m. on Nov. 15 and contact the family or Austin police if they see anything. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Detectives say they are waiting for a response from Lime to get more details about the incident. The first step, they said, is to determine if a hit-and-run took place then, if a hit-and-run is confirmed, theyll work to identify a suspect. Austin police told the Statesman that they could not comment further as the investigation is ongoing. A long, uncertain recovery Today, Shea is awake and talking. Cognitively, his parents say, hes doing pretty well. But he has memory gaps from before, during and after the crash, along with significant back and leg pain and what doctors have described as spinal trauma. Shea Rouda rests as he recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Brain injuries are tricky because theres no trajectory, Kaira Rouda said. They cant say, This brain injury is just like this other persons. Were still in what they call the 'acute phase.' There are a lot of scans, a lot of neuro evaluations still to come. Its going to be a long road. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Kaira Rouda has stayed in Austin since the crash to help care for her son. Shea's employer, Amazon Web Services, has been really nice and supportive, she said. He moved here two months ago and loves the city, loves all the people hes met, loves his job, she said. Hes probably the most positive person Ive ever met. He arrived that way as a baby the kind of baby where you pat him on the back and hed pat you back. Hell pull through. A whiteboard lists medications for Shea Rouda as he recovers from a craniotomy at his apartment on Rainey Street in Austin, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Rouda suffered a severe brain injury in what his family believes was a hit-and-run while riding a Lime bike in Old West Austin in November. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman But the emotional toll has been compounded by unanswered questions, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I think the hardest part is just imagining someone hitting him and then leaving the scene, she said, her voice wavering through tears. Thats what makes me wake up. I just cant imagine someone doing that. More than a month later, Sheas family says they are still waiting for answers and hoping that someone who saw what happened that night will come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Austin police at 512-974-2000 or by calling 311. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tornado over the Capitol, May 4, 1922. Austin 360 Big stories need big space. Sometimes, newspapers spread out such articles over several pages, or jumps, in a single issue. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At other times, we launch a series. Tornadoes are big stories. When it came time to cover the history of Central Texas tornadoes in From the Archives, as we have done with floods and other natural disasters, it made sense to break that history up into pieces. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Instead of starting with a chronology, we kick off this periodic series with a single full column rescued from the Aug. 29, 2015 edition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I wrote it as a historical puzzle of sorts. The mystery of the Bargsley family plot The Bargsley family plot is located in Longview Park in southwest Austin near the historic freedom colony of Kincheonville. Austin 360 This mystery begins in a graveyard. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Amid a grove of junipers in a park located in southwest Austin sits a family plot guarded by a high mesh fence. Four legible stones stand among the rubble. Three of the same family design decorated with bas-relief garlands face the trail. Father: John Bargsley: March 13, 1828-Oct. 13, 1904. Mother: Sarah Bargsley: Sept. 2, 1834-May 4, 1922. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ada Lena Bargsley: July 6, 1877-May 4, 1922. Why did family members of different generations die on the exact same day? Neighbors ask questions During one of their frequent trips to Longview Park, Kevin Davis, who lives nearby, noted the death dates to his wife, historian Chantal McKenzie. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They drew no conclusions. Later, however, McKenzie was browsing through the Austin History Center website when she ran across an arresting picture: In harrowing grays, a funnel cloud swirls around the dome of the State Capitol. The date for the tornado: May 4, 1922. Did the Bargsleys die in the double tornado that killed 13 people on that day, McKenzie wondered. I must admit that, aside from the famous image of the Capitol, I knew almost nothing about the citys deadliest tornado. Time for an always-welcome trip to the history center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A scholar makes a start Preserved there is Frederic William Simonds 24-page The Austin, Texas, Tornadoes of May 4, 1922, published in the University of Texas Bulletin for Feb. 15, 1923. Simonds was a professor of geology who witnessed the more westerly of the two twisters. About four oclock, the writer was suddenly summoned from home, Simonds writes, a block and a half north of the campus of the University of Texas by excited shouts directing his attention to an unusual cloud display in the north. Reaching the street, he saw in a direction west of north, a quickly advancing, dark and threatening mass of storm clouds which pended a rapidly whirling funnel so characteristic of tornadoes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Simonds calmly, chillingly records their paths. The first touched down in four places, starting six miles north of Austin near Spicewood Springs, then a mile to the southwest. After that, it smacked into what was then called the State Institute for Deaf, Dumb and Blind Colored Youths on Bull Creek Road between 38th and 45th streets. It finally belted the Deep Eddy recreational camp. Copious photographs published in the Bulletin and others housed at the history center show smashed buildings. One person died in the first tornado. The second tornado split off and raked the Texas State Cemetery in East Austin before bouncing in a hit and miss action over Travis Heights. It severely damaged three buildings on the St. Edwards University campus, then destroyed businesses around Penn Field, including Woodward Manufacturing and a big water tower. It roared south to damage the school in the town of St. Elmo and the Hartkoff Dairy. From appearances after the storm, a veritable rain of timbers, planks, splinters and roofing must have swept over the Post Road leading from Austin to San Antonio, Simonds writes. As automobile traffic on this highway is, as a rule, quite heavy, it is nothing short of miraculous that no lives were lost. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The tornado was not finished. Two and a half miles southeast of Oak Hill, eight or more miles from its origins in Austin, the tornado completely destroyed the Bargsley home, causing the death of six persons, he writes. The violence of the storm at this point is shown by the fact that, of the house, scarcely a vestige remained, barring the stones used for the chimney. Visitors on the scene were amazed to find that even the fowls had been plucked of their feathers. Assessing the impact Livestock were scattered and killed during the 1922 tornado. Chickens were plucked of all their feathers. Austin American-Statesman All told, the second twister killed 12 people, half of them at the Bargsley house, located in the freedom colony of Kincheonville, established in 1885 not long after emancipation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Today, one can explore Longview Park and the attached preserve to find stacked stone fences and other evidence of farming or ranching. A few small private ranches survive nearby, although the surrounding neighborhoods were developed as early as the 1970s. On May 5, 1922, headlines for the Austin Statesman read: 13 Dead, 44 Injured, Property Loss in Storm in Excess $700,000: Tornado Leaves a Trail of Ruin in its Path. Remembering the papers response in a 1960 report, William J. Weeg said he was working at the Statesman offices at Seventh and Brazos streets. Managing editor E.J. Walthall, was just fixing to leave when he saw the twister coming. He yelled, and we both got on the phones, calling the composing room crew and the stereotypers back to work and checking for information. After reporting on Travis Heights damage, Weeg took other first-hand accounts by phone. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the front page back in 1922, the Statesman listed among the dead: Miss Ada Bargsley, 46 and Mrs. John Bargsley, Sr., 89. The others who died at their home that day were John Thompson, 26, Mrs. Alta Thompson, mother of John Thompson, Maria Kinchion, 70, and, in a sad sign of the times, Harper, girl, negress, 10. The paper used a racial slur common at the time. Over the following decades, this newspaper published the living memories of survivors, including a story written by J. Frank Dobie and rendered in flinch-worthy dialect. Historian Mike Cox gave a clean account and interviewed experts for a 1970 newspaper article. In 1922, Austin only had about 20,000 residents, meteorologist David Barnes told Cox. If you think what could have happened if that tornado had hit this year, the death rate might have easily been 10 times as great. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Now imagine that today. In 1970, when Coxs story ran, Austin counted some 250,000 people. Now the metro area clocks in at 2.5 million. Given the increased density, the toll today could be 100 times the 12 or 13 who died in 1922. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) is getting ready to send some of its most familiar U.S. models back home. Starting in 2026, the company plans to sell American built versions of the Camry, Highlander, and Tundra in Japan, a move that flips the traditional export flow. Toyota said the decision is about giving Japanese customers more choice as tastes evolve, while also helping ease Japan U.S. trade relations. The inclusion of the Tundra pickup is especially notable, as it has long been tailored for American buyers rather than Japanese roads. Still, Toyota believes there is room for these models in its home market. To make the rollout possible, the automaker will rely on a new vehicle approval framework being considered by Japan's transport ministry following bilateral negotiations. That system is expected to smooth the regulatory process for imported vehicles. For investors, the move signals confidence in Toyota's U.S. manufacturing footprint and a pragmatic approach to global trade pressures. It also shows how flexible Toyota is willing to be about where vehicles are built versus where they are sold. Preparations are already underway ahead of the 2026 launch. AerCap Holdings (NYSE:AER) is one of the most profitable value stocks to invest in right now. On December 9, Truist initiated coverage of AerCap with a Buy rating and $159 price target. Truist highlighted AerCaps dominant market position and stable operations. By prioritizing shareholder returns, the company is delivering steady book value appreciation and frequent gains from asset disposals, proving the strength of its long-term strategy. On the same day, AerCap Holdings announced the signing of lease agreements for two new Airbus A321neo aircraft with My Freighter. This marks a significant milestone as My Freighter, which operates passenger services under the brand Centrum Air, becomes AerCaps first customer in Uzbekistan. Both aircraft are scheduled for delivery in Q4 2027, supporting the airlines goal of establishing Tashkent as a strategic hub connecting Eastern and Western markets. Truist Highlights AerCaps (AER) Dominant Market Position and Steady Book Value Appreciation The addition of these fuel-efficient, long-range aircraft is intended to facilitate the expansion of Centrum Airs international network, including the upcoming launch of routes to Europe. The partnership aligns with AerCaps mission to support emerging markets and provides My Freighter with the technology needed to enter competitive new global arenas. AerCap Holdings (NYSE:AER) leases, finances, sells, and manages commercial flight equipment in the US, China, and internationally. While we acknowledge the potential of AER as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. The Buffalo Bills are riding a three-game win streak heading into Huntington Bank Field on Sunday. The Bills will look to extend that streak to four games as they take on the Cleveland Browns at 1 p.m. Buffalo still does not have its full arsenal of talent, but the injury list is improving. On Friday, Buffalo ruled out defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (ankle), kicker Matt Prater (right quad) and offensive tackle Chase Lundt (knee). Lundt was later added to the injured reserve, ending his rookie season. With Buffalos team health improving, the team had some difficult decisions to make heading into todays game. The toughest choices were likely at wide receiver. With Mecole Hardman back from the injured reserve, Buffalo had seven wide receivers who could suit up for todays game. Only five, however, will play with Keon Coleman and Gabe Davis being healthy scratches for Buffalo. Larry Ogunjobi is also a healthy scratch for Buffalo. Heres Buffalos complete inactive list for todays game. WR Keon Coleman WR Gabe Davis K Matt Prater DT Jordan Phillips S Darnell Savage OT Tylan Grable DT Larry Ogunjobi In the short term, Praters job will go to Michael Badgley. The veteran kicker was signed to Buffalos practice squad earlier in the week and was elevated for todays game along with defensive end Andre Jones Jr. At 3-11, Cleveland has nothing to play for but pride. Myles Garrett will look to tie or break the NFLs single-season sack record on Sunday and the Browns as a team will look to pull off a major upset. Heres a look at who Cleveland wont have available for todays matchup. Clay, N.Y. Obaid Noorzai came to the United States in 2023 from Afghanistan determined to build a safer life for his family. Four months ago, Noorzai and his wife, Bibi A. Sadat, bought their own home in Clay. Early Friday morning, their dreams of a safe, new life were tragically cut short. Noorzai, 33, and the couples 3-year-old daughter, Gabeen, were killed in an overnight house fire in their new home on Nightingale Path in the Bayberry neighborhood of Clay, according to family friends and an online GoFundMe fundraiser. Firefighters were called to the home shortly after 2:40 a.m. and found the house engulfed in flames, said Chief Michael Brown of the Moyers Corners Fire Department. The fire was knocked down in about 10 minutes after firefighters arrived, but the father and little girl were found dead inside. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Noorzai, who was originally from Afghanistan, served as an interpreter for U.S. forces and later brought his family to the United States for a better life, his close friend Omer Hazarbuz said. Like many families in that situation, the family was at serious risk staying in Afghanistan. After settling in Central New York, Noorzai and Sadat both worked full time as technicians at the global packaging company Amcor in Liverpool, Hazarbuz said. The couple worked opposite 12-hour shifts with Noorzai on days and Sadat on nights to support their family. She was working the night that the house caught fire, Hazarbuz said. During her night shift, she began calling Obaid, but he did not respond. By the morning, two sheriffs deputies came to Sadat at her workplace and informed her that she had lost Obaid and their only child Gabeen. Hazarbuz described Noorzai as a kind man with integrity and a deep devotion to his family. Obaid was not just a friend to me, he was like a brother, Hazarbuz wrote in a Facebook post. My closest and best friend. Losing him is a pain that cant be put into words. Hazarbuz said Noorzai had a strong sense of responsibility and a deep desire to help others, often putting the needs of his family and community before his own. He described him as a protector whose life centered around keeping his loved ones safe. He was known for helping other Afghans who arrived in Syracuse, especially new families who needed support and guidance. Hazarbuz said they would often gather weekly as friends, and whenever Noorzai joined, he was gentle and quiet at first. His daughter, Gabeen, was remembered by family friends as gentle and bright. Her name means honey in Pashto, a description they said reflected her sweet and joyful spirit. She was pure and innocent, Hazarbuz wrote. The sudden separation of these two has broken our hearts. The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office and the county Fire Investigation Unit are investigating to find the cause of the fire. The sheriffs office declined to identify who died in the fire, saying they are waiting for positive identifications that could take several days. Hazarbuz created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover funeral and memorial expenses, temporary housing and essential living needs for Noorzais wife, who lost all of her belongings in the fire, he said. By Sunday, the fundraiser raised more than $26,000. Hazarbuz told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that Noorzais wife is currently staying with him because she has nowhere else to go. She lost everything in the fire, including basic necessities and clothing, Hazarbuz said. Our Afghan community has stepped up to support her as much as possible, but the financial burden is significant and ongoing. Hazarbuz said Noorzai was a hardworking, loyal friend who treated others with respect and always showed up when people needed help. He said one memory that remains with him is from 9:30 p.m. the night of the fire, when Gabeen surprised him with a small piece of chocolate. That simple act of kindness is something I will carry with me forever, he said. *** This is the GoFundMe drive for funeral expenses and to help the surviving family members. *** Syracuse, N.Y. - A man was stabbed near Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse Saturday afternoon. Police arrived at the intersection of South Salina and Water streets at around 4:36 p.m., where they found a 31-year-old man with a stab wound to his back, according to Syracuse police spokesperson Sgt. Thomas Blake. The man was transported to Upstate University Hospital by American Medical Response. His injury is not believed to be life-threatening. Police are still investigating the incident, Blake said. They ask anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 315-442-5222. Syracuse, N.Y. If youre heading to a holiday dinner in Central New York and your plan is to grab a loaf of bread on the way, good move. If that loaf is coming from the grocery store, we need to talk. This is a region built on bakeries not the artisanal-pop-up, sourdough-of-the-week kind, but places that have been doing the same thing, the same way, for a very long time. In fact, three of the stops on this list Columbus Bakery, Di Lauros and Harrison Bakery have been baking bread in Central New York for a combined 323 years. Thats not a flex. Thats a warning. Bread here isnt an accessory; its a requirement. It shows up wrapped in paper, torn by hand and passed until its gone. At last months CenterState CEO Economic Champions Celebration, local leaders shared what they thought the best thing about Central New York was. Dr. Warren Hilton, president of Onondaga Community College, didnt hesitate. For me, its the incredible bakeries and bread, Hilton said. People rave about New York City bread, San Francisco. But I gotta tell you Central New York bread? Uh! The best. For generations, Central New Yorkers have known exactly where to stop before sitting down to Christmas Eve fish, Sunday sauce or a packed holiday table. I spent part of a day making those stops buying a loaf at each to answer a simple question: Where should your bread come from this year? Columbus Bakery (est. 1895) 64 loaves of Italian bread wait to be bagged at Columbus Baking Co. in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Theres a reason the line stretches out the door at Columbus Bakery every December. Opened in 1895, this is the loaf many families measure all others against. The Italian bread here has a crisp crust and a soft, forgiving interior designed for tearing, dipping and wiping a plate clean. If your holiday table includes red sauce, seafood or olive oil poured deep into a bowl, this is the bread that belongs beside it. For some families, its a tradition. For others, its muscle memory. Either way, Columbus isnt just a bakery stop. Its part of the meal. So is the extra flat loaf you buy for the ride home. If you know Columbus Bakery, you know what Im talking about. Di Lauros Bakery (est. 1908) A 'point' from Di Lauro's Bakery and Pizza Inc. in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Di Lauros has been quietly turning out bread since 1908, and the people who come here dont need convincing. This is the bakery many North Side families never stopped going to. The Italian loaf is familiar in the best way: dependable, balanced, built for passing around the table without ceremony. Its the kind of bread that shows up because it always has. Ask customers why they come here and the answers are usually short and confident: This is our bread. If youre here for a loaf, you might as well grab a bag of rolls too. Itll make your next good sandwich a great sandwich. Harrison Bakery (est. 1949) A loaf of Italian bread from Harrison Bakery in Syracuse with some half-moon cookies. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Harrison Bakery began in October 1949, when 30-year-old German immigrant Arthur Rothfeld opened a shop on Harrison Street with a simple goal: sell good baked goods at fair prices. That vision carried the bakery to its longtime home on West Genesee Street in 1961 and through three generations of the same family. Arthurs son, James Jimmy Rothfeld, grew up in the business and took over as a teenager after his father suffered a heart attack. Decades later, Jimmys son Mike stepped in, continuing a hands-on tradition passed down on the bakery floor. The Italian bread here reflects that lineage. Its sturdy, generous and built for sharing. Its the kind of loaf that feeds a crowd and carries a little history with every tear. Before you leave, though, be sure to load up on half-moon cookies. Youll be the most popular person at the party. Pastabilities stretch bread A loaf of stretch bread with 'everything' seasoning from Pasta's Daily Bread in Syracuse with a tub of their spicy hot tomato sauce and dipping oil. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Not every great holiday loaf comes from a century-old bakery. Pastabilities stretch bread isnt traditional Italian bread, and it doesnt try to be. Soft, warm and famously pull-apart, it has a habit of becoming the center of attention the moment it lands on the table or next to a charcuterie board. This is the loaf people hover over. The one that vanishes before dinner starts, especially if you were smart enough to bring a tub of Pastas spicy tomato sauce and dipping oil. Bring it if you want to be invited back next year. Bring two if you want leftovers though good luck with that. Bread from some of Syracuse's best: Columbus, Di Lauro's, Harrison and Pasta's. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) You dont bring bread to a Central New York holiday dinner because you have to. You bring it because it means something. Whether youre loyal to the bakery your grandparents visited, stopping where youve always stopped, or showing up with something a little different, the rule is simple: dont come empty-handed. And if theres a line outside that bakery? Get in it. Thats how you know youre in the right place. If the measure of a public servant is to leave the city better than he found it, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walshs eight years in office were a success. By any objective measure, the city is better today than it was when he took over City Hall in 2018. The population is growing for the first time in 70 years. The citys finances are stronger. Downtown is more vibrant and development continues to surge. The community grid revamp of Interstate 81 that he campaigned for is in full swing. The East Adams public housing redo is underway. The city-county STEAM school is open. The mayor exceeded his promise to deliver 2,500 affordable housing units. Staff writer Tim Knauss catalogued small, street-level wins over Walshs two terms: a new trash collection system; 47 miles of new sidewalks; a campaign to shut down illegal convenience stores that attract trouble in city neighborhoods; completion of the six-year project to revamp the citys antiquated zoning code; a program to replace every lead pipe. Its incremental, unsexy stuff. Its also exactly what municipal governments are supposed to do. Walsh understood the mission and came to accept that it is never fully accomplished. An independent streak The editorial board endorsed Walsh twice for mayor. As an independent, we hoped he could rise above partisan politics. His ability to collaborate with a Republican Onondaga County executive and mend fences with then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo was a fruitful turn from the previous mayor, who had alienated Cuomo. Before Walshs first year was up, he and newly appointed County Executive Ryan McMahon quietly negotiated an extension of the city-county sales tax sharing agreement. Walsh persuaded Cuomo to invest $70 million in the tech-focused Syracuse Surge and to fund 95% of renovations to the long vacant Central Tech building for the STEAM school. Walsh has an ally in the current governor, Kathy Hochul, who ponied up $29 million to demolish the decrepit Syracuse Developmental Center. When he first ran for mayor, opponents painted him as beholden to rich developers and the business community. He turned out to be a champion for inclusive growth supporting young people and the schools and positioning city residents to get jobs out of the big projects transforming Syracuse. No one mayor can solve the citys deep poverty, deteriorating housing stock and crime, but Walsh confronted all of those issues. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh (left), Police Chief Joe Cecile and Common Councilor Rasheada Caldwell address the media about a shooting at the pool in Onondaga Park. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Right place, right time Any mayors most important hire is the police chief. In his first term, Walsh brought in an outsider, Kenton Buckner, to institute a new use of force policy and body-worn cameras. Walsh added more classes to the police academy but officers retired faster than they could be replaced. The racial reckoning after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer accelerated that trend. To Buckners and Walshs credit, the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests that brought down other cities were largely peaceful in Syracuse, with one notable exception. When Buckner left for another job, Walsh appointed a 37-year department veteran, Joe Cecile, to replace him. Cecile provided a steady, compassionate hand through difficult times: the drive-by shooting of 11-year-old Brexialee Torres-Ortiz, a spike in juvenile crime, the line-of-duty deaths of Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen and Onondaga County Sheriffs Deputy Michael Hoosock. The Covid pause Everyones best-laid plans were derailed when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down the world in early 2020. Downtown restaurants and bars suffered acutely from shifting public health guidelines. City Hall gave up parking spots and closed streets to traffic to allow expanded outdoor dining and to allow residents some semblance of normalcy. The American Rescue Plan Act showered $123 million on Syracuse. Walsh did not waste the opportunity. He used it to help small businesses recover, help homeowners repair their properties, give young people summer jobs, invest in infrastructure and beef up the citys rainy-day fund. Including the federal stimulus money, the fund balance increased more than $82 million. Mayor Ben Walsh spoke at the Syracuse Housing Authority's board meeting Feb. 20, 2025. He criticized Director Bill Simmons, seated at left, for blaming others for missed deadlines on the East Adams project. Michelle Breidenbach Thorns in the roses Walshs consultative, no-drama style looked like dithering to his critics. A long process to decide what to do about the Christopher Columbus statue in downtown Syracuse culminated in Walshs decision to take it down. We supported it. Legal challenges followed. The statue still stands, as divisive as ever. After the collapse of plans for the Children Rising Center in the East Adams Street neighborhood earlier this year, we urged the mayor to show more leadership on this transformative project. Walsh crashed the next SHA meeting and, in an uncharacteristically bold statement, criticized how the project was being managed. The one scandal over Walshs two terms involves a payroll modernization project that went sideways. Two investigations found no wrongdoing. Walsh conceded it was a mess but chalked it up to his willingness to take on risky, thankless projects. We would put a citywide reassessment in that category. For decades, City Hall has looked the other way as property tax assessments got more and more out of whack. Walsh proposed it but when push came to shove, the Common Council chickened out. A good steward Walsh the son of a congressman and grandson of a mayor grew up in a family that values public service. He often quotes the Athenian oath carved into the wall of Syracuse Universitys Maxwell School: We will transmit this city not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us. Ben Walsh met that standard. About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion lead, at mmorelli@syracuse.com If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Saturday Night Live (SNL) is bringing the holiday cheer with a star-studded episode featuring Ariana Grande as host and Cher as the musical guest, airing Saturday, Dec. 20 at 11:30 p.m. ET, on NBC. Cord-cutters can sign up for DIRECTV (5-day free trial) to watch live. How to watch Saturday Night Live live and on demand for free One way viewers without cable can stream Saturday Night Live for free is via DIRECTV. The live TV streaming service includes live access to NBC and a 5-day free trial, allowing viewers to watch at no cost. DIRECTV 5-day free trial Get up to $40 off your first month and enjoy local and national live sports, breaking news and must-see shows. Free Trial Episodes will be available to stream the next day on Peacock. Who is hosting? Ariana Grande is no stranger to the SNL stage, making her hosting debut in 2016. This is her third time hosting, following her previous appearances in Seasons 41 and 45. Grande is best known for chart-topping hits such as Thank U, Next and No Tears Left to Cry. She recently starred in the Broadway adaptation of Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch and is headed on her Eternal Sunshine tour in 2026. Who is the musical guest? The one and only Cher will perform as the musical guest. This is her second appearance as SNLs musical guest, following a 38-year gap since her last performance on the show in 1987. Known as the Goddess of Pop, Chers career spans over six decades, with iconic hits like If I Could Turn Back Time and Believe. Most recently, she released her 2023 Christmas album Christmas. In addition to music, Cher has been nominated for an Academy Award and took home the Best Actress win for Moonstruck (1987). U.S. law enforcement authorities have shut down E-Note, a little-known cryptocurrency exchange accused of laundering over $70 million in illegal proceeds from ransomware attacks and online fraud. The takedown, announced by the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Wednesday, followed a coordinated international operation involving the FBI, Michigan State Police, and law enforcement agencies in Germany and Finland. Investigators seized E-Notes servers, mobile applications, and several associated websites, effectively shutting down the service. Since 2017, the FBI identified more than $70,000,000 of illicit proceeds of ransomware attacks and account takeovers transferred via E-Note payment service and money mule network, including laundered funds stolen or extorted from U.S. victims, the Justice Department said, noting that targets included organizations in the healthcare sector and critical infrastructure. Russian National Charged Alongside the seizure, federal prosecutors also unsealed an indictment against Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets, a 39-year-old Russian national accused of operating and controlling E-Note. He is charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Court documents allege that Chudnovets began offering money laundering services to cybercriminals as early as 2010. What reportedly started as a small, hands-on operation using individual intermediaries later evolved into a more scalable online service. By around 2017, prosecutors say, those services were formalized under the E-Note brand, allowing criminals to move funds across borders and convert cryptocurrency into various cash currencies. Authorities have not stated whether Chudnovets is currently in custody, and no arrests have been reported to date. As with all criminal cases, he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court beyond a reasonable doubt. Servers, Apps, And Data Seized As part of the operation, U.S. and international law enforcement seized servers hosting Chudnovets operations, mobile applications, and the websites e-note.com, e-note.ws, and jabb.mn. Investigators also obtained earlier copies of E-Notes servers, including customer databases and transaction records. Officials said the seized databases could help identify additional users of the service and map larger money-laundering ecosystems connected to ransomware and digital fraud. Investigators noted that some illegal services deliberately rely on mobile apps and alternative platforms to reduce their visibility and make it harder for authorities to trace activity. International Cooperation The Justice Department credited close cooperation with international partners for the success of the operation, including the German Federal Criminal Police Office and the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, as well as Michigan State Police and the states Cyber Command Center. The FBI is encouraging anyone who believes their funds may have been laundered through E-Note to contact law enforcement directly at [email protected]. The U.K.s long-promised crypto regulatory regime edged closer to reality this week, as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unveiled its consultation that will ultimately define how crypto firms operate in Britain. Together with legislation from HM Treasury, the proposals form the backbone of a framework scheduled to take effect in October 2027. For policymakers, the objective is to balance growth and innovation with market integrity and consumer protection. For the industry, the challenge is navigating an 18-month transition period in which the destination is clearer than ever but still some distance away. This is it for the U.K., Dea Markova, director of policy at crypto infrastructure firm Fireblocks, said in an interview. This is the definitive regime for regulating the issuance and intermediation of crypto assets. From discussion to definition The latest consultations need to be viewed as part of a longer, carefully sequenced process, according to Sebastien Ferriere, a financial regulation lawyer at Pinsent Masons. For more than a year, the U.K. has been working through a regulatory roadmap that expands the FCAs jurisdiction over crypto. The first step has been legislative: Treasury-defined regulated activities determine what falls inside the perimeter. Only then can the FCA impose authorization requirements and detailed rules. Over the last year, things have really started to take shape, Ferriere said. Weve been on a treadmill of consultations, but they are now forming a coherent framework. Earlier phases focused on stablecoin issuance and custody, prudential requirements such as capital and wind-down planning, and the application of existing FCA obligations governance, systems and controls, operational resilience to crypto firms. This weeks consultations turn squarely to markets: trading platforms, intermediaries, staking, decentralized finance, admissions and disclosures, and crypto-specific market abuse rules. Taken together, Ferriere said, the FCA is attempting to transpose the architecture of traditional financial regulation onto crypto markets, while tailoring it to reflect the technologys distinct risks. A hybrid regulatory model One of the most consequential design choices is the U.K.s decision to extend existing financial services rules to crypto, rather than writing a standalone rulebook from scratch as the European Union (EU) did with its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. That distinction matters, but not in a simplistic way. Ferriere described the FCAs approach as a hybrid. Cross-cutting obligations principles of integrity, conflict management and fair treatment of customers are being applied largely as-is. Market-facing rules, however, are being written specifically for crypto. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice No music biopic comes close to Milos Formans 1984 masterpiece, Amadeus. Adapted by Peter Shaffer from his own 1979 stage play itself inspired by Alexander Pushkins poetic 1830 drama, Mozart and Salieri the film is gaudy and provocative, a glittering two fingers up to historical accuracy. Its based on a wild rumour: that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was driven to an early grave, aged 35, by the obsessively jealous court composer Antonio Salieri. But its also concerned with a deeper metaphysical question: why would a just God bestow genius on a giggling, foul-mouthed vulgarian like Mozart while condemning the devout Salieri to recognise his own mediocrity? Not for nothing did the film sweep the Oscars with eight wins, including Best Picture and Best Director. Now from Sky comes a new five-part adaptation of Shaffers play. Reuniting some of the key players from the excellent Anglo-Japanese crime series Giri/Haji writer Joe Barton, director Julian Farino and Bafta-winning actor Will Sharpe its lavish and lively. Brilliantly acted, too. Salieri is played by Paul Bettany, while Sharpe was the natural choice for Mozart, according to Barton. Will has a very unique essence, says the 43-year-old. He has this sort of puckish quality and he can do these very high energy comic performances, but he also has a darker side to his work that we mined for his role in Giri/Haji. I was also thinking about the show he did, Flowers, where he played this very sweet, almost childlike man who bounced through the world but then had this great well of sadness within him. Thats what I saw for this character. While the series traces the familiar contours of the film, the fact it stretches to five hour-long episodes means theres room to look at the domestic lives of these people and explore other perspectives alongside the central idea of burning jealousy, Sharpe tells me. Mozarts wife Constanze is a case in point. A minor character in the original play, shes now centre stage, with Gabrielle Creevy who previously worked with Barton on his series Black Doves playing her as smart and strong-willed, with a vein of melancholy running through her. For Barton, who is a fan of the film but hadnt seen it for many years, making Constanze more multifaceted was one of the main aims. I was interested in this woman who had to constantly support this almost mythical figure, he says. In real life, she was key in preserving and promoting Mozarts music after his death ensuring her own financial survival in the process. Shes been slightly lost in the telling of this story. In preparing for the role, Creevy looked first to the film. Elizabeth Berridges performance was so fun, says the 29-year-old. Creevy then delved deeper by reading one of the few books available on Constanze. Being married to a genius must have been really hard, she says. Shes so overlooked. Shes not just his wife; shes her own person. She had a dream to sing and never really got to do it. Being married to a genius, you just get pushed aside It must have been very painful at times, Creevy adds. They lost children. Theres only so much you can take before you walk away. open image in gallery Smart and strong-willed: Gabrielle Creevys Constanze in the new Sky adaptation of Amadeus ( Sky UK Ltd ) If Constanze is given more life in this interpretation, Sharpes Mozart reins it in. Gone are the pink punk-rock wigs and paroxysms of high-pitched laughter from Tom Hulces 1984 performance. This Mozart is less annoying, but more priapic and virile, which only deepens Salieris envy. Crucially, hes oblivious to their rivalry and ruthlessly blunt without meaning to be. We talked about theories he might have been neurodivergent, Sharpe, 39, explains. My take was to play him as someone who doesnt understand social norms. If he believes something is true, hell say it. If someones offended, he doesnt understand why. He thinks his music is objectively great, so if anyone questions that, he thinks theyre objectively wrong. Its genuine confusion. He just says what he thinks. open image in gallery Genius versus mediocrity: Mozart and Salieri, as played by Tom Hulce and F Murray Abraham in the 1984 film ( Everett/Shutterstock ) This makes the central dynamic ordinary versus genius more painful for Salieri. Yet Barton is keen to stress just how far the fiction strays from fact. This is made up, of course, he says. In truth, Mozart was as religious as the next man, and Salieri had eight children and a happy marriage. Salieri was also a revered composer in his own right. The more you read about Salieri, the more you see that this really is all a character assassination, Barton adds. He was a very good composer and by all accounts a generous and well-liked man. But now his name has been turned into a shorthand for jealousy and mediocrity. This tension fascinated the writer. I was interested in how his legacy has been shaped by this story that he is a key figure in, he says. I had the idea to make it almost a ghost story, about a man who is haunted by the future version of himself that now lives on in theatres around the world every night. What did he do in his life to make this future for himself? open image in gallery Ruthlessly blunt: Will Sharpe as Mozart in the new series ( Sky UK Ltd ) For Sharpe, what intrigued him was unpacking genius itself. He and Barton spoke extensively about the burden of Mozarts gift how its both blessing and curse, Sharpe says. How he needs it but it keeps him at arms length from people because he sees the world so differently. Mozart allegedly experienced bouts of depression, but Sharpe avoided retro-diagnosing him. I tried not to pay attention to specific conditions he may or may not have had. Instead, he focused on Mozarts interior life. Because God is such a big part of this show, and the creative process is wrapped up in God speaking through him, that was a helpful way of exploring what you could interpret as magical thinking. In the creative process, it can feel like you werent in control like it came from somewhere else. Assigning that to God within the story is quite helpful. People are playing it safe, which restricts what stories are able to get told Writer Joe Barton Sharpe sees Mozart as someone unaffected by the fashions of his time, pushing forward with what he believed was the best way to compose, regardless of accepted norms. He notes how someone said recently that its almost like he has the opposite of imposter syndrome, where hes so convinced that what hes doing is great, that hes [just] trying to get whatever is in its way out of the way. His piano playing in the show is remarkable all the more so when you realise he was a Grade 3 pianist before taking on the role. To transform into the Austrian maestro, he was paired with Benjamin Holder, musical director on the Wicked films, who had six months to mould him into a credible prodigy capable of performing segments from 20 fiendishly difficult pieces. When work took Sharpe to the US and Japan, Holder bought him a portable keyboard to practise on hotel ironing boards. open image in gallery Obsessively jealous: Paul Bettanys Salieri ( Sky UK Ltd ) The series also examines how art shapes society. As Rory Kinnears Emperor Joseph II notes in the series, opera has power it reflects the world and can drive change. The theme feels particularly resonant now, as President Donald Trump threatens media and cultural institutions in America. This connects to the current creative landscape more broadly, Barton argues. In drama, you have to increasingly smuggle more challenging or subversive or human ideas into your work, which is as much a result of the economic reality of the current media industry as it is political censorship, he says. Or probably now its both. People are certainly playing it safe, which restricts what stories are able to get told. Sharpe was blown away by the films set pieces, which he says are exactly the sort of thing that requires confidence from the people who are making [television] and supporting it and funding it. Theres a version of the future where everything sort of gets homogenised, because its so statistics-based, and people try to make creative decisions, based on what they think the audience wants, based on data, he notes. Amadeus, like the composer himself, is prepared to take risks. Amadeus will launch on Sky and NOW on 21 December Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Strictly Come Dancing final leaves us blubbing every year but Saturday nights two-hour extravaganza was an especially poignant, tear-soaked affair as it marked Tess Daly and Claudia Winklemans final time hosting the show. This years series has been a somewhat bumpy ride with four unexpected exits, an elimination-free Blackpool weekend and just hours before the final news that former contestant Tom Bosh Skinner is seeking legal advice and claiming the vote was rigged against him. The BBC has refuted his allegation. But amid all the tumult of the 2025 series, Daly and Winklemans exit announcement has easily been the most shocking moment, leaving the entertainment world reeling. Their departure has been looming over the show ever since, and while Saturday nights final delivered plenty of golden moments highlights included George Clarkes showdance, Amber Davies phenomenal jive and an ecstatic Karen Carney being declared winner it was, despite their protestations, all about the hosts. While the poised, unflappable Daly is the safe pair of hands who largely steers the hours-long live shows, Winklemans segments in the Clauditorium are more meme-worthy and unpredictable. The fringed, fake-tan-loving host often finds herself consoling tearful couples during emotional moments, and always seems to know exactly what to say and how to lift the mood. There are few better examples of how Winkleman, among all the chaos, expertly navigates some of the trickiest situations than her attempt to comfort Carlos Gu as he broke down on Saturday night. Having commended his partner Carney for changing his life, the 32-year-old spilled his heart out to Winkleman, admitting through tears: I came to Strictly after a competitive life, I was self-centred, I was me me me. Ive been lost for years no wonder I didnt get a partner last year because I was not grateful. [Karen] taught me how to be a kind, humble person, and for the first time, I learnt how to be a team player, he continued. I never used to be a team player, which I am so sad about. Youve always been a team player and we love you, was Winklemans heartfelt and genuine reply. The love for the presenters was clear all evening as was the fact that its pretty much impossible to imagine the show without them. Daly first joined Strictly over two decades ago, first hosting with the late Bruce Forsyth, before Winkleman replaced him in 2014. In the grand final, Winkleman doubled over laughing when the professionals and judges dressed up as her, and Anton du Beke brought Daly to tears as he reflected on her two decades hosting the show. I cant tell you how much Ive loved, Tess, spending the last 21 years with you. I love you, he said. Later, the hosts were delivered another touching surprise as the annual montage of the series best bits segued into a tribute to them, which was topped off by a letter from none other than the Queen herself. I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships, the bonds forged, the struggles overcome, and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour, the letter, read out by Craig Revel Horwood, said. If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest Strictly partnership of all. The warmth, compassion, and sheer happiness you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Rumours are already swirling about who could replace the pair could it be Zoe Ball? Paddy McGuinness?! and I dont envy the BBC executives tasked with finding Strictlys new hosts. How on earth do you match this surprising but wonderful combination of serene elegance and joyful chaos? Whoever lands the roles, one thing is clear: they have very big, sparkly shoes to fill. Close Strictly winners tell boy and girls watching at home to dream big in celebratory speech Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice After three months of shimmering dance routines, plenty of injuries and many tears, Strictly Come Dancing 2025 has its winner. The Glitterball trophy was lifted by former England player Karen Carney and her professional partner Carlos Gu on Saturday night, who beat ex-Love Islander Amber Davies and social media star George Clarke to win the competition. After their victory was announced, Carney said: I cannot believe it. I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported our journey. Its been the biggest privilege and honour. Im lost for words, Im so sorry. Thank you for being so incredible, this whole journey, Gu added. You taught me so much. We challenged each other, we helped each other. Thank you for changing my life. Their win came after Gu delivered one of the finals most unexpected emotional moments, breaking down in tears as he said he was self-centred before meeting Carney. It was a particularly emotional episode as the final marked Tess Daly and Claudia Winklemans final time presenting the programme. The pair were given a suitably special send-off with Craig Revel Horwood reading a letter written to the hosts by the Queen. The 2025 celebrity cast including Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Chris Robshaw and Vicky Pattison also reunited for a group routine. But one contestant was absent: controversial Apprentice star Thomas Skinner did not make an appearance after he alleged that the BBC rigged his voting figures on the show. Skinner has said he is seeking legal advice. Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The United States Department of State on Saturday signed a five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Republic of Nigeria to strengthen Nigerias health system, with a strong emphasis on promoting Christian faith-based health care providers UnitedHealth Group has laid off dozens of remote employees in healthcare technology and services marketing from its Optum unit, who were given two weeks notice in November, sources told Health Payer Specialist. Most Read from Fast Company Fast Company has reached out to UnitedHealth for confirmation. Those employees were based in multiple states on the East Coast and in the Midwest, according to that report, and are among UnitedHealths roughly 400,000 employees across the U.S. (It is the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, the nations largest healthcare insurer.) The healthcare giant is just the latest company in a string of industries to announce layoffs, which have hit almost every sector of the American economy in 2025. The layoffs come amid fierce criticism of the companys healthcare and insurance practices. UnitedHealth Group and UnitedHealthcare have received backlash and widespread criticism over consumer allegations of costly insurance, overbilling, denial of necessary care, and patient privacy violations, among other complaints. (UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompsons murder in December 2024 was met with little sympathy by some Americans, as Fast Company previously reported.) On Friday, the company released the first round of results of an independent audit of its business, saying it was committed to setting a new standard of transparency for the healthcare marketplace, and vowing to make improvements through 23 action planswith 65% of them to be completed by the end of 2025, and 100% by the end of the first quarter of next year, in March 2026. Those plans include enhancing policy governance and maintenance, strengthening processes for ongoing monitoring and tracking progress of corrective actions, enhancing risk, and optimizing manufacturer discount processes. We hope that you see these assessments as a commitment to setting a new standard of transparency for the healthcare marketplace, as we believe that you and every person who engages with our health system deserves to understand how we go about our work, CEO Stephen Hemsley said in the statement. This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com Subscribe to get the Fast Company newsletter: http://fastcompany.com/newsletters Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Supermodel Anok Yai has opened up about the recent discovery that she suffers from a congenital defect. Yai, the first Black model to open a Prada runway, posted on Instagram on Friday to reveal that doctors found a birth defect that did not make itself present until recently. Around three to four percent of babies are born with some type of birth defect, according to the Boston Childrens Hospital. It is not uncommon for symptoms of the defect to remain dormant for years or throughout a persons entire life. For the past year Ive been dealing with this silent battle, Yai captioned the post, which showed various clips of her lying in a hospital bed. I incidentally found out I had a congenital defect overworking my heart and slowly destroying my lungs. She explained in the post that she was asymptomatic throughout most of her life, but it all started to unravel after experiencing a lingering cough. The supermodel, Anok Yai, revealed to her Instagram followers that she recently received robotic lung surgery after the discovery of a congenital defect ( Getty Images for BFC ) [The cough] turned to chest pains, bouts of coughing up blood, then at times struggling to breathe, Yai continued. I chose to work through this while trying to find the right doctor and the right time. I quickly realized there was never going to be a right time my health would continue to worsen. Ive always thought I could outwork or outrun anything but the universe has a way of slowing you down and waking you up. So, yesterday I had a successful robotic lung surgery thanks to Dr. Robert Cerfolio and his gracious and talented team who I am forever indebted to for giving me more time. The robotic surgery the supermodel referred to is called a robotic thoracic surgery, which the American Lung Association describes as a procedure used to remove diseased lung tissue and possibly surrounding lymph nodes. The supermodel then thanked her medical team for discovering her condition and noted that she is currently in recovery. I am forever grateful for Dr. Harmik Soukiasian and everyone at the @beverlyhillsconciergehealth for discovering my condition, her caption continued. Thank you to all the doctors and amazing nurses at @nyulangone, and thank you to my friends and family for being the first thing I saw when I woke up. For now, Im healing but Ill be back, her caption concluded. See ya. Since Yais debut on the Prada runway in 2018, her career has continued to take off, with her winning Model of the Year at the 2025 Fashion Awards earlier this month. I was told that I would be a flash-in-the-pan and that I would be crushed by the machine that is the fashion industry and my career would only last six months, she said in her acceptance speech at the ceremony. Its been a long six months, huh? Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice George Clooney has paid tribute to his sister Adelia Ada Zeidler, who has died at the age of 65 from cancer. Clooney confirmed the news to People, which reported she died on Friday from the disease. My sister, Ada, was my hero, the Oceans 11 actor told the publication in a statement. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. Ive never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly. According to Zeildlers obituary, she died peacefully surrounded by the people she loved in Edgewood, Kentucky. A funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, while memorials are suggested to be left at the Knoedler Memorial Library in Augusta. She was born on May 2, 1960, in Los Angeles to Nick Clooney and Nina Bruce Warren. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. Ive never met anyone so brave, Clooney said in a statement about his sisters death ( Getty Images ) A talented artist, she shared her skills as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years, her obituary read. In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar. Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club. She was also a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augustas Annual White Christmas Parade. Zeilder went on to attend college in Louisville, Kentucky, before working as a bookkeeper. She married Norman Zeidler, a retired army captain, in 1987 in Augusta, Kentucky. Her younger brother also participated in the wedding as he read the scripture, while their aunt, Rosemary Clooney, sang a song for the newlyweds at the reception. Norman later died in 2004 of a heart attack. Over the years, Zeilder largely remained out of the public eye, but continued a close relationship with her brother despite his fame. She also attended his 2017 wedding to wife Amal Clooney in Venice, Italy, on September 27, 2014. In a 2012 interview with The Columbus Dispatch, she admitted how she communicated with her brother, choosing not to leave his phone number around in case the wrong person got hold of it. I wouldn't want to have it in my phone and then lose my phone, she said at the time. He can phone me, and he does occasionally, but email is more convenient for both of us. In addition to her parents, she leaves behind her beloved children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga and her husband, Kenny; her brother, George Clooney and his wife, Amal; and several uncles, aunts, and cousins, the obituary concluded. Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects around 2.5% of adults and 7% of children. It causes difficulties with attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. If unrecognised and untreated, ADHD can significantly impact educational and work achievements, and social and emotional wellbeing. It can also increase the risks of serious accidents and injuries, offending, mental illness and substance abuse. When accurately identified and appropriately treated, these negative outcomes can be significantly reduced. But as a recent article in the Medical Journal of Australia highlights, some people struggle to access and afford diagnoses and treatment for the disorder. Meanwhile, some popular social media channels that provide online tests for ADHD are sponsored by private clinics that, once you have screened positive, direct you to their sites for an online assessment. This has raised concern about potential over-diagnosis. So, what is ADHD diagnosis actually based on? A key component is functional impairment. Lets take a look at what that means. Why a brief assessment isnt enough In Australia, there are reports of business models where clinics are charging several thousand dollars for a quick, brief online assessment and diagnosis. These brief assessments dont comply with evidence-based guidelines and are problematic because they: focus solely on ADHD and dont attempt to assess other aspects of a persons difficulties rely heavily on information from the person being assessed and dont seek the opinions of significant others rely heavily on information about symptoms, gathered through questionnaires, and dont assess their impact on day-to-day functioning. This is important because a core requirement for a diagnosis of ADHD is evidence that the: symptoms must interfere significantly with social, academic, or occupational functioning. No matter how many symptoms you have, if theyre not having an impact on your day-to-day life, a diagnosis of ADHD shouldnt be made. So what is a comprehensive assessment? To make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD, a comprehensive assessment is needed. This includes a clinical interview to evaluate the current and past presence (or absence) of each of the 18 core ADHD symptoms and associated impairment. A key component is functional impairment ( Alamy/PA ) While there are scales such as the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale and the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule that can aid assessment, these are best used as conversation starters rather than stand-alone tools. A comprehensive assessment also includes a broader assessment for current mental and physical health problems, developmental history, personal and family mental health, substance use, addiction and, where appropriate, interactions with the justice system. This interview shouldnt be conducted as a simple tick-box exercise, with yes and no answers. A detailed interview is needed to explore and identify symptoms, and evaluate their impact on functioning. Its also strongly recommended the clinician hears from one or more people who can speak to the persons childhood and current functioning. What counts as functional impairment is very individual The diagnostic manuals dont give detailed accounts of what counts as significant enough impairment to be diagnosed with ADHD. This has led some commentators to complain that lack of a standardised definition could lead to over-diagnosis. But the impacts of ADHD are so broad it would be very difficult to formulate a clear, comprehensive and encompassing list of valid impairments. Such a list would also fail to capture the very personalised nature of these impairments. What is impairing for me may not be for you and vice versa. So a rigid definition would likely result in missed as well as mis-diagnoses. About the author David Coghill is the Financial Markets Foundation Chair of Developmental Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. How do clinicians determine if someone is impaired? Clinicians are very used to assessing the impact of symptoms on functioning. They do so for many other mental and physical health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Research has identified several common themes in ADHD: impaired romantic, peer and professional relationships parenting problems impaired educational and occupational achievements increased accidents and unintentional injuries driving offences broader offending substance use and abuse risky sexual behaviours ADHD symptoms are often associated with: emotional dysregulation exhausting levels of mental and physical restlessness low self-esteem fatigue high stress levels One caveat is that some people are receiving a lot of support and scaffolding or have found ways to compensate for their difficulties. Whether or not this should count as impairment depends on the circumstances and requires considerable thought. However, ADHD shouldnt be ruled out on the basis of high levels of achievement in certain aspects of life like school or work. A person may be under-achieving relative to their potential, or having to put in extreme levels of effort to keep afloat. An adult with ADHD, for example, may be excelling at work but by the end of the workday is too exhausted to do anything but sleep. They may also be experiencing impairments in other aspects of their lives that arent obvious unless specifically asked about. Others will present multiple impacts that, when explored, arent true functional impairments. So its crucial clinicians drill down into the details until theyre confident that it is or isnt a genuine impairment related to the core ADHD symptoms. Clinician training is essential The skill of accurately assessing impairments in ADHD is not difficult to train or learn. This is done by observing experienced clinicians and practising with structured protocols. Newly trained clinicians quickly become confident in assessing impairment and there is generally close agreement between different professionals about whether an ADHD diagnosis should be made. However, few health professionals currently get high-quality training in ADHD either during their core or more advanced training. This must change if were going to improve the accuracy of assessment and reduce missed and mis-diagnoses. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Louisiana authorities captured the third and final inmate who escaped from St. Landry Parish Jail following a weeks-long manhunt. In early December, three inmates all 20-somethings jailed on charges of a violent nature removed the mortar and concrete blocks of a deteriorating part of a jail wall, then used sheets and other materials to scale the side of the building, dropped to the first-floor roof, and escaped, the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office has said. The last remaining escapee, 24-year-old Keith Eli, was apprehended Friday without incident in Opelousas by narcotics detectives and SWAT, the sheriffs office said. Eli faces one count of attempted second-degree murder. Elis capture comes weeks after authorities apprehended Johnathan Jevon Joseph, 24, on December 8. Joseph had been jailed on charges of principal to first-degree rape, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, among other counts. Numerous tips and intelligence gathering led authorities to find the escapee, the sheriffs office said. Days earlier, Joseph Allen Harrington, a 26-year-old in custody on numerous felony counts, including home invasion and cruelty to juveniles, died by suicide after authorities found him, Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux told the Associated Press. open image in gallery Keith Eli, the last of the three inmates who escaped from St. Landry Parish Jail, was captured following a weeks-long manhunt, authorities said ( St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office ) A tipster had recognized Harrington, who was pushing an e-bike. Authorities found the e-bike at the home and then used a loudspeaker to urge the individual to come out of the house. They later heard a gunshot and authorities found his body inside with a hunting rifle, Boudreaux said. Authorities announced the inmates had escaped on December 3. Maj. Mark LeBlanc, of the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office, told the AP that he hadnt heard of anyone escaping from the jail in this manner before. These three were just a little more creative than in years past, he told the outlet. open image in gallery Three inmates escaped St. Landry Parish Jail by removing parts of the wall and then used sheets to scale the side of the building ( St. Landry Parish Government ) However, the three mens jailbreak came months after 10 inmates at another Louisiana jail the Orleans Justice Center in May. The group was able to open a faulty cell door inside the New Orleans-area jail, squeeze through a hole behind a toilet, and then scale a barbed-wire fence to freedom. They escaped in the early hours of May 16. Authorities found a message drawn around the hole: an arrow pointing at the gap and the words To Easy LoL. While nine of the escapees were captured within six weeks of their jailbreak, the final inmate who had the most violent criminal record of the group wasnt found until October. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Two Spirit Airlines employees were charged with theft after a passenger left behind her $500 Louis Vuitton wristlet. Olukunle Idowu, a 49-year-old Spirit Airlines supervisor, and another airline employee, Hyacinth Linton, 56, were charged with petit theft. The Miami Herald first reported the alleged theft. The incident occurred at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on October 19 when a passenger, about to board her Spirit Airlines flight to Austin, Texas, left behind her Louis Vuitton wristlet which the victim valued at $505 on the counter at the airport gate. The wristlet was given to Spirit employees working at the gate. Surveillance footage captured Idowu finding the wristlet three days later inside a drawer, took possession of it, and looked inside of it, court records say. Idowu then took the wristlet to another gate two down, where he took a full inventory of its contents. Linton then joined Idowu at the gate, where she poured the contents onto the gates counter. But within seconds, Idowu scoops those items into a plastic bag as Linton puts the wristlet deep inside her backpack, records say. Two Spirit Airlines employees face charges of theft over a $500 Louis Vuitton wristlet that a passenger at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport left behind ( Getty Images ) Idowu then discarded the plastic bag in the trash, according to the affidavit. Idowu was arrested on November 21 and has pleaded not guilty to a charge of petit theft valued at more than $100 and less than $750. No bond information appeared for Idowu but jail records suggest hes no longer in police custody. The Independent has contacted the Broward Sheriffs Office for more information. Linton was arrested on November 13. She posted a $500 bond and is no longer in custody. Shes not yet entered a plea after being charged with petit theft worth under $40. The Independent has reached out to the airline for comment. Spirit Airlines told the Miami Herald in a statement that one employee has been suspended and the other is on a leave of absence. We are aware that two employees were charged in November for an alleged theft, Spirit said in a statement. One employee has been suspended without pay, and the other is on a leave of absence. We are conducting a thorough investigation into this matter and will take further action as deemed necessary following the conclusion of our investigation. Spirit conducts background checks on all employees consistent with applicable law, the statement continued. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The former Cleveland officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 has been fired from his post as a ranger at a West Virginia resort community. Its the fourth known time in seven years that he left a small department following public backlash. Timothy Loehmann was fired Friday from his position at the Snowshoe Resort Community District. The districts board announced Loehmann's firing in a statement following their emergency meeting. Subodh Chandra, a Cleveland-based attorney for Rices family, said that Loehmanns determination to inflict himself on other people seems pathological. So does the craven poor judgment required by any public officials who hire him. Rice, who was Black, was playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland on Nov. 22, 2014, when he was shot and killed by Loehmann seconds after the officer and his partner arrived. The white officers told investigators Loehmann had shouted three times at Rice to raise his hands. The shooting sparked an outcry about police treatment of Black people and systemic racism, especially after a grand jury decided not to indict Loehmann or his partner. Cleveland settled a lawsuit over Rices death for $6 million. The city fired Loehmann for having lied on his application to become a police officer. Loehmann landed a part-time position with a police department in southeast Ohio in 2018. He withdrew his application days later after Rices mother and others criticized the hiring. He was sworn in as the lone police officer in Tioga, Pennsylvania, in 2022, and also left amid backlash following his hiring. Last year, he resigned from his position as a probationary officer in White Sulphur Springs City, West Virginia, and the police chief responsible for hiring him stepped down. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. The restaurateur behind Chin Chin and Grill Americano had big plans for the capital. His 150-seat venue, which snared a chefs hat shortly after opening, closed on the weekend. The newly opened Grill Americano is riding high as one of the hottest tickets in Sydney this summer, but elsewhere its owner, Melbourne restaurateur Chris Lucas, has scrapped his ambitious expansion plans for Canberra, selling his 14-month-old Carlotta restaurant. The 150-seat Carlotta, which snared a chefs hat shortly after opening, closed on the weekend. The restaurant will reopen next year as Hunter and Barrel, after Lucas sold the restaurants lease to Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, which is keen to establish a wider footprint in the nations capital. Carlottas vibe was described as a mix of downtown New York and Melbourne Italian. Dominic Lorrimer Lucas had grand plans for Canberra: a French bistro and Asian concept were set to follow the launch of the Mediterranean-focused Carlotta as part of a three-pronged restaurant push. But he became frustrated by a lack of progress on the development at the Scotts Crossing precinct in Canberras CBD. We havent been able to secure suitable sites to support our multi-venue model, Lucas said. Lucas operates a stable of restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney, which include the Asian-influenced venue Chin Chin and fine diner Society. Hes sold two businesses over his three decade career South Yarras Botanical Hotel in 2007 and One Fitzroy in St Kilda in 2004 and closed several to make way for new Lucas concepts, including Pearl. Kong remains closed without a clear future. Advertisement NationalQueenslandTraffic incident Horror start to weekend on Qld roads: Three dead, three charged in separate traffic incidents Updated December 22, 2025 4:37pm ,first published December 21, 2025 8:03pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A A horror weekend on Queensland roads has included three people being killed in crashes on Saturday and three men being charged for dangerous driving in separate incidents. An elderly man died in one incident north of Brisbane after his car drove off a bridge and crashed into a river. Emergency services were called to Bauple Woolooga Road in Gunidah on the Fraser Coast, about 220 kilometres north of Brisbane, after a Subaru Forester had veered off the road and careered into the Mary River. Saturday saw several traffic crashes, which tragically included three fatalities. Queensland Police Members of the public went into the river to try and save the driver, a 71-year-old man, but police divers eventually found him dead in the car. Advertisement It came after two crashes in different parts of the state claimed the lives of two other people. Related Article Tragedy Child hit by freight train at station in Brisbanes north Emergency services were called to a crash in North Isis, south of Bundaberg, after reports a Holden Commodore and a Nissan X-Trail collided at Childers Road just after midday. The sole passenger of the Nissan, an 87-year-old woman from Apple Tree Creek, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. The driver of each car, an 82-year-old man in the Nissan and a 17-year-old boy in the Holden, were taken to Bundaberg Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement The other crash involved a Toyota RAV4 colliding with a tree in Aubigny, just outside of Toowoomba, about 1.30pm. Related Article Traffic Watch: Police car crashes at major intersection in Brisbane Police arrived on the scene at Oakey Pittsworth Road and found the car, driven by a 74-year-old woman, had left the road. She suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. Investigations into all three crashes are ongoing, and anyone with information on the fatal incidents are urged to contact police. Advertisement In another incident on Friday, man was charged with dangerous driving and attempted armed robbery, among several offences, after a crime spree across Brisbanes south. Police say from about 9.30pm, Polair began tracking silver BMW 318i driving dangerously around Kessels Road in Nathan, which then drove to the Sunnybank and Sunnybank Hills areas, where officers successfully deployed a tyre-deflation device in Robertson at 10.57pm. The vehicle then stopped a short time later in a shopping centre car park on Mains Road in Sunnybank, after which the 28-year-old male driver from New South Wales allegedly fled the vehicle on foot armed with a knife. In a statement, Queensland police said the man then entered a vehicle, an Audi A3, located nearby, threatening a man and a woman inside in an attempt to steal their vehicle but that the pair were not physically injured. Officers arrived at the scene a short time later where they located the man inside the Audi, police said. Advertisement It is alleged the man presented a knife resulting in firearm and taser presentation by officers. After being disarmed by police, the man allegedly violently resisted arrest. No serious injuries were reported, and the man was taken into custody. Related Article Explainer Roads It takes just one driver to start a phantom jam. Can you avoid them? After being charged with eight offences including one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful entry of vehicle for committing indictable offence at night whilst armed, armed robbery, serious assault of a police officer, possessing dangerous drugs, counterfeit money and failing to provide specimen of breath or blood for analysis he was remanded in custody and is due to reappear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 27 January. On Saturday, a Moreton Bay man was charged over a serious traffic crash in Deception Bay on Saturday night. Advertisement Around 7.20pm, a black Nissan Navara was travelling along Phillip Parade, between Bundaberg Street and Nambour Court, when it struck a pedestrian, police said in a statement. The driver and sole occupant of the Nissan allegedly fled the scene in the vehicle. However, he later turned himself in at a police station. The pedestrian, a 21-year-old Newport woman was transported to Royal Brisbane Hospital in a serious but stable condition, police said. A 49-year-old Clontarf man has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and driving under the influence of liquor. Advertisement He will appear at Redcliffe Magistrates Court on February 3, 2026. Earlier, on Saturday afternoon, another man driving dangerously allegedly caused a crash on the Gold Coast. He has since been charged over the incident. About 4.20pm, police allegedly saw a grey Peugeot driving dangerously on Dreamworld Parkway at Coomera. While attempting to intercept the vehicle, police lost sight of it before it allegedly sped off towards Helensvale. A short time later, police were called to reports of a two-vehicle traffic crash involving the same Peugeot and a white Ford van on Hope Island Road, Helensvale, a police statement read. Advertisement It is alleged the driver of the Peugeot, a 35-year-old Bellbird Park man, then fled the scene on foot while his passenger, a 56-year-old Bellbird Park man, remained in the vehicle. The driver and sole occupant of the Ford, a 29-year-old Robina man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition. The driver of the Peugeot was found nearby and arrested. He was charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, being adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, driving under the influence of liquor and failing to remain at and incident and rendering assistance. He is due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on January 8, 2026. Police are appealing to anyone with relevant information, CCTV or dashcam vision regarding either dangerous driving incident to contact them. With Nine News Visa and Mastercard have agreed to pay $167.5 million to settle a long-running class action lawsuit. The suit, which was first filed back in October 2011, accused the two major credit card companies of conspiring to keep ATM fees artificially high. Most Read from Fast Company If approved, the proposed settlement filed on Thursday in Washington will bring an end to almost fourteen years of vigorously contested litigation. The lawsuit alleged that both Visa and Mastercard participated in an unlawful conspiracy to block independent ATM operators from offering lower prices. The settlement, if approved, will have Visa and Mastercard pay millions to ATM users who say they were charged an unreimbursed access fee to withdraw cash from independent non-bank ATMs. Per a Guardian report, Visa is set to pay 53% of the settlement ($88.8 million) while Mastercard will contribute 47% ($78.7 million). Attorneys for the plaintiffs called the settlement an excellent result in light of the risks of continued prosecution. Attorneys for the defendants did not immediately reply to a Fast Company request for comment. Last year, Visa and Mastercard also agreed to pay $197.5 million to ATM users who claimed they were overcharged at bank-operated ATMs. At the time, the plaintiffs attorneys said the settlement will deliver immediate and assured relief. That settlement followed a 2021 settlement in which major bankssuch as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargoagreed to pay $66 million to settle similar claims. Still, the lawsuits against the two major credit card companies are not over, as a third lawsuit, launched by independent ATM owners and operators, is pending against the companies. The rules prevent ATM operators from passing on the savings to cardholders when their ATM transactions are handled by an ATM network other than Visa or Mastercard, Jonathan Rubin, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in 2023 when announcing that the lawsuit would continue to move forward. At the time, he added that the suit will ask the court to eliminate rules that all but eliminate competition. Despite Thursdays settlement, the companies have denied any wrongdoing. This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com Subscribe to get the Fast Company newsletter: http://fastcompany.com/newsletters Advertisement Exclusive NationalVictoriaCity life Does somebody have to die? Fury over dangerous roundabout that gave grandma two black eyes Rachael Ward December 22, 2025 5:35am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Veronica Smillie is struck by pangs of fear and flashbacks every time she needs to duck to the local shops. The 79-year-old was in pain for weeks after an accident near a Kew roundabout that deeply affected her and left her furious that it could happen to other vulnerable people. Kew residents feel unsafe crossing at the Willsmere Village roundabout. Simon Schluter This is the thing that worries me: does somebody have to die? Ms Smillie said. I minimise how often I have to come up because the accident is always there with you. Smillies accident involved one of the 12,000 vehicles that use Earl Street every day, a busy feeder road to and from the Eastern Freeway and Chandler Highway. Advertisement Vehicles come past every 2.6 seconds in the morning peak, according to Boroondara Council, but there are no traffic lights at Willsmere Village shopping strip where Smillie was injured. Instead, pedestrians are forced to read the traffic and quickly move across slim islands when they can. Smillie was already in the middle of the road when she noticed a car hurtling towards her. She rushed to avoid it, but fell and smashed her head on a footpath in November 2023. Kew resident Veronica Smillie after an accident at Willsmere Village roundabout. The driver was apologetic, but she never got his details or filed a police report, she said. She hit her head on the ground and blacked out. We could be talking about her death right now, her daughter Emma said through tears. Advertisement Related Article City life Smashing the bronze ceiling: New statue planned for female pioneer in Kew Im a fit person, and Im scared crossing the road, let alone trying to do it with my kids, with my brother who is in a wheelchair, or my mum now thats elderly. The council said seven crashes were reported at the roundabout including three deemed serious between 2020 to 2024, but many locals believe the true total number of injuries, unreported crashes and near misses is much higher. One person involved in a collision between a motorbike and car at the roundabout was transported to hospital for treatment as recently as Thursday afternoon. More than 900 people signed a petition earlier this year calling to improve pedestrian safety at Earl Street and Willsmere Road, a community centre with a supermarket, petrol station, retail stores and cafes. Advertisement Loading Primary school zoning cuts diagonally across Earl Street, so some students have to cross it every day, while a heatmap from exercise app Strava shows the roundabout is also popular with cyclists. The community is divided because its so difficult to get across, petition organiser Sandy Iyngkaran said. I think the drivers do try to do the right thing, but it just does get really, really busy. Advertisement Boroondara councillor and former mayor Sophie Torney worries its just a matter of time before the next nasty accident, as the roundabout is about to get even busier. It borders the outer edge of the Kew Junction activity centre, which allows three-storey dwellings. Since 2021, the department said that the intersection needed to be upgraded to a signalised crossing for safety, and then it kind of went backwards, and we were told nothing to see here, Torney said. We were told it was in a pipeline, there wasnt an indication of what kind of timing that would be. Theres a signalised crossing closer to the freeway at Princess Street, but nothing again on Earl Street until High Street, a two-kilometre stretch that includes four bus stops. Advertisement Up to 22,000 vehicles are expected to travel beyond those lights at Princess Street to Willsmere Road by 2036, according to a North East Link 2019 traffic and transport technical report, which predicted a similar level of traffic there, regardless of whether the project was built. The council applied for funds through the federal Black Spots Program in the past six weeks without detailed costs, but Torney expected it would be in the order of a few million dollars. If federal black spot funding came through, I can imagine that would start to shift this intersection up a level in the pipeline, she said. Veronica Smillie was injured near the roundabout at Willsmere Village in Kew. Simon Schluter Councillor Michael Nolan said that although Earl Street is a state road, the council proposes getting rid of the roundabout and replacing it with a standard intersection, including traffic lights. Advertisement This is not a problem thats going to go away, he said. Opposition leader and Kew MP Jess Wilson raised safety concerns in parliament four times in the last year. This intersection has become increasingly dangerous due to rising traffic levels and inadequate pedestrian safety measures, she said. I continue to hear about too many near-misses. She wrote to Roads Minister Melissa Horne, who responded to say that the Department of Transport and Planning assessed the intersection in early August 2025. The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) receives many requests each year and all requests are considered and evaluated on a statewide basis with consideration given to various factors, Horne said in the letter, seen by The Age. Advertisement A Victorian government spokesperson said the department would continue working with the council to monitor pedestrian safety at the intersection and consider necessary improvements. A spokesperson for federal Transport and Local Government Minister Catherine King said applications to the Black Spots Program would be considered in 2026, and pointed to two other programs that provide money for local roads. Any upgrade to the intersection cant come soon enough for Smillie, who can still drive but says her accident left her feeling like something has been taken away from her. Im not asking for a Big Build, Im asking for a traffic light, she said. I get quietly angry inside because I think, how close do you have to get to being hit and either being killed or having numerous injuries? Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalVictoriaBondi shooting Grief and defiance as Melbourne women gather for Bondi vigil Ashleigh McMillan and Roy Ward December 21, 2025 3:15pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Follow our live coverage of the Bondi shooting here Looking around at the sea of women dressed in white, Ginette Searle said she was still in deep mourning after Jewish people were targeted and slain in the Bondi terror attack: Were all feeling it, as if it happened to us. But this community is strong, the former CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia said. We will hold each other up, and we know that the broader community will also hold us up that gives us some comfort. Women in Caulfield North watch a livestream of a memorial event in Bondi on Sunday. Penny Stephens Seven days on from the horror that claimed the lives of 15 people, conversation at the gathering in Melbourne on Sunday morning repeatedly turned to the Jewish traditional of shiva a week-long intense grieving period to remember the dead, starting immediately after their funerals. Advertisement The common expression is sitting shiva being perched on a small stool for seven days and seven nights, low-spirited and in quiet remembrance of your loved ones. So there sat 100 women in white on Sunday morning. Quiet. Reflective. United in their grief and fiery resolve to ensure an attack like the Bondi shooting never happens again. The group had gathered in Caulfield North to watch the livestream of a vigil at Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on Sunday morning, organised by the National Council of Jewish Women Australia. Women from all backgrounds gather at Bondi Beach to mark one week since the Hanukkah terror attack and honour the victims. Jessica Hromas Outside the pavilion, a procession of mourners delicately placed single-stemmed flowers one by one, before retreating into the arms of family and friends nearby. Advertisement Attendees from across the political spectrum attended the Sydney womens vigil, including senior Labor MPs Tanya Plibersek and Michelle Rowland, Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh, independent MPs Monique Ryan and Zali Steggall, and Govenor-General Sam Mostyn. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek (third from right) attends the womens gathering at Bondi Beach. Jessica Hromas The images from Sydney opened up a window of connection and shared grief with the women listening quietly from Melbourne. When those who had gathered were encouraged to share a gesture of peace with the person next to them, strangers and loved ones alike embraced, tears springing to their eyes. Hands stretched out across aisles and over seat backs as people hoped to find the warmth and solidarity of another person carrying the same awful sorrow. Inside me is a jumble of emotions. Its a combination of anger, grief, despair and defiance, Liora Miller, vice president of the womens council, said from the Melbourne event. Advertisement Liora Miller, vice president of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia, speaks on Sunday. Penny Stephens Ive sort of prevented myself from thinking too deeply about what happened because I would just want to curl into a ball; its just too terrible. Related Article Bondi shooting Bondi shooting as it happened: Albanese jeered at Bondi vigil; day of reflection ends with emotional service; PMs intelligence review lashed by critics So weve just spent this week doing what we can as an organisation to support our community and speak to wider Australia, and we say enough is enough you cannot continue to allow this to happen on your watch. Sunday mornings vigil of about 100 Melbourne women from Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds was part the National Day of Reflection for the victims of the Bondi terror attack. Advertisement Australians were encouraged to light a candle at 6.47pm, exactly a week since shots rang out at Bondi Beach. With Sunday representing the final night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, young people gathered at Federation Square on Sunday evening for the Pillars of Light event to share doughnuts, spin the four-sided tops known as dreidels and light menorah candles. Melbourne pauses to remember victims Premier Jacinta Allan and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece joined members of the Jewish community at the festival, for the lighting of the Menorah and for the moment of silence at 6.47pm. Allan and Reece also joined the prayers and dancing. Jacinta Allan joins the Jewish community as the menorah is lit at the Pillars of Light festival in Federation Square. Chris Hopkins Advertisement Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, the director of the festival, said Allan was attending for the second time. The premier called me up and said Rabbi Gabi, Im coming, but I dont need to talk, I dont need the pulpit, I just want to be there and be with your community, Kaltmann said. We are heartened to have that support [from political leaders] and from everyday Australians Ive had so many come up to me in person, at the shops or have reached out via email or text. We are thankful for that support. A number of Victorian landmarks also lit up honouring the Bondi attack victims including the Arts Centre, Bolte Bridge and Federation Square. In a moment of hope, a man successfully proposed to his now fiancee after the ceremony. Advertisement A concert to dispel the darkness and unite in song will also take place at Glen Eira Town Hall on Sunday night. Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson attended the Caulfield North gathering on Sunday morning and said that one week on from the Bondi attack, the sadness of Australias Jewish community was immense but the sense of community [and] togetherness was stronger than ever. Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson (right) at the event in Caulfield North. Penny Stephens Miller said it was long past time for Premier Jacinta Allan to act and take credible warnings of increasing antisemitism seriously. When hatred is allowed to fester, when intimidation goes unchecked, when clear lines are not drawn, a tragedy becomes just a matter of time, not a possibility, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Updated PoliticsFederalBondi shooting Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to be reviewed after Bondi attack Stephanie Peatling and Natassia Chrysanthos Updated December 21, 2025 8:00pm ,first published 12:12pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead a review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to examine their performance in the lead-up to last Sundays Bondi Beach terrorist attack. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Sunday that the review would be based in his department and be made publicly available when it is finalised in April 2026, staving off the Coalitions calls for a royal commission to interrogate any federal failures. Former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson will lead a review into federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Andrew Meares The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack, Albanese said in a statement released late on Sunday morning. The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond. Advertisement The announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese lent his support to a state-based royal commission, after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead-up to the events of last Sunday. Related Article Updated Bondi shooting Labor races to write new laws targeting hate preachers over Christmas Calls for a national royal commission, led by the federal opposition and other MPs including Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, have grown over the past week. But government ministers have played down the need for such an investigation, saying it would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement. Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said on Saturday that a federal investigation should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community, but have broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission. The opposition is also escalating its campaign for a national inquiry, and will on Monday outline the 25 terms of reference it wants for a broader royal commission into antisemitism in Australia. Advertisement In addition to investigating the circumstances of the Bondi attack, the Coalition wants a royal commission to probe antisemitism in universities, the arts and cultural sector, the Australian Human Rights Commission, and media reporting about Israel and the Middle East. It wants to investigate the effectiveness of prevention programs related to Islamic extremism; whether immigration policy is stopping people with antisemitic views coming to Australia; security at places of worship; school education; and the role of social media platforms in facilitating extremism. A state inquiry is fine but insufficient, only a Commonwealth royal commission can deliver real accountability, said Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. If the prime minister does not confront the causes of the Bondi massacre with honesty and resolve, the victims of this terrorist attack and their families will be denied the justice they deserve. Nothing is off limits. No institution is beyond scrutiny. Antisemitism is not a state problem. It is a national failure. That is why this inquiry looks across every level of government and every part of civil society. Advertisement The governments new review builds on announcements already made by the federal government over the past week in response to the attack, including the biggest gun buyback since the Port Arthur massacre almost 30 years ago, work with the states to impose strict limits on the number of guns a person can own, and a five-point plan to combat antisemitism. Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the federal governments response, said on social media platform X that the internal departmental review of law enforcement and intelligence agencies was wholly inadequate. To use an Australian colloquialism its bullshit. Its weak, its wrong, its an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect. View post on X Nationals leader David Littleproud told Sky News he believed Albanese did not want a federal royal commission because of what it might uncover. We should look at the failings of decisions made at a political level, at intelligence levels. And many of these agencies are at a federal level, he said. Advertisement Related Article Bondi shooting Anthony Albanese backs Chris Minns call for state-based inquiry into Bondi shooting Minns would not be drawn on the issue. Were holding one in NSW. We think its absolutely important that we do that. Whether it happens at the Commonwealth level or not is a matter for the Commonwealth government, he told Channel Nines Today program. But theyve said that their agencies and organisations will be available to whatever state-based inquiry takes place. Albanese said on Sunday that the intelligence and law enforcement review would build on previous work done on the Independent Intelligence Review. Richardson has served as secretary of both the Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade departments as well as Australias ambassador to the United States. Advertisement The national security committee of cabinet continued to meet over the weekend and cabinet will reconvene on Monday. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement WorldAsiaBondi shooting Not good people: Philippine mosques to be plastered with Bondi gunmens images Zach Hope December 21, 2025 7:21pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Davao City: Pictures of the Bondi gunmen will be plastered on at least 70 mosques in the Philippine city of Davao as local Muslim leaders seek to flush out information about what the father and son got up to in a month-long visit before killing 15 people in Australia. Brandishing an A4 printout of Sajid and Naveed Akrams images and their basic details on Sunday, the Davao regions most senior Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Yusop Pasigan, told this masthead the men were no good not good people and that his community members needed to call police with any information. Sheikh Muhammad Yusop Pasigan in his office in Davao City with a printout about the Bondi shooters. Zach Hope We will post this above the doors of our mosques, front and back, he said. One of the other measures being implemented is, if there are newcomers at the mosques, we will get their details and identification. If they resist and [cause trouble], we will call [local emergency number] 911. Advertisement The Akrams movements during their supposedly brief excursions outside their budget hotel room in Davao from November 1 to November 28 are at the centre of a multipronged investigation by Philippine authorities, which has so far turned up only a handful of CCTV images. Related Article Bondi shooting Inside the dusty Philippine hotel room where Bondi gunmen holed up for a month The Philippines National Police confirmed Sajid, 50, visited one of the citys many gun shops. They also confirmed other vision captured on a street camera of the pair appearing to be exercising in a slow jog and walk around an area of the hotel. Another video, first broadcast by the ABC, appeared to show Naveed, 24, walking very early in the morning near the hotel. A police spokesperson on Sunday had no information about a News Corp report suggesting that one line of inquiry was a visit by two other Sydney men in Davao City that overlapped with some of the Akrams stay. Though it is off the typical tourist trail, Australian tourists are commonplace in Davao. Many of them visit the city as part of surfing trips to the famed break of Siargao Island off Mindanaos north. Advertisement Davao, like the Philippines, is mostly Catholic, but it is also the largest city on the Island of Mindanao, where Islamist militants have been historically active in places accessible by road. Homemade Islamic State flags were discovered in the car the Akrams used to travel to Bondi Beach for their December 14 shooting attack. The Philippines government hit back last week at media reports that it believed portrayed Mindanao as a hub of violent extremism and terrorist training grounds, saying Islamic State-inspired groups had been fragmented, deprived of leadership, and operationally degraded. A view of a mosque in Davao, the major city on the island of Mindanao. Getty Images Staff at the GV Hotel, where the Akrams stayed for 27 days, said the men only left their room for one or two hours each day. If correct, this would mean they could not have travelled far from Davao, if at all. Asked if there were extremist Islamist elements within the city itself, Sheikh Pasigan said he had no information. Advertisement Related Article Bondi shooting What we know about the Bondi terrorists trip to Islamic State hotspot in the Philippines He said he was scheduled to meet with another senior Islamic leader soon to share information and discuss ways to get information about the Bondi shooters into the Muslim community. He also suggested the leadership could conduct its own investigation to feed to police. Regional police director Leon Victor Rosete said on Sunday that investigators were still conducting backtracking operations to identify any people the Akrams interacted with and to assess possible links for support networks. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement Analysis WorldEuropeEpstein fallout Sex toys and shotguns: What happened when Andrew invited Epstein to Sandringham Robert Jobson December 22, 2025 8:27am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Am I right in thinking you threw a birthday party for Epsteins girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell at Sandringham? journalist Emily Maitlis asked during her BBC Newsnight interview with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. No, it was a shooting weekend, he replied curtly. A shooting weekend just a straightforward shooting weekend. Prince Andrew now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lies across several women at Sandringham in a newly released photograph. US Department of Justice Straightforward. The word lingered uncomfortably. Shocked household staff had a different account entirely. For that December 2000 weekend, which marked Maxwells 39th birthday, defied conventional description. Advertisement As I disclosed in my latest book, The Windsor Legacy, staff encountered shocking discoveries in the bathrooms. Gift baskets. Not filled with luxury soaps or guest amenities, as they were when Prince Charles hosted a shooting weekend. Instead, they contained sex drugs, toys and lubricant. Poppers amyl nitrite, aphrodisiac substances and exotic condoms, too. Not concealed discreetly. They were distributed to the guest rooms, there on arrival, like party bags. Clearly somebody presumably the host had sanctioned the risque handout. Andrew walks with then Prince Charles and other members of the royal family to attend a Christmas service at St Marys church on the grounds of Sandringham Estate in 2011. AP In an instant, he had turned Queen Elizabeths private Norfolk estate where she would be spending Christmas weeks later into his royal version of Hugh Hefners Playboy mansion. Insiders said the bathroom baskets that were all used when the poor royal maids had to clear up exposed the weekends authentic character before Andrew could reframe events. Advertisement After all, Sandringham represented everything the Queen valued. It was her Christmas refuge, and the private estate where her grandfather, George V, had delivered his first wireless broadcast in 1932. It was where the family assembled after Christmas lunch; where protocol mattered absolutely. The Queen (background centre) and Prince Philip sit with their children, Prince Edward (left), Princess Anne (background), Prince Charles (foreground) and Prince Andrew (right) at Sandringham in 1969. AP This was the royal property where she would observe her accession anniversary annually, returning quietly to where her cherished father George VI passed away in 1952. Yet, when granted access, Andrew abused the privilege. Advertisement It has all come to light, as a photograph has now emerged from the so-called Epstein files documents, published by the US Department of Justice, which represent the largest release of information so far on Jeffrey Epstein, a paedophile later convicted of sex trafficking, and his high-profile associates. The photo shows the former prince Andrew (now stripped of his royal titles) in black tie, reclining across multiple womens laps. His eyes are shut, yet he is beaming in the saloon room at Sandringham. Maxwell towers above, gazing downward, grinning. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell with ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein. AP The womens identities remain obscured. Yet convicted sex trafficker Maxwell persists. Currently serving 20 years in prison in the United States, she remains identifiable. Andrew, given the run of the place for a weekend, repurposed it for organised debauchery. Advertisement He was your guest, as well, in 2000, Maitlis pursued in her Newsnight interview. Epstein was a guest at Windsor Castle and at Sandringham. He was brought right into the heart of the royal family at your invitation. Related Article Epstein fallout Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump and the case of the missing photograph Andrew, odious and pompous, attempted redirection. Certainly, at my invitation, not at the royal familys invitation. But remember that it was his girlfriend that was the key element in this. He was the, as it were, plus-one, to some extent. Andrew tried to blindside her with spurious palace protocol. A plus-one. More nonsense, as documentation from the Dance of the Decades an event held at Windsor Castle to celebrate several landmark birthdays in the royal family that June revealed otherwise. Maxwell and Epstein received separate invitations, as only married or engaged couples are guests in their own right to royal properties. Yet the unmarried couple was given access to the inner sanctum by Andrew. This was anything but a straightforward shooting party. Advertisement Under normal circumstances, when Charles organised shoots at Sandringham, participants were often affluent, titled landowners such as the late Gerald Grosvenor, sixth Duke of Westminster; Nicholas Soames, a member of the House of Lords, and Sir Nicholas Bacon, former politician and philanthropist, were also regulars with their wives. But for them, the only extras put out in their bathrooms were special soaps and bath oils from Highgrove. Drawing-room drinks would feature staples such as sloe gin, whisky and sherry. Etiquette and continuity were observed. King Charles and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, at Sandringham earlier this year. PA/AP Another regular was Tino, the late and exiled King Constantine of Greece. He unnerved the other guns, by dangerously swinging through the line moving past the target before firing a cardinal sin on a shoot. He wouldnt stand and bow when first meeting the then Prince Charles, unlike the other guests because he was a king and outranked him, technically. But on Andrews December 2000 shoot, it was very different. The guests mirrored Andrews louche circle. The gift baskets indicated the gatherings nature beyond dispute. Advertisement Andrew possessed access rights to Sandringham as Duke of York. Rights differ from ownership. The Queen held the title. Yet the financial aspect bears examination. Who approved the bathroom baskets? It is still unknown, but somebody signed it off. Sex toys and poppers werent, clearly, routine provisions. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured in 2021, has been stripped of his royal titles. AP Epstein had bankrolled Andrew before, funding yacht trips to Thailand where they were photographed with topless women. Andrew conducted himself as though Sandringham was his private domain, and sources saying he was more bumptious than ever. Advertisement Related Article Epstein fallout Girls as young as 14 recruited for sexual massages, second batch of Epstein files reveals He defiled a cherished dwelling. Exploited privilege for excess. Household staff there were appalled. Sandringham embodied their principles. Andrew damaged its standing. The gift baskets in the bathrooms were bad enough. Robert Jobson is an author, broadcaster and former royal correspondent with three decades on the front line of reporting on the royal family. The Telegraph, London Advertisement Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaUSA Piracy: US seizes oil tanker off Venezuela to enforce Trumps blockade December 21, 2025 12:05pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A The United States has seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, in what the South American nation has called a serious act of international piracy. The seizure, confirmed by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday AEDT, comes just days after US President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in a meeting with US President Donald Trump. AP Noem confirmed the Coast Guard seized a tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. It marks the second time in recent weeks that the US has seized a tanker near Venezuela and it comes amid a large US military build-up in the region. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region, Noem said in a statement posted to social media. We will find you, and we will stop you. Advertisement A statement from the Venezuelan government said the US actions were criminal and would not go unpunished, vowing to take it up with the United Nations Security Council and other multilateral organisations and governments. Photos from US Department of Homeland Security X page, allegedly showing: This morning United States Coast Guard in coordination with the Department of War executed a lightning strike operation to seize the Motor Tanker Centuries, which is suspected of carrying oil subject to US sanctions. X @DHSgov The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically denounces and rejects the theft and hijacking of another private vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, as well as the enforced disappearance of its crew, perpetrated by United States military personnel in international waters, the statement said. British maritime risk management company Vanguard said the vessel was believed to be the Panama-flagged Centuries, which was intercepted east of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. A photo from the US Department of Homeland Securitys X page, allegedly showing: This morning United States Coast Guard in coordination with the Department of War executed a lightning strike operation to seize the Motor Tanker Centuries, which is suspected of carrying oil subject to US sanctions. X @DHSgov Advertisement Jeremy Paner, a partner at Washington DC law firm Hughes Hubbard and a former Office of Foreign Assets Control investigator, said the vessel had not been sanctioned by the US. The seizure of a vessel that is not sanctioned by the US marks a further increase in Trumps pressure on Venezuela, Paner said. It also runs counter to Trumps statement that the US would impose a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers. The action was a consented boarding, with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing US forces to board it, according to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters at an event commemorating the Battle of Santa Isabel earlier in December. AP Trump last week said he was ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela. Advertisement In the days since US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, there has been an effective embargo in place, with loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil staying in Venezuelan waters, rather than risk seizure. Since the first seizure, Venezuelan crude exports have fallen sharply. While many vessels picking up oil in Venezuela are under sanctions, others transporting the countrys oil and crude from Iran and Russia have not been sanctioned, and some companies, particularly US-based Chevron, transport Venezuelan oil in their own authorised ships. Related Article Venezuela crisis Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers into Venezuela Since the US imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, traders and refiners buying Venezuelan oil have resorted to a shadow fleet of tankers that disguise their location, and to vessels sanctioned for transporting Iranian or Russian oil. Advertisement Centuries, which loaded in Venezuela under the false name Crag and is part of the dark fleet, was carrying some 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey crude oil bound for China, according to internal documents from state oil company PDVSA, the oils seller. China is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude, which accounts for roughly 4 per cent of its imports, with shipments in December on track to average more than 600,000 barrels per day, analysts have said. For now, the oil market is well supplied and there are millions of barrels of oil on tankers off the coast of China waiting to offload. If the embargo stays in place for some time then oil prices might rise. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at a rally in Caracas earlier in December. AP As of this week, of more than 70 oil tankers in Venezuelan waters that are part of the shadow fleet, about 38 are under sanctions by the US Treasury, according to data from TankerTrackers.com. Advertisement In recent months the US has sent a fleet of warships to the region, the largest build-up of forces in generations, and Trump has stated repeatedly that land attacks are coming soon. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has alleged that the US military build-up is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of the OPEC nations oil resources, the worlds largest crude reserves. Related Article Blood Oil The British expat tracking Russias shadow fleet from his Singapore deck White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said in an interview with Vanity Fair published last week that Trump wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle. Amid accusations from Venezuela of piracy, US lawmakers have moved to bring back privateers, authorised by government-issued letters of marque, to ply the trade of piracy in service of their country by targeting enemy ships, The Washington Post reported. Advertisement Bloomberg, Reuters, AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: USA Venezuela crisis Venezuela Oil AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 19, 2025 -- Continue Reading 2026 Jeep Gladiator Sahara offers bold design, refined comfort, and authentic capability for every adventure. Sahara trim joins the Jeep Gladiator lineup, honoring the Sahara nameplate introduced in 1988 Distinctive exterior design featuring body-color fender flares and body-color three-piece hardtop, standard LED headlamps and fog lamps 18-inch aluminum wheels with all-season tires for confident traction on pavement or trail, plus an option to upgrade to all-terrain tires at no cost (late availability) Interior boasts premium McKinley leather-trimmed seats with heated front seats and heated steering wheel, 7-inch driver cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen MSRP of $2,210 from a typically equipped Sport S, representing a 53 percent value add The Jeep brand is expanding its legendary Jeep Gladiator lineup as it welcomes the Saraha trim for the first time, delivering a new blend of authentic Jeep capability and everyday comfort. Inspired by the Sahara nameplate, which first appeared in 1988, the 2026 Jeep Gladiator Sahara offers a bold look and practical features for drivers who want rugged strength with a refined edge. The Jeep Gladiator Sahara combines Jeep brand's go-anywhere spirit with features designed for year-round versatility. From its distinctive body-color accents to its comfort-focused interior, this new trim is engineered for those who demand capability without sacrificing convenience. Key standard features include: Body-color fender flares and body-color three-piece hardtop 18-inch aluminum wheels with all-season tires for confident traction on pavement or trail, plus an option to upgrade to all-terrain tires at no cost (late availability) McKinley leather-trimmed seating surfaces, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, 7-inch driver cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen LED headlamps and fog lamps, remote start and remote keyless entry, plus advanced tech for connectivity and control The 2026 Jeep Gladiator Sahara trim is available to order now, starting at $47,125 (excluding $1,995 destination), which includes $4,685 in content from a Gladiator Sport S, for only $2,210 MSRP (53 percent value add). Customers can build and price their Gladiator Sahara at Jeep.com or visit their local Jeep dealer. Jeep Brand For nearly 85 years, Jeep has been a global leader in SUVs, delivering legendary off-road capability, advanced technology and exceptional versatility for those who seek fun and adventure. With a commitment to innovation, the Jeep brand offers a diverse lineup of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, hybrid technology and all-electric drivetrains. Built on a heritage of freedom, adventure, authenticity and passion, Jeep continues to set the standard for rugged and refined vehicles designed to conquer it all. Follow Jeep and company news and video on: Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com Jeep brand: www.jeep.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeep Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/jeep YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA SOURCE Stellantis CHICAGO, Dec. 19, 2025 -- The Chicago Auto Show has partnered once again with the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago to provide exhibitors, media and attendees with exclusive room rates for the 2026 show, taking place Feb. 7-16 at McCormick Place. The 2026 Chicago Auto Show promises a more immersive experience with the debut of Chi-Town Alley, a vibrant showcase of Chicago's car culture. Popular events like the Miles Per Hour Run, Automotive Career Day and Friday Night Flights return, along with expanded specialty exhibits such as Overlanding Chicago and the Family Zone, reinforcing the show's commitment to a dynamic, hands-on experience. Conveniently connected to the McCormick Place convention center, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place offers direct indoor access to the show floor. Guests can enjoy multiple onsite dining options, many offering discounts for Chicago Auto Show overnight guests, along with modern guestrooms and sweeping views of the Chicago skyline. The negotiated room rate for the Chicago Auto Show block is $198. The negotiated rate for First Look for Charity, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, is $176. Internet and health club/pool access is included with the price of the room. "We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with the Chicago Auto Show," said Matthew Schalk, General Manager of Hyatt Regency McCormick Place-Chicago. "With unmatched convenience and comfort just steps from the show floor, we are proud to host Chicago Auto Show attendees and look forward to providing a seamless, welcoming stay throughout this exciting event." Hotel rates are subject to availability and booking deadlines. All rates are net non-commissionable and neither the hotel nor the auto show will pay commissions on these rates. There is a 72-hour cancellation policy to avoid a one-night room and tax charge. For more information and to make a reservation, visit www.chicagoautoshow.com/show-information/hotel/. For more information on the 2026 Chicago Auto Show or First Look for Charity, please visit ChicagoAutoShow.com. About the Chicago Auto Show First staged in 1901, the Chicago Auto Show is the nation's longest running auto exposition in North America. The show is produced by the Chicagoland's new-car dealer association, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, which has staged the show since 1935. The 2026 public show is Feb. 7-16 at McCormick Place. For more information and the latest updates, visit ChicagoAutoShow.com. About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904 and located in Oakbrook Terrace, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information, please visit www.CATA.info. SOURCE Chicago Auto Show Mauli Infra organises blood donation camp Business Reporter : Mauli Infra successfully organised a voluntary blood donation drive titled Maulis RED DRIVE, with around 200 employees voluntarily donating blood in support of a vital humanitarian cause. The initiative was conducted in collaboration with Government Medical College (GMC). The programme was attended by MLC Dr Parinay Fuke, Nagpur District Collector Dr Vipin Itankar, and GMC Dean Dr Avinash Gavande. Pravin Jain, Director, Mauli Infra, said, Through this initiative, our employees have come together to support a cause that directly saves lives, reinforcing our commitment to society and community welfare. The initiative was conducted under the guidance of Pravin Jain, along with Directors Ashwin Vairagade, Pravin Rahte, and Rishabh Jain, who collectively reaffirmed Mauli Infras commitment to meaningful community engagement and social responsibility. Key Points VOOG has outperformed VOO over the past year, but it comes with a higher expense ratio and lower dividend yield. VOOG leans more heavily into technology stocks, while VOO offers broader sector diversification across the S&P 500. VOO is far larger and more liquid, which could appeal to investors prioritizing ease of trading and scalability. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:VOOG) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:VOO) both aim to capture U.S. large-cap equity performance, but VOOG narrows in on S&P 500 growth constituents, while VOO holds all S&P 500 names. This match-up highlights key contrasts in cost, returns, risk, and portfolio makeup that could matter for investors deciding between growth concentration and broad-market exposure. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric VOOG VOO Issuer Vanguard Vanguard Expense ratio 0.07% 0.03% 1-yr return (as of Dec. 20, 2025) 20.87% 16.44% Dividend yield 0.48% 1.12% Beta (5Y monthly) 1.10 1.00 AUM $21.7 billion $1.5 trillion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. VOO is more affordable with a lower expense ratio, and it also offers a higher dividend yield. VOOG, on the other hand, comes at a slight premium for its growth focus and recent outperformance. Performance & risk comparison Metric VOOG VOO Max drawdown (5 y) -32.74% -24.53% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,945 $1,842 What's inside VOO tracks the S&P 500 Index, holding 505 companies and spanning all sectors of the market. Its top industries include technology (making up 37% of the fund), financial services (13%), and consumer cyclical (11%), and its top holdings are Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. VOOG, in contrast, narrows the focus to S&P 500 growth stocks, resulting in a portfolio where technology dominates at 45% of assets, followed by communication services (16%) and consumer cyclical (12%). Its top positions match VOO's, but they make up a larger portion of the portfolio -- highlighting a heavier tech tilt. For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link. What this means for investors VOO and VOOG are both fantastic ETFs for many investors, but their differences in goals and portfolio composition give each of them unique strengths and weaknesses. VOO tracks the entire S&P 500, aiming to replicate the index's performance. While it does lean heavily toward the tech industry, it's less tilted than VOOG -- which can help minimize the volatility that tech stocks are known for. Nagpur Distt sees 70% drop in migratory birds By Kaushik Bhattacharya : From 600 to 1,200 plus flocks in a day between 2011 and 2016, the number reduced by 50 to 75 plus flocks in 2024-25 Lakes in Nagpur city, which are some of the winter destinations for migratory birds for centuries, are now witnessing at least 70% drop in the number of feathered friends in recent years. For, degradation of wetlands and climate change hampered the natural annual activity which is going to change many other environmental activities in and around city. According to Avinash Londhe, Ornithologist, Researcher and Honorary Wildlife Warden (care-taker), while talking with The Hitavada, said, all lakes in and around Nagpur city are nesting sites of Mangolian and Siberian birds during winter. Over 85 species of the migratory birds previously were regular to Nagpur district every year, Londhe claimed. Degradation of lakes or wetlands in city reduced the migration in recent years. Increased anthropogenic activities, intrusion of Eichhornia weeds, cutting off of lake beds, and felling of trees from lake banks are the major reasons behind drop in number of mogratory birds, claimed Londhe. In 2014-15, as per wetland bird census, there were more than 13,500 migratory birds were recorded in a single day. More than 85 species were reported that year. Now in 2023-24, the number dropped drastically and we counted just 4,279 migratory birds came in city, said Londhe. In 2023-24, there were only 74 species of birds came to city lakes which is a major drop. Greylag Geese, Flamingo, Common Pochard, Turnstone and Gadwall are some species that permanently stopped to migrate in Nagpur lakes in last few years, informed Londhe. Koradi lake was known for flocks of Flamingo which is now almost stopped. The condition of the lake is the main reason behind the natural migration of this species, said the bird expert. We reported 600 to 1,200 plus flocks in single day between 2011 and 2016. Now a days, the count reduced upto 50 to 75 plus flocks which is a dramatic drop, claimed Londhe. Climate Change, cyclone in migration path, long duration heavy rainfall and submerged Foraging beds of lake and late winter cause scattered migration in Indian subcontinent and also seen in the vicinity of Nagpur district, said Prof Jagdish Borkar, Professor, Government Institute of Science, Nagpur. There is an urgent need of restoration of key lakes in Nagpur District and public awareness among farmers on crop rotations to attract migrants and initiatives taken by us need to be accompanied by Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board along with Nagpur Forest Division, said Borkar. There is no Biodiversity Committee Meeting so far taken place between Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board, Nagpur Municipal Corporation and district administration for development of wetlands. Dr Bharat Singh Hada, Member Secretary, Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) said, No meeting has been taken place so far but we conduct meeting at village levels to educate and address issues related to biodiversity. Any data on reduction of migratory birds in Nagpur district will be treated seriously and the Board is ready to address the issue at State-level. Feathered friends skipping Futala, Ambazari lakes Iconic Ambazari lake which was home to more than 88 migratory bird species, is now accommodating only four to five species in last 2-3 years. Spreading of Eichhornia weeds and inflow of sewage and industrial effluent in the lake reduced the number of migratory birds drastically in recent years. Now, there is no space left for these species in the lake, claimed Avinash Londhe. Cutting of trees around the lake resulted in drop in nesting by mogratory birds, he added. While talking about Futala Lake, he said, Anthropogenic activities in the lake is the biggest reason behind reduction in number of migratory birds. Also, the birds are avoiding nesting in nearby trees just because of heavy human activities, added Londhe. PM opens Indias 1st nature-themed international airport at Guwahati GUWAHATI : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Rs 4,000-crore new terminal of Guwahatis Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, which has been designed to reflect Assams natural heritage and cultural ethos. Touted as the countrys first nature-themed airport, the new terminal will be able to handle 13.1 million passengers per annum, officials said. The total cost of the project is Rs 5,000 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore earmarked specifically for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, they said. The project has been developed by Guwahati International Airport Ltd, with operations led by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), they added. Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani said the new terminal will serve as a catalyst for regional and industrial development, strengthening Guwahatis role as an emerging economic gateway beyond its tourism potential. After the inauguration, Modi toured the new terminal. He also examined the model of the airport, the Kaziranga-inspired landscape and other key aspects of the facility. The PM also interacted with the workers involved in the construction of the airport. The airport is named after Assams first Chief Minister, whose 80-ft statue was also unveiled by the PM. Modi said the airport will become a key aviation hub for Northeast India and a gateway to Southeast Asia. He said it will open up opportunities and give new meaning to development, along with the preservation of heritage. Modern airport facilities and advanced connectivity infrastructure serve as gateways to new possibilities and opportunities for any state, and stand as pillars of growing confidence and trust among the people, he said. The new terminal, spread over an area of 1,40,000 sq m, draws inspiration from Assams rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. Modi said the new terminal will also allow a large number of tourists to visit Assam and make it easier for devotees to have darshan of Goddess Kamakhya. The PM emphasised that the airport has been designed keeping in mind Assams nature and culture, with greenery inside and arrangements resembling an indoor forest. He highlighted the special use of bamboo in the construction, stating that it was an integral part of life in Assam, symbolising both strength and beauty. Modi also recalled that his Government in 2017 amended the Indian Forest Act, 1927, to reclassify bamboo grown in non-forest areas as a grass, instead of a tree. This decision has led to the creation of a wonderful structure in the form of a new terminal today, he said. Will end maha jungle raj in WB KOLKATA, Dec 20 (PTI) PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee Government in West Bengal, comparing the situation in the State to Bihars past lawlessness and calling it a maha jungle raj. He also accused the Trinamool Congress of corruption and nepotism that prevented the states development. With the Assembly polls in West Bengal due in less than six months, Modi, while virtually addressing a massive gathering at Taherpur in Nadia district from Kolkata, referred to the NDAs landslide victory in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, stating that the results in the neighbouring state will positively impact the partys fortunes in the State. The election results in Bihar have opened up the doors for BJPs victory in West Bengal because, like I have said before, the Ganga flows into West Bengal through Bihar, the PM said. Modi urged the people to provide a chance to the BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls to form a double engine Government in the state, a term used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a State. Earlier in the day, dense fog at Taherpur prevented the Prime Ministers helicopter from landing at the makeshift helipad and forced him to return to the Kolkata airport, from where he addressed the crowd-in-waiting over a virtual audio mode. Let the TMC oppose me and the BJP as much as it wants, but I fail to understand why the ruling party is holding people to ransom, making them suffer and stopping West Bengals progress, Modi said at the Parivartan Sankalpa Sabha, the fourth such meeting in the state this year. The PM also claimed, We will end TMCs maha jungle raj in West Bengal where corruption, nepotism and appeasement politics are ruling the roost. Modi alleged that the culture of cut money and commission has stalled development in the state despite there being no dearth of goodwill, planning and money in store for the region, adding that welfare schemes worth thousands of crores are held up because of an adverse state government. I want to go all out to usher development in West Bengal. Give the BJP a chance and bring a double-engine government here and witness how quickly we usher in development, Modi said, sounding his partys poll bugle for next years state elections. Claiming that the popular sentiment on West Bengals grassroots was to gain freedom from TMCs misrule, Modi said, The lanes and alleys of the state are resonating with the slogan Banchte chai, BJP tai (Need BJP to live). The PM addressed the crowd at the strategic Ranaghat area -- a stronghold of Matuas, a Hindu migrant community from Bangladesh -- amid growing apprehensions of disenfranchisement amongst the group post the publication of the SIR draft rolls. During his address, Modi invoked Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur, religious leaders and founders of the Matua sect, and hailed their contributions in the development of the community. The PM greeted the crowd with Joy Nitai slogan in acknowledgement of the 15th-century Bengali saint from the region and also stressed the contributions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, another Bhakti saint and son of the soil, both of whom are worshipped by Matuas. Referring to the infiltration issue, one of the BJPs dominating poll agendas in the state, Modi hit out at the Trinamool Congress, alleging that infiltrators enjoy TMCs support and patronage in West Bengal. The TMC is opposing SIR to save infiltrators from getting identified. They have no love lost for the tortured refugees to whom we are trying to grant citizenship through the CAA. The TMC is spreading false narratives to scare them, Modi told the crowd at the Bangladesh-bordering district. Speaking in the aftermath of the Bankim da controversy in Parliament, the PM reminisced about the creator of Vande Mataram, calling him Rishi Bankim Babu, and reminded the crowd about the ongoing 150-year celebrations of the National Song. The TMC countered the PMs allegations, claiming Modis speech showed his lack of concern for the Matuas who have been facing uncertainties over deletion of names from the draft electoral rolls. The PM never uttered a single word to allay the anxieties of Matuas, who fear loss of voting rights in the current SIR atmosphere. We are deeply disappointed, said Mamata Bala Thakur, a TMC Rajya Sabha MP and a leader of the community. RARE BONHOMIE ! T HE media -- as well as the people of India -- did not miss the rare bonhomie among leaders of various political parties -- their ideological and political differences notwithstanding -- at the residence of Lok Sabha Speaker Mr. Om Birla who invited all of them for high tea. The atmosphere was light and laughter filled the room and the general conversation did not veer to political mud-slinging. Leaders shared jokes and anecdotes -- offering a picture of togetherness (which is the crux of democracy) -- as if no differences prevailed in the countrys political community. It was, beyond doubt, a rare moment in Indias democracy -- rather unheard of at least in recent years. Such an atmosphere did prevail in politics about 2-3 decades ago. Leaders of most political parties had a healthy social connect with one another and visited one anothers homes on festive occasions or at moments of personal trouble or grief. Of course, even now, many leaders enjoy such a connect with their counterparts from other parties. However, the overall atmosphere has become rather bitter and ideological and political differences tend to enter personal lives of leaders from different parties of late. This should not have happened, generally speaking. Yet, the political discourse of the country has become rather cantankerous over time -- which the common people do not miss. It is against this background that the rare bonhomie among leaders of different parties at the Speakers high-tea event got noticed by the media and the people. And the popular reaction was that of happiness. For, the common people appreciated their leaders get-together on a happy note beyond politics. They felt happy that the bitterness that appears to underline the political discourse these days was not there at the high-tea. May many such occasions happen, the people must have prayed and wished. One of the strengths of any democratic discourse is the general consensus that people agree to disagree. In other words, there may be points on which there may be obvious disagreements among people from differing ideologies.Yet, since that point is put behind, the atmosphere changes and an overall accommodation of one-anothers point of view is the standard norm. Most unfortunately, Indias domestic politics got sullied to such as extent as to divide the collective leaderships of all parties only on political lines with little mutual and respectful communication among various leaders.This does not make anybody happy, but the political community of India is dogged unfortunately by such an atmosphere. This is fully undesirable, to say the least. The participatory institutions of democratic functioning -- such as Parliament, for example -- operate on the simple principle of agreeing to disagree and yet remain in good books of one another. Indias parliamentary institutions have seen great examples of such fine difference between the political and personal domains -- where the leaders treatment of one another is guided by one simple principle of accommodation and acceptance despite disagreement, despite differences of opinion, despite plurality of interests. This one isolated example may not set a trend. Yet, it carries a promise for Indias democratic future. For, such a bonhomie would only enhance the quality of Indias public conversation as time passes. Thats what India wants. Youth leaders state funeral prayers held in Bdesh DHAKA : BANGLADESH held the funeral of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi on Saturday drawing a large number of people in the capital amid extra-tight security after his death triggered unrest across the country. Interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus along with his advisory council members and Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman attended the funeral for the 32-year-old spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha held at the South Plaza of Parliament complex at Manik Mia Avenue. Yunus spoke briefly ahead of the janaza (funeral prayers) even as politicians representing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) joined the prayers. The country is also observing a day of State mourning following the death of Hadi, who was one of the prominent leaders of the student-led protests last year, which led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government. A candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections, Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhakas Bijoynagar area. He died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on Thursday. According to television footage, the janaza was held after Hadis body was brought after an autopsy at the State-run Suhrawardy Hospital. Hadis elder brother Abu Bakar conducted the janaza and soon after the ritual, the body was quickly brought to Dhaka University campus under stringent security escorts for burial. The grave was dug overnight beside the mausoleum of Bangladeshs national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. In line with the earlier announcement, the body was not kept for public viewing and only select people were allowed to witness the burial, a police officer said. Police allowed tens of thousands of people to join the funeral prayers and ahead of the ritual, who chanted slogans against India like Delhi or Dhaka Dhaka, Dhaka and brother Hadis blood will not be allowed to go in vain. Violent protests rocked Dhaka and major cities after the announcement of Hadis death on Thursday at a Singapore hospital six days after gunmen shot him. Hadi particularly drew the political limelight launching his radical rightwing cultural group Inquilab Mancha after the last years violent street campaign, dubbed July Uprising, led by Students Against Discrimination (SAD) campaign toppled then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Three days after Hasina fled to India, Yunus assumed the charge of the interim government as the SAD nominee on August 8. Hadi was waging a campaign along with SAD and several rightwing groups demanding Hasinas return to be exposed to gallows after a special Bangladeshi tribunal sentenced her to death for her crackdown of the uprising using brutal force. In Dhaka, a large number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed in and around the Parliament complex, and a tight security cordon has been imposed across the entire area, according to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. The government has also imposed a ban on flying drones in the area, and those wishing to attend the funeral were asked not to carry any bags or heavy objects, it said. Various parts of the country were rocked Thursday night by attacks and vandalism, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioners residence in Chattogram, attacks on offices of leading newspapers, and vandalism at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, soon after Yunus confirmed Hadis death. The interim government on Friday urged citizens to resist violence by fringe elements as Hadis body arrived here from Singapore, amid fresh unrest in the capital. Police said alleged radical right-wing activists set fire to the main office of the left-leaning Udichi Shilpigoshthi in the capital shortly after Hadis body arrived in Dhaka from Singapore. Shares of Acco Brands Corporation (NYSE:ACCO Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $3.78 and traded as high as $3.89. Acco Brands shares last traded at $3.84, with a volume of 716,403 shares traded. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently commented on ACCO. Wall Street Zen lowered Acco Brands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, November 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d+) rating on shares of Acco Brands in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Acco Brands currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $6.00. Get Acco Brands alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on ACCO Acco Brands Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $342.53 million, a P/E ratio of 9.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.12. The companys 50 day moving average is $3.66 and its 200-day moving average is $3.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. Acco Brands (NYSE:ACCO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 15th. The industrial products company reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter. Acco Brands had a net margin of 2.63% and a return on equity of 12.96%. The business had revenue of $499.40 million for the quarter. Equities analysts anticipate that Acco Brands Corporation will post 1.02 EPS for the current fiscal year. Acco Brands Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 21st were issued a $0.075 dividend. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 21st. Acco Brandss payout ratio is 71.43%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Acco Brands Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of ACCO. Ballentine Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Acco Brands in the second quarter worth approximately $40,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in Acco Brands by 131.0% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 11,348 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 6,436 shares during the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new position in Acco Brands in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda purchased a new stake in Acco Brands during the 2nd quarter valued at $55,000. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC bought a new stake in shares of Acco Brands in the 3rd quarter worth $74,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.56% of the companys stock. Acco Brands Company Profile (Get Free Report) Acco Brands Corporation is a global provider of branded office and school supplies, serving consumers, educational institutions and commercial customers. Headquartered in Lake Zurich, Illinois, the company designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of products that enhance productivity and organization in work and learning environments. The companys portfolio includes staplers, hole punches, binding and laminating systems, writing tools, binders, folders and desktop accessories under well-known names such as ACCO, Swingline, GBC, Kensington, Mead and Five Star. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Acco Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Acco Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is one of the Best Non-US Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On December 10, Mike Yang from Bank of America Securities reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $390. On the same day, Bernstein SocGen Group also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $330 price target. The ratings follow the companys release of its November 2025 revenue report. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) reported NT$ 343.614 billion in monthly revenue, reflecting 24.5% year-over-year growth. However, the November revenue was slightly lower by 6.5% from October 2025, when the company generated NT$367.473 billion. Analysts at BofA noted that this robust year-over-year growth was driven by greater than expected demand for high-end mobile chipsets and solid growth in high-performance computing and AI sectors. Moreover, the comparison also benefited from favorable foreign exchange trends. The analyst highlighted that there are concerns regarding margin compression due to investment in new technologies. However, BofA anticipates stronger pricing and a higher utilization rate to keep the margins strong. Moreover, Bernstein SocGen Group noted that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limiteds (NYSE:TSM) October and November revenues totaled NT$711 billion. This makes almost 71% of the companys Q4 2025 guidance at mid-point. The firm highlighted that if the company continues to perform in a similar fashion during December, it will allow the company to exceed both the guidance midpoint and consensus estimates by 3% to 4%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is the largest contract semiconductor manufacturer in the world. Some of its prominent customers include semiconductor companies that outsource all or part of their chip production, including Advanced Micro Devices, Nvidia, Broadcom, and more. While we acknowledge the potential of TSM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Getty Realty Corporation (NYSE:GTY Get Free Report) shares crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $27.92 and traded as high as $28.79. Getty Realty shares last traded at $28.46, with a volume of 318,632 shares. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded Getty Realty from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, September 13th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Getty Realty in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott began coverage on Getty Realty in a report on Thursday, October 16th. They issued a buy rating and a $30.00 target price on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $31.80. Get Getty Realty alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on GTY Getty Realty Trading Down 1.4% The company has a current ratio of 2.00, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $27.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.91. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.62 billion, a PE ratio of 21.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.84. Getty Realty (NYSE:GTY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.01. Getty Realty had a return on equity of 7.60% and a net margin of 34.76%.The firm had revenue of $55.59 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $53.19 million. Getty Realty has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.420-2.430 EPS. Analysts expect that Getty Realty Corporation will post 2.29 earnings per share for the current year. Getty Realty Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 8th. Investors of record on Friday, December 26th will be paid a $0.485 dividend. This represents a $1.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.9%. This is a positive change from Getty Realtys previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 26th. Getty Realtys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 146.88%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Getty Realty during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Getty Realty during the first quarter worth $31,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Getty Realty by 3,996.6% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,188 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,159 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its position in Getty Realty by 288.6% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,364 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,013 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in Getty Realty by 111.3% in the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,386 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 730 shares during the last quarter. 85.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Getty Realty Company Profile (Get Free Report) Getty Realty Corp is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of service station and convenience retail properties. The companys portfolio consists primarily of fee-simple and ground-leased sites, which are leased to major national and regional fuel and convenience store operators under long-term, triple-net leases. This structure provides Getty Realty with a stable stream of contractual rental income and limited operational responsibilities. Founded in 1981, Getty Realty became a publicly listed company in 2005 and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTY. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Getty Realty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Getty Realty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWM Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $25.23 and traded as high as $26.92. iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF shares last traded at $26.88, with a volume of 205,561 shares trading hands. iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF Trading Up 1.2% The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $26.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.26. The firm has a market cap of $271.46 million, a P/E ratio of 14.29 and a beta of 0.55. Get iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Breakout Capital Partners LP lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF by 52.3% during the third quarter. Breakout Capital Partners LP now owns 783,676 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $20,313,000 after purchasing an additional 269,200 shares during the last quarter. Capula Management Ltd bought a new position in iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $378,000. Bcwm LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF by 8.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bcwm LLC now owns 144,136 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,736,000 after buying an additional 11,046 shares in the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management raised its stake in iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF by 4.1% during the third quarter. Zacks Investment Management now owns 22,913 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $594,000 after buying an additional 892 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF by 175.8% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 707,500 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $18,338,000 after acquiring an additional 451,008 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.75% of the companys stock. iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Malaysia Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Malaysian market, as measured by the MSCI Malaysia Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Malaysian equity market. It is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Read More Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. USA Financial Formulas bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 1,171 shares of the aerospace companys stock, valued at approximately $714,000. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman in the second quarter valued at approximately $6,457,274,000. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. acquired a new position in Northrop Grumman during the second quarter worth $491,985,000. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in Northrop Grumman by 98.8% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 899,114 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $460,355,000 after purchasing an additional 446,940 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Northrop Grumman by 11.8% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,933,061 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,466,472,000 after buying an additional 308,680 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Northrop Grumman by 49,898.2% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 169,494 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $84,744,000 after buying an additional 169,155 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.40% of the companys stock. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Northrop Grumman Price Performance Shares of NYSE NOC opened at $569.46 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $574.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $562.55. The company has a market cap of $81.27 billion, a PE ratio of 20.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.89 and a beta of 0.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a twelve month low of $426.24 and a twelve month high of $640.90. Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement Northrop Grumman ( NYSE:NOC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.43 by $1.24. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 25.49% and a net margin of 9.82%.The firm had revenue of $10.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $7.00 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2025 guidance at 25.650-26.050 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.05 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $2.31 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $9.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. Northrop Grummans dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 33.24%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Alembic Global Advisors upgraded shares of Northrop Grumman from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $662.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Northrop Grumman from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, September 5th. BNP Paribas raised Northrop Grumman to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Northrop Grumman from $575.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, Citigroup started coverage on Northrop Grumman in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. They set a buy rating and a $654.00 price objective on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $651.18. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Northrop Grumman Key Headlines Impacting Northrop Grumman Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week: Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Mark A. Welsh III sold 97 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $564.08, for a total transaction of $54,715.76. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,281 shares in the company, valued at $2,414,826.48. The trade was a 2.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.23% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Northrop Grumman Profile (Free Report) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is a leading U.S.-based aerospace and defense company that designs, builds and sustains advanced systems, products and technologies for government and commercial customers. Formed through the combination of Northrop and Grumman businesses in the 1990s, the companys portfolio spans manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile defense, radar and sensor systems, and integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions. The companys work includes airframe and platform manufacturing, space hardware and satellite systems, advanced mission systems and cybersecurity services, as well as logistics, sustainment and modernization programs. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Northrop Grumman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northrop Grumman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Spinnaker Investment Group LLC bought a new stake in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE:TEVA Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 25,700 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $519,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its stake in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 30.0% in the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 265,777 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,085,000 after acquiring an additional 61,330 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 5.5% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 228,420 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,511,000 after purchasing an additional 11,897 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its holdings in shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 403.4% in the 1st quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 5,009 shares of the companys stock valued at $77,000 after purchasing an additional 4,014 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 172.1% in the 1st quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 1,325,526 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,373,000 after purchasing an additional 838,423 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gabelli Funds LLC raised its holdings in shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 18.4% during the 1st quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 435,075 shares of the companys stock worth $6,687,000 after buying an additional 67,575 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 54.05% of the companys stock. Get Teva Pharmaceutical Industries alerts: Trending Headlines about Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Here are the key news stories impacting Teva Pharmaceutical Industries this week: Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target on TEVA to $35 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling Wall Street conviction in upside versus the current level. Goldman Sachs price target raise Goldman Sachs raised its price target on TEVA to $35 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling Wall Street conviction in upside versus the current level. Positive Sentiment: Additional analyst support: JPMorgan, BofA and Barclays have recently increased targets/ratings (JPMorgan to $35, BofA to $32, Barclays initiating overweight), which likely helped lift sentiment and buying interest. Analyst notes Additional analyst support: JPMorgan, BofA and Barclays have recently increased targets/ratings (JPMorgan to $35, BofA to $32, Barclays initiating overweight), which likely helped lift sentiment and buying interest. Positive Sentiment: Tevas U.S. affiliate and Alvotech reached a settlement and license with Regeneron setting a U.S. launch window for AVT06 (a proposed biosimilar to Eylea) in Q4 2026 (or earlier under certain conditions) this reduces launch uncertainty and creates a clearer commercialization timeline. Alvotech settlement Tevas U.S. affiliate and Alvotech reached a settlement and license with Regeneron setting a U.S. launch window for AVT06 (a proposed biosimilar to Eylea) in Q4 2026 (or earlier under certain conditions) this reduces launch uncertainty and creates a clearer commercialization timeline. Neutral Sentiment: Institutional activity is mixed but notable: several funds increased stakes (e.g., Hudson Bay Capital bought more), supporting the view that institutions are accumulating at current levels. Institutional trading Institutional activity is mixed but notable: several funds increased stakes (e.g., Hudson Bay Capital bought more), supporting the view that institutions are accumulating at current levels. Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces from Zacks and The Motley Fool highlight TEVA as a value/long-term holding these narrative articles may attract retail interest but are less likely to move price materially on their own. Zacks coverage Coverage pieces from Zacks and The Motley Fool highlight TEVA as a value/long-term holding these narrative articles may attract retail interest but are less likely to move price materially on their own. Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CAO Amir Weiss sold 12,300 shares and Director Roberto Mignone sold 77,400 shares in mid-December at ~\$30.2030.24 sizable disclosed sales that may concern some investors about near-term insider conviction. Insider sales Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages recently weighed in on TEVA. Wall Street Zen downgraded Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, December 13th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $23.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 24th. Barclays began coverage on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. They issued an overweight rating and a $35.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $28.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $29.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $31.63. View Our Latest Report on TEVA Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Trading Up 0.2% Shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries stock opened at $30.39 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $24.44 and its 200-day moving average price is $20.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.31. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has a 12-month low of $12.47 and a 12-month high of $30.56. The company has a market cap of $34.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.65, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.67. Insider Activity In other news, CAO Amir Weiss sold 12,300 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.20, for a total value of $371,460.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 5,650 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $170,630. This represents a 68.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Richard Daniell sold 115,468 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.68, for a total value of $3,311,622.24. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 48,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,387,653.12. The trade was a 70.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 622,060 shares of company stock valued at $17,076,965 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.49% of the companys stock. About Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Free Report) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE:TEVA) is an Israeli multinational pharmaceutical company and one of the worlds largest manufacturers of generic medicines. The companys core activities include the development, production and marketing of generic pharmaceuticals alongside a portfolio of specialty branded medicines. Teva supplies finished dosage forms and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to markets around the globe and operates manufacturing and research facilities in multiple countries. Tevas product range covers oral solids, injectables, inhalation products and other dosage forms across therapeutic areas such as central nervous system disorders, respiratory, oncology, pain and infectious disease. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deere & Company, Corteva, Bunge Global, Cal-Maine Foods, and Valmont Industries are the five Agriculture stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Agriculture stocks are shares of companies involved in producing, processing, distributing, or supporting agricultural products and services. They include farm-equipment manufacturers, seed and agrochemical firms, fertilizer producers, food processors and packers, livestock companies, commodity traders and agri-focused REITs. These stocks give investors exposure to the food and fiber supply chain but are often sensitive to commodity prices, weather, crop yields and agricultural policy, which can create seasonal and geopolitical volatility. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Agriculture stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Deere & Company (DE) Deere & Co. engages in the manufacture and distribution of equipment used in agriculture, construction, forestry, and turf care. It operates through the following segments: Agriculture and Turf, Construction and Forestry, and Financial Services. The Agriculture and Turf segment focuses on the distribution and manufacture of a full line of agriculture and turf equipment and related service parts. Corteva (CTVA) Corteva, Inc. operates in the agriculture business. It operates through two segments, Seed and Crop Protection. The Seed segment develops and supplies advanced germplasm and traits that produce optimum yield for farms. It offers trait technologies that enhance resistance to weather, disease, insects, and herbicides used to control weeds, as well as food and nutritional characteristics. Read Our Latest Research Report on CTVA Bunge Global (BG) Bunge Global SA operates as an agribusiness and food company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Agribusiness, Refined and Specialty Oils, Milling, and Sugar and Bioenergy. The Agribusiness segment purchases, stores, transports, processes, and sells agricultural commodities and commodity products, including oilseeds primarily soybeans, rapeseed, canola, and sunflower seeds, as well as grains comprising wheat and corn; and processes oilseeds into vegetable oils and protein meals. Read Our Latest Research Report on BG Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces, grades, packages, markets, and distributes shell eggs. The company offers specialty shell eggs, such as nutritionally enhanced, cage free, organic, free-range, pasture-raised, and brown eggs under the Egg-Land's Best, Land O' Lakes, Farmhouse Eggs, Sunups, Sunny Meadow, and 4Grain brand names. Read Our Latest Research Report on CALM Valmont Industries (VMI) Valmont Industries, Inc. operates as manufacturer of products and services for infrastructure and agriculture markets in the United States, Australia, Brazil, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Infrastructure and Agriculture. The company manufactures and distributes steel, pre-stressed concrete, composite structures for electrical transmission, substation, and distribution applications; and designs, engineers, and manufactures metal, steel, wood, aluminum, and composite poles and structures for lighting and transportation applications. Read Our Latest Research Report on VMI Featured Articles Air Liquide (OTCMKTS:AIQUY Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy by the six research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. A number of equities analysts have commented on AIQUY shares. Kepler Capital Markets raised shares of Air Liquide from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Air Liquide in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Get Air Liquide alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Air Liquide Air Liquide Stock Down 0.1% Institutional Trading of Air Liquide Shares of AIQUY opened at $37.27 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.84. The business has a 50-day moving average of $38.70 and a 200-day moving average of $40.23. Air Liquide has a 1 year low of $31.68 and a 1 year high of $43.12. Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AIQUY. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its position in shares of Air Liquide by 14.7% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 70,634 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,686,000 after buying an additional 9,055 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in Air Liquide by 46.5% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,783 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $280,000 after acquiring an additional 2,154 shares in the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp boosted its holdings in Air Liquide by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 17,545 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $667,000 after acquiring an additional 547 shares during the period. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS purchased a new position in Air Liquide during the 2nd quarter valued at about $208,000. Finally, Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC grew its position in Air Liquide by 10.5% in the 2nd quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC now owns 31,552 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,297,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 0.02% of the companys stock. About Air Liquide (Get Free Report) Air Liquide is a Parisheadquartered multinational that develops, manufactures and supplies industrial and medical gases, related equipment and services. Founded in 1902, the company has grown into a major global supplier of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and a wide range of specialty gases used across industrial, healthcare and research applications. Its core activities include onsite gas production, bulk and packaged gas distribution (cylinders and cryogenic deliveries), installation and maintenance of gas handling and storage equipment, and engineering for large industrial gas projects. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Air Liquide Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Air Liquide and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the twenty-five analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $334.30. Several research firms have recently weighed in on AXP. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on American Express from $400.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on American Express in a research report on Monday, December 8th. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Compass Point reissued a neutral rating and set a $324.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a report on Monday, October 20th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of American Express from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Sunday, November 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $370.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Tuesday. Get American Express alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on American Express Insider Transactions at American Express Institutional Inflows and Outflows In other American Express news, CMO Elizabeth Rutledge sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $360.21, for a total value of $18,010,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 85,577 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $30,825,691.17. The trade was a 36.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, insider Denise Pickett sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.73, for a total value of $1,753,650.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,726 shares in the company, valued at $2,709,739.98. The trade was a 39.29% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . Insiders have sold 57,515 shares of company stock valued at $20,658,509 in the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in shares of American Express by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,267,377 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $721,525,000 after acquiring an additional 49,593 shares during the last quarter. Dempze Nancy E boosted its stake in American Express by 210.2% during the 2nd quarter. Dempze Nancy E now owns 3,459 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $1,103,000 after acquiring an additional 2,344 shares during the last quarter. Reliant Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 1.9% during the second quarter. Reliant Investment Management LLC now owns 26,189 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $8,354,000 after purchasing an additional 480 shares during the period. SLT Holdings LLC increased its stake in American Express by 31.3% in the second quarter. SLT Holdings LLC now owns 1,008 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $322,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 0.9% in the second quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 82,883 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $26,438,000 after purchasing an additional 764 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.33% of the companys stock. American Express Trading Up 0.2% Shares of American Express stock opened at $376.40 on Thursday. American Express has a 52-week low of $220.43 and a 52-week high of $387.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $259.28 billion, a PE ratio of 25.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a current ratio of 1.61 and a quick ratio of 1.59. The companys fifty day moving average price is $360.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $331.25. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported ($11.85) earnings per share for the quarter. American Express had a net margin of 14.97% and a return on equity of 33.41%. The business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million for the quarter. On average, analysts expect that American Express will post 15.33 EPS for the current year. American Express Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.82 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.01%. American Express Company Profile (Get Free Report) American Express is a global financial services company primarily known for its payment card products, travel services and merchant network. Founded in 1850 as an express mail business, the company evolved through the 20th century into a payments and travel-focused organization. Its core activities include issuing consumer and commercial charge and credit cards, operating a global card acceptance and processing network, and providing travel-related services and customer loyalty programs. American Express issues a range of products for individuals, small businesses and large corporations, including personal cards, business and corporate cards, and cobrand partnerships with airlines, hotels and retailers. See Also Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Black Diamond Group Limited (TSE:BDI Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$12.43 and traded as high as C$14.35. Black Diamond Group shares last traded at C$14.19, with a volume of 83,922 shares changing hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently commented on BDI shares. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Black Diamond Group from C$15.00 to C$17.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on Black Diamond Group from C$13.50 to C$17.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, September 24th. Finally, Acumen Capital upped their target price on shares of Black Diamond Group from C$14.50 to C$17.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, September 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of C$17.00. Get Black Diamond Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on Black Diamond Group Black Diamond Group Trading Up 1.5% The business has a 50 day simple moving average of C$14.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$12.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 88.46, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The company has a market cap of C$969.45 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.83 and a beta of 0.71. Black Diamond Group (TSE:BDI Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported C$0.18 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of C$105.32 million during the quarter. Black Diamond Group had a return on equity of 8.11% and a net margin of 6.46%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Black Diamond Group Limited will post 0.5349233 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Black Diamond Group In related news, Director Robert Wagemakers sold 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$14.10, for a total value of C$282,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 543,580 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$7,664,478. This trade represents a 3.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Corporate insiders own 23.83% of the companys stock. Black Diamond Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Black Diamond Group Ltd rents and sells space rental solutions and modular workforce accommodations to business customers in Canada, the United States and Australia. The company also provides specialized field rentals to the oil and gas industries of Canada and the United States. Besides, Black Diamond Group provides turnkey lodging services, as well as a host of related services that include transportation, installation, dismantling, repairs, maintenance, and ancillary field equipment rentals. From its locations, the company serves multiple sectors including oil and gas, mining, power, construction, engineering, military, government, and education. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Black Diamond Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Black Diamond Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Owlet, Inc. (NYSE:OWLT Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of Buy from the six research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $12.00. OWLT has been the subject of several analyst reports. Zacks Research raised Owlet from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. William Blair began coverage on Owlet in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded Owlet from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, November 15th. Northland Securities set a $15.50 target price on shares of Owlet in a report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Owlet in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Get Owlet alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Owlet Owlet Trading Up 6.2% Shares of NYSE OWLT opened at $14.05 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $11.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $8.97. The stock has a market cap of $239.97 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.76 and a beta of 1.80. Owlet has a 12 month low of $2.75 and a 12 month high of $16.82. Owlet (NYSE:OWLT Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.23) by $0.26. Owlet had a negative net margin of 39.32% and a negative return on equity of 0.36%. The firm had revenue of $31.99 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $26.00 million. Analysts forecast that Owlet will post -0.76 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Owlet Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Owlet in the 1st quarter valued at about $43,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in Owlet by 6,517.7% in the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 5,228 shares of the companys stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 5,149 shares during the period. XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Owlet in the second quarter valued at approximately $90,000. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Owlet during the 1st quarter worth approximately $95,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new position in shares of Owlet during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $336,000. 72.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Owlet Company Profile (Get Free Report) Owlet Baby Care, Inc is a consumer health technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of smart baby monitoring products. The companys flagship device, the Owlet Smart Sock, is a wearable monitor that tracks a newborns heart rate and oxygen saturation levels and transmits real-time data to a mobile app. Owlet has since expanded its product suite to include the Owlet Cam, an HD video monitor with audio and motion alerts, and the Dream Sock, a non-wearable device that collects sleep metrics to help parents understand and improve their babys rest patterns. Founded in 2013 by engineer and father Kurt Workman, Owlet is headquartered in Lehi, Utah. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Owlet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Owlet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Victorias Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the fourteen research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have issued a hold recommendation, seven have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $53.30. A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on VSCO shares. Morgan Stanley raised Victorias Secret & Co. from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $60.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Victorias Secret & Co. from $32.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $45.00 target price on Victorias Secret & Co. and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Cowen reissued a hold rating on shares of Victorias Secret & Co. in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Victorias Secret & Co. from $46.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Get Victoria's Secret & Co. alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on VSCO Institutional Inflows and Outflows Victorias Secret & Co. Stock Up 4.0% Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VSCO. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Victorias Secret & Co. by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,966,584 shares of the companys stock worth $166,599,000 after buying an additional 38,695 shares in the last quarter. Goldentree Asset Management LP boosted its stake in shares of Victorias Secret & Co. by 71.8% in the second quarter. Goldentree Asset Management LP now owns 2,989,087 shares of the companys stock worth $55,242,000 after acquiring an additional 1,249,065 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Victorias Secret & Co. by 10.3% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,549,501 shares of the companys stock worth $69,187,000 after purchasing an additional 238,516 shares in the last quarter. Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC increased its position in shares of Victorias Secret & Co. by 32.0% during the third quarter. Cramer Rosenthal Mcglynn LLC now owns 2,363,850 shares of the companys stock worth $64,155,000 after purchasing an additional 572,844 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Primecap Management Co. CA raised its stake in Victorias Secret & Co. by 1,586.7% in the 2nd quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 1,972,333 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,528,000 after purchasing an additional 1,855,400 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.29% of the companys stock. VSCO opened at $56.70 on Tuesday. Victorias Secret & Co. has a fifty-two week low of $13.76 and a fifty-two week high of $56.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 1.30. The company has a fifty day moving average of $39.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $28.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.66, a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 2.24. Victorias Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, December 5th. The company reported ($0.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.60) by $0.33. Victorias Secret & Co. had a net margin of 2.67% and a return on equity of 33.47%. The business had revenue of $1.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.50) EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Victorias Secret & Co. has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.400-2.650 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.200-2.45 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Victorias Secret & Co. will post 2.37 earnings per share for the current year. About Victorias Secret & Co. (Get Free Report) Victorias Secret & Co is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of intimate apparel, beauty products and accessories for women. The company operates a portfolio of brands that includes Victorias Secret, renowned for its lingerie, bras and sleepwear; PINK, a line targeting younger consumers with activewear and lifestyle products; and Victorias Secret Beauty, offering fragrances, cosmetics and personal care items. Products are sold through retail stores as well as direct-to-consumer channels, including e-commerce platforms and mobile applications. The origins of Victorias Secret date back to 1977, when founders Roy and Gaye Raymond opened the first store in San Francisco. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Victoria's Secret & Co. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Victoria's Secret & Co. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) is one of the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for 2026. On December 16, Eric Luebchow from Wells Fargo reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $200 price target. Earlier on December 9, Batya Levi from UBS also reiterated a Buy rating on American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) and kept the price target the same at $260. Analyst Levi of UBS noted that the firm reiterated its bullish sentiment on the stock after Steve Vondran, CEO and President of American Tower Corporation (NYSE AMT), presented at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference. At the conference, management highlighted its 2026 strategic priorities, including accelerating organic growth across all regions, driving efficiencies by lowering SG&A as a percentage of sales, and increasing discipline across capital allocation. Moreover, Levi also highlighted that with the expectation that carriers will need to double their capacity over the next 5 years, the analyst sees American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) as well-positioned to benefit from the increased infrastructure. Lastly, regarding the Echostar litigation, management noted that while the issue can take longer to settle via courts, they remain open to settling the issue outside the court proceedings with Echostar. American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) is one of the biggest REITs in the United States, which owns and manages communications real estate within the country and internationally. While we acknowledge the potential of AMT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Shares of Canadian Utilities Limited (OTCMKTS:CDUAF Get Free Report) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $29.34 and traded as high as $30.9340. Canadian Utilities shares last traded at $30.9340, with a volume of 4,705 shares trading hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently commented on CDUAF. National Bankshares restated a sector perform rating on shares of Canadian Utilities in a research note on Monday, November 10th. CIBC reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Canadian Utilities in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Canadian Utilities in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Canadian Utilities in a report on Monday, November 10th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Canadian Utilities alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Canadian Utilities Canadian Utilities Price Performance Canadian Utilities Company Profile The firms 50-day simple moving average is $29.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $28.31. (Get Free Report) Canadian Utilities Limited is a diversified energy infrastructure and utilities company based in Calgary, Alberta. Established in 1912, it is part of the ATCO Group and provides essential services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. The companys operations span across regulated and non-regulated businesses, with a focus on reliable energy delivery and infrastructure development. In its utilities segment, Canadian Utilities owns and operates electricity transmission and distribution networks under the ATCO Electric brand, as well as natural gas distribution systems through ATCO Gas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Utilities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Utilities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Independence Bank of Kentucky raised its stake in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 10.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 44,610 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 4,065 shares during the quarter. Chevron makes up 0.9% of Independence Bank of Kentuckys portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings in Chevron were worth $6,927,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Quaker Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Chevron by 197.7% in the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 217 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 439 shares during the last quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its position in shares of Chevron by 86.1% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 255 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Chevron by 52.3% during the second quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 265 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. GFG Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Chevron during the second quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA grew its stake in Chevron by 106.7% in the 2nd quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 310 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares during the period. 72.42% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Chevron alerts: Key Stores Impacting Chevron Here are the key news stories impacting Chevron this week: Insider Activity at Chevron Chevron Stock Performance In other news, Director John B. Hess sold 275,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.75, for a total value of $41,456,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,128,045 shares in the company, valued at approximately $170,052,783.75. This trade represents a 19.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Corporate insiders own 0.21% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE:CVX opened at $147.74 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $152.31 and a two-hundred day moving average of $152.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $297.47 billion, a PE ratio of 20.78, a P/E/G ratio of 8.78 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Chevron Corporation has a 12 month low of $132.04 and a 12 month high of $168.96. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $48.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $46.99 billion. Chevron had a return on equity of 8.74% and a net margin of 6.57%.The companys revenue was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.48 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 earnings per share for the current year. Chevron Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were given a $1.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.6%. Chevrons dividend payout ratio is presently 96.20%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Chevron in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Barclays dropped their target price on Chevron from $160.00 to $158.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Chevron from $171.00 to $169.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded Chevron from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Chevron from $177.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $166.00. View Our Latest Report on Chevron Chevron Profile (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voya Investment Management LLC lessened its holdings in DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE Free Report) by 8.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 266,641 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 25,484 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLCs holdings in DTE Energy were worth $37,711,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in DTE Energy during the 1st quarter worth approximately $567,000. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its stake in shares of DTE Energy by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 208,818 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $27,470,000 after acquiring an additional 10,586 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in DTE Energy by 13,146.2% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 25,830 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,421,000 after purchasing an additional 25,635 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of DTE Energy by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 70,033 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $9,277,000 after buying an additional 3,457 shares in the last quarter. Finally, USA Financial Formulas purchased a new position in DTE Energy in the second quarter worth $912,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.06% of the companys stock. Get DTE Energy alerts: DTE Energy Stock Down 1.7% Shares of NYSE DTE opened at $127.68 on Friday. DTE Energy Company has a 1 year low of $116.30 and a 1 year high of $143.79. The firms 50-day moving average is $136.00 and its 200-day moving average is $136.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.52 billion, a PE ratio of 19.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.47. DTE Energy Increases Dividend DTE Energy ( NYSE:DTE Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The utilities provider reported $2.25 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.15. DTE Energy had a net margin of 9.34% and a return on equity of 12.63%. The business had revenue of $3.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. DTE Energy has set its FY 2025 guidance at 7.090-7.230 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 7.590-7.730 EPS. Equities analysts expect that DTE Energy Company will post 7.18 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.165 per share. This represents a $4.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.6%. This is a boost from DTE Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.09. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 15th. DTE Energys payout ratio is presently 69.97%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have recently commented on DTE shares. Barclays boosted their price target on DTE Energy from $138.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Wall Street Zen lowered DTE Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on DTE Energy from $151.00 to $145.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded DTE Energy to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of DTE Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $149.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $148.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on DTE Key Headlines Impacting DTE Energy Here are the key news stories impacting DTE Energy this week: About DTE Energy (Free Report) DTE Energy is an integrated energy company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, that combines regulated utility operations with non-utility energy businesses. Its regulated subsidiaries operate electric and natural gas utility services that deliver generation, transmission and distribution to residential, commercial and industrial customers. The companys utility segment focuses on maintaining and upgrading energy delivery infrastructure, ensuring reliable service and meeting regulatory requirements in its service territory. Beyond its regulated utilities, DTE Energy operates non-utility businesses that develop, own and operate power generation and energy-related projects. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DTE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for DTE Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DTE Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Ferguson (NYSE:FERG Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Saturday morning. Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $243.00 target price on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on Ferguson from $262.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Wednesday, September 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Ferguson from $225.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ferguson presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $250.47. Get Ferguson alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Ferguson Ferguson Price Performance Ferguson stock opened at $229.11 on Friday. Ferguson has a fifty-two week low of $146.00 and a fifty-two week high of $256.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $241.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.17. Ferguson (NYSE:FERG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $2.84 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.77 by $0.07. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 36.42%. The business had revenue of $8.17 billion during the quarter. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.45 EPS. The firms revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Ferguson Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a $0.89 dividend. This is a positive change from Fergusons previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. Fergusons payout ratio is presently 33.54%. Insider Buying and Selling at Ferguson In related news, SVP Jake Schlicher sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $233.52, for a total value of $700,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 11,651 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,720,741.52. This represents a 20.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO William Brundage sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.32, for a total transaction of $699,960.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 52,631 shares in the company, valued at $12,279,864.92. The trade was a 5.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 29,264 shares of company stock worth $6,853,349 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brooklyn Investment Group increased its stake in Ferguson by 103.6% during the first quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 226 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in shares of Ferguson by 65.0% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,454,467 shares of the companys stock valued at $713,740,000 after purchasing an additional 1,755,464 shares in the last quarter. Compound Planning Inc. raised its stake in shares of Ferguson by 4.6% in the first quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 1,386 shares of the companys stock valued at $222,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Groupe la Francaise boosted its stake in Ferguson by 19.6% during the first quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 19,615 shares of the companys stock worth $3,197,000 after buying an additional 3,211 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp boosted its stake in Ferguson by 7.6% during the first quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 343,038 shares of the companys stock worth $54,965,000 after buying an additional 24,099 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the companys stock. Ferguson Company Profile (Get Free Report) Ferguson (NYSE: FERG) is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines. Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Ferguson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ferguson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its position in shares of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 8.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 103,108 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 7,750 shares during the period. Flputnam Investment Management Co.s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $29,093,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in IBM. Family CFO Inc bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Winnow Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners grew its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 322.6% in the first quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 131 shares of the technology companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in International Business Machines by 85.0% during the second quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 111 shares of the technology companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the period. Finally, Copia Wealth Management increased its position in International Business Machines by 57.6% during the second quarter. Copia Wealth Management now owns 134 shares of the technology companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get International Business Machines alerts: International Business Machines Price Performance Shares of International Business Machines stock opened at $300.94 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $281.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.69. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $301.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $279.66. International Business Machines Corporation has a twelve month low of $214.50 and a twelve month high of $324.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.93. International Business Machines Dividend Announcement International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The technology company reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.45 by $0.20. The firm had revenue of $16.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.10 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 12.09% and a return on equity of 37.76%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.30 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Investors of record on Monday, November 10th were paid a $1.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 10th. This represents a $6.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. International Business Machiness payout ratio is currently 80.38%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades IBM has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings raised shares of International Business Machines from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b) rating in a report on Saturday, October 25th. Oppenheimer began coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Friday, November 21st. They set an outperform rating and a $360.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $300.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on International Business Machines from $280.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a sell rating on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $293.38. Read Our Latest Stock Report on IBM International Business Machines Company Profile (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM. IBMs principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX Free Report) by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 383,488 shares of the natural resource companys stock after purchasing an additional 20,586 shares during the quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $15,213,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its position in Freeport-McMoRan by 89.4% during the second quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 17,569,169 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $761,623,000 after buying an additional 8,292,873 shares in the last quarter. Amundi grew its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 28.1% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 27,635,497 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $1,046,280,000 after buying an additional 6,054,537 shares in the last quarter. Crake Asset Management LLP increased its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 2,140.8% in the 1st quarter. Crake Asset Management LLP now owns 5,929,623 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $224,496,000 after acquiring an additional 5,665,000 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP purchased a new position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan during the 2nd quarter worth $159,147,000. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 289.0% during the 3rd quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 3,844,504 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $150,781,000 after acquiring an additional 2,856,302 shares during the period. 80.77% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Freeport-McMoRan alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Freeport-McMoRan news, CAO Ellie L. Mikes sold 9,572 shares of Freeport-McMoRan stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.66, for a total value of $456,201.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 38,761 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,847,349.26. The trade was a 19.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Stephen T. Higgins sold 28,423 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.99, for a total transaction of $1,364,019.77. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 105,294 shares in the company, valued at $5,053,059.06. This trade represents a 21.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.75% of the companys stock. Key Stores Impacting Freeport-McMoRan Positive Sentiment: Stock has reached a fresh 52week high, reflecting strong momentum and bullish investor sentiment around copper fundamentals. Read More. Stock has reached a fresh 52week high, reflecting strong momentum and bullish investor sentiment around copper fundamentals. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Unusual/options whale activity shows concentrated bullish bets, which can amplify upside intraday and signal institutional conviction. Read More. Unusual/options whale activity shows concentrated bullish bets, which can amplify upside intraday and signal institutional conviction. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary (BMO cited) and MarketBeat coverage point to a recovery after operational news (Grasberg closure) and higher copper prices as a multiquarter tailwind for earnings. Read More. Read More. Analyst commentary (BMO cited) and MarketBeat coverage point to a recovery after operational news (Grasberg closure) and higher copper prices as a multiquarter tailwind for earnings. Read More. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Company announced a quarterly cash dividend (small yield) supports income investors and signals freecashflow availability. (Record/exdividend dates disclosed in the release) Company announced a quarterly cash dividend (small yield) supports income investors and signals freecashflow availability. (Record/exdividend dates disclosed in the release) Neutral Sentiment: Mixed shortterm market signals: some outlets report moderately bullish intraday activity while others note mixed options sentiment suggests shortterm volatility remains likely. Read More. Read More. Mixed shortterm market signals: some outlets report moderately bullish intraday activity while others note mixed options sentiment suggests shortterm volatility remains likely. Read More. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Sector commentary flagged a couple of materials names as potential Q4 downside worth monitoring for broader sector flows, but impact on FCX is uncertain. Read More. Sector commentary flagged a couple of materials names as potential Q4 downside worth monitoring for broader sector flows, but impact on FCX is uncertain. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed or issued investor alerts about securitiesfraud class actions (alleged misstatements covering Feb 15, 2022Sept 24, 2025) and are soliciting lead plaintiffs elevated legal overhang could pressure the stock if filings lead to a major settlement or increased litigation costs. Representative filing/notice: Read More. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Here are the key news stories impacting Freeport-McMoRan this week: FCX has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Bank of America raised shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $42.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Clarkson Capital raised shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $46.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. CICC Research cut their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $51.60 to $42.30 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Freeport-McMoRan from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $49.11. View Our Latest Stock Report on FCX Freeport-McMoRan Price Performance Shares of FCX opened at $49.14 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $42.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $42.76. The stock has a market cap of $70.56 billion, a PE ratio of 34.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.49. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a 1-year low of $27.66 and a 1-year high of $49.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 2.45 and a quick ratio of 1.19. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The natural resource company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.41 by $0.09. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 7.97% and a return on equity of 7.84%. The firm had revenue of $6.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.74 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.38 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.68 EPS for the current year. Freeport-McMoRan Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a $0.075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is presently 21.13%. Freeport-McMoRan Profile (Free Report) Freeport-McMoRan Inc is a U.S.-based natural resources company primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of copper, gold and molybdenum. Its operations encompass large-scale open-pit and underground mining as well as associated concentrator and milling facilities. The company produces copper in the form of concentrates and cathodes, and also recovers gold and molybdenum as co-products; its business model includes exploration, development, mining, beneficiation and the sale of bulk commodities to smelters and industrial customers. Freeport-McMoRan conducts operations and development activities across multiple geographies, with substantial assets in the Americas and Indonesia. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FCX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Freeport-McMoRan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Freeport-McMoRan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. (NYSE:HVT Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $21.98 and traded as high as $25.01. Haverty Furniture Companies shares last traded at $24.3530, with a volume of 209,095 shares. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Haverty Furniture Companies in a report on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen raised Haverty Furniture Companies from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Sunday, November 9th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Haverty Furniture Companies from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Haverty Furniture Companies alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Haverty Furniture Companies Haverty Furniture Companies Price Performance The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $22.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.00. The company has a market capitalization of $396.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.27. Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.04. Haverty Furniture Companies had a net margin of 2.62% and a return on equity of 6.34%. The firm had revenue of $194.48 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $183.12 million. As a group, equities analysts expect that Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. will post 0.88 EPS for the current fiscal year. Haverty Furniture Companies Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th were given a dividend of $0.33 per share. This is a positive change from Haverty Furniture Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 25th. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.4%. Haverty Furniture Companiess payout ratio is 115.79%. Insider Activity In other news, Director Rawson Haverty, Jr. sold 7,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.86, for a total value of $186,450.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders have sold a total of 14,354 shares of company stock valued at $345,898 in the last quarter. 8.63% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Haverty Furniture Companies A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in HVT. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in Haverty Furniture Companies by 1,929.3% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,522 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,447 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. State of Wyoming acquired a new stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies during the 2nd quarter worth about $58,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Haverty Furniture Companies by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 8,898 shares of the companys stock valued at $175,000 after buying an additional 651 shares during the period. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Haverty Furniture Companies by 146.3% in the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,201 shares of the companys stock valued at $187,000 after buying an additional 5,465 shares during the period. 80.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Haverty Furniture Companies (Get Free Report) Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc operates as a specialty retailer of residential furniture and home decor in the United States. Founded in 1885 by J.J. Haverty and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company offers a broad assortment of upholstered furniture, case goods, mattresses, area rugs and decorative accessories. Customers can shop through a network of company-owned showrooms as well as an e-commerce platform, supported by in-house design services, delivery options and consumer financing programs. Over more than a century of operation, Havertys has expanded its presence primarily across the Southeast and select markets beyond. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ryan Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWD Free Report) by 6.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 145,973 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 9,411 shares during the quarter. iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF comprises 16.5% of Ryan Investment Management Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd biggest holding. Ryan Investment Management Inc.s holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF were worth $29,719,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of IWD. Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new position in iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. purchased a new position in iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Advantage Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF during the second quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.93% of the companys stock. Get iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF alerts: iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF Stock Up 0.4% NYSEARCA IWD opened at $209.88 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $66.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.83 and a beta of 0.89. iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has a 52-week low of $163.19 and a 52-week high of $213.53. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $206.30 and a 200 day moving average price of $200.72. About iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the large capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market, as represented by the Russell 1000 Value Index (the Index). The Index represents approximately 50% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 1000 Index. The Index measures the large-capital value sector of the United States equity market. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Jackson Square Capital LLC lessened its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 28.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 14,562 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,749 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 2.4% of Jackson Square Capital LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Jackson Square Capital LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $11,111,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Steph & Co. grew its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% in the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Gravity Companies Inc. purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: More Eli Lilly and Company News Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have issued reports on LLY shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $1,150.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Daiwa America upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Truist Financial raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,038.00 to $1,182.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, November 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $1,141.73. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $1,071.35 on Friday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $960.76 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $830.91. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $623.78 and a twelve month high of $1,111.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 52.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.42 by $0.60. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 109.52% and a net margin of 30.99%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.18 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a $1.73 dividend. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is currently 29.35%. Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC raised its holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 85,493 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 4,251 shares during the quarter. Procter & Gamble accounts for about 0.9% of KMG Fiduciary Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $13,136,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Nova Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 67.9% in the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 178 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the period. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, RMG Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. 65.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Procter & Gamble Trading Down 0.8% Shares of PG stock opened at $144.39 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $337.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.39. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $138.14 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $147.32 and a 200 day simple moving average of $153.46. Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $22.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.23 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.63% and a net margin of 19.74%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.100 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 17th. Investors of record on Friday, October 24th were given a dividend of $1.0568 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 24th. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is currently 61.75%. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Jennifer L. Davis sold 3,227 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.23, for a total value of $491,246.21. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 61,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,402,333.72. This trade represents a 4.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 2,408 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.23, for a total value of $366,569.84. Following the sale, the insider owned 31,770 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,836,347.10. The trade was a 7.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders sold 30,308 shares of company stock valued at $4,611,852. Company insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have weighed in on PG shares. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $153.00 to $151.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 8th. Berenberg Bank upped their target price on Procter & Gamble from $152.00 to $154.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 17th. Dbs Bank raised Procter & Gamble to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Procter & Gamble from $173.00 to $170.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $175.00 price objective on Procter & Gamble in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $171.38. View Our Latest Stock Report on PG Procter & Gamble Profile (Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. When you walk into Walmart, there are a few things you can feel confident in. First, you're likely to find a pretty impressive array of products, whether it's potatoes, paper plates, or a last-minute toy for a birthday party you forgot about. The other thing you can usually count on from Walmart is impressively low prices. Walmart has structured its business model around affordable products and great deals. When people see the name "Walmart," they think "value." And that's been a winning formula for the big-box giant for many years. But catering to budget-conscious consumers may no longer be cutting it for Walmart. Amazon Prime members: Do not miss this bonus deal from our sponsor (it could be worth hundreds) Consumers are cutting back on spending pretty heavily these days to cope with higher costs. In November, the Consumer Price Index rose 2.7%. But that's coming on the heels of many months of increases without a break. In early December, Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moodys, told Fortune that many Americans are already living on the financial edge. As such, there's a limit as to how much money they can spend on items that aren't absolute necessities. Because lower-income consumers are being forced to cut back on discretionary purchases, Walmart has been forced to start focusing on a different type of customer. And its efforts seem to be paying off. But that's not necessarily a good thing. Affluent customers are increasingly shopping at lower-price retailers like Walmart.Shutterstock Shutterstock Walmart is catering to higher-income consumers and it's working Walmart is clearly tired of being seen as a budget retailer. And recently, focusing on higher-income shoppers has been a big part of its success. Walmart's most recent quarter exceeded analysts' expectations. Sales grew 5.9% overall, and adjusted operating income grew even faster at 8%, the company reported. Related: Costco quietly lowered prices on key items But Walmart also attributes much of that growth to higher-income shoppers. "As pocketbooks have been stretched, you're seeing more consumer dollars go to necessities versus discretionary items," said John David Rainey, CFO of Walmart U.S., during the company's last earnings call. "We've done a great job of improving our assortment," Rainey said, to cater to wealthier customers. Rainey also doubled down on that strategy during Morgan Stanley's Global Consumer & Retail Conference in December, pointing out that one of Walmart's recent top-selling items was AirPods. More Retail: Sarasin & Partners LLP raised its stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report) by 2.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 727,985 shares of the credit services providers stock after purchasing an additional 20,686 shares during the period. Mastercard comprises 4.1% of Sarasin & Partners LLPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Sarasin & Partners LLP owned approximately 0.08% of Mastercard worth $413,597,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. LGT Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Mastercard in the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Family Legacy Financial Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Flaharty Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, IMG Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. 97.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Mastercard alerts: Mastercard News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Mastercard this week: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth MA has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Macquarie increased their target price on shares of Mastercard from $655.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Morgan Stanley set a $665.00 price objective on Mastercard and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Mastercard from $690.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Mastercard from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $638.00 to $630.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $657.48. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on MA Mastercard Price Performance Shares of NYSE MA opened at $572.46 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $553.82 and a 200 day moving average price of $565.96. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $465.59 and a 1-year high of $601.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.40, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The company has a market cap of $514.07 billion, a PE ratio of 36.60, a P/E/G ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.87. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The credit services provider reported $4.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.31 by $0.07. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.28% and a return on equity of 202.03%. The company had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.53 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.89 EPS. Mastercards quarterly revenue was up 16.7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Mastercard Incorporated will post 15.91 EPS for the current year. Mastercard Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th will be issued a $0.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 9th. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is presently 19.44%. Mastercard Profile (Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments. Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Meadowbrook Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 1,234 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $942,000. Eli Lilly and Company makes up 1.0% of Meadowbrook Wealth Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest holding. Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in LLY. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 80,407,430 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,680,004,000 after purchasing an additional 1,183,038 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 78,621.2% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,552,336 shares of the companys stock worth $9,005,392,000 after buying an additional 11,537,661 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter valued at approximately $8,827,714,000. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 5,447,636 shares of the companys stock worth $4,246,596,000 after acquiring an additional 226,620 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,443,919 shares of the companys stock worth $4,496,187,000 after acquiring an additional 397,696 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: More Eli Lilly and Company News Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Analysts Set New Price Targets LLY has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Berenberg Bank increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $830.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Erste Group Bank upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. National Bankshares set a $1,286.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Daiwa America raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,141.73. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on LLY Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 1.4% Shares of LLY opened at $1,071.35 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $960.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $830.91. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 52.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.37. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $623.78 and a 12-month high of $1,111.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.42 by $0.60. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 109.52% and a net margin of 30.99%.The companys revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.18 earnings per share. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is presently 29.35%. Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Orrstown Financial Services Inc. decreased its holdings in Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:AVUV Free Report) by 6.0% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 338,337 shares of the companys stock after selling 21,738 shares during the quarter. Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF comprises 5.8% of Orrstown Financial Services Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Orrstown Financial Services Inc.s holdings in Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF were worth $33,675,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AVUV. Bank of New Hampshire bought a new stake in Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton purchased a new stake in Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Trust Co. of Vermont raised its position in shares of Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF by 95.9% during the second quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 917 shares of the companys stock valued at $84,000 after buying an additional 449 shares during the last quarter. North Star Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Finally, Hurlow Wealth Management Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF in the second quarter worth $204,000. Get Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF alerts: Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF Stock Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:AVUV opened at $103.78 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $19.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.26 and a beta of 1.09. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $99.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $97.04. Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF has a fifty-two week low of $74.00 and a fifty-two week high of $106.73. Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF Company Profile The Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Russell 2000 Value index. The fund is an actively-managed portfolio of US small-cap value companies selected based on fundamental criteria. AVUV was launched on Sep 24, 2019 and is managed by American Century Investments. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AVUV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:AVUV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of PHINIA (NYSE:PHIN Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday. A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on PHIN. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of PHINIA from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 10th. Zacks Research lowered PHINIA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. BNP Paribas raised PHINIA from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of PHINIA in a report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a neutral rating on shares of PHINIA in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, PHINIA currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $56.43. Get PHINIA alerts: Read Our Latest Report on PHIN PHINIA Price Performance Shares of PHIN opened at $60.58 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.33 billion, a PE ratio of 27.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.44. PHINIA has a 52-week low of $36.25 and a 52-week high of $61.25. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $54.41 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.72. PHINIA (NYSE:PHIN Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.17 by $0.42. The company had revenue of $908.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $861.57 million. PHINIA had a net margin of 2.63% and a return on equity of 11.64%. PHINIAs revenue for the quarter was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.17 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that PHINIA will post 4.21 EPS for the current year. PHINIA Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Investors of record on Monday, November 24th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 24th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. PHINIAs payout ratio is 48.65%. Insider Activity In related news, VP Hongyong Yang sold 893 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.43, for a total transaction of $46,819.99. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP Samantha Pombier sold 1,940 shares of PHINIA stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.14, for a total value of $105,031.60. Following the sale, the vice president owned 8,869 shares in the company, valued at $480,167.66. This trade represents a 17.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On PHINIA Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. UBS Group AG raised its stake in shares of PHINIA by 222.9% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 466,053 shares of the companys stock worth $26,789,000 after purchasing an additional 321,708 shares during the period. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in PHINIA in the first quarter worth about $10,939,000. Voss Capital LP raised its position in PHINIA by 10.8% in the second quarter. Voss Capital LP now owns 2,290,000 shares of the companys stock worth $101,882,000 after acquiring an additional 222,658 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its stake in PHINIA by 92.2% in the third quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 416,328 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,931,000 after acquiring an additional 199,756 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management grew its position in shares of PHINIA by 19.4% during the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 1,199,218 shares of the companys stock valued at $53,353,000 after acquiring an additional 194,627 shares during the period. 90.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. PHINIA Company Profile (Get Free Report) PHINIA Inc engages in the development, design, and manufacture of integrated components and systems that optimize performance, increase efficiency, and reduce emissions in combustion and hybrid propulsion for commercial and light vehicles, and industrial applications. The company operates through Fuel Systems and Aftermarket segments. The Fuel Systems segment provides advanced fuel injection systems, including pumps, injectors, fuel rail assemblies, and engine control modules; fuel delivery modules; canisters; sensors; and electronic control modules. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for PHINIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PHINIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Premium Brands (TSE:PBH Free Report) from a hold rating to an outperform rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have C$120.00 price objective on the stock, up from their prior price objective of C$99.00. Several other brokerages have also commented on PBH. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on Premium Brands from C$108.00 to C$118.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Premium Brands from C$109.00 to C$111.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Premium Brands from C$106.00 to C$111.00 in a report on Thursday. CIBC boosted their price target on Premium Brands from C$108.00 to C$115.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, TD Securities increased their price objective on shares of Premium Brands from C$145.00 to C$160.00 in a research report on Thursday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Premium Brands currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$121.64. Get Premium Brands alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Premium Brands Premium Brands Stock Down 0.6% TSE:PBH opened at C$100.90 on Thursday. The companys 50-day simple moving average is C$95.62 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$91.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 163.00, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.51. Premium Brands has a fifty-two week low of C$72.57 and a fifty-two week high of C$103.89. The stock has a market capitalization of C$4.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 68.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.38. Premium Brands (TSE:PBH Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 10th. The company reported C$1.27 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$1.99 billion during the quarter. Premium Brands had a net margin of 1.55% and a return on equity of 5.66%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Premium Brands will post 6.039823 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Premium Brands News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Premium Brands this week: Positive Sentiment: Multiple analysts raised price targets and ratings TD moved its target to C$160, Raymond James and BMO to C$125, CIBC and Desjardins to C$120, Stifel to C$111, and Scotiabank upgraded to outperform (target C$120). Collectively these actions signal stronger sellside conviction and imply roughly 9%58% upside versus current levels, supporting positive sentiment. Analyst Coverage Roundup Multiple analysts raised price targets and ratings TD moved its target to C$160, Raymond James and BMO to C$125, CIBC and Desjardins to C$120, Stifel to C$111, and Scotiabank upgraded to outperform (target C$120). Collectively these actions signal stronger sellside conviction and imply roughly 9%58% upside versus current levels, supporting positive sentiment. Neutral Sentiment: Premium Brands closed the overallotment options related to its recent roughly $600M equity and convertibledebenture offerings. That completion shows investor demand and strengthens the companys liquidity and funding for M&A or operations, but it also increases share count and convertible obligations a mixed impact for EPS and future dilution. Over-Allotment Closing Premium Brands closed the overallotment options related to its recent roughly $600M equity and convertibledebenture offerings. That completion shows investor demand and strengthens the companys liquidity and funding for M&A or operations, but it also increases share count and convertible obligations a mixed impact for EPS and future dilution. Neutral Sentiment: A recent valuation piece asks whether PBH is still undervalued after a roughly 34% oneyear share gain useful context for longerterm investors but unlikely to drive a sharp nearterm move on its own. It highlights the debate between rising analyst targets and the stocks rich multiple. Valuation Article Premium Brands Company Profile (Get Free Report) Premium Brands Holdings Corp is engaged in specialty food manufacturing, premium food distribution, and wholesale businesses with operations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nevada, and Washington State. The companys business segments include Specialty Foods, Premium Food Distribution, and Corporate. The Specialty Foods segment consists of its specialty food manufacturing businesses, which contributes about two-thirds of the group revenue; the Premium Food Distribution segment consists of the companys distribution and wholesale businesses; the Corporate segment includes the companys head office activities along with its finance and information systems. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Premium Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Premium Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Newmont, Hecla Mining, Agnico Eagle Mines, Freeport-McMoRan, and Barrick Mining are the five Gold stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Gold stocks are shares of publicly traded companies whose primary business is finding, developing, producing, or financing gold (including miners, explorers, and royalty/streaming firms). They give investors leveraged exposure to the price of goldpotentially amplifying gains when gold risesbut also carry company-specific operational, geopolitical, and management risks that can make them more volatile than holding physical gold. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Gold stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Newmont (NEM) Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana. Hecla Mining (HL) Hecla Mining Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides precious and base metal properties in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and China. The company mines for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates, as well as carbon material containing silver and gold for custom smelters, metal traders, and third-party processors; and dore containing silver and gold. Read Our Latest Research Report on HL Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, a gold mining company, exploration, development, and production of precious metals. It explores for gold. The company's mines are located in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in Canada, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Read Our Latest Research Report on AEM Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. Read Our Latest Research Report on FCX Barrick Mining (B) Barrick Gold Corporation is a sector-leading gold and copper producer. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GOLD and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABX. In January 2019 Barrick merged with Randgold Resources and in July that year it combined its gold mines in Nevada, USA, with those of Newmont Corporation in a joint venture, Nevada Gold Mines, which is majority-owned and operated by Barrick. Read Our Latest Research Report on B Read More Signal Advisors Wealth LLC raised its stake in Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Free Report) by 154.1% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 8,290 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 5,027 shares during the quarter. Signal Advisors Wealth LLCs holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $860,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in PRU. AlphaQuest LLC raised its holdings in Prudential Financial by 12,250.0% in the first quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 247 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Prudential Financial in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Prudential Financial in the 2nd quarter valued at $39,000. Capital A Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Prudential Financial by 4,600.0% during the 2nd quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 376 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Prudential Financial during the second quarter worth $51,000. 56.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Prudential Financial alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have weighed in on PRU. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Prudential Financial from $117.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Barclays reduced their target price on Prudential Financial from $120.00 to $117.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Prudential Financial from $120.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Prudential Financial in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on shares of Prudential Financial from $117.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Prudential Financial presently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $116.80. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Chairman Charles F. Lowrey sold 48,164 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.39, for a total value of $5,172,331.96. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 165,564 shares in the company, valued at $17,779,917.96. This trade represents a 22.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Caroline Feeney sold 6,555 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.28, for a total value of $762,215.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 22,523 shares in the company, valued at $2,618,974.44. The trade was a 22.54% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 62,719 shares of company stock valued at $6,796,067 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the companys stock. Prudential Financial Trading Down 0.5% NYSE:PRU opened at $114.97 on Friday. Prudential Financial, Inc. has a 12-month low of $90.38 and a 12-month high of $123.88. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $107.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $105.80. The firm has a market cap of $40.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.79, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.97. Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $3.58 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $8.35 billion during the quarter. Prudential Financial had a return on equity of 16.60% and a net margin of 4.65%. Equities analysts anticipate that Prudential Financial, Inc. will post 14.36 EPS for the current year. Prudential Financial Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were paid a dividend of $1.35 per share. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 18th. Prudential Financials payout ratio is 74.18%. Prudential Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Prudential Financial, Inc, headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, is a diversified financial services company with roots dating to 1875. The firm provides a range of insurance, retirement and investment products aimed at helping individual and institutional clients manage risk, accumulate and protect wealth, and plan for retirement. Prudentials long history in life insurance and related financial services has positioned it as a major participant in the U.S. insurance market and a provider of services to a broad client base. Prudentials core business activities include individual life insurance, annuities, retirement solutions and group insurance products for employers. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PRU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Prudential Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prudential Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian National Railway (TSE:CNR Free Report) (NYSE:CNI) had its target price lowered by Royal Bank Of Canada from C$158.00 to C$153.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday morning,BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock. CNR has been the subject of several other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$154.00 to C$153.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Citigroup increased their target price on Canadian National Railway from C$119.00 to C$120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Cibc Captl Mkts upgraded Canadian National Railway from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on Canadian National Railway from C$149.00 to C$148.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. Finally, Desjardins increased their price objective on Canadian National Railway from C$151.00 to C$161.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$153.20. Get Canadian National Railway alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway Stock Performance Shares of Canadian National Railway stock opened at C$135.49 on Thursday. Canadian National Railway has a 1 year low of C$126.11 and a 1 year high of C$154.56. The firms 50-day moving average is C$133.82 and its 200 day moving average is C$134.50. The stock has a market cap of C$83.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.41, a PEG ratio of 3.38 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 107.59, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.58. Canadian National Railway (TSE:CNR Get Free Report) (NYSE:CNI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The company reported C$1.83 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$4.17 billion during the quarter. Canadian National Railway had a net margin of 31.20% and a return on equity of 27.10%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Canadian National Railway will post 8.2610275 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Canadian National Railway (Get Free Report) CN powers the economy by safely transporting more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year for its customers. With its nearly 20,000-mile rail network and related transportation services, CN connects Canadas Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. Midwest and the U.S. Gulf Coast, contributing to sustainable trade and the prosperity of the communities in which it operates since 1919. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Canadian National Railway Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian National Railway and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sarasin & Partners LLP reduced its stake in shares of Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR Free Report) by 65.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 32,408 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 60,094 shares during the quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLPs holdings in Equity Residential were worth $2,078,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of EQR. CVA Family Office LLC lifted its position in shares of Equity Residential by 425.3% during the second quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 415 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 336 shares in the last quarter. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Equity Residential during the 1st quarter worth $37,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in Equity Residential by 1,000.0% in the 2nd quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 660 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Equity Residential in the 1st quarter worth $56,000. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in Equity Residential in the 2nd quarter valued at about $61,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.68% of the companys stock. Get Equity Residential alerts: Equity Residential Price Performance Shares of EQR opened at $61.47 on Friday. Equity Residential has a 52 week low of $58.38 and a 52 week high of $75.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The firm has a market cap of $23.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.29, a PEG ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.75. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $60.92 and a 200-day moving average of $64.10. Equity Residential Dividend Announcement Equity Residential ( NYSE:EQR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.02. Equity Residential had a return on equity of 10.30% and a net margin of 37.58%.The firm had revenue of $782.41 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $779.68 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.98 earnings per share. Equity Residential has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 1.020-1.060 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 3.980-4.020 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Equity Residential will post 3.98 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be issued a $0.6925 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.77 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.5%. Equity Residentials payout ratio is 91.42%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on EQR. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Equity Residential in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. They set an overweight rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Equity Residential from $76.00 to $68.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 10th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $79.75 target price on Equity Residential in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Equity Residential from $80.00 to $77.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on shares of Equity Residential from $75.00 to $70.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $70.02. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on EQR About Equity Residential (Free Report) Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that acquires, develops, owns and operates rental apartment properties. Headquartered in Chicago, the company focuses on delivering professionally managed, market-rate apartment homes and related services to renters. Its operations cover a range of property types, including high-rise and mid-rise assets, with amenities and on-site management designed to support resident retention and occupancy. The companys core activities include property acquisitions, development and redevelopment, leasing, and day-to-day property management. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Equity Residential Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equity Residential and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sarasin & Partners LLP bought a new position in Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,454,145 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock, valued at approximately $144,789,000. Uber Technologies comprises about 1.4% of Sarasin & Partners LLPs portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Sarasin & Partners LLP owned approximately 0.07% of Uber Technologies at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Uber Technologies by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 189,551,519 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $17,685,157,000 after buying an additional 3,025,483 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 2.6% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 45,859,136 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $4,258,756,000 after buying an additional 1,168,288 shares during the period. Pershing Square Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Uber Technologies in the first quarter worth approximately $2,207,743,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,348,319,000. Finally, Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC raised its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 334,075.7% during the second quarter. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC now owns 19,973,682 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $1,863,545,000 after acquiring an additional 19,967,705 shares during the period. 80.24% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Uber Technologies alerts: Uber Technologies Stock Performance Shares of NYSE UBER opened at $79.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 1.15. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a one year low of $59.75 and a one year high of $101.99. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $90.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $91.63. The company has a market capitalization of $164.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.20 and a beta of 1.19. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Uber Technologies ( NYSE:UBER Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The ride-sharing company reported $3.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.67 by $2.44. The company had revenue of $13.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.25 billion. Uber Technologies had a return on equity of 68.17% and a net margin of 33.54%.The businesss quarterly revenue was up 20.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.20 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of research firms recently commented on UBER. Benchmark reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Uber Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. UBS Group set a $122.00 target price on Uber Technologies and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Uber Technologies from $108.00 to $114.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Uber Technologies from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $107.00 target price on Uber Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $108.43. Get Our Latest Report on Uber Technologies Uber Technologies News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Uber Technologies this week: Positive Sentiment: Uber expanded its AV footprint by rolling out robotaxi rides in Dubai with partner WeRide, increasing early commercial exposure for Mobility and potentially accelerating future revenue mix diversification. AV Expansion in UAE Uber expanded its AV footprint by rolling out robotaxi rides in Dubai with partner WeRide, increasing early commercial exposure for Mobility and potentially accelerating future revenue mix diversification. Positive Sentiment: Bernstein/other sellside commentary argues investors have overdiscounted AV risks; at least one analyst raised Ubers price target, framing the stock as an attractive entry if robotaxi fears ease supportive for valuation. Analyst Note / MarketWatch Bernstein/other sellside commentary argues investors have overdiscounted AV risks; at least one analyst raised Ubers price target, framing the stock as an attractive entry if robotaxi fears ease supportive for valuation. Neutral Sentiment: Comparative coverage highlights that Serve Robotics (SERV) and Uber represent different autonomous delivery plays useful context for investors but not an immediate stock mover for UBER. SERV vs UBER Comparative coverage highlights that Serve Robotics (SERV) and Uber represent different autonomous delivery plays useful context for investors but not an immediate stock mover for UBER. Neutral Sentiment: Institutional ownership remains high and several large funds recently adjusted positions a reminder that blocks and index/ETF flows can affect volatility but dont change fundamentals immediately. Institutional Holdings Institutional ownership remains high and several large funds recently adjusted positions a reminder that blocks and index/ETF flows can affect volatility but dont change fundamentals immediately. Negative Sentiment: Multiple states, counties and attorneys general have joined or filed suits alleging deceptive subscription/billing practices; growing litigation and potential remediation costs raise regulatory/legal risk and nearterm headline volatility. AG Nessel Lawsuit Multiple states, counties and attorneys general have joined or filed suits alleging deceptive subscription/billing practices; growing litigation and potential remediation costs raise regulatory/legal risk and nearterm headline volatility. Negative Sentiment: Ubers head of safety is departing amid an executive shakeup, which could concern investors focused on governance and operational continuity. Safety Chief Departure Ubers head of safety is departing amid an executive shakeup, which could concern investors focused on governance and operational continuity. Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: General Counsel Tony West sold 3,125 shares on Dec. 18 isolated insider sales arent uncommon but can add to negative sentiment when combined with other headwinds. Tony West Insider Sale Insider selling: General Counsel Tony West sold 3,125 shares on Dec. 18 isolated insider sales arent uncommon but can add to negative sentiment when combined with other headwinds. Negative Sentiment: Technical analysts flagged a break of support, prompting meltdown headlines; technical weakness can amplify selling flows from momentum and quant funds. Technical Weakness Insider Activity at Uber Technologies In other news, insider Tony West sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, September 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.38, for a total transaction of $10,038,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 171,558 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,220,992.04. This trade represents a 36.82% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah sold 5,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.41, for a total transaction of $519,255.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 20,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,919,355.30. This represents a 21.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 264,875 shares of company stock valued at $26,458,818. 3.84% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Uber Technologies (Free Report) Uber Technologies, Inc is a technology company that operates a global platform connecting riders, drivers, couriers, restaurants and shippers. Founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick and headquartered in San Francisco, Uber developed one of the first large-scale ride-hailing marketplaces and has since expanded into a broader set of mobility and logistics services. The company completed its initial public offering in 2019 and continues to position its app-based network as a multi-modal transportation and delivery platform. Ubers principal businesses include mobility services (ride-hailing and shared rides), delivery through Uber Eats, and freight logistics via Uber Freight. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UBER? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Uber Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Uber Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is one of the most widely held stocks by hedge funds in 2025. Reuters reported on December 17 that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is among the two stocks in the chip equipment space that Morgan Stanley is the most constructive on, with the other being Applied Materials. The firm told investors in a note that the biggest debate is AI semis for the third consecutive year, where the index weighting is dominated by the processor names, and the (so far) insatiable appetite for compute is the most important variable to consider. NVIDIA Invests $2 Billion in Synopsys as Part of New Multiyear AI and EDA Partnership In a separate development, Bank of America Securities analyst Mike Yang reaffirmed a Buy rating on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) on December 10 and set a price target of $390. The rating update followed Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limiteds (NYSE:TSM) release of its November 2025 revenue report. Revenue for November 2025 on a consolidated basis reached around NT$343.61 billion, reflecting a drop of 6.5% from October 2025 and an increase of 24.5% compared to November 2024. The company further reported that revenue for January through November of 2025 reached a total of NT$3,474.05 billion, which translates to a growth of 32.8% compared to the same period in 2024. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is the largest contract semiconductor manufacturer in the world. Some of its prominent customers include semiconductor companies that outsource all or part of their chip production, including Advanced Micro Devices, Nvidia, Broadcom, and more. While we acknowledge the potential of TSM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sarasin & Partners LLP trimmed its holdings in Graco Inc. (NYSE:GGG Free Report) by 5.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 289,421 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 18,217 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP owned approximately 0.17% of Graco worth $24,453,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR bought a new position in Graco in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,806,000. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Graco by 10.6% during the second quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC now owns 129,189 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $11,106,000 after buying an additional 12,352 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Graco by 82.7% in the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 180,509 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $16,027,000 after buying an additional 81,706 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Graco by 572.1% in the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 437,661 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $36,549,000 after acquiring an additional 372,543 shares during the period. Finally, Vest Financial LLC grew its stake in Graco by 28.1% during the second quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 49,303 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $4,239,000 after acquiring an additional 10,828 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.88% of the companys stock. Get Graco alerts: Graco Stock Performance Graco stock opened at $82.72 on Friday. Graco Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $72.06 and a fifty-two week high of $89.67. The stock has a market cap of $13.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.09. The firms fifty day moving average price is $81.97 and its 200-day moving average price is $84.13. Graco ( NYSE:GGG Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The industrial products company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.75 by ($0.02). Graco had a net margin of 22.72% and a return on equity of 18.89%. The firm had revenue of $543.36 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $563.07 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.71 EPS. The firms revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Graco Inc. will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year. Graco announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Friday, December 5th that permits the company to repurchase 15,000,000 shares. This repurchase authorization permits the industrial products company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. Graco Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 19th will be given a dividend of $0.295 per share. This is a boost from Gracos previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Gracos dividend payout ratio is currently 37.54%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have issued reports on GGG shares. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Graco from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. KeyCorp reiterated a sector weight rating on shares of Graco in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $89.00 target price on Graco in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Graco presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $90.33. Read Our Latest Report on GGG Graco Profile (Free Report) Graco Inc is a leading manufacturer of fluid handling systems and components, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1926, the company has built a reputation for innovation in spray finishing, lubrication, and fluid management technologies. Gracos solutions are designed to address the needs of paint and coatings applicators, general industry, and process fluids in a variety of end markets. The companys product portfolio includes airless and air-assisted spray equipment, pumps for oil and gas applications, industrial lubrication systems, and automated dispensing equipment. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Graco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Graco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seneca House Advisors trimmed its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report) by 10.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 106,900 shares of the companys stock after selling 11,896 shares during the period. Altria Group makes up about 2.9% of Seneca House Advisors investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Seneca House Advisors holdings in Altria Group were worth $7,062,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Mattson Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Carderock Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter worth $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group during the second quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Country Trust Bank lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 400.0% during the second quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 500 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the companys stock. Get Altria Group alerts: Altria Group Stock Performance Shares of NYSE MO opened at $58.17 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $50.08 and a 52-week high of $68.60. The stock has a market cap of $97.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.48. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $59.77 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.71. Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 37.89% and a negative return on equity of 319.43%. The company had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.31 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.38 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Altria Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.370-5.45 EPS. Analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Altria Group announced that its board has approved a share buyback program on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to buyback $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 1.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are usually an indication that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Altria Group Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th will be issued a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 26th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.3%. Altria Groups payout ratio is currently 80.92%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently commented on MO. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Altria Group from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $68.00 to $61.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $62.33. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Altria Group About Altria Group (Free Report) Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the companys operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country. Altrias principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Altria Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altria Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sharkey Howes & Javer cut its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report) by 71.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 42,168 shares of the companys stock after selling 104,779 shares during the period. Sharkey Howes & Javers holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $4,802,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 3.2% during the third quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 15,634 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,780,000 after buying an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 57,622 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,562,000 after acquiring an additional 710 shares in the last quarter. Affinity Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter. Affinity Capital Advisors LLC now owns 137,211 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,881,000 after acquiring an additional 9,468 shares in the last quarter. Peterson Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 14.0% in the 3rd quarter. Peterson Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,104 shares of the companys stock worth $360,000 after acquiring an additional 381 shares during the period. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 2,866 shares of the companys stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Trading Up 18.0% EFG opened at $113.37 on Friday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $114.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $112.57. The stock has a market cap of $13.33 billion, a PE ratio of 24.98 and a beta of 0.96. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $88.66 and a 1 year high of $113.16. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. The Fund invests in sectors, such as consumer staples, industrials, consumer discretionary, materials, healthcare, financials, information technology, energy, telecommunication services and utilities. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EFG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of TAL Education Group (NYSE:TAL Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Saturday morning. A number of other research firms have also recently commented on TAL. Zacks Research upgraded TAL Education Group from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of TAL Education Group in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of TAL Education Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $16.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, TAL Education Group has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $13.91. Get TAL Education Group alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on TAL Education Group TAL Education Group Stock Down 1.9% TAL opened at $10.82 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.29, a PEG ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.06. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $11.46 and a 200-day moving average price of $10.99. TAL Education Group has a twelve month low of $8.50 and a twelve month high of $15.30. TAL Education Group (NYSE:TAL Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $861.35 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $819.03 million. TAL Education Group had a net margin of 6.45% and a return on equity of 4.71%. As a group, analysts expect that TAL Education Group will post 0.2 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On TAL Education Group Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of TAL Education Group by 8.6% during the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 15,185 shares of the companys stock worth $170,000 after acquiring an additional 1,202 shares during the last quarter. HighVista Strategies LLC lifted its stake in TAL Education Group by 8.3% in the 3rd quarter. HighVista Strategies LLC now owns 19,600 shares of the companys stock worth $220,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board boosted its holdings in shares of TAL Education Group by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 157,482 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,609,000 after purchasing an additional 1,600 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of TAL Education Group by 12.2% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 17,614 shares of the companys stock valued at $197,000 after purchasing an additional 1,913 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of TAL Education Group by 0.9% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 267,434 shares of the companys stock worth $2,733,000 after purchasing an additional 2,275 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 37.79% of the companys stock. About TAL Education Group (Get Free Report) TAL Education Group is a leading provider of after-school tutoring services in China, specializing in K-12 academic instruction. The company offers a range of programs designed to help primary and secondary school students strengthen their core competencies in subjects such as mathematics, English, Chinese language and science. TAL leverages both in-person learning centers and digital platforms to deliver its curriculum, aiming to support student progress through interactive lessons and personalized study plans. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Beijing, TAL Education Group has grown into one of Chinas largest private education firms. Read More Receive News & Ratings for TAL Education Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TAL Education Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. USA Financial Formulas increased its holdings in The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Free Report) by 10,831.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,179 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 16,031 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon comprises about 0.3% of USA Financial Formulas holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. USA Financial Formulas holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $1,763,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Westside Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 78.9% in the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 288 shares of the banks stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Bank of New York Mellon in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Hoey Investments Inc. purchased a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. GFG Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Caldwell Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. 85.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Bank of New York Mellon Stock Performance Shares of BK opened at $115.79 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $80.74 billion, a PE ratio of 16.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.70. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation has a one year low of $70.46 and a one year high of $119.40. The companys fifty day moving average price is $110.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $103.56. Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The bank reported $1.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $5.07 billion for the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 14.03% and a net margin of 12.86%. As a group, analysts expect that The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation will post 6.96 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, October 27th were issued a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, October 27th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio is 30.59%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth BK has been the subject of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $106.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 6th. Evercore ISI upped their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $91.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 30th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $118.00 to $124.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $120.00 to $124.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $130.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank of New York Mellon presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $111.86. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Bank of New York Mellon Bank of New York Mellon Profile (Free Report) Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon) is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City that provides a wide range of asset servicing, custody, and related financial infrastructure solutions to institutional clients. Its core businesses include custody and asset servicing, clearing and collateral management, treasury services, securities lending, corporate trust services, and depositary receipt administration. The company also offers investment management and advisory services through its asset management arm and provides technology-enabled solutions for trade processing, foreign exchange, and liquidity management. BNY Mellon serves a broad client base that includes asset managers, pension funds, corporations, banks, broker-dealers and sovereign entities. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Korea Fund, Inc. (NYSE:KF Get Free Report) announced an annual dividend on Friday, January 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 23rd will be given a dividend of 0.9442 per share on Monday, January 12th. This represents a dividend yield of 124.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 23rd. The Korea Fund Price Performance NYSE:KF opened at $35.55 on Friday. The Korea Fund has a one year low of $18.15 and a one year high of $37.69. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $34.80 and a 200-day moving average of $30.33. Get The Korea Fund alerts: The Korea Fund Company Profile (Get Free Report) The Korea Fund, Inc (NYSE: KF) is a closed-end management investment company that provides U.S. investors with focused exposure to the South Korean equity market. Established in 1953, it is one of the oldest U.S. funds dedicated to investing in Korean securities. The Fund is domiciled in Delaware and trades on the New York Stock Exchange, offering investors access to a broad range of companies operating in one of Asias leading economies. The Funds primary business activity is the acquisition of common stocks and American depositary receipts issued by companies that are either domiciled in South Korea or derive a significant portion of their revenues from Korean operations. See Also Receive News & Ratings for The Korea Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Korea Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thomasville National Bank raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 105,605 shares of the CRM providers stock after acquiring an additional 3,429 shares during the quarter. Salesforce makes up 1.6% of Thomasville National Banks investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Thomasville National Banks holdings in Salesforce were worth $25,028,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Salesforce during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,826,049,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Salesforce by 27,361.5% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,424,169 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $933,737,000 after buying an additional 3,411,700 shares in the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 1,729.6% in the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,973,141 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $538,020,000 after acquiring an additional 1,865,297 shares during the last quarter. Longview Partners Guernsey LTD acquired a new position in shares of Salesforce in the first quarter worth $467,944,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in shares of Salesforce by 26.2% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 7,755,317 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $2,087,545,000 after acquiring an additional 1,612,413 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.43% of the companys stock. Get Salesforce alerts: Salesforce Stock Performance NYSE:CRM opened at $259.64 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $243.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.25. The firms 50 day moving average is $246.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $251.75. Salesforce Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $221.96 and a fifty-two week high of $367.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. Salesforce Dividend Announcement Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, December 3rd. The CRM provider reported $3.25 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.86 by $0.39. The business had revenue of $10.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.27 billion. Salesforce had a return on equity of 14.41% and a net margin of 17.91%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.41 EPS. Salesforce has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.020-3.040 EPS. Analysts expect that Salesforce Inc. will post 7.46 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th will be paid a $0.416 dividend. This represents a $1.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 18th. Salesforces payout ratio is currently 22.16%. Insider Transactions at Salesforce In other Salesforce news, Director David Blair Kirk acquired 1,936 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was bought at an average price of $258.64 per share, with a total value of $500,727.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 10,677 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,761,499.28. The trade was a 22.15% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director G Mason Morfit bought 96,000 shares of Salesforce stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $260.58 per share, for a total transaction of $25,015,680.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 2,994,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $780,309,155.22. This represents a 3.31% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 173,034 shares of company stock worth $41,097,367 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 3.00% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts recently weighed in on CRM shares. Needham & Company LLC reissued a buy rating and issued a $400.00 target price on shares of Salesforce in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Salesforce in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $375.00 price objective on shares of Salesforce in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Truist Financial decreased their target price on shares of Salesforce from $400.00 to $380.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price target on Salesforce from $325.00 to $305.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-nine have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $326.68. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Salesforce Key Salesforce News Here are the key news stories impacting Salesforce this week: Positive Sentiment: Director David Blair Kirk bought 1,936 shares (22% increase to his stake), signaling insider confidence in the companys outlook; insider purchases often reassure investors about managements view of valuation and prospects. Read More. Director David Blair Kirk bought 1,936 shares (22% increase to his stake), signaling insider confidence in the companys outlook; insider purchases often reassure investors about managements view of valuation and prospects. Read More. Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan argues the market is underestimating Salesforces AI opportunity calling CRM priced like a value stock while AI-driven monetization ramps, which supports the thesis for re-rating if AI revenue acceleration materializes. Read More. JPMorgan argues the market is underestimating Salesforces AI opportunity calling CRM priced like a value stock while AI-driven monetization ramps, which supports the thesis for re-rating if AI revenue acceleration materializes. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Salesforce agreed to acquire AI marketing firm Qualified, expanding its agentic/AI marketing stack and potentially creating cross-sell and product monetization opportunities within Marketing Cloud and Agentforce. Strategic tuck-ins can accelerate ARR and AI feature adoption. Read More. Salesforce agreed to acquire AI marketing firm Qualified, expanding its agentic/AI marketing stack and potentially creating cross-sell and product monetization opportunities within Marketing Cloud and Agentforce. Strategic tuck-ins can accelerate ARR and AI feature adoption. Read More. Positive Sentiment: BTIG initiated coverage with a Buy and $335 target (roughly ~29% upside from current levels), adding upward analyst momentum and providing buy-side validation for CRMs AI-led rebound thesis. Read More. BTIG initiated coverage with a Buy and $335 target (roughly ~29% upside from current levels), adding upward analyst momentum and providing buy-side validation for CRMs AI-led rebound thesis. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Salesforce remains a focus on market watchlists (Zacks note) and broader software sector recaps benchmark CRM performance; attention can boost liquidity but doesnt change fundamentals immediately. Read More. Salesforce remains a focus on market watchlists (Zacks note) and broader software sector recaps benchmark CRM performance; attention can boost liquidity but doesnt change fundamentals immediately. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: MarketBeat/others note Salesforces recent EPS beat and guidance pointing to 2026 acceleration; that underpins the bullish narrative but is already partly reflected in sentiment and analyst revisions. Read More. MarketBeat/others note Salesforces recent EPS beat and guidance pointing to 2026 acceleration; that underpins the bullish narrative but is already partly reflected in sentiment and analyst revisions. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reduced its price target on CRM, a reminder that some sell-side desks remain cautious on near-term multiples and execution risk this can temper rallies and add upside resistance until proofs of AI monetization appear. Read More. About Salesforce (Free Report) Salesforce, founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Francisco, is a global provider of cloud-based software focused on customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise applications. The company popularized the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model for CRM and has built a broad portfolio of products designed to help organizations manage sales, service, marketing, commerce and analytics through a unified, cloud-first platform. Core offerings include Sales Cloud for sales automation, Service Cloud for customer support, Marketing Cloud for digital marketing and engagement, and Commerce Cloud for e-commerce. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thomasville National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO Free Report) by 64.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 703,740 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 276,411 shares during the period. Thomasville National Bank owned approximately 0.33% of Flowers Foods worth $9,184,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in FLO. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC acquired a new position in shares of Flowers Foods in the 1st quarter valued at $2,265,000. Creative Planning grew its stake in Flowers Foods by 23.1% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 730,426 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,672,000 after purchasing an additional 137,131 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its stake in Flowers Foods by 59.3% during the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 267,898 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,281,000 after purchasing an additional 99,744 shares during the last quarter. AGF Management Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Flowers Foods by 27.5% in the second quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 179,100 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,862,000 after purchasing an additional 38,653 shares during the period. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Flowers Foods in the second quarter worth about $1,830,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.45% of the companys stock. Get Flowers Foods alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently commented on FLO. Truist Financial dropped their target price on Flowers Foods from $15.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d+) rating on shares of Flowers Foods in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $13.67. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Ryals Mcmullian sold 350,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.82, for a total transaction of $4,487,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,231,380 shares in the company, valued at $15,786,291.60. This trade represents a 22.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 11.57% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Flowers Foods Stock Down 0.9% Shares of FLO stock opened at $10.93 on Friday. Flowers Foods, Inc. has a twelve month low of $10.34 and a twelve month high of $20.92. The stock has a market cap of $2.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.88 and a beta of 0.33. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $11.51 and a 200 day moving average of $13.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.23. Flowers Foods had a net margin of 3.78% and a return on equity of 16.35%. The business had revenue of $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.33 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Flowers Foods has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.020-1.08 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Flowers Foods, Inc. will post 1.18 EPS for the current year. Flowers Foods Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 28th were paid a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. Flowers Foodss dividend payout ratio is presently 107.61%. Flowers Foods Company Profile (Free Report) Flowers Foods, Inc is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, offering a variety of fresh bread, buns, rolls, snack cakes and tortillas. Headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, the company operates an extensive network of bakeries and distribution centers that serve retail grocery chains, convenience stores, mass merchandisers and foodservice customers nationwide. Flowers Foods markets its products under well-known brands such as Natures Own, Wonder, Daves Killer Bread, Mrs. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Flowers Foods Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Flowers Foods and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Two Harbors Investments Corp (NYSE:TWO Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the nine research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation, one has given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $11.9583. Several analysts have weighed in on TWO shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d+) rating on shares of Two Harbors Investments in a report on Monday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Two Harbors Investments from $9.50 to $10.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Two Harbors Investments from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of Two Harbors Investments from $12.00 to $11.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, September 3rd. Finally, Maxim Group downgraded Two Harbors Investments from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday. Get Two Harbors Investments alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on TWO Key Stores Impacting Two Harbors Investments Insider Buying and Selling Here are the key news stories impacting Two Harbors Investments this week: In other Two Harbors Investments news, insider Rebecca B. Sandberg sold 27,370 shares of Two Harbors Investments stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.43, for a total transaction of $312,839.10. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 156,718 shares in the company, valued at $1,791,286.74. The trade was a 14.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Robert Rush sold 23,594 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.43, for a total transaction of $269,679.42. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 98,207 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,122,506.01. The trade was a 19.37% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 117,220 shares of company stock valued at $1,339,054. 0.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Two Harbors Investments Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in Two Harbors Investments by 12.7% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 890,627 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $11,899,000 after purchasing an additional 100,311 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Two Harbors Investments by 36.7% in the first quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 161,247 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,154,000 after acquiring an additional 43,253 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board boosted its stake in Two Harbors Investments by 27.3% during the 1st quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 328,814 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,393,000 after purchasing an additional 70,584 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in Two Harbors Investments by 95.7% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 13,615 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $182,000 after acquiring an additional 6,658 shares during the period. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Two Harbors Investments by 168.5% in the 2nd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 744,028 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $8,013,000 after purchasing an additional 466,957 shares during the last quarter. 64.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Two Harbors Investments Price Performance Shares of NYSE:TWO opened at $11.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $9.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.09. Two Harbors Investments has a 52 week low of $9.30 and a 52 week high of $14.28. The company has a market cap of $1.19 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.56 and a beta of 1.20. Two Harbors Investments (NYSE:TWO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Two Harbors Investments had a positive return on equity of 11.92% and a negative net margin of 44.10%.The firm had revenue of ($18.67) million during the quarter. Research analysts predict that Two Harbors Investments will post 0.81 earnings per share for the current year. Two Harbors Investments Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 5th will be given a dividend of $0.34 per share. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 11.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 5th. Two Harbors Investmentss payout ratio is -54.40%. About Two Harbors Investments (Get Free Report) Two Harbors Investments Corp. is a mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT) that primarily invests in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises, as well as non-agency residential mortgage loans, mortgage servicing rights and credit risk transfer securities. The company seeks to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its shareholders by employing leverage to enhance net interest income derived from its portfolio of high-quality fixed-income assets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Two Harbors operates through a self-managed platform that combines portfolio management, risk-management and securitization expertise. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Two Harbors Investments Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Two Harbors Investments and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Viking Fund Management LLC increased its stake in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ Free Report) by 21.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 286,000 shares of the cell phone carriers stock after purchasing an additional 50,000 shares during the period. Verizon Communications makes up 1.5% of Viking Fund Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 15th largest position. Viking Fund Management LLCs holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $12,570,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Verizon Communications by 1.3% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 372,787,016 shares of the cell phone carriers stock worth $16,130,494,000 after buying an additional 4,615,075 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 208,213,255 shares of the cell phone carriers stock valued at $9,009,388,000 after acquiring an additional 4,205,449 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 100,326,792 shares of the cell phone carriers stock valued at $4,322,700,000 after acquiring an additional 1,101,504 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Verizon Communications during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,504,150,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 8.0% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 41,993,829 shares of the cell phone carriers stock worth $1,904,840,000 after acquiring an additional 3,100,342 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.06% of the companys stock. Get Verizon Communications alerts: Verizon Communications Stock Performance NYSE VZ opened at $39.83 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $167.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.56 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The firms fifty day moving average price is $40.38 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $42.13. Verizon Communications Inc. has a 1 year low of $37.58 and a 1 year high of $47.35. Verizon Communications Announces Dividend Verizon Communications ( NYSE:VZ Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $33.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.19 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 14.43% and a return on equity of 19.31%. Verizon Communicationss revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.19 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.69 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be paid a $0.69 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, January 12th. This represents a $2.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.9%. Verizon Communicationss dividend payout ratio is currently 58.97%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently commented on VZ. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Verizon Communications from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Verizon Communications from $50.50 to $51.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. BNP Paribas Exane downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $44.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Verizon Communications from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Verizon Communications presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $47.47. Read Our Latest Report on Verizon Communications Verizon Communications Profile (Free Report) Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) is a major U.S.-based telecommunications company that provides a broad range of communications and information services. Its operations span consumer and business markets, with core offerings that include wireless voice and data services, fixed-line broadband and fiber-optic services, and enterprise networking solutions. Verizon is headquartered in New York City and operates a nationwide wireless network that supports consumer subscribers as well as business and government customers. The companys consumer products include mobile phone plans, unlimited data services, and Fios, its branded fiber-optic internet, television and voice service for homes and small businesses. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VZ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Verizon Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Verizon Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. While Life360, Inc. (ASX:360) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the ASX, rising to highs of AU$55.44 and falling to the lows of AU$32.18. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Life360's current trading price of AU$33.00 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Life360s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. What's The Opportunity In Life360? According to our valuation model, Life360 seems to be fairly priced at around 10.84% above our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Life360 today, youd be paying a relatively fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth A$29.77, then there isnt really any room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Life360s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the companys shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity. See our latest analysis for Life360 Can we expect growth from Life360? ASX:360 Earnings and Revenue Growth December 20th 2025 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Life360's earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value. What This Means For You Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has already priced in 360s positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value? Viking Fund Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI Free Report) by 19.4% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 188,000 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 30,500 shares during the period. British American Tobacco accounts for 1.2% of Viking Fund Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Viking Fund Management LLCs holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $9,979,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. increased its position in British American Tobacco by 48.6% during the 3rd quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 633 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in British American Tobacco by 2.5% in the second quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,656 shares of the companys stock valued at $410,000 after buying an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 1.2% during the second quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 19,598 shares of the companys stock worth $915,000 after buying an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco by 2.1% during the second quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 10,839 shares of the companys stock worth $513,000 after buying an additional 226 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Michels Family Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Michels Family Financial LLC now owns 18,983 shares of the companys stock valued at $898,000 after acquiring an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get British American Tobacco alerts: British American Tobacco Stock Down 1.1% Shares of BTI opened at $56.44 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $54.76 and a 200-day moving average of $53.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.87. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 1 year low of $34.82 and a 1 year high of $59.29. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on BTI shares. Kepler Capital Markets initiated coverage on British American Tobacco in a research report on Friday, December 12th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, November 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of British American Tobacco from a sector perform rating to an underperform rating in a report on Tuesday, September 2nd. Argus upgraded shares of British American Tobacco from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $62.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, British American Tobacco currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $51.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on BTI British American Tobacco Profile (Free Report) British American Tobacco plc (BTI) is a multinational tobacco manufacturer and nicotine products company headquartered in London. Founded in 1902 as a joint venture to commercialize tobacco products outside the United States, the company has grown into one of the worlds largest tobacco firms with a long history in manufacturing and global distribution of combustible tobacco products. BATs core business remains the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products under a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, including Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent and Rothmans. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BTI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for British American Tobacco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for British American Tobacco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Viking Fund Management LLC lowered its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB Free Report) by 94.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,000 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 79,000 shares during the period. Viking Fund Management LLCs holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $245,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in LYB. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 3rd quarter worth about $200,000. Perpetual Ltd bought a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries in the third quarter worth about $292,000. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in LyondellBasell Industries by 1.4% in the third quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 18,020 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $884,000 after acquiring an additional 241 shares during the period. Kwmg LLC boosted its stake in LyondellBasell Industries by 11.3% in the third quarter. Kwmg LLC now owns 79,496 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $3,898,000 after acquiring an additional 8,091 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Czech National Bank grew its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 65,354 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $3,205,000 after acquiring an additional 2,490 shares during the period. 71.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get LyondellBasell Industries alerts: LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance NYSE:LYB opened at $43.13 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $45.17 and its 200 day moving average is $52.36. The firm has a market cap of $13.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.50 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.57. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. has a 52-week low of $41.58 and a 52-week high of $79.39. LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend LyondellBasell Industries ( NYSE:LYB Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.21. LyondellBasell Industries had a positive return on equity of 7.50% and a negative net margin of 3.70%.The business had revenue of $7.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.88 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was down 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that LyondellBasell Industries N.V. will post 6.31 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 8th. Investors of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $1.37 per share. This represents a $5.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 12.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. LyondellBasell Industriess dividend payout ratio is -146.13%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Kimberly A. Foley bought 5,661 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $43.56 per share, for a total transaction of $246,593.16. Following the purchase, the executive vice president directly owned 67,688 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,948,489.28. This trade represents a 9.13% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently commented on LYB. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $58.00 to $53.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. UBS Group dropped their price target on LyondellBasell Industries from $44.00 to $43.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 6th. Citigroup cut their price target on LyondellBasell Industries from $43.00 to $40.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $52.00 to $50.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $59.00 to $51.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $53.94. Read Our Latest Research Report on LYB LyondellBasell Industries Profile (Free Report) LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB) is a global chemical company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that specializes in the production of polyolefins and advanced polymers. Through its extensive portfolio, the company supplies raw materials for a wide range of end markets, including packaging, automotive, construction, electronics and consumer goods. By combining proprietary process technologies with expertise in catalysts, LyondellBasell aims to deliver value-added solutions that enhance product performance and sustainability. The companys integrated operations encompass the manufacture of olefins and polyolefins, advanced polymer products, chemical intermediates and refining activities. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LYB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for LyondellBasell Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LyondellBasell Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Meta Platforms, zSpace, The Glimpse Group, and DIH Holding US are the seven Virtual Reality stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Virtual reality stocks are shares of companies whose primary business involves developing, manufacturing, or providing virtual reality (VR) hardware, software, content, platforms, or enabling technologies (including related semiconductors and sensors). For investors, these stocks represent exposure to the growth and adoption of immersive technologies but can be cyclical and speculative due to long product cycles, heavy R&D spending, and uncertain consumer and enterprise uptake. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Virtual Reality stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Meta Platforms (META) Meta Platforms, Inc. engages in the development of products that enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and wearables worldwide. It operates in two segments, Family of Apps and Reality Labs. The Family of Apps segment offers Facebook, which enables people to share, discuss, discover, and connect with interests; Instagram, a community for sharing photos, videos, and private messages, as well as feed, stories, reels, video, live, and shops; Messenger, a messaging application for people to connect with friends, family, communities, and businesses across platforms and devices through text, audio, and video calls; and WhatsApp, a messaging application that is used by people and businesses to communicate and transact privately. zSpace (ZSPC) zSpace Technologies, Inc. is a provider of commercial augmented reality and virtual reality technology principally in the education market. The Company offers differentiated hardware along with learning software modules for K-12 science, technology, engineering, game design and mathematics applications, as well as workforce-oriented career and technical education applications. Read Our Latest Research Report on ZSPC The Glimpse Group (VRAR) The Glimpse Group, Inc., a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platform company, provides enterprise-focused software, services, and solutions in the United States. It offers QReal, a software that creates and distributes photorealistic 3D interactive digital models and experiences in AR; Immersive Health Group, a VR/AR platform for evidence-based and outcome driven healthcare solutions; and Foretell Reality, a social VR platform for behavioral health, support groups, collaboration, and soft skills training. Read Our Latest Research Report on VRAR DIH Holding US (DHAIW) DIH Holding US, Inc. operates as a robotics and virtual reality (VR) technology provider in the rehabilitation industry. The company's upper extremity product categories include ArmeoPower, a backbone robot for arm and hand therapy in an early stage of rehabilitation; ArmeoSpring for less severe patients that provides self-initiated repetitive arm and hand therapy in an extensive workspace; and Armeo Senso, a sensor-based solution for arm function recovery. Read Our Latest Research Report on DHAIW Further Reading Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy by the twenty research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have issued a hold recommendation, seven have given a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $199.00. A number of research analysts recently weighed in on WSM shares. Argus set a $212.00 price target on Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Tuesday, September 2nd. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 28th. Telsey Advisory Group cut their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $225.00 to $220.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $168.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, August 28th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $206.00 price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Get Williams-Sonoma alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on WSM Insider Transactions at Williams-Sonoma Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma In other Williams-Sonoma news, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 3,500 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.79, for a total transaction of $695,765.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 14,003 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,783,656.37. The trade was a 20.00% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 17,839 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.51, for a total value of $3,184,439.89. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 859,088 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $153,355,798.88. This trade represents a 2.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 33,500 shares of company stock valued at $6,082,197 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. True Wealth Design LLC raised its position in Williams-Sonoma by 111.8% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 144 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the period. Maseco LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 130.8% in the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 180 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 99.0% in the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 199 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Williams-Sonoma Stock Up 0.8% Shares of NYSE WSM opened at $190.87 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $22.79 billion, a PE ratio of 21.00, a P/E/G ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 1.55. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $186.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $185.15. Williams-Sonoma has a 12-month low of $130.07 and a 12-month high of $219.98. Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 19th. The specialty retailer reported $1.96 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $1.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 14.30% and a return on equity of 53.10%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.96 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Williams-Sonoma will post 8.36 earnings per share for the current year. Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, January 16th will be given a $0.66 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 16th. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. Williams-Sonomas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.04%. About Williams-Sonoma (Get Free Report) WilliamsSonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multibrand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higherend interiors. The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Williams-Sonoma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Williams-Sonoma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Breaching of Indo-Myanmar fencing and suggested measures to counter it | Brigadier (Retired) L Ibotombi Singh In a major security breach, nearly 150200 metres of the IndoMyanmar border fencing was found cut in Manipurs Chandel district. The incident is believed to have occurred at Changpol, in Chandel district of Manipur, between Border Pillars 67 and 68, an area predominantly inhabited by Kuki-Zo community on the night of December 02, 2025. This breach is part of a recurring pattern of vandalism and opposition to the border fencing project. Also, it has proven that these people are directly or indirectly benefitting from drugs, weapon cum warlike stores and human trafficking and other illegal trade, which is hampered by the recent fencing along Indo-Myanmar. The indigenous Kukis have no such reasons, but the fact that the illegal immigration of Kukis and Zos (Chins) from across Myanmar would come to a halt sooner or later and would see the dwindling down of the poppy plantations in Manipur, which garner thousands of crores per year as revenue for their private ends. There have been similar incidents this year where fencing poles were cut or stolen in the Moreh area. The incident has raised significant concerns for officials trying to stop illegal activities such as drug trafficking and armed infiltration. Manipur faces a significant issue with illegal migrants entering via its 398 km porous border with Myanmar, particularly following the 2021 military coup and ongoing civil strife in the neighboring country. The influx of migrants, who often share ethnic ties with local communities (Kuki-Chin-Zo), has been a major point of tension and a contributing factor to the States internal ethnic conflict. As of August 2024, over 10,000 illegal immigrants were detected in Manipur in the preceding five years. Specific figures cited by the Chief Minister in May 2024 included 5,457 individuals found in Kamjong district alone, with biometric data collected for most. Over 40,000 Myanmar Nationals have reportedly sought shelter across Mizoram, Mani- pur, and Nagaland. This is over and above approximately 42000 Myanmarese Nationals, records captured by biometric mapping, who have transited through 22 designated crossing points since December 2024, as shared by the DG Assam Rifles, during his visit to Manipur in August this year. The primary driver is the violence and instability in Myanmars Chin State and Sagaing Region, forcing people to flee for safety. The largely unfenced, porous border and the now-suspended Free Movement Regime (FMR)which previously allowed residents on both sides to travel 16 km into the other country without a visahave facilitated this movement. The primary driver is the ongoing civil war and violence in neighboring Myanmars Chin State and Sagaing Region, which shares ethnic and familial ties with communities in Manipur (primarily the Kuki-Chin-Zo people). The previously existing Free Movement Regime (FMR), which allowed people to travel up to 16 km across the unfenced border without a visa, facilitated this movement and was often misused. Unabated and unchecked influx of immigrations, particularly in Manipur, have caused the following: a) Changes in the demographic landscape, cross pollination between migrant Kukis and indigenous Kukis/other tribes besides causing insecurity among indigenous communities like the Meiteis and Nagas. b) Destruction of forest cover for new settlements and illicit activities such as poppy plantations. c) Concerns over National security, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. To seal the open and porous Indo-Myanmar border and to counter unregulated movement causing major security threats, facilitating insurgency, arms smuggling, and illegal migration, which have been linked to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, a decision was taken in Feb 2024 by the Union Home Minister to fence 1643 kilometers long border between India and Myanmar, starting from Arunachal to Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Further, it was stated that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) of the people on the borders between the two countries, which had existed unofficially since independence in 1947-1948 and was first legalised in 1967, is to be scrapped. Accordingly, the onus of fencing was given to the Border Roads Organisation. The fencing was to be based on Smart Fencing System (SFS) to include technologically advanced border security infrastructure to enhance surveillance and control in sensitive border areas. which includes a combination of physical barriers, sensors, cameras, and communication systems, allowing for effective monitoring and response to border threats. As per the report, about 50 kilometer or so of Manipurs 394 km long shared border with Myanmar have been fenced. No obstacle or fencing is impregnable, unless it is effectively patrolled and manned by the troops, which has proven that it is the men behind the fencing which will make it effective. History is replete with many examples like the fall of the seemingly impenetrable Golconda fort to the Mughals, German conquest of France via an unexpected backdoor assault around the formidable Maginot Line, breach of Great Wall of China, and in the recent times, Berlin Wall, and Korean Demilitarized Zone were or has been breached many times. Assam Rifles troops, responsible for guarding Indo-Myanmar border, face challenges in adequately guarding the India-Myanmar border due to vast, difficult terrain, lack of infrastructure (roads, communication), and their dual role in border guarding and counter- insurgency (CI), leading to only a portion of their force being dedicated to border posts, making current numbers reportedly insufficient for the 1,643 km stretch, prompting calls for more specialized resources or forces, despite ongoing efforts to enhance vigilance and infrastructure. The current deployment of 20 Assam Rifles Battalions for guarding 1643 kilometers long Indo-Myanmar border, as shared by the Director General Assam Rifles, is grossly inadequate as the troops are vastly stretched out. Some Challenges to Adequacy are a) Vast & Difficult Terrain : The border spans jungles, mountains, and riverine areas, making patrolling and logistics extremely tough. b) Infrastructure Deficit: Lack of proper roads, communication links, and border outposts (BOPs) hinders effective deployment. c) Dual Role Burden: With battalions split between border guarding and CI ops, the troops on border security are stretch out to over 110 km per battalion on average. While Assam Rifles are dedicated and increasingly equipped, their current numbers and resources are stretched thin for the massive, challenging border, necessitating further expansion, better infrastructure, and potentially specialized forces for truly effective management, Ultimately, the consensus in strategic analysis is that while systems can be highly effective and multi-layered, labeling any defense as impregnable is a misstep. Constant vigilance, adaptability, and a pragmatic approach to security are essential to counter potential vulnerabilities and evolving threats. For effective border guarding and management of Indo-Myanmar border, there is an immediate requirement of raising 30 more AR BG battalions along with Command elements, and three Assam Rifles Constriction (Engineer) battalions, one each for the three IGAR to facilitate speedy construction of border fencing and later, the same force can be made responsible for maintenance and repair of fencing. Also, Assam Rifles should be conferred with powers under the Customs Act as done in the case of the BSF and other CPMFs. Going hi-tech on border surveillance Of drones and sensor systems | Robust and smart border management framework. This is the line stressed by the Secretary (Border Management) of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs while reviewing the security architecture and infrastructure project along the Indo-Myanmar border on December 20. The Union Secretary was not on holiday or on a sight seeing tour of the border, but was there to assess the situation after reports came of the border fencing being breached by at least 200 metres on December 2. And it remains that India will need to do more than survey the works currently underway at the border but study why the border fencing was found taken apart. This is but just a solitary case of the fence being pulled apart coming to the notice of the Government and there could be many cases of intruders from across the border having entered Indian soil undetected. This is what is worrying and it should also be more than obvious that the border fence cannot just be dismantled by some seeking to enter surreptitiously but could have had the needed support and co-operation from people living on the Indian side of the border. This is what is worrying. Long before Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023, The Sangai Express had taken serious note of the reports of refugees entering Manipur, and had suggested that it would be far more practical for the State Government to sort of open some refugee camps so that those who have fled the neighbouring country can be given a place to stay and yet at the same time their movement can be monitored. Back then, the State Government refused to note the suggestion, sticking to the narrative that there is no refugee from across the border. The reality however told a different story and it was only after Manipur went up in flames that focus was laid on the need to document those who had crossed the border. The suggestion of The Sangai Express back then came from watching the developments in Mizoram, which struck a far more practical approach to the issue and taking note of the close filial ties shared between the people had insisted on setting up designated camps where those who had crossed over can be kept. This served at least two purposes and that is to help monitor the movement of the people from across the border and at the same time keep a check on the propensity to merge with the local people and in due course of time become one of the natives. Manipur unfortunately refused to take note of the reality and even as the place is fast marching towards the three year mark of the violence erupting, no one seems to know what has happened to the number of people who crossed over and were found staying on rent at Churachandpur. News of the illegals made it to Page 1 of all the Imphal based newspapers back then, and it has remained that, with just the story and nothing to show what further steps the Government had taken up. The Government should acknowledge that the border fence that was found breached on December 2 would not have been possible without the active co-operation of the people living on the Indian side of the border. What steps has the Government taken up in pursuance of the case ? Has the Government been able to work out if there were anyone who managed to cross over after the fencing was breached ? The breached fencing was discovered on December 2 and how long was it before it was detected ? Was it discovered immediately or did it come to the notice of the authority only after some days had passed ? These are questions which ought to be studied with the seriousness it deserves. Changbol village in Chandel district is the place where the breached border fencing, lying between Border Pillars 67 and 68 was detected and the question is whether any follow up action was initiated at the said village ? Has the village chief been questioned ? Was any search conducted at Changbol village and the adjoining areas ? Going hi-tech with the deployment of drones and sensor systems is definitely welcome, but equally important too would be to study and understand the close filial ties shared between the people on either side of the border, and it is this tie which will serve as the primary source of cross border movement. Crews will get a brief break over the next 36 hours, as snow is replaced by rain and mild temperatures. A strong arctic front will plunge temperatures back below freezing Friday afternoon in Montreal, with strong winds and flurries forecast into Saturday morning. More snow is possible on Sunday. Winston Churchill famously said, Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. In that vein, Donald Trump is aerogel, wrapped in contradictions, packaged in business deals. In 2019, aerogel beat glass to hold the Guinness World Records as the worlds most transparent material. It is solid, but mostly air, an obvious contradiction. It is almost disarming how transparent Trump is about his prejudices, peeves, methods and goals. He publicly threatens to capture Denmarks Greenland. He plans to turn war-shattered Gaza into a luxury Mediterranean Riviera. He forces Ukraine into signing a critical minerals mining deal. He covets the Nobel Prize. Only he can bring peace to warring nations, only he can talk to Azerbaijans leader. In the Trumpian world, yes we can becomes only I can. All this we know because Trump says so. The US National Security Strategy, NSS, a Trump Doctrine enshrining America First, is a transparent testament to his contradictions, intentions and obsessions with business deals. Land, tariffs, war, peace, projection of US power are all opportunities for real estate, infrastructure and media projects. Ethics specialists cry conflicts of interest. Trump is unfazed. Image AI The doctrine includes robust economic measures and crackdowns against migration and drug smuggling. The NSS rejects Americas ill-fated global domination but then contradicts itself, asserting the imperative for economic, financial, technological, energy and military dominance. The US will enforce American preeminence in the western hemisphere. The hegemon will convert the hemisphere into an attractive market for American commerce and investment, eject foreign competitors, and, if necessary, militarily access strategically important locations. It is baffling how Trump fails to see his contradictions when they are projected globally, 24x7. He accepts FIFAs made-up peace prize when his attempts to achieve peace in Ukraine flops and when he unilaterally turns the Venezuelan coast into a battle-zone. Trump claims the US is attacking the tiny, Venezuelan narco speedboats in self-defence. The US armada, gathered off Venezuelas coast ready to attack, includes the worlds biggest warship, the USS Gerald Ford, helicopter and aircraft carriers, attack vessels, fighter jets, drones, spy planes, nuclear submarines, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships capable of landing thousands of troops. But Trump releases narco-king and ex-president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, from a 45-year US prison sentence. Venezuela is not even a drug conduit, experts say. Trump plots regime change in Venezuela, which has the worlds largest proven oil reserves. His doctrine flexes power over law, duress over diplomacy, hyperbole over dispassionate analysis. Trump never loses an opportunity to praise himself or insult Joe Biden and Europe. In the NSS, Trump boasts no administration in history has achieved so dramatic a turnaround in so short a time. Turnaround to some, U-turn to others. The NSS rebukes Bidens deadly failures and Europes impending civilisational erasure because of uncontrolled migration. The NSS disparages Europes economic decline, regulatory suffocation, loss of national identities, lack of confidence, censorship and suppression of political opposition. In a shocking assertion of internal interference, the NSS threatens the US will cultivate resistance to Europes current trajectory (support far-right groups). The doctrine deepens European insecurity. Denmark, loyal US ally and NATO member, now publicly identifies the US as a potential security threat. Coercion, conflicts of interest and contradictions underpin the Trump doctrine. It disregards morality, geopolitics, psychology, history. Says economist Jeffrey Sachs, A great power that frightens its allies, coerces its neighbours, and disregards international rules ultimately isolates itself. It happened to Athens 2,500 years ago. More recently, it happened to the Soviet Union. Pratap is an author and journalist. I am not an expert on rural employment policy. So, I cannot offer an analysis of whether the new Viksit BharatGuarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) is better or worse than the old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. But I have (mis)spent a large chunk of my life in advertising and marketing, so here is my take on the name the government has chosen to bestow on its latest grand scheme. Scheme names today are not chosen casually, as they once were in more innocentor, perhaps, just less cannytimes. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, for instance, does not lend itself easily to a coded, catchy abbreviation that can be quickly grasped by rural youth across India. It is a clunky mouthful. Considerable effort went into contorting it into the easily uttered MNREGA, and even then the nickname carried no coded meaning. Image Ai The Viksit BharatGuarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), on the other hand, arrives fully market-ready, complete with an artfully engineered nicknameVB-G RAM G. Offended by my use of artfully? Then, look more closely at Ajeevika. What is it even doing there? It isnt even the correct word. The term commonly used in state-level policies is Jeevika, meaning livelihood, which is itself superfluous because Rozgar has already done that job. Ajeevika, in fact, refers to an ancient philosophical school that argues human effort cannot change fate and promotes a life of asceticism. (The word ajeevika means livelihood in SanskritEditor.) To be fair to those who named the policy, I doubt they are followers of this ancientand sadly twistedphilosophy! I do, however, think that they are guilty of sneaking an A into the policy name just so they can bung in a mission after it, and thus shoe-horn the name of their preferred god into what should be an entirely secular, public-funded programme. The addition of a G, before and after RAM, makes the entire nickname cringingly servileJi, Ram Ji. Is this how the government is instructing rural youth to accept the scheme? With folded hands and reverentially bowed head and an attitude of thy will be done? And, why only rural youth? Ji Ram Ji, increasingly, seems to be the attitude urged upon all of us. Influential film critics and major film stars are flayed on social media for daring to voice even mild disagreement with the politics or intentions of films like the latest right-wing offering, Dhurandhar. If Hrithik Roshana man previously loved for being the only Roshan (bright) among a phalanx of Khanscannot be spared for tacking on one line of criticism to his otherwise fulsome review (I may disagree with the politics of it, and argue about the responsibilities, we, filmmakers, should bear as citizens of the world), what indulgence can the rest of us hope for? Summarily dismissing critics of propaganda (who question the naming of massive, public-funded policies, or the content of mass cinema) as paranoid, evil or jobless is hazardous to democracy. It shuts down debate, renders logic irrelevant, closes its eyes and shuts its ears to all lessons that history has to offer and rams (thats me being artful now) the version the powers-that-be prefer down the throat of the public, no matter whether they have its consent or not. Ji, Ram Ji. editor@theweek.in It was the magical hour at the Golden Temple. The sun was taking its leave discreetly; the early winter twilight was settling in unobtrusively. The kirtan, sung in classical ragas, was floating over the sarovar, the holy pool. Hundreds of pilgrims waited to enter the sanctum sanctorum or sat by the sarovar savouring a moment of peace. It was a time to withdraw, to reflect, perhaps meditate. This serenity was not always a given. During the persecution of the Sikhs in the 18th century, the gurdwaras (or dharamsals, as they were known) were looked after by the Udasis, who professed the Sikh faith but did not conform to its outward symbols. While many were men of learning, some gave in to vain temptation. They set up their own institutionsderas and akharasand came to be known as Mahants. With royal patronage during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the coming of the canal irrigation, the estates attached to the gurdwaras became very valuable. Many Mahants began to treat them as personal, even hereditary, possessions and lived licentious lives; the shrines became dens of corruption and vice. The impetus for restoring the sanctity of the gurdwaras gathered strength in the early 20th century, impelled by the progressive political, religious and social message of the Singh Sabha movement. The 1907 agrarian unrest, the Ghadar Movement, the return of the Sikh soldiers from World War I, and finally the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre all created a landscape of political unrest in Punjab. The shameful honouring of Brigadier-General Dyer by the government appointed Sarbrah (manager) of the Golden Temple incensed the wider Sikh community and highlighted the perfidious linkage between the Mahants and the colonial authorities. The Gurdwara Reform Movement melded into the national freedom struggle. Golden Temple, Amritsar | Sanjay Ahlawat The Akali reformers chose the path of non-violent resistance, marching in disciplined groups known as jathas to wrest control of the shrines. Their fortitude in the face of police violence earned them the admiration of the nationalist leadership. The brutal beatings of Akali jathas at Guru-Ka-Bagh, the police firings on peaceful protestors at Jaito, the sacrifices at Tarn Taran and Panja Sahib passed into living lore. At Nankana Sahib, the licentious Mahant Narain Das, in tacit connivance with colonial authorities, shot 130 reformers, burning the bodies collectively using kerosene. Mahatma Gandhi, who visited the site, called the horrific episode a second edition of Dyerism. Then came the celebrated Keys Affair of 1921. When the government seized the keys of the Toshakhana (treasury) of the Golden Temple, widespread protests broke out, even raising concerns regarding the loyalty of Sikh troops. The government lost nerve and surrendered the keys. Gandhis telegram to Baba Kharak Singh, the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said it all, First battle for Indias freedom won. Congratulations. The Gurdwara Reform Movement reached its climax with the passage of the Sikh Gurdwaras and Shrines Bill in 1925. Over a period of five years, approximately 30,000 had gone to prison, 400 died and another 2,000 were wounded. To pay tribute to the martyrs of the struggle a new volume titledSecret and Private Papers of the Akali Movement 1920-25is now out. These papers, centred on the correspondence of Sir W. Malcolm Hailey, home member of the governor generals council and later governor of Punjab, were meticulously collected in 1975 by the respected historian, Dr Mohinder Singh. They shed fresh light on devious colonial designs to suppress the Akali Movement and to sow dissension in its ranks. In the 75th year of our republic, this volume is a valuable reminder of the multi-hued nature of Indias freedom struggle. The writer is the former ambassador to the US and author of the historical novel Crimson Spring. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, a private individual named Vinod Kumar, and several others in connection with a bribery case involving a Dubai-based firm. The two were produced before a court on Saturday and remanded to police custody till Tuesday. This comes after a case was registered against Sharma on Friday, based on credible intelligence inputs. He was the Deputy Planning Officer in the International Cooperation and Exports division of the defence ministry's Department of Defence Production. CBI ARRESTS LT. COL. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PRODUCTIONS, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE IN A BRIBERY CASE Dated: 20.12.2025 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Lt. Col Deepak Kumar Sharma and a private person Vinod Kumar in a bribery case, today i.e. 20.12.2025. The pic.twitter.com/g12YRtAeYR Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 20, 2025 The CBI has also named Sharma's wife, Colonel Kajal Bali (Commanding Officer of the 16th Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan), in the case, though it has not yet specified her exact role. According to a CBI statement, Sharma had engaged in corrupt practices multiple times in the pastmostly the acceptance of bribes from private companies in exchange for favours in defence-related dealings. The CBI also identified two other individuals from the Dubai-based firmRajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singhthat played a major role in the bribery case. The two individuals, who managed the India operations of the Dubai firm out of Bengaluru, had been in regular contact with Sharma to secure "various undue favours by illegal means for their company from various Govt. Departments and Ministries", the CBI statement added. Vinod Kumar was accused of delivering one such bribeof Rs 3 lakhto Sharma on behalf of the Dubai-based firm on Thursday. That Rs 3 lakh bribe was recovered in a CBI raid on Sharma's Delhi residence, in addition to Rs 2.23 crore in cash. The raid on Sharma's Delhi residence was part of a larger set of CBI raids across multiple locations, including Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, Jammu, and Delhi. Rs 10 lakh seized from a place in Sri Ganganagar was also linked to the accused. Incriminating documents and materials have also been found, as the raid on Sharmas office in New Delhi continues. Adressing the joint curtain-raiser programme of the 78th Army Day Parade in Jaipur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said it is a matter of pride that the city will host the parade in the coming month. The parade will be organised on Mahal Road in Jagatpura, showcasing fly-past formations of fighter aircraft and helicopters, a display of drone technology, and demonstrations of modern warfare capabilities. A drone show will also be held in the evening. The Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year. From 8 to 12 January, a 'Know Your Army' exhibition will be organised to allow the people to witness modern weapon systems and defence technologies up close. Highlighting the Army's historic role, Sharma said the Indian Army has bravely faced every challenge from the 194748 conflict to the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and recent military operations. Campaigns such as 'Operation Parakram', 'Operation Rakshak', and 'Operation Sindoor' have proven that the Army not only responds firmly to aggression but is also the strongest guardian of peace, stability and national unity, he said. The land of valour and sacrifice The Chief Minister said Rajasthan is a land of valour and sacrifice. South Western Army Commander Lt Gen Manjinder Singh said the Army has protected the nation's borders from mountains to deserts and ensured internal security while combating terrorism and extremism. "The force has also played a crucial role in relief and rescue during natural disasters," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. During the event, families of martyrs Naik Megh Raj Singh decorated with the Kirti Chakra (posthumous), Havildar Ram Singh Shekhawat decorated with the Sena Medal (posthumous), and Lance Naik Banshidhar Yadav decorated with the Sena Medal (posthumous) were honoured. Retired Brigadier Jeevan Rajpurohit, Subedar Arjun Singh Rathore, and Havildar Madan Singh Kajla were also felicitated. A short film related to the Army Day Parade 2026 was screened at the programme, which was attended by senior Army officers, administrative officials, ex-servicemen, families of martyrs, NCC cadets and others. An army deserter, wanted in an espionage case, was arrested by the Punjab Police while trying to escape to Nepal. Rajbir Singh, alias Fauji, was held in Raxaul town, located near the Indo-Nepal border in Motihari, Bihar. A hand grenade and half a kilogram of heroin were confiscated from his possession, the Punjab Police confirmed. He is also among the accused in the conspiracy behind the grenade attack on a women's police station in Sirsa, Haryana. Fauji landed in the net of the security agencies not long after Chirag, a known associate of the ex-military man, was arrested. A resident of Punjabs Fazilka, Chirag was arrested with a 9mm pistol and 407 grams of heroin in his possession. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India Chirag played a crucial role in Rajbir Singhs vile network as he was a vital link in the narcotics supply chain, the police found out. They were both accused in the conspiracy behind the grenade attack on a women's police station, as they are believed to have delivered the hand grenades to Gurjant Singh, from Amritsar Rural. The funds provided to Gurjant were further passed on to the assailants and were utilised for carrying out the said grenade attack, news agency PTI quoted the police department as saying. Who is Rajbir Singh? Preliminary investigation revealed that Fauji joined the Army in 2011 and deserted in February 2025 after he and his associates were booked in an espionage case, registered under the Official Secrets Act at the Gharinda police station in Amritsar (Rural) earlier this year. Singh has since been arrested by the Haryana Police. In 2022, Fauji came into contact with some Pakistan-based entities through social media. What started off as deals involving heroin consignments soon made way for the supply of sensitive and confidential military information and the introduction of other Army personnel to these handlers. Pakistan-based handlers were in the process of facilitating his escape from India to Europe via Nepal when he was nabbed by the probe team, as he confessed during interrogation. Bangladesh's foreign affairs ministry dismissed India's statement on the protests outside its High Commission in Delhi and said the protest cannot be accepted as "misleading propaganda". Bangladesh's response came after India's response earlier in the day. In its statement, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said, "The unjustifiable incident at the Bangladesh High Commission residence in New Delhi on 20th December 2025 is highly regrettable and cannot be accepted as 'misleading propaganda'." Bangladesh charged the "miscreants" were allowed to carry out their activities right outside the perimeters of the High Commission, "creating panic among the personnel inside the complex". "The High Commission was not given advance information about this organized event. We have, however, noted the commitment of the Government of India to ensure the safety and security of all Bangladesh diplomatic posts in India," it said. Bangladesh also dismissed India's concerns over the attack on minorities in the country and the recent death of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh's Mymensingh as an "isolated attack". "The Government of Bangladesh has promptly apprehended the suspects in this incident. The intercommunal situation in Bangladesh is better than in many other parts in South Asia," it said. In a cryptic attack, Bangladesh said it "believes that it is the duty of all governments in the region to ensure protection of minorities in their respective countries". Earlier, condemning media reports about the protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission as "misleading propaganda", Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission on Saturday and raised slogans in protest against the "horrendous killing" of Dipu Chandra Das. "There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see," Jaiswal stated. "India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns over the attacks on minorities. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice," he added. Counting of votes for the elections to the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra began on Sunday with the BJP, Shiv Sena-Shinde managing to earn early leads against the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi constituents. The poll battle became multi-dimensional with the BJP-led Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) locking horns, interspersed by "friendly fights" among the alliances. A turnout of 67.3 per cent was recorded in the polls of 263 local bodies held on December 2, while 47.04 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of the elections in 23 local bodies on Saturday, the State Election Commission said. Here are five latest updates that people of Maharashtra would like to know as the countring progresses: 1. The Indian National Congress flexed its muscles in the Balapur Municipal Council by winning 13 out of the total 25 seats, Sakal said in a report. The Vanchit Bahujan Party won six seats, while the BJP got only one seat. Shiv Sena (UBT) has won four seats, while an independent candidate has also emerged victorious. As Congress has won the majority, they will have a major influence in the Municipal Council. 2. In the Vita Municipality, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) single-handedly won 22 out of 26 seats and the mayoral post, Sakal reported. The BJP had to settle for only four seats. The victorious Shinde Sena group is elated, as the result has brought about a historic change of power in Vita after fifty years. 3. NCP candidate Ramchandra Aware has won the post of Mayor in the Bhor Municipal Corporation. He registered a landslide win by reportedly defeating his nearest rival by 170 votes. 4. In the Sillod Municipal Council, the Shinde Sena has reportedly managed a clean sweep. Abdul Sameer is currently leading for the post of Mayor, in a further boost to the Shinde camp, the Sakal report said. 5. The counting of votes in a total of eight wards has been finished in the Buldhana Municipal Council elections. Shiv Sena has secured a prominent position with 12 corporators, while NCP (Sharad Pawar) was also able to register a win here. BEIJING, SHANGHAI and BOSTON, Dec. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobio Pharma (1167.HK,) today announced that it has entered an agreement with AstraZeneca for its proprietary Pan-KRAS inhibitor JAB-23E73. AstraZeneca will receive exclusive development and commercialisation rights outside of China, while Jacobio and AstraZeneca will jointly develop and commercialise JAB-23E73 in China. Under the terms of the agreement, Jacobio will receive an upfront payment of US$100 million, and is eligible for additional development and commercial milestone payments of up to US$1.915 billion, as well as tiered royalties on net sales achieved outside of China. AstraZeneca will be responsible for all clinical development, regulatory submissions, and commercialization activities for JAB-23E73 outside of China. Yinxiang Wang Ph.D., Chairman and Co-CEO of Jacobio Pharma, commented: "We are delighted to partner with AstraZeneca. This collaboration marks a significant step forward as we bring our world-class programs to the global stage and maximize the value of our R&D innovation. We are committed to providing breakthrough treatments and improving survival for patients, including those with KRAS-mutated cancers, across the world." Matt Hellmann, Senior Vice President, Early Oncology and Precision Medicine, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: "KRAS is one of the most important oncogenes in cancer, with KRAS-mutated tumours driving profound unmet need for patients with pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers. By advancing KRAS inhibitors like JAB-23E73, and in combination with our diverse oncology portfolio, we aim to accelerate the development of new treatment regimens that have the potential to transform outcomes for patients." JAB-23E73 is an innovative Pan-KRAS inhibitor developed using Jacobio's induced allosteric drug discovery platform, designed to target multiple KRAS mutation subtypes. KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers, present in approximately 23% of all patients. JAB-23E73 is being evaluated in Phase I trials in both China and the United States, where early signs of anti-tumor activity have been observed. This agreement strengthens Jacobio's financial position, accelerates the global development efforts, and expands our presence in the global oncology innovation ecosystem. Jacobio will continue to delve into the KRAS pathway, advance tADCs with KRAS inhibitors as payloads, develop differentiated drugs targeting more KRAS mutation types, and drive forward its next immuno-oncology programs, including our STING-based iADC platform. About Jacobio Pharma Jacobio Pharma (1167.HK) is committed to providing breakthrough treatments for patients. With an induced allosteric drug discovery platform, the company's core projects focus on the KRAS pathway and STING pathway. The company envisions becoming a global leader in research and development, fostering strategic partnerships to drive innovation. Jacobio's R&D centers are located in Beijing and Shanghai (China), and Boston (USA). Clinical trials are conducted at over 180 sites in China, more than 30 sites in the USA, and more than 10 sites across several European countries. For more information, please visit: http://www.jacobiopharma.com SOURCE Jacobio Pharma Initial trends showed Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar's NCP, and Shinde's Shiv Sena was comfortably ahead in the local body elections, though official results are expected to be announced by the State Election Commission later on Sunday evening. "People have chosen Mahayuti in the elections. The Mahayuti will win two-thirds of the seats. The BJP will bag more than 135 seats. People are with development, Devendra Fadnavis, and Mahayuti as they want 'Viksit Maharashtra'. The BJP has never before achieved such huge success in nagar palika elections. I want to congratulate the voters, BJP workers, CM Fadnavis, and state BJP president Ravindra Chavan," Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed. ALSO READ | Maharashtra local body election results 2025: Latest updates as counting progresses in Vita, Bhor, Sillod Municipal Corporations Out of 27 seats in the Konkan region, the BJP was leading in nine seats, while the Shiv Sena was ahead in 10, the NCP in one, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Pawar-led NCP faction in one seat each, with others leading in four seats, the party reportedly claimed. Counting of votes for the posts of president and members in 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra is currently underway, with the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) managing to earn early leads against the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi constituents. The poll battle became multi-dimensional, with the BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) locking horns, interspersed with "friendly fights" among the alliances. Here are the five latest updates for the people of Maharashtra as the counting progresses: 1. Nashik District: The results of the municipal council elections in Nashik district have been declared, and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has achieved the most success among the state's main players. Out of the total 11 mayoral posts in the district, Shinde Sena candidates emerged victorious in five, local media reports confirmed. Thus, it has become the largest party in Nashik district, while the BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) have managed three seats each. Maha Vikas Aghadi members (Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT, and NCP-Sharad Pawar) did not secure a single mayoral post. 2. Palghar District: In Dahanu Nagar Parishad, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) managed to win eight seats against the BJP's tally of 18, according to a report by Sakal. The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) managed to retain only one seat in the municipal council. 3. Wardha Municipality: The Congress party's mayoral candidate, Sudhir Pangul, managed to win against Nilesh Kite of the BJP. Nilesh is a close associate of Pankaj Rajesh Bhoyar, Wardha's Guardian Minister, which makes the victory even sweeter for the 'Grand Old Party', Sakal reported. 4. Jalgaon District: The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) sealed its superiority in the Bhadgaon Nagar Panchayat, securing a clear majority. Out of the 24 seats, 19 went to Shiv Sena (Shinde), and its candidate, Rekha Malche, was elected Mayor. The BJP won four of the remaining five seats, according to Marathi news reports. 5. Satana Municipal Council: In Satana, which is considered a BJP stronghold, Harshada Patil of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) was elected as the Mayor by a significant margin of 2,934 votes. In a major blow to Satana MLA Dilip Manglu Borse, former BJP mayor Sunil More and his wife were defeated. The BJP alliance leads in 125 municipal councils as counting of votes pulled during the Maharashtra local body elections continue. The party is leading with 127 seats, and its allies, the Shiv Sena and the NCP won, 53 and 32 seats respectively. Congress meanwhile, has won 36 seats and its allies Shiv Sena UBT holds 9 and NCP (SP) secured 10. In Satana Muncipal corporation, Shiv Sena leader Harshanda Patil won deafeating the former BJP mayor Sunil More. The BJP won a total of 18 seats in Palghar Dahanu Nagar dominating the muncipal council while the NCP won a total of 8 seats. The party also won five of the 10 district council president posts in Satana. The counting is ongoing in the rest of the posts, with trends leaning to a strong showing for the BJP. In Katol, the NCP and Shetkari Kamgar Party won 12 seats and the BJP won 13 seats bringing a change in power. The muncipal council was earlier considered a stronghold of the BJP. Ajit Pawar's NCP has won 28 out of 33 seats in the Baramati Muncipal council. In Badalpur the BJP is leading on 29 seats. In the Udgir Nagra parishad, the aliance between NCP Ajit Pawar and the BJP won 34 out of the 40 seats. Out of this 20 seats were won by the NCP Ajit Pawar party and 14 went to the BJP. The BJP, however, faced a setback in Palghar and Dhabu and Trimbakeshwar municipal councils. The mayor posts went to the Shiv Sena at all three regions. The party also won 22 out of 26 corporator posts in Vita Muncipality. The Shiv Sena won the seat in the Municipal Council of Mahad after a tussle with the NCP. In Dahanu Municipal Council, Shiv Sena Shinde faction's Rajendra Machhi won, while in Palghar Municipal Council, Shiv Sena Shinde faction's mayoral candidate Uttam Gharat won. A turnout of 67.3 per cent was recorded in the 263 local bodies in the first phase of elections held on December 2, and 47.04 per cent of voters turned up at the second phase of the election in the 23 local bodies on Saturday. Reports of violence and alleged electoral malpractice emerged in some areas. In Ambernath, police detained 208 women after a lathi charge following a clash between rival groups. The women were allegedly brought in for impersonation, a claim they have denied. Clashes between party workers from the BJP, Shiv Sena and Congress were also reported in multiple districts. The Congress on Sunday lashed out at the Pinarayi Vijayan government over the mob lynching of a migrant worker in Kerala. The Congress has demanded compensation for the kin of a Chhattisgarh migrant worker. Condoling the death of a Chhattisgarh migrant worker in Palakkad, Kerala, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said the mob lynching incident was "shocking" and unacceptable. "The memory of what happened to Madhu in 2018 is still fresh, and now we have seen this incident. It is deplorable how a society with a rich history of communal harmony like Kerala is seeing repeated instances of mob violence," Venugopal said in a post on X. The mob lynching of Ram Narayan Baghel, a Chhattisgarh native in Palakkad, Kerala is beyond shocking. It is absolutely unacceptable that such violent forces take over and run amok. The memory of what happened to Madhu in 2018 is still fresh, and now we have seen this incident. K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) December 21, 2025 Ram Narayan Baghel, a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, was lynched to death by a mob near Palakkad, Kerala, allegedly doubting him to be a thief. The 31-year-old daily wager reached Kerala on December 13 in search of work and faced the attack on December 19. According to Kerala police, Baghel suffered brutal assault, and he suffered over 80 injuries. Kerala police have so far arrested five persons in connection with the case. "The Kerala Government has displayed a completely lackadaisical attitude in curbing the spread of fear-based propaganda and unchecked rumour-mongering. They must answer for the lack of timely action and their complete failure in managing the law and order situation in the state," Venugopal said. The Congress leader and Kerala MP urged the Left government to provide immediate and adequate compensation to the victims family. He also urged the Kerala government to make arrangements for the transport of his mortal remains. There is massive outrage against the recent Supreme Court decision to redefine what makes up the Aravalli mountain range located in the northwestern part of India. A group of lawyers led by the Udaipur Bar Association recently submitted a memorandum to the President strongly objecting to the decision to exclude hills that stand less than 100 meters in height from the mountain range. They argued that most of the hills in the Udaipur and Mewar regions fall under this category. Excluding the smaller hills from the protected mountain range would mean it would be left open for construction, exploitation and illegal mining activities. About 90 per cent of the hills outside of the conservation zone would be subject to environmental damage under the implementation of the new definition. SP President Akhilesh Yadav, in a lengthy post on X, urged Delhiites to protect the Aravalli hills from destruction. In a lengthy post, he said, Do not forget that only if the Aravalli is saved will the NCR be saved. The Aravalli mountain range alone reduces Delhi's air pollution and plays a vital role in rainfall and water. The biodiversity of the NCR survives only because of the Aravalli. The wetlands that are disappearing one by one can be saved by it alone. It can bring back the birds that are vanishing. The temperature of the NCR is regulated by the Aravalli alone. , ! pic.twitter.com/YqZgIwtM9h Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 21, 2025 He warned that the Delhi residents who are struggling to breathe will never escape the condition of smog if the Aravalli is not saved. Why the Aravalli hills are important The Aravalli hills stretches from Gujarat and extends to Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The hills act as a protective shield and is a location of biodiversity, making it home to millions of flora and fauna. The mountain range also plays a massive role in preventing the spread of desertification, which spreads from the Thar. It determines monsoon patterns and recharges groundwater, contributing about 2 million litres per hectare. Without the hills, most of the rain from the Arabian Sea would be redirected to Pakistan instead of Rajasthan. The hills also prevent dust and pollution from moving towards the north. Exploiting the hills would threaten water, greenery and life in the region. Parts of the Aravalli hills have already disappeared due to continuous illegal mining, an NDTV report said.The Alwar NCR region is already affected by mining activities by mining mafias that have taken over parts. Environmentalists say that 35 per cent of the Aravalli range has already been damaged in the last two decades. According to the Forest Survey of India's internal assessment report, approximately 1,16,753 hills in Rajasthan alone are less than 100 meters. Environmentalist L.K. Sharma said that the Environment Ministry should reconsider the new definition. Social activist and founding member of People for Aravalli, Neelam Ahluwalia, has warned that a public campaign will be launched against the implementation of the new definition. A Muslim woman doctor whose hijab was publicly pulled down by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna earlier this week did not report for her assigned duty on Saturday. Dr Nusrat Parveen, who hails from Kolkata, was scheduled to report to the Sabalpur Community Health Centre (CHC) under Patna Sadar by 6 pm on Saturday. Patna Civil Surgeon Dr Avinash Kumar Singh said that the woman doctor could still join duty, subject to approval by the Health Department. He noted that such extensions had been granted earlier as well. We are hopeful that she will come and join. The joining date can be extended; it has happened earlier. There are still 12 doctors left, and if the time is extended, it will be extended for everyone. Sixty-three doctors have joined, and 12 are still left, Dr Singh told ANI. VIDEO | AIMIM workers staged a protest earlier today over the hijab controversy involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "I demand that a case be registered against Nitish Kumar. He should feel ashamed. He should resign. He should be immediately removed from the post of pic.twitter.com/IkRhJMP5EK Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 17, 2025 There were reports that Dr Parveen has declined the government job following the unsavoury incident. She is determined not to join the service. We are telling her that it is the fault of the other person, so why should she feel bad or suffer because of it? Parveens brother was quoted as saying by eNewsroom. Parveen was among ten AYUSH doctors who had turned up at the Chief Ministers Secretariat on Monday to receive their letters of appointment. When Parveens turn came, the 75-year-old chief minister pointed towards her veil (hijab) and exclaimed, What is this? before pulling it down and exposing her face. The incident has drawn criticism from far and wide, including from several West Asian countries, and the JD(U) president is facing accusations of disrespecting Muslim traditions, allegedly in line with an RSS agenda. The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman during Prime Minister Modis visit to Oman in December 2025 marks a significant milestone in Indias economic diplomacy in the Gulf region. This agreement establishes a broad and progressive framework to deepen trade, services, investment, and professional mobility between the two nations. While often described as an economic instrument, CEPAs implications extend far beyond trade figures, i.e., anchoring Indias broader strategic ambitions in the Gulf region. Essentially, the India-Oman CEPA offers near-universal duty-free access for Indian exports, wherein Oman has committed to zero duty on 98.08 percent of its tariff lines, covering roughly 99.38 percent of Indias export value. Simultaneously, India has agreed to reduce tariffs on 77.79 percent of its tariff lines, encompassing about 94.81 percent of imports from Oman. This spans across a wide range of sectors, including textiles, leather, footwear, engineering goods, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and automotive products. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East Economic gains and competitiveness boost The instantaneous benefits of the CEPA lie in competitive price incentives for Indian exporters in the region. Indian products will now enter Omani markets at significantly reduced costs, which can help diversify export destinations at a time when global trade is marked by uncertainty. Indeed, CEPA comes amid efforts by India to de-risk its exports against global tariff wars, particularly with high American tariffs on certain sectors, making preferential trade links in other regions strategically valuable. Complementary measures under the CEPA including mutual recognition of standards, faster regulatory clearances, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) harmonisation are expected to further ease market entry barriers. Another important aspect of this agreement is related to the services trade, where it envisions expanded commitments across professional, business, education, health, and technology services, coupled with enhanced mobility provisions for Indian traders. There is hope that CEPA will potentially integrate Indian human capital into the Gulfs services landscape. Strategic geography and geopolitical leverage Beyond economic gains, the CEPA has a pronounced geostrategic dimension also. Omans strategic location at the gateway of the Strait of Hormuz makes Muscat a pivotal partner in both trade and energy security calculus. Strengthening economic ties with a country sitting astride this maritime corridor amplifies Indias presence in a region where global power competition increasingly intersects with energy geopolitics. This agreement complements Indias earlier CEPA with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and seeks to integrate Oman into a broader network of trade and strategic partnerships. A more integrated IndiaGulf trade architecture potentially bolsters New Delhis clout in regional economic decision-making and may lay the groundwork for deeper multilateral engagements, including prospects for a preferential trade arrangement with all the GCC nations in the futurean idea advocated by Indian policymakers and strategic thinkers alike. Trade flows, investment, and industrial linkages India and Oman already maintain a growing trade relationship. In FY25, bilateral trade exceeded $10.6 billion, reflecting an upward trajectory in commercial engagement in the past few years. Indias exports to Oman include a mix of industrial and consumer products, while imports are dominated by energy commodities such as crude oil and LNG, along with fertilisers and chemical inputs critical for Indian industries. CEPAs implementation is expected to accelerate this trajectory. There is a possibility that Indias exports to Oman could increase by over $2 billion in the next 23 years as tariff barriers reduce and market linkages strengthen. This agreement also foreshadows enhanced investment flows in sectors such as pharma and tech services firms, which might see Oman as a gateway to the broader Gulf and African markets, using preferential access under CEPA to compete more effectively. Challenges and structural constraints Despite the optimism, analysts caution against overestimating short-term outcomes. Omans market, while strategically located, is relatively small in population and GDP terms which limits the scale of demand absorption for Indian exports. Sustained and deep trade gains will depend on improving product quality, competitiveness, and non-tariff measures. Moreover, managing tariff concessions without adversely affecting sensitive domestic sectors in both countries will require careful calibration and support. In sum, the India-Oman CEPA is not merely a trade deal but a strategic fulcrum that aligns Indias economic ambitions with its geopolitical objectives in the Gulf region. When combined with Indias broader network of free trade agreements and diplomatic engagements in the Middle East, the CEPA underscores a nuanced and multi-layered approach to foreign economic policy with the aim to not only seeking market access but also long-term regional integration and strategic balance. The author is an assistant professor at Amity Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (AIDSS), Amity University, Noida. US President Donald Trump is expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, either at the White House or Mar-a-Lago, in a meeting that could mark a pivotal moment in bilateral ties and test the strength of their strategic partnership. Coming barely six months after their joint confrontation with Iran, the talks will test the resilience of a strategic partnership that has increasingly been marked by a gap between political rhetoric and military reality. The June conflict, branded by Washington as Operation Midnight Hammer and complemented by Israels covert Operation Narnia, was publicly celebrated by Trump as having obliterated Irans nuclear threat. That claim has since become a central pillar of his foreign policy narrative. Yet intelligence assessments in both countries suggest a more ambiguous outcome. While the strikes inflicted serious damage on Iranian infrastructure, they did not permanently dismantle Tehrans nuclear or conventional military capabilities. Israels campaign relied heavily on what officials describe as strategic deception. In the weeks before the fighting, Jerusalem deliberately projected friction with the Trump administration, creating the impression of diplomatic distance. The aim was to lull Tehran into complacency. When the strikes came in June, they were swift and multilayered. Israeli attacks were followed by US B-2 bombers hitting deeply buried facilities, marking one of the most direct American military interventions against Iran in decades. The results were significant but limited. Uranium enrichment sites were badly damaged, and 11 senior Iranian nuclear scientists were killed. However, post-war intelligence reviews indicate that Irans nuclear programme was disrupted rather than erased. Outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea and other Israeli officials have warned that Tehran is already working to reconstitute its capabilities and retains the ambition to achieve a rapid nuclear breakout once international pressure eases. Despite the prominence of the nuclear issue, the immediate driver of Netanyahus urgent visit to Florida lies elsewhere. Israeli defence planners are increasingly alarmed by Irans efforts to rebuild and expand its ballistic missile production. According to Israeli estimates, Iran could reach an output of up to 3,000 missiles a year if left unchecked. That prospect is viewed in Jerusalem as an urgent and tangible threat. The June war provided a sobering demonstration of Irans conventional firepower. Although Israel achieved aerial superiority, its Iron Dome and Arrow missile defence systems were unable to intercept every incoming projectile. Irans retaliation involved over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones. Thirty-two people were killed, thousands were injured, and large numbers of civilians were displaced. For Israeli officials, the lesson was clear. The missile threat is not theoretical but lethally practical. Strategically, Israel sees Irans missile programme as inseparable from its nuclear ambitions. Ballistic missiles form the shield behind which a future nuclear capability could be protected. If Tehran can mass-produce missiles in sufficient numbers, it may deter Israel from launching further preemptive strikes against nuclear facilities. In that scenario, Iran would gain strategic depth and freedom of action. Netanyahu is therefore expected to present Trump with a familiar menu of military options, largely unchanged from those discussed before the June conflict. These range from an independent Israeli strike, through a campaign with limited US support, to a fully joint operation or even a US-led assault. The objective will be to secure either a green light or direct American participation in a preventive effort to cripple Irans missile production lines before they reach full capacity. The political context in Washington, however, complicates this request. Trump has invested heavily in portraying himself as the architect of a ceasefire in Gaza and the leader who neutralised Irans nuclear threat. Authorising or joining another major military campaign so soon after declaring victory risks undermining that narrative. There are also reports that the administration is considering military action in Venezuela, a move that could divert attention and resources away from the Middle East. The fragile nature of the Gaza ceasefire could be another sticking point. Washington appears reluctant to sanction another round of conflict with Iran while the Palestinian front remains unstable. Intelligence considerations will loom large in the discussions. The exposure of Operation Narnia has highlighted the extent of Israels reliance on human intelligence and subterfuge. Israeli operatives reportedly armed more than 100 agents inside Iran to conduct sabotage and targeted attacks before the air campaign began. Netanyahu is likely to point to this capability as evidence that Irans rebuilding efforts are detectable and vulnerable. At the heart of the talks lies a fundamental divergence in perception. For Trump, Irans nuclear threat has been eliminated and peace proclaimed. For Israel, the threat has merely been postponed and is now being rebuilt beneath the cover of an expanding missile arsenal. Whether the two leaders can reconcile these views may determine not only the future of US-Israel relations but also the next phase of confrontation with Iran. At least nine people were killed in a mass shooting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Sunday morning. Many were left injured. Police have now launched a manhunt. Brig Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson for Gauteng province told AFP, Ten people are dead. We dont have a breakdown of who they are." The wounded have been taken to hospital, police said. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that the shooting occurred at the KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal in West Rand. She said that it is reported that 12 suspects were involved. Major General Kekana is also on the scene. Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations, together with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, have launched a manhunt for the suspects involved in a multiple shooting incident during the early hours in Bekkersdal on Sunday, 21 December 2025, Mathe said. The incident occurred just before 01:00, at the Tambo section. It is reported that about 12 unknown suspects in a white kombi and a silver sedan opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene. The tavern is licensed, she added. Gauteng Acting Police Commissioner Fred Kekana told local news, We are still busy obtaining statements. Our national crime and management team has arrived. The provincial crime scene management team has arrived, and a team from the local criminal record centre is here, so is our serious crime investigating team, crime intelligence, and the provincial crime detective team is on scene. This is the second mass shooting in South Africa in December. On December 6, gunmen attacked a hostel at the capital Pretoria, killing a dozen people including a three-year-old. The shooting was at a site that was illegally selling alcohol. This is a developing story China Auto Logistics Inc. (OTCMKTS:CALI Get Free Report)s share price crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $50.49 and traded as low as $50.47. China Auto Logistics shares last traded at $50.48, with a volume of 71,156 shares changing hands. China Auto Logistics Stock Performance The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $50.53 and its 200-day simple moving average is $50.49. About China Auto Logistics (Get Free Report) China Auto Logistics Inc, together with its subsidiaries, sells and trades in imported automobiles in the People's Republic of China. It operates through Sales of Automobiles, Financing Services, and Other Services segments. The company also offers financing services, including letter of credit issuance, purchase deposit financing, and import duty advances services, as well as automobile value-added services comprising assistance related to customs clearance, storage, and delivery services. In addition, it provides Web-based advertising services through its Websites, such as at188.com that provides sales and trading information related to imported automobiles, as well as parts and components information; and at160.com, which offers real-time price comparison, and sales and trading information. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for China Auto Logistics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Auto Logistics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (TSE:BIP.UN Get Free Report) (NYSE:BIP) passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$48.83 and traded as low as C$47.20. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners shares last traded at C$47.59, with a volume of 502,021 shares. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Price Performance The firm has a market cap of C$22.22 billion, a PE ratio of 71.54, a P/E/G ratio of -2.12 and a beta of 1.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 180.01, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.45. The businesss fifty day moving average is C$48.82 and its 200-day moving average is C$45.78. About Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (Get Free Report) Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP is a Bermuda exempted limited partnership that owns and operates quality, long-life assets that generate stable cash flows, by virtue of barriers to entry or other characteristics tend to appreciate in value over time. It focuses on acquiring infrastructure assets that have low maintenance capital costs and high barriers to entry. The companys segments consist of Utilities, Transport, Midstream, and Data. Geographically, it generates maximum revenue from Brazil and also has a presence in Australia, Colombia, United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, Chile, Peru, India, and other countries. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:NBY Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Saturday . The company traded as high as $6.47 and last traded at $5.30, with a volume of 30793967 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $2.95. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 79.7% The stock has a fifty day moving average of $1.46 and a 200-day moving average of $1.25. Get NovaBay Pharmaceuticals alerts: NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 29th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 1st were given a dividend of $0.80 per share. This represents a yield of 3,791.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 30th. Institutional Trading of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Company Profile Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Ground Swell Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Apollon Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in NovaBay Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, C2C Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in NovaBay Pharmaceuticals by 78.2% in the second quarter. C2C Wealth Management LLC now owns 98,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 43,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 23.25% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing novel, non-antibiotic anti-infective products designed to regulate the innate immune response. Leveraging its proprietary Aganocide Technology, the companys synthetic antimicrobial compounds target and neutralize pathogens without contributing to antibiotic resistance. NovaBays research and development efforts concentrate on ophthalmic, dermatological and wound care applications, aiming to address unmet needs in infection control and inflammation management. The companys primary commercial products include Avenova, an eyelid and lash cleaning solution indicated for managing chronic blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction, and NeutroPhase, a pure hypochlorous acid wound and skin cleanser used in acute and chronic wound irrigation. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Reduce from the seven research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and five have assigned a hold recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $43.60. A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup decreased their target price on Oxford Industries from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Oxford Industries from $47.00 to $35.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Zacks Research cut Oxford Industries from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group cut their price target on shares of Oxford Industries from $52.00 to $35.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Oxford Industries from $50.00 to $35.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Get Oxford Industries alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Oxford Industries Insider Activity Hedge Funds Weigh In On Oxford Industries In other news, CEO Thomas Caldecot Chubb III purchased 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $35.12 per share, for a total transaction of $175,600.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,709 shares in the company, valued at approximately $797,540.08. This trade represents a 28.23% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . 6.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of OXM. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Oxford Industries by 245.9% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 671 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 477 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its stake in Oxford Industries by 61.5% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 801 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Oxford Industries in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Oxford Industries during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of Oxford Industries by 124.8% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,448 shares of the textile makers stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 804 shares in the last quarter. 91.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Oxford Industries Stock Down 2.0% Shares of NYSE OXM opened at $36.37 on Thursday. Oxford Industries has a 52-week low of $30.57 and a 52-week high of $89.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.33. The stock has a market cap of $541.16 million, a P/E ratio of -110.20 and a beta of 1.11. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $37.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $41.14. Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, December 10th. The textile maker reported ($0.92) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.95) by $0.03. Oxford Industries had a negative net margin of 0.20% and a positive return on equity of 9.35%. The company had revenue of $307.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $304.42 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($0.11) earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Oxford Industries has set its FY 2025 guidance at -1.5401.320 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.000-0.200 EPS. Analysts expect that Oxford Industries will post 6.62 EPS for the current year. Oxford Industries Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.69 per share. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. Oxford Industriess dividend payout ratio is -836.36%. Oxford Industries Company Profile (Get Free Report) Oxford Industries, Inc, incorporated in 1942 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of high-quality mens and womens lifestyle apparel and accessories. The companys product portfolio features a mix of owned brands and licensed partnerships that span casual, resort and performance categories. Key owned brands include Tommy Bahama, renowned for its island-inspired menswear and womens sportswear, and Southern Tide, which offers coastal-focused clothing and footwear. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Oxford Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oxford Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO Free Report) had its price objective lifted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $114.50 to $119.50 in a report released on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the basic materials companys stock. Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $143.00 target price (up from $135.00) on shares of Southern Copper in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Southern Copper from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, December 6th. Citigroup restated a sell rating and set a $108.00 price target (up from $89.10) on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Southern Copper from $121.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $122.83. Get Southern Copper alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Southern Copper Southern Copper Stock Performance NYSE SCCO opened at $144.15 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $134.98 and its 200 day moving average price is $113.96. The company has a current ratio of 4.52, a quick ratio of 3.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Southern Copper has a twelve month low of $74.84 and a twelve month high of $149.75. The company has a market capitalization of $117.08 billion, a PE ratio of 30.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.07. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The basic materials company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.26 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $3.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.05 billion. Southern Copper had a net margin of 30.98% and a return on equity of 38.74%. On average, research analysts predict that Southern Copper will post 4.66 earnings per share for the current year. Southern Copper Cuts Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 12th were given a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 12th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Southern Coppers dividend payout ratio is presently 75.47%. Insider Buying and Selling In other Southern Copper news, Director Bonilla Luis Miguel Palomino sold 400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.00, for a total value of $55,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,265 shares in the company, valued at $175,835. This represents a 24.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 948 shares of company stock worth $131,130. Insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its stake in Southern Copper by 4.3% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 941,712 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $95,273,000 after buying an additional 38,856 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its position in shares of Southern Copper by 6.5% during the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 140,489 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $14,326,000 after purchasing an additional 8,531 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Southern Copper by 82.5% in the 2nd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 5,085 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $514,000 after purchasing an additional 2,298 shares during the last quarter. Edgestream Partners L.P. acquired a new position in shares of Southern Copper in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,436,000. Finally, Capital Advisors Inc. OK raised its holdings in shares of Southern Copper by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Inc. OK now owns 277,035 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $28,028,000 after purchasing an additional 3,449 shares in the last quarter. 7.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Southern Copper Company Profile (Get Free Report) Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is a large, integrated copper producer whose operations span the full value chain from exploration and mining to smelting, refining and the sale of copper and other metal products. The company produces a range of copper products including copper concentrate and refined cathodes, and recovers valuable byproducts such as molybdenum, silver and zinc. Southern Copper concentrates on high-volume, long-life assets designed to support steady production and processing capabilities. Southern Coppers operations are concentrated in Peru and Mexico, where it owns and operates multiple large-scale mining and processing facilities. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ Get Free Report) (TSE:CCO) have been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the sixteen brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $117.2486. Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. President Capital raised Cameco from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, September 22nd. National Bankshares reissued an outperform rating on shares of Cameco in a report on Thursday, November 6th. BMO Capital Markets restated an outperform rating on shares of Cameco in a research report on Friday, August 29th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Cameco in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Finally, CLSA assumed coverage on shares of Cameco in a research note on Tuesday, September 9th. They issued an outperform rating and a $102.00 target price for the company. Get Cameco alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on CCJ Institutional Inflows and Outflows Cameco Price Performance Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Consulate Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Cameco in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Strategic Advocates LLC acquired a new stake in Cameco in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. grew its holdings in Cameco by 110.3% in the 3rd quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 347 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its stake in shares of Cameco by 928.6% during the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 360 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 325 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trust Co. of Vermont lifted its holdings in shares of Cameco by 1,029.4% during the 2nd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 384 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 350 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.21% of the companys stock. Shares of NYSE CCJ opened at $89.90 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a current ratio of 2.99. Cameco has a one year low of $35.00 and a one year high of $110.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 104.53 and a beta of 1.07. The companys fifty day moving average is $90.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $81.19. Cameco (NYSE:CCJ Get Free Report) (TSE:CCO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The basic materials company reported $0.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.22 by ($0.17). Cameco had a net margin of 15.24% and a return on equity of 8.58%. The company had revenue of $313.74 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $531.72 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.01) EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 14.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Cameco will post 1.27 EPS for the current fiscal year. Cameco Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, December 1st were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This is a positive change from Camecos previous annual dividend of $0.12. This represents a dividend yield of 27.0%. Camecos payout ratio is currently 19.77%. Cameco Company Profile (Get Free Report) Cameco Corporation (NYSE: CCJ) is a leading producer of uranium and a supplier to the global nuclear power industry. Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the company is engaged in the exploration, mining, milling and sale of uranium concentrate, commonly known as yellowcake, which is used as fuel for nuclear reactors. Cameco also participates in services and activities that support the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including processing and marketing of uranium to utilities under long?term and spot contracts. The companys operations have historically centered in Canada and the United States, where it operates and develops uranium mining and processing properties. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Cameco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cameco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG Free Report) had its price target lifted by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $27.00 to $28.00 in a report published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods currently has a market perform rating on the insurance providers stock. A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on MTG. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of MGIC Investment from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a cautious rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (a-) rating on shares of MGIC Investment in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $27.50. Get MGIC Investment alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on MTG MGIC Investment Stock Down 0.9% MGIC Investment stock opened at $29.59 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.85. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $28.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $27.48. MGIC Investment has a twelve month low of $21.94 and a twelve month high of $29.97. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The insurance provider reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $304.51 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $308.16 million. MGIC Investment had a return on equity of 14.62% and a net margin of 61.96%.MGIC Investments revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.77 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that MGIC Investment will post 2.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. MGIC Investment Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 20th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 6th were paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 6th. MGIC Investments dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.29%. Insider Buying and Selling at MGIC Investment In other news, CEO Timothy J. Mattke sold 139,203 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.09, for a total value of $3,771,009.27. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 961,791 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $26,054,918.19. The trade was a 12.64% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, COO Salvatore A. Miosi sold 30,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.15, for a total value of $844,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 189,401 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,331,638.15. This trade represents a 13.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 219,203 shares of company stock worth $5,989,909 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.05% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AIA Group Ltd raised its position in MGIC Investment by 58.4% in the 3rd quarter. AIA Group Ltd now owns 11,404 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $324,000 after purchasing an additional 4,204 shares during the last quarter. Mirabella Financial Services LLP acquired a new position in MGIC Investment in the third quarter valued at $235,000. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL raised its holdings in shares of MGIC Investment by 106.1% in the third quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 687,445 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $19,503,000 after buying an additional 353,935 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in shares of MGIC Investment by 102.3% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 4,623 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $131,000 after buying an additional 2,338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of MGIC Investment by 148.3% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 6,981 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $198,000 after buying an additional 4,169 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.58% of the companys stock. MGIC Investment Company Profile (Get Free Report) MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) is a leading provider of private mortgage insurance in the United States. Established in 1957 as the nations first private mortgage insurer, MGIC helps lenders manage credit risk and facilitates homeownership by protecting mortgage loans against default. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company operates through its principal subsidiary, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation, and maintains relationships with a broad network of originators and servicers nationwide. The companys primary business activity involves issuing mortgage insurance policies that enable borrowers to purchase homes with down payments below traditional lending thresholds. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for MGIC Investment Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MGIC Investment and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Saturday. A number of other research firms have also recently commented on DB. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Monday, October 20th. They set a hold rating for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 26th. Zacks Research cut shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, August 22nd. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Monday, November 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold. Get Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Price Performance Shares of NYSE:DB opened at $38.63 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $35.81 and a 200-day moving average of $33.96. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft has a 12 month low of $16.60 and a 12 month high of $38.78. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $76.96 billion, a PE ratio of 14.26, a PEG ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 0.95. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The bank reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.16. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 5.97%. The business had revenue of $9.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.75 billion. On average, equities research analysts predict that Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft will post 2.93 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 16.3% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 189,859 shares of the banks stock worth $4,524,000 after purchasing an additional 26,625 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft during the first quarter worth about $1,284,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 3.7% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 930,135 shares of the banks stock worth $22,165,000 after acquiring an additional 33,027 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 36.9% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 518,941 shares of the banks stock valued at $12,434,000 after acquiring an additional 139,849 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its position in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 4.7% during the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 1,504,175 shares of the banks stock valued at $35,844,000 after purchasing an additional 66,892 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 27.90% of the companys stock. About Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (Get Free Report) Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 1870 to support German foreign trade, the firm has grown into a full-service bank offering a wide range of banking, advisory and transaction services to corporate, institutional, and private clients. Over its history the bank has expanded internationally and developed capabilities across capital markets, investment banking, retail and commercial banking, and wealth management. The banks core business activities include corporate and investment bankingcovering financing, advisory, sales and trading, and capital markets servicesalong with private & commercial banking for individual and small-to-medium enterprise clients. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Free Report) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report published on Saturday morning. A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on FMS. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research downgraded Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. UBS Group cut Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a sell rating to an underperform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Bank of America lowered Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA has an average rating of Reduce and an average target price of $30.00. Get Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA alerts: Get Our Latest Report on FMS Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Price Performance FMS stock opened at $23.51 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.36. The companys 50 day moving average is $24.67 and its 200 day moving average is $25.73. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA has a 1-year low of $22.05 and a 1-year high of $30.46. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA had a net margin of 3.72% and a return on equity of 7.42%. The business had revenue of $5.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.72 billion. Analysts expect that Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA will post 1.51 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FMS. Hennessy Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $11,479,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 50.0% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,083,602 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,982,000 after purchasing an additional 361,364 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 1,508.1% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 287,751 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,165,000 after purchasing an additional 269,857 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 279.7% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 337,316 shares of the companys stock worth $9,637,000 after purchasing an additional 248,477 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 1.0% in the third quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 14,816,852 shares of the companys stock worth $390,128,000 after buying an additional 153,870 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.37% of the companys stock. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Company Profile (Get Free Report) Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co KGaA is the worlds largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases. The companys primary business activities encompass the operation of dialysis clinics and the manufacture and distribution of dialysis equipment, dialysis machines, dialyzers, consumables and related therapies. Through its global network of clinics, Fresenius Medical Care delivers comprehensive kidney care, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatments, patient education and support services. In its products segment, the company designs and produces dialysis machines, water treatment systems and disposables such as high?flux dialyzers and bloodlines. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of O-I Glass (NYSE:OI Free Report) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday. A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on OI. Zacks Research cut shares of O-I Glass from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Bank of America raised O-I Glass from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $14.00 to $17.00 in a report on Monday, November 17th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on O-I Glass from $21.00 to $17.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 13th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on O-I Glass from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of O-I Glass in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $16.67. Get O-I Glass alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on O-I Glass O-I Glass Stock Down 2.3% OI stock opened at $14.65 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $13.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $13.45. The stock has a market cap of $2.25 billion, a P/E ratio of -15.58, a PEG ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.36. O-I Glass has a twelve month low of $9.23 and a twelve month high of $16.04. O-I Glass (NYSE:OI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 1st. The industrial products company reported $0.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $1.59 billion during the quarter. O-I Glass had a negative net margin of 2.26% and a positive return on equity of 16.02%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that O-I Glass will post 1.33 EPS for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of O-I Glass by 11.0% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 326,153 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,741,000 after purchasing an additional 32,339 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in O-I Glass during the 1st quarter valued at about $658,000. Nuveen LLC purchased a new stake in O-I Glass in the 1st quarter valued at about $10,738,000. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC bought a new position in O-I Glass in the 2nd quarter worth about $1,329,000. Finally, Algert Global LLC bought a new position in O-I Glass in the 1st quarter worth about $1,606,000. 97.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Key Headlines Impacting O-I Glass Here are the key news stories impacting O-I Glass this week: Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised multiple quarterly and annual EPS forecasts (examples: Q4 2025 to $0.19 from $0.17; Q2 2026 to $0.55 from $0.53; Q3 2026 to $0.59 from $0.56; FY2026 to $1.89 from $1.84; FY2027 to $2.35 from $2.34), suggesting modestly improved earnings visibility over the next 12 years. MarketBeat OI coverage Zacks raised multiple quarterly and annual EPS forecasts (examples: Q4 2025 to $0.19 from $0.17; Q2 2026 to $0.55 from $0.53; Q3 2026 to $0.59 from $0.56; FY2026 to $1.89 from $1.84; FY2027 to $2.35 from $2.34), suggesting modestly improved earnings visibility over the next 12 years. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks maintained a Hold rating despite the estimate changes, and the consensus for the current full year remains lower than Zacks longer?term projections (consensus shown at ~$1.33). The firms incremental revisions may reflect fine?tuning rather than a material change in outlook. MarketBeat OI coverage Zacks maintained a Hold rating despite the estimate changes, and the consensus for the current full year remains lower than Zacks longer?term projections (consensus shown at ~$1.33). The firms incremental revisions may reflect fine?tuning rather than a material change in outlook. Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed its Q3 2027 estimate slightly (to $0.67 from $0.68). Although small, this downgrade combined with the Hold rating can weigh on near?term sentiment. MarketBeat OI coverage O-I Glass Company Profile (Get Free Report) O-I Glass, Inc is a leading global manufacturer of glass containers, supplying the food and beverage, wine and spirits, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and personal care industries. Headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio, the company produces a broad range of glass packaging solutions, including bottles and jars, designed to meet customer specifications for size, shape, color and performance. O-I leverages proprietary technologies in forming, decoration and quality control to serve both mass-market and premium brands. Tracing its origins to the early 20th century through the merger of prominent regional glassmakers, the company adopted the Owens-Illinois name in 1929 before rebranding as O-I Glass in 2015. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for O-I Glass Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for O-I Glass and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Wayfair (NYSE:W Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning. Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on Wayfair from $100.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Wayfair from $80.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Wayfair from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Wayfair in a report on Friday, October 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Wayfair from $82.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Wayfair presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $105.29. Get Wayfair alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on W Wayfair Stock Up 3.2% Shares of W opened at $101.61 on Friday. Wayfair has a twelve month low of $20.41 and a twelve month high of $114.92. The company has a market capitalization of $13.24 billion, a P/E ratio of -39.69 and a beta of 3.25. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $97.87 and a 200 day moving average of $79.00. Wayfair (NYSE:W Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.44 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $3.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.01 billion. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.22 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Wayfair will post -2.54 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CFO Kate Gulliver sold 9,612 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.20, for a total transaction of $982,346.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 175,497 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,935,793.40. This trade represents a 5.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Steven Conine sold 150,000 shares of Wayfair stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.92, for a total value of $15,888,000.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 729,073 shares in the company, valued at $77,223,412.16. This trade represents a 17.06% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 955,959 shares of company stock worth $88,260,274. 21.91% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wayfair Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. increased its stake in Wayfair by 681.8% in the 1st quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 5,462,651 shares of the companys stock worth $174,969,000 after acquiring an additional 4,763,944 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its holdings in shares of Wayfair by 826.0% in the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,817,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $251,648,000 after purchasing an additional 2,512,854 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Wayfair in the third quarter worth $108,125,000. Southpoint Capital Advisors LP raised its stake in Wayfair by 42.9% during the first quarter. Southpoint Capital Advisors LP now owns 4,000,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $128,120,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Wayfair by 197.3% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,557,937 shares of the companys stock valued at $79,673,000 after purchasing an additional 1,033,865 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.67% of the companys stock. Wayfair Company Profile (Get Free Report) Wayfair Inc (NYSE: W) is an e-commerce company focused on home furnishings and decor. Through its platform, Wayfair offers a broad assortment of furniture, lighting, home textiles, kitchenware and decorative accessories. The companys portfolio includes flagship sites such as Wayfair.com, as well as specialty retail brands like Joss & Main, AllModern, Birch Lane and Perigold, each catering to distinct design styles and price points. Founded in 2002 by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine under the name CSN Stores, the business rebranded as Wayfair in 2011 and went public in 2014. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Wayfair Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wayfair and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have issued a hold recommendation and twelve have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $85.4118. Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Stephens decreased their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $100.00 to $90.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $81.00 to $77.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 12th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Fidelity National Information Services in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. They set an overweight rating and a $81.00 target price on the stock. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Fidelity National Information Services in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Get Fidelity National Information Services alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on FIS Fidelity National Information Services Trading Up 0.2% Shares of NYSE:FIS opened at $66.01 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $34.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 244.50 and a beta of 0.92. The stocks 50-day moving average is $65.53 and its 200-day moving average is $71.11. Fidelity National Information Services has a 52-week low of $59.51 and a 52-week high of $83.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.53. Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The information technology services provider reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.48 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $2.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.65 billion. Fidelity National Information Services had a return on equity of 19.76% and a net margin of 1.45%.The firms revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.40 EPS. Fidelity National Information Services has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.740-5.780 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Fidelity National Information Services will post 5.74 earnings per share for the current year. Fidelity National Information Services Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 9th will be given a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 9th. Fidelity National Information Servicess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 592.59%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Fidelity National Information Services news, Director Jeffrey A. Goldstein purchased 889 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $67.66 per share, with a total value of $60,149.74. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 13,588 shares of the companys stock, valued at $919,364.08. This represents a 7.00% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.21% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Fidelity National Information Services Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. NewSquare Capital LLC raised its position in Fidelity National Information Services by 115.1% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 357 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. LRI Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 613.1% in the 3rd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 435 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 374 shares in the last quarter. Raiffeisen Bank International AG acquired a new stake in Fidelity National Information Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. bought a new stake in Fidelity National Information Services in the third quarter valued at $37,000. 96.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Fidelity National Information Services (Get Free Report) Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) is a global provider of financial technology solutions and services for banks, capital markets firms, merchants and corporations. The company develops and delivers software, processing, and outsourcing services that support core banking, payments and merchant acquiring, wealth and retirement platforms, risk and compliance, and trading and capital markets operations. Its offerings include cloud-based and on-premises core banking systems, card processing and gateway services, e-commerce and point-of-sale payment solutions, and a range of back-office and advisory services designed to automate and modernize financial operations. FIS serves a broad international client base across North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region through a combination of direct clients and partner channels. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity National Information Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity National Information Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of Moderate Buy by the five research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $49.6667. TDS has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d+) rating on shares of Telephone and Data Systems in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Wall Street Zen lowered Telephone and Data Systems from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, November 15th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Telephone and Data Systems in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. They issued a buy rating and a $45.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Telephone and Data Systems from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Get Telephone and Data Systems alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on TDS Insider Transactions at Telephone and Data Systems Institutional Investors Weigh In On Telephone and Data Systems In other Telephone and Data Systems news, CAO Anita J. Kroll sold 870 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.16, for a total transaction of $34,069.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . 14.97% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in Telephone and Data Systems by 65.6% in the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 699 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 121.3% in the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 830 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 455 shares in the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Assetmark Inc. raised its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 53.1% during the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,297 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 450 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Telephone and Data Systems by 191.3% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,311 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 861 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.00% of the companys stock. Telephone and Data Systems Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:TDS opened at $38.59 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $38.70 and its 200 day simple moving average is $38.05. The company has a market cap of $4.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -35.73 and a beta of 0.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a current ratio of 1.89. Telephone and Data Systems has a one year low of $31.07 and a one year high of $42.74. Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 7th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by $0.13. Telephone and Data Systems had a negative net margin of 1.46% and a positive return on equity of 1.15%. The company had revenue of $308.52 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned ($0.73) earnings per share. Telephone and Data Systemss revenue for the quarter was down 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Telephone and Data Systems will post -0.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Telephone and Data Systems Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th will be paid a $0.04 dividend. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 15th. Telephone and Data Systemss payout ratio is -14.81%. Telephone and Data Systems Company Profile (Get Free Report) Telephone and Data Systems, Inc (NYSE: TDS) is a diversified telecommunications company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides a broad array of communications services, including wireless voice and data, wireline broadband and voice, cable television, and managed IT and cloud solutions. Its two primary operating unitsTDS Telecom and U.S. Cellularserve residential, business and wholesale customers across the United States. TDS Telecom focuses on delivering broadband internet, digital voice, video and data communications services in primarily rural and suburban markets. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Telephone and Data Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Telephone and Data Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Altice USA (NYSE:ATUS Get Free Report) and CTX Virtual Technologies (OTCMKTS:CTXV Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and valuation. Profitability This table compares Altice USA and CTX Virtual Technologies net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Altice USA alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Altice USA -21.43% N/A -0.90% CTX Virtual Technologies N/A N/A N/A Valuation & Earnings This table compares Altice USA and CTX Virtual Technologiess gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Altice USA $8.64 billion 0.10 -$102.92 million ($3.96) -0.45 CTX Virtual Technologies N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CTX Virtual Technologies has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Altice USA. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Altice USA and CTX Virtual Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Altice USA 3 1 2 0 1.83 CTX Virtual Technologies 0 0 0 0 0.00 Altice USA presently has a consensus target price of $2.55, indicating a potential upside of 42.46%. Given Altice USAs stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Altice USA is more favorable than CTX Virtual Technologies. Insider and Institutional Ownership 54.8% of Altice USA shares are held by institutional investors. 44.6% of Altice USA shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Summary Altice USA beats CTX Virtual Technologies on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Altice USA (Get Free Report) Altice USA, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides broadband communications and video services in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It offers broadband, video, telephony, and mobile services to residential and business customers. The company's video services include delivery of broadcast stations and cable networks; over the top services; video-on-demand, high-definition channels, digital video recorder, and pay-per-view services; and platforms for video programming through mobile applications. In addition, it provides voice over Internet protocol telephone services; and mobile services, such as data, talk, and text. Further, the company offers Ethernet, data transport, IP-based virtual private networks, Internet access, and telephony services; hosted telephony services, managed Wi-Fi, managed desktop and server backup, and collaboration services comprising audio and web conferencing; fiber-to-the-tower services to wireless carriers; data services consisting of wide area networking and dedicated data access, as well as wireless mesh networks; and enterprise class telephone services that include traditional multi-line phone service. Additionally, it provides hosted private branch exchange, network security, and international calling and toll-free numbers services. Furthermore, the company offers audience-based and multiscreen advertising solutions; data analytics; and news programming services, as well as operates news channels under the News 12 Networks, Cheddar, and i24NEWS names. It also provides broadband communications and video services under the Optimum and Suddenlink brands. Altice USA, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in Long Island City, New York. About CTX Virtual Technologies (Get Free Report) CTX Virtual Technologies, Inc. manufactures and sells mobile communication and electronic devices. The company, through its subsidiary, Kaibida International Limited, designs and manufactures printed circuit boards, surface mounted technology components, and cellular telephones, including Smartphones and PDAs to network operators and original equipment manufacturers. Its other subsidiary, Celluon Technology Holdings Ltd., is involved in the manufacture and sale of virtual 3-D electronic perception products, including proprietary stand-alone external virtual keyboard for Smartphones and Pads. The company also manufactures and sells the MiSeeTX mini-computer, a fully functioning small computer incorporating various virtual input and output technologies while running the Windows XP, Android, or Windows 7 platforms. In addition, it provides virtual projection products, such as the virtual keyboards used in hospitals and medical clinics to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. CTX Virtual Technologies, Inc. is based in Boca Raton, Florida with offices in Hong Kong; Toronto, Canada; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Receive News & Ratings for Altice USA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altice USA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp decreased its position in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) by 31.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 20,764 shares of the companys stock after selling 9,317 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corps holdings in Novartis were worth $2,513,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of NVS. GFG Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis during the second quarter worth about $26,000. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Barrett & Company Inc. acquired a new stake in Novartis during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC boosted its position in Novartis by 66.0% in the 2nd quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 264 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. 13.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Novartis alerts: Key Headlines Impacting Novartis Here are the key news stories impacting Novartis this week: Novartis Trading Up 0.6% NYSE:NVS opened at $136.09 on Friday. Novartis AG has a 1 year low of $96.06 and a 1 year high of $137.40. The stock has a market cap of $287.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $129.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $124.79. Novartis (NYSE:NVS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported $2.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.26 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $14.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.70 billion. Novartis had a return on equity of 41.21% and a net margin of 26.49%.Novartiss revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.06 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 8.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Novartis from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Monday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Novartis from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Bank of America raised Novartis from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a sell rating and issued a $118.00 target price (down previously from $119.00) on shares of Novartis in a report on Friday, September 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $119.75. Get Our Latest Report on NVS Novartis Profile (Free Report) Novartis is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel that researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines and related health-care products. Formed through the 1996 merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, Novartis operates globally and focuses on bringing therapeutics from discovery through clinical development to commercial markets worldwide. The companys activities center on innovative pharmaceuticals across several therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuroscience and ophthalmology, alongside capabilities in advanced therapies such as biologics, cell and gene therapies. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp reduced its stake in FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE:FCN Free Report) by 17.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,835 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 3,456 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corps holdings in FTI Consulting were worth $2,719,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of FCN. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. acquired a new stake in FTI Consulting in the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in FTI Consulting by 68.8% during the second quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 270 shares of the business services providers stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of FTI Consulting by 258.5% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 294 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 212 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its stake in shares of FTI Consulting by 72.0% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 332 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in shares of FTI Consulting by 67.8% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 344 shares of the business services providers stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. 99.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get FTI Consulting alerts: FTI Consulting Trading Up 0.9% Shares of NYSE FCN opened at $176.23 on Friday. FTI Consulting, Inc. has a 1-year low of $149.31 and a 1-year high of $204.69. The company has a market cap of $5.44 billion, a PE ratio of 22.45 and a beta of 0.11. The company has a current ratio of 1.85, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a 50-day moving average of $164.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $164.46. FTI Consulting ( NYSE:FCN Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The business services provider reported $2.60 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.93 by $0.67. FTI Consulting had a net margin of 7.20% and a return on equity of 14.49%. The business had revenue of $956.17 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $941.19 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.85 earnings per share. FTI Consultings revenue was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. FTI Consulting has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.200-8.70 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that FTI Consulting, Inc. will post 8.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. FTI Consulting declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, October 21st that permits the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the business services provider to reacquire up to 9.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued. Analysts Set New Price Targets FCN has been the subject of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of FTI Consulting in a report on Thursday. Truist Financial cut their target price on shares of FTI Consulting from $178.00 to $165.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised FTI Consulting from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, December 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $169.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on FCN Insider Activity at FTI Consulting In other news, CEO Steven Henry Gunby bought 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $151.12 per share, with a total value of $1,133,400.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 294,007 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $44,430,337.84. This represents a 2.62% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.79% of the companys stock. FTI Consulting Company Profile (Free Report) FTI Consulting, Inc is a global business advisory firm providing multidisciplinary solutions designed to address complex challenges and strategic opportunities. The companys primary service offerings encompass corporate finance & restructuring, economic consulting, forensic & litigation consulting, strategic communications, and technology. These capabilities enable clients to manage financial distress, navigate regulatory environments, resolve disputes, build trust with stakeholders, and leverage data-driven insights. In its corporate finance & restructuring practice, FTI delivers restructuring, interim management, and transaction advisory services to companies facing operational or financial pressures. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FCN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE:FCN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for FTI Consulting Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FTI Consulting and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Perkins Coie Trust Co boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 16.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,699 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,066 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for about 1.1% of Perkins Coie Trust Cos portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. Perkins Coie Trust Cos holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $5,874,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the first quarter valued at about $27,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Steph & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% during the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Gravity Companies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 1.4% Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $1,071.35 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $960.76 and a 200 day simple moving average of $830.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.24. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $623.78 and a 1 year high of $1,111.99. The firm has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 52.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.37. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.42 by $0.60. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The companys revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.18 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $1.73 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is 29.35%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have weighed in on LLY. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Loop Capital set a $950.00 price objective on Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, November 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $1,150.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. BMO Capital Markets set a $1,200.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,171.00 to $1,290.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,141.73. Get Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company More Eli Lilly and Company News Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lionshead Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (NYSEARCA:JMBS Free Report) by 41.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 47,386 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 13,956 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF accounts for approximately 1.7% of Lionshead Wealth Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Lionshead Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF were worth $2,164,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in JMBS. Genesis Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $6,710,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF by 5.9% in the 2nd quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,466,571 shares of the companys stock valued at $66,069,000 after purchasing an additional 81,620 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF by 198.2% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,667 shares of the companys stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 1,108 shares during the period. Carter Financial Group INC. purchased a new position in shares of Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,734,000. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF by 7.6% in the third quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 2,138,813 shares of the companys stock worth $97,680,000 after purchasing an additional 150,680 shares during the period. Get Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF alerts: Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF Trading Down 0.0% Shares of JMBS stock opened at $45.83 on Friday. Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF has a 52-week low of $43.45 and a 52-week high of $46.20. The businesss fifty day moving average is $45.81 and its 200 day moving average is $45.30. Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF Profile The Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (JMBS) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Bloomberg U.S. MBS index. The fund is an actively managed fund of mortgage-backed securities. The fund seeks a high level of total return. JMBS was launched on Sep 12, 2018 and is managed by Janus Henderson. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JMBS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (NYSEARCA:JMBS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Arcus Biosciences, Inc. (NYSE:RCUS Get Free Report) CAO Alexander Azoy sold 2,113 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.16, for a total transaction of $46,824.08. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 22,874 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $506,887.84. This represents a 8.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Alexander Azoy also recently made the following trade(s): Get Arcus Biosciences alerts: On Thursday, December 18th, Alexander Azoy sold 4,343 shares of Arcus Biosciences stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.25, for a total transaction of $96,631.75. On Tuesday, December 16th, Alexander Azoy sold 2,376 shares of Arcus Biosciences stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.88, for a total transaction of $51,986.88. On Wednesday, November 26th, Alexander Azoy sold 1,900 shares of Arcus Biosciences stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.00, for a total transaction of $49,400.00. On Monday, September 29th, Alexander Azoy sold 2,831 shares of Arcus Biosciences stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.00, for a total value of $36,803.00. Arcus Biosciences Stock Performance Shares of RCUS stock opened at $21.99 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 3.65, a quick ratio of 3.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.39 and a beta of 0.75. Arcus Biosciences, Inc. has a 12-month low of $6.50 and a 12-month high of $26.40. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $21.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $14.16. Trending Headlines about Arcus Biosciences Arcus Biosciences ( NYSE:RCUS Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported ($1.27) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.33) by $0.06. Arcus Biosciences had a negative return on equity of 68.17% and a negative net margin of 136.40%.The business had revenue of $26.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $19.89 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($1.00) EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 45.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Arcus Biosciences, Inc. will post -3.15 EPS for the current fiscal year. Here are the key news stories impacting Arcus Biosciences this week: Positive Sentiment: Arcus will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 14, 2026 a high?visibility forum that can accelerate investor interest, provide clinical/program updates and attract buy?side attention ahead of catalysts. Arcus to Present at JPM Arcus will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 14, 2026 a high?visibility forum that can accelerate investor interest, provide clinical/program updates and attract buy?side attention ahead of catalysts. Neutral Sentiment: Recent analyst notes are mixed-to-constructive: some firms raised price targets and UBS/Bank of America reaffirmed coverage, producing a consensus Moderate Buy and an elevated average target this supports upside but depends on upcoming clinical and commercial news. MarketBeat analyst summary Recent analyst notes are mixed-to-constructive: some firms raised price targets and UBS/Bank of America reaffirmed coverage, producing a consensus Moderate Buy and an elevated average target this supports upside but depends on upcoming clinical and commercial news. Negative Sentiment: Significant, clustered insider selling occurred Dec. 1618: CEO Terry Rosen sold large blocks (multiple filings totaling ~54k shares across two days), and other senior officers (CFO, COO, President, CAO, General Counsel and others) also sold shares this concentrated executive selling is likely weighing on sentiment and may prompt short?term selling pressure. See CEO SEC filing for details. CEO Form 4 Significant, clustered insider selling occurred Dec. 1618: CEO Terry Rosen sold large blocks (multiple filings totaling ~54k shares across two days), and other senior officers (CFO, COO, President, CAO, General Counsel and others) also sold shares this concentrated executive selling is likely weighing on sentiment and may prompt short?term selling pressure. See CEO SEC filing for details. Negative Sentiment: Additional insider sales (CAO Alexander Azoy, CFO Robert Goeltz II, COO Jennifer Jarrett, President Juan Jaen, General Counsel Carolyn Tang, and insider Richard Markus) were filed and aggregated to meaningful dollar amounts investors often interpret broad leadership selling as a negative signal even when trades may be for diversification or tax reasons. InsiderTrades summary Hedge Funds Weigh In On Arcus Biosciences A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. grew its holdings in Arcus Biosciences by 39.1% during the 3rd quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 1,120,062 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,233,000 after purchasing an additional 314,757 shares during the last quarter. Vestal Point Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Arcus Biosciences during the third quarter valued at approximately $3,400,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in shares of Arcus Biosciences during the third quarter valued at approximately $299,000. Parkman Healthcare Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Arcus Biosciences by 8.9% during the third quarter. Parkman Healthcare Partners LLC now owns 652,680 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,876,000 after buying an additional 53,070 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Decheng Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Arcus Biosciences by 242.3% in the third quarter. Decheng Capital LLC now owns 547,609 shares of the companys stock worth $7,447,000 after buying an additional 387,609 shares during the period. 92.89% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Arcus Biosciences from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, December 14th. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of Arcus Biosciences in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Bank of America lifted their price target on Arcus Biosciences from $17.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Truist Financial set a $30.00 price objective on Arcus Biosciences in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Arcus Biosciences from $14.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $28.89. View Our Latest Stock Report on RCUS Arcus Biosciences Company Profile (Get Free Report) Arcus Biosciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel cancer immunotherapies. The companys research platform centers on modulating tumor microenvironments and immune checkpoints through both small-molecule and antibody-based candidates. Arcus aims to enhance antitumor immune responses by targeting pathways such as the adenosine axis and inhibitory receptors on immune cells. The companys lead clinical programs include etrumadenant, an orally administered A2A adenosine receptor antagonist being evaluated in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, and domvanalimab, an anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibody. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Arcus Biosciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arcus Biosciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sharkey Howes & Javer decreased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report) by 13.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 263,271 shares of the companys stock after selling 39,370 shares during the period. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF accounts for 6.6% of Sharkey Howes & Javers holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Sharkey Howes & Javers holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $51,206,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of QUAL. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 1.3% during the third quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 15,796 shares of the companys stock worth $3,072,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. increased its position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 109,906 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,377,000 after buying an additional 859 shares in the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 0.6% in the third quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 16,646 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,238,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Embree Financial Group boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 487.2% in the third quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 21,063 shares of the companys stock worth $4,097,000 after acquiring an additional 17,476 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fiduciary Alliance LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 2.8% during the third quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 3,437 shares of the companys stock worth $668,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Stock Up 12.6% QUAL opened at $198.82 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $57.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.59 and a beta of 1.05. The firms 50-day moving average price is $196.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $189.92. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a 52-week low of $148.34 and a 52-week high of $187.26. About iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector. QUAL was launched on Jul 18, 2013 and is managed by BlackRock. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding QUAL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) by 42.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 209,431 shares of the restaurant operators stock after acquiring an additional 62,923 shares during the quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $8,746,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 9.1% in the 3rd quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 52,065 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $2,040,000 after purchasing an additional 4,343 shares during the last quarter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 9.8% during the third quarter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC now owns 151,833 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $5,950,000 after purchasing an additional 13,566 shares during the last quarter. Centurion Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 15.4% in the third quarter. Centurion Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,453 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $331,000 after buying an additional 1,127 shares in the last quarter. Shelton Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 6.3% in the third quarter. Shelton Wealth Management LLC now owns 27,110 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $1,062,000 after buying an additional 1,601 shares during the last quarter. Finally, U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 547.6% during the 3rd quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 49,206 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,928,000 after buying an additional 41,608 shares in the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Trending Headlines about Chipotle Mexican Grill Here are the key news stories impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill this week: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have weighed in on CMG shares. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $65.00 to $60.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 9th. Northcoast Research lowered shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 31st. Raymond James Financial restated an outperform rating and issued a $40.00 price objective (down previously from $52.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $49.81. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance Shares of NYSE CMG opened at $37.64 on Friday. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $29.75 and a fifty-two week high of $62.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.31, a P/E/G ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.99. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $35.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $42.44. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.29. The firm had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.06 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 13.04% and a return on equity of 45.39%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.27 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.29 EPS for the current fiscal year. Chipotle Mexican Grill Profile (Free Report) Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant company known for its Mexican-inspired menu of burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. Founded in 1993 by Steve Ells, the chain emphasizes fresh, customizable meals made from a limited menu of core ingredients and a focus on ingredient quality. Chipotle operates primarily company-owned restaurants and offers dine-in, takeout, catering and delivery through its own digital platforms and third-party partners. The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California, and traces its roots to Denver, Colorado. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 705,258 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after acquiring an additional 60,667 shares during the period. Pfizer accounts for about 1.2% of Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $19,303,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Pfizer in the first quarter worth $27,000. Curio Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 36,600.0% during the 2nd quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 1,101 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 1,098 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. bought a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Trending Headlines about Pfizer Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week: Pfizer Price Performance Shares of PFE opened at $25.19 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a twelve month low of $20.92 and a twelve month high of $27.69. The company has a market capitalization of $143.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.65 and a beta of 0.46. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $25.10 and a 200 day moving average of $24.84. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $16.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.94 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.17% and a net margin of 15.65%.Pfizer has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.000-3.150 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be issued a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 23rd. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 100.00%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Guggenheim reissued a buy rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a market perform rating and issued a $30.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Scotiabank initiated coverage on Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a sector outperform rating and a $30.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a neutral rating and set a $26.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c-) rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $28.06. View Our Latest Report on PFE About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and vaccines for human health. Its activities span discovery research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and global commercial distribution across multiple therapeutic areas. Pfizers portfolio and pipeline cover oncology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, rare diseases, hospital acute care and anti-infectives, along with a substantial vaccine business. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO Free Report) by 11.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 101,978 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 13,315 shares during the period. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Valero Energy were worth $16,357,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hoey Investments Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. GFG Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in Valero Energy by 1,277.8% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 248 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ransom Advisory Ltd purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the companys stock. Get Valero Energy alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have recently commented on VLO shares. Mizuho reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $192.00 price objective (up previously from $190.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $181.00 to $194.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Erste Group Bank started coverage on Valero Energy in a research report on Monday, November 10th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $183.00 target price on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Friday, October 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $183.20. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Valero Energy news, CFO Jason W. Fraser sold 9,933 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.02, for a total value of $1,728,540.66. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 134,196 shares of the companys stock, valued at $23,352,787.92. This trade represents a 6.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.04% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Valero Energy Stock Performance NYSE:VLO opened at $162.80 on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $171.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $155.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Valero Energy Corporation has a twelve month low of $99.00 and a twelve month high of $185.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.99, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.76. Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $3.66 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.15 by $0.51. The company had revenue of $32.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.80 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 8.69% and a net margin of 1.21%.The firms revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.14 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Valero Energy Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 20th were given a dividend of $1.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 20th. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. Valero Energys payout ratio is 94.36%. Valero Energy Company Profile (Free Report) Valero Energy Corporation is a San Antonio, Texasbased integrated downstream energy company that manufactures and markets transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and other industrial products. The companys operations focus on refining crude oil into finished fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as producing asphalt and other refined product streams for commercial and industrial customers. In addition to refining, Valero has significant operations in renewable fuels, including the production of ethanol and other biofuels, and it manages an extensive logistics network of pipelines, terminals, rail and marine assets to move feedstocks and finished products. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VLO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Valero Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Valero Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Hold from the twenty-three brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have assigned a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $84.1053. BBY has been the subject of several recent research reports. Truist Financial set a $77.00 price target on Best Buy in a research report on Wednesday. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Best Buy in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Daiwa Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Best Buy from $76.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Best Buy from $74.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Loop Capital boosted their price objective on shares of Best Buy from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Get Best Buy alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Best Buy Key Headlines Impacting Best Buy Insider Activity Here are the key news stories impacting Best Buy this week: In other news, Chairman Richard M. Schulze sold 74,553 shares of Best Buy stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.31, for a total value of $6,285,563.43. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 11,451,911 shares of the companys stock, valued at $965,510,616.41. The trade was a 0.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 1,534,993 shares of company stock worth $126,626,855 in the last 90 days. 0.47% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Best Buy Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its position in Best Buy by 6.6% in the second quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 48,919 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $3,284,000 after purchasing an additional 3,040 shares during the period. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC boosted its position in shares of Best Buy by 191.9% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 10,714 shares of the technology retailers stock worth $789,000 after buying an additional 7,043 shares during the period. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Best Buy in the first quarter valued at about $370,000. Conning Inc. grew its stake in shares of Best Buy by 5.4% in the second quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 479,055 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $32,159,000 after buying an additional 24,741 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Best Buy by 53.6% during the 1st quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 26,462 shares of the technology retailers stock valued at $1,948,000 after buying an additional 9,231 shares during the period. 80.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Best Buy Stock Performance Shares of BBY opened at $71.76 on Friday. Best Buy has a 12-month low of $54.99 and a 12-month high of $91.68. The stock has a market cap of $15.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.76, a PEG ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a 50-day moving average of $77.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $73.73. Best Buy (NYSE:BBY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The technology retailer reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.31 by $0.09. Best Buy had a net margin of 1.54% and a return on equity of 50.02%. The business had revenue of $9.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.57 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.26 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. Best Buy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.250-6.350 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Best Buy will post 6.18 EPS for the current fiscal year. Best Buy Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th will be issued a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 16th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.3%. Best Buys payout ratio is 125.83%. Best Buy Company Profile (Get Free Report) Best Buy Co, Inc is a leading North American consumer electronics retailer that sells a broad range of products including computers, mobile phones, televisions and home theater systems, major appliances, smart-home devices, gaming hardware and software, wearables and related accessories. The company operates through a mix of large-format stores, smaller specialty locations and an e-commerce platform, offering national and private-brand merchandise from major consumer-technology manufacturers as well as third-party sellers. Beyond product retailing, Best Buy provides a suite of services aimed at installation, repair and ongoing technical support. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Best Buy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Best Buy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR Free Report) by 15.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 91,656 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 12,376 shares during the period. Danaher comprises about 1.2% of Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 19th largest position. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Danaher were worth $19,705,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in Danaher during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute acquired a new position in shares of Danaher during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Red Tortoise LLC raised its holdings in shares of Danaher by 175.0% during the 2nd quarter. Red Tortoise LLC now owns 154 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Danaher in the 3rd quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Ramirez Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Danaher in the second quarter worth $40,000. 79.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Danaher alerts: Key Stores Impacting Danaher Here are the key news stories impacting Danaher this week: Positive Sentiment: Jefferies reiterated a Buy on Danaher, supporting demand for the shares by reaffirming conviction in the companys growth profile and portfolio execution. Jefferies Remains a Buy on Danaher (DHR) Jefferies reiterated a Buy on Danaher, supporting demand for the shares by reaffirming conviction in the companys growth profile and portfolio execution. Positive Sentiment: An analyst write-up highlighted expectations that Danahers stock will rise, adding to bullish momentum and investor interest in the name. Danaher (NYSE:DHR) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Jefferies Financial Group Analyst Says An analyst write-up highlighted expectations that Danahers stock will rise, adding to bullish momentum and investor interest in the name. Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research issued small upward revisions to its Q4 2026, Q1 2027 and FY2027 EPS outlook (e.g., Q4 to ~$2.45, Q1 to ~$2.07, FY2027 to ~$9.18). Those modest raises signal slightly stronger forward earnings traction and help offset other mixed datapoints. Zacks Research issued small upward revisions to its Q4 2026, Q1 2027 and FY2027 EPS outlook (e.g., Q4 to ~$2.45, Q1 to ~$2.07, FY2027 to ~$9.18). Those modest raises signal slightly stronger forward earnings traction and help offset other mixed datapoints. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks also trimmed several near-term 2026 quarter and FY2026 EPS estimates by only a penny or two (Q2/Q3/FY2026 reductions), indicating very slight near-term pressure but nothing that meaningfully changes multi-year earnings power. Zacks also trimmed several near-term 2026 quarter and FY2026 EPS estimates by only a penny or two (Q2/Q3/FY2026 reductions), indicating very slight near-term pressure but nothing that meaningfully changes multi-year earnings power. Negative Sentiment: A market note highlighted that shareholders who bought DHR three years ago have seen roughly a 0.9% loss, underscoring the stocks modest multi?year underperformance versus some peers and raising questions about valuation relative to growth expectations. Danaher (NYSE:DHR) shareholders have endured a 0.9% loss from investing in the stock three years ago Insider Activity Analyst Ratings Changes In other Danaher news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 21,776 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.23, for a total value of $4,773,952.48. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 14,553 shares in the company, valued at $3,190,454.19. The trade was a 59.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, Director Teri List sold 3,298 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.50, for a total transaction of $746,997.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 20,762 shares in the company, valued at $4,702,593. This represents a 13.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 30,248 shares of company stock worth $6,609,663. Corporate insiders own 11.10% of the companys stock. A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $241.00 price objective on Danaher in a research note on Tuesday, September 2nd. KeyCorp reissued an overweight rating on shares of Danaher in a research report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Danaher from $235.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Danaher from $245.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Danaher from $230.00 to $220.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $248.25. View Our Latest Stock Report on Danaher Danaher Stock Up 0.2% DHR opened at $224.78 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $158.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.35, a P/E/G ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The firms fifty day moving average price is $220.37 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $207.01. Danaher Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $171.00 and a fifty-two week high of $258.23. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The conglomerate reported $1.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6 billion. Danaher had a net margin of 14.44% and a return on equity of 10.92%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.71 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Danaher Corporation will post 7.63 EPS for the current year. Danaher Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 26th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Danahers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.39%. Danaher Profile (Free Report) Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) is a global science and technology company that designs, manufactures and markets products and services for the life sciences, diagnostics, and environmental and applied markets. The company organizes its operations into business segments focused on Life Sciences, Diagnostics, and Environmental & Applied Solutions, supplying instruments, reagents, software and related services that support research, clinical testing, biopharmaceutical development, and industrial and environmental monitoring. Products and services in Danahers portfolio include analytical and diagnostic instruments, laboratory consumables and reagents, digital and software solutions for workflow and data management, field and industrial monitoring equipment, and service and maintenance programs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sound Income Strategies LLC raised its holdings in National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI Free Report) by 4.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 241,260 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 10,570 shares during the quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLCs holdings in National Health Investors were worth $17,810,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of National Health Investors by 305.2% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,203,492 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $84,389,000 after purchasing an additional 906,479 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in National Health Investors during the second quarter valued at about $49,775,000. M Holdings Securities Inc. acquired a new position in National Health Investors in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $36,607,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of National Health Investors by 66.9% in the 2nd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 614,960 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $43,121,000 after acquiring an additional 246,486 shares during the period. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of National Health Investors by 706.6% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 213,730 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $15,786,000 after purchasing an additional 187,233 shares in the last quarter. 62.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get National Health Investors alerts: National Health Investors Stock Down 0.5% Shares of NYSE:NHI opened at $77.98 on Friday. National Health Investors, Inc. has a 52 week low of $65.13 and a 52 week high of $80.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 10.64 and a current ratio of 10.64. The companys fifty day moving average is $76.78 and its 200-day moving average is $75.12. The company has a market capitalization of $3.71 billion, a PE ratio of 24.60, a P/E/G ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 0.68. National Health Investors Announces Dividend National Health Investors ( NYSE:NHI Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.24 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $83.36 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $85.66 million. National Health Investors had a return on equity of 10.17% and a net margin of 41.38%.National Health Investorss revenue was down 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.03 EPS. National Health Investors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.880-4.91 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that National Health Investors, Inc. will post 4.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.92 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.7%. National Health Investorss payout ratio is presently 116.09%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Truist Financial upped their target price on National Health Investors from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. KeyCorp increased their price objective on shares of National Health Investors from $80.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on shares of National Health Investors in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. They set an overweight rating and a $90.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of National Health Investors in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, National Bankshares set a $90.00 price target on shares of National Health Investors in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $87.33. View Our Latest Report on NHI About National Health Investors (Free Report) National Health Investors, Inc (NYSE: NHI) is a specialized real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and financing high-quality healthcare and senior housing facilities in the United States. The companys portfolio encompasses a diverse range of properties, including skilled nursing centers, assisted living and memory care communities, behavioral health facilities, dialysis clinics, and medical office buildings. NHI typically enters into long-term net-lease agreements with experienced healthcare operators, providing stable and predictable rental income streams while enabling its tenants to concentrate on delivering quality care. Since its founding in 1991 and initial public offering later that year, National Health Investors has pursued a disciplined growth strategy centered on strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and selective development. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NHI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for National Health Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Health Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sound Income Strategies LLC raised its position in Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE Free Report) by 35.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 123,445 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 32,466 shares during the period. Sound Income Strategies LLCs holdings in Sealed Air were worth $4,316,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in Sealed Air in the second quarter valued at $25,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its stake in shares of Sealed Air by 383.8% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 837 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 664 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in shares of Sealed Air by 334.4% during the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 960 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 739 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Sealed Air by 94.9% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 1,553 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 756 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Traub Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Sealed Air in the second quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.40% of the companys stock. Get Sealed Air alerts: Sealed Air Trading Down 0.1% Shares of NYSE SEE opened at $41.23 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.34. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $38.94 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $34.50. Sealed Air Corporation has a 52-week low of $22.78 and a 52-week high of $44.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.39 and a beta of 1.35. Sealed Air Dividend Announcement Sealed Air ( NYSE:SEE Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.19. Sealed Air had a net margin of 8.52% and a return on equity of 54.90%. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.31 billion. Sealed Air has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.250-3.350 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Sealed Air Corporation will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 19th. Investors of record on Friday, December 5th were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. Sealed Airs dividend payout ratio is presently 25.97%. Key Headlines Impacting Sealed Air Here are the key news stories impacting Sealed Air this week: Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research nudged up Sealed Airs near?term and FY2027 EPS estimates (Q3 2026 to $0.85, Q1 2027 to $0.82, FY2027 to $3.47), signaling slightly stronger-than-expected underlying earnings momentum that supports valuation ahead of the deal close. Read More. Zacks Research nudged up Sealed Airs near?term and FY2027 EPS estimates (Q3 2026 to $0.85, Q1 2027 to $0.82, FY2027 to $3.47), signaling slightly stronger-than-expected underlying earnings momentum that supports valuation ahead of the deal close. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: The 30?day go?shop period ended with no rival bids, clearing the path for CD&Rs $10.3 billion all?cash acquisition and an expected transition to private ownership this increases deal certainty (reducing takeover uncertainty) but also concretizes the takeover price, which limits public?market upside. Read More. The 30?day go?shop period ended with no rival bids, clearing the path for CD&Rs $10.3 billion all?cash acquisition and an expected transition to private ownership this increases deal certainty (reducing takeover uncertainty) but also concretizes the takeover price, which limits public?market upside. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Robert W. Baird downgraded SEE from Strong?Buy to Hold and set a $42 price target, arguing that the deal?driven valuation limits upside even in an attractive sector analyst downgrade and that viewpoint have pressured the stock and contributed to short?term selling. Read More. Robert W. Baird downgraded SEE from Strong?Buy to Hold and set a $42 price target, arguing that the deal?driven valuation limits upside even in an attractive sector analyst downgrade and that viewpoint have pressured the stock and contributed to short?term selling. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: reports noted the stock ticked lower as the go?shop expired and the downgrade circulated, indicating investors are weighing the certainty of the buyout against capped upside and near?term liquidity (stock trading more on deal dynamics than organic growth today). Read More. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently issued reports on SEE. Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and set a $45.00 price objective (up from $40.00) on shares of Sealed Air in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Sealed Air from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 6th. Robert W. Baird restated a neutral rating and issued a $42.00 price objective (down from $45.00) on shares of Sealed Air in a report on Thursday. Raymond James Financial reiterated a strong-buy rating and set a $50.00 target price (up previously from $39.00) on shares of Sealed Air in a report on Friday, October 17th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Sealed Air from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $42.77. Read Our Latest Report on Sealed Air Sealed Air Profile (Free Report) Sealed Air Corporation is a global packaging company that develops and manufactures a wide range of materials, equipment and services designed to protect, preserve and promote products. Best known for inventing Bubble Wrap protective packaging, the company serves customers across food and beverage, e-commerce, electronics, manufacturing and healthcare industries. Sealed Airs solutions help businesses reduce product damage, extend shelf life and improve operational efficiency. The companys product portfolio is organized into three primary segments. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SEE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Sealed Air Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sealed Air and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Communications Co. (OTCMKTS:BCMXY Get Free Report)s share price was up 2.2% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $25.00 and last traded at $25.00. Approximately 59 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 801% from the average daily volume of 7 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.4595. Bank of Communications Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $74.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.46 and a beta of -0.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.95. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $22.99 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $22.16. Get Bank of Communications alerts: Bank of Communications (OTCMKTS:BCMXY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The bank reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.91 by ($0.18). The business had revenue of $9.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.11 billion. Bank of Communications had a net margin of 18.19% and a return on equity of 7.70%. Bank of Communications Company Profile Bank of Communications Co, Ltd. (OTCMKTS: BCMXY) is a major Chinese commercial bank that provides a broad range of banking and financial services to individual, corporate and institutional clients. Founded in the early 20th century, the bank has grown into one of Chinas large, systemically important banks and plays a significant role in supporting domestic economic activity, trade and finance. It combines traditional commercial banking functions with modern financial services across multiple customer segments. The companys core businesses include retail banking, corporate and investment banking, treasury and financial markets operations, and wealth and asset management. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kincora Copper Limited (CVE:KCC Get Free Report)s share price dropped 6.5% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as C$0.87 and last traded at C$0.87. Approximately 8,392 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 29,808 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.93. Kincora Copper Stock Down 6.5% The businesss fifty day moving average is C$1.03 and its 200-day moving average is C$0.81. The company has a market cap of C$37.20 million, a PE ratio of -7.25 and a beta of 1.91. Kincora Copper Company Profile (Get Free Report) Kincora Copper Limited engages in acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in Mongolia and Australia. It primarily explores for copper and gold deposits. The company's flagship project is the Trundle Project, including one license covering an area of 167km2 located in the Junee-Narromine volcanic belt of the Macquarie Arc. The company was formerly known as Brazilian Diamonds Limited and changed its name to Kincora Copper Limited in January 2011. Kincora Copper Limited was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Kincora Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kincora Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Finland ETF (BATS:EFNL Get Free Report) rose 44.1% on Friday . The company traded as high as $32.99 and last traded at $46.81. Approximately 5,662 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 45% from the average daily volume of 10,309 shares. The stock had previously closed at $32.4751. iShares MSCI Finland ETF Trading Up 44.1% The company has a 50-day moving average of $45.32 and a 200-day moving average of $42.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $28.09 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.40 and a beta of 0.83. Get iShares MSCI Finland ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of EFNL. Arlington Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Finland ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,817,000. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI Finland ETF in the first quarter valued at approximately $2,870,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Finland ETF by 40.5% during the third quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 64,826 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,775,000 after purchasing an additional 18,682 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Finland ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $670,000. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Finland ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $247,000. About iShares MSCI Finland ETF The iShares MSCI Finland ETF (EFNL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Finland IMI 25\u002F50 index, a market-cap-weighted index of Finnish all-cap stocks. EFNL was launched on Jan 25, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Finland ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Finland ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Asia ex Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:AXJV Get Free Report) shares fell 0.4% on Friday . The company traded as low as $33.63 and last traded at $33.67. 600 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 3,339 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.80. iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Asia ex Japan ETF Stock Down 0.4% The stocks 50 day moving average is $33.67 and its 200-day moving average is $33.67. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Asia ex Japan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Asia ex Japan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Newmont, Hecla Mining, Agnico Eagle Mines, Freeport-McMoRan, Barrick Mining, Coeur Mining, and Royal Gold are the seven Gold stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Gold stocks are shares of publicly traded companies involved in the exploration, development, mining, or processing of gold (including royalty and streaming firms) that give investors direct exposure to the gold sector. Their performance is driven both by movements in the market price of goldoften producing leveraged gains or lossesand by company-specific factors such as production costs, reserve levels, and operational or geopolitical risks. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Gold stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Newmont (NEM) Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana. Hecla Mining (HL) Hecla Mining Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides precious and base metal properties in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and China. The company mines for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates, as well as carbon material containing silver and gold for custom smelters, metal traders, and third-party processors; and dore containing silver and gold. Read Our Latest Research Report on HL Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, a gold mining company, exploration, development, and production of precious metals. It explores for gold. The company's mines are located in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in Canada, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Read Our Latest Research Report on AEM Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. Read Our Latest Research Report on FCX Barrick Mining (B) Barrick Gold Corporation is a sector-leading gold and copper producer. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GOLD and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABX. In January 2019 Barrick merged with Randgold Resources and in July that year it combined its gold mines in Nevada, USA, with those of Newmont Corporation in a joint venture, Nevada Gold Mines, which is majority-owned and operated by Barrick. Read Our Latest Research Report on B Coeur Mining (CDE) Coeur Mining, Inc. explores for precious metals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead properties. It markets and sells its concentrates to third-party customers, smelters, under off-take agreements. The company was formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and changed its name to Coeur Mining, Inc. Read Our Latest Research Report on CDE Royal Gold (RGLD) Royal Gold, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, acquires and manages precious metal streams, royalties, and related interests. The company engages in acquiring stream and royalty interests or to finance projects that are in production, development, or in the exploration stage in exchange for stream or royalty interests, which primarily consists of gold, silver, copper, nickel, zinc, lead, and other metals. Read Our Latest Research Report on RGLD Recommended Stories SK Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (NYSEARCA:RWJ Free Report) by 21.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 95,281 shares of the companys stock after selling 26,475 shares during the quarter. Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF makes up 1.7% of SK Wealth Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. SK Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF were worth $4,557,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF by 26.5% in the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,712,824 shares of the companys stock worth $110,415,000 after acquiring an additional 569,131 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF by 6.5% in the 1st quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 350,104 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,249,000 after purchasing an additional 21,337 shares during the last quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. lifted its stake in Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF by 14.0% in the 1st quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 5,618 shares of the companys stock valued at $229,000 after purchasing an additional 688 shares during the last quarter. MAI Capital Management boosted its position in Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF by 1.6% in the first quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 375,989 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,303,000 after buying an additional 6,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its stake in shares of Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF by 27.2% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 122,906 shares of the companys stock worth $5,002,000 after buying an additional 26,302 shares during the last quarter. Get Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF alerts: Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF Stock Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:RWJ opened at $49.60 on Friday. Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF has a 52-week low of $34.31 and a 52-week high of $50.79. The company has a market capitalization of $1.60 billion, a PE ratio of 13.17 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a fifty day moving average of $48.17 and a 200-day moving average of $46.56. Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF Company Profile The Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (RWJ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue-Weighted index. The fund tracks an index of S&P SmallCap 600 Index stocks that are weighted by revenue. RWJ was launched on Feb 22, 2008 and is managed by Invesco. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RWJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF (NYSEARCA:RWJ Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco S&P SmallCap 600 Revenue ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. USA Financial Formulas increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report) by 18,631.3% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 2,997 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 2,981 shares during the quarter. USA Financial Formulas holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $725,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IWM. Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 211.1% during the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 120 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 228 shares during the period. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Brooklyn Investment Group purchased a new position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Proathlete Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Pingora Partners LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the second quarter worth $32,000. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 ETF Trading Up 0.8% Shares of NYSEARCA IWM opened at $250.79 on Friday. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 12-month low of $171.73 and a 12-month high of $258.20. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $245.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $233.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $69.46 billion, a PE ratio of 17.69 and a beta of 1.13. iShares Russell 2000 ETF Company Profile iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC boosted its stake in Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET Free Report) by 22,391.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 466,470 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 464,396 shares during the period. Arista Networks accounts for 1.2% of Wedge Capital Management L L P NCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Wedge Capital Management L L P NCs holdings in Arista Networks were worth $67,969,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ANET. Bare Financial Services Inc boosted its stake in shares of Arista Networks by 2,118.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 244 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 233 shares during the last quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc lifted its holdings in Arista Networks by 56.7% in the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 199 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the period. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new position in Arista Networks in the first quarter valued at $33,000. REAP Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in Arista Networks by 108.0% during the 2nd quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 337 shares of the technology companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the period. Finally, eCIO Inc. acquired a new stake in Arista Networks during the 1st quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors own 82.47% of the companys stock. Get Arista Networks alerts: Arista Networks Stock Up 5.4% Shares of ANET opened at $131.29 on Friday. Arista Networks, Inc. has a 12-month low of $59.43 and a 12-month high of $164.94. The businesss fifty day moving average is $136.26 and its 200 day moving average is $127.94. The stock has a market cap of $165.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.92, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.41. Analysts Set New Price Targets Arista Networks ( NYSE:ANET Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The technology company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.03. Arista Networks had a net margin of 39.73% and a return on equity of 30.28%. The firm had revenue of $2.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.26 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.40 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 27.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Arista Networks, Inc. will post 2.2 EPS for the current year. ANET has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Melius Research boosted their price objective on Arista Networks from $160.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, September 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Arista Networks from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, September 12th. Piper Sandler restated a neutral rating and set a $145.00 price target (up from $143.00) on shares of Arista Networks in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Barclays reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $183.00 price objective (up previously from $179.00) on shares of Arista Networks in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, William Blair reissued an outperform rating on shares of Arista Networks in a research note on Friday, September 12th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Arista Networks currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $163.56. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on ANET Insider Buying and Selling at Arista Networks In related news, Director Charles H. Giancarlo sold 8,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.09, for a total value of $1,024,720.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 25,784 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,302,672.56. This trade represents a 23.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Kenneth Duda sold 26,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.16, for a total value of $3,202,160.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 532,400 shares of the companys stock, valued at $65,570,384. This represents a 4.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 216,464 shares of company stock worth $28,598,588. 3.39% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Arista Networks Company Profile (Free Report) Arista Networks, Inc is a technology company that designs and sells cloud networking solutions for large-scale data centers and enterprise environments. The company is best known for its high-performance switching and routing platforms, which are used to build scalable, low-latency networks for cloud service providers, internet companies, financial services, telecommunications, and enterprise IT. Aristas offerings emphasize programmability, automation and telemetry to support modern, software-driven network architectures. Central to Aristas product portfolio is its Extensible Operating System (EOS), a modular network operating system that provides consistent programmability, stateful control and advanced visibility across the companys hardware platforms. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ANET? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Arista Networks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arista Networks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) and Tandy Brands Accessories (OTCMKTS:TBACQ Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends and institutional ownership. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Oxford Industries and Tandy Brands Accessoriess revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get Oxford Industries alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Oxford Industries $1.52 billion 0.36 $92.97 million ($0.33) -110.21 Tandy Brands Accessories N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Institutional & Insider Ownership Oxford Industries has higher revenue and earnings than Tandy Brands Accessories. 91.2% of Oxford Industries shares are held by institutional investors. 6.0% of Oxford Industries shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.6% of Tandy Brands Accessories shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability This table compares Oxford Industries and Tandy Brands Accessories net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Oxford Industries -0.20% 9.35% 4.18% Tandy Brands Accessories N/A N/A N/A Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current recommendations for Oxford Industries and Tandy Brands Accessories, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Oxford Industries 2 5 0 0 1.71 Tandy Brands Accessories 0 0 0 0 0.00 Oxford Industries currently has a consensus price target of $43.60, suggesting a potential upside of 19.89%. Given Oxford Industries stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Oxford Industries is more favorable than Tandy Brands Accessories. Summary Oxford Industries beats Tandy Brands Accessories on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Oxford Industries (Get Free Report) Oxford Industries, Inc., an apparel company, designs, sources, markets, and distributes products of lifestyle and other brands worldwide. The company offers men's and women's sportswear and related products under the Tommy Bahama brand; and women's and girl's dresses and sportswear, scarves, bags, jewelry, and belts, as well as children's apparel, swim, footwear, and licensed products under the Lilly Pulitzer brand. In addition, the company licenses Tommy Bahama brand for various products, such as indoor and outdoor furniture, beach chairs, bedding and bath linens, fabrics, leather goods and gifts, headwear, hosiery, sleepwear, shampoo, toiletries, fragrances, cigar accessories, distilled spirits, and other products; and Lilly Pulitzer for stationery and gift products, home furnishing products, and eyewear. The company distribute its products through southerntide.com, thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com, and duckhead.com; and specialty retailers. It offers products through its retail stores, department stores, specialty stores, multi-branded e-commerce retailers, off-price retailers, and other retailers, as well as e-commerce sites. The company operates brand-specific full-price retail stores; Tommy Bahama food and beverage locations; and Tommy Bahama outlet stores. Oxford Industries, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. About Tandy Brands Accessories (Get Free Report) Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc. engages in the design and marketing of accessories. Its products include belts, gifts, small leather goods, and bags for men, women, and children. The company was founded in November 1990 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. Receive News & Ratings for Oxford Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oxford Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sarasin & Partners LLP lifted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 4.6% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 268,407 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 11,818 shares during the quarter. Thermo Fisher Scientific accounts for about 1.2% of Sarasin & Partners LLPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest holding. Sarasin & Partners LLPs holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $124,015,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. TIAA Trust National Association lifted its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 10.5% in the 2nd quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 123,948 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $50,256,000 after purchasing an additional 11,817 shares in the last quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA increased its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 8.4% in the second quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 14,490 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $5,875,000 after purchasing an additional 1,128 shares during the period. Caledonia Investments PLC raised its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 11.5% in the second quarter. Caledonia Investments PLC now owns 111,767 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $45,299,000 after buying an additional 11,500 shares in the last quarter. Heritage Investors Management Corp grew its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 9.6% during the second quarter. Heritage Investors Management Corp now owns 56,587 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $22,944,000 after buying an additional 4,971 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LBP AM SA lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 13.4% during the second quarter. LBP AM SA now owns 261,038 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $105,840,000 after purchasing an additional 30,837 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.23% of the companys stock. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Thermo Fisher Scientific Trading Up 0.8% Shares of TMO stock opened at $567.01 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $569.01 and a 200 day moving average of $497.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.50 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1-year low of $385.46 and a 1-year high of $610.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $213.03 billion, a PE ratio of 32.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.21 and a beta of 0.90. Thermo Fisher Scientific ( NYSE:TMO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The medical research company reported $5.79 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.50 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $11.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.90 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 16.97% and a net margin of 15.02%.The businesss revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $5.28 earnings per share. Thermo Fisher Scientific has set its FY 2025 guidance at 22.600-22.860 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current year. Thermo Fisher Scientific declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback plan on Thursday, November 6th that authorizes the company to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical research company to purchase up to 2.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued. Thermo Fisher Scientific Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 15th. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.94%. Insider Transactions at Thermo Fisher Scientific In other news, EVP Michael D. Shafer sold 10,725 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $600.00, for a total transaction of $6,435,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 18,731 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,238,600. This represents a 36.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Frederick M. Lowery sold 6,913 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $597.68, for a total value of $4,131,761.84. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 14,367 shares in the company, valued at $8,586,868.56. The trade was a 32.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 149,271 shares of company stock valued at $86,507,282. Company insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have recently commented on TMO. Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $525.00 to $590.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Wall Street Zen raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $561.00 price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, September 2nd. UBS Group raised their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, TD Cowen upped their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $612.00 to $654.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $616.60. View Our Latest Stock Report on Thermo Fisher Scientific About Thermo Fisher Scientific (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO) is a global provider of scientific instrumentation, reagents and consumables, software, and services that support research, clinical, and industrial laboratories. The company supplies analytical instruments and laboratory equipment, life sciences reagents and kits, specialty diagnostics, and a broad range of consumables used by researchers, clinicians, and manufacturers. Its offerings also include laboratory information management and data-analysis software, as well as service solutions such as instrument maintenance, validation, and logistics that help customers run complex workflows efficiently. Thermo Fisher operates through multiple business areas that broadly cover life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services, including contract development and manufacturing for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc. (OTCMKTS:CPKF Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $22.61 and traded as high as $28.10. Chesapeake Financial Shares shares last traded at $28.10, with a volume of 200 shares traded. Chesapeake Financial Shares Stock Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $132.35 million, a P/E ratio of 20.07 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $24.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $22.62. Get Chesapeake Financial Shares alerts: Chesapeake Financial Shares (OTCMKTS:CPKF Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The bank reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.39. Chesapeake Financial Shares had a net margin of 6.72% and a return on equity of 11.80%. The firm had revenue of $21.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $19.40 million. On average, analysts forecast that Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc. will post 2.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. Chesapeake Financial Shares Increases Dividend Chesapeake Financial Shares Company Profile The business also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 2nd were given a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 278.0%. This is a boost from Chesapeake Financial Sharess previous dividend of $0.16. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. Chesapeake Financial Sharess dividend payout ratio is 48.57%. (Get Free Report) Chesapeake Financial Shares, Inc is the bank holding company for Chesapeake Bank, a Virginia?chartered community bank. The company operates as a locally focused financial institution, offering a comprehensive suite of banking services to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. Through its subsidiary, Chesapeake Bank, it aims to deliver customer?centric solutions while supporting economic growth in its communities. Chesapeake Financial Shares primary business activities include retail and commercial banking. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chesapeake Financial Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chesapeake Financial Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deere & Company, Corteva, Bunge Global, Cal-Maine Foods, and Valmont Industries are the five Agriculture stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Agriculture stocks are shares of publicly traded companies whose primary business is tied to the agricultural sectorexamples include farm operators, seed and fertilizer makers, farm equipment manufacturers, commodity traders, food processors and agritech firms. For investors, these stocks provide exposure to global food demand and crop production and are often cyclical and sensitive to commodity prices, weather, supply-chain shifts and agricultural policy. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Agriculture stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Deere & Company (DE) Deere & Co. engages in the manufacture and distribution of equipment used in agriculture, construction, forestry, and turf care. It operates through the following segments: Agriculture and Turf, Construction and Forestry, and Financial Services. The Agriculture and Turf segment focuses on the distribution and manufacture of a full line of agriculture and turf equipment and related service parts. Corteva (CTVA) Corteva, Inc. operates in the agriculture business. It operates through two segments, Seed and Crop Protection. The Seed segment develops and supplies advanced germplasm and traits that produce optimum yield for farms. It offers trait technologies that enhance resistance to weather, disease, insects, and herbicides used to control weeds, as well as food and nutritional characteristics. Read Our Latest Research Report on CTVA Bunge Global (BG) Bunge Global SA operates as an agribusiness and food company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Agribusiness, Refined and Specialty Oils, Milling, and Sugar and Bioenergy. The Agribusiness segment purchases, stores, transports, processes, and sells agricultural commodities and commodity products, including oilseeds primarily soybeans, rapeseed, canola, and sunflower seeds, as well as grains comprising wheat and corn; and processes oilseeds into vegetable oils and protein meals. Read Our Latest Research Report on BG Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces, grades, packages, markets, and distributes shell eggs. The company offers specialty shell eggs, such as nutritionally enhanced, cage free, organic, free-range, pasture-raised, and brown eggs under the Egg-Land's Best, Land O' Lakes, Farmhouse Eggs, Sunups, Sunny Meadow, and 4Grain brand names. Read Our Latest Research Report on CALM Valmont Industries (VMI) Valmont Industries, Inc. operates as manufacturer of products and services for infrastructure and agriculture markets in the United States, Australia, Brazil, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Infrastructure and Agriculture. The company manufactures and distributes steel, pre-stressed concrete, composite structures for electrical transmission, substation, and distribution applications; and designs, engineers, and manufactures metal, steel, wood, aluminum, and composite poles and structures for lighting and transportation applications. Read Our Latest Research Report on VMI Featured Articles Homicide totals are lower this year but that's not much comfort to so many families impacted by deadly gunfire and domestic abuse . . . Accordingly, here's the latest report that KCPD is sharing with local media: Homicide-Admiral and Paseo This morning just before 4:30AM officers were dispatched to the intersection of Admiral and Paseo on a reported shooting. Officers responded to the area where they located an adult male victim, lying in the street near the intersection, unresponsive, and suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene shortly after initial responding officers and declared the victim deceased at that time. There is no preliminary information indicating what led up to the shooting and a subject of interest has not been identified at this time. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene to begin collecting witness statements and gathering any evidence. This incident is being investigated as a homicide and is ongoing at this time. If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline. We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency. ############### Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Man found shot to death in the street northeast of downtown Kansas City The Sunday morning before Christmas ended in tragedy for a man near downtown Kansas City. KCPD investigating the city's latest homicide near Admiral Boulevard and The Paseo, no one in custody The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is investigating the city's latest homicide near Admiral Boulevard and The Paseo. Developing . . . Another local link blast in order to keep our readers safe as holiday crunch time arrives. In this collection we check ongoing investigations, alleged misdeeds, and community outreach. Check TKC news gathering . . . FBI warns Kansas City shoppers: Holiday scams surge with AI technology The FBI has warned Kansas City shoppers that holiday scams surge with AI technology. Overland Park police still searching for road rage shooting suspect The Overland Park Police Department (OPPD) say no arrests have been made in an aggravated assault, road rage incident that happened on Tuesday on Interstate 435. Denied a job with Kansas City police for 14 years, man alleges discrimination The lawsuit claims he was denied a job after telling the department that he had witnessed a crime when he was 16, but did not participate in it. Convicted felon charged with DWI in deadly Kansas City crash A Kansas man is facing felony DWI charges in connection with a crash that left a person dead this summer in Kansas City. Judge to decide in April if Wyandotte County detention officer will face trial in jail death Richard Fatherley is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Charles Adair. Kansas City VA hospital nurse found with child pornography sentenced A nurse who worked at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas City was sentenced Thursday to a decade in prison for multiple child pornography charges. Murder charges filed against teens in south KC gas station shooting A deadly shooting at a south Kansas City gas station in September has resulted in murder charges for a pair of teens. Missouri police still looking for suspect in suspected antisemitic hate crime A new photo shows the person being sought outside the Clayton home where the fires started on Aug. 5. The FBI, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and other groups are offering rewards that total about $57,000. 2 Kansans charged in nationwide child predator crackdown that rescued 205 children Two Kansans have been charged in a nationwide child predator crackdown that rescued 205 children. 'We're all talking': Hanaway says cooperation is key to stopping violent crime in Missouri In her first 100 days in office, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has caused Pornhub to exit Missouri, may very well force the St. Louis sheriff to exit his job, and-if all goes according to plan-help reduce the number of spam calls annoying people across the state. 'This has got to stop,': 164 crosses honor Kansas City area homicide victims One hundred sixty-four crosses sit along Noland Road in Independence, each representing a person killed in Kansas City and surrounding areas this year - 132 in Kansas City alone. Developing . . . Right now actress, producer & celeb hottie Syd inspires our latest look at pop culture, communityr reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Cowtown Carb Season Forever Food recs: Kansas City's best bakeries and pastries Whether you're looking for a sourdough loaf, a croissant, or a cake, the Kansas City region is full of bakeries worth exploring. Here's where to find the best from-scratch breads, pastries and more. Street Tragedy Aftermath KCPD: 1 dead, 2 in critical condition after wrong-way crash near Independence, Jackson in KCMO The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is investigating a wrong-way crash that left one person dead and two others in critical condition early Saturday morning. Northland Retail Reporting Zona Rosa's outlook: Answering viewer questions about the state of the Northland shopping center You guys talk about The Plaza a lot. I live closer to Zona Rosa, and I'd love to know what the future holds for that place. Local Legal Power Move Midwest's Spencer Fane absorbs NY law firm as merger pace picks up Law firms are staying busy on the merger front in the final weeks of the year, with a new combination announced on Wednesday giving a large Midwest firm access to the largest U.S. legal market. Cowtown Coffee Culture Cont'd KC Welcomes 2 New Spots: The West Plaza Bodega By Blackhole Bakery & BKS Artisan Ales' Crossroads Taproom Blackhole Bakery and BKS Artisan Ales both opened their second locations this month after much anticipation. Tesla King Creeps On Syd Elon Musk Under Fire For 'Creepy' Comment About Sydney Sweeney's Body Tech billionaire Elon Musk has come under fire for comments about Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney's breasts. MAGA Talks Payback Trump quips about seeking DOJ settlement: 'I hereby give myself $1 billion' President Trump, while speaking to reporters in North Carolina on Friday, boasted about his claim against the federal government requesting a large payout in taxpayer money over legal battles he faced after leaving office in 2021. Turmp submitted two claims against the Justice Department (DOJ) seeking up to $230 million in damages, The New York... Comedian Claps Back Dave Chappelle Targets Charlie Kirk In Surprise Special Comedian Dave Chappelle took aim at the legacy of assassinated-conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a surprise comedy special filmed in Washington, D.C. Another NATO Criticism . . . Rubio Warns Europe Risks Destroying 'Shared Culture' of the West Rubio warned that Europe risks destroying the "shared culture" of the West and in turn weaken bonds with the United States. Podcast Slap Fight Perceptive 'It's Fake': Tucker Says There's No Civil War On The Right Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson dismissed Thursday claims of a growing civil war inside the right. Bubba Blames MAGA Bill Clinton says White House is using him as scapegoat after Epstein files release Spokesperson said ex-president, pictured in some photos released by justice department, cut ties with Epstein in 2005 Progressively Worse Testimony Facing Trump's wrath, Jack Smith requests public hearing in House GOP probe "He stands by his decisions," Smith's attorneys wrote in the letter. Big Apple Bow Out Zohran Mamdani appointee resigns after old antisemitic posts resurface Catherine Almonte Da Costa resigned a day after New York's mayor-elect named her to lead his administration's recruitment strategy. War Games Persist U.S. boards un-sanctioned tanker with Venezuelan oil to tighten blockade The move makes clear the Trump administration considers almost all oil tankers with Venezuelan crude subject to possible seizure. Vlad Blasts Opposition Russia strikes Ukrainian port with ballistic missiles, killing 8 and wounding dozens Some of the wounded were on a bus at the epicenter of the strike, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. Iran From Another Fight Netanyahu expected to pitch Trump on more Iran strikes during Mar-a-Lago meeting: report Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to pitch President Trump on a plan to strike Iran, during a Mar-a-Lago meeting next week, according to a report. Conversation Down Under Australian state to ban intifada chants after Bondi shooting New South Wales will look at passing hate speech laws after Australia's deadliest shooting in almost 30 years. Laugh Tracking Bowen Yang is exiting 'Saturday Night Live' "Saturday Night Live" fan favorite Bowen Yang announced on Instagram that he is departing the show after tonight's episode hosted by his "Wicked" co-star Ariana Grande."I loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people," he wrote. Pundits Advocate No Fun . . . Dispelling Polyamory and Other Delusions - The Newest Issue of NR Is Out | National Review The February 2026 issue of National Review magazine is a gem. Pointless Showdown Probs Records aside, the Chiefs foresee a tough test against the Titans Despite their playoff elimination, the Kansas City Chiefs are prepared for a Tennessee Titans team that is gaining momentum. December Forecast Typical December temperatures this weekend in KC Typical December temperatures this weekend before we warm above normal into the 60s for Christmas. Armin van Buuren, Norma Jean Martine, LAWRENT - Euphoria (with Alok) is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. The twelfth meeting of the Turkish-Azerbaijani Joint Intergovernmental Commission (JIC), focusing on economic and trade cooperation, will be held in Baku on December 22-23, 2025, Trend reports. The meeting will be co-chaired by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov. Discussions will focus on achieving the $15 billion trade target set by the presidents of both countries, as well as on trade facilitation measures. The program includes the 2nd Turkiye-Azerbaijan Investment Forum, designed to strengthen economic ties and explore joint investment opportunities. Key attendees will include Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Prime Minister Ali Asadov, and Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov. A business meeting under the auspices of MUSIAD is also planned. During his visit, Vice President Yilmaz will hold talks with Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova. Turkiye remains one of Azerbaijans principal trading partners. In 2024, Turkiyes exports to Azerbaijan reached $3.1 billion, while imports totaled $4.8 billion. Turkish investment in Azerbaijan is estimated at $18 billion, and Azerbaijani investment in Turkiye at around $21 billion. Approximately 7,000 Azerbaijani-Turkish joint companies operate in Azerbaijan, while around 3,100 operate in Turkiye. Turkish construction firms have completed 558 projects in Azerbaijan, totaling $21.1 billion. The protocol and action plan to be signed at the 12th JIC meeting will outline a roadmap for cooperation in trade, energy, transport, healthcare, education, and culture. The investment forum is expected to further strengthen business interactions and advance regional economic cooperation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. As a result of complex operational-search and customs-control measures, officers of the Balakan Customs Department prevented the illegal import of a large consignment of medicines and medical devices into Azerbaijan, Trend reports. The violation was detected at the Mazymgara customs post. A vehicle transporting sunflower oil from Turkiye to Azerbaijan was inspected using a stationary X-ray scanning system. After suspicious images appeared on the monitor, the cargo was directed for additional customs inspection. During the inspection, customs officers discovered 83,000 units of medicinal drugs and medical products that had not been declared to customs authorities. An investigation into the incident is currently underway. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of his birthday, Trend reports. "Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of your birthday. I would like to note with pleasure that under your leadership, Azerbaijan has made significant strides in socio-economic development and in consistently improving peoples living standards. I recall with special sincerity our meeting in Gabala held as part of my visit to your country to participate in the Summit of the Organization of Turkic States. I am fully confident that thanks to our joint efforts, the Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan cooperation will continue to develop and deepen for the benefit of our fraternal peoples. I would like to express my gratitude to you for your great personal contributions and profound attention to strengthening and advancing bilateral relations between our countries. Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I avail myself of this pleasant opportunity to wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your responsible activities, and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan peace, progress, and continued prosperity,'' the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. One of the key priorities of the FAO Country Programming Framework in Uzbekistan for 20252027 is sustainable investment in the agrifood sector, a source at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) told Trend. According to the source, this priority aims to mobilize inclusive and sustainable financing essential for transforming the countrys agrifood systems. According to the source, sustainable agriculture and the transformation of agrifood systems, with a focus on balancing productivity with sustainability, serve as the cornerstone of Uzbekistans ongoing agricultural modernization. The FAO further emphasized that the Country Programming Framework incorporates measures designed to enhance climate resilience and optimize water resource management. These include promoting integrated land and water resources management, developing climate adaptation strategies, and applying the WEFE (WaterEnergyFoodEcosystems) approach. Moreover, the framework will place significant emphasis on the digitalization of agriculture by introducing innovative digital solutions, as well as promoting inclusivity through gender equality and youth engagement in agrifood systems. This initiative will also extend support to smallholder farmers and rural communities. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. Iran is focusing on transporting a wider range of goods, rather than relying on a single product, through Turkmenistan, Trend reports. Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Irans Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Executive Director of the Iranian Railways Company, said that Turkmenistans sulfur exports fluctuate annually. Some years, sulfur is exported in transit via Iranian rail, while other years there is no sulfur export, causing sharp swings in transit volumes and threatening the stability of Irans transit revenues. Zakeri emphasized that Irans institutional advantage in rail diplomacy allows it to substitute sulfur with other cargoes, maintaining the functionality of transit routes. This flexible approach strengthens Irans role not only as a transit country but also as a regional logistics operator. He added that Iran seeks to expand railway cooperation with Turkmenistan under the International North-South Transport Corridor and the International East-West Transport Corridor. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. Slovak companies can contribute to post-conflict demining, followed by reconstruction and infrastructure digitalization on Azerbaijans liberated territories, Filip Sandor, Vice-Chairman of EXPORT ANALYTICA, a Slovak analytical platform created by the Council of Slovak Exporters, said in an interview with Trend. The post-conflict environment has created clear and tangible opportunities for cooperation, and interest from Slovak companies is already evident, Sandor noted. Reconstruction is not a new field for Slovakia, as similar efforts are already under way in Ukraine. In Azerbaijan, attention is focused in particular on logistics and construction, as the region is expected to develop into an important junction of international transport corridors. Beyond equipment, Slovak companies can contribute to post-conflict demining, followed by reconstruction and infrastructure digitalization, which are essential for developing new transport corridors and energy links, he added. Slovak engagement has moved beyond political declarations to practical cooperation through a pilot smart village project in Karabakh. This initial involvement is seen as the starting point of longer-term cooperation, especially as Azerbaijan plans to develop more such smart villages in the coming years, Sandor said. From the perspective of export diversification, Azerbaijan represents a highly attractive and dynamic partner market for Slovak exporters. The country has demonstrated remarkable macroeconomic performance, with GDP growth exceeding 4% in 2024. At the same time, Slovakia is seeking to diversify its export destinations, which are currently heavily EU-oriented, around 85%. Mutual trade between the two countries nevertheless remains very low, pointing to significant untapped potential, he explained. Currently, the automotive sector accounts for roughly 85% of Slovak exports to Azerbaijan, but Sandor highlighted opportunities in other segments, particularly energy-related equipment. Central-heating boilers and meters for gas, liquids, and electricity represent significant potential for export growth, he said. Sandor emphasized the potential for energy and defence cooperation. In energy, rising demand and infrastructure modernisation in Azerbaijan create opportunities for Slovak companies in the field of renewable energy technologies, and also in upgrading energy facilities and supplying complete technological solutions for energy and industrial projects. On defence cooperation, he said, Azerbaijan and Slovakia agreed last year to establish joint ventures in the defence industry, including plans to relocate part of the production directly to Azerbaijan and act as partners jointly seeking to market these products abroad. Currently, Slovak defence exports are growing exponentially, making such cooperation strategically and economically beneficial for both sides. Cooperation is also developing between armed forces in the areas of military education, training, and exercises. Beyond defence, cooperation is expanding in ICT and other high value-added sectors, including smart city solutions, security and air-traffic management systems, industrial equipment, logistics, automation, and smart manufacturing. Sandor also noted opportunities in water management, medical and pharmaceutical technologies, food processing and agribusiness, transport, education, and tourism, offering broad scope for export diversification and sustainable long-term cooperation. From a geoeconomic and security perspective, Sandor highlighted Azerbaijans role in diversifying natural gas supplies and transit routes. For Azerbaijan, oil accounted for roughly 99% of its total exports to Slovakia in 2024, he said. As highlighted by the Slovak Prime Minister, this role has become even more important in the context of RePowerEU, which aims to end imports of Russian gas to the EU by 2027. Although Slovakia, together with Hungary, has expressed reservations about this approach, the policy would ultimately apply to all EU member states. Azerbaijani gas therefore represents one of the realistic alternatives for meeting heavy natural gas demand in whole Central Europe, as all V4 countries rely on natural gas, which accounts for about 1530% of total supply and 1527% of final consumption. Sandor also underlined opportunities in green energy. Azerbaijan plans to significantly increase the share of alternative and renewable energy sources in its primary energy consumption across all sectors, in line with its socio-economic development priorities up to 2030. The country is actively expanding its renewable energy capacity, opening space for cooperation in green energy technologies and energy efficiency solutions. Given this, Slovakia has strong and growing capabilities in heat pump production. This positions Slovak companies well to supply equipment and know-how for heating decarbonization, alongside technologies for energy efficiency, he said. He noted that central-heating boilers and meters for gas, liquids, and electricity, which together account for approximately 7% of Slovakias exports to Azerbaijan, are directly linked to modernization and digitalization of energy networks. At the same time, Azerbaijans state-led modernization of electricity grids, heating networks, and its investment in renewable energy solar and hydropower projects create further opportunities for Slovak companies, Sandor added. Although Slovakia has long declared its intention to strengthen relations with the South Caucasus, particularly in the economic sphere, mutual trade has remained limited, with the region accounting on average for only about 0.01% of total Slovak imports over the past 30 years. However, in recent years, relations with Azerbaijan can be described as the most intensive in our history, Sandor concluded. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, December 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, on the sidelines of the informal meeting of the heads of state of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Trend reports via the Kremlin. At the beginning of the conversation, Vladimir Putin noted that he was glad to see Sadyr Japarov in St. Petersburg and emphasized that the format of the meeting allows for the discussion of key issues on the bilateral agenda. "I look forward to a good, substantive discussion on the development of our trade and economic ties," Putin said. The Russian President also noted that the discussions within the framework of the informal EAEU meeting provide an opportunity to exchange views on both bilateral relations and issues of economic interaction within the integration format. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. I express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for the decision to unblock transit cargo to Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. He emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue with EAEU member states and observers to strengthen regional economic integration. He noted that ensuring the unhindered functioning of the internal market, removing barriers, digitalization, and simplifying regulatory procedures remain priority tasks for Armenia. Pashinyan paid special attention to the development of trade and logistics cooperation based on equality, sovereignty, and national jurisdiction. In this context, he expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the decision to unblock transit cargo through the territory of Azerbaijan to Armenia and for creating the conditions to initiate bilateral trade. "This is one of the first most important achievements within the framework of establishing peace and stability in the region," the Prime Minister emphasized. According to him, the ongoing constructive changes open up new opportunities for all countries in the region, contributing to the strengthening of economic resilience and the expansion of regional communications. On October 21, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, in a joint press statement with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized that Azerbaijan has removed all restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia that had been in place since the start of the occupation. The first such transit shipment consisted of Kazakh grain delivered to Armenia. On December 18, 22 cistern wagons carrying AI-95 gasoline were dispatched from Azerbaijan to Armenia. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 21. Key international corridors pass through the territories of our states, and we are actively developing a network of multimodal logistics centers, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. According to Tokayev, strategic routes pass through the Union countries - Western Europe-Western China, North-South, and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). Kazakhstan, together with foreign partners, is developing logistics centers in Russia, China, and Azerbaijan, as well as terminals in Romania and Hungary. The President highlighted the prospects of Kazakhstan's maritime infrastructure on the Caspian coast, where modern container hubs are capable of servicing growing volumes of freight traffic. He also noted the importance of accelerating the entry into force of the agreement on shipping and the development of the Trans-Afghan corridor to gain direct access to the markets of South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 21. Direct access for our countries to the markets of South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa can be secured through the joint development of the Trans-Afghan corridor, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. He emphasized the need to accelerate the entry into force of the agreement on shipping to strengthen the Union's transit potential, create seamless logistics by improving customs procedures, and establish a unified digital corridor. Financial support from the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is expected to significantly speed up this process. Tokayev also noted the economic potential of industrial production and the agro-industrial sector. According to Eurasian Development Bank analysts, the additional opportunities for the production and export of industrial goods in EAEU countries are estimated at $67 billion, while the total growth effect could reach $500 billion if the full potential is realized. He stressed the necessity of strengthening industrial cooperation, investing in innovative projects, and supporting agricultural enterprises to transform the EAEU into one of the world's leading food suppliers. "It is necessary to implement an integrated system for automated freight flow management using artificial intelligence technologies," Tokayev added. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 21. The next EAEU summit will take place on May 28-29, 2026, in Astana, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. "Next year, the responsible mission of chairing the EAEU bodies will pass to the Republic of Kazakhstan. We are committed to further joint work, which will serve as a foundation for new achievements and contribute to increasing the well-being of our peoples," Tokayev noted. The President also thanked Alexander Lukashenko for Belarus's successful chairmanship over the past year. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, December 21. Mutual trade between EAEU member states has reached nearly $100 billion, said President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. "This figure is not just economic statistics; it is an indicator of trust, mutual support, and the genuine interest our countries have in one another," Japarov emphasized. The President noted that there is significant potential for further growth in mutual trade that has yet to be fully realized. He also highlighted Kyrgyzstan's economic momentum: based on the results of the first 11 months of this year, GDP grew by 10.2%, with growth recorded in industry, construction, services, and agriculture. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, December 21. The creation of a common EAEU energy market will be a vital stage in shaping the architecture of the Union's future energy security, said President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. According to him, the launch of common energy resource markets will provide an impetus for the growth of the internal commodity market, strengthen competition, and open new opportunities for business. The primary result will be the reliable provision of energy resources to member states and the enhancement of their energy security. The President of Kyrgyzstan also expressed gratitude to his colleagues - specifically Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev - for their timely support of Kyrgyzstan in the supply of petroleum products. "This has become an important example of solidarity and practical partnership within the Union," Japarov emphasized. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union are demonstrating steady economic momentum, and future integration will be built upon the "Eurasian Economic Path" declaration through 2045, said Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. According to the President, the total volume of agricultural production within the Union has grown by over 20%, retail trade by 3%, and construction by 4.7%. The share of non-energy exports from Russia to EAEU countries has increased by nearly 20%, reaching $32 billion, while total trade turnover over the first 10 months of the year hit $73 billion. Putin emphasized that a resilient payment infrastructure has been established within the EAEU, with almost all mutual settlements conducted in national currencies, which now account for 93% of commercial operations between the states. "The five-year strategy for Eurasian economic integration has been realized: trade barriers have been removed, non-tariff regulations have been harmonized, coordination in customs and tax spheres has improved, and a mechanism to support cooperative projects has been launched," the President noted. He added that the roadmap for the Union's integration development will be approved today, serving as the strategic framework for further efforts until 2045. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 21. In connection with the country's accession to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), it has been proposed to jointly define strategic partnership directions and develop a roadmap, said President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. According to him, the document should cover priority infrastructure and "green" projects, as well as measures to support small and medium-sized businesses. The president emphasized that the bank could serve not only as a source of financing but also as a vital tool for attracting investment into integration projects. Shavkat Mirziyoyev also reaffirmed Uzbekistan's commitment to expanding comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership with the Eurasian Economic Union. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 21. A priority for EAEU cooperation in the field of digital technologies is the digitalization of customs administration and the transition to a "seamless" model for freight transport, said President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Trend reports. "We propose preparing a roadmap with the Eurasian Economic Commission for the alignment of digital platforms, including e-commerce and digital labeling," the head of state noted. He also expressed Uzbekistan's interest in joining EAEU technological platforms in the fields of biomedicine, new materials, agrotechnology, energy, and robotics. Furthermore, the country expressed its readiness to participate in the formation of an integrated information resource for tourism to stimulate tourist exchanges. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. The entry into force of the free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union in May 2025 has become Irans most important economic achievement of the current year, Irans Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said at an official meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union, Trend reports. Emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation and economic solidarity, the Iranian ambassador noted that in todays world, sustainable development and shared prosperity are possible through regional and multilateral cooperation. He stated that regional and extra-regional organizations are considered important in Irans foreign policy, including the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D8), BRICS, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Forum, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Jalali noted that the EAEU holds a special place in Irans economic diplomacy. The implementation of the free trade agreement between Iran and the Union, as well as Iran obtaining observer status, are regarded as the beginning of Irans effective and constructive participation in this economic bloc. The Iranian ambassador added that the current meeting demonstrates the willingness of Iran and EAEU member states to jointly cooperate in developing strategic collaboration in the fields of trade, energy, transport, and new technologies. He said this creates unprecedented opportunities for businesses and national economies on both sides and enables an increase in trade turnover. Jalali noted that during the current year, Iran has participated in the summit of heads of state of EAEU member countries and in the meeting of the Intergovernmental Council of prime ministers. This demonstrates Irans strong determination to strengthen economic and trade cooperation within this regional organization. He also said that the meeting of trade ministers of EAEU member states and the 4th Eurasia International Exhibition Trade with Eurasia will be held in Tehran in February 2026. Jalali added that there is a long-term strategic outlook for cooperation between Iran and the EAEU. This cooperation includes goals such as strengthening national sovereignty, simplifying trade and transport, enhancing energy security, developing new technologies, creating joint banking and financial infrastructures, and expanding social ties. The historical and cultural ties between Iran and EAEU member states can serve as a successful example for regional solidarity and sustainable economic cooperation. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 21. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has arrived in Russia to participate in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and an informal meeting of CIS leaders, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. At St. Petersburgs Pulkovo International Airport, the Kazakh leader was welcomed by St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov and Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko. During the visit on December 2122, President Tokayev is scheduled to participate in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, where leaders are expected to discuss further economic integration and the signing of a free trade agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia. He will also attend a traditional informal gathering of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The visit to Russia follows the President's official trip to Tokyo, where he recently participated in the inaugural "Central Asia + Japan" Summit to strengthen regional technological and economic cooperation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. On December 20, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov made a working visit to the Russian Federation, the official website of the President of Kyrgyzstan says, Trend reports. Sadyr Japarov's plane reportedly landed at Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg. He was met at the airport by St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov and government officials. It is noted that a meeting between the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Russia is planned during the visit. Furthermore, Sadyr Japarov will participate in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, as well as an informal meeting of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States. "The events will include discussions of current issues of Eurasian economic integration, deepening trade, economic, and financial cooperation, development of cabotage shipping, energy cooperation, and priorities for interaction within the CIS," the report says. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Trend reports. The two sides discussed bilateral cooperation across various sectors and exchanged views on current regional developments. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening trade, communications, and other areas of cooperation, and expressed their readiness to continue close engagement in the interest of promoting peace, stability, and development in the region. Foreign defense companies, for which the experience of potential partners is very important, are very cautious about starting cooperation with Ukrainian arms manufacturers, but steps towards each other are yielding good results. This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Ihor Fedirko, executive director of the Ukrainian Arms Manufacturers Council. "It is difficult to find a partner because our companies are very young, ranging from 1 to 3 years old, while in Germany, companies such as Diehl, Daimler Truck, and Rheinmetall have been around for decades. It is not a matter of mistrust, but rather a difference in approaches, organizational structure, and standards. In other words, we simply do not speak the same language of maturity: we are young, ambitious, fast, we need things done quickly, while old Europe and old large companies say: don't rush, we will take a look, assess the situation, talk to this and that person, talk to our government. These are understandable processes for them, but we cannot do that," Fedirko explained. He noted that Ukrainians are living in wartime, while Europeans are still living in peacetime, and all their laws and regulations reflect this. Ukrainian manufacturers are constantly on the move, looking for new solutions and putting pressure on their partners because time is short. But Europeans are not used to working this way; their governments simply have their hands tied and cannot act so radically. Fedirko recalled that one of the representatives of the German Ministry of Defense, in a conversation with him, noted that in Ukraine, compared to Germany, there is virtually no regulation of the defense sector, while in Germany, even the slightest deviation is unacceptable. At the same time, the representative of the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers noted that patterns are breaking in both directions, cooperation is growing, and the parties have something to offer each other. In his opinion, we need to learn to be companies in the European and democratic world in general, with standards, certifications, and process settings. Therefore, we have a lot to learn, and they have a lot to borrow from our experience. This is a win-win strategy, said Fedirko. According to him, Ukrainians want to bring more innovative products that have already been tested, primarily various types of drones: ground robotic complexes, aircraft-type drones, bombers, and FPV. Europeans need to understand that they need to change their doctrines and incorporate innovations that have already been tested in Ukraine into their doctrines. According to the executive director, the Ukrainian Council of Armament Manufacturers receives requests from foreign companies to verify domestic enterprises. He said that Germany remains our main donor and cooperator, at least in Europe, and that the best cases of cooperation in the defense sector are with Germany. Germany and Denmark are the main pillars of cooperation, the expert noted, recalling that Denmark was the first country to establish such cooperation. However, Germany's Quantum Systems and Ukraine's Frontline Robotics began their first negotiations at approximately the same time as Fire Point in Denmark, but the latter progressed more quickly, and the Danish political leadership very quickly made numerous changes to laws and regulations so that Fire Point could operate in the country, Fedirko noted. According to him, the creation of a joint venture between Quantum Systems and Frontline Robotics proves that cooperation with Ukraine is possible and will result in a product based on European standards and the manufacturing culture and experience gained in Ukraine. The expert also noted that the German Ministry of Defense has decided to purchase drones for its own needs and, realizing that it cannot rely on just one product, is looking for partners to create ground-based robotic complexes, automatic systems, and AI solutions, so it is actively investing in companies operating in the Ukrainian market. The first of these was Frontline, which has a fairly innovative product and is developing very quickly. In particular, Fedirko noted that Frontline has ground-based robotic systems, FPV drones, and more. As reported, on December 15, documents were signed in Berlin on the creation of the first joint defense enterprise, Quantum Frontline Industries, as part of the new initiative Building with Ukraine, which paves the way for the first industrial production of Ukrainian drones in Europe. Quantum Systems (Germany) and Frontline Robotics (Ukraine) will build Europe's first fully automated industrial production line of unmanned aerial vehicles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of the joint venture. 100% of the systems manufactured in Germany will be supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrinform photos can be purchased here Solution found, frozen Russian assets will remain frozen At the EU leaders summit in Brussels*, after tense, hours-long discussions, a decision was finally adopted on the format of financing for Ukraine for the next two years. It provides for shared interest-free borrowing on capital markets, using a budgetary reserve of 90 billion over the next two years, which Ukraine would have to repay only if Russia pays reparations for the damage caused during the war. EU Photo PROLONGED DISCUSSIONS AND AN UNEXPECTED RESULT EU leaders at the European Council meeting, which began on December 18 and lasted late into the night, adopted a rather unexpected decision on the format of financing for Ukraine through joint borrowing that will have no financial impact on the budgets of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. The section of the meetings conclusions concerning Ukraine was firmly supported by 25 of the EUs 27 member states. Ursula von der Leyen / Photo: EU Speaking to reporters ahead of the summit on December 18, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that two options are being proposed for discussion to cover Ukraine's funding shortfall for 2026-2027, namely: a shared debt of EU countries and a so-called reparation-based loan using Russian Central Bank assets frozen in European jurisdictions. Bart De Wever / Photo: Presidential Office The main opponent of this latter option was Belgium, on whose territoryat the Euroclear depositorythe lions share of Russias sovereign assets immobilized in the EU, amounting to 190 billion, is held. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has repeatedly insisted that this path entails legal and financial risks for his country and has demanded guarantees from the other EU member states that any potential negative consequences would be shared among all of them, and that the scheme would also involve Russian assets frozen in other jurisdictions. Photo: Presidential Office For its part, Hungaryrepresented by Prime Minister Viktor Orbanopposed both financing options and, regarding Russian assets, argued that their use could lead to a real war. The decision on a reparations-based loan required approval by a qualified majority only, whereas the issuance of joint debt had to be endorsed by all EU leaders. As of late Thursday evening, this still seemed unlikelywhich is precisely why the final decision announced by European Council President Antonio Costa at a press conference after 3 a.m. can be described as truly surprising. The legal loophole that made it possible to push through the decision was the use of Article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which provides for enhanced cooperation. On this basis, the mobilization of resources from the EU budget as a guarantee for the debt will have no impact on the financial commitments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, as stated in the European Council conclusions. THE USE OF IMMOBILIZED RUSSIAN ASSETS REMAINS AN OPEN QUESTION One way or another, the summits positive decision eases part of the pressure on Ukraine, as it takes into account the need for financial support starting from the second quarter of next year and confirms the EUs corresponding commitmentpropounded at the previous summit in Octoberto ensure funding for Ukraine over the next two years. However, the use of Russian assets totaling 210 billion, immobilized within the EU, remains an open question. As the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has repeatedly stated, it is the aggressor who must pay the bill. In this context, the leaders agreed that the loan would be repaid by Ukraine only after it receives reparations from the Russian Federation. Until that time, these (Russian sovereign ed.) assets will remain immobilized, and the European Union reserves the right to use them to repay the loan, in full compliance with EU law and international law, the conclusions state. Photo: Presidential Office Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the summits decision, highlighted the importance of the fact that Russian assets remain immobilized and that Ukraine has received a financial security guarantee for the coming years. Photo: EU European Council President Antonio Costa, for his part, reminded journalists during the final press conference that the EU is already using Russian assets. We are already using immobilized assets. We are servicing the G7 loan (which is repaid from the interest generated by such assets ed.), and we have decided to keep these assets immobilized until the end of the war, until Russia compensates for the damage caused to Ukraine, he noted. At the same time, the European Council called on the co-legislatorsthe Council of the EU and the European Parliamentto continue work on the technical and legal aspects of the reparations-based loan, using cash balances linked to Russias frozen assets. Photo: EU European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the main goal was to guarantee financing for Ukraine amounting to 90 billion over the next two years. The greatest victory is that Russian assets are now securely frozen. They can be used again only on the basis of a decision adopted by a qualified majority, she stated. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever welcomed the European Councils decision, saying that it had helped avoid chaos and discord. Regarding the decision on the 90 billion loan, the European Council emphasized the importance of the following elements: strengthening the European and Ukrainian defense industries; Ukraines continued adherence to the rule of law, including the fight against corruption; respect for the specific nature of the security and defense policies of certain Member States, as well as the security and defense interests of all Member States. PEACE TALKS AND DEFENSE SUPPORT: PEACE MUST BE JUST AND LASTING EU leaders emphasized the critical need to ensure Ukraines resilience and the availability of budgetary and military resources to continue exercising its inherent right to self-defense, to counter, contain, and deter Russias aggression, including in the long term. The conclusions state that the European Union supports a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law. They welcome ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war and call on Russia to agree to a full, unconditional, and immediate ceasefireone that Ukraine is ready to acceptand to begin meaningful negotiations toward a just and lasting peace. For peace to be just and lasting, borders must not be changed by force, and any future agreement must respect Ukraines independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as guarantee Ukraines long-term security and ability to defend itself, EU leaders stated. The European Union and its Member States insist that they will continue to be actively engaged in peace efforts, while stressing that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be chosen without Ukraine at the table. The EU and its Member States also confirmed their readiness to contribute to reliable and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, including through the Coalition of the Willing and in cooperation with the United States. This will include support for Ukraines ability to deter aggression and to defend itself effectively. The contribution of the European Union and its Member States will be based on their respective competences and capabilities and will be consistent with international law, the conclusions state. The European Council calls on EU Member States to step up the provision of Ukraines urgent military and defense needs, in particular air defense and counter-drone systems, as well as large-caliber ammunition. In this context, EU leaders believe that continued support, development, and investment in Ukraines defense industry remain decisive, including through the establishment of Ukrainian defense production facilities on the territory of the European Union. The importance of further strengthening cooperation and integration between Ukraines defense industry and the European defense-industrial base is also emphasized, with particular note of Ukraines unique experience and know-how, which should be built upon. In this context, the European Council welcomes the inclusion of cooperation with Ukraine in the defense industry investment plans of the Member States under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, the conclusions state. Photo: Presidential Office ENLARGEMENT: LEADERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED FOR INTERNAL EU REFORMS Given Hungarys continued blocking of negotiations on Ukraines accession to the EU, no breakthrough conclusions from the European Council on enlargement could be expected, and the discussion of this topic was framed as strategic discussions. In the course of these discussions, the EU merely reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraines path toward EU membership and welcomed the significant progress Ukraine has made to date under the most challenging circumstances. It is stated that the European Union will continue to work closely with Ukraine and support its efforts to fully implement all conditions in line with a merit-based approach. The strategic discussions also addressed aspects related to the EUs internal reforms, as leaders recognize that not only candidate countries, but the European Union itself must be prepared for the next stage of enlargement. Overall, enlargement continues to be viewed as a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability, and prosperity. The European Union needs to lay the necessary internal foundations and carry out reforms. This will make the European Union stronger and enhance European sovereignty, the summits general conclusions state. Incidentally, the EUs top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, recently hinted that the circulation of information about a possible date for Ukraines accession to the EU in a draft peace agreement may indicate that the United States is sending a signal to Hungary to unblock negotiations on Ukraines European integration. THE EU WILL CONTINUE WORK ON A NEW PACKAGE OF SANCTIONS AGAINST THE AGGRESSOR The European Union has confirmed that it remains determined to increase pressure on Russia in order to force the Kremlin into meaningful negotiations on peace. In this context, EU leaders called on the Council of the EU to continue work on a new sanctions package, with the aim of adopting it at the earliest time possible after it is unveiled in early 2026. Summit participants emphasized the importance of further coordination with the G7 and other like-minded partners on sanctions, as well as the continued strengthening of measures to prevent their circumvention. The Council reviewed efforts aimed at restricting the operations of Russias shadow fleet, which have effectively reduced Russian energy revenues. In this context, the summits conclusions included a call on EU member states to continue coordinated action and cooperation with G7 partners against all actors involved in the shadow fleet ecosystem, in order to further reduce Russias energy revenues and to continue addressing the significant risks posed by the shadow fleet. The European Council strongly condemned the support for Russia by third countries, in particular Iran, Belarus and the DPRK, which allows the Kremlin to continue its war against Ukraine, and called on all countries to immediately cease any assistance direct or indirect to Russia in its military aggression against Ukraine, in particular through the supply of dual-use goods or components. REPATRIATION OF ABDUCTED CHILDREN, INFRASTRUCTURE RECONSTRUCTION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE AGGRESSION The European Council strongly condemns the continued Russian strikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and energy facilities. Once again, Russia was urged to immediately cease all military activity in the vicinity of Ukraines nuclear facilities, which poses a serious threat to their safety. The European Council also called for the mobilization of efforts to support Ukraine in the recovery and reconstruction of its energy system and in making it more resilient to attacks. The European Union and its Member States, in cooperation with partners, will step up the provision of humanitarian aid and civil protection assistance to Ukraine, as well as energy supplies and related equipment, the conclusions state. Regarding the egregious issue of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, EU leaders reiterated their urgent call on Russia and its ally Belarus to immediately ensure the safe and unconditional return to Ukraine of all illegally deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children and other civilians. At the same time, other humanitarian efforts and confidence-building measures, including the exchange of prisoners of war, should form part of the path to peace, EU leaders stated. Welcoming the recent signing in The Hague of the Council of Europe Convention on the establishment of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, the European Union continues to insist on ensuring full accountability of the aggressor, the Russian Federation, for war crimes and other grave crimes committed during the military aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the European Council calls for sustained efforts aimed at launching the work of the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine within the framework of the Council of Europe. Yevhen Matyushenko, Brussels Photo via the Office of the President of Ukraine; European Union * At its latest meeting, the European Council reaffirmed long-term political, financial, and military support for Ukraine, underlining that European security is inseparable from Ukraines ability to resist Russian aggression. Sustainable funding for Ukraine EU leaders confirmed continued multi-year financial assistance, aimed at ensuring Ukraines macro-financial stability, budgetary resilience, and the functioning of essential state services. The Council emphasized predictability of funding, including support for recovery and reconstruction planning. Member states reiterated the importance of protecting and using profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, in line with EU and international law. Strengthening Ukraines defense The Council called for accelerated delivery of military assistance, particularly air defense systems, ammunition, and long-range capabilities. Strong emphasis was placed on boosting Europes own defense industry, joint procurement, and closer EU-Ukraine cooperation in defense production. Training missions and intelligence cooperation will continue to be expanded. Sanctions and pressure on Russia EU leaders confirmed their readiness to tighten sanctions against Russia if needed, including measures targeting: Russias military-industrial complex Sanctions circumvention via third countries Energy revenues and dual-use technologies The Council stressed that Russia must be held accountable for war crimes and for the damage inflicted on Ukraine. Political message The conclusions send a clear signal that: The EU rejects any peace based on Ukrainian capitulation. Pressure on Russia will continue as long as aggression persists. Ukraines path toward EU membership remains open and politically supported. Bottom line: The European Council confirmed a strategy of endurancestable funding for Ukraine, stronger collective defense, and sustained sanctionsaimed at ensuring that Russia cannot outlast European unity. Japan and five Central Asian countries have agreed to develop a transport route to Europe bypassing Russia to ensure stable supplies of critical minerals and energy resources. According to Kyodo News, as reported by Ukrinform, Japan held its first summit with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan amid efforts by Russia and China to expand their trade and economic influence in this resource-rich region. The participating countries adopted the Tokyo Declaration, which calls for decarbonization, logistics facilitation and cooperation on human resource development. The Caspian Sea route is expected to ensure stable supplies of critical minerals, including rare metals, as well as energy resources such as oil and natural gas. "The international situation has changed drastically, and the region's importance is growing as a trade route connecting Asia and Europe," Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said at the outset of the meeting. She told reporters that Japan plans to launch new business projects worth a total of 3 trillion yen ($19 billion) in Central Asia over five years, and that the countries also agreed to cooperate on artificial intelligence. Central Asia has great significance and potential in terms of geopolitical importance, economic security and mutually beneficial business opportunities. I'm glad that more than 150 public- and private-sector documents were signed on this occasion, the Japanese Prime Minister added. As reported by Ukrinform, at the end of November, unmanned boats completely disabled the mooring facility of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) Marine Terminal in Novorossiysk, halting oil shipments. Following another strike by Ukraines Defense Forces on Novorossiysk during the night of November 29, Kazakhstan began urgently seeking ways to redirect its oil exports. In December, Kazakhstan plans for the first time to supply 50,000 tons of oil directly from the Kashagan field to China. Photo: Pool photo/Kyodo President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, following a conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, said that Norway will help Ukraine strengthen its energy resilience. According to Ukrinform, Zelensky reported this on Telegram. "I spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store. We discussed in detail the diplomatic work underway these days. We are moving at a fairly rapid pace, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side. European representatives were also invited," Zelensky said. According to him, it is important that there is constructive engagement in these talks, and much depends on ensuring that "Russia feels the need to end the war for real it must not be a rhetorical or political game on Russia's part". "Unfortunately, the real signals coming from Russia remain only negative: assaults along the frontline, Russian war crimes in border areas, and continued strikes against our infrastructure. It is essential that the world does not remain silent about all of this," Zelensky emphasized. He expressed gratitude to Norway for its readiness to continue helping both by increasing pressure on Russia and in recovery after Russian strikes. "Norway will also assist us with energy resilience thank you for that. There is a shared sense that after the work by our diplomatic team in the United States, we should now hold consultations with European partners in a broader circle. I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine! Thank you, Jonas!" Zelensky stressed. As Ukrinform reported earlier, according to Zelensky, the American side proposed holding a trilateral meeting at the level of leaders' security advisers between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine Welcome Guest! You are here: Home BJP-led Mahayuti sweeps Maharashtra local body elections The Mahayuti - the alliance of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar), has sweeped the 2025 Nagar Parishad (Municipal Council) and Nagar Panchayat (Municipal Panchayat) elections Maharashtra Local Body Election Results 2025: The Mahayuti - the alliance of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar), has sweeped the 2025 Nagar Parishad (Municipal Council) and Nagar Panchayat (Municipal Panchayat) elections. Maharashtra Local Bodies Elections 2025 The Maharashtra State Election Commission had held polling for a total of 222 Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishads) and 42 Nagar Panchayat (Municipal Panchayats) on December 02, 2025 . As per the original schedule , elections were supposed to be held for 246 Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishads) and 42 Municipal Panchayats (Nagar Panchayats) on December 02, 2025. The State Election Commission had, however, postponed polling in 24 civic bodies to December 20, 2025 and counting of votes for today i.e. December 21, 2025. Maharashtra Local Body Chunav 2025 Result As per the final result announced by the state election commission Sunday, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (AP) has won most of the seats while the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) Maha Vikas Aghadi has tasted yet another defeat. As per the final poll result announced today, the Mahayuti has won a total 207 local bodies out of the total 288 where polls were held. The BJP has won 117, Shiv Sena (Shinde) 53 and NCP(Ajit Pawar) 37. On the other hand the Maha Vikas Aghadi has won 44 local bodies. This included 28 local bodies captured by Congress, 09 by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and 07 by NCP (Sharad Pawar). The remaining 37 local bodies of Maharashtra have been won by Independent and other registered parties. Regionwise Election Result Of the 17 local self government bodies in Pune region, NCP won in Lonavala, Daund, Indapur, Jejuri, Baramati, Phursungi, Wadgaon Maval, Malegaon, and got its candidates elected as council presidents. Chakan, Manchar, Rajgurunagar and Junnar Municipal Councils were won by Shiv Sena whereas Saswad and Alandi went to the BJP. In Nagpur region, the BJP won 13 seats in Bahadura and 14 in Bidgaon Tarodi Khurd, while in Mouda, the Congress led with 11 seats against the BJPs 4. Ramtek witnessed a split verdict with Shiv Sena winning 8, Congress 7, and BJP 5; in Kanhan-Pipri, the BJP won 14, while in Kandri Kanhan, the BJP won 12. The BJP achieved a near-sweep in Besa-Pipla with 16 out of 17 seats, and in Yerkheda, the BJP won 9 seats while Congress secured 6. The BJP also retained power in the Tirthakshetra Alandi Municipal Council. The Congress has won the municipal council presidents post as well as 21 of the 23 seats in Brahmapuri municipal council in Chandrapur district. In Urun-Ishwarpur municipal council in Sangli district, the NCP (SP) has won 23 seats as well as the post of council president. The AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi has won 87 seats and also 1 post of council president in Karanja. The AIMIM has won or registered lead on 13 seats in Buldhana, 11 seats in Akola, 17 seats in Karanja, 07 seats each in Yewatmal and Amravati, 02 seats each in Kamti, Nanded, Beed and Udgir, and 04 seats in Jalgaon. Meanwhile, the state election commission has fixed January 15, 2026 as the date of elections in 29 Municipal Corporations (Mahanagar Palika) of Maharashtra. (With inputs from PTI) Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Rahmani 30 Entrance Exam 2026 Date Confirmed Rahmani Program of Excellence run under Rahmani Mission of Rahmani Foundation has confirmed the Rahmani 30 Entrance Exam 2026 date Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026: Rahmani Program of Excellence run under Rahmani Mission of Rahmani Foundation has confirmed the Rahmani 30 Entrance Exam 2026 date. In a notification released Sunday, the Rahmani Foundation said the Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026 will be held on January 04, 2026 in offline i.e. pen and paper mode. The Rahmani Foundation said the Rahmani 30 Entrance Test will be held at various centres in different parts of India. Rahmani 30 Eligibility The Rahmani 30 Entrance Test for 2026 admission is open to boys and girls who are currently in Class 7, 8, and 10 and are seeking admission to Class 8, 9, and 11, respectively. Additionally, only boys currently in Class 9 seeking admission in Class 10 from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan are eligible for admission. Rahmani 30 Syllabus The all India Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026 syllabus includes the common foundational syllabus shared across CBSE, CISCE, and other major state boards. Subjects include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Social Science, English, Islamic Studies, Mental Maths, and Aptitude. "The Rahmani 30 entrance test is based on the minimum common syllabus between CBSE, CICSE, and the State Boards, and covers subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English Language, and general principles of Islam", Rahmani Mission said. "The test will also feature questions from mental math and aptitude. Students will be required to attempt all subjects. Note that the application is open only for those who are going to complete 10th class in 2026. Selected students will prepare for highly coveted national examinations such as CA, CS, CLAT, JEE, NDA, NEET", it said. Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026: Last Date to Apply The Rahmani Program of Excellence run under Rahmani Mission has started online registration for Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026 through its official website rahmanimission.info from November 19, 2025. The last date of application was December 20. But, the Rahmani Foundation has extended the last date of application for the Rahmani 30 Entrance Exam 2026. "The last date for submission of the application form is December 25, 2025", the foundation said. Eligible candidates can apply online through the official registration link. Steps, link to apply for Rahmani 30 Entrance Test 2026 Go to the official website: " rahmanimission.info " " Click on the link marked as "Apply Now: Rahmani 30 Student Form 2026" on the Home Page. Click on the "Sign Up" button shown on the right side to open the Rahmani30 Entrance Form 2026. Read the Important Information carefully and fill the form. Fill and submit the online form "The application form available on the website is for both resident as well as non resident Indians (NRIs)", the mission said. All important updates regarding examination centres, admit cards, and further instructions will be communicated via SMS, email, WhatsApp Channel, and the official website. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic While Micheal Martin visibly preened last week over work commencing on a 93 million refurbishment of Corks Crawford Art Gallery, Waterford was told that the Waterford/Wexford Rail reopening, highlighted in the 2024 Rail Review, was dropped from the National Plan. Nobody would care if the Crawford job cost 930m, if a fair share was coming our way, but it most definitely is not! The Crawford Gallery was apparently designated by Micheal Martin as a national cultural institution in 2006. It doesnt charge an admission fee. Not a cent has come the way of Waterfords museums or galleries. They charge for admission to maintain our historic patrimony and are financially supported by the admirable civic largesse of private individuals, like Noel and Stephanie Frisby, David Bowles and Coleman Curran. The latter two are Dubliners mind you, prepared to step up when our own government fails us. This is the penultimate column of 2025. Its usual at this time for the column to reflect on the past years political and economic performance and ask, how is our city doing? To answer that, while you read this in a quiet moment over Christmas week, ask yourself if it is almost beyond question that our senior political representative, Minister Mary Butler, is failing her own constituency? A record IDA year with 323 job announcements, 183 of those in the regions. Only one, from IBM, in Waterford! South East Economic Monitor (SEEM) Report 2025: Within the region, IDA job growth has been uneven: Carlow and Wexford remain static; Kilkenny has seen a significant uplift and Waterford has declined. This appalling performance, satisfaction with the half car and the single candidacy at election times, cannot continue into 2026 without local Fianna Fail calling her to order. This is abject surrender on a grand scale, never ask, never question, never demand, just pathetic acceptance of crumbs. Its disgraceful. Even the normally staid, suited members of Waterford Chamber, business people with an eye on the local economy, have begun to grumble. Micheal Martin has been a disaster for Waterford. He has shown that in spades. Given his deserved tribulations over the Jim Gavin debacle, his usual Cork hubris, the sooner he is gone as Taoiseach, following Coveney and McGrath and taking Ms Butler with him, the better. We might get a fairer country. Ms Butler is too close to him for Waterfords sake and will surely pay the price under any new Fianna Fail regime, whenever it emerges. We had the same problem with Fine Gaels Enda Kenny in 2011. His government slashed and burned UHW and WIT, closed two VECs and left Waterford as the only city in the country without an ETB HQ! The sooner we get a Dublin Taoiseach, the better. At least they tend to be even-handed. Bertie Ahern showed he understood local angst over the status of this city, but we now have a dire situation with Ms Butler, close to power as chief whip, but cannot influence that power for her own constituency. Martin Cullen was offered the chief whip position by Bertie Ahern in 2002 and refused it precisely because it was powerless. Mr Martin, well knowing Waterfords needs and desire for a cabinet ministry, with Ms Butler as firm favourite to be Minister for Children, neutered her and Waterford by making her a peripatetic messenger as chief whip, running around for every dog and devil, while ignoring her own constituency requirements. He gave her a poisoned chalice. Ms Butler couldnt secure a paltry 12 million for a joint venture at Waterford Airport despite assuring us pre-2024 election that a new Minister for Transport would sort the project for us. Now, with Fianna Fail minister Darragh OBrien in that position, Waterford cannot get airport funding, or rail funding for the Wexford line. Waterford will be the only city not to have a twin rail track to Dublin. We cannot get a cent for Port of Waterford, despite the port working at full capacity and having a business case with the Dept. of Transport for the past two years! Ms Butler has also singularly failed to ensure that 24/7 cardiology, promised by the Taoiseach eight years ago outside UHW and by the Minister for Health last April, is in place. Vacuous statements about the coming months are inexcusable. Ms Butler should have insisted that a vital, UHW Vertical Out Patients Department (now cancelled), on the stocks in 2022, was built under a Covid Derogation without planning permission, but instead accepted two modular tin prefabs and a tent outside the Emergency Department. What other Model 4 hospital was decorated with a Medecins Sans Frontieres tent outside its ED in freezing weather? Was there one in CUH, St Vincents in Dublin, or even the perpetually under siege Limerick UH? The message to Waterford voters that we are not getting a fair crack of the whip is gaining traction. Insulting our historic city by allowing Dundalk rename its Institute of Technology as Dundalk University College, while the name Waterford was gleefully erased from WIT to form SETU, by political fiat from Simon Harris for the benefit of Carlow/Kilkenny/Wexford? Greenlighting a new SETU engineering building and two new courses in Waterford, after 17 years waiting for investment, hardly cuts the mustard. The North Quays, SETU engineering block and UHW surgical hub are all from the last government. The surgical hub was devised by senior civil servants without recourse to the HSE (they would have ruined it!). Announcements of SETU projects being progressed to the planning rather than the construction phase, or not having any UHW projects at all at the planning stage, confirm the bias explicitly detailed in the SEEM report. The South East, despite marquee projects like the North Quays, has the lowest per capita investment at 1,738 - around 7,000 below the national average - reflecting a persistent pattern of regional underinvestment. Those figures have not been challenged or rebutted at any time by local Fianna Fail or Fine Gael, because our politicians know that when they are explaining, or not, they are losing. And by the way, local chatter already has it that Sinn Fein will never see two seats again in this constituency, such is the level of general political disaffection! A plague on all their houses? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been met with more booing from those nearby while leaving the Bondi Beach vigil after the event came to a close. The Australian leader had been jeered upon arrival, with television footage showing police apprehending a man who had made his way towards him. Anthony Albanese at Sundays event. Edwina Pickles His name was also met with booing when he was introduced to the crowd, and several speakers called for a royal commission following the terror attack. While Governor-General Sam Mostyn, NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane delivered addresses, Albanese did not have a formal role at the commemoration. A government spokesperson said: The Prime Minister and his office respect the organisers of the solemn, nationally important event. The spokesperson said Albanese was honoured to attend the vigil and was happy to participate in whichever way the organisers wished him to. 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It is a great family and festive event and is totally inclusive. The charities and organisations benefit people from all walks of life, everywhere. It is great to meet all from the community but super to meet all the neighbouring parishes too, coming out to support and participate as well. This years St Stephens Day Charity Swim commences at 1.30pm sharp, following the run, walk and jog in Ardagh. The benefactors of the Charity Swim 2026 are Crossmolina Town Hall and Crossmolina Meals on Wheels. A donation is also being made to River Moy Search and Rescue, Teach An Uisce Search and Rescue and Grainne Uaile Search and Rescue. Great fun and craic is assured and a hot one or two to get into the festive spirit. We have a great group of volunteers and if anyone wishes to help out on the day, please contact Laura or Kieran at Mulhern's Filling Station in Crossmolina," says organisers. "Also, should anyone wish to donate anything for the event, it would be very much appreciated." This years event follows on from a hugely successful 2024 swim where everyone enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with neighbours and friends and those home on holidays on the picturesque shores of Lough Conn. "Last years event was a great success because of all involved in every area of the event, willingly and happily working very hard on the day to look after everyone," say the organisers who paid tribute to all those who helped out and brought food and drink supplies. Thanks have also been extended to OHaras Bakery, Donoghue's Bakery, Connacht Gold, ODonnell's Centra, Hineys Bar, Mulherns Gala and Wispeys for their very kind donations. A very happy positive and lively time was had by all, ensured by the MC Robert Padden playing festive and popular tunes. It was remarked by so many that Christmas can be a sad and lonely time for people, missing their loved ones who are not with them anymore or living abroad and this event is a lovely focal point for people to gather, chat and catch up. Three charities (Crossmolina Meals on Wheels, Mayo Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service, and Cancer Care West) benefitted to the tune of 3,550 each from the 2024 swim. A Coffee Morning was organised in the Government Buildings in Dublin on the January 29th and 1,277.50 was raised for counselling services at Ballina Family Resource Centre on Abbey Street. People are encouraged to seek out these services if they feel they need help, support and some guidance. It is a sign of strength to know you need help. These funds are raised for people in the community to avail of and the Ballina Family Resource Centre is contactable on 096- 75573 or 087-0618525 or email admin@ballinafrc.com. A Claremorris councillor has asserted that a council landbank lying idle in Claremorris for years is a case of "negligence". Cllr Richard Finn raised the issue at the December meeting of Mayo County Council when he called for the local authority to appoint an official to liaise with potential property investors. In Claremorris, we have 28 acres of ground for 30 years sitting there, bought at a price of 1.2m. On a number of occasions, different investors came along and had good ideas for it, but the answer coming back to us as public representatives from the council was 'we have other, better ideas for that'. Can we really afford to wait 30 years after purchasing a property before there is any development on it? That is not forward planning, it is backward planning. There has to be negligence involved where a site like this is left vacant in a town. If there was a go-to person there in charge of inward investment who could deal with people who have the money to invest in our towns and villages, this would not happen. I know these people. There would be rates and property taxes for the county involved in such deals. Chief executive Kevin Kelly said he would not want a message going out that the council was not open to forward investment, stating: Any query is dealt with by myself or management. For example, the Director of Planning and myself met with someone this morning. They came in with a proposal and after half an hour they went out the door with our support. That is how we operate. "The lands in Claremorris have been the subject of a lot of discussion and as far as I am aware, nothing was rejected, but nothing was worked into anything more firm either. So the door is always open for inward investment and every assistance possible is made available. Cllr Finn replied: As far as I am aware, there is no excuse for any property in Mayo to lie idle for 30 years, bought with ratepayers and taxpayers' money. So I say to you Kevin Kelly, if you want to get involved, great, and if you have any proposal for this site, bring them forward. At least the local representatives should be entitled to know what is going on or else we should not be public representatives at all." An enduring Christmas tradition on Achill Island continues this year as Dooega Drama Group prepares to stage Brian Friels iconic play Philadelphia, Here I Come! Performances will take place in Colaiste Acla, Dooega, at 8pm on December 27, 28 and 30, offering three opportunities for islanders and visitors to enjoy an eagerly anticipated production from one of Mayos most respected theatre groups. This years production is another ambitious undertaking for the long-established group and, according to chairman Michael Lavelle, one of their most exciting to date. The commitment and talent of this years cast and crew is extraordinary, he said. There is a real energy and love for the craft in every rehearsal, and this play gives our performers a magnificent opportunity to shine. First premiered in 1964, Philadelphia, Here I Come! is one of the defining works of modern Irish theatre. Set in the fictional Donegal town of Ballybeg, the play follows Gar ODonnell on the eve of his emigration to America. Friels innovative structure sees Gar portrayed by two actors: Public Gar, who interacts with the world around him, and Private Gar, who reveals his inner thoughts, frustrations and longings. In Dooega Drama Groups production, Public Gar is played by David McGinty, with Stephen Corrigan taking on the role of Private Gar. Michael Lavelle described the pairing as compelling, powerful and deeply moving. The action unfolds during Gars final night at home before his departure for Philadelphia, where he plans to live with his Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Con. As he packs his suitcase, the play explores the pull of home versus the promise of the unknown. Central to the story is Gars emotionally fraught relationship with his father, S.B. ODonnell, played by Martan O Mongain. Though they live and work together, their inability to express affection creates a profound and painful distance. Its a play that speaks directly to the Irish experience, said Lavelle. Emigration, family, and all the things left unsaid these themes resonate deeply, particularly in communities like Achill. Gars memories of his former girlfriend Kate Doogan, played by Yasmin McGrath-Chen, also feature prominently. Their relationship is shaped by social expectations and economic realities familiar to many Irish audiences. The production boasts a strong ensemble cast, including Micheal McNamara as Senator Doogan, Michael Lavelle as Master Boyle and Ben Burton, Caroline Mangan as Lizzy Sweeney, Jesse Sinaiko as Con Sweeney, Paddy Cafferkey as Ned, Fionn O Mongain as Tom, Myles OKeeffe as Joe, and Cathal Cronin as Canon Mick OByrne. Aisling Masterson plays Madge, the devoted housekeeper who has been a constant presence in Gars life. Since its establishment in 2010, Dooega Drama Group has been a cornerstone of cultural life on Achill Island. Its annual winter production brings together performers, volunteers and audiences of all ages. These plays are part of the rhythm of island life, Lavelle said. They bring people together during the darkest months of the year and create shared memories. That is the real power of community theatre. The chairman also paid tribute to the wider community for its ongoing support, noting that volunteering, encouragement and attendance have been vital to the groups continued success. Behind the scenes, a dedicated crew brings the world of Ballybeg to life, led by stage manager Denis McCarthy. His set design and coordination were praised as outstanding, with particular attention paid to the visual details of S.B.s kitchen and the subtle elements that reflect Gars inner world. The lighting, sound, costumes, makeup and props teams were also commended for their commitment and skill. The group is delighted to return once again to Colaiste Acla and extended thanks to the Mangan family for their continued support in making the venue available. Looking ahead, Dooega Drama Group plans to bring Philadelphia, Here I Come! onto the National Amateur Drama Circuit in 2026, following recent successes including multiple awards on the 2024 circuit for their production of Martin McDonaghs The Cripple of Inishmaan and a Contribution to the Arts award at the 2025 Mayo County Council Cathaoirleach Awards. For now, the group invites audiences to join them this Christmas for what promises to be an unforgettable night of theatre. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and at Achill Sound Post Office. Updates can be found on the groups Facebook page. She was a rocker. She loved the Doors, Pink Floyd, Mick Jagger, Led Zeppelin, and Bob Dylan. She led a quiet life growing up. She was the invisible child among her siblings. They all had their labels in this household. Progressively moving up the executive ladder as her daddy deteriorated (no longer a functional alcoholic), her mommy was distant and negligent and tended to care only for herself: designer clothes, perfect hairdo. Mary led that quiet life, the good Catholic girl. She was a baby boomer and watched history in front of their small black-and-white TV: the assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and RFK (heroes from days gone by). Richard Nixon and Watergate, the Vietnam War, racial disparities. She became a nurse, something her mother dictated her to be. She ventured out and broke the cycle of Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys and the dictation of submissive women. And she found her magic man. He opened up doors to her imagination. They married though her mom said, Hes not one of us. Three children later and a complicated life drenched in nightshift overtime as a nurse, but she did it all. Mary smoked two to three packs of cigarettes a day and finally gave it up cold turkey. When she was 61 years old, she had severe abdominal pain. Later, she discovered pancreatic and liver cancer with metastases to her lungs and lymph nodes. But Mary never gave up. Not only was Mary in denial, but her surgeon and oncologist promoted her denial. Surgery (a Whipple procedure), pain management, oncologist, chemo, and meditation followed. And her physicians encouraged her to live that long life, despite the truth. Her pain management physician finally came out with the truth: Theres nothing more we can do. Its time. Time to make yourself a DNR/DNI, do not treat. Theres nothing more we can do. Get your house in order. Make yourself comfortable. Christmas Eve she lay in her hospice bed at a hospice center. The ceramic Christmas tree lit. A book containing friends and familys well wishes and prayers. Her daughter occasionally strummed an old Bob Dylan favorite: The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Christmas was her favorite holiday. A life filled with sadness and happiness. A complicated life of always hoping her husband would finally love her despite his ongoing infidelities. ADVERTISEMENT That last breath. Christmas morning, her children were by her side with silent whispers of love. She was 63 years old, the same age as her mothers death. So many more years to live, but cancer stole her life. Consequences, regrets, happiness and sadness, and no magic cure. Too little. Too late. The glow and the shadow of that ceramic Christmas tree as she let out her last breath on that cold and cloudy snow-filled day. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Debbie Moore-Black is a nurse who blogs at The Critical Care Nurse. Angelina Jolie shows mastectomy scars to spotlight breast health on TIME France. The Oscar-winning actor appears on the first issue of TIME Frances cover, publicly revealing her double mastectomy scars to raise awareness about breast health, genetic testing, and cancer prevention. Why This Matters Actress Angelina Jolie on the Salt panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con. Image credit/WikiCommon Angelina Jolie, 50, chose to share her surgical scars from a preventive double mastectomy she had in 2013 after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene, which greatly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Her decision to reveal them now, more than a decade later, is part of a larger message encouraging women to understand their health risks and access preventative care. What She Said I share these scars with many women I love, Jolie told TIME France. Im always moved when I see other women share theirs. She added she wanted to use the platform to emphasize breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer, not just her personal story. Quick Backstory Jolie first made headlines in 2013 with a New York Times essay explaining her choice to undergo preventive surgery after her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of cancer and she tested positive for the BRCA1 gene. That piece helped spark a global increase in genetic testing and preventive screening, dubbed the Angelina Effect. Fans and Social Reactions Online reactions have trended positive, with supporters on X (formerly Twitter) calling her decision powerful and iconic, and praising her for promoting awareness rather than glamour. Her advocacy also connects directly to her upcoming work: in Couture, she portrays a filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer, further extending the conversation about living fully despite health challenges. Dave Chappelle is tired of the backlash hes received for taking part in the Riyadh Comedy Festival in October, and hes especially sick of Bill Mahers thoughts on the subject. Chappelle called out the Real Time host by name in his Netflix special, Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable, which was released on short notice Friday night. Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable, Dave Chappelle / Netflix You know, and Bill Maher, the famous comedian, Chappelle said, Ive known Bill since I was like 18, 19 years old, and Ive never said this publicly, but f--- that guy. Advertisement Advertisement Chappelle continued, Im so f---ing tired of his little smug cracker-a-- commentary. Chappelle was responding to Maher saying during an October Real Time episode, Dave Chappelle was in the press today saying that you can speak more freely over here than in America It is not true." Maher dismissively told Chappelle to do some jokes about the Prophet Muhammad in Riyadh and see how that went for him. Chappelle was joined at the Saudi comedy festival by such comedians as Pete Davidson, Bill Burr, Aziz Ansari, Jimmy Carr, and Louis C.K. The participants drew heavy criticism for taking the gig, given the countrys authoritarian policies and its alleged role in 9/11. Advertisement Advertisement In his new stand-up special, Chappelle responded to that famous quote of his about free speech in Saudi Arabia, clarifying, I didnt tell them to put this in the paper. I just said it on stage. Chappelle still stood by the comment, saying, Dont forget what I just went through. Two years ago, I almost got canceled right here in the United States for transgender jokes. But I gotta tell you something: Transgender jokes went over very well in Saudi Arabia, Chappelle said. Dave Chappelle: Unstoppable, Chappelle onstage. (Netflix.) / Netflix Chappelle also responded to a popular critique that he betrayed his values by doing comedy for a government that murdered a journalist. Advertisement Advertisement They said, well, Saudi Arabia killed a journalist, and rest in peace, Jamal Khashoggi, Chappelle said. Im sorry that he got murdered in such a heinous fashion. And also, Chappelle joked, I mean, look, bro: Israels killed 240 journalists in the last three months. So I didnt know yall was still counting. Chappelle also touched on the public murder of Charlie Kirk in September. Although Chappelle condemned Kirks death, he also mocked the MAGA comparisons between Kirk and Martin Luther King, Jr., who was also assassinated. They both got shot in the neck, but thats about where those similarities end, Chappelle said. Advertisement Advertisement Charlie Kirk is a motherf---ing internet personality, Chappelle continued. Fundamentally, he cant function like Dr. King. Internet n----s are negative because they have to be. Because nobody will engage them unless they say s--t that makes them upset. Could you imagine Dr. King was behaving like Charlie Kirk? Chappelle said. Breaking into an MLK impression, Chappelle joked, Smash that like button and subscribe. Follow me for more content like this. I believe all Black people should be free. Change my mind. Longtime NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick has been going through a lot of life changes lately. Patrick, 43, appeared to unveil her new boyfriend on social media earlier this week. She and her friends were out on a holiday date. Patrick cozied up to a mystery man in a series of photos, looking happy. It's not the only major life change, though. Patrick has also been getting more and more involved in the political world. Patrick has been getting into politics, voting for the first time last November 2024 and putting out more and more political content. Former US race car driver and sports broadcaster, Danica Patrick, reports during the first practice session for the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix on November 21, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images (PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images) Patrick recently admitted that she had been "red pilled." Advertisement Advertisement "It was only a little over a year ago that I went to my first ever political event, which was AmFest here in Phoenix, Charlie Kirk's big event. I mean at that point in time, hopefully without people judging, I didn't know who Charlie was. Like I had never paid attention to politics, and in fact, quite specifically avoided the news and had since like 2018. So after going to that event, I posted some photos of my sister and I, and it just said that 'I love this country' and it was a divisive comment to so many and grabbed a lot of attention, which was ridiculous," she told Riley Gaines. "And then I finally met Tucker Carlson when he was there because he was one of the speakers and I quickly went on his show. And came back and Charlie reached out and then I went on Charlie's show and I was like, 'well, I guess I am in politics now.'" she further added. Patrick's latest life change Patrick's latest life change is that she announced over the weekend that she had been to a "past life regression therapist." "So, past life regression is when you meet with a past life regression therapist, you get into a very meditative state, very relaxed, and they guide you through being able to access memories to your past lives," Patrick stated. Advertisement Advertisement Patrick said it was a life-changing experience. "So this guided me into the vision somewhere in like Nevada or Utah, and I was a Native American, and I had a stick, and I left my tribe, and I journeyed south, and I was on my way to what would have been like the original (Los Angeles area) when it was first sort of civilized." Patrick underwent a lot of changes. "And so in this vision, like 10 years had gone by, and I was doing this regularly, and I was told that I would have to stop doing what I'm doing, or I would be killed, or I could leave," she explained. "And then the vision went sort of empty for like 30 or 40 years," Patrick said. "And so this landed me, maybe in my 70s or something but nothing was in my memory from that time period. Advertisement Advertisement "And the message was that I could be killed for doing what I loved and what was meant for me and my passion, or I could die inside anyway." Patrick then urged everyone to act similarly. "It might be speaking out, saying something in front of people for the first time that you've never said (before), sharing something about yourself that you've never shared," she urged. "Are you going to let fear win? You say no." It's quite a story for Danica, that's for sure. This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the NASCAR section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Gisele Bundchen brought a newlywed glow to the red carpet weeks after her wedding to Joaquim Valente. Blooming night with @vivaraonline, Bundchen, 45, wrote via Instagram on Friday, December 19. "Congratulations Marina, everything looked beautiful! . Bundchen attended the annual end-of-year dinner held by Vivara at the Brasileira Cinema, dressed in a golden gown with cutouts down the center. The supermodel completed her look with gold earrings and rings, rocking a rosy-pink lip and wearing her blonde tresses in loose waves. Advertisement Advertisement Inside Pregnant Gisele Bundchens New Life With Joaquim Valente After Tom Brady Split Bundchen snapped photos of her evening at the red carpet gala, sharing images via Instagram with various friends in front of a floral tablescape. Us Weekly confirmed several hours earlier that Bundchen and Valente, 38, secretly tied the knot on December 3. Bundchen and Valente have been together since summer 2023 following her divorce from ex-husband Tom Brady. (Bundchen and Brady, 48, share son Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13.) This is the first time I am seeing someone that was a friend of mine first, Bundchen told The New York Times in March 2024 of her romance with the jiu-jitsu instructor. "Its very different. It is very honest, and its very transparent. Advertisement Advertisement Bundchen further shut down any speculation there was any overlap in her respective relationships with Brady and Valente. Courtesy of Gisele Bundchen/ Instagram That is a lie. This is something that happens to a lot of women who get blamed when they have the courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and are labeled as being unfaithful, she said, denying affair rumors. They have to deal with their communities. They have to deal with their family. Of course for me, it just happens to be a little bit amplified. Us confirmed later that year that Bundchen and Valente were expecting their first baby together. When Gisele told the kids about her pregnancy, she made sure to let Tom know as well, a source exclusively told Us in October 2024. This happened a few months ago. She wanted to give him that courtesy and knew the kids would tell him either way. Advertisement Advertisement Bundchen gave birth to her third baby, a son whose name has not been publicly revealed, in February. Now that my little one is sleeping through the night, Im back in control of my routine, she shared of her postpartum life in a Vogue France profile published in May. As any new mom knows, its incredible how much sleep or lack of it can change everything! But once again, I feel truly grateful: being able to be home with my kids and enjoy every moment with them is priceless. Gisele Bundchen Flaunts Post-Baby Body While Sharing Rare Photos of 7-Month-Old Son: Thank You, Summer Bundchen continued, [I love] being with my family, especially when we can do outdoor activities together. Spending time with them is what makes me happiest. Advertisement Advertisement After Bundchen soaked in her family time, she made her debut postpartum red carpet appearance at back-to-back fashion events last month. Such a special night in Qatar celebrating [Fashion Trust Arabia]. My dear friend @almayassabnthamad curated an extraordinary event showcasing so many brilliant young creatives from across the region, she wrote via Instagram in November. It was an evening dedicated to innovation and to uplifting emerging fashion designers. The energy in the room was a beautiful reminder of the power of community when it comes together to champion new talent. NEED TO KNOW Kyle Chrisley has been arrested in Tennessee for multiple charges, including domestic assault and public intoxication The 34-year-old son of Todd and Julie Chrisley was arrested by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on Dec. 20, according to TMZ Kyle and his wife sued Rutherford County and two sheriff deputies back in August Kyle Chrisley has been arrested in Tennessee on multiple charges, including domestic assault and public intoxication. The 34-year-old son of Todd and Julie Chrisley was arrested by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, Dec. 20, at around 7 p.m. local time, according to TMZ. He was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center that same night. Advertisement Advertisement The outlet reported that Kyle has been charged with domestic assault, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, assaulting a first responder, resisting arrest and retaliation for past actions. PEOPLE reached out to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office for additional information on Sunday, Dec. 21, but did not receive an immediate response. Rutherford County Sheriffs Department Kyle Chrisley mugshot from September 2024. Kyle Chrisley mugshot from September 2024. Back in August, Kyle and his wife, Ashleigh, sued Rutherford County and two sheriff's deputies over his September 2024 aggravated assault arrest. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time, attorneys for the Chrisley Knows Best star and his wife claimed Kyle was unfairly arrested and "punished for calling for help." Advertisement Advertisement Our hopes for this lawsuit are accountability and change because no family should have to endure what the Chrisley family endured in this terrifying scenario, Kyle's lawyer, Wesley Clark of Brazil Clark, PLLC, said in a statement to PEOPLE. The lawsuit alleged that, on Sept. 9, 2024, a disgruntled mechanic, angry over a payment dispute, showed up uninvited, kicked at their doors, threatened violence, and used his car as a weapon by ramming their SUV and nearly running Kyle over in front of multiple neighbors. Deputies from the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office didnt arrest the man who caused the chaos, the lawsuit claimed. Instead, they arrested Kyle Chrisley, and ignored clear evidence that he was the victim, not the aggressor. The filing claimed that Kyle and Ashleigh bring this lawsuit because no family should face criminal charges or threats of arrest for defending themselves at home or for exercising their constitutional rights. This is a case about false arrest, excessive force and retaliation for trying to hold police officers accountable. Todd Chrisley/instagram Kyle Chrisley The lawsuit stated that Kyle suffered humiliation and damage to his public reputation, pain and suffering, mental suffering and emotional distress, and economic losses due to the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys requested a jury trial and $1.7 million in damages, in addition to attorney fees. Kyle was previously arrested for alleged felony aggravated assault in March 2023 following a physical altercation with a supervisor while working at a truck rental company in Smyrna, Tenn. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kyle's latest arrest comes after his parents were pardoned by President Donald Trump. The pardons put an end to a legal saga, which led to the pair being indicted on 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy and later convicted and sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in November 2022. Read the original article on People Miley Cyrus has detailed how she came to write Dream as One, her Golden Globe-nominated ballad that appears during the end credits of her Disney legend-in-law James Camerons Avatar: Fire and Ash, which opened this weekend. She also hinted at how she plans to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of her own Disney shows Hannah Montana. In a new interview with Variety conducted following the world premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash in Los Angeles, Cyrus shared the story of how her song Dream as One ended up in Camerons film. She said that while she was backstage last summer at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, the director was ahead of her in line, along with Jamie Lee Curtis and Harrison Ford. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement First, Curtis tapped Cyrus for the end credits to The Last Showgirl, which led to the Golden Globe-nominated Beautiful That Way. Then, Cyrus a fan of the Avatar franchise took a chance for a bucket-list opportunity and asked Cameron about how things were going on Fire and Ice. Turned out, Cameron had already discussed Cyrus with Avatar composer Simon Franglen and the idea of them working together. Cameron came up with the songs name, reflecting the films finale. Cyrus and collaborators Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt took it from there. Coming in at the end was actually really helpful, because, when youve worked on something for like 20 years, you get so close to it that its hard to see it from that outside perspective, Cyrus said. Im just writing it like someone who loves Avatar. As for what her plans are for marking the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana in spring 2026, she told the outlet she hopes to bring an element from Avatar into her approach to the occasion as she considers how she might commemorate it. Something that they always say in Avatar is I see you and thats something really important that I want the fans to feel during the Hannah-versary, Cyrus said. Someone called it the Hannah anniversary the other day, and I was like No, no, no, its the Hannah-versary, she said, adding, I want the fans to really feel seen. They know that I appreciate them, but I also see like their growth. Because I have these moments all the time where people celebrate my evolution, but I see theirs as much as they see mine. Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether a celebration might involve in-person events or a concert tour, she teased, TBD. Thats still in the works. She added, Everything takes time. I want to make something thats meaningful, thoughtful, and really satisfying for the fans. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. All of the arguments for direct primary care (DPC) from a provider perspective are valid. As a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, I have essentially run a direct care practice for the last 15 years. I dont accept insurance and see patients as often and for as long as therapeutically necessary. So when DPC practices started rising in popularity, I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, as a patient who is medically complex and often needs referrals for tests and specialists, this model has fallen short for me, often spectacularly so. This post outlines some of my experiences. Many of the doctors who go into DPC do so because they are burned out from working for hospital systems. They talk about this in podcasts and right here on KevinMD. They are tired of layers of red tape and limited time with patients. They dont want to deal with insurance preauthorizations or interact with insurance in any way. I understand all of that from their perspectives. And as a patient, it is very appealing to have access to your primary care doctor on their cell phones, via text or video appointments, and the convenience of same or next-day appointments that are unhurried. The hidden burden of insurance authorization But heres what isnt mentioned: The DPC doctors who are burned out by insurance generally dont want to authorize the tests that they order, like MRIs. Read: dealing with insurance. One doctor I saw would fax all of her notes to the imaging center and ask them to authorize it. When her notes were incomplete, they would call me, the patient, and ask me to ask my doctor for clarification so they could more effectively communicate with my insurance company. Then I would have to call her, and a telephone tag would ensue, with me as middleman. It was complicated and delayed the process of authorization significantly, thus delaying my care. The financial reality of high utilizers DPC practices typically have low membership fees (usually ranging from $125-$250 per month). For an average patient, who may see their physician a few times a year and have a couple of questions here and there, its a clear win for the physician. They can respond relatively quickly and the patient generally feels well cared for. However, if a patient is a high utilizer of services, the DPC practice actually loses money. If I need to see my DPC doctor three times in one month, the doctor is not making enough to cover those visits. It has led to palpable resentment on the part of my DPC doctors. One DPC physician angrily told me that she couldnt spend time faxing her notes to an imaging center because she didnt have office staff. She also did not have an EKG machine, explaining that it was too expensive for her to purchase with the low membership fees charged. She wanted to send me to a cardiologist for a routine EKG. The cardiologist had a six-month waiting list and there was no medical reason I needed to see a cardiologist. The referral was made simply because the DPC doctor couldnt afford the machine. The DPC model can inappropriately use health care resources by referring to specialists just because the membership fees arent high enough to cover basic supplies. The cost of low overhead Many DPC proponents tout how inexpensive it is to start a practice. That is correct, but when a doctor doesnt have any support staff and/or works out of their home because it is the most cost-effective way to start their DPC journey, patients can suffer. There are no assistants to fax notes, and no office to fully and professionally examine patients. Another physician would advertise that she was a house call doctor. What that meant was that she would see you twice per year at your home for the low membership fee, or see you online, but anything beyond two in-person visits was billed at $300 per appointment. Again, as a medically complex patient, two visits per year are unrealistic for me. Primary care often does not lend itself to an online format except for simple issues and questions. The additional per-visit fee made my monthly fees extremely high for a doctor with no medical equipment other than what she could carry in her bag and without an office. A call for critical thinking While the DPC movement has noble intentions, I encourage both doctors and patients to think more critically about what is reasonably sustainable for both parties. A low membership fee and unlimited access is only helpful if thats what it truly is. Perhaps a fee-for-service practice, as we do in my chosen field, would be more sustainable for all. It doesnt provide a steady monthly income, but it does guarantee that doctors are paid for their time and patients can receive the care they need when they need it. And it is less likely that DPC doctors will feel resentful of the high-needs patient. Zoe M. Crawford is a social worker. The once ice cream-wielding John Cena will no longer be "bing chilling" after his 2021 Mandarin mix-up sparked worldwide outrage. Cena recently spoke about his mishap on an episode of "Joe Rogan Experience," and according to "The Never-Seen Seventeen," what was originally a gesture of cultural immersion spiraled into a hard-earned life lesson. Cena spoke at length about his path to, and eventual fumble with, Chinese. Cena first learned Mandarin in order to establish WWE's presence in China, and once he felt fluent, he forced himself to do 70% of his Chinese appearances in Mandarin. While he was initially successful, his fall from grace was steep. "At the very end of the day, as with all these press tours, you do a bunch of prompter reads," Cena recalled. "So, I'm doing prompter reads for everywhere. Like, "Hey, go to this place and see this movie. Hey, go to this place and see this movie!" No, my bad, I didn't check the reads, because it was like the end of a ten-hour day, you're doing a million of these things. One of them said, 'Hey, Taiwan, see this-and-this.' And, it was all in Mandarin, and the [prompter] described Taiwan as a country." Advertisement Advertisement One label stoked the geopolitical tensions between mainland China and Taiwan, especially in regards to Taiwan's contested sovereignty. Hostile reactions from Chinese viewers necessitated an apology from Cena. Cena's Mandarin apology, however, elicited the ire of American fans. "I think I might be the only guy to almost get canceled for doing his homework?" Cena joked. "The cool takeaway: we can learn from every mistake. My mistake was: just because you know the language doesn't mean you know the culture." Read more: Where Are MTV's Wrestling Society X Stars Now? Lesson learned: Cena set to practice caution. John Cena speaks on the mic during FanExpo. - Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images Following his fumble in China, Cena is eager to keep his Mandarin skills private, out of his acknowledged ignorance regarding Asian geopolitics. While Cena's "Peacemaker" presence and other projects remained unaffected throughout the controversy, Cena remains cautious when doing global appearances. Advertisement Advertisement "Any time I go anywhere globally now...I really shy away from speaking the language, because I don't understand the cultural nuance," Cena explained. While Cena called himself fluent in Mandarin, he acknowledged that he was reading in pinyin, a romanized form of Mandarin. While Rogan and others, on air and online, attempted to shift the blame for the incident, Cena ultimately bore responsibility for the fumble. "It was my fault, and I think that's where I can start to work on: 'Well, what can I learn from this?'" Cena said. The response from Asia was hard, but the American response felt harsher. While Cena understood the possible American disappointment of their icon "[bowing] down to the demand" of Chinese politics, Cena's main takeaway was unrelated to international affairs. Advertisement Advertisement "Don't be reactive," Cena preached. "Take a breath, find out what's going on. Find out the best path of action. Maybe give it a few days? Maybe give it a hot second? And then, move forward." Don't miss any of the major wrestling headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter for the biggest stories, sent straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Wrestling Inc. In science fiction, there's a tendency to depict alien races as having a monoculture. Take "Star Trek," where Vulcans are logical by nature, Klingons are bloodthirsty, etc. Allegorical sci-fi, like "Trek," will often use aliens as coded versions of real human cultures, after all. Yet that impulse to alien-code sows the trope's folly; in real life, we humans have many different cultures, so why wouldn't aliens be the same? James Cameron's "Avatar" films are ahead of the curve here. The Na'vi species are split among different tribes, each with unique cultures and aesthetics, and each "Avatar" film has introduced a new Na'vi tribe. The 2009 original focused on the Omatikaya clan, or the "Forest People," which Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) joins. The 2022 sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water" switched focus to the semi-aquatic Metkayina clan, "Sea People," who live in a coastal village and commune with the whale-like tulkun. Now the third film, "Fire & Ash," has brought in a third and much more violent Na'vi people: the Mangkwan, "Ash People," who ally with the human colonists against Jake and his family. The Ash People, fittingly, live in a burned out volcano. Once their home was lush, before an eruption destroyed it. Thus, they turned their back on Eywa (the living super-intelligence of Pandora) while their leader, a witch named Varang (Oona Chaplin), learned to master fire herself. Advertisement Advertisement Cameron recounted in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter that the Ash People were inspired by his trip to meet the Baining people of Papua New Guinea. The Mangkwan's fire-dancing and burned out village are ripped right from what Cameron witnessed while visiting the Baining people. Read more: 10 Best Sci-Fi Books Of All Time, Ranked The Mangkwan Clan's fire dances were inspired by the Baining People Baining People fire dance - Kaszojad/Getty Images In "Fire & Ash," the Mangkwan are seen fire dancing after they capture the Sully family children. Like Varang's other rituals, the dance appears to involve some sadomasochism, including slight blood spilling. Real fire dances as conducted by the Baining people do involve running through fire and kicking sparks all around where they can singe flesh. Real Baining fire dancers (exclusively men) also wear large animal masks and welcome the local spirits to dance alongside them. The dances are done for special occasions, such as celebrating new births or harvests. Though outsiders can see them, it's a rare opportunity one perfect for a real-life explorer like James Cameron. Advertisement Advertisement Cameron, recounting the experience to Conde Nast Traveler magazine, said it happened in 2012 when he was visiting Papua New Guinea for a submersible expedition into the New Britain Trench. While there, he took a hike to witness the Baining people's fire dancing. As he told THR: "They were in this trance state, dancing for seven hours on end in actual fire. Then I was seeing these kids go into this ash field, joyfully playing in this almost postnuclear devastation. I wasn't thinking, 'I can use this for 'Avatar," but it was one of those things that informs my dream landscape." How James Cameron feels about the cultural appropriation criticims of Avatar Avatar: Fire and Ash - Mangkwan tribe in volcano village holding arrows - 20th Century Studios This influence opens up old arguments (lobbed back-and-forth since 2009) about cultural appropriation and indigenous representation in "Avatar." Circling back to racial coding, the Na'vi are coded as Hollywood-ized Native Americans: tribal people, dressed in little clothing, painted skin, and braided hair, who are in tune with nature, fight with bows-and-arrows, and who face the threat of colonization. There's a reason "Avatar" is so often compared to "Dances with Wolves," Kevin Costner's 1990 film about a U.S. cavalryman (played by Costner) who joins a Sioux tribe. The Metkayina take more from other indigenous cultures, such as the Maori people. Cliff Curtis, who plays Chief Tonowari, is even Maori himself. The cultural coding of the Na'vi tribes have brought Cameron criticism from actual Native people, but to his credit, the filmmaker at least seems aware of it and willing to hear it out. "The people who have been victimized historically are always right. It's not up to me, speaking from a perspective of white privilege, if you will, to tell them that they're wrong," Cameron said (via the Washington Post). Cameron has also said, in reference to bringing in Maori influence for "Way of Water," that: "I don't think you just go in and grab from different cultures as a writer, I think you have to be respectful." Advertisement Advertisement Again, it's not for Cameron (or me, for that matter) to decide if his cultural allusions including the Ash People's fire dancing meet the bar he set for himself. "Avatar: Fire and Ash" is now playing in theaters. If you're looking for the easiest way to keep up with all the major movie and TV news, why not sign up to our free newsletter? You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashFilm. Avatar director James Cameron has choice words for President Donald Trump. The legendary Hollywood director sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the release of his newest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash. During the interview, he called Trump the most narcissistic [expletive] in history since [expletive] Nero. Yeah, you can quote that, he continued. This is not the first time that Cameron has voiced his disapproval for the president. Earlier this year, Cameron made an appearance on the New Zealand podcast The [Expletive] News and said Trumps reelection was horrifying. Advertisement Advertisement I see a turn away from everything decent, Cameron said. America doesnt stand for anything if it doesnt stand for what it has historically stood for. It becomes a hollow idea, and I think theyre hollowing it out as fast as they can for their own benefit. He also said news coverage about Trump was like watching a car crash over and over and over. Speaking to The Hollywood reporter this week, he said, Im frustrated because the human race seems to be delusional about what they think is going to happen next. We are going backwards. He added that he finds solace in films like Avatar, saying, but whos to say we wouldnt be going backwards even faster if it wasnt for these films? Advertisement Advertisement Camerons newest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is in theaters Friday. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. NEED TO KNOW Parts of One Battle After Another were adapted from Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland Pynchon's book was inspired by the Weather Underground, a real-life revolutionary organization responsible for 25 bombings in the 1970s Teyana Taylor said she looked to Black Liberation Army member and convicted murderer Assata Shakur when developing her portrayal of Perfidia While the adrenaline-fueled events in One Battle After Another are fictional, Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall and Teyana Taylor's characters were inspired by real-life revolutionaries. The political dramedy, which premiered in September 2025, followed a group of once-idealistic revolutionaries whose quiet lives are upended when a new threat draws them back into the underground world they thought they had left behind. Director Paul Thomas Anderson revealed in an August 2025 Esquire interview with DiCaprio that he had been writing the screenplay for decades. Advertisement Advertisement "Twenty years ago, I started writing this story, and the kernels of it were basically just to write an action car-chase movie," the filmmaker said, noting that he based some of it on Thomas Pynchons 1990 novel Vineland. "Vineland was always going to be too hard to adapt, so I stole the parts that spoke to me and just started running like a thief," Anderson explained. "I guess thats what all us writers do were f------ thieves." Like Pynchons book, One Battle After Another was also inspired by the real-life radical movements that emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s. In a September 2025 interview with Radio Times, DiCaprio revealed that Anderson drew inspiration for the French 75 from the Weather Underground, a real-life revolutionary organization, while Taylor opened up about looking to Black Liberation Army activist Assata Shakur when developing her character, Perfidia. So, is One Battle After Another based on a true story? Here's everything to know about the real-life revolutionaries who inspired the action-packed film. Is One Battle After Another based on a true story? Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures Benicio Del Toro as Sensei St. Carlos in 'One Battle After Another.' Benicio Del Toro as Sensei St. Carlos in 'One Battle After Another.' No, One Battle After Another isn't based on a true story. Parts of the movie were adapted from the novel Vineland, and some of the radical groups and revolutionaries were loosely inspired by real-life movements from the 1960s and 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement "Sometimes I thought I would like to adapt Thomas Pynchons Vineland, a book written in the eighties about the sixties," Anderson told DiCaprio of the film's inspiration in their Esquire interview. "But I was looking at it in the early 2000s, thinking of what the story means at that time. Cut to a whole other story that I had floating around that was about a female revolutionary." The filmmaker added that the "various strands" he'd held onto for 20 years never "went out of style." "Because whatever seems to be happening politically seems to always be the same," Anderson concluded. "Same s---, different year." Who are the French 75 based on? Denver Post via Getty Carl Laufer, a former member of the Weathermen, in 1981. Carl Laufer, a former member of the Weathermen, in 1981. DiCaprio told Radio Times that Anderson based his character's fictional French 75 militant group on real-life revolutionaries known as the Weather Underground, who "were fighting imperialism, the Vietnam War, civil rights." Advertisement Advertisement "[They were] multicultural people that then had to sort of scatter like rats around the country and try to assimilate themselves and disappear into everyday society, but at a time and a place they were willing to risk their life for their ideology and belief system," the actor said. Also known as the Weathermen, the group emerged as a small offshoot of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) after the organization fractured in 1969, according to the FBI. In a 1974 manifesto, members said they aimed to disrupt the empire to incapacitate it, to put pressure on the cracks. By 1975, the Weathermen had claimed responsibility for 25 bombings, including an attack on the U.S. Capitol. While their attacks generally strove to avoid civilian casualties, in March 1970, three of its own members were killed after a bomb they were building detonated inside a Greenwich Village townhouse. At the time, some members were arrested in connection with bombing plots, while others evaded authorities and remained fugitives for decades. Is Perfidia inspired by a real person? Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures ; Ozier Muhammad/Newsday RM via Getty Teyana Taylor as Perfidia in One Battle After Another ; JoAnn Chesimard, aka Assata Shakur, on October 7, 1987 in Old Havana, Cuba. Teyana Taylor as Perfidia in One Battle After Another ; JoAnn Chesimard, aka Assata Shakur, on October 7, 1987 in Old Havana, Cuba. While Anderson hasnt said Perfidia was based on a specific historical figure, Taylor said she drew on Shakur, a former member of the Black Liberation Army, when shaping her performance. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking with Radio Times, the actress recalled noticing Shakurs autobiography one of her favorite books sitting on the filmmaker's table during their early conversations about the character. "I kind of feel like it was a full circle moment," the actress and musician said. "I was just like, 'Oh, this is really dope.' And I know exactly where I want to go and what direction I want to go in for Perfidia." According to NPR, Shakur was an activist and member of the Black Panther Party who became a prominent figure in the Black liberation movement of the 1970s. She was convicted in 1977 of murder, armed robbery and other offenses stemming from a 1973 incident in which New Jersey State Troopers pulled over her and two others because their car's taillight was broken. A gunfight ensued, which left an officer and a fellow activist dead. Advertisement Advertisement Though she was sentenced to life in prison, Shakur escaped in 1979 and fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum. She lived in exile until her death on Sept. 25, 2025 a day before One Battle After Another premiered. I dont look at Perfidia and say, This is Assatas life, Taylor explained in a November 2025 interview with EurWeb. These are two women who were unapologetically themselves they stood ten toes down on what they believed in. You cant do anything but respect that. What historical events inspired One Battle After Another? Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures Leonardo Di Caprio as Bob Ferguson and Benicio Del Toro as Sensei St. Carlos in One Battle After Another. Leonardo Di Caprio as Bob Ferguson and Benicio Del Toro as Sensei St. Carlos in One Battle After Another. The pieces of One Battle After Another specifically those drawn from Vineland were loosely inspired by the leftist revolutionary groups that proliferated in the 1960s and the backlash they faced in subsequent decades. While the film updated Vinelands historical context for the 21st century, Anderson retained its core echoes of counterculture and underground movements to explore contemporary issues like police violence, racial injustice and government overreach. Advertisement Advertisement "Paul started writing this movie 20 years ago, so I don't think that it was necessarily connected to the political relevancies of today," Hall told Radio Times. "But boy does it coincide!" Taylor agreed, noting that the movie was "very relevant to what's happening today." "Why is this still relevant today?" the actress asked rhetorically. "Why are we still going through this? And where is the change? ... I definitely think that this movie will create a lot of healthy dialogue and much needed conversations that need to be had." Read the original article on People James Cameron tried to retain the social commentary aspects of "First Blood" with his script for "Rambo: First Blood Part II," but Sylvester Stallone made sure most of it was cut. Aside from having one of the most ridiculous titles in film history, "First Blood Part II" was where the franchise started to abandon so much of what made the 1982 original work. As the "Rambo" movies go, the second wasn't quite as ridiculous as the third, in which Stallone's Vietnam vet essentially takes on the entire Soviet army solo. But it did see the formerly pacifist John J. Rambo dispatch a full 75 bad guys, which, compared to his kill count of zero in "First Blood," is quite the shift. After the first film's director, Ted Kotcheff, maintained much of the social commentary contained in David Morrell's original 1972 novel, "Part II" director George P. Cosmatos clearly tried to take Rambo in a new direction. But it wasn't just Cosmatos that helped Stallone's former Green Beret transform into a superhero. In fact, he arguably wasn't responsible for it at all. Cameron penned the screenplay for the 1985 sequel, and he took Sly's character from a reluctant warrior to a bonafide action hero (just as he did with Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley in 1986's "Aliens"). Except, Cameron had some help in that regard from Stallone himself, who had previously put Rambo's defining feature in "First Blood." Indeed, Sly only agreed to star in the first movie if he could re-write the script, which he did, removing the kills and making Rambo a much more sensitive and ultimately likable character. That changed with "Part II," and while you might think all the newly-added violence was solely Cameron's contribution, it seems Stallone had also decided Rambo needed to renounce his pacifist ways. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Every Taylor Sheridan Movie, Ranked From Worst To Best Only half of James Cameron's First Blood Part II script was used Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo stands behind a fence in Rambo: First Blood Part II - Tri-Star Pictures In the early 80s, production company Carolco which would later put out James Cameron's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," the greatest action movie of all time tapped Cameron to turn Kevin Jarre's "First Blood" sequel story treatment into a full script. He wouldn't be working alone, though. Rather, he would work on his version of "First Blood Part II" before his screenplay was heavily edited by Sylvester Stallone. In an interview with Terminator Files, Cameron once recalled how he accepted the "First Blood Part II" writing gig "for the money," adding, "That film put them on the map. I admire the film's success and I'm happy for everybody involved, but I always have to distance myself from it because it's not the film I wrote it was substantially rewritten by Sylvester Stallone." Cameron's draft, titled "First Blood II: The Mission," featured the same basic story as the final movie, with Rambo returning to Vietnam to rescue prisoners of war. But the original script was, to use Cameron's description from a 1986 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "a lot heavier" and featured "a lot more character." According to the famed director, "They did wind up throwing out about the first half of it" but "kept a lot of the action," ultimately giving it a "superhero-type quality." For Cameron, it was important to maintain the exploration of Rambo's traumatized psyche from the first movie, but it seems Stallone's edits ensured most of that was jettisoned. As such, while it may seem as though Cameron was the man chiefly responsible for turning John J. Rambo into a superhero, it was in fact Stallone, despite having done all he could to keep the character grounded only three years prior. James Cameron's First Blood Part II script wasn't as violent as Sylvester Stallone's Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo stars at an arrow in Rambo: First Blood Part II - Tri-Star Pictures You can read James Cameron's "First Blood II: The Mission" script online, where you'll see how clearly it differs from the final movie. For one thing, it opens on the Veterans Administration Hospital rather than a labor facility, with Richard Crenna's Colonel Sam Trautman finding John J. Rambo in an isolation cell in the hospital's basement. Immediately, then, Cameron's version was more focused on the psychological state of its hero, but Sylvester Stallone changed that. Advertisement Advertisement Cameron also originally had Rambo working with a sidekick who provided comic relief and helped the hero with the more technological aspects of his mission. Word is that John Travolta was supposed to portray Rambo's companion, but the role was removed by Stallone, who instead included Vietnamese fighter Co Phuong Bao (Julia Nickson) as the character who assists Rambo on his mission to free the prisoners of war. Speaking of which, those prisoners had more fleshed-out backstories in Cameron's first draft, but Stallone cut most of this material in order to get to the action again, in stark contrast to how he'd approached the script for "First Blood." Cameron wanted to preserve that careful balance between action and making Rambo a sympathetic figure. His "First Blood Part II" script did contain more violence than the first movie, but it wasn't quite as gratuitous as Stallone's version. Interestingly enough, Cameron told THR that he managed to repurpose some of his original "First Blood Part II" screenplay for "Aliens" by having the characters "come back from something they were traumatized by," with the director adding, "There was a bit of that delayed stress syndrome stuff in 'Aliens' they didn't use in 'Rambo II.'" If you're looking for the easiest way to keep up with all the major movie and TV news, why not sign up to our free newsletter? You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashFilm. The newest biographical drama from Netflix tells the story of Carla Antonella Rodriguez, the celebrated activist who broke barriers as a transgender woman in South America. Queen of Coal has brought renewed interest in the story of Rodriguez and inspired many viewers to learn more about the trailblazer who worked as a miner in a time and place where women were barred from having such an occupation. A trans woman dreams of working the coal mines, but in a town steeped in superstition and patriarchy, Carla must fight to earn her place underground, the films synopsis states, per Cosmopolitan. The film stars Lux Pascal, sister of Pedro Pascal, as Rodriguez. How did Carla Antonella Rodriguez break barriers in Argentina? Rodriguez, who grew up in the Santa Cruz Province in southern Argentina, dropped out of high school at age 14 and worked as a cleaner and hairdresser assistant. Her ambition, however, was to work in the mines. After submitting an application for the job at age 18, Rodriguez was rejected. She applied again two years later, covering the fact that she is a trans woman. This time, she got the job. Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, Rodriguez sat down for an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais and talked about how she worked in the mines for years, hiding her identity. In 2012, however, Argentina passed the Gender Identity Law, aiming to protect trans people from discrimination. Still, Rodriguez said she continued to face discrimination and filed a written complaint about how she was being treated. The trailblazer said her relentless efforts brought change to the country. I hacked the system. I set the precedent. We changed history, she told El Pais. Where is Carla Antonella Rodriguez working now? Rodriguez is now working at the Rio Turbio coal mine in Argentina. She regularly gives updates about her work on social media. In recent months, Rodriguez has been speaking on panels and doing interviews to promote Queen of Coal. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez told El Pais that she looks at herself in the mirror these days and likes what she sees. To stop constantly chasing the hegemonic ideals set by the system: pretty, thin, tall. No. I have a strong, firm face, the hands of a laborer, hardened here in Patagonia, she said. This is who I am. And Im proud of who I am, of what Ive been able to achieve. The post Whats The True Story Behind Queen Of Coal On Netflix And Whats Carla Antonella Rodriguez Doing Now? appeared first on Blavity. Kanye West is officially heading back to the European stage and this time, its big. On Friday, December 19, Rolling Stone Italia confirmed that the 48-year-old Gold Digger rapper will perform a massive live concert on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The show will headline the brand-new Hellwatt Festival, with tickets set to go on sale Monday, December 22 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. The venue itself is part of what makes this announcement such a moment. RCF Arena also known as Campovolo was purpose-built for large-scale outdoor concerts and can reportedly hold up to 103,000 people, putting this on track to be one of the largest shows of Wests career. YE KANYE WEST TRAILER LIVE CONCERT JULY 18th 2026 HELLWATT FESTIVAL ITALY RCF ARENA REGGIO EMILIA PRICE: Tickets starting at 89, while supplies last. pic.twitter.com/o7DSRxDpds YEFANATICS (@yefanatics) December 21, 2025 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Organizers are billing it as a major European return and the award-winning artists first live concert in Italy. While West did appear in Italy in 2024 for two listening events and previously headlined Londons Wireless Festival in 2014, as well as Glastonbury in 2015 he hasnt committed to a full-scale European concert of this size in years. Advertisement Advertisement Not long after those festival appearances, Wests relationship with live touring began to shift. In 2016, he abruptly canceled the remainder of his Saint Pablo Tour and was later hospitalized amid reports of exhaustion and sleep deprivation. From there, his onstage moments became far less predictable. Instead of traditional tours, West leaned into event-style appearances. His 2021 Donda rollout centered on large-scale listening events in the U.S., and in 2023, he briefly popped up as a surprise guest during Travis Scotts show in Rome. Those moments kept him visible, but they didnt signal a true return to international touring. Throwback to when Travis Scott brought out Kanye West to perform 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' at his concert at Circus Maximus in Rome pic.twitter.com/Z7RDggVZf4 Travis Scott Files (@travisscottfile) July 29, 2025 Italy also comes with some recent baggage. In 2023, a planned concert at the same Reggio Emilia venue was called off before it was formally announced, with reports citing safety and logistics issues. SIGN UP for our The Voice newsletter to get access to exclusive news, interviews, insider info, sneak peeks & more That context makes the Hellwatt Festival booking feel especially intentional. According to Italian media, the festival will span three weekends in July 2026, with the "Can't Tell Me Nothing" hitmaker set to close it out on the final night. Additional artists are expected to be announced in early 2026. Advertisement Advertisement No statement from West was included in the initial announcement or ticketing information, and theres no indication the Italy date is part of a larger tour. This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Kanye West and Bianca Censori attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is headed to Italy in summer 2026 for his first live solo performance in the country. He'll be playing at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia on July 18, as part of the Hellwatt Festival, taking place over three weekends from July 4 through July 18. The venue is said to seat up to 103,000 spectators. "Europe just got louder," the venue said on social media, teasing a performance that Ticketmaster "promises to be the biggest show of his career." An early bird presale kicks off Monday at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketmaster. Ye's last solo performance in Europe was in 2014 during his Yeezus tour. More recently, in 2023, he surprised fans at Travis Scott's Circus Maximus concert in Rome, Italy. Advertisement Advertisement The announcement of Ye's Italy show comes after he was slated to perform at the Rubicon Festival in Slovakia in July 2025, which was cancelled amid backlash following his antisemitic comments. "It is with regret that we announce: Rubicon Festival will not take place this year," the festival's organizers wrote on Instagram at the time. "This was not an easy decision. Due to media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners, we were unable to deliver the festival at the standard of quality you deserve." News of Ye's performance also arrives days after a documentary about him made its streaming debut. Nico Ballesteros In Whose Name? is now available to stream on VOD platforms including Apple, Amazon, Google/YouTube and Fandango. Copyright 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Dave Chappelle made a bold declaration about Charlie Kirks death months after the conservative activist was fatally shot. In his new Netflix stand-up special, Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable, the comedian brought up the Turning Point USA founder, 31, who died while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. This is another reason its hard to talk in America, because if you talk for a living and see Charlie Kirk get murdered that way, Im gonna be honest, I was shook, Chappelle said in the special. Advertisement Advertisement He added, When all the information was still shoddy, they came out, they were like, Apparently there were transgender messages inscribed on the bullet. I was like, Oh no! Im dead as fried chicken!' Additionally, Chappelle, 52, called out people comparing Kirks murder to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And the whites were quick to say this. They said, Charlie Kirk is this generations Martin Luther King. No, hes not, he bluntly declared. Thats a reach. You know, they both got murdered in a terrible fashion, they both got shot in the neck, but thats about where those similarities end. Chappelle explained, Charlie Kirk is a mother****in internet personality. By design, fundamentally, he cant function like Dr. King. Internet n****s are negative because they have to be, cause nobody will engage them unless they say s*** that makes them upset. Thats Charlie Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement To conclude his thoughts on Kirk, the comedian asked his audience, Could you imagine if Dr. King was behaving like Charlie Kirk? Smash that like button and subscribe! Follow me for more content like this! I believe all Black people should be free change my mind.' Elsewhere in The Unstoppable, Chappelle sent a fiery message to Bill Maher in response to the Real Time With Bill Maher hosts criticism of his comments on free speech. Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable, now streaming on Netflix Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. Dave Chappelle went after Bill Maher in his new Netflix special, The Unstoppable, for criticizing his appearance at Saudi Arabias Riyadh Comedy Festival. Recently in the news, Ive been getting a lot of grief, again, because I did a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia, Chappelle said to applause. And you hear those cheers? Thats Black people. Americas whites, theyre furious. Boy, I gotta tell you something. Ive never not felt guilty about something. I dont feel guilty at all. And Bill Maher, the famous comedian, Ive known Bill since I was like, 18, 19 years old, and Ive never said this publicly, but fuck that guy. Im so fucking tired of his little smug, cracker-ass commentary. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Maher was largely positive about the Riyadh Festival, calling the participating comedians brave for breaking ground in a nation that hasnt always been welcoming for stand-up. However, Maher did take issue with Chappelle saying its easier to talk in Saudi Arabia than in America. Its not true, Maher said of Chappelles comment during an episode of Real Time. Do your hunk on Mohammed, Dave. In the special, which premiered Dec. 19, Chappelle addressed the controversial claim. I didnt tell them to put this in the paper. I just said it on stage. I said, Its easier to talk in Saudi Arabia for me than it is in America, he said. Oh, I stand ten toes on that. Dont forget what I just went through. Two years ago, I almost got canceled right here in the United States for transgender jokes. But I gotta tell you something. Transgender jokes went over very well in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Chappelle, Riyadhs lineup included Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Whitney Cummings, Aziz Ansari and more. Maher was not the only comedian to come after Riyadh. Jimmy Kimmel, David Cross, Marc Maron and Shane Gillis all spoke out against the festival. Participants like Burr and C.K. spoke very favorably about Riyadh in the wake of the backlash. Burr called the event one of the top three experiences Ive had. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. On a winter evening in Taipei, random violence erupted across two of the citys busiest metro stations. Within minutes, lives were lost, dozens were injured, and a familiar cycle followed: shock, fear, calls for more security, and questions about public safety. But for those of us in health care, this should not be framed as a failure of policing alone. It should be recognized for what it truly is: a failure of the health system long before the first blade was drawn. Random violence does not emerge from nowhere. It is rarely sudden, and almost never isolated. It is often the final visible collapse of invisible systems (untreated mental illness, social isolation, fragmented care, and repeated missed opportunities for early intervention). Metro stations like Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan Station are not just transit hubs. They are the nervous systems of a city. When violence erupts there, it reflects more than individual pathology; it reveals collective strain. Crowding, anonymity, pressure, and disconnection converge. When the system fails, the breakdown happens where the signals are most concentrated. After every such incident, hospitals become the final safety net. Emergency departments absorb the chaos. Surgeons operate through the night. Intensive care units stretch their limits. Mental health professionals are asked to intervene, but only after irreversible harm has occurred. Health care is repeatedly positioned as a reactive system, tasked with repair but denied a role in prevention. This pattern should concern clinicians. We are trained to recognize warning signs, risk factors, and deterioration trajectories. Yet when those same principles apply outside hospital walls (in communities, transit systems, and public spaces), we pretend they are beyond the scope of medicine. They are not. Mental health is not solely the domain of psychiatry. It begins in primary care, community outreach, continuity of treatment, and early identification of those drifting out of care. Every untreated psychotic episode, every interrupted follow-up, every patient lost between systems is a clinical failure, even if the consequences manifest far from the clinic. It is uncomfortable to ask these questions after acts of violence. We fear that acknowledging systemic gaps may sound like justification. It is not. Accountability and prevention are not opposites. They are inseparable. We must ask: Where was this person months before the attack? Were there encounters with the health system that went nowhere? Was treatment inaccessible, discontinued, or fragmented? Did anyone notice, and if they did, did the system allow them to act? Public transport violence is not only a security issue. It is a population health signal. When mental distress accumulates without pathways for care, it does not disappear. It erupts. As clinicians, we cannot limit our responsibility to the moment a patient arrives bleeding at the emergency department door. If we truly believe in prevention, we must advocate for mental health systems that function before crisis, not after headlines. Hospitals should not be the last line of defense. They should be part of a continuum that never allows despair to reach this point. When random violence breaks out in a metro station, it is not just a tragedy of public safety. It is a reminder that medicine, when disconnected from community and continuity, arrives too late. Gerald Kuo, a doctoral student in the Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, specializes in health care management, long-term care systems, AI governance in clinical and social care settings, and elder care policy. He is affiliated with the Home Health Care Charity Association and maintains a professional presence on Facebook, where he shares updates on research and community work. Kuo helps operate a day-care center for older adults, working closely with families, nurses, and community physicians. His research and practical efforts focus on reducing administrative strain on clinicians, strengthening continuity and quality of elder care, and developing sustainable service models through data, technology, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. He is particularly interested in how emerging AI tools can support aging clinical workforces, enhance care delivery, and build greater trust between health systems and the public. Late-night hosts reflected on a rollercoaster 2025 and Donald Trumps combative, primetime year-end address to the nation. Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Kimmel opened his final monologue of 2025 with an emotional reflection on a tumultuous year. This has been a strange year. Its been a hard year, he said. Weve had some lows. Weve had some highs. For me, maybe more than any year of my life. Kimmel, of course, endured a brief suspension of his show under pressure from the Trump administration, igniting national outcry over censorship, as well as the death of his childhood friend and longtime band leader Cleto Escobedo. Though the host said he thought the show would be gone forever, he ultimately signed a one-year contract extension with ABC. Advertisement Advertisement On behalf of all of us at the show, I just want to say that we appreciate your support, your enthusiasm, and not just for watching. This year, you literally pulled us out of a hole and we cannot thank you enough, Kimmel told the audience. I know there are a lot harder jobs, but this is not an easy job to do and sometimes it feels like were spinning our wheels. You see so many awful and destructive acts, all this damage we inflict on ourselves on purpose, and it can make you feel crazy trying to wrap your head around these things that are so clearly wrong. Related: Jimmy Kimmel on Trumps speech: Surprise primetime episode of The Worst Wing You know, you grew up reading Superman, and you learn to value truth, justice and the American way, and then you start to realize, especially over the last year, you dont know where that all went, he continued. You dont know what the American way even is any more. But when I hear from people who tell me that they watch our show and the shows that my friends and colleagues do on the other channels and that it makes them feel less crazy. It makes me feel less crazy too, and I think thats an important thing. I also think its important that we as Americans let our friends in other countries who watch the show on YouTube, on Instagram, Hulu, wherever, know that a lot of us are not OK with what is happening, he added. There is still much more good in this country than bad, and we hope that you will bear with us during this extended psychotic episode that were in the middle of. Advertisement Advertisement Kimmel then turned to Trumps end-of-year message on prime time, which constituted 18 straight minutes of him yelling. Its like the whole country got to experience what it was like to be Eric in the eighth grade. And while his delivery was erratic, his message was insane, he added before several clips that seemed outlandish even for the outlandish president. There were so many lies. Eleven factcheckers died watching that speech last night, Kimmel joked. At some points, it was hard to tell if he was giving a speech or having a seizure on TV. Seth Meyers On Late Night, Seth Meyers also combed through Trumps primetime address in which the president once again tried to convince people that actually, things are great, and if theyre not, its the Democrats fault. Related: Jimmy Kimmel on Trumps Rob Reiner comments: So hateful and vile Advertisement Advertisement Trump claimed, among other things, that other countries were not laughing any more at the US, that the worst thing that the Biden administration did to our country is the invasion at the border and that Democrats were demanding the increase in health premiums. Also: One year ago our country was dead. We were absolutely dead. Our country was ready to fail, totally fail. Now were the hottest country anywhere in the world. The whole spectacle made Meyers exclaim: Stop yelling at us, grandpa! If you dont want us to come home and visit you at the retirement home on Christmas, well happily stay where we are. Also, Im sorry, but if you need to tell people that America is the hottest country in the world, that means its not, he added. If youre walking through midtown and someone hands you a flyer that says the hottest club in Times Square, dont go there. It will just be you and 50 dads from Wisconsin trying to figure out how a beer can cost $23. The speech was so unhinged and so full of obvious lies that CNNs factchecker had to race through them and still ran out of time, he concluded. Americans are struggling with rising costs and a slowing economy, and instead of demonstrating empathy and a plan to fix it, Trumps just scolding everyone through the TV. Stephen Colbert I think years from now, well all remember where we were when we did not watch Donald Trumps speech last night, said Stephen Colbert on the Late Show. Advertisement Advertisement The White House requested that all major national networks pre-empt their 9pm ET programming, a big ask that usually only happens for something really big, like George W Bush declaring the war on terror, Obama revealing that American forces had killed Bin Laden, or Joe Biden announcing that the Amtrak dining car now has warm cookies. Related: Stephen Colbert on Susie Wiless candid interviews: She dished, bish The big national emergency this time? As Trump put it: Good evening, America. Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess and Im fixing it. Colbert launched into his Trump impression: And its gonna be great. Do not be alarmed that the forest has begun to reclaim the White House. And I know theres no one in this tiny room but me and the cameraman right there, but weve made sure to crank up this giant mic so that it covers my waddle. Advertisement Advertisement Im not sure what the emergency was here other than his poll numbers, because he just played the old hits, he explained, including transphobia, crime and words such as that just absolutely forbidden. Yes, words such as that were absolutely forbidden, Colbert mocked. Under Biden you couldnt say that. You had to say this, but over there. But under Donald Trump were finally saying Merry That-mas again. It seems like even Trump might have felt uncertain about his performance, he continued, because after the combative address, the president reportedly turned to the press and said: You think thats easy? Giving that speech? Yeah, I do, Colbert responded. Watching it, on the other hand For those who enjoy the occasional drive-through dinner, witnessing the vanishing act of seasonal specials and value items is not uncommon. The routine stuff stays put, but the limited-time offers can change monthly or quarterly. There are many possible reasons an item might be discontinued, and they can vary depending on the menu and product in question. On most occasions, a menu bids farewell to an item because of financial reasons. Most restaurants tend to operate on slim margins. While larger chains often have a better go of it, they're no exception. In an attempt to optimize processes and maximize efficiency, menus are often trimmed down to streamline operations. What remains are the items that are cost-efficient, well-loved, and simpler to produce leaving novelty items adrift. From sandwiches so dearly missed they've garnered petitions to bring them back to those with their own dedicated Facebook pages, these 10 sandwiches vanished from fast food menus across the country for several reasons, with no return in sight. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Popular Panda Express Menu Items, Ranked Worst To Best 1. Popeyes - Po' Boy popeyes po boy sandwich - Peep This Out /YouTube Before the Classic Chicken Sandwich cemented its place among Popeyes' best items, the Chicken Po' Boy was the fried chicken sandwich you didn't want to miss. If you're unfamiliar, the concept of the po' boy sandwich more formally known as "poor boy" was coined in New Orleans in 1929. It's a sandwich served on New Orleans-style French bread, typically stuffed with fried seafood and accompanied by lettuce, mayonnaise, and pickles. The sandwich's deep regional history made it a no-brainer for the Louisiana-born chain to carry some iteration on its menu, which it did beginning in 2003. Popeyes' version of the Louisiana classic featured its signature chicken tenders, shredded lettuce, pickles and mayonnaise, tucked inside a roll of French bread. Customers could order it mild or spicy, depending on their preference. Despite its relative popularity, the chain officially discontinued the Chicken Po' Boy in 2019 in a move that saddened many customers. Shortly after, the Classic Chicken Sandwich was released, and the rest is history. 2. Subway - Seafood Sensation Two hands hold Subway's Seafood Sensation topped with lettuce and tomato. - subwaycayman / Instagram Seafood from Subway might not be at the top of your list, especially if the chain's tuna controversy is on the brain. Yet for many, the chance to enjoy a taste of the sea in their sub with the Seafood Sensation (previously referred to as the Seafood & Crab Sandwich) was the chain's main draw. The Subway menu described the sandwich as having chunks of seafood in a creamy mayo sauce. Just like most of the subs on the menu, you could select your choice of vegetables and bread. Advertisement Advertisement Subway never released an official reason for discontinuing the sandwich in late 2018, although expenses and lack of demand may have been contributing factors. Since its removal, fans have petitioned for the sandwich to reclaim its spot on Subway menus. While there are plenty of copycat Seafood Sensation recipes out there, a trip to the Grand Cayman Islands or Australia would also reunite fans with their beloved sub, as Subways in both locations still carry the sandwich. 3. Taco Bell - Bell Beefer Sloppy joe sandwich with lettuce - Ezume Images/Shutterstock When a burger craving hits, most people wouldn't consider making a beeline for their local Taco Bell. Rewind the clock a few decades or so, and avid consumers of the chain in its early days might have done just that, ordering Taco Bell's Bell Beefer. An early version of the Bell Beefer, originally known as the Bellburger, was part of the chain's initial menu iterations in the '70s. Founder Glen Bell wanted to offer a non-taco option for customers as a way to compete with other burger chains at the time. The sandwich was sort of like a sloppy joe sandwich, consisting of ground meat, diced onions, shredded lettuce, and hot sauce. For an upcharge, customers could tack on shredded cheese and diced tomatoes. There were even some stores that offered a deluxe version featuring the addition of fried shrimp, tuna, and Taco Bell's very own tartar sauce. While the Bell Beefer tapered off in popularity in the 1990s, the chain decided to bring it back for a limited time in 2012 at select locations. At the time, die-hard Bell Beefer fans in San Francisco even held rallies known as "Stank Festivals" in an attempt to convince the chain to bring the sandwich back full-time. Their lobbying proved itself unsuccessful, but thousands of avid Bell Beefer enthusiasts have continued to carry the torch as members of the Facebook page "Taco Bell Please Bring back the Bell Beefer." 4. Burger King - Veal Parmigiana Sandwich Burger King's Veal Parmigiana Sandwich rests against a Burger King soda cup. - Burger King/YouTube For those who dared venture beyond the classic charbroiled burger, Burger King had an Italian-inspired, highly controversial item to offer in the 1980s the Veal Parmigiana Sandwich. An early commercial featured the sandwich on a sesame-seed-studded roll and described it as being smothered in sauce, with plenty of cheese-covered veal. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, veal was losing its popularity as a protein pick on most American tables. Animal rights activists were beginning to uncover and spread information about veal's origins, giving the sandwich barely any time to gain widespread popularity before becoming the target of groups like PETA. Multiple animal rights activism groups banded together to form the Boycott Burger King Coalition not long after the item was advertised, protesting outside restaurants in an attempt to get the sandwich taken off the menu. The sandwich disappeared from most menus across the country by 1983. While Burger King never acknowledged mounting pressure from the coalition as the reason for its demise, the animal rights activists gave themselves the credit. 5. KFC - Cheetos Sandwich A pair of hands hold two KFC Cheetos sandwiches against each other. - Noam Galai/Getty In 2019, KFC and Cheetos teamed up for a limited-time collaboration to celebrate the two brands. The result of that celebration was the finger-lickin'-good Cheetos Sandwich. The sandwich featured a crispy chicken filet, a drizzle of Cheetos sauce, Cheetos, and mayonnaise stuffed in a soft, toasted bun. Think about the elements that make a potato chip sandwich work the crunch of the chips, the soft bite of the bread, the rich butter and it's not hard to picture how this cheesy, crunchy sandwich won over fans of both brands. One reviewer at The Takeout described the sauce as "Cheetos in oil form, as if cheesy dust was blended into melted butter." While the sandwich was well-adored, it was only ever meant to be a limited-time offering. After one successful month, the Cheetos Sandwich disappeared. Unless Chester and the Colonel have an upcoming meeting on the books, this one is likely gone for good. 6. McDonald's - McStuffins McDonald's Mcstuffin with drink - YouTube Over the years, many items have circulated on and off the McDonald's menu. This includes items many people have never even heard of, like the McDonald's McStuffins, originally released in 1993. McStuffins were baked sandwiches featuring French bread stuffed with a variety of toppings, including teriyaki chicken, barbecued beef, pepperoni pizza, and cheesesteak. In a 1993 commercial, it was even advertised that McDonald's would be baking its own French bread for the sandwich. Advertisement Advertisement While it might have tasted fine, the Hot-Pocket-lookalike was short-lived on the McDonald's menus it was rolled out on. The appeal of a Hot Pocket is its convenience, and McDonald's managed to overcomplicate its version of it. Most people weren't stopping by the burger chain for fresh-baked bread and teriyaki chicken, so it's no wonder McStuffins had a short run. In a move that surprised no one, the chain discontinued its McStuffins within the same year they were released. 7. Wendy's - Grilled Chicken Sandwich Wendy's Grilled Chicken Sandwich rests on top of branded table with lettuce and tomato peeking out from edge of the bun. - Deutschlandreform/Shutterstock For nearly 30 years, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich at Wendy's held its own on the chain's menu. The sandwich consisted of a juicy, herb-marinated chicken breast, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato on a grilled bun. In a sea of fried chicken sandwiches, Wendy's held onto its grilled chicken option longer than other large chains that opted to streamline their menus. It wasn't until 2023 that Wendy's discontinued its Grilled Chicken Sandwich and replaced it with a Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap. The wrap was part of the new spring menu and featured a chopped herb-marinated chicken breast, similar to what was in the sandwich, as well as shredded cheese, lettuce, and ranch. Avid lovers of the Grilled Chicken Sandwich mourned the loss on social media, citing feelings of betrayal and disappointment at a lack of healthy options at fast food chains. The sandwich is likely gone for good, with many Reddit users citing a lack of sales at their respective Wendy's locations and cost efficiency as the reason for its departure. 8. Chick-fil-A - Chicken Salad Sandwich chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce - Putu Dewi Marnadi/Shutterstock While fried and grilled chicken sandwiches are a dime a dozen at fast food chains these days, Chick-fil-A's Chicken Salad Sandwich seemed like a standalone in its prime. Featuring chopped chicken, celery, pickle relish, mayonnaise, and chopped hard-boiled eggs, the sandwich was served on fresh wheat bread. Unfortunately, Chick-fil-A discontinued it in 2019, citing a desire to simplify its menu as part of its reasoning for eliminating the item. Advertisement Advertisement "The decision to remove Chicken Salad from the menu was a difficult one," wrote Chick-fil-A in a statement to Today. "We know that many of our customers loved our Chicken Salad, but we have also heard from guests that they are looking for new tastes and fresh flavors on the menu in our restaurants." For those who can't find a comparable sandwich elsewhere, a copycat version of Chick-fil-A's chicken salad recipe to recreate at home can be found online. 9. Dunkin' Donuts - Oven-Toasted Chicken Parmesan Flatbread Sandwich Person holds partially wrapped flatbread sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts in hands. - Joe Raedle/Getty In an attempt to capitalize on the ever-growing popularity of chicken sandwiches in the 2000s, Dunkin' Donuts' Oven-Toasted Chicken Parmesan Flatbread Sandwich was born. It joined a preexisting lineup of flatbread sandwiches at the chain, including Ham & Swiss, Turkey Cheddar & Bacon, and Grilled Cheese. The Chicken Parm sandwich featured lightly breaded chicken, melty provolone cheese, and marinara sauce tucked neatly into a flatbread. Like most fast-food items, the sandwich was heavily marketed with convenience in mind. After all, who would opt for a sit-down chicken parmigiana at lunchtime when you could swing through your local drive-through and take one to-go? Despite the positive marketing, this particular flatbread's lifespan was short-lived. Some customers took issue with the $3.99 price tag at the time, believing it to be too expensive for a fast-food chicken parm. On the flip side, plenty of others have expressed a desire on Reddit for the flatbread to come back to Dunkin' menus. 10. Culver's - Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich Culver's haved Prime Rib Sandwich and Prime Rib and Mushroom Melt - Culver's/Facebook When Culver's comes to mind, odds are high that it conjures images of juicy ButterBurgers and colorful swirls of frozen custard. Yet the chain's sandwich game, from the Beef Pot Roast to the Grilled Reuben Melt, pulls its own weight just fine. The one that reigned supreme for many was a hearty Midwestern classic the Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich. The sandwich was served on a hoagie roll packed with slices of oven-roasted prime rib, red onions, and melty Wisconsin Swiss cheese. Customers could choose additional toppings, including lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. Advertisement Advertisement Reviews were mixed when it came to the Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich. Some described it as delicious, while others declared they would never recommend it to anyone else. Some speculate that the sandwich was removed from menus due to its high sodium content, which rang in at a whopping 1,245 mg. For context, the optimal goal for most Americans, according to the American Heart Association, is 1,500 mg per day (though more realistic recommendations are around 2,300 mg). For more food and drink goodness, join our newsletter and add us as a preferred search source. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on Mashed. Spain is a country whose charm stays with travelers long after they've left. Packed with amazing architecture, diverse landscapes, and food that justifies the hype, this European destination readily caters to the whims and wanderlust of the intrepid traveler. You can't blame anyone for wanting to book their well-deserved holidays to Spain, but the sheer volume of travelers visiting the country during the summer has prompted the Spanish government to ramp up its efforts in combating overtourism. If you aren't thrilled about the prospect of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds along the cobblestone streets of Barcelona's Las Ramblas or fighting for sandy real estate on the shores of a Mallorcan playa, booking travel during the shoulder months around March to May, then September to November marks the year's sweet spots for a Spanish getaway. "Unlike busy peak seasons, shoulder seasons are periods when places see fewer tourists, yet are not quite as sleepy as the off-season; it's more so the period between the two," travel expert Katy Nastro told Travel + Leisure. The rewards of traveling outside peak tourist season are tenfold: airfares are lower, hotel accommodations plentiful, and streets blessedly emptied of tourist throngs. You get to observe locals go about their normal routine, a glimpse into the cadence of the city; maybe you'll even get to flex your Spanish conversational skills with them. Most importantly, you get to experience all this under Spain's year-round warm, pleasant weather, which makes it one of Europe's top three sunniest countries for digital nomads and sunshine seekers. Start looking into these five Spanish destinations that thrive once the summer tourists are gone. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 25 Gorgeous Islands For Vacationing That Won't Break The Bank Mallorca A deserted beach in Mallorca - Jotily/Getty Images When the summer beachgoers pack up their towels and the rowdy parties quiet down, the Mediterranean island of Mallorca is restored to its residents and the handful of travelers eager to discover the island's offerings without the crowds. Winters in Mallorca are rainy and cool, but April marks a turning point as longer, warmer days start to set in. Restaurants and hotels that went into winter hibernation begin to open back up in early spring, per Go World Travel Magazine. Paired with affordable accommodations, the pleasant weather is ideal for exploring the calmer side of Mallorca. It's the perfect time to hike or bike the roads and paths of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its sweeping natural landscape that's studded with charming mountain villages; Deia, Valldemossa, or Fornalutx are towns worth exploring. The beaches remain alluring even after summer ends, with sea temperatures averaging 72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit in September and October. Devoid of summer crowds, there's simply more space literally and figuratively to take in Palma de Mallorca's famous sites like the Gothic cathedral La Seu, contemporary art museum Es Baluard, or the refreshingly empty Old Town streets. Summing up the magic of Mallorca in the shoulder season, a Redditor wrote, "What is absolutely beautiful: The light. Visiting the towns of the tramuntana is kinda magical in the late fall. You really get the feeling that everything slows down and that you get the places for yourself. It's slightly melancholic, but I really liked it." La Rioja Autumn vineyards of La Rioja - Francisco Franco/Getty Images Grape harvests kick off in La Rioja in September as peak season dwindles notes Travels Around Spain, and it is accompanied by the lovely autumnal color palette of red and yellow vineyard leaves, blue skies, and the verdant hues of the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range in the distance. It's a photogenic backdrop to the wine-centric activities that take place in the region, which is home to more than 500 wineries that cultivate the famed Rioja reds. Advertisement Advertisement The weather reaches indulgent temperatures of 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit in September and October in some areas, making activities like winery tours, breathtaking viewpoint hikes, and visits to the region's numerous castles and fortresses all the more enjoyable. Make your way to the region's capital city, Logrono, for the Rioja Wine Harvest Festival, where week-long festivities celebrate Saint Matthew's feast and the wine harvest. On the agenda are grape-stomping, street parades, and zurracapote (a sangria-like red wine cocktail) competitions, which culminate in a vat-lighting closing ceremony. In the springtime, the vineyards come alive with color as the brown vines start sprouting and budding, per Rioja Wine. Drop by the towns of Nalda and Iregua in April to drink in the sights and scents of plum trees in full bloom, marked by the annual Plum Blossom Festival. Seville Autumn light from Seville's Plaza de Espana - Sami Auvinen/Getty Images Seasoned traveler Rick Steves refers to this soulful and vibrant southern Spanish city as a 'perpetual fiesta' but it's hard to keep your cool in Seville in the summer, literally and figuratively. Not only do temperatures hold steady at an average 82 degrees Fahrenheit in July and August (earning it the moniker "the frying pan of Europe"), but you'll be battling it out in the city with throngs of fellow tourists who thought Seville in the summer was a good idea. In the late spring and early fall, Seville weather hovers at a balmy 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, neither too warm nor too cold to soak in Seville's must-sees, starting with a trio of World Heritage UNESCO Sites: the Alcazar, the Seville Cathedral, and the General Archive of the Indies. Visiting the majestic Plaza de Espana or the 16th-century Casa de Pilatos during shoulder season gives travelers enough room to take in the architecture without the crush of tourists and the unrelenting summer sun. Advertisement Advertisement The city thrives in the festival spirit when March and April roll around. Easter Sunday falls roughly a week after the first full moon following the spring equinox, typically between March 22 and April 25. During Semana Santa, expect processions of ornate floats (pasos) from different brotherhoods paraded through the streets and accompanied by marching bands all week, culminating in Easter Sunday celebrations. Santiago de Compostela Visitor with backpack sitting on the steps of Obradoiro Square - Soloviova Liudmyla/Shutterstock It's hard not to associate Santiago de Compostela with the Camino de Santiago, the famous sacred route walked by pilgrims since the Middle Ages to pay their respects to James the Apostle's relics. The pilgrimage, whose starting point is more than 450 miles away in France's Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, ends at Santiago de Compostela's Cathedral. With July and August being the peak months for route walkers, Santiago de Compostela brims with weary pilgrims and the tourists in the summer. Even though you aren't walking the pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela is worth a visit. Doing so in the shoulder season rewards you with cool temperatures, albeit rainy and humid at times. Shoulder season brings highs and lows of 72 and 43 degrees Fahrenheit respectively cool enough to amble around the Old Town, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. There will be more room to drink in the Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque influences of the Cathedral's architecture, as well as the numerous churches, convents, and squares dotted around town. Fewer tourists also means getting to linger to your heart's content at the Old Town's Mercado de Abastos, a popular food market. Enjoy the array of seafood fresh from the Galician coastline, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and other local specialities like wine or empanadas. Valencia Person with scarf riding a bike down Valencia's uncrowded streets - Martin-dm/Getty Images There is more to Valencia than paella that lures travelers to Spain's third-largest city. Nestled along the Mediterranean Sea, this sun-drenched city boasting a yearly average of 300 sunny days is armed with myriad offerings for foodies, beachgoers, and culture-seekers. Tourists naturally gravitate to Valencia's beaches in the summertime, but if the heat isn't for you, Valencia shines as brightly outside the peak season and with fewer crowds to boot. Advertisement Advertisement Sea temps can reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit in May and linger at around 66 degrees Fahrenheit in November, acceptable temperatures for brisk dips in the water. Without the crippling summer heat and tourist crowds, Valencia is visibly more relaxing during the shoulder months, allowing travelers to explore the city at a much more leisurely pace. The abundance of green urban spaces, which rightfully earned the city a European Green Capital Award in 2024, make for pleasant strolls; and the flatness of the Old Town's streets make biking around the city a joy. Climbing the 207 steps of Valencia Cathedral's Miguelete Tower is more bearable in cooler weather; so is dining al fresco in the many restaurants and bars of the L'Eixample or Benimaclet districts. On the hunt for authentic paella? Head 14 miles south to Albufera. Not only is it the city's natural park with a large lagoon and dreamy sunsets, but it's also where paella was invented, as Valencia City's official website proudly declares. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. Group Travel Company Much Better Adventures (MBA) has just released new booking data pointing to six major adventure travel trends for 2026. Based on real booking data, theyve shared six adventure travel trends that will shape travel in 2026 from micro-expeditions to wildlife excursions. Below, Sam Bruce, Much Better Adventures cofounder and CMO, shares his insight on what these six travel trends and behaviors could look like as we approach the new year. Micro-expeditions go mainstream Much Better Adventures Data from the MBAs trend report shows a surge in micro-expeditions to off-grid itineraries such as Kyrgyzstan. MBA saw a 119% increase in travelers to Kyrgyzstan in 2025, with another surge expected for 2026. Micro-expeditions hit that sweet spot for people who want big-expedition energy without sacrificing all their annual leave, says Bruce. Adventurous travelers want a true sense of discovery when they travel. They want to really immerse themselves in a place that still feels authentic and wild, but they also have a limited amount of paid time off. Theyre properly wild, remote, story-worthy experiences that feel big and meaningful, yet they fit into modern life. If you book on a small group adventure, you can explore places like Kyrgyzstan without needing to take months off, he shares. Per Bruce, destinations like Kyrgyzstan have seen a significant rise in popularity as people realize how much beauty there is to explore there. Solo, but not isolated Much Better Adventures Small group adventures are also trending, offering an excellent option for solo travelers (who account for over 70% of MBAs upcoming bookings). According to Bruce, this is a direct result of the cultural shift that has taken place over the last decade. Advertisement Advertisement The stigma around solo travel has almost gone completely, and more people now especially millennials and Gen Z are feeling empowered to book experiences on their own terms, he shares. Theres only so long you can wait for 10 people in a WhatsApp group to line up their schedules before you want to go and see the world. People realize lifes just too short to hang around waiting for other people to do the things they want to do! Additionally, the rise in solo travel and small-group adventures aligns with broader social trends. A small-group format gives solo travelers independence without isolation. You join like-minded people, and the adventure itself becomes the social glue. We dug into this angle specifically with our community and found 9/10 people would recommend joining one of our trips to make new friends, and 75% have met people on our trips they now consider friends, he shares. Adventure without compromise Much Better Adventures The time for roughing it is fadingand data suggests travelers want adventurous days and comfortable nights. Adventure is always at the heart of our experiences big natural landscapes, rewarding activities, local expertise, and real immersion. The difference with our Premium Collection is simply what you come back to at night. By partnering with locally owned boutique stays and keeping our groups small, we can offer that sought-after comfort without diluting the cultural and environmental authenticity people come for in the first place. Our premium offerings really came from listening to what our community wanted. Its a natural extension of our current offering a collection for people who still want a serious, year-defining adventure, but know themselves well enough to say Do you know what, Id also quite like a hot shower and a comfy bed at the end of the day, says Bruce. E-biking unlocks endurance Jean Fourche / Pexels E-biking has become a gateway to adventure travel. MBAs most popular e-bike trip of 2025 was Hike, E-Bike, and Wine in Italys Prosecco Hills. 2026 bookings are led by the Cycle the Jordan Trail to Petra and E-Bike Costa Rica from Coast to Coast. Bruce explains that e-biking offers an excellent experience for mixed-fitness groups, couples, and adventure-curious travelers who want to jump into trips they wouldnt have otherwise joined. Advertisement Advertisement E-bikes open up routes and experiences that might have previously felt intimidating or off-limits before, including those that go over mountain passes or have a lot of incline involved, he shares. Local flavors over fine dining Emily Caldwell / The Manual Food-led trips have grown by 236% in 2025 for Much Better Adventures.Food is a shortcut to understanding a places culture. Trying local dishes when you travel isnt just about fun quirks and new flavours, its actually about unlocking the essence of the destination, says Bruce. Anthony Bourdain said it well when he called food an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, personal history, of a province, region, a tribe, and an extension of your grandmother. Our travelers want adventure and views, but they also want to connect with the people and the place. Building trips around food does that beautifully, he shares. Wildlife watching James Ward Booking data also shows a rising interest in conservation and wildlife experience (MBA saw a 25% increase in wildlife watching bookings in 2025). People are tired of passive wildlife tourism, Bruce shares. They want to feel part of something that protects the places they visit. People want to understand ecosystems, meet the experts protecting them, and know that their presence contributes to their conservation rather than harms them. Thats when tourism is at its best when it brings value to a local community, empowering them to protect and look after the place where they live. The thrill is still there, but grounded in a deeper purpose. IKEA is known worldwide for its remarkable selection of furniture, appliances, and general decor, all of which make it a must-visit store for those looking to furnish or revamp their living space. However, while there are plenty of things at IKEA that can come in handy in your kitchen some for under $10, even one of the nicest things about any visit to the store is getting to enjoy its restaurant and bistro. Both are often found adjacent to the checkout area and carry an assortment of delicious foods that you can't buy anywhere else. IKEA's food court, which has origins dating back to 1950s Sweden, has become a legendary aspect of the retailer's identity. Despite many writing about its delicious Swedish meatballs in particular, one can argue that the several sweet desserts you can purchase are where the store's food truly shines the most. Four of IKEA's delicious treats are available at its restaurant, which has proper entrees and meals for you to order that take longer to make and eat. An additional two can be found at the bistro which is designated specifically for smaller, quicker snacks. However, you'll be getting a great dessert regardless of which station you're at, as all six of IKEA's sweeter offerings have something special that makes them worthy of going out of your way to taste when at the iconic furniture store. Read more: Grocery Store Fried Chicken Ranked IKEA Restaurant chocolate cake A top-down view of a slice of the chocolate cake from IKEA on a white plate - IKEA Nothing finishes off a meal quite like a rich piece of chocolate cake. While the recipe and size of the signature cake have evolved over the years, the item currently consists of a frosting (which many believe is a kind of ganache) wrapped around several layers within the cake. While it's not exactly known what makes up each of the layers of the center, they all come together to create a delicious, brownie-like taste. While many will swear by old versions of the sweet staple item like the Chocolate Conspiracy Cake and the Chocolate Overload Cake, the current iteration is more than capable of getting the job done for any fan of the flavor visiting IKEA's food court. IKEA Restaurant Swedish apple cake A white plate with IKEA's Swedish apple cake on it - IKEA Spain An item much more unique to IKEA's identity, the Swedish apple cake is a longtime favorite of fans of Swedish pastries, and the furniture store's rendition of it does a great job of showing why. With a crumbly top layer and a spongy, almost creamy apple filling below (which features chunks of apples for good measure), the dessert is one you won't regularly find in the United States and is thus subject to many copycat recipe-makers online attempting to match its greatness at home. Nevertheless, the novelty and remarkable taste of the dessert make it a great option for switching things up at the IKEA Swedish Restaurant. IKEA Restaurant caramel almond cake A top-down view of the IKEA caramel almond cake on a white plate - IKEA Another IKEA item that has made massive Swedish dessert fans out of many of the store's customers is the caramel almond cake. Much like the store's chocolate cake, the caramel almond cake utilizes a ganache, but this time pairs it with almonds, a custard-based filling, and either caramel or butterscotch, depending on what sugar is being used to make it. This creates an incredibly sweet dessert with a taste that some have compared to a candy bar. However, the custardy insides are what really take it up a notch, giving it an incredibly appetizing texture for customers to enjoy. IKEA Restaurant strawberry shortcake A top-down view of IKEA's strawberry shortcake on a white plate - IKEA Advertisement Advertisement Another more standard dessert at IKEA's disposal is its strawberry shortcake, a treat made by countless different bakers and restaurants, but one that the store still manages to put its spin on all the same. According to one IKEA employee, the dessert is similar to others on the market but is made unique through the use of both buttercream and a high-quality strawberry jam, both of which need to be chilled to maintain the layers. These ingredients alongside the remarkably light and fluffy yellow cake that contains them really make the classic dessert something to seek out at the retailer, even if the item is a relatively simple one. IKEA Bistro cinnamon bun A pan of six IKEA cinnamon buns on a white background - IKEA Shifting over to what you'll find at the IKEA Swedish Bistro, the store's cinnamon buns are arguably the most legendary dessert available at the global retailer. The large cinnamon rolls are as decadent as they come, with many calling them among the best versions of the world-renowned treat. While the IKEA cinnamon bun more closely resembles the globally recognizable version of the dessert rather than the Swedish cinnamon bun known as the kanelbulle which is almost exclusively available in Sweden it still has a unique charm and flavor that is unlike any other. Plus, at merely $1.50 per bun, the treat is among the most cost-effective at the store. IKEA Bistro soft serve ice The IKEA strawberry soft serve ice on a white background - IKEA Finally, an item that has been lauded as the most underrated item at either of the retailer's food stations, the IKEA Swedish Bistro's soft serve ice is legitimately top-notch, according to several frequent customers. The store has two versions of the treat: vanilla, a favorite of many who enjoy a more classical ice cream flavor, and strawberry, which is entirely plant-based and made with strawberry puree and other fruit-centric ingredients. This vegan soft serve which is sometimes referred to as a sorbet was first rolled out in 2019 in Europe and has since become a mainstay stateside, with some even expressing their preference for the dairy-free version. Nevertheless, both versions of IKEA's soft serve ice can be bought either in a cup or on a cone, making the dessert even more customizable. Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Daily Meal. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that time is an ingredient for whiskey, but the entire category is deeply entrenched in history. It's fascinating to learn the stories of distilleries passed down through generations of different families, distilleries that survived the Prohibition, and so on it's a delicious thread woven into the fabric of American history overall. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a national historic landmark because the Kentucky institution is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States. But did you know there's an even older American whiskey distillery, and it's not from the two most famous whiskey states? Old Overholt Rye was officially established in 1810 in West Overton, Pennsylvania. That was 59 years before Buffalo Trace's own official founding in 1869. Buffalo Trace is often referred to as the country's oldest whiskey brand because it's the oldest continuously operated brand, meaning that its whiskey has been produced every year since 1859. Old Overholt is known as a "continually maintained" brand, meaning that while the company existed, it wasn't necessarily producing whiskey during all of its years in operation. This might be why Buffalo Trace tends to steal the spotlight, despite the fact Old Overholt's got its own intriguing backstory. Henry Oberholzer settled onto farmland in Pennsylvania pre-1800 and began growing rye to distill with. The German "Oberholzer" name eventually Anglicized into "Overholt." In 1810, Henry's son Abraham took over the distilling business and really scaled it up. The rye whiskey developed a following, and increased from producing 12 gallons a day to 860 gallons a day in 1859. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: The 30 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked How Old Overholt's business and legacy evolved Hand pouring bottle of Old Overholt rye into glass - Beam Distilling Old Overholt would be passed down into good hands for a stretch. Abraham Overholt's grandson happened to be the already-wealthy Henry Clay Frick, who took control of the whiskey brand in 1881 and recruited Andrew Mellon as a partner. Later, the brand was labeled according to the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, ensuring high-quality whiskey. Things got complicated with the Prohibition looming, though. Mellon obtained a medicinal whiskey production license from the government in order to keep Old Overholt alive during the liquor ban, but after Frick's death, Mellon sold his shares of the company. In 1932, the National Distillers Products Corporation purchased the brand. The brand continued changing hands, the rye's proof and age standards changing each time, too. In 1951, production halted at the original distillery. It's believed the whiskey was then made elsewhere in Pennsylvania, but the precise location is unclear. James B. Beam Distilling Co. bought Old Overholt in 1987, moving the operation to Kentucky. Within the last several years, Old Overholt has returned to the spotlight. It's tasty on its own but also one of the best whiskeys for cooking and a great option to use in sazeracs. The shift arguably reflects the changing popularity of the overall rye category. Bourbon often gets the shine of being a quintessentially American spirit, but Dutch and German settlers used rye to make their whiskey in America as early as the 1600s. Because they landed around Pennsylvania, rye boomed there for generations. But post-Prohibition, there weren't as many rye distilleries left in the area as there were existing and new bourbon distilleries in the South. Bourbon dominated for decades, but many imbibers are embracing rye's unique spiciness again today. Advertisement Advertisement Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Dec. 20Local bakers submitted nearly 40 batches of cookies in the 2025 Dayton Daily News Holiday Cookie Contest. The holiday cookie contest returned two years ago after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contestants submitted their best, easy-to-follow cookie recipes and we had our staff do the baking for the last two years, due to post-COVID precautions. This year, we asked bakers to don their aprons again and bring one dozen of their favorite cookies to our downtown Dayton office. Advertisement Advertisement The winner of the cookie contest was Dana Tatar of Oakwood with her White Chocolate Cranberry Jelly Filled Cookies. She created this recipe with her 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett, who is an aspiring baker. "We created this cookie recipe together using our favorite cakey cookie dough base," Tatar said. "We filled the cookies with cranberry-cherry preserves and flavored the dough with cardamom to add a festive citrusy spice flavor. The white chocolate bottom adds a fun crunch to our chewy cookie and the freeze-dried raspberries bring a tart finish." This is not the first time they have won the holiday cookie contest. In 2023, they took home first place for their Festive Stuffed Cookie Butter Cookies. This recipe uses the same cookie dough base. Advertisement Advertisement Tatar said she and her daughter make a good team. "She's really creative, and she has the patience for decorating that I don't have," Tatar said. "I'm like, "Let's just eat these already," and she's like, "Why don't we decorate it?" The whole white chocolate and the crushed raspberries, that was all her." It took them about three or four tries to perfect this recipe. "We think these cookies have the best flavors of the holiday season in one bite," Tatar said. The second-place winner was Rebekah Lermond of Union with her Frosted Chai Cookies. Advertisement Advertisement "I found this recipe one day when I was trying to find something different to make," Lermond said. "It was a recipe for apple cider cookies but when I went to make them, I realized I was out of apple cider." Lermond is a lover of anything chai, so she decided to change it up a bit. "After I made them, I thought it needed a little more, so I added the frosting/glaze to it," Lermond said. "I love the spiciness of this recipe. It is such a warm cookie with all the spices." Lermond is a home baker who taught herself to bake as a kid. "My great grandmother was really into it, and I got a lot of her old recipes," Lermond said. Advertisement Advertisement In the 2023 Dayton Daily News Holiday Cookie Contest, Lermond placed second with her Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies. Lermond's favorite part of submitting cookies to the holiday cookie contest is getting to play around with recipes and try different things. Beth Harper of Fairborn took home first place last year for her Amazing Caramel Toffee Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies. This year, she was our third-place winner for Millie's Oatmeal Cookies with cinnamon icing. "When I was a freshman in college, I began working at Elder-Beerman Van Buren in Kettering. This was in 1979," Harper said. "While there, I worked with a lovely older woman in the junior department. Her name was Millie. She was a dressing room attendant and was just as sweet as she could be." Advertisement Advertisement Harper recalled Millie bringing in these oatmeal cookies at least a dozen times over the years that she worked there. "I finally got her to share her recipe with me and only recently found it after 45 years," Harper said. "I decided to add a little icing to really make them special. The dates and walnuts she added really were the best part. Eating them again takes me back to those days." For Harper, baking cookies during the holiday season is a way "to show love to your family and friends" and "a tradition that I've carried on." She said her late-mother used to bake cookies every year at Christmas. When she could no longer bake, Harper took over the tradition. Advertisement Advertisement "It's something I've always loved to do, and I just think it's a way to show that you care about people," Harper said. Here's a list of the top 12 cookie recipes: White Chocolate Cranberry Jelly Filled Cookies Submitted by: Dana Tatar of Oakwood Yields: 13 cookies Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. cardamom 1/2 tsp. salt 1 jar Bonne Maman Cranberry-Cherry Preserves 1 11 oz. package of white chocolate chips 1 1 oz. bag of freeze-dried raspberries Advertisement Advertisement Directions: Prepare the jelly filling by dropping 1/2 tbsp. of preserves into a silicon mold or directly onto parchment paper for a total of 13 dollops. Place the preserves in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Use a handheld or standing mixer with paddle attachment to cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Add vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds. In another bowl, mix both kinds of flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the butter-egg mixture and mix until just combined. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. To assemble the cookies, take about 1/4 cup of dough and roll it into a ball. Use your palm to flatten the dough. Place the frozen preserves onto the center of the dough. Take the edges up over the jelly and gently press and roll to seal the dough. Repeat until you have a total of 13 cookies. Place cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, 6 cookies to a sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges start to become golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Melt white chocolate over a pot of simmering water. Spread melted chocolate onto the bottom of each cookie. Drizzle the tops of each cookie with white chocolate and sprinkle on crushed freeze-dried raspberries. Allow chocolate to set before serving. Advertisement Advertisement Frosted Chai Cookies Submitted by: Rebekah Lermond of Union Yields: 1 1/2 -3 dozen cookies, depending on the size Ingredients for chai spice: 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tbsp. ground ginger 1/2 tbsp. cardamon 3/4 tsp. ground cloves 3/4 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. black pepper Ingredients for cookies: 1 cup salted butter, divided, room temperature 1 cup concentrated Tazo Chai Latte 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 3/4 cup sugar, divided 1 large egg, room temperature 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. sea salt 4 tsp. chai spice, divided Directions: In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. Let it cook and bubble until it foams and the butter underneath is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a stand mixer bowl and swirl a few times to help stop the browning. Let the butter cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring the concentrated chai to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a medium-low heat and cook until the chai is reduced to about 1/4 cup, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners. Add the brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 stick of butter to the brown butter in the mixing bowl. Use the paddle attachment, beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and has lightened in color, 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg, vanilla and reduced concentrated chai. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and 2 tsp. chai spice. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients until fully incorporated. Scoop the dough into 1 tbsp. or 3 tbsp. balls (depending on how big you want them). On a large pie plate, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp. chai spice. Roll the cookie dough in the sugar and spice and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes until puffed and just barely set. They will continue to set as they cool. Leave on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Ingredients for spiced frosting: 4 tbsp. salted butter, melted 2 tbsp. whole milk 2 cups powdered sugar 1 1/2 tsp. caramel flavoring (I used Lorann's Cake Emulsions) Directions: Melt butter in the microwave for about 25 seconds. Stir in the powdered sugar, caramel flavoring and milk. Your glaze should be thick, but runny enough that you can spoon it onto your cookies (about 1 tbsp. per cookie). Spread out with the back of a spoon. If your glaze is too thick, add 1/8 tsp. of milk until you achieve the right consistency. Let sit for a few hours for the frosting to set. Millie's Oatmeal Cookies with cinnamon icing Submitted by: Beth Harper of Fairborn Yields: 24-30 large cookies Ingredients for cookies: 1 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1 cup flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cornstarch 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 tbsp. vanilla 5 tbsp. water 1 cup dates, chopped 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut 1 cup walnuts, chopped 2 1/2 cups quick oats Directions: Cream shortening, sugars and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with water and vanilla. Add to the creamed mixture. Blend well. Add fruit, coconut and nuts. Soft together the dry ingredients. Fold this into the first mixture. Add the oats last. Drop by 2 tbsp. onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until browned. Ingredients for icing: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. corn syrup 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream or milk Pinch of salt to taste Directions: Stir all ingredients together until you reach desired consistency. Drizzle icing on cookies when cooled. Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars Submitted by: Terry Rich of Kettering Yields: 24-30 bars Ingredients: 1 12 oz. package of butterscotch flavored morsels 1 cup butter 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened 1 14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 for glass dish). Line a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with foil. Allow foil to hang over edge to lift bars out of pan when cooled. Spray foil with cooking spray. In the microwave, melt morsels and butter. Cook 1 minute and stir. Cook longer if needed (30 seconds at a time until melted). Place half the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and egg into the cream cheese. Beat until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan over the crumb mixture. Top with remaining crumb mixture, so all filling is covered. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature and chill before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers. Note: A variation of this recipe is to reduce graham cracker crumbs to 2 cups and add 1 cup of chopped nuts to the crumb mixture. Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies Submitted by: Jelena Staub of Springboro Ingredients for cookies: 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 tbsp. and 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tbsp. apple pie spice 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature Ingredients for filling: 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted 1 tsp. maple extract 6 tbsp. pure maple syrup 2 cups cinnamon sugar almonds, crushed (store bought works fine here) Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl with spatula and beat again until uniform. Divide dough into two disks and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough 1/8 -inch thick, lightly dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Cut out cookies using a maple leaf-shaped cookie or pie dough cutter, dipping cutter in flour between cuts. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, syrup and maple extract, beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup cinnamon sugar almonds. Transfer to a Ziploc bag and make a small snip at one edge. Pipe desired amount of filling onto bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies. Roll exterior of cookies in the remaining cinnamon sugar almonds if desired. Chocolate Truffle Cookies with sea salt Submitted by: Gale Wall of Dayton Yields: 24 cookies Ingredients: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips, for melting into the cookie dough 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 eggs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/3 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips, for mixing into the prepared cookie dough 2 tbsp. coarse sea salt Directions: In a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Turn off the stove and let chocolate sit over warm water. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine. In another bowl, mix together sugar and eggs, combine thoroughly with a whisk, and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix. Stir in flour mixture. Cool for a few minutes (if batter is warm, chocolate chips will melt). Stir in chocolate chips. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter and place on baking tray. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with a pinch of sea salt. Bake for approximately 7-8 minutes until the outside looks slightly cracked. Be very careful not to over bake cookies because they will continue to bake as they cool once removed from the oven. Cookies should be soft and gooey in the center. Note: For a chunky and different twist, add one of the following: 3/4 cup toasted pecans or pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger or 1/3 cup sweetened coconut. Brown Sugar Shortbread with espresso and toffee Submitted by: Beth Harper of Fairborn Yields: 24 cookies Ingredients for cookies: 2 cups butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar, packed 4-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy for about 5-7 minutes. Add 3 3/4 cups flour. Mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for three minutes, adding only enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. On a sheet of parchment paper, roll dough into a 16-by-9-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet and cut to 3-by-1-inch strips. Prick each cookie multiple times with a fork. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Separate cookies and place 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are lightly browned (approximately 20-25 minutes). Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Ingredients for topping: 1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips 2 tbsp. coconut oil 1 tsp. instant espresso powder 1/2 cup toffee chips Directions: Place chips and oil in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each until melted. Add espresso powder and stir until well combined. When cookies are cooled, drizzle melted chocolate on top and sprinkle with toffee bits. Buckeye Treasures Submitted by: Christine Olinsky of Huber Heights Ingredients for cookies: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. salt Ingredients for peanut butter layer: 2 cups creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. salt 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar Ingredients for chocolate topping: 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 6 tbsp. heavy cream Directions for cookies: Combine melted butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl, and stir until well combined. Add sugars, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Stir well. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until completely combined. Cover dough and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once oven is preheated and dough is chilled, scoop dough into 2 tbsp.-sized balls. Roll between your palms to form a smooth, round ball. Space balls 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. Within one minute of removing from oven, use a clean, flat bottom glass to gently flatten the surface of the cookie (you want a smooth flat surface for adding peanut butter). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely before decorating. Directions for peanut butter layer: Combine peanut butter and butter in medium-sized bowl. Use electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla extract and salt until well combined. Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined and mixture is smooth, but stiff. Scoop dough by 1 1/2 tbsp. portions and roll into smooth ball. Use hands to flatten mixture into a disk and press gently onto surface of cookie. Repeat until all cookies have been covered. Directions for chocolate topping: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour cream into small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until steaming. Pour evenly over chocolate, cover with foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove foil and whisk until smooth. If chocolate hasn't completely melted, heat in microwave for 10 second intervals until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over cookies or place small dot of chocolate in center of peanut butter to resemble candy buckeye. Allow chocolate to harden before enjoying. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Cookies can be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to three months. Orange Cinnamon Roll Cookies Submitted by: Beth Harper of Fairborn Yields: 12 large cookies Ingredients for cinnamon roll filling: 2 1/2 tbsp. butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/2 tbsp. flour Dash of salt Ingredients for cookie dough: 1/2 cup salted butter, browned and cooled 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla paste 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 3 tsp. orange zest Ingredients for glaze: 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp. orange juice concentrate 1 tsp. orange zest 1 tbsp. heavy cream 1 tsp. vanilla Directions: Take 1/2 cup of butter and melt in a small saucepan over medium heat to brown. Be sure to cook past the point of boiling. The butter will start to foam and it will begin to turn a nice golden brown with a nutty smell. Once finished browning, pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely. You can put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to speed up the process. Next, you'll make the cinnamon filling. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and pinch of salt. Scoop into about 1/2 tsp.-sized balls. Place on wax or parchment paper and freeze for about 15 minutes while making cookie dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add egg and mix on low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest (being careful not to overmix). Take the cinnamon balls out of the freezer and gently fold into the dough. Keep 12 of them aside to place one on top of each cookie before baking. Scoop the dough into large balls (about 3 tbsp.). Push one cinnamon ball into the top of each cookie dough ball. Place 6 cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes (you're looking for a light golden brown around the edges). Mix together the glaze and drizzle or brush over the cooled cookies. Snickerdoodles Submitted by: Greg Smallwood of Waynesville Ingredients for cookies: 1/2 cup Crisco (I use sticks because they're easy) 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs 2 3/4 cups flour (might need a little more if the rolled balls are too sticky) Ingredients for coating: 3 tsp. cinnamon 3 tbsp. sugar Directions: Start by creaming Crisco, margarine and sugar together. Mix in cream of tartar and baking soda. Mix in eggs, and add the flour about 1/2 cup at a time. Roll dough in your hands into balls the size of small walnuts, then coat in mixture of cinnamon and sugar before placing on a nonstick cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Flatten dough balls a bit with your hands and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Finished product will be light brown, slightly crunchy on the outer edges and soft in the middle. Levain Chocolate 4 Chip Cookies Submitted by: Courtney Johnson-Gonzalez of Beavercreek Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. cornstarch 3/4 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. salt 2 cups chocolate chips, plus extra for topping (use 1/2 cup semi sweet chips, 1/2 cup semi sweet chunks, 1/2 cup milk chocolate and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips) Directions: Cream together cold butter, brown sugar and white sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in three increments, mixing well between additions. Add chocolate chip mix and fold in by hand. Use a 3 tbsp. cookie scoop to scoop dough. Add to a container with a lid and chill 1 hour or overnight. To bake, preheat oven to 410 degrees. Separate dough balls by 2-inches on a parchment line cookie sheet and top with extra chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges become slightly browned (middle may seem not done, but it will firm up during cooling). Remove from cookie sheet after 10 minutes and cool. Dubai Chocolate Cookies with pistachio buttercream Submitted by: Beth Harper of Fairborn Yields: 24-30 cookies Ingredients for cookies: 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 3 eggs 2 tbsp. corn syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 3/4 cups of flour 1 cup cocoa 1/2 tsp. espresso powder 1 tbsp. cornstarch 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 12 oz. package of dark chocolate morsels 1 cup chopped pistachios (I use a mixture of salted and unsalted) Ingredients for buttercream: 3/8 cup pistachio cream 3 cups powdered sugar 3-5 tbsp. of milk or heavy cream Ingredients for topping: 1/2 cup chopped pistachios (I use a mixture of salted and unsalted) 1/2 cup kataifi (shredded baking phyllo) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add in eggs one at a time, followed by corn syrup and vanilla. Mix until combined. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, salt and cornstarch with a whisk. Gradually add in dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix slightly, and then add the chocolate chips and pistachios by hand mixing to form a soft dough. Using a 2 tbsp. scoop, scoop dough into balls. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Press down slightly before baking. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are no longer shiny. Be careful not to overbake. Leave cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool. While cookies are cooling, combine pistachio cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl using a hand mixer to combine. Gradually add milk or cream to get desired thickness. Once cookies are cooled, use a small spatula to ice the cookies. Before the frosting sets, sprinkle the pistachios and kataifi on top. Natalie Jones writes about food and dining in Southwest Ohio with an emphasis on the Dayton region. She may be reached at natalie.jones@coxinc.com. ------ FOOD & DINING EMAIL NEWSLETTER Sign up for our free food and dining email newsletter by Reporter Natalie Jones, which hits inboxes on Wednesdays. Visit the website and click "my account." DaytonDailyNews.com If a winter beach escape is on your 2026 vision board, youre going to want to see this. According to Dollar Flight Clubs newly released 2026 Caribbean Flight Report, Caribbean flights this winter are the cheapest theyve been in years, with dozens of roundtrip routes priced $300. And the data backs it up: after analyzing hundreds of thousands of routes from major U.S. airports, the flight deal experts found widespread price drops for travel between January and April 2026. Advertisement Advertisement The biggest savings? Florida and Northeast routes to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, plus select Southeast, Midwest and Texas departuresmany clocking in well below their usual averages. Related: American Airlines Adds a New Nonstop to One of the Caribbeans Most Beautiful, Hard-to-Reach Islands Here are some of the cheapest Caribbean city-pair deals showing up right now: EWR San Juan, Puerto Rico from $116 (Avg. $320), JanMar JFK San Juan, Puerto Rico from $136 (Avg. $340), FebApr FLL San Juan, Puerto Rico from $150 (Avg. $330), JanMar MCO St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands from $152 (Avg. $360), JanFeb PHL San Juan, Puerto Rico from $157 (Avg. $350), FebMar DTW San Juan, Puerto Rico from $162 (Avg. $370), JanMar FLL Aruba from $198 (Avg. $400), FebApr FLL Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from $200 (Avg. $410), JanMar FLL Montego Bay, Jamaica from $214 (Avg. $420), JanMar EWR Grenadafrom $228 (Avg. $450), FebApr Advertisement Advertisement Puerto Rico once again stands out as one of the most competitive and affordable Caribbean destinations, with San Juan seeing especially aggressive pricing thanks to heavy airline competition. Meanwhile, Aruba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are all delivering strong winter value, with fares running 1025% lower than last year on key routes. Related: The 30 Cheapest Places to Fly in 2026, According to New Data As for timing, Dollar Flight Club recommends booking four to eight weeks before departure, with Tuesday or Wednesday departures still offering the biggest discounts. One caveat: Presidents Day week remains the priciest stretch, so flexibility pays. Weve highlighted the top routes here, but the full reportincluding booking strategy, destination breakdowns, and more sub-$300 optionscan be found at Dollar Flight Club's 2026 Caribbean Flight Report. Advertisement Advertisement Bottom line? If youve been waiting for Caribbean prices to cool off, winter 2026 might be your moment. Related: The 7 Best Destinations for Women Over 50 to Visit Right Now, According to Travel Advisors This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Sitting on coastal Maine's Blue Hill Peninsula, the town of Blue Hill is a peaceful getaway where artsy vibes and cute shops abound. The village, settled in 1762, features a historic district with more than 70 preserved buildings built before the 1840s. The heart of town lies along Main Street. Lined with galleries, boutiques, and cafes, this village offers the perfect blend of art, architecture, and relaxation an excellent stop along any scenic Maine road trip. Travelers typically arrive via Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB), just 23 miles from Blue Hill, or Bangor International Airport (BGR), about 40 miles away. From BHB, it's a quick 35 to 40-minute taxi ride into town; from Bangor, expect around an hour's drive . Whether you rent a car or hail a ride, the journey sets the mood glassy harbors, wooded roads, and anticipation of Blue Hill's charm. It offers similar tranquil, coastal beauty to Maine hotspots like Rangely Lake State Park, but with the added bonus of local arts and cute shops. Read more: The Lake That Many Call The Most Dangerous In America Attractions and artsy experiences in Blue Hill Kneisal Hall during a live music performance - Kneisal Hall / Facebook No visit to Blue Hill would be complete without a stop at Kneisel Hall, a legendary chamber music school that lights up Blue Hill each summer with a series of performances from late June to mid-August. Chamber music is a genre of classical music composed especially for small ensembles, making the performances a must-see for music lovers. Don't miss the free Young Artists concerts in mid-July and again in August, held in an intimate hall with resonance as warm as the town itself. Advertisement Advertisement The rhythm of Blue Hill invites exploration well beyond Main Street. Another must-see is the Jonathan Fisher House, which was built in 1814 and is now preserved as a museum. Open seasonally from July through October, it offers a fascinating look into the life and work of one of the town's most notable early residents. Pair a visit here with time spent browsing local art galleries, enjoying lunch by the harbor, or lingering in one of the town's creative cafes each experience captures a piece of the area's distinctive character. Planning your stay in Blue Hill Front face of the Blue Hill Inn in Maine with flowers blooming - Blue Hill Inn / Facebook For lodging, the Blue Hill Inn, which was built in 1830 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a top pick. Located just steps from the harbor and galleries, it offers eleven elegantly furnished rooms and two private suites, perfect for a relaxing or romantic getaway. Your stay also includes a gourmet breakfast crafted from local ingredients. Another great lodging option is Barncastle, an iconic Shingle-style inn and restaurant built in 1884. The building itself is a standout landmark, and an even more charming choice for overnight stays or a memorable dinner. The best time to visit Blue Hill is during the summer months, when festivals, galleries, and coastal scenery are in full bloom. Autumn has its own quiet beauty, with fiery foliage and fewer crowds, though travelers should be prepared for limited hours at some attractions. For lodging, expect the Blue Hill Inn and Barncastle to average between $200 and $300 per night, while nearby Ellsworth offers more modest accommodations starting around $120. Winter can bring lower rates, but travelers should be aware that the town slows significantly in the off-season. Packing for Blue Hill means preparing for the coast's often-changing weather. Even in summer, a light jacket or raincoat comes in handy, and sturdy walking shoes make it easier to enjoy the town's trails and shoreline. With its blend of historic architecture, cultural depth, and small-town warmth, Blue Hill is best enjoyed at an unhurried pace, leaving room for both discovery and rest. And if afterwards you're ready for a big-city experience, head to Portland, an underrated northern port city that blends scenic Maine coastlines with a killer food scene. Advertisement Advertisement Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Explore. Most school kids in Michigan have the next two weeks off for Christmas and New Year's, but many parents aren't as lucky. While kids may be sleeping in Monday, adults still will have to get up and head to work during the next two weeks. Is it legal for parents to leave school-age children home alone while they head into the office? State law doesn't exactly address the issue. "Every parent eventually faces the decision to leave their child home alone for the first time," the Michigan's Child Welfare Information Gateway said in an online fact sheet. "Whether they are just running to the store for a few minutes or working during after-school hours, parents need to be sure their children have the skills and maturity to handle the situation safely. Being trusted to stay home alone can be a positive experience for a child who is mature and well prepared." Advertisement Advertisement In Michigan, there is no minimum age at which children may be left home alone without supervision. Michigan law does regulate how young a child can be to remain in a vehicle alone. Parents need to consider many factors before leaving their children alone. "When deciding whether to leave a child home alone, you will want to consider your childs physical, mental, and emotional well-being," the Child Welfare Information Gateway said. Here's what you should know when making a decision. When is it legal to leave children home alone in Michigan? According to the National Child Care Information Center, only Illinois and Maryland currently have laws regarding a minimum age for leaving a child home alone. Even in those states, other factors, such as concern for a childs well-being and the amount of time the child is left alone, are considered. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Child Protection Law, there is no legal age that a child can be left home alone, the Michigan Mandated Reporters' Resource Guide says."...But as a general rule, a child 10 years old and younger is not responsible enough to be left home alone. A child over the age of 10 and under the age of 12 will be evaluated, but the case may not always be assigned for a CPS investigation," the guide says. What should I consider beforeleaving kids home? It's important to consider their maturity and if they've demonstrated responsible behavior in the past: Is your child physically and mentally able to care for him- or herself? Does your child obey rules and make good decisions? Does your child feel comfortable or fearful about being home alone? What circumstances should you consider when leaving children home? You may also want to consider certain circumstance like: Advertisement Advertisement How long will your child be left home alone at one time? Will it be during the day, evening, or night? Will the child need to fix a meal? How often will the child be expected to care for him- or herself? How many children are being left home alone? Children who themselves are ready to stay home alone may not necessarily be ready to care for younger siblings. Is your home safe and free of hazards? How safe is your neighborhood? Once you've decided your child can stay home There are other points to consider: Have a trial period. Leave the child home alone for a short time while staying close to home. Role play. Act out possible situations to help your child learn what to do. Establish rules. Make sure your child knows what is (and is not) allowed when you are not home. Some experts suggest making a list of chores or other tasks to keep children busy while you are gone. Check in. Call your child while you are away to see how its going, or have a trusted neighbor or friend check in. Talk about it. Encourage your child to share his or her feelings with you about staying home alone. Dont overdo it. Even a mature, responsible child shouldnt be home alone too much. Consider other options, such as programs offered by schools, community centers, youth organizations, or churches, to help keep your child busy and involved Create a safety plan you child can understand It's also important to establish a safety plan so your child knows what to do and who to contact in an emergency situation. Other factors include: Advertisement Advertisement Can your child follow this plan? Does your child know his or her full name, address, and phone number? Does your child know where you are and how to contact you at all times? Does your child know the full names and contact information of other trusted adults, in case of emergency? Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Can children stay home alone in Michigan? What to know over Christmas break Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Health care executive Kevin King discusses his article, How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses. Kevin explains why the return to classrooms often triggers a surge in respiratory illnesses (like the flu, COVID-19, and RSV) and how diagnostic tests are a critical tool for managing them. He highlights how rapid diagnostics are essential for getting the right treatment quickly, such as antivirals, and perhaps more importantly, for preventing the wrong treatment, which helps combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Kevin also offers insight into how epidemiologists predict outbreaks by monitoring school absenteeism and data from the Southern Hemisphere, providing a fascinating look at community health surveillance. Discover how early and accurate testing serves as our frontline defense in protecting vulnerable populations and managing respiratory illnesses this school season. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, its backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and its built on a foundation of trust. Its time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended Transcript Kevin Pho: Hi. Welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today, we welcome Kevin King. He is a health care executive. Todays KevinMD article is How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses. Kevin, welcome to the show. Kevin King: Great to be here. Thank you for inviting me. Kevin Pho: All right. Just briefly share your story and journey. Then we will talk about your KevinMD article. ADVERTISEMENT Kevin King: Hi. Well, I grew up in Athens, Ohio, and that is where Ohio University is. I received a bachelors degree in zoology and microbiology there. But most importantly, I had the experience of working at a startup biotech company that had brought a diagnostic device to market. That sparked a lifelong interest in infectious diseases and diagnostic devices. I then got a Ph.D. and did two postdoc research positions, and then made the transition into industry working in a contract research organization where I led a team of scientists that were developing diagnostics devices to detect infectious diseases, including respiratory products. I then had the opportunity to return to Ohio and work for a company that was acquired by QuidelOrtho, and that is the company that I work at now. I am the Senior Director of Scientific Affairs globally for our respiratory point-of-care and cardiometabolic products. In that role, I develop educational opportunities and teach our customers about our products. Kevin Pho: All right. Your KevinMD article is very relevant. At this time of year, a lot of our school-aged children are dealing with respiratory illnesses. Your article is How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses. For those who do get a chance to read it, tell us what it is about. Kevin King: Well, the article stemmed from my observation, both in my own household when our kids go back to school and from the literature, that this is a timealthough it is not, as epidemiologists would say, the start of the winter respiratory seasonit certainly ramps up the amount of respiratory illnesses like strep throat, influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 as students return to school. I wanted to highlight in the article that prevention is not just about taking the common precautions that we are all aware of, like washing our hands, vaccines, and covering your nose and mouth, but also the importance of leveraging diagnostics. Testing early following symptom onset is important not just so patients get the proper treatment, but also to help prevent the spread of illnesses within your community. The piece came together through a lens of diagnostics and surveillance with a goal to emphasize how rapid diagnostics and data can help us anticipate and respond more effectively to what is coming later in the respiratory season. For example, tracking increasing school absences, wastewater, and looking at Southern Hemisphere illness trends all can provide early signals of which viruses are likely circulating in your community. When this knowledge is sharedfor instance, from local health departmentsit provides insights that can allow clinicians, schools, and families to act earlier and together to help limit the community spread of these illnesses. Kevin Pho: Now, I am sure a lot of families and pediatricians are familiar with these point-of-care testing modalities, specifically with, say, strep testing. Tell us some other common respiratory diseases that we have point-of-care diagnostic testing for. Kevin King: Yes, certainly for strep, but also for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV), and COVID-19, of course. We are all familiar with the rapid at-home tests. There are similar rapid and accurate tests available wherever you seek care. Kevin Pho: In your article, you mentioned when it comes to these rapid diagnostics, it could be either antigen versus molecular-based. Can you tell us the distinction between the two? Kevin King: Sure. The antigen products are typically more rapid, although molecular products are becoming as rapid as the antigen products. They are different in what they detect. Molecular products detect some DNA or RNA signature and then amplify that signal to be detected of the virus itself. Whereas the antigen products are testing a protein component that might be on the surface of the virus. In general, molecular tests are considered to be more accurate. Kevin Pho: All right. Run us through a few scenarios. Lets say for those parents who may be listening to you and their school-aged children are coming back home with some upper respiratory symptoms, give us some scenarios where these parents would consider some type of rapid diagnostic tests. Kevin King: Well, certainly if you keep the at-home tests, that is a place to do those tests even at your home. There are combo tests now for both COVID-19 and flu, the most predominant ones as we head into the respiratory season. If your child has a fever, that is one of the key symptoms that you would want to test early for. But the importance of testing earlyand not just waiting to see what further symptoms develop or decide at a later point to go to an urgent care or your primary care physicianis in part because there are medicines for both of these. There are prescriptions that can help reduce symptoms and ultimately prevent the spread to more vulnerable communities. Sometimes we dont realize how vulnerable the folks that we interact with arelike aunts, uncles, grandparents, those types of folks that you come in contact withand it is really important. This helps prevent the spread of the disease, but knowing that you have a virus is also important in terms of making sure that you are not prescribed an antibiotic that is not going to work for a virus. So getting that knowledge is really important also for antibiotic stewardship. Kevin Pho: Now, which of these tests are available over the counter versus which tests are available only through your pediatricians or urgent care center office? Kevin King: There are types of antigen and molecular products that are available over the counter. Some of the molecular products, though, are in a scenario in which you would have to do a collection at home and then send the sample in. But both antigen and molecular products are available at most urgent cares or primary care physicians, especially small physicians office laboratories. Kevin Pho: Specifically these tests for things like influenza and RSV? Kevin King: Yes. And COVID-19. Kevin Pho: And then how about available over the counter? Are they available over the counter? Obviously, we have the rapid COVID-19 test, but what about things like influenza and RSV? Kevin King: Absolutely. Influenza and COVID-19 tests are available. Even combo tests are available, so one test tests for both. I am not aware whether there are RSV over-the-counter tests available, so that is probably something that you need to go to your doctor for. Kevin Pho: You mentioned earlier about some of the epidemiological implications of rapid testing, and you mentioned in your article that monitoring school absenteeism rates can predict outbreaks. So talk more about that. Kevin King: Yeah. I think when you start to see higher levels of absenteeism, or if your community is monitoring wastewater for the detection of any of these viruses and those start to go up, those are good indicators of what is coming or that something is building. That can help inform a clinician. If you are aware of that knowledge, that can help inform the clinician what kinds of tests would make sense to do in coordination with the symptoms that you are observing. Kevin Pho: Now the government and regulatory authorities like the CDC already track things like ER visits and, like you said, wastewater diagnostic results. So tell us the missing piece or the additional puzzle piece that point-of-care diagnostic testing can add to all that data. Kevin King: Yeah. And I would clarify that we are also in a time now because of the shutdown that not all of that data is available and being released from the CDC. Those are national data and may look at your state, but may not inform you about what is going on in your community. So continuing to perform diagnostic tests, and if your health care system or your laboratory information system can be used to track what the positivity rate of these tests are, that can help inform you what is going on much closer to where you are actually practicing. Kevin Pho: Now, can you give us a real-world example of how point-of-care diagnostic testing can inform disease trends? Just give us a practical example of how that happened in the past. Kevin King: Well, during the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater in local communities was a factor when health care departments were assessing recommendations for mask-wearing or things like thatadditional precautions to be taken when it appears that something is emerging. Kevin Pho: And what do we have to look forward to? We have talked about things like COVID-19, RSV, influenza. So down the point-of-care diagnostic test pipeline, what do we have to look forward to? Kevin King: I think it is probably more accurate and rapid molecular products that are able to be used closer to the point of care. Those products may be able to test for more than one respiratory product at a timeso multiplexed. Those are available now in certain laboratories, but moving closer to the point of care and being able to be utilized in urgent cares or even retail outlets. If you see clinics in those retail outlets, even in those environments, the more accurate testing can be moved closer to the patient there. Kevin Pho: And how about in terms of costs? Again, talking with some of the parents who may be listening to this, what can they expect for costs if they were to purchase an over-the-counter point-of-care diagnostic test from, say, a drugstore? Kevin King: Well, unfortunately, I am not familiar with the exact cost of those, only what I see when I go. I dont know what they are in other locations, but I have seen some over-the-counter products, even those that test for both COVID-19 and flu, to test for about $25. Kevin Pho: And in terms of different types of brands, is there anything that parents should look out for in drugstores, or do they all work in similar ways? Kevin King: Well, I think they all work in similar ways. It is more when you get to those tests that are conducted in either your physicians office or in urgent care where choices can be made to utilize either more accurate tests or more rapid tests depending on what the needed workflow in that environment is. Kevin Pho: We are talking to Kevin King, health care executive. Todays KevinMD article is How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses. Kevin, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience. Kevin King: Yeah, certainly. I think one of the key take-home messages that I would say is that it is possible to minimize the spread of respiratory illnesses during the back-to-school season. But it is about more than managing the symptoms of the individual patients; it is about staying ahead of them. So by combining rapid diagnostics and data, illness outbreaks can be identified, and then impacts on communities can be diminished through timely diagnosis, accurate treatment, and all of that to prevent the spread and ballooning into larger seasonal outbreaks, especially with a goal in mind to help protect those vulnerable communities as well. Kevin Pho: Kevin, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming on the show. Kevin King: Thank you for having me. Every bear story needs a bear. Mine appeared on day five of a hunt in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska a couple of years ago. I was asleep in a tent made of yellow canvas so bright it would put a school bus to shame. The tent was sturdy, Alaskan-made, with triple-stitched seams and supported by heavy aluminum poles strong enough to withstand being buried in snow or the force of a gale. It had a reinforced and insulated flap for the metal pipe of a wood-burning stove, but the flap was closed, sealed against the elements. There was no stove. We had a cold camp. No fires allowed. The author scans the massive open expanses of the Togiak Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Alaska. Peter Bohler Rick Grant, owner of Tikchik Airventures, stands on the pontoon of his Otter after delivering the hunters to the lakeside camp. Peter Bohler The only source of heat was that which our bodies could generate, helped out by hot coffee and cider that we cooked on a small stove and then gulped down half a cup at a time in order to get the steaming fluids into ourselves before they cooled in the bitter air. I kept my rifle next to my cot, magazine full, chamber empty. We were camped on the stony shore of a large lake, using a tangle of willows as a windbreak. The shoreline was littered with the desiccated carcasses of sockeye salmon, withered and leathery. The cold was a mercy in that respect. It kept the smell to a minimum. If it had been warm, the stench of hundreds of rotting salmon would have been overpowering. A spawned-out sockeye. Peter Bohler The berry crop that summer had been poor, forcing the bears to concentrate on salmon more than usual. Their long-clawed tracks, rimmed with frost, ran up and down the rocky beach, some as broad as my hand with my thumb and pinkie spread to full width. Advertisement Advertisement Somehow the bear was in my tent, and in a mental fog I shot it three times. Blood streamed from its mouth and snout, and it died with its massive head in my lap. The most curious sensation was the lack of malice from either the bear or me. The whole situation just was. And then I woke up, the vivid dream receding before the light from my headlamp as I scanned the inside of my tent and looked down at my .375 on the floor. Wind and Waves Ducking out of the wind. Peter Bohler Hours later, when the sun rose, I stepped outside bundled in several layers of clothes to greet the day. The spitting snow and biting wind forced my head down. I scurried to the camp kitchen, which consisted of three large tarps that had been strung in the willows with enough line to rig a man-of-war. The tarps formed a barrier wall and a low ceiling. They popped and snapped in the wind but stayed in place. Guide Les Bragdon poured half a cup of coffee into my mug, which I started on right away. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a bear right over there on the beach, he said pointing across the lake. In his Maine accent, the words came out as thar, bahr, and ovah. But that sonofa whore might as well be on the dark side of the moon. Wed need a boat to get there, and its too windy for ours. Les salty vocabulary was one byproduct of his years in the Navy. Another was his cheerful indifference toward the weather. Like any seasoned sailor, he regarded the cold and wet as mere facts of life. Nothing personal. I watched the whitecaps break against the beach, pounding the shore and churning the dead salmon in the spume, and I was glad we wouldnt be fighting the waves in our inflatable raft. Hiking to the bear wasnt possible because the river at the lakes outlet was too broad and deep to cross, even with chest waders. Through my binocular I watched the bear walk along the lake before it disappeared into the bush. Les salty vocabulary was one byproduct of his years in the Navy. Another was his cheerful indifference toward the weather. Like any seasoned sailor, he regarded the cold and wet as mere facts of life. Nothing personal. He looked the part, too. Around his waist was a leather belt held up by suspenders that supported his Ka-Bar knife, standard issue canteen, flashlight, Leatherman, and spare cartridges for the peep-sighted pre-64 Model 70 in .375 H&H that was always within arms reach. The patrol cap on his head bore a First Class Petty Officers eagle and bars. At 64 years old, Les was tough as an oak rootball. Only after the temperature dipped into the teens did he bother with gloves. Advertisement Advertisement My hunting partner, Linda Powell, who handles public relations for Mossberg, joined us at the stove, smiling and stamping her feet on the frozen ground and holding out her mug, which Les filled. Pat McDonough, the other guide, was pouring pancake batter into a hot pan, as photographer Peter Bohler snapped pictures around camp. By this time in the hunt, the five of us had settled into a comfortable routine. After breakfast wed hump up the hill behind camp to get to high ground to glass. We spent the first few days nestled up there in the spongy tundra, scanning the lake and mountains and alder thickets for a lumbering silhouette. The bears we had seen were small, mostly sows with cubs. This puzzled Les and Pat since they knew this area held a lot of big boars. But for some reason they werent stepping into the open. Glassing the tundra. Peter Bohler We saw plenty of other game, however. We watched caribou move across the landscape, taking purposeful strides toward the Bering Sea in a hurry to get to their wintering grounds, dipping their heads on occasion to grab a morsel. Advertisement Advertisement Over the course of two afternoons, a wolverine appeared on a hill below ours. It was feeding on the carcass of some unfortunate critter, giving no heed to the outrage voiced by the ravens it kicked off the meat. Once it had its fill, it galloped over to a nearby mountain, running up and down the mountainside in a seemly random fashion and doing whatever it is that wolverines do. Patriot Games One motivation behind this hunt was to try out Mossbergs then-brand-new Patriot rifle chambered in .375 Ruger. The Patriot has been a big deal for Mossberg. Its a solid and functional bolt gun, and from an aesthetic standpoint, its the best-looking big-game rifle the company has ever produced. Its also the first Mossberg to be chambered in a dangerous-game caliber. The M70 (top) and Mossberg Patriot share similar stock dimensions. Peter Bohler The .375 Ruger is one of our most modern cartridges. It exceeds the performance of the classic .375 H&H, and does so in a shorter-length action. Because of its rimless design, sharp shoulder, and gradual taper, the case has more capacity than the .375 H&H. Since its introduction in 2007, it has established a good reputation in Africa and North America on game that likes to fight back. The other motivation was personal. Linda has been a good friend for a long time, and we had talked for years about doing a brown bear hunt together. The new Patriot gave us the perfect excuse. Unwanted Visitors Later in the day of my bear dream, the winds died down. We decided to take a boat ride to the other side of the lake to look around. While we were there, the whump-whump-whump of a helicopter filled the skies and a Blackhawk cruised overhead, banking from side to side along the lake. It landed a couple of miles away, at the lakes far end. The crew of the helicopter unloaded some gear, and we could hear the faint pop-pop of gunfire as they took turns shooting on the beach. Advertisement Advertisement This set a series of events in motion that culminated months later in an apology from the commanding general of the Alaska National Guard. Not only was this a poor use of our tax dollars, but helicopters are forbidden in the refuge, and casually shooting up the countryside is a no-no as well. After some investigating, we learned that a helicopter had been in our area before we arrived as well. Anyone whos hunted big bears knows they are sensitive to pressure. Small wonder we never saw a mature boar during our week there. It was a costly stroke of bad luck. Take Two Our outfitter, Rick Grant of Tikchik Airventures, was understandably furious as the details of the skylarking Blackhawk became known. Though it was in no way his fault, he worked with us to set up another bear hunt last fall to try again. Rick took us to a different part of the refuge in early September, and as he banked his Otter over the tiny lake, Linda and I saw that camp was already set up with military precision. The planes pontoons splashed down, and as Rick feathered the throttles to guide it to shore, Les was standing in hip boots in the crystal-clear water, waiting for us. Advertisement Advertisement Since flying and hunting in the same day is neither ethical nor legal, we had to wait until the next morning to go after bears. Unlike the weather during the previous years hunt, which took place at the end of October and during the onset of winter, it was mild. As before, we climbed to high ground behind camp to glass. This year, however, the land had produced a rich bounty. I ate blueberries, cranberries, and crowberries by the handful as we walked, pausing only to pick away the long strands of gold and brown fur that got caught on my hands after reaching down. A light rain fell, cooling us off. We had a mountain at our back and a 270-degree view across a landscape that stretched for miles in every direction. We saw bears everywhere. We spotted them high in the mountains that were in front of us. Out on the flats to either side. Working the banks of the rivers and lakes nearby, gorging themselves on silver salmon. We counted at least nine, but none were particularly close and we discussed in which direction we might go after lunch to make a stalk. Advertisement Advertisement After the meal, we had time to kill before heading out. I went to my tent, stripped down to my long johns, laid my rifle next to my cot, closed my eyes, and dozed. The next thing I heard was Les voice floating in my head in an urgent whisper: John. John! Theres a bahr in camp. Get up. I was standing in shoulder-high alders and had to take a couple of steps to the side to get a clear shot. The bear stopped and turned, quartering our way. It was no dream this time. I stepped into my camp slippers fuzzy-lined camo Crocs, if you must know grabbed my rifle and followed Les toward the cook tent. I saw the bear about 100 yards away on the hill right behind us, moving parallel to the camp. Thats a good bahr! Shoot it! Les said. I was standing in shoulder-high alders and had to take a couple of steps to the side to get a clear shot. The bear stopped and turned, quartering our way. I fired offhand and hit the bear, then ran the bolt and fired again, and again. Within a couple of seconds I had put three bullets into the bear and it collapsed in the tundra. Advertisement Advertisement By god, thats some shootin! Les said as he slapped my back. The bear was dead when we got to it, and after congratulations, pictures, and skinning it out, Linda and I tucked into our supply of bourbon to celebrate. The next morning, we again climbed the hill and spotted a number of bears. One was angling toward the far end of our lake, about 2 miles away, and we decided to put a stalk on. To intercept the bear, we dropped down into camp to skirt the lake. But at that moment we noticed another bear, this one just 300 yards in front of us, heading our way. We could tell it was a good-size boar and we scrambled to get into position for a shot. Linda got set up on shooting sticks, and the next time we saw the bear it had closed the gap to less than 100 yards. One shot from her rifle and the bear fell, and the celebrating started again. After the cold, barren hunt the year before, which had been spoiled by intruders, this was a remarkable turn of events. Two bears in two days within a stones throw of camp. For us, the second time was the charm. The author with his camp bear. Peter Bohler This story first appeared in Outdoor Life in July 2016. With holiday travel, ongoing construction, and fluctuating passenger volume, security lines at North Texas airports can vary widely. Travelers flying out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) or Dallas Love Field (DAL) have several reliable ways to check Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wait times before arriving and even while en route. DFW Airport: Live Checkpoint Wait Times By Terminal DFW Airport provides live TSA security wait times directly on its official website, broken down by terminal and checkpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Travelers can visit DFWs security page to view an interactive map showing predicted wait times for each checkpoint in Terminals A through E. Checkpoints are color-coded and categorized by estimated wait ranges, allowing passengers to choose the fastest entry point based on their terminal and airline. DFW also offers: Multiple security checkpoints per terminal TSA PreCheck access in Terminals A, C, D, and E CLEAR screening available at Terminal E Automated Screening Lanes at select checkpoints Airport officials recommend checking wait times on the day of travel, as construction projects and seasonal travel surges can significantly affect security flow. Dallas Love Field: Estimated TSA Wait Times Online Dallas Love Field does not publish an official, live checkpoint map like DFW, but travelers can still access estimated TSA wait times through third-party tracking tools. Advertisement Advertisement Several airport monitoring sites publish estimated TSA wait times for Love Field based on historical screening data and TSA throughput trends. While these estimates may not reflect minute-by-minute conditions, they can help travelers anticipate whether lines are light or congested. Wait times at Love Field can change quickly due to: Morning business travel peaks Weather-related delays Staffing fluctuations TSAs MyTSA App And Federal Tools For travelers flying anywhere in the United States, TSA offers its official MyTSA mobile app, which includes: Estimated wait times at major airports Real-time security alerts Information on prohibited items and screening procedures TSA PreCheck availability by airport Why Checking Wait Times Matters Security wait times can differ dramatically depending on the time of day, day of the week, terminal congestion, and temporary lane closures. Advertisement Advertisement During peak travel periods, TSA and airport officials consistently advise passengers to arrive earlier than normal even when estimated wait times appear low. Checking conditions before leaving home allows travelers to: Choose the most efficient checkpoint Adjust arrival times if needed Reduce the risk of missing a flight due to unexpected delays Bottom Line DFW travelers should rely on the airports official live checkpoint map for the most accurate information, while Love Field passengers can use TSA tools and clearly labeled third-party estimates to gauge security conditions. No tool is perfect, but checking airport wait times ahead of departure can save time, reduce stress, and help ensure a smoother trip through security. Don Anderson will always remember Sept. 19, 2021, a Sunday, when his life changed forever. The now 60-year-old podcast host had a chaotic childhood; his parents divorced when he was 5 years old, and they each remarried and had more children. Step- and half-siblings surrounded him. When they were adults, though, they learned his older sister wasn't actually their father's daughter, that her mom was pregnant when they met. Anderson went on 23andMe to help her figure out details about her birth father only to be confused by his own results. "I wasn't Norwegian at all, which I should have been," the California resident says. "And I looked at the relatives, and I had two half sisters I'd never heard of." It clicked. He wasn't his dad's child, either. He recalls feeling like "my feet were no longer touching the ground, and not because I was floating, because the ground was no longer there." When Don Anderson learned his dad wasn't his dad, the floor snuck out from under him. Tens of millions of people use kits like AncestryDNA and 23andMe every year to find missing puzzle pieces to their lives. Many receive them as holiday gifts. Out of 23,000 respondents to a survey of DNA service users, 3% discovered a parent was not actually their biological parent, and 5% found full or half-siblings, according to research from the Baylor College of Medicine published in the American Journal of Human Genetics in 2022. While some have happy tales of finding long-lost family members, others aren't as lucky. Advertisement Advertisement Experts caution those using these services to be careful, as you may not always get what you want from biological relatives. In case you missed it: Ancestry, 23&Me and when genetic screening gifts aren't fun anymore 'It made my whole childhood make sense' Anderson's life turned upside-down after learning the truth. "When I found out my dad wasnt my dad, it made my whole childhood make sense for the first time. 'I' made sense," he says. Heartbreak spilled out, as he realized his Norwegian ancestry he grew connected to over time turned out to be non-existent. But at the same time, "I always felt like I didn't belong to the family I grew up with." He's since grown closer to his newfound half-sisters who welcomed him into their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Anderson understands those who are resistant to these kinds of tests. He bought his wife and kids DNA kits last year, and they still haven't done them. What if rejection is on the other end of a text message or phone call? "There's no way I wouldn't want to know," he says. "I would do it over again a million times. Some people are like that. Some people want the truth, and some people don't." He now discusses the subject on his podcast about non-paternity events (NPEs). Aimee Rose-Haynes became a genetic genealogist after discovering her knack for jumping into DNA rabbit holes about 10 years ago while trying to diagnose her daughter's illness, which turned out to be both Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). The 44-year-old of Louisville, Kentucky, has since solved hundreds of genetic genealogy cases. She tells people to practice patience when reaching out to newfound relatives. "When someone learns that a parent is not who they believed, the first instinct is often to message every DNA match with statements like 'I was adopted' or 'I do not know who my father is, can you help?' I always encourage them to pause and take a breath first," Rose-Haynes says. "A better approach is to reach out with a simple, neutral message such as, 'I do not know much about my family tree, and I am working on learning more about my family history. Could you share the names of your grandparents and great grandparents so I can see how we connect?'" Aimee Rose-Haynes became a genetic genealogist after discovering her knack for jumping into DNA rabbit holes about 10 years ago while trying to diagnosis her daughter's illness. 'This was all a shock': When DNA test kits unearth family secrets, long-lost siblings 'Be prepared for the unexpected' Even if you know your parents are your parents, it's a good idea to take a beat before sending your DNA away. You have some other options to learn about your health, if that's what you're concerned about, such as genetic testing for cancers. Advertisement Advertisement "You absolutely have to be prepared for the unexpected," Rose-Haynes says. "Nobody believes that somebody who raised them may not be their parent or parents, but you have to be open to that surprise and be prepared for that surprise." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 23andMe, Ancestry DNA test holiday gifts expose secrets. Be warned. A homeowner in Utah turned to the internet for help after receiving confusing pushback from local power companies about newly legal balcony solar systems. "I live in Utah and have been looking into Balcony Solar," the original poster wrote in the r/SolarDIY subreddit. "I have questions." In May, a new state law in Utah took effect that allows homeowners to install balcony solar systems of up to 1,200 watts, according to The Business Download. Advertisement Advertisement However, when the homeowner reached out to local utility companies, the employees did not seem aware of the new law. "When I called my utility, they hadn't heard about it and said, 'You can't do that,'" the OP explained. "I poked a bit more and got them to agree to look into it." Balcony solar systems are a great option for those looking to benefit from the cost savings and environmental benefits of home solar but who might not be able to install traditional roof-mounted solar panels. Smaller in size than roof-mounted panels, balcony solar systems plug directly into home power outlets. They are also a great option for renters or those who can't afford to purchase roof-mounted panels. To find out what solar options are available in your area, you can check out The Cool Down's Solar Explorer, where you can find all kinds of useful information from trusted partners such as Palmetto and EnergySage. With the help of these partners and their concierge-level service, which allows you to compare quotes from local installers, customers can save up to $10,000. Advertisement Advertisement If purchasing roof-mounted solar panels doesn't fit into your budget, one potential option is solar leasing. For example, Palmetto's LightReach solar-leasing program allows you to lock in energy rates that are as much as 20% lower for as little as $0 down. Further, by using the Palmetto Home app, you can unlock up to $5,000 in additional savings. But if you are looking to buy, check out EnergySage's free tools, which can help you snag all available incentives for solar installations. As for the OP, they wondered if they were simply confused about the new law, or if the power companies themselves had it wrong. "I spoke to a few other local utilities with basically the same response," they wrote. "Is this just so new that no one is doing it yet and a bunch of utilities are about to get surprised?" Advertisement Advertisement Other Redditors rushed to the comments to confirm that the utility company employees were mistaken. "In my experience the people in the office don't really have the field knowledge to do the job they oversee," one commenter wrote. "I would not be surprised if most of them haven't heard of the rule change or know anything of the devices." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. After visiting more than 120 countries, I still believe that travel is one of the most real ways to understand the world. By 2026, these are the destinations I would recommend the most: places where nature, culture, and transformative experiences are truly felt. 10. Indonesia (Borneo, Flores, Lombok and Gili Islands) A woman poses for photographs at the Tegallalang rice terraces near Ubud in Bali on November 5, 2025. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) (Photo by MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP via Getty Images) Indonesia is more than Bali; it is one of the most comprehensive countries in the world. In Borneo, seeing orangutans in their natural habitat reminds you of the real importance of conservation. In Flores, active volcanoes, traditional villages, and unrealistically blue seas create a unique cultural and natural journey. Further west, Lombok offers volcanoes such as Rinjani, the Sasak culture, spectacular waterfalls, and tranquil beaches without the mass tourism of Bali. And nearby, the Gili Islands (especially Gili Air and Gili Meno) are a paradise of turquoise waters, sea turtles and a leisurely atmosphere that almost doesn't exist in Southeast Asia anymore. TOPSHOT - Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts as seen from Pululera village in East Flores, in Nobo on May 19, 2025. A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on May 19, spewing an ash cloud more than a kilometre high after authorities raised the country's highest alert level. (Photo by ARNOLD WELIANTO / AFP) (Photo by ARNOLD WELIANTO/AFP via Getty Images) What to see: Tanjung Puting, Kelimutu, Komodo, Rinjani, Tiu Kelep, Sendang Gile, Gili Air and Gili Meno. Best season: May to October for Lombok and Gili; June to September for Borneo and Flores. Advertisement Advertisement You must go because it combines conservation, living culture, volcanoes, dreamy beaches and some of the most special experiences in the world. 9. South Africa (Vineyard Route, Karoo and Kalahari) Visitors look at African Penguins from a viewing deck at the Boulders penguin colony, which is a popular tourist destination, in Simon's Town, near in Cape Town, on November 1, 2024. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has changed the African Penguin from Endangered to Critically Endangered. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images) South Africa is much more than Kruger National Park. A distinct route starts in Cape Town, exploring the vineyards of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and continues on to Samara and the Great Karoo, where conservation is serious and transformative. From there, you can fly to Kimberley and head up to the Kalahari, where reserves like Tswalu offer a deep, intimate, and sustainable safari. Initiatives such as Working With Wildlife operate in the region, which support communities and species preservation. What to see: Samara, Karoo National Park, Cape Vineyards and the Kalahari. Best season: May to September. Advertisement Advertisement You must go because South Africa is a complete universe of gastronomy, deserts, mountains and real conservation. Is it safe to travel there? Why this question bothers me 8. Fiji TOPSHOT - Traditional dancers in grass skirts welcome holidaymakers in Nadi on December 1, 2021, as Fiji opens its borders to international travellers for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe and devastated its tourism-reliant economy. (Photo by Leon LORD / AFP) (Photo by LEON LORD/AFP via Getty Images) Fiji is culture, hospitality, and pure nature. In the inland villages, the kava ritual is experienced, a ceremony that connects with Fijian roots. What to see: Yasawa, Viti Levu and Monuriki. Best season: May to October. You must go because it combines perfect beaches with a deeply authentic culture. 7. Easter Island, Chile View of Moais -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- in Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on August 5, 2022. The ancestors warned about it, but in the frenzy of tourism, they ignored the advice until the pandemic arrived. Isolated and closed off, Chile's Easter Island has become almost self-sustaining, and now that tourism is back, they are looking to preserve it along with caring for its iconic moai. (Photo by PABLO COZZAGLIO / AFP) (Photo by PABLO COZZAGLIO/AFP via Getty Images) Rapa Nui is one of the most enigmatic places in the world. Its moai, its history and its isolation make it a deeply spiritual and cultural experience. Every February, the Tapati is celebrated, an ancestral festival where the island revives its traditions with competitions, dances, art and unique celebrations. Advertisement Advertisement What to see: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku, Anakena, Orongo and Tapati. Best season: February for the festival, or April to December for stable weather. You must leave because there is no place in the world with such a strong cultural identity and such an impressive archaeological legacy. 6. Georgia A picture shows 14th century Gergeti church in the village of Stepantsminda (former Kazbegi) close to Russian-Georgian border, some 160 km north of the capital Tbilisi. / AFP / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images) Georgia combines history, alpine nature and a gastronomy that surprises anyone. What to see: Tbilisi, Stepantsminda, Ushguli and Kakheti. Best season: May to October. You must go because it offers the essence of the Caucasus with identity and affordable prices. What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip. According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection. Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat. Witnessing a solar eclipse is one way to experience wonder. G Adventures offers five trips for the Aug. 2027 eclipse, including an exclusive viewing party in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Travelers can dive into Guatemala's history and culture, from learning how to make beloved local dishes to exploring the ancient ruins of Tikal. Exploring the wild, remote landscapes in the Arctic aboard an expedition cruise can leave travelers with a newfound appreciation for Mother Nature. Imagine having a close encounter with Africa's wildlife while also supporting ethical travel and conservation. G Adventures offers a trip to Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, where travelers can see Victoria Falls, track elephants and cruise rivers looking for hippos. Sail down Sri Lanka's South Coast on a seven-day trip on a 54-foot catamaran for the chance to swim at remote beaches, explore fishing villages and more. Ecuador offers much more than being a gateway to the Galapagos. Travelers can go chocolate tasting, learn more about Indigenous culture and explore the wild jungle. Rather than falling into the typical tourist traps, travelers can try to live like a local and go off the beaten path. On G Adventures' East Iceland trip, guests go to a remote hamlet, enjoy geothermal pools and hike coastal trails. The Stans Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan offer a rich history steeped in the Silk Road trade along with stunning nature, like Kaindy Lake's otherworldly sunken forest. Moldova may not be on everyone's radar, but this underrated Eastern European destination is perfect for foodies. Travelers can sip wine, taste local cuisine and visit spots like an eco-friendly cheese factory. 10 destinations where travelers feel happiest 1 of 10 What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip. According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection. Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat. 5. The Dolomites, Italy The Three Peaks of Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen, Tre Cime di Lavaredo), a UNESCO-listed trio of Alpine cliffs, are pictured on January 20, 2021 in Dobbiaco (Toblach) in the Dolomitic Alps. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images) One of the most beautiful regions in the world. What to see: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Lago di Braies lake, Seceda mountain and Alpe di Siusi. Best season: June to September. Advertisement Advertisement You should go for its spectacular views, alpine villages and iconic routes. 4. Madeira, Portugal A picture taken on April 30, 2016 shows a landscape on the Madeira island. / AFP / PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA (Photo credit should read PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images) Madeira will experience a historic year with the reopening of the PR1 trail (Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo) in April 2026, one of Europe's most impressive routes. What to see: Renovated PR1 Vereda do Areeiro hiking trail, Pico Ruivo peak, Cabo Girao cliff, levadas and the traditional carreiros. Best season: April to October. You must go for its mountains, culture, exuberant nature and spectacular gastronomy. 3. Rwanda A general view of the wetlands in the Rugezi Marsh, on April 22, 2025. White wings flashing in the sunlight, conservationist Olivier Nsengimana points out Rwanda's grey crowned cranes in the Great Lakes nation's wetlands, where the migratory birds have made an extraordinary comeback. Their resurgence is thanks to the veterinarian and former gorilla doctor's work protecting their natural habitat in a country better known for its misty peaks than damp swamps. The sprawling Rugezi swamp has become a refuge for the grey crowned cranes, which stand some 1.2 metres tall and have a wingspan of over two metres. (Photo by Paloma Laudet / AFP) (Photo by PALOMA LAUDET/AFP via Getty Images) Rwanda is a global example of conservation. What to see: Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park where species such as lions have been rehabilitated and the Niyo Cultural Center in Kigali. Best season: June to September. Advertisement Advertisement You must go because it is a transformative journey that directly supports local communities. 2. Slovenia A view of Lake Bled taken from the Straza hills overlooking the city of Bled, in the foothills of the Julian Alps on February 11, 2021. - Bled hosts the Biathlon World Championship in nearby ski resort of Pokljuka. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images) Slovenia is the quiet jewel of the Alps. What to see: Lake Bled, Soca Valley, Triglav National Park, Ljubljana and Postojna. Best season: May to September. You must go because it offers top-notch European nature without the crowds. 1. Puerto Rico RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 09: A general view of the first fairway with the El Yunque Mountain and National Rainforest beyond during the final round of the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com held at Trump International Golf Club on March 9, 2014 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Michael Cohen/Getty Images) Puerto Rico is experiencing a unique cultural rebirth. Beyond San Juan, the chinchorreo in the center of the island is a true cultural experience. What to see: El Yunque, Culebra, Ponce, Ruta del Cafe and the west. Best season: December to May. You should go because it is flavor, identity, and energy that artists like Bad Bunny have brought to the world. Advertisement Advertisement Wilson "Wil" Santiago Burgos is the founder of Mochileando.com, one of the largest travel platforms in Puerto Rico and the Latin American market in the U.S. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The 10 destinations I'd recommend for transformative travel in 2026 Key Points Florence to Rome was the most popular Eurail route for American travelers in 2025, followed closely by scenic routes in Switzerland. Lesser-known stations in Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg saw a rise in U.S. visitors, indicating growing interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations. With major rail expansions planned for 2026, Americans may soon have more reason to explore beyond Western Europes major cities. It's no secret that one of the best things about traveling in Europe is the trains. But with hundreds of thousands of miles of steel tracks, some routes are undoubtedly more popular than others. Travel + Leisure recently received stats from the European rail pass network, Eurail, about all the places where American travelers visited by train this yearhere's what you need to know. Where American Travelers Actually Went jimfeng/Getty Images Piazza dei Cinquecento at the Roma Termini train station in Rome, Italy. Piazza dei Cinquecento at the Roma Termini train station in Rome, Italy. Two countries dominated the Eurail rankings this year: Switzerland and Italy. Florence to Rome (Santa Maria Novella to Roma Termini) was the most popular journey of 2025. Switzerland's Interlaken Ost-Lauterbrunnen line and the Visp-Zermatt connection followedwith mountain villages, waterfalls, and alpine views, both routes are stunning. Paris to London via Eurostar came in fourth, and Milan to Florence rounded out the top five. Since most American travelers have limited time in Europe, it makes sense that these buzzy routes between vibrant cultural hubs are the most popular rail options. The Fastest-growing Destinations valilung/Getty Images The train station platform in Bischofshofen, a town in the Austrian Alps. The train station platform in Bischofshofen, a town in the Austrian Alps. Some train stations saw significant increases in American visitors, which could indicate a rise in those destinations' popularity. Amsterdam Zuid (a major hub for those heading into the Dutch capital or for passengers continuing onto other Dutch cities) topped the list of stations that saw the largest growth in American travelers. Advertisement Advertisement However, other stations in this category are much smaller and lesser-knownthey include Rheine in Germany; Bischofshofen in the Austrian Alps; Bettembourg in Luxembourg; and Muhldorf in the German state of Bavaria. But what does it all mean? The increase in interest in smaller destinations indicates that Americans may be venturing beyond Europe's most well-known cities for more authentic experiences in off-the-beaten-path places. Here's what's coming in 2026. chain45154/Getty Images The cityscape of Zagreb, Croatia. The cityscape of Zagreb, Croatia. Some parts of the Eurail network seemed to be almost entirely off of most U.S. travelers' radarsnamely, the Balkan Peninsula, Eastern Turkey, and the Baltic states. Though Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are trending with European travelers (many are drawn by cultural sites that have fewer crowds than those in Western Europe), they haven't yet gained as much traction with Americans. However, this may change in 2026, with soon-to-come Eurail infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe. The new Koralm Railway will connect Vienna with smaller Austrian and Slovenian cities, including Graz and Ljubljana, as well as the Italian port city of Trieste. Direct trains are returning between Munich and Vienna (cities Americans already visit) and Zagreb, Croatia. Berlin and Leipzig will get new connections to Krakow, Poland, and Przemysl, near the Ukrainian border. Poland-Lithuania routes will expand from one daily train to three, making it easier to travel between Krakow, Warsaw, and Vilnius. Advertisement Advertisement For now, American Eurail travelers in 2025 favored Switzerland's stunning mountain scenery and Italy's art citiesnext year's expanded network will test whether U.S. travelers are ready to go farther east. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure High above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway, your Scandinavian haven awaits. The Wood Hotel Bod is a gateway to culture, adventure, and communion with nature. As hinted in the name, wood is the central design and construction material, inspired by Norwegian cabin traditions and the hotel's commitment to sustainability. The pure lines of the design combined with the tactile and sensual materials whisper luxury in every detail, and the generous picture windows connect effortlessly with the untamed natural surroundings, subtly changing with the shifting light. The hotel features 177 rooms, two dining options, and a rooftop pool and terrace that take full advantage of its perch atop Rnvikfjellet mountain to present a breathtaking 360-degree view of the sea, Landegode island, the Bod Peninsula, and the imposing mountain peaks of Lofoten Wall beyond. A stay in this scenic port town steeped in history would be a perfect bonus before or after your adventures in the fjords in Norway. Read more: The Biggest Mansions In America A portal to nature and wellness Imagine getting back from a full day spent outdoors exposed to the elements, and then slinking into a relaxing session of premium me-time. Perhaps one of the best surprises at such a latitude is to find amenities you would expect when booking a luxurious hotel. The heated infinity rooftop pool invites you to unwind and take in the immensity of the scenery, or scan the stars at night. Add this to the traditional steam sauna, fully-equipped gym, and a poolside bar, and you have a true haven of restorative bliss for body and soul. Advertisement Advertisement For a snack or an informal meal, the cafe Turisthytta in the lobby focuses on traditional food with a homestyle touch. On the seventh floor, with breathtaking views of the bay, ATTME restaurant greets diners with a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional culinary culture. In line with the Wood Hotel's sustainability ethos, the menu includes dishes made from seasonal, regional ingredients including fresh seafood from the Norwegian Sea. It is also here that guests get to enjoy a copious and varied breakfast every morning, always included with the room rate, which is great value for a hotel of this caliber with room rates starting at around $140. Wood Hotel features tailored offers throughout the year for every taste, from active travelers wishing to include an electric bike rental to epicureans looking for a delicious three-course dinner. Come for the light, stay for the culture the aurora borealis lights up the sky above the bay - Helovi/Getty Images It's hard to say which is the best time of year to visit Norway, because Norway is stunning year-round. Traveling to Bod airport has become more convenient with three new direct flights from Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Munich in 2025, in addition to direct flights from Helsinki operated by Finnair. Come for the midnight sun in the summer, or the northern lights from September to April. These are just a few of the outstanding natural wonders that await, but there is so much more to Bod than its awe-inspiring setting. Bod was selected European Capital of Culture 2024, ushering its transition "from cold to cool." The initiative saw the addition of the Stormen award-winning cultural centre, with a state-of-the-art concert hall and an amazing library and cafe. The Wood Hotel Bod is located just seven minutes from the city center, so you don't have to go far to find a number of interesting galleries and museums to explore the local heritage. The Jekt Trade Museum retraces the long maritime culture of the "jekts" (traditional cargo vessels) that connected Northern Norway to the rest of Europe, and the Norwegian Aviation Museum is thekeeper of the stories and secrets of the strategic relevance of the region during World War II, the Cold War, and more recently as an important NATO outpost. Much more than an alluring home base, Wood Hotel Bod is your gateway to an authentic Arctic immersion. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Explore. A laid back beach town on Sri Lankas southern coast is quickly becoming one of the most talked about destinations for 2026. According to HomeToGos newly released 2026 Travel Trends Forecast, Weligama tops the list in the category The Seaside Slowdown: Restorative beach retreats in far away coastal locales, with a 223% increase in searches over the past year. Weligama is best known for its beginner friendly surf breaks and palm-lined beaches. Visitors can spend mornings learning to surf, watching stilt fishermen along the coast, or taking a short boat trip to spot blue whales and dolphins during the migration season. Yoga studios, beachfront massages, and open air restaurants serving fresh seafood and Sri Lankan curries add to the towns slow, wellness focused rhythm. Affordability is another big draw. Weligamas median nightly price per person sits at just $16.33, making it an appealing long haul escape for travelers who want more time abroad without overspending. It also feels less crowded than nearby hotspots, offering a more relaxed alternative to busier beach towns. Travelers are chasing slow, affordable beach escapes Weligama isnt the only destination catching travelers attention. HomeToGos list also includes Flic en Flac in Mauritius, Pulau Perhentian in Malaysia, Tropea in Italy, Cabo Rojo in Puerto Rico, and Hout Bay in South Africa. Advertisement Advertisement The broader survey shows travel demand continues to climb. 76% of U.S. travelers plan to take a vacation in 2026, with 43% already having at least one trip booked. More than a quarter say they are planning longer or more extravagant breaks, and 57% expect to spend more on travel than they did in 2025. At the same time, value still matters. Price remains the top factor for 52% of travelers, and 68% are open to traveling during less busy seasons to save money and avoid crowds. Nearly one in three, or 27%, say they are actively seeking hidden gems. 2026 seems set to be a mammoth year for travel, said Eleanor Moody, HomeToGo spokesperson and travel expert. Travelers are looking for affordable, under the radar destinations that still feel exciting and restorative, and places like Weligama fit that perfectly. In recent decades, more and more working adults have fantasized about retiring in Latin America. Professionals in the U.S. and Europe, weary of cold winters and repetitive lifestyles, daydream about their golden years in tropical beach towns or slow-paced pueblos. While Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Panama are all easy to imagine as expat havens, one country is full of surprises: Peru. This South American nation straddles the Andes Mountains and was the former epicenter of the Inca Empire. Peru was featured prominently in a 2025 video by Re, founder of the overseas retirement website Adventure Freaksss. "Rent here is shockingly affordable," said Re. "You can find two-bedroom homes for approximately $250 to $350 per month in the valley, with views of the mountains that would cost you millions in the U.S." The financials are important, of course, but Re is also taken with the country itself. "Peru's combination of affordability, jaw-dropping landscapes, rich history, and welcoming people is gaining traction fast." Re isn't alone. The website Investopedia listed Peru among its "5 Latin American Destinations Where You Can Retire Comfortably on $2,000" in 2025, and Money.com included Peru as one of "4 Under-the-Radar Countries Where You Can Retire for Cheap" in 2017. The growing consensus is this: Peru isn't a household name among late-career professionals yet. But it has all the makings of a retirement hub in the foreseeable future. Current expats in Lima and Cuzco may one day be able to say, "I retired in Peru before it was popular." Advertisement Advertisement Read more: The 10 Best Rick Steves Travel Tips We've Learned Why Peru attracts foreign retirees Two people dressed in traditional ponchos spread their arms toward Machu Picchu, Peru - Wirestock/Getty Images Low rent offers the biggest savings for retirees, and the money app Wise found that related utilities generally add up to a little over $100 USD per month in Peru. Otherwise, daily expenses vary across the country, and certain pricing like international health care packages will depend on the individual. Uros Expeditions, a Peru-based tour company, suggests a weekly grocery budget of $25 to $40 USD per person in Lima's Miraflores / San Isidro, and certain products, like locally sourced potatoes and fish, will likely cost less than imported goods. Local bus fare is typically $1 or less, and a reasonable taxi ride in Lima should cost between $3 and $6 USD. These costs are even less in smaller cities. If you're window-shopping for places to settle, the Peruvian government makes it easy. No special visa is required, and U.S. passport-holders can stay for up to 90 days with a single stamp. You can scope out the vibe in Cuzco, a wildly affordable city with ancient ruins, local flavors, and breathtaking hikes, or you can hang around Paracas, an underrated beach town that's the gateway to a world of sandy cliffs and ocean views. Wherever you spend your time in the "Land of the Incas," getting in touch with real estate professionals is a good idea to gauge everyday prices in supermarkets and pharmacies. You can also survey locals about healthcare and hospitals. If you like what you're seeing and can picture a life there, you can start on the paperwork for a "Rentista" visa, which entitles you to six-month stays in the country. Just be prepared to prove that you consistently earn at least $1,000 per month. Social security payments naturally count. Basic considerations for retiring in Peru People exchanging colorful Peruvian cash - Andrzej Rostek/Shutterstock Peru is a country of contrasts. It's generally considered to be stable and tourist-friendly as of 2025. Lima is a large city with many modern amenities, such as high-rise condominiums, superlative restaurants, and well-stocked supermarkets. An entire industry is building up around expat living, and middle-class Americans and Europeans shouldn't have much trouble finding a comfortable place to live. Banking and transactions are easier than ever, including widespread ATMs, credit card readers, and QR payments. Speaking some Spanish helps enormously, though an estimated 11% of Peruvians speak English as a second language, mostly in tourist-trafficked areas. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, there are reasons Peru is such a bargain. The country has struggled with environmental issues, especially the air quality in major cities, and many first-time visitors have to adapt to a grittier quality of life. Poverty is widespread across the country, and illegal activity is on the rise. In recent years, political unrest has gone through periods of fluctuation. Organized crime in Lima is well known, and inexperienced travelers should think twice before visiting this and other dangerous South American cities. Retirees may face scams, price gouging, and aggressive service people trying to take advantage of their acclimation. Like so many places, the reality of living in Peru may feel very different from vacationing there, but there's a lot to love, and retirees who persevere might begin their best chapter yet. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. Since international travel has made a post-pandemic comeback, more people are spending extra on it, and Europe is right in the middle of the buzz. According to UN Tourism, Europe welcomed 625 million international tourists between January and September 2025, 4% more than in 2024. Spain, one of the best countries for retirees, is responsible for a lot of those visits and recorded up to 94 million international travelers in 2024. With the majority of the traveling population fitting their trips within the same window, there's less availability and inflated tickets, making the trip even pricier. Rick Steves, an experienced traveler and author, says in his RickSteves.com blog that one way to avoid the high prices is to visit in the spring and fall, when the weather is less humid, and crowds are much smaller. The tourism data from Spain seems to support Steve's choices too. In the first eight months of 2025, the country welcomed almost 66.8 million international tourists, and a whopping 11.3 million of those travelers made that trip in August. Compared to March, with 6.6 million, and September, with 9.7 million, the summer months (July and August) tend to draw the largest crowds. The large crowd drives demand higher, and you get sold-out hotels, overpriced Airbnb listings, and rising ticket prices. Compared to months like April and September, hotels and other accommodations tend to be at full capacity, and entry ticket prices at attractions are inflated due to increased demand. All of these extra expenses add up, making Spain one of the more expensive tourist destinations in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 11 Huge Mistakes Costing You Money At Costco How traveling to Spain in the shoulder season can cut your travel bill aerial view of Edificio Metropoli, Gran via - Madrid, Spain - Unsplash / Jorge Fernandez Salas Vacationing during these shoulder seasons doesn't just mean you get to enjoy a calmer trip; it's also lighter on your pocket. Accommodation is where it starts, and according to Reuters, the average hotel prices have risen by 23% over three years to an average of 131 ($153.80) per night. During peak travel seasons, the numbers rise even higher. Historical data from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) reports the average hotel price in April 2025 at 116.6 ($136.89), after which the numbers rose by about 34% to 155.7 ($182.80) in August 2025. If you took a three-day trip in April instead of August 2025, you could save approximately 117.3 ($137.4) in just hotel costs. Air travel and flight ticket prices follow the same pattern, rising in the summer and falling in late fall. According to one travel guide blog, June to mid August is the most expensive time to fly to Spain, with round-trip tickets ranging from $740 to $950 and, in rare cases, as high as $1,000. In comparison, flights booked between late fall and early spring (November to March) tend to be the lowest, with rates between $500 and $600 per round trip. When it comes to sights and attractions, the pattern is the same, and most summer travelers end up paying more than the standard ticket prices. The Sagrada Familia, a Roman Catholic church and popular tourist spot, prices its general admission tickets at 26, while the Prado Museum's tickets start at 18. In the summer, most of the available time slots fill up super quickly, forcing tourists to pay for exclusive/premium options such as skip-the-line guided tour tickets, which range from 33 to 160. Unlock your financial potential. Add Money Digest to your preferred sources for smart money insights! Read the original article on Money Digest. The year is nearly over, but its not too late to fit in one last vacation. Travelers hoping to ring in 2026 with a trip can still find deals on flights to domestic and international destinations, from Las Vegas to Cancun and St. Lucia. Four of the 10 most popular U.S. lodging markets for New Years are in Florida alone, according to Expedia data: Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Key West. Despite the beach trend, New York, Paris, and London remain top picks for travelers chasing big-city countdowns and fireworks, the company added in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about the most affordable destinations for New Years. What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip. According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection. Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat. Witnessing a solar eclipse is one way to experience wonder. G Adventures offers five trips for the Aug. 2027 eclipse, including an exclusive viewing party in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Travelers can dive into Guatemala's history and culture, from learning how to make beloved local dishes to exploring the ancient ruins of Tikal. Exploring the wild, remote landscapes in the Arctic aboard an expedition cruise can leave travelers with a newfound appreciation for Mother Nature. Imagine having a close encounter with Africa's wildlife while also supporting ethical travel and conservation. G Adventures offers a trip to Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, where travelers can see Victoria Falls, track elephants and cruise rivers looking for hippos. Sail down Sri Lanka's South Coast on a seven-day trip on a 54-foot catamaran for the chance to swim at remote beaches, explore fishing villages and more. Ecuador offers much more than being a gateway to the Galapagos. Travelers can go chocolate tasting, learn more about Indigenous culture and explore the wild jungle. Rather than falling into the typical tourist traps, travelers can try to live like a local and go off the beaten path. On G Adventures' East Iceland trip, guests go to a remote hamlet, enjoy geothermal pools and hike coastal trails. The Stans Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan offer a rich history steeped in the Silk Road trade along with stunning nature, like Kaindy Lake's otherworldly sunken forest. Moldova may not be on everyone's radar, but this underrated Eastern European destination is perfect for foodies. Travelers can sip wine, taste local cuisine and visit spots like an eco-friendly cheese factory. 10 destinations where travelers feel happiest 1 of 10 What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip. According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection. Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat. Where are the cheapest places to fly for New Years? Hopper said there are affordable round-trip fares from a range of U.S. cities between Dec. 29 and Jan. 7: There are flights from New York to West Palm Beach for as low as $70. There are also fares from the Big Apple to Orlando starting at $90 and to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for as low as $234. There are fares for trips from Chicago to Miami starting at $84, San Juan for $250 and Cancun, Mexico for $300. Travelers can fly from Dallas to Las Vegas for $87 and Orlando for $90. Other deals from the Texas city include flights to Miami starting at $100 and to Fort Lauderdale for $104. Flights from Boston to Orlando start at $103, and at $270 to San Juan. Expedias list of destinations under $500, meanwhile, included Atlantic City; Fort Lauderdale; Orlando; Atlanta; and New Orleans for domestic travel between Dec. 27 and Jan. 4. For international trips, Guadalajara, Mexico; St. Lucia; Cusco, Peru; Stockholm; and Sao Paulo, Brazil all made the list. Where are the most popular destinations for New Years? Expedia lodging data between Dec. 29 and Jan. 7 showed that New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando and Los Angeles were among the most popular U.S. destinations. Internationally, the list included Cancun, Punta Cana, Tokyo, Paris and London. Advertisement Advertisement Hopper similarly found that warm-weather destinations like Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean are topping the list for New Year's travel this year. Flying this holiday season?: The 5 worst US airlines and airports for holiday flight delays People enjoy themselves along the tourist destination of Ocean Drive on May 30, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Where are the cheapest places to stay for New Years? Expedia data also showed affordable accommodations in a variety of destinations. U.S. options under $150 per night include Pensacola, Destin, Tallahassee (plus Moab, Tulsa, Omaha); international under $150 per night includes Cebu, Phuket/Pattaya, Lima, (and) Santo Domingo, the company said. What are some of the best New Year's destinations? On r/Travel, one of the biggest travel communities on Reddit with over 2.1 million subscribers, people shared the best destinations where they've celebrated New Year's. Advertisement Advertisement "People are no longer just accepting curated recommendations from influencers or algorithmic suggestions, but they're pooling collective intelligence from other savvy travelers and locals around the world," Matt Klein, Reddits head of foresight, told USA TODAY in a statement. In the November post, Reddit users reminisced about watching the famous fireworks display over Sydney Harbor and from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper Taipei 101, while others saw fireworks from the beach on Kauai. Some dove into cultural traditions like eating 12 grapes under the table in Mexico, wearing white in the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, and celebrating Hogmanay in Scotland. Other memorable destinations included Auckland, Cape Town, Toronto and Abu Dhabi. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: You can still travel for New Year's 2026 without blowing your budget Mexico is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with dozens if not hundreds of regions with distinct flavors. What we tend to recognize in the U.S. as Mexican food is actually a melange of dishes from multiple areas brought together. Ernesto Delgados petite North Oak Park restaurant, which opened earlier this year, narrows its focus to one of Mexicos most storied culinary destinations: Oaxaca. Tucked into the highlands of southern Mexico, Oaxaca is a place of winding mountain roads, vivid markets and deeply rooted Indigenous traditions. Its here that mole was perfected, mezcal was born, and food became a form of storytelling. Delgados restaurant channels that place into its North Oak Park home. Advertisement Advertisement But, it is the regions iconic spirit, more than the food, that Delgado wants to showcase most. I love mezcal and what it represents, Delgado said. Like tequila, mezcal is a spirit made from agave plants. Whereas tequila is made from only one kind of agave, mezcal is made from multiple varieties, each offering different flavor profiles. Grace Rovere serves a flight of mezcal at Oaxaca Cocteleria and Mezcaleria on Tuesday. (HECTOR AMEZCUA/hamezcua@sacbee.com) Tequila is like having only one spice to pull from your spice cabinet, but when you are making mezcal, you open up your spice cabinet, its full of spices. Those are all the different species of agave. To pair with the mezcal-based cocktails, such as the tangy, spicy mezcalina ($13) made with pineapple and jalapeno, Oaxaca serves up typical fare from the region. Advertisement Advertisement Delgado is from Michoacan, not Oaxaca 250 miles to the south, so he brought in a consulting chef to develop the menu. One of the most iconic dishes is the tlayuda ($19), a plate-sized, paper-thin tortilla griddled until crisp. Oaxacas version is topped with black beans, cabbage, avocado and three kinds of meat. We have al pastor, chorizo, and we have tasajo, which is like dehydrated beef, Delgado said. The tlayuda ($19) is a crisped tortilla served with chorizo, beef and al pastor at Oaxaca Cocteleria and Mezcaleria. (HECTOR AMEZCUA/hamezcua@sacbee.com) In Oaxaca, the tlayuda is typically folded while on the griddle, like a quesadilla. Delgados is served open-face. You can fold it once you get it to the table, but I recommend that you just tear into it and explore the flavors. he said. Advertisement Advertisement Mole among Mexicos most celebrated sauces is more than just a recipe in Oaxaca. Its a tradition, a ritual, and in many families, an heirloom. At the heart of Oaxacan cuisine, mole reflects centuries of Indigenous and colonial influence, with roots in Zapotec and Mixtec cooking and ingredients that span the regions forests, valleys and markets. Oaxaca serves up three varieties. Mole negro, literally black from chiles that have been grilled until charred, has a deep, earthy flavor. Mole rojo has a gentler spice and mild sweetness from the addition of dried fruits. The lightest, mole amarillo, is actually more ochre in color, and is thickened with masa, or corn flour. To get a sense of them, start your meal with the individual mole tasting ($8), served in small bowls with tortillas for dunking. Once youve decided which you like best, you can commit to the full Oaxacan mole ($27) dish, a chicken thigh slathered in the sauce and served with Spanish rice and fresh tortillas. The flight of mole includes mole negro, mole rojo and mole amarillo. (HECTOR AMEZCUA/hamezcua@sacbee.com) The tamal oaxaqueno de pollo ($15) is another standout. Unlike chubby tamales wrapped in corn husks, the Oaxacan version is flatter, with a more balanced mix of masa and filling, and steamed in a banana leaf that imparts a grassy aroma. Its artfully sauced with mole negro and crema. Advertisement Advertisement Vegetarians have ample options beyond salads, including chilaquiles ($12), tortilla chips smothered in red or green salsa and topped with beans and sour cream, or the chile relleno ($16), a poblano chile stuffed with Oaxaca cheese, battered and fried, served in a light tomato sauce. The tamal Oaxaqueno at Oaxaca Cocteleria and Mezcaleria. (HECTOR AMEZCUA/hamezcua@sacbee.com) Oaxaca gets its tortillas and masa from La Familia Tortilla Shop in Dixon. La Familia imports and mills heirloom corn varieties from Mexico. The restaurant along Broadway is positively tiny, with only four tables plus bar seating inside, but in warmer weather it benefits from multiple outdoor patios. Delgado has patterns on even further expansion with an additional patio and with parties on 3rd Avenue. Were looking to close the street and have a guelaguetza, a Oaxacan street festival. We can really showcase the culture. Oaxaca Address: 3400 Broadway, North Oak Park Advertisement Advertisement Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays Phone: 916-619-8689 Website: oaxacasacramento.com Vegetarian options: Plentiful Noise level: Inside can get loud, otherwise moderate The sheer size of some of the world's tallest buildings is just extraordinary. The current tallest, Guinness World Records reports, is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 2,716 feet, 6 inches high. It's an astonishing feat of human engineering, as are some of the machines we've developed to aid in the construction of some of these behemoths. The biggest cranes, dump trucks, excavators and bridge-builders aren't going to be appropriate for every size and shape of these jobs, of course, but they have potential on an enormous scale too. Sometimes, some of the world's biggest cars are slightly overkill, but these machines aren't just about spectacle. They make the biggest jobs possible. We've already run down some of the planet's largest excavators, and now it's time for some other giants of the construction industry. From vast, towering cranes to wide and immensely powerful excavators, there are some gigantic vehicles to help workers with construction projects. They vary an awful lot in size, height, weight, and capacity depending on the type of vehicle and its role, so it's not as easy as ranking the five overall biggest. Advertisement Advertisement Instead, these are some of the biggest and most formidable vehicles in their respective categories. We'll also explore their backgrounds and some further details on the work these giants were built for. Some continue to be in operation today, some found an alternative purpose, and others have long since been retired, taken apart or placed in storage. Regardless of their ultimate fates, though, they're all formidable. Read more: 7 Harbor Freight Icon Tools That Are Worth Buying (And 3 To Avoid) BelAZ 75710 dump truck A yellow BelAZ 75710 dump trucks driving around an ore quarry, front 3/4 view - Yura Mymrikov/Shutterstock Some vehicles have critical roles in construction more broadly, but may not be directly involved in raising buildings themselves. The mighty dump truck, for instance. These powerful vehicles have a lot of utility across the construction industry. Beginning with the foundations, a dump truck can have an important role in managing the excavation, and carrying unearthed materials to where they need to be. There are limited options to replace them in such a role, because of the scale of material that a dump truck is capable of transporting at once. The BelAZ 75710 demonstrates this very effectively. This powerhouse was built by Belarus's Belaz. It was first deployed in October 2014, and quickly found a role perfect for its talents: Carrying up to 450 tons of rock around a coal mine in Siberia. Everything about the truck was supersized in order to allow it to perform such feats, not least of which its monstrous tires. It has eight of them, which combine to allow the 75710 to support a total of 816 tons. Capable of traveling at up to 40 mph and with almost 14,000 lb-ft of torque, it's a huge vehicle indeed. It also has a diesel-hybrid powertrain. Advertisement Advertisement Its enormous size and capacity is a great boon in its line of work. MTU's Key Account Manager for mining vehicles, Rainer Pelcz, explains why: "Spoil, i.e. rock that contains no raw material, has to be carried away. If fewer vehicles can do that work, the mine saves on staff and fuel." There are other dump trucks on a similarly titanic scale, such as the 400 ton-hauling, 4000 horsepower Caterpillar 797F, but it can't top the sheer size of this Belarus-built behemoth. It makes even the biggest Ford trucks look small and sensible. Kalmar LMV's forklift truck The Kalmar Super Heavy Forklift DCG620 parked in a workplace. - YouTube/Kalmar Depending on the job at hand, the Kalmar LMV forklift is also going to prove essential in its own way and a titan in its respective class. A forklift truck is a mainstay of construction sites around the world, uniquely equipped to raise, carry, and deposit materials according to the needs of the site. There are a wide range of accessories that can be used as appropriate, such as brick baskets. Just as with dump trucks, the size of a given forklift is increased as the scope of its intended purpose is. The biggest forklift of all, according to Guinness World Records, was manufactured by Sweden's Kalmar LMV in 1991. This forklift is 54 feet, 5.5 inches long, weighs slightly over a quarter of a million pounds, and is capable of stretching up to 12 feet 5.6 inches when burdened with as much as 198,000 pounds' worth of cargo. LMV has been making forklift trucks for decades, beginning with a model designed to work in a Smaland mill in 1949. It entered forklift production three years later, and in 1974, was purchased by Kalmar Verkstad AB. The company became known as Kalmar LMV, and though it has been through name changes and product catalog updates since (terminal tractors and reachstackers are also among its innovations), continued to develop huge models such as the Kalmar Super Heavy DCG620 pictured here. In the 1980s, the Kalmar LMV 80-200 was the biggest forklift on the planet, but Kalmar itself reports that the Super Heavy Forklift Truck DCG600-850 is now one of the major contenders for that title, a beast powered by a Volvo D11 engine. Kroll's K-10000 tower crane A Kroll K-10000 crane in a shipyard. - Wikimedia Commons /flyTime, resized and cropped, CC BY-SA 3.0. and GNU Free Documentation License. Typically, we call on cranes when it's time to hoist heavy construction materials like steel girders into the air. Depending on the scale of the job, cranes become increasingly larger themselves, and few more so than the K-10000, developed by Danish company Kroll. Guinness World Records declares it to be the largest tower crane on Earth, 393 feet tall and, according to the outlet, "capable of lifting 120 tonnes (264,500 lb) at 82 m (269 ft) radius (i.e. the distance from the central supporting column)." Advertisement Advertisement Kroll boasts that its heavy-lifting powerhouse reduces the need for multiple smaller-scale cranes in a single work site. This can be important from a safety perspective, because multiple operative cranes increases the risk of potential accidents. The K-10000 has a huge range of operation along with its strength, which quite literally enables it to do the job of more than one smaller crane. Its versatility doesn't end there, either, as it is also available in a variant that has a base on rails, useful for those work areas large enough to practically accommodate that, as well as its immobile counterpart. Some marvelous engineering goes into the counterweights that help 400+ ton cranes work without tipping over. The K-10000 has a history of performing very large-profile jobs to reflect its own size. The very first of these cranes was bought by General Public Utilities in New Jersey in 1978, intended to aid the construction of the ultimately-canceled Forked River nuclear plant. Several of those in service operate in huge shipyards. In fact, in February 2025, Favelle Favco reported on social media that a base-mounted K-10000 had been delivered to South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries Shipyard, where it will presumably have a long and hard-working life ahead of it. The Herrenknecht Mixshield S-880 tunnel-boring machine Illustrative image of a Herrenknecht Mixshield tunnel-boring machine. - YouTube/Herrenknecht AG Without machines, it would be all but impossible to build bigger tunnels, but fortunately, there's another engineering titan for that. Tunnel-boring machines are, effectively, like giant mechanical moles, scoring their way through the earth often using rotating heads that slice their way through rock and any other underground challenges they meet. Of course, the bigger the machine used, the more quickly and efficiently it will be able to carve out the desired size for the tunnel, which means that some of these devices are suitably immense too. Guinness World Records declares the Herrenknecht Mixshield S-880 (pictured is a model of the Mixshield family) to be the world's biggest tunnel boring machine. It weighs 5,346 tons and is 393 feet 8 inches long in total. A total of 15 motors, each capable of up to 200 kW, are used to power the the main drive of the machine, the cutting wheel. This model, the outlet goes on, was used to create Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok to Tuen Mun tunnel, and doing so meant contending with the difficult terrain. Herrenknecht explains how the machine did just that: "19 triple-hydraulic cylinder presses ... move the Mixshield forward. Advertisement Advertisement The cylinders brace themselves against the last previously installed lining ring and push the Mixshield ahead." An erector then takes each section, crafted from concrete, placing the basis for the tunnel's body as the machine moves through the earth. The advantage of such a huge device is that it can cut carbon use during projects by requiring only one machine. In the United Kingdom, the proposed Lower Thames Crossing in London will have both tunnels excavated by a single machine, thereby making the already-complex project cheaper and more manageable from a logistical point of view. China's Iron Monster bridge building machine SLJ900/32 on a bridge, several crew members standing next to it - PhyXs Vision / YouTube If you're not in the trade, you may well never have seen a bridge in construction. We often take these safe passages across water for granted, as though they've always been there and always will. The fact is, though, bridge-building projects are becoming more and more advanced and ambitious as technology improves, and China is innovating in an enormous way in this regard. The world's longest bridge, the 102-mile long Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is in China, which tells us all we need to know about the nation's capacity in the area. Of course, in order to develop engineering marvels such as this, some heavy duty equipment is needed. One of the largest bridge-building machines in the world is China's "Iron Monster," Beijing Wow Joint Machinery Company's SLJ900/32. This remarkable machine lays a bridge section by section, passing backwards and forwards to lay one and then retrieve the next segment. It has a series of supports that extend from beneath the front of its body, allowing it to rest on the pre-laid vertical supports of the bridge. It has a grand total of 64 wheels, too, enhancing its maneuverability. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, a speed of 3 mph isn't anything to shout about, but it allows for bridge construction at an impressive pace. As such, this approximately 29.5 feet tall and 302 feet long machine is hardly subtle, but much like the K-10000 tower crane, can make huge workspaces much less cluttered with machines, as it can effectively perform the work of several. The Segmental Bridge Launching Machine, as it's also known, can't directly build bridge components, but is perfect for taking girders (which are already built) and laying them like a railway track. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashGear. NEED TO KNOW Numerous files shared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the investigations into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein have seemingly disappeared One of the at least 16 files featured a photo of Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the files were removed to protect the victims Numerous files shared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the investigations into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein have seemingly disappeared including one featuring Donald Trump. Thousands of files were released on Friday, Dec. 19, one month after the president signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the DOJ to make all documents related to the investigations publicly available and searchable. Advertisement Advertisement A day later, at least 16 of the files were removed from the DOJ webpage, including a photograph of Trump, 79, the Associated Press reported. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded to the removal during an appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, claiming that the files were removed to protect victims. "There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday," he said. "That's because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group, if they have any concerns about the material that we're putting up." Neil Rasmus/Patrick McMullan via Getty Jeffrey Epstein attends Launch of RADAR MAGAZINE at Hotel QT on May 18, 2005. Jeffrey Epstein attends Launch of RADAR MAGAZINE at Hotel QT on May 18, 2005. "So when we hear concerns whether it's photographs of women that we do not believe are victims or we didn't have information to show that they were victims, but we learned that there are concerns, of course we're taking that photograph down, and we're going to address it," the attorney general continued. Advertisement Advertisement "If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, and then we'll put it back up. So we are, in every way, shape and form, complying with the statute," Blanche, 51, added, before he claimed that Trump has "nothing" to hide regarding the Epstein files. Blanche also said during his Meet the Press spot, "You should not be surprised that the material that we released on Friday, or the material that we're going to release over the next couple of weeks, is exactly what the statute requires us to release." When reporter Kristen Welker asked Blanche to confirm that the files were taken down "at the direction of a judge," specifically mentioning a removed photo that seemingly showed a desk with an open drawer that contained a photo of Trump, Blanche responded, "You can see in that photo, there's photographs of women." He continued, "We learned after releasing that photograph that there were concerns about those women, and the fact that we had put that photo up. So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump." Advertisement Advertisement Blanche also addressed the delay in releasing the entirety of the files, stating that the statute "requires us to protect victims, and so the reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply that to protect victims." PEOPLE reached out to the DOJ's Office of Public Affairs for comment on Sunday, Dec. 21, but did not receive an immediate response. The DOJ's release of files on Dec. 19 consisted of five different data sets, containing roughly 3,900 files. They included a wide range of documents and photos, including a full scanned copy of the book Massage for Dummies, a fully redacted 119-page grand jury filing and a police report in which a young woman alleged that Epstein threatened to burn down her house. Davidoff Studios/Getty Donald Trump, Melania Knauss,Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Feb. 12, 2000. Donald Trump, Melania Knauss,Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Feb. 12, 2000. Blanche previously announced that the DOJ would not be able to release the Epstein files in full, despite the Act's requirement that all files be released within 30 days. Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, Blanche said the department needed more time to complete redactions in the hundreds of thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein's investigation. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Todd Blanche at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 11, 2025. Todd Blanche at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 11, 2025. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Additional responsive materials will be produced as our review continues, consistent with the law and with protections for victims," he said. The files released also include images of Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, Michael Jackson and more high-profile celebrities and political figures. Advertisement Advertisement Epstein died in August 2019 at age 66. He was found hanging inside a jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, where he was awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org. Read the original article on People Recent atmospheric rivers have brought widespread flooding to British Columbia as persistent waves of heavy rain washed over the region. The next potent atmospheric rivers aiming for the West Coast will remain south of the border, and they're on track to produce some serious rainfall totals. DONT MISS: Whats a Pineapple Express? Diving into this robust atmospheric river Active storm track continues for the West Coast A strong jet stream has brought wave after wave of storms and heavy rain to southwestern B.C. in recent weeks, culminating in widespread flooding throughout the Fraser River and Sumas River valleys. California atmospheric moisture December 19 2025 While forecasters still expect plenty of low-elevation rain and mountain snow across southern B.C. through this weekend and into next week, the most active weather will finally shunt across the international border as the jet stream dips farther south. Flooding rains eyeing California into next week Over the next week, a series of low-pressure systems will funnel into the California coast a potent type of atmospheric river known as a Pineapple Express. Advertisement Advertisement This rich plume of moisture travelling straight from the Hawaiian Islands will allow abundant heavy rain to engulf the northern half of California into next week. California precipitation through Sunday MUST SEE: Tule Fog can blanket California in a thick cloud for days Rain is expected high into the Sierra Nevada, where enhanced lift may help produce more than 500 mm of rain in some regions. Flooding, mudslides, and rockslides are likely as heavy rain drenches the region. Lower elevations are also expecting some hefty totals. Sacramentos forecast of up to 175 mm of rain would equal about 40 per cent of the citys total annual average precipitation. San Francisco could see an entire Decembers worth of rain in just a few days. US Drought Monitor December 19 2025 Drenching rains like this are a critical part of the water cycle in this region of the world, as they replenish area waterways to get through the dry months. However, snow at higher elevations would be ideal for banking water resources ahead of the next wildfire season. The good news is that the entire state of California found itself free of drought this month, for the first time since July 2024. WATCH: California's persistent winter fog seen from satellite Click here to view the video Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Desperate to focus on anything other than competently running a railroad, Amtrak made news this fall by arresting a couple hundred men for public lewdness in Penn Station, the implication being that they were cruising the bathrooms there for sex. This caused a minor uproar. New Yorks Rep. Jerry Nadler sent a letter demanding Amtrak, Cease targeting members of the LGBTQ community on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation. In the Cut recently, David Mack (also a Slate contributor) talked to a cruiser who referred to the Penn Station mens room as the de facto third space for some old queens. According to the same article, one can get famous on Tik Tok nowadays for cruising or at least pretending to (yay?). Out magazine characterized the episode as the return of the dark days of police entrapment efforts against gay men. They go on to speak with a law professor who underlined that this is an attack on the entire LGBTQ+ community. For the uninitiated, cruising, in a broad sense, refers to seeking out anonymous sex. In a narrower sense, which is the focus here, it refers to seeking out sex in public or semipublic spaces. This can be conflated with indecent exposure in the public imagination, but its not the same. With cruising, the goal is not so much to be seen as to have sex in a public setting (bathroom, wooded park, rest stop) without anyone else knowing. It is intended to be an activity where all parties consent. Undoubtedly, its a part of gay history, if for no other reason than because pervasive discrimination didnt leave many other options. Often, one could not have sex in a private place because your neighbors or the hotel clerk could figure out what you were up to, and what you were up to was illegal. Advertisement Advertisement However, its no longer the 1960s. Is cruising really still the integral part of gay culture so many seem to think it is? Im not so sure! Must we describe it as a sacred rite of gay (and bi, there are literally dozens of us!) men everywhere? If we dont have anonymous sex in public, were not risking crop failures, and our deities wont be wrathfuljust disappointed, I suppose. For the most part, we arent forced to choose between cruising or celibacy these days. Sex and relationships are available to gays in all the traditional ways and a good many nontraditional ones. As non-app-based examples of the latter, gay bathhouses still very much exist. Raves and circuit parties (i.e., gay raves) are quite similar, except one often features a roped-off section where people can go for anonymous sex (oddly enough though, both tend to have some hippie-looking lady selling cutesy crochet work at a table in a corner). And so on. With the freedom to engage in same-sex relationships openly and with various opportunities for facilitated public-ish sex, its worth asking: Is cruising really that vital? Moreover, when its a choice, a kink people actively seek out, is it maybe just a little bit disrespectful to other users of public spaces? Imagine the poor, hapless guy having things go so wrong that he has to use a stall in those filthy Penn Station bathrooms for its intended purpose. Isnt having a threesome one stall over just sadistically making his day that much worse? To be clear and slightly more serious, my point is not that cruising should get you thrown in jail, or burned in hell for all eternity, or whatever. Rather, its just a little bit rude, like littering. I might be the only bi man in New York who actually uses Central Parks woods for birding. Stepping on a used condom or accidentally locking eyes with a guy in the bushes mid-fellatio hasnt scarred me for life. However, it can take the fun out of linking up with my first love, an ovenbird. I dont think to myself, Oh, thats disgusting! But, Eh, thats kind of inconsiderate fits. I asked some warblers for their thoughts, but they declined to comment on the record due to fear of reprisals. So then, were the Penn Station arrests useful? Is it an effective use of resources to conduct an elaborate sting operation wherein Amtrak makes (or is it lets?) a policeman pretend to masturbate at a urinal? All for arrests so ridiculous judges have refused to even hear the cases? I think not. Even if the save gay culture blowback over the sting is over the top, the operation itself seems like silly overkill. It would have to be easier and cheaper to have one uniformed cop (not a whole undercover task force) stand near the door of the bathroom as a deterrent. Moreover, at the end of the day, this sort of thing is mostly just consenting adults getting to second base while hiding. Tickets would be more appropriate than making a criminal case out of it. Maybe a PSA poster series: No taking up two seats, no loud music without headphones, pets must be in carriers, and please, no putting your unmentionables through holes in restroom divider panels. Have a pleasant day. Advertisement Advertisement Importantly, if youre deterring the activity and erring toward tickets instead of arrests, youre enforcing the rules but making allowances for people who do still wear 1960s-esque shackles: Though homosexuality is broadly accepted here, its not universal. For various reasons some men may still feel they have few other options, and publicly shaming them over it seems cruel, which is worse than rudeness for those keeping track. Youd also avoid deporting people over something so trivial. (Despite some portrayals, Amtrak didnt necessarily set out to deport people. But given how much they depend on federal funding, its unlikely they have the luxury of ignoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers in the current climate.) Overall, whether you agree with me or not about cruising being a little inconsiderate, it should be a matter of manners and civil penalties, not criminality. I have friends whove done this sort of thing (albeit usually in locker rooms, not train stations), and I certainly dont think any of them deserve to be arrested. In fact, theyre saints for tolerating some nitwit who spends his time writing 1,000-word columns about manners. Most of the ridiculousness of this episode stems from the ham-fisted overenforcement. But, criticizing the police action by framing cruising as a central part of gay identity is a bit overwrought as well. Cruising is not something we have to do to feel fulfilled as queer people, and its sort of rude to do it in very public spaces (even if no one sees). So now that you know Im a bit of a killjoy, stay away from me in the Ramble unless youre 5 inches tall and can fly. While California Gov. Gavin Newsom has stolen much of the attention in Democratic conversations about the next presidential race, another governor is quietly garnering some buzz among strategists and top Democratic donors: Andy Beshear. The Kentucky governor has been able to win elections in a fiercely red state as a measured, moderate Democrat. Hes not a brash, in-your-face kind of politician, and thats the appeal, Democrats say. For those craving normalcy, he is their answer, said John Morgan, a Democratic donor and injury lawyer, who recently met with Beshear and found him to be impressive. Advertisement Advertisement Morgan says he has a very good chance of winning a presidential contest, should he choose to enter, highlighting the governors authenticity. He has won 3 times in a very red state, Morgan said. He knows the path. The 48-year-old Beshear isnt yet a household name, but he has steadily ascended behind the scenes, operatives say. Hes the chair of the Democratic Governors Association for the midterms next year, a powerful spot that ensures he will be traveling the country, meeting with key Democrats on the ground and appearing at political events in key states. Beshear has been offering a playbook for going forward after the bruising defeat in the 2024 presidential election; he was one of the first to offer a plan after the losses in an op-ed in The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement If you are staring at the cost of your childs prescription and wondering how you are going to pay for both it and your familys dinner, the offense of the day in Washington D.C. or the latest crazy thing a politician said just isnt as important, the governor wrote, adding that theres a trust leaders must earn not only in their messaging but also in their every day actions Beshear pointed to his own success, including winning Kentucky by 5 points in 2023, a year before Trump carried the state by 30 points. Beshear grew his margin of victory from less than 1 percent in 2019, and won Breathitt County where Vice President Vances family has roots by 22 points. As Democrats battle internally over whether to move to the left or the center, some argue Beshear is the solution because he would appeal to a wide swath of voters. I appreciate the fact that to be successful as a party and as a brand we have to have people who know how to not just talk to but connect with people in authentic ways, and its been my experience that red state Democrats do that really well, said Democratic strategist Anthony Coley. When I think about the way forward for the country, we cant just inspire the base. We have to find a way to appeal to the millions of non-MAGA supporters as well as the millions of people who supported Joe Biden in 2020 but did not show up in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement After four years of the Trump administration, Coley said the electorate may want someone who is the polar opposite in the Oval Office in the next administration. American voters have a habit of swinging toward contrast, Coley said, pointing to the drastic swings between presidents like Barack Obama and Trump. After the lies and chaos of Trump 2.0, the country will be ready for an honest, grounded and recognizably human president. Thats good news for a Democrat like Andy Beshear, who doesnt just know how to win a red state, he comes across as an authentic fundamentally decent dude. Those who know Beshear well say that he is exactly how he appears in public: Even-keeled and polite in the classic aw-shucks sense. Still, You should not mistake nice for weak, said Eric Hyers, who served as Beshears campaign manager in 2019 and remains a close adviser. Advertisement Advertisement He is tough as nails, Hyers said. He is someone who has been through tough battles both in elections and in office. I chuckle when I get the, Is he tough enough?' Hyers added. Do you have any idea the fortitude it takes to stake your reelection campaign on vetoing an anti-trans bill and running on abortion rights? In 2023, months before his reelection, Beshear vetoed an expansive Republican bill that included banning access to gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, restricting where transgender students could use restrooms, and barring schools from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity. At the time, Beshear said the legislation would open the door to too much governmental interference in personal health care issues and rips away the freedoms of parents to make medical decisions for their children. Advertisement Advertisement In his 2023 reelection campaign, the governor doubled-down on the abortion rights issue in a state where it was tightly restricted and opposed by GOP leaders. But he flipped the issue by personalizing the stakes of abortion laws in highly emotional terms. He ran ads featuring Hadley Duvall, who was raped by her stepfather when she was 12 after years of sexual abuse. And his campaign didnt just run the spot in Louisville and Lexington, to juice Democratic turnout. It also ran it in Republican heavy markets, where Democrats normally get 20percent to 35 percent of the vote. Our data showed that the voters who moved the most away from the Republican and towards Andy Beshear when they watched the ads like Hadleys werent the suburban educated women you might guess, Hyers said. It was in fact the demographics that were least likely to support Democrats: blue collar, rural, older conservative men. We saw big movement among these voters. And dont think for a second that we didnt have a lot of strategists, consultants and supporters think we were crazy for doing so, Hyers added. But elevating a story like Hadleys was not just good politics but the right thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement Beshears job approval rating provided further proof of his standing with his constituents. Earlier this year, a Morning Consult survey showed Beshear had the highest approval rating of any Democratic governor in the country at 65 percent and was ranked third highest of all governors. The same poll showed he had a disapproval rating of 27 percent. While Newsom has led other 2028 contenders in a string of recent polls, even Republicans have said Beshear would be the most formidable challenger in a Democratic primary. In an interview in April, Charlie Kirk, the GOP activist who was killed in September, was asked by 2 Ways Mark Halperin about who would pose the biggest challenge to Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Andy Beshear, if he ran as a populist, Kirk said. Morgan, the Democratic donor, called Beshear the anti-Trump. And after all the geriatric candidates, its time to give youth and energy a try, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CHEYENNE In the aftermath of a wind-driven grass fire fanned by gusts topping 75 mph south of Cheyenne on Wednesday, local emergency officials say they feel grateful that everyone is safe and back in their undamaged homes. The report of a fire east of Interstate 25 came around 4:25 p.m. Wednesday, and around 120 emergency responders were on the scene to battle the blaze and offer logistics support. Firefighters were on the scene almost immediately, said Aaron Veldheer, Laramie County Sheriffs Office chief deputy, thanks to Laramie County Fire District 1 having a station on Terry Ranch Road, about two miles from the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The fire which is believed to have been caused by a spark from a power line spread far and fast over 565 acres, Veldheer said. This is due to the strong winds that were sweeping through the area all day Wednesday. (The fire) was very long and very narrow, Veldheer said. ... It stretched out over a couple of miles. Grass fires are very unique because they burn hot and fast, and they dont always go in a straight line. The fire will pick the path of least resistance. At the time of the fire, Tyler Thomas, a National Weather Service Cheyenne meteorologist, said the sustained wind speed was 55-60 mph, with gusts of 75-77 mph. Around 5 p.m., Thomas said, wind gusts dropped to 55 mph, but began climbing back up to 60 mph after 7 p.m. Not only was there a large central fire, there were also flames in several smaller spots in the surrounding area. These are called spot fires, Veldheer said, which are caused by sparks and embers flying off an existing blaze. Advertisement Advertisement While this typically causes even more issues with getting fires extinguished, Veldheer said the weather switched just in time in emergency responders favor. Were very lucky very blessed, actually that the rain and snowfall kicked in, that there was a slight wind change, Veldheer said. It gave the firefighters the opportunity to get in front of it and protect the houses. The fire burned right up to the yards of many houses in the Winchester Hills neighborhood, said Ben Hopkins, Laramie County Fire District 1 interim assistant chief, but the only damaged property was a greenhouse, which Veldheer said is almost completely destroyed. A lot of the grass out there is really short, Hopkins said. The property owners have kept stuff around their house really, really short. And some places had gravel all around, which really helped. Advertisement Advertisement No residents or pets were injured, Veldheer said, but there were several firefighters with minor injuries. He doesnt know the exact cause of the injuries, but said most of them were standard from carrying heavy equipment and running on uneven ground. I saw one firefighter had a bloody nose and black eyes, Veldheer said. It could have been from blowing debris. But there were no serious injuries. Were very blessed that nobody died. Everybody that did evacuate, while panicked, did it very efficiently and orderly. In an event this severe, its important for all emergency responders in the area to act quickly. To do this, Veldheer said all departments received quick notice from the dispatch center. Were blessed here with great first responders, Veldheer said. Theres multiple fire districts in the county. Theyre staffed by volunteers. So those are people that dropped absolutely whatever they were doing, everything, to come here and help the citizens, the homes that were threatened. Every fire district in the county had representation there. Advertisement Advertisement Veldheer said the fire was contained by 6:30 p.m. and put out by 7:30 p.m. Residents in the area were able to return to their homes around 8:30 p.m. After the fire was put out, emergency responders stayed on site through the night to monitor the area and put out spot fires that flared up. As of Thursday evening, Veldheer said emergency officials were still in the area, because there were still some hot spots. Thomas said Cheyenne will remain under a high wind warning until 5 a.m. Saturday, and will have gusts up to 70 mph, with sustained winds between 30 and 40 mph at the peak. With this in mind, Veldheer said there are many things people can do moving forward to prevent another fire, including not starting any open flames outdoors and not setting off fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement Were under a red flag warning, which means very low humidity and high winds, Veldheer said. If a fire goes off, its going to go like it did (Wednesday). All summer we had nice green grass and green fields, but now thats browning, and its a matchbox. According to a statement sent to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Thursday, Black Hills Energy officials do not plan to initiate a preventive power shutoff, but are monitoring the increased risk for wildfires and weather-related outages that may create the need for a shutoff. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Maxim Kilderov works among reminders of death scorched metal, torn fabric, and the personal debris of lives cut short by war. In a basement near Kyivs Maidan Square, the Ukrainian street artist has assembled a grim collection of battlefield relics which together form an unofficial record of Russias invasion. Rocket launch tubes sit beside the diary of a Russian intelligence officer; captured Russian uniforms hang from darkened walls; thousands of military patches symbols of unit pride, defiance and dark humor cover display boards in a riot of color. Advertisement Advertisement For Kilderov, who endured 55 days under Russian occupation in Nova Kakhovka in southern Ukraine, the objects are evidence of a war he insists must not be defined by official narratives alone. Currently an invitation-only exhibition, he plans to turn the site into a museum conveying the gravity of war. I dont want this to feel like a typical museum where you walk through five halls with similar collections, he said. I want one hall that concentrates everything so people feel emotion when they suddenly find themselves surrounded by these items. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Kilderov has gathered artifacts through military contacts, trades and personal recoveries following nightly air attacks on Ukrainian cities. Advertisement Advertisement What began in his home grew into a dense collection of captured Russian documents and passports, helmets, weapons fragments, knives, grenades and night-vision gear. Overhead hangs a Shahed decoy drone made of Styrofoam. Among the most personal items are a smartphone pierced by shrapnel that saved a soldiers life, military unit flags commemorating Black Sea operations, soldiers drawings and half-filled packets of cigarettes. Kilderovs visual style doodle-like calligraphy concealing symbols and messages of resistance runs throughout the space. A 5-meter painting, titled 55, is a maze of colored lines and symbols representing the number of days he spent under occupation. During that time, he helped organize underground aid networks, livestreamed life under Russian control and spray-painted abandoned Russian vehicles with his symbols in acts of defiance. Advertisement Advertisement From day one, we began sharing information with people inside the city and with the outside world, he recalled. By the 55th day, I managed to escape. After fleeing west, Kilderov staged exhibitions of his work, often using blown-up QR codes linking to videos he recorded in 2022. He designs military patches, creates art on battlefield debris and sells rocket tubes converted into Bluetooth speakers, donating most of the proceeds to military units. As Ukraine endures its fourth winter of war, he says he is troubled by the return of inequality and division in a society once bound by urgency and shared purpose. As he spoke to The Associated Press, he wore a red MAGA hat a gesture he described as deliberate irony, reflecting the vulnerability of a country reliant on foreign aid that can be paused or withdrawn without warning. Advertisement Advertisement In Kyiv, his rented basement has become a gathering point for soldiers who bring new artefacts and stories, expanding a collection he sees as a raw record of Ukraines lived reality and of a solidarity he fears could fade. When Russia attacked Kyiv, people picked up rifles and went to fight, he said. I hope we return to that unity. Volodymyr Yurchuk and Dan Bashakov in Kyiv contributed to this report. Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Seven days after a mass shooting devastated Bondi Beach, Australians gathered on Sunday for a national day of reflection. The commemorations come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces intense public scrutiny and has ordered an urgent investigation into the nation's intelligence and police frameworks. The tragedy, which claimed 15 lives during a Hanukkah seaside event, is the deadliest mass shooting Australia has seen in nearly three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities have officially classified the massacre -- which killed a 10-year-old girl, a British rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, among others -- as a terrorist act aimed at the Jewish community. As the clock struck 6:47 p.m., marking the exact moment the first shots rang out the previous Sunday, a minute of silence was observed. Mourners at Bondi Beach and across the country stood in unison to honor the fallen, according to the BBC. The atmosphere in Sydney was one of high alert, NBC News reported, with a massive security detail involving rooftop snipers and water patrols. The Sydney Opera House also paid tribute, illuminating its iconic sails with candle projections to mark the day of mourning. Advertisement Advertisement Despite the somber occasion, Albanese met a hostile reception, NBC News reported. Sections of the crowd booed the prime minister upon his arrival, a sign of the growing friction between the government and the grieving Jewish community. The BBC also reported that one protester shouted, "Blood on your hands," while security personnel had to intercept an individual attempting to approach the prime minister. In an acknowledgment of the criticism, Albanese said during the observation that he accepts his share of responsibility as the nation's leader. Addressing the crowd, David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, delivered a eulogy. Advertisement Advertisement "Like the grass here at Bondi was stained with blood, so, too, has our nation been stained," Ossip said, per NBC News. "We have landed up in a dark place." Ossip also shared a message of resilience from Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-Australian shop owner who was injured while heroically disarming one of the gunmen. From his hospital bed, al-Ahmed's message to the mourners was, "The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. Today I stand with you, my brothers and sisters." Unlike Albanese, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns was met with applause, the BBC reported. Minns offered a blunt apology for the state's inability to prevent the shooting, stating, "The government's highest duty is to protect its citizens. And we did not do that one week ago." Advertisement Advertisement He further warned that the tragedy exposed a "deep vein of antisemitic hate" that the country must now confront. After the ceremony, the federal government pivoted toward legislative action. Albanese announced a comprehensive review of federal intelligence and law enforcement to determine if current powers are sufficient for the modern security landscape. He characterized the "ISIS-inspired" attack as proof of a shifting threat environment. Additionally, the government has committed to a massive national gun buyback initiative, the scale of which has not been seen since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Two men were arrested in Thailand on suspected charges of wildlife smuggling when Thai officials found meth and 81 monkeys in a car near Cambodia, according to CBS News. What's happening? Thai police caught two men suspiciously unloading cargo from a vehicle on Friday, November 14, in the Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province in Thailand. After a car chase, police stopped the vehicle and found 81 macaques stuffed in blue duffel bags. They also found methamphetamine pills and crystal meth. "At 3:20 pm, authorities arrested the two suspects and inspected their vehicle," the 12th Ranger Forces Regiment of the Thai police said. Advertisement Advertisement According to CBS, the men admitted to their involvement in the international wildlife smuggling ring, attempting to smuggle the monkeys into Cambodia. Why is wildlife smuggling concerning? Each year, illegal wildlife trafficking affects nearly 4,000 plant and animal species and is estimated to be worth as much as $10 billion. "High profit margins, low risk of detection, low rates of conviction, low-level penalties, and official collusion and corruption mean that wildlife crime continues to be an attractive prospect for poachers and the criminal networks behind them," said Will Travers, president of wildlife conservation group Born Free. Thailand is frequently at the heart of illegal wildlife smuggling because it is home to 10% of the world's animals, with many diverse species. Authorities have caught many animals being smuggled out of Thailand, from baby anacondas and tortoises to gibbons and orangutans. Advertisement Advertisement Many macaques are labeled as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), including long-tailed macaques a common biomedical research subject which is listed as endangered. Wildlife trafficking is "the largest direct threat to the future of many of the world's most threatened species," according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It pulls animals out of ecosystems, upsetting balances and the food chain. It can also lead to the introduction of invasive species into new areas, increasing the risk of new pathogens and reducing food for native species. What's being done about illegal wildlife smuggling? A 2024 report from the World Economic Forum says 164 Member States of the United Nations criminalize wildlife trafficking to some extent. There is some optimism, as illegal wildlife trade decreased by 10% in 2021. However, much work needs to be done. Conservation groups, such as the WWF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, work with local groups to increase enforcement and reduce worldwide demand for illegal goods. Advertisement Advertisement Large arrests and rescues show the power of groups like these in curbing illegal wildlife smuggling. In Madagascar, over 24,000 tortoises were saved by the Turtle Survival Alliance. Earlier this year, nearly 20,000 animals were rescued in the largest-ever wildlife operation. On the individual level, you can help make a difference in the global illegal wildlife trade by buying sustainably sourced products and ensuring you are buying pets from respected and trustworthy sources. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie absolutely wrecked President Donald Trump over a variety of controversies in what the ex-governor dubbed an awful week. Kicking off a roundtable segment Sunday on ABCs This Week, Jonathan Karl threw to Christie for his take on the plan to rename the Kennedy Center after Trump, the presidents widely-criticized reaction to the killing of Rob Reiner, a primetime address which failed to move the needle, and more. Even by Trump standards, this was an erratic, chaotic week, Karl said. Renaming the Kennedy Center, the stuff he did at the White House, the prime-time speech. Whats going on? Advertisement Advertisement Merry Christmas to you, too, Mr. President, Christie said, tongue-in-cheek. Look, this is a pretty strange week. Just think about it. He sends out that disgraceful post on the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. Then he puts his name on the building named after an assassinated president. Then he gives a frenetic national TV speech filled with inaccuracies, and really sounded like he was yelling at the American people that they dont get how great hes done so far. And then he puts these plaques out underneath the presidential pictures hes put on the colonnade, filled with things that you could tell just from reading that he wrote them himself. Read like Truth Social posts, Karl said. It did, Christie concurred. The former governor made clear that if the president continues along the current trajectory, he and his party will soon pay the price. Advertisement Advertisement Look, he does all of this, Jon, in a week where 60 percent of the people in the country say the economy is no better under him than it was under Joe Biden, Christie said. The war continues to rage on in Ukraine that he said he was going to settle in 24 hours. And [Vladimir] Putin continues to manipulate him to deteriorate the 80-year NATO alliance. And twice now, in the past month, youve seen Republicans break from him on Capitol Hill, on both the Epstein files and ACA subsidies, to sign discharge petitions to repute both the speaker and the president. Its not a strange week, Jon, its an awful week! Christie added And the president better wake up to the fact that going to Rocky Mount, North Carolina [to deliver a speech], is not going to solve his problems, and that he better start solving the American peoples problems or our party is going to have a big problem come November. Watch above, via ABC. The post Awful Week! Chris Christie Absolutely Wrecks Trump Over Primetime Speech, Kennedy Center Renaming, Rob Reiner Reaction and More first appeared on Mediaite. The family of a Clovis educator, who was violently attacked early Thursday morning, says he has died after being taken off life support. 37-year-old Geoff Bernardi's mother, Erin Adams, confirmed his death to Action News on Saturday afternoon. RELATED: Family seeks justice for beloved Clovis educator after violent attack Clovis Police say Bernardi was violently attacked near the Dry Creek canal bank behind the Pacific Grove apartments near Villa and Barstow avenues around 1 a.m. Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement "He went outside to smoke and he can't smoke on site of the apartment complex, so he walked to the canal bank. Somebody asked him if he would give him a cigarette, and he said, 'Sure, buddy,'' Adams said. "And they hit him over the head, he went to the ground, he yelled to his girlfriend, 'Run!' And then the person continued to beat him until he was unrecognizable." Bernardi was a career technical education teacher with Clovis Unified, working closely with students on theater productions. He would have celebrated his 38th birthday next month. Cloivs Police are now investigating Bernardi's death as a homicide and are asking for the public's help in finding the person responsible. This is the city's third homicide of the year. A passenger onboard the plane that crashed Thursday morning, killing former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, frantically texted a family member before the tragedy. The text read: "Emergency landing," according to Michael Graham, an National Safety Transportation Board member, who spoke at a news briefing Saturday. Graham did not identify the passenger, or the family member they texted. "We are not aware of any other communications from passengers onboard the aircraft to those on the ground," Graham said. Advertisement Advertisement One of the black boxes from the Cessna C550 was found and taken to Washington, D.C., where it is being inspected, Graham added. The NTSB also obtained the aircraft's maintenance log, which keeps a record of the maintenance and repairs performed on the plane. NTSB officials also shared some additional details on the moments before the Thursday morning crash. The aircraft reportedly departed a runway at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina 10 minutes before the accident, then made a left turn, followed by another left turn back toward the airport about five minutes into the flight. "The initial point of impact was a runway light stanchion located about 1,800 feet from the runway threshold," said Senior Air Safety Investigator Dan Baker. "The airplane subsequently impacted trees, two other runway light stanchions and the airport perimeter fence short of the runway threshold before coming to rest near the runway threshold." The aircraft crashed at about 10:15 a.m. while trying to land on another runway, Graham said. Advertisement Advertisement "We believe the plane was turning back to the airport immediately, maybe for some kind of issue," Graham said. "At this point, we are not aware if there was an actual issue or not." No mayday call was issued by the aircraft, Graham said. The aircraft was manufactured in 1981 by the Cessna Aircraft Company, according to Baker. After impact, a fire consumed the majority of the aircraft's fuselage and its wings near the fuselage, Baker said "All four corners of the airplane and flight control surfaces have been identified in the wreckage and the debris field, both engines were present with the main wreckage," according to Baker. Advertisement Advertisement According to the NTSB, the wind was calm, but there were low ceilings and heavy rain at the time of the crash, which the administration is looking into as a potential cause. Officials confirmed that seven people were killed in the crash, but did not identify any of the victims. It is believed that Biffle, his wife and two children were on the plane when it crashed, according to 1st Sgt. Chris Knox of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Three other people, identified as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and his son Jack Dutton, were also on the flight. The NTSB officials said they do not know who was flying the plane, but that there were three people onboard with pilot's licenses. A team of 16 NTSB experts arrived on scene Thursday night and have been gathering evidence and working on determining a probable cause. They will stay in North Carolina as long as they believe is necessary to gather evidence for the investigation, Graham said. The team has spoken to witnesses and gathered statements, and is continuing to do so, Graham said on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement "I want to emphasize, this is the beginning of a very long process, and we will not jump to any conclusions while we're here on scene in North Carolina, nor will we speculate," Graham said. The NTSB expects to submit a preliminary report in 30 days, and a full investigation after a year to 18 months. The Federal Aviation Administration, the manufacturer of the aircraft, Textron Aviation, and the engine's manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney Canada are all assisting in the investigation, Graham said. Graham is asking anyone with video or pictures of the crash to contact the NTSB. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Phoenix police removed a body from a west Phoenix canal during the morning hours of Dec. 21. Officers responded just before 10:20 a.m. to the area of 36th and Whitton avenues after getting a report about the body, according to Phoenix police officials. Officers and Phoenix fire personnel determined the person was dead. Police did not release the person's name or their description. "That investigation may take some time. Please stay out of the area while detectives and teams continue the investigation," according to an email from police officials. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Body found in west Phoenix canal A Reddit post has sparked outrage after one worker shared how their company owner flaunts luxury while denying fair compensation to workers. The boss reportedly bought himself a Ferrari and gave his 17-year-old daughter a brand-new Lamborghini Urus. Meanwhile, employees were denied a cost-of-living adjustment and forced into a cheaper health insurance plan. Workers Say They're Struggling While The Boss Flaunts Wealth The employee wrote, This man and his attorneys have the gall to deny us a cost of living increase and just switched our health insurance to United Healthcare to save a few dollars. Don't Miss: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it ? Deloitte's #1 Fastest-Growing Software Company Lets Users Earn Money Just by Scrolling Accredited Investors Can Still Get In at $0.50/Share. Advertisement Advertisement One moment that particularly stung involved a coworker who died in a car accident. The company owner sent the widow a card with $50 in cash and a $50 gift card. The employees, by contrast, pooled $1,800 of their own money to support the grieving family. The employees contributed to the funeral and final expenses, the poster added. And he sent her $50 and a gift card. This touched off many responses from other workers with similar stories. One commenter wrote, This happened at my husbands old job. Everyone in the family got brand new cars, and they took away paid holidays and [paid time off] they lost three people within a month. Another said they discovered their boss was sending offers on used Rolls-Royces on eBay, while refusing to increase pay. Trending: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed MarketplaceNow You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform Widening Gap, Shrinking Morale The post resonated because it reflects a broader frustration among American workers. Many commenters noted that lavish executive lifestyles often come directly at the expense of employees. Advertisement Advertisement He isn't buying luxury cars despite not paying you and switching you to cheaper insurance, one person wrote. He is buying luxury cars because he's not paying you That is your money. Another commenter summed it up like this: Record profits are stolen wages. People shared stories of bosses who slashed hours, removed retirement contributions, and still found ways to upgrade their luxury lifestyles. Several said they were pushed to donate paid time off to terminally ill coworkers while the owners hoarded profits. One person recalled, Two weeks later [after saying he couldnt afford raises], he bought a fully loaded Rivian R1T in cash. See Also: Missed Tesla? EnergyX Is Tackling the Next $200 Billion Opportunity Lithium Calls For Change Many called for unionizing or mass resignations. Organize a mass quitting. With nobody giving notice, one person suggested. Another added, Striking is reasonable, but starting a competing firm with highly motivated team members is even better. Advertisement Advertisement Still, some felt hopeless, arguing that these issues are systemic. One commenter wrote, This is 2025 USA in a nutshell. Whether or not anything changes for the workers in the original post, the message from the thread is that when employees are asked to sacrifice while their bosses flaunt obscene wealth, it's not just bad optics; it feels like a slap in the face. Read Next: Wall Street's $12B Real Estate Manager Is Opening Its Doors to Individual Investors Without the Crowdfunding Middlemen Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Advertisement Advertisement Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga: This article Their Boss Has A Ferrari And Bought A Lamborghini For His Teen Daughter. Employees? They Were Denied A Cost Of Living Increase originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. A high-profile wind energy project proposed in California's far north, with 48 turbines - some rising 600 feet - and the capacity to power 80,000 homes, was supposed to be a sure thing. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state's climate-friendly Legislature passed a landmark 2022 law that gave the state the authority to approve renewable power projects, instead of local governments, to ensure that California has enough power to meet its clean-energy targets. Advertisement Advertisement But on Friday, the California Energy Commission, which had taken jurisdiction over the Fountain Wind Project in Shasta County, rejected the venture after years of local pushback. Despite the value of the wind power, the commission's five-member governing board, voting unanimously, agreed with the county's critics that the benefits of the proposal did not outweigh environmental, safety and, perhaps most significantly, tribal impacts. "It's never easy to deny a project, especially a renewable energy project, knowing our goals," said Nancy Skinner, a voting commissioner. But, she added, the state law designed to bring more clean power to California's grid doesn't guarantee that every project gets approved. The Fountain Wind Project would have been constructed across 2,855 acres on a mountainous ridge, near the small community of Burney. According to the commission's assessment, it would have brought inevitable forest destruction, problems for birds and bats, navigation obstacles for firefighting aircraft and degradation of historical tribal lands. Advertisement Advertisement "We identified 47 significant unmitigable impacts," said Drew Bohan, executive director of the California Energy Commission, who helped prepare the 1,200-page project assessment. "This is the largest number of impacts in our history." Assembly Bill 205 was passed three years ago to help developers of wind and solar projects overcome local opposition to their proposals by applying to the California Energy Commission for streamlined authorization. The legislation seeks to help the state meet its goal of generating all its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. In Shasta County, the Fountain Wind Project had already been denied by the county when the developer, Houston-based ConnectGen, which has since been acquired by Spain-based Repsol, turned to the state for approval after the passage of AB 205. The project was the first to be taken up by the California Energy Commission under the new law. The change in jurisdiction irked locals who accused the company of inappropriately taking a "second bite at the apple." The county proceeded to sue the California Energy Commission for taking away its authority under the new law. That suit was put on hold until after the commission's vote. Advertisement Advertisement Protest of the project and its handling brought together a diverse and ultimately convincing coalition of Shasta County residents, which included North State Republicans, environmentalists and local tribes. "These lands are sacred to us," said Yatch Bamford, chairman of the Pit River Tribe, whose ancestral territory spans much of the far reaches of Northern California. "We understand more than anyone the urgency of addressing climate change (but) California can achieve its clean-energy future while acknowledging the rights and concerns of indigenous people." A smaller wind farm already runs across the adjacent Hatchet Ridge. Dozens of tribal members spoke out against the Fountain Wind Project at Friday's hearing in Sacramento. Advertisement Advertisement Bohan, the California Energy Commission's executive director, underscored that the agency's aversion to the proposal was not a "repudiation" of wind development. "I want to note that the federal administration is openly hostile to wind energy," he said. "The CEC is not." This article originally published at A California law was supposed to fast-track renewable energy. The state just shot down a key test case. The late Dr. Arthur J. Divers traveled more than 800 miles from his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, to find greater opportunities in the North during the Jim Crow era. And once Divers made Detroit his home, he set out on a mission of helping students and other members of the community become successful during their own personal journeys. That is why Detroiters representing many walks of life have recently been sharing stories about Divers, who died in Detroit on Dec. 10 at the age of 97. The late Dr. Arthur J. Divers, photographed with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and his daughter Sheri Divers during the 2019 inaugural ball at Cobo Center, attended his share of big events in Detroit. But the people who knew him best said Divers did some of his best work as an educator and community servant on a grassroots level. "Life is like a dance where one small move can have a domino effect and Dr. Divers created a move like that in a positive way for me and my family, native Detroiter Dr. Priscilla Wade fondly recalled on the evening of Dec. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Today, Wade is president and clinical director of her own business Psychological and Consultation Services, PC in Okemos. But in 1974, when Wade graduated from Detroits Osborn High School, she was a dancer with plans of moving to New York until her high school counselor, Divers, introduced a new possibility and helped her gain admission to Wayne State University, setting the stage for Wade to become a licensed psychologist. I was the first in my family to graduate from high school and my family was uninformed about the process of entering college. However, Dr. Divers made a move, which was a mentoring act, to see if I was open to being in that (college) space, said Wade, who had expressed an interest in counseling and psychology during her high school days, but had not even applied to Wayne State before Divers intervention. You can say that Dr. Divers walked me to the pond, and I swam all the way home, empowered by the higher education I received from Wayne State University. And that provided a higher-education template for my (six) younger siblings that followed me at Osborn, including four sisters that also graduated from Wayne State. At my 50th high school reunion, Dr. Divers and his daughter Sheri were my guests and I had a chance to thank Dr. Divers from the bottom of my heart. That was important for me to do and a big relief to finally have that opportunity after so many years. And I will always be thankful for the important role Dr. Divers played in my life as an educator. "I had a chance to thank Dr. Divers from the bottom of my heart," said Dr. Priscilla Wade about her long-awaited reunion with her former Osborn High School counselor, Dr. Arthur Divers, which took place during Wade's 50th high school reunion in 2024. During the afternoon of Dec. 17, Detroiter Bea Ward pointed out that Divers a 43-year Detroit schoolteacher and counselor also was a tireless educator outside of Detroit schools through his longtime commitment to voter education. Advertisement Advertisement I go way back with Arthur, were talking about the (Robert) 'Buddy' Battle and Coleman Young days, Ward, the Chair Emeritus of the Wayne County Democratic Black Caucus, said. Arthur was totally committed to the citizens of Detroit and the community and he did so much to educate people about the process and importance of voting. I served on many boards and committees with Arthur, but he would also get out to the neighborhoods and block clubs to try to keep Detroit focused on the importance of voting. He was just a very dedicated man who volunteered so much of his time to help his community and he will be missed. Detroiter Willie Cambell says Divers commitment to his community that Ward spoke about remained visible and profound even when Divers was confronted with physical challenges, as recently as a few weeks ago. When the late Dr. Arthur Divers was photographed with his family on his 95th birthday, including his son Arthur Divers Jr., far left, daughter Sheri Divers, son Sheldon Divers and wife, Bernice Divers, seated, Dr. Divers was still heavily engaged in community activities, including being the president of the Winship Community Association. Arthur Divers continued to serve as the president of the Winship Community Association (a position Divers had held since 2003) and when we went to see him at a (physical) rehabilitation center in November, he told us to proceed with our monthly meeting and to put him on speaker phone so he could participate, said Cambell, who, in addition to being a Winship Community Association officer, is executive director of the nonprofit Core City Neighborhoods. Not only do all of the members of the Winship Community Association look up to Arthur Divers, we have depended on him to do everything. That last visit I had with him, he asked me to give him a good handshake. And the handshake we shared was firm and strong, just like he was. Arthur Divers was a strong gentleman and we just lost the best, but we will try to carry on all of the good work he did in our neighborhood and across Detroit. For decades, the late Dr. Arthur J. Divers carried out many roles and responsibilities for the Winship Community Association (WCA), including serving as WCA's president from 2003 to 2025. Ken Coleman has also had an opportunity to study Divers community impact in its totality. Before Coleman became known around town as a historian, journalist and communications specialist devoted to chronicling Black life in Detroit, he was a young man growing up in the Winship community, whose boundaries are Greenfield to Schaefer, and West Six Mile to West Seven Mile Roads. And from time to time, a young Coleman would assist his grandmother in distributing a neighborhood publication containing information to strengthen the community, which included announcements from Divers. Advertisement Advertisement It was maybe a four-page newsletter that came out monthly and we would deliver the newsletters door-to-door from Seven Mile to Curtis, but I really didnt understand Dr. Divers activism until I got older and became a reporter, said Coleman, who would later have an opportunity to work closely with Divers when Coleman provided communications assistance to the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) and Divers was a leader within the DFT Retiree Chapter. Arthur Divers was certainly a strong leader in our community and he carried out his leadership on a block-to-block level, Coleman added. And all of the community issues that he was involved in were intertwined. He took positions and he would let people know his point of view, but he never did it in a boisterous or rah-rah way. Arthur Divers wanted to do something, rather than be someone, and I believe those are the most important people in our community because theyre on the front lines. "... I'm never one to tell somebody that you should name something after someone, but I am hoping that one day Detroit Public Schools Community District will do something to honor the legacy of Arthur Divers because he got things done for students and the community with a quiet strength. More stories about Dr. Arthur Divers will be told during services announced by his family. On Friday, Dec. 26, there will be a homegoing service at Plymouth United Church of Christ located at 600 E. Warren Ave. A family hour will begin at 10 a.m. followed by the homegoing service at 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Arthur Divers is survived by his wife, Bernice Divers, and three adult children, Arthur Divers Jr., Sheri Divers and Sheldon Divers, who hope that their fathers work will continue to inspire the people he touched, including the many Detroiters who have recently posted tributes celebrating Dr. Divers on Facebook. Dad serves as a model for community empowerment, said Sheri Divers on the evening of Dec. 17. And he always believed to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Dad said you could always look and tell which neighborhoods had an effective community association, which are made stronger by block clubs and relationships that require hard work. And thats how he felt about our entire city and country, he said: You never stop fighting for equality because you never know where the cracks of opportunity will emerge. "Arthur Divers wanted to do something, rather than be someone, and I believe those are the most important people in our community because they're on the front lines," said Detroit historian Ken Coleman about the late Dr. Arthur J. Divers, a longtime Detroit educator and community servant who died in Detroit on Dec. 10 at the age of 97. Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the citys neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at stalley@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @STalleyfreep. Read more of Scott's stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tireless work made Arthur Divers a 'model for community empowerment' From funnel cakes to free winter coats, Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn helped spread holiday cheer in north Charlotte Saturday. He partnered with organizations like United Way and Life Project from Northside Baptist Church. ALSO READ: Panthers host annual Joy to the Carolinas event Kids got new coats from Old Navy. Local business owners also stepped up, providing free food, haircuts and spending time with kids and their families. Advertisement Advertisement It means so much for us to be able to walk alongside them and then deliver, said Life Projects Executive Director Veronica Washington. We want to be family, we want to be community, and this is a part of it. The balloons, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Old Navy. Were so grateful to Old Navy to come out and give back and partner with us, said Lacreshia Horn, Jaycee Horns mother. Also Life Project and any other sponsors that came near and far. Were very happy and excited to see the Christmas spirit in a joyful way. Organizers told Channel 9 they served 150 people. WATCH: A true blessing: Charlotte Hornet, Boys and Girls Club surprise families in Concord As the year winds down and thousands of people across the Bay Area prepare to hit the road for holiday travel, San Francisco's most iconic bridge is about to log the highest number of crashes it's experienced in six years. Fifty crashes have occurred at the barriers in front of the Golden Gate Bridge's empty tollbooths so far this year, Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, director of the Golden Gate Bridge District, confirmed with SFGATE this week. It's the highest number of crashes since 2018, when 33 occurred on the southbound lanes of the city landmark, though the highest recent tally was 40 crashes in 2022. Notably, the last record was set when millions more drivers were crossing the bridge, as the San Francisco Chronicle first reported, and over the past few months, the crashes have been playing out on a near-weekly basis. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.) Advertisement Advertisement There's no cut-and-dried reason as to why more crashes are occurring, but officials have a couple of theories. A car passes through the southbound toll plaza of the Golden Gate Bridge on Nov. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Toll plaza at the Golden Gate Bridge (Thomas Winz/Getty Images) "The two leading factors we see are speeding and distracted driving," Cosulich-Schwartz told SFGATE. "Thankfully, most of these collisions are minor and do not result in injury." People could be reaching for their FasTrak transponders, though drivers have also crashed with "dogs in their lap" and "phones in their hands," Golden Gate Bridge District general manager Denis Mulligan said during a board of directors meeting on Oct. 24. "It's interesting our tollbooths haven't changed, but what has changed is all of our behaviors when we drive," he told the board. Advertisement Advertisement In 2013, the Golden Gate Bridge was the first in the Bay Area to eliminate tollbooth staff and convert to all-electronic tolling. A year later, four of the tollbooths were torn down to make way for a median barrier, leaving seven of them behind. Since then, backups in the southbound direction and traffic overall have "improved dramatically," Cosulich-Schwartz told SFGATE, noting that over the past few years, officials have also repaved and repainted lane markings at the toll plaza and installed delineators to assist drivers passing through the toll lanes. While seven of the Bay Area's state-owned bridges are now heading in the direction of removing their obsolete tollbooths entirely, with the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge leading the way in California, the tollbooths and canopies that house the existing infrastructure at the Golden Gate Bridge "cannot be removed until an alternative structure is available," Cosulich-Schwartz said. Cars pass through the southbound toll plaza of the Golden Gate Bridge on Nov. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (Justin SullivanGetty Images) Ultimately, their goal is to follow suit, though Mulligan acknowledged during the October meeting that the possible removal may not be "an easy conversation." Built in the 1980s and originally designed by husband-and-wife architects Irving and Gertrude Morrow, the tollbooths and plaza are revered for their art deco style, as is the 8-foot-wide neon clock that's been perched over them since 1949. The clock itself (which is a replica of the original clock and was installed in 2003) would eventually need to find a new home, Mulligan said. Advertisement Advertisement Construction is slated to begin on a new toll gantry by next year, allowing for new tolling equipment to be installed in an over-the-road structure, Cosulich-Schwartz said. "Once the new gantry is complete, the bridge district will begin an environmental process to further modernize the toll plaza, which may include removing the existing tollbooths," he said. "The environmental process includes extensive community outreach, and we look forward to engaging the public around future toll plaza improvements." More Local - Plans for mega gas station spark a massive fight in Bay Area town - 'Spectacular' phenomenon descends on San Francisco's Farallon Islands - After 232 years, a California tourist tradition is going away - Where to see the best Bay Area holiday lights Advertisement Advertisement Get SFGATE's top stories sent to your inbox by signing up for The Daily newsletter here. This article originally published at Change is on the horizon for San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. By Maria Tsvetkova Dec 21 (Reuters) - The widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk turned a verbal flub on Sunday by rapper Nicki Minaj into a moment of consolation after the entertainer made an "assassin" reference while lauding conservative leaders. Erika Kirk, whose husband was fatally shot in September, offered support to Minaj after the rapper described Vice President JD Vance as an "assassin" even as she called him a role model. Kirk and Minaj were speaking together on stage at a festival organized by Turning Point USA, the conservative youth movement founded by Charlie Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement "Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president," Minaj said before lowering the microphone, looking down and covering her mouth with her palm in a gesture of embarrassment. Charlie Kirk was shot during a Turning Point USA event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, as he debated with students. After the assassin reference, Minaj went silent for a few seconds and laughter over the awkward moment came from the audience. Erika Kirk quickly came to Minaj's rescue. "Trust me, there's nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you're fine... I love you. You have to laugh about it truly," Kirk told Minaj. "You say what you want to say, because I know your heart and I will not judge that." Advertisement Advertisement Minaj thanked Kirk and continued after a brief pause. Shortly after Minaj's appearance, the White House posted a video clip of her at the festival where she said: "I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president." Minaj reposted it, adding two pictures of herself and a comment: "My darling, you did it. Were good. Love you." (Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova in New York; Editing by Sergio Non and Chris Reese) Dec. 20A poignant thing happened on the way to the start of the demolition of the former Suncrest Primary School two years ago. When the heavy equipment showed up that December morning on leafy Junior Avenue, a handful of teachers who had spent their formative professional years at the front of the school's classrooms were already there. Beth Bossio, who went to Suncrest Primary as a little girl and lives just down the street, had alerted the educators for the final roll call. Advertisement Advertisement "We just wanted to get people together one more time, " she said then. "Before it becomes whatever it's going to become." In accordance with the original 1925 deed, there was actually no question to the latter, Bossio reminded the Monongalia County Board of Education Tuesday evening. Said document to the district from now-defunct Monongahela Development Company, as Bossio recounted during the board's final meeting of the year, stipulated the property either be used for a school building or a public park. One or the other, by decree. If the school goes away, the green expanse takes its place. Advertisement Advertisement That discussion had been in the air, in fact, since the last day of school in 2016. Suncrest Primary was shuttered and the earth started moving at the end of Collins Ferry Road for a new Suncrest Elementary, which opened a year later. Not much has happened since with the property, however. Aging playground equipment on the original grounds was removed after Mon Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell deemed it unsafe. Two weeks ago, Mon Circuit Court Judge Cindy Scott ruled in favor of the Suncrest Neighborhood Association when she ordered the property transferred to the city of Morgantown to be used, 100 years later, as a community park after all. Advertisement Advertisement While the BOE has 30 days to appeal, Bossio, along with her Suncrest neighbors Barbara Hildebrand and Matthew Cross, asked board members and the district to let the legal wrangling rest. Like most facilities of its vintage, Suncrest Primary was built to last but not necessarily to evolve. The building was dedicated in 1939, with additions tacked onto the 1950s, and again in the 1990s, as the neighborhood grew. An antiquated boiler system needed extensive repairs and there was widespread water damage from a chronically leaking roof. Asbestos, used widely as a fire prevention agent through the 1970s before its health hazards were known, would have had to have been fully removed to bring the building to current code. Advertisement Advertisement (Re)making history It's a matter of respect now, the trio told the board, for the community and for the original document. Suncrest Primary, like a lot of little West Virginia schools in a lot of little West Virginia neighborhoods, was the social epicenter of Junior Avenue and its attendance area, they said. You went there, and your kids, and maybe your grandkids, too. Christmas pageants, bake sales and parent-teacher conferences where your teacher may have twinkled that your youngest acts just like you did when you were that age. An official green space, sanctioned by the city and BOPARC, would respect and honor that presence in the community, all three said. Advertisement Advertisement Cross, who is president of the Suncrest Neighborhood Association, told BOE members he couldn't stay for the whole meeting, as he had to look in on his 98-year-old mother. "I point this out only because she was alive when that school was dedicated, " he said. "This isn't such 'ancient history, ' as some people might think." The board went into executive session to discuss the matter but didn't take any other action. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Credit - Kent NishimuraBloomberg/Getty Images Congress has left for the year without reaching a health care deal, leaving Affordable Care Act subsidies that have helped lower insurance prices for roughly 22 million Americans to expire on Dec. 31 without taking action to address the surge in costs that is expected to follow. As the end of the subsidies looms, families and individual Americans are bracing for immediate impacts. Monthly payments for millions of ACA marketplace enrollees are set to double or even triple without the tax credits that have made their premiums cheaper. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the lapse could leave roughly 4 million more Americans uninsured, with analysts warning of broader impacts over the coming years Advertisement Advertisement The enhanced subsidies were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and extended by Democrats in 2022. For many lower-income Americans, they have resulted in free or nearly free coverage. For higher-earning recipients, they have dramatically reduced premiums. The lowered costs have contributed to a surge in enrollment, particularly among Americans in Republican-led Southern states, where coverage previously lagged. Read more: What the End of Obamacare Subsidies Could Mean for Your Health Coverage Democrats have pushed for months to further extend the subsidies, making it a key demand in the spending standoff that shut down the government this fall. A group of Senate Democrats ultimately broke with the party to reopen the government on the condition that a vote on an extension measure would occur in December. But lawmakers have now left Washington without holding one. Four swing-district House Republicans did defy party leadership and join a Democrat-led discharge petition to force a vote on a three-year extension in the chamber. Speaker Mike Johnson, who refused to bring the issue up for a vote before the holiday recess, will be required to do so after Congress reconvenes in the new year. The vote is expected the week of Jan. 5 when the House returns to session. Advertisement Advertisement Even if the bill passes the House when it comes up for a vote next month, Senate Republicans are likely to block it, as they did in the case of a similar Democratic proposal earlier this month. But some lawmakers have expressed hope that it could help lawmakers move closer to passing a health care bill. I do believe if the bill comes to the floor, not only will it pass, but itll give the Senate the ability to come back with a bipartisan compromise and actually get something passed into law, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, one of the Republicans who signed on to the discharge petition, said Wednesday on NBCs Meet The Press Now. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told NBC News that the House passing the bill would keep momentum going, but declined to voice support for it. What were trying to do is to put together a bipartisan bill that would have reforms plus a two-year extension, Collins said. That is the best approach, in my opinion, and were making good progress. Advertisement Advertisement Appearing on ABCs This Week with Jonathan Karl, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries brushed off comments from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who said a clean three-year extension would be dead on arrival in the Senate. Jeffries said Thune is not serious about protecting the health care of the American people. It will pass, with a bipartisan majority, and then that will put the pressure on John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people: pass a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits so we can keep health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans who deserve to be able to go see a doctor when they need one, Jeffries said. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, meanwhile, said Sunday he remains opposed to extending the subsidies, instead promoting an alternative health care proposal centered on expanding Association Health Plans, which would allow consumers to band together to negotiate lower insurance premiums. Paul, earlier this month, was the only Republican senator to vote against a GOP proposal to establish government-funded health savings accounts. Advertisement Advertisement We have health care in our country for poor people. Its called Medicaid. All of the rest of the stuff has not worked, Paul said in an interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC. Obamacare has been a failure. President Obama said it would bring premiums down; premiums have gone through the roof. Every time we give more subsidies, the premiums go higher. A Republican proposal passed by the House on Wednesday, which does not include an extension of the subsidies, also appears unlikely to get traction in the Senate. I would expect the vote count if it were just purely this wouldnt be probably the same as it was last week, Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican of North Carolina, told NBC News, appearing to reference the failure of a separate GOP bill in the Senate. In the meantime, subsidies are set to return to pre-pandemic levels before Congress returns, leaving millions to navigate sharp premium increases. And amid the anticipated price changes, the deadline for open enrollment on the ACA marketplace for the year is fast approaching on Jan. 15. Experts have suggested some options for Americans to consider as they look for ways to keep their coverage more affordable. Read more: Where Surging Obamacare Prices Could Hit the Hardest Next Year Advertisement Advertisement Each party has pointed fingers at the other for rising health care prices. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump delivered a 20-minute-long address in which he blamed Democrats for the high costs while claiming his administrations policies offered relief. It's the Unaffordable Care Act, he said. The Democrats are responsible. Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, are placing blame on their Republican counterparts for failing to take action as the expiration date for the ACA subsidies approaches. Republicans still have a chance to lower costs on health care. But they still seem as determined not to as ever, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told Semafor. Another deadline is also coming up in the new year: The short-term spending bill Congress passed in November, reopening the government, will only fund the government until Jan. 30, meaning it will once again shut down if lawmakers cant reach a deal by that date. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told a crowd of supporters at a rally in North Carolina on Friday that Democrats would again close down the government, accusing them of being beholden to insurance companies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, has insisted that Democrats will not link a spending bill to renewed subsidies in the new year. Speaking to Punchbowl News,Schumer noted that the enhanced Obamacare subsidies will have expired by Jan. 30 and said Republicans have shown they are incapable of striking a bipartisan deal. He added that Democrats feel they have succeeded in making health care a top issue for voters next November. As of Jan. 1, that is a different time than before because the ACA [subsidies] expired, Schumer said. On the other hand, wed like to get an appropriations bill done. Thats a Jan. 30 deadline Were trying to work with the Republicans to get it done. Were working on appropriation bills to prevent another shutdown, now, said Democrat Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, acknowledging the human stakes of legislative stalemate.Lets see what January brings. But people are hurting. Everythings getting more expensive. Contact us at letters@time.com. Harris County Constable Precinct 4 announced a search for an evading suspect in North Harris County on Saturday. According to officials, constable deputies searched the 18200 block of Westfield Place near the North Freeway. Drones were in the air, K-9 units were on the ground, and a police perimeter had been established, authorities said. A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told ABC13 the suspect was arrested and somehow escaped from a hospital. Law enforcement reported that he was wearing blue jeans and no shirt. Advertisement Advertisement ABC13 asked Pct. 4 for more information about the suspect and how he was able to get away. We're still waiting to hear back. This is a developing story. Eyewitness News is continuing to gather facts. Watch live breaking news coverage from ABC13 on our 24/7 streaming news channel. Submit a tip or story idea to ABC13 Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story you think we should cover? Send it to ABC13 using the form below. If you have a video or photo to send, terms of use apply. If you don't, just hit 'skip upload' and send the details. " A man was arrested on Saturday morning after the Berlin Police Department used a tire deflation device to stop his vehicle and prevent a pursuit, police said. Efrain Justinano-Santiago Jr., 26, had outstanding warrants and was taken into custody by Berlin police shortly before 8:30 a.m. Officers recognized the white Cadillac that previously fled from Newington and Berlin police, police said. Justinano-Santiago had previous warrants for a pair of previous incidents of allegedly engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving and other motor vehicle charges with court-set bonds of $50,000 and $35,000, respectively, according to the Berlin Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement With Justinano-Santiagos alleged history of reckless driving and engaging in pursuit, officers disabled the vehicle with a tire deflation device and boxed it in to prevent him from escaping, police said. Justinano-Santiago allegedly attempted to escape and rammed two police vehicles; a third police vehicle sustained minor damage during the box in, police said. After Justinano-Santiago was removed from the vehicle, police discovered two toddler-aged children in the rear seat. Police said they were not aware the children were in the vehicle until the suspect was removed from the vehicle, due to heavy window tint. Police said one of the children was not properly secured in their child seat and the other was not in a child seat at all. Advertisement Advertisement Justinano-Santiago is charged with engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, two counts of criminal attempt to commit assault in the second degree, two counts of criminal attempt to commit assault on police officers and two counts of risk of injury to a minor. Justinano-Santiago is also facing other motor vehicle charges. He was being held on a $165,000 bond for the new charges, plus the outstanding warrants, for total surety bonds of $250,000, according to the Berlin Police Department. People across Australia were set on Sunday to light a candle at 6:47 pm (0747 GMT) to mark one week since a deadly terror attack on participants at a Jewish festival on Sydney's Bondi Beach. On Friday, the federal and New South Wales governments declared Sunday, December 21, "a Day of Reflection to honour the victims of the horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach and to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community." Sunday marks one week since two gunmen opened fire on crowds at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. Most of the victims were Jewish people marking the first day of Hanukkah. Advertisement Advertisement It is also the last day of the eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah. "On Sunday, flags on all New South Wales and Australian government buildings will be flown at half-mast," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday. "As a mark of respect for the lives lost and the grief shared across our nation, we invite people across Australia to light a candle at 6:47 pm, exactly one week since the attack unfolded, as a quiet act of remembrance with family, friends or loved ones. We're asking all Australians to observe a minute of silence." Investigators have identified the Bondi attackers as a father and son. The 50-year-old father was shot dead by police at the scene, while the 24-year-old son was injured and later charged with 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder. Dec. 20The city of Decatur continues to adjust its public relations management with the hiring of a new communications specialist and the contract extension of its marketing campaign. Mayor Kent Lawrence announced at this week's City Council meeting that Carter Watkins starts Jan. 5 as the new communications specialist. Carter has been working on a contract basis with the city since this summer. Lawrence made the announcement along with the City Council's approval of a one-year $200,842 contract extension with Red Sage Communications Inc. for the "Positively Decatur" marketing campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Watkins was Shoals Bureau chief for WHNT-19 for 24 years before working in communications with Florence City and Madison County school systems. Human Resources Director Richelle Sandlin said Watkins' annual pay in his new job is $99,508. The city has had a hodgepodge of communications management in recent years, including two part-time PR people, since specialist Emily Stewart left in 2022 after five years on the job. Former Mayor Tab Bowling hired a full-time communication specialist in May but she left after less than a week on the job. Lawrence, elected Aug. 26 as mayor, said hiring a full-time public relations person was a stated priority during his election campaign this summer. "That was the first hire I wanted to make," Lawrence said. "Thankfully, Carter was already here and doing a wonderful job for us, so we made it permanent now." Advertisement Advertisement In a written statement, Watkins said he is "grateful for the opportunity" to serve the city in this full-time role. "I appreciate the trust Mayor Kent Lawrence has placed in me to lead the city's internal and external communications and to help ensure our message is clear, accurate and timely for our residents, employees, and partners," Watkins said. He said the new mayor "has been clear since day one about where he wants Decatur to go. His focus on transparency, fiscal responsibility, strong neighborhoods, and smart growth sets the tone for how we communicate and how we serve. My role is to help support that vision, tell the city's story with honesty and pride, and work every day for the citizens of Decatur ... ." The city previously employed Steve Garner's Do It With You marketing company as an independent contractor to manage its social media presence. The city had been paying Garner's company $1,300 a month, or $15,600 a year. Lawrence said Watkins will now take over all social media for the city. Advertisement Advertisement Owned by Ellen Didier, Red Sage is entering its fourth year of doing "Positively Decatur," a storytelling initiative as a way to promote the positive aspects of the city. Didier said she thinks the marketing initiative has been successful. "I feel like we're getting good responses from the community about the diversity of our stories," Didier said. "Our community has been through a lot of hard things and then being able to have something that people remember that we're neighbors, that we're good people that live in this community, that we love this community and there's a lot of really cool people here is a good thing." The contract says Red Sage will hold quarterly stakeholder meetings; do monthly video and digital storytelling, including a 90-second video per month with 1.65 hours of revisions; two blogs per month; paid social advertising (internal and external audiences); operate a social media management system; and do an e-newsletter. Advertisement Advertisement Didier said in her presentation at last week's work session that audiences targeted in the Positively Decatur campaign are residents, potential residents, regional audiences in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Washington, D.C., new graduates, retirees and government workers relocating to Redstone Arsenal. Since launching in April 2022, she reports the campaign generated 45,000 visits to the website and more than 7 million impressions. Impressions are the total number of times a user sees an ad, video, image, or search result on an online platform, whether or not they clicked on it to go to the website. It created a consistent 93% to 97% positive sentiment year to year, Didier said. According to Didier, the campaign created "significantly less negative engagement (while fostering) resident pride, positivity on giveaway posts, new murals, and fun things happening in Decatur, and more pushback in comments against negativity." Her report says they had 22,300 social ad clicks and 22,600 Google ad clicks. They created 84,200 Facebook engagements, 16,800 Instagram likes and 90,000 video views. Advertisement Advertisement Red Sage is running targeted Google adverting campaigns focused on general awareness/residential recruitment, including a "Why Live in Decatur" page; and targeting new graduates and young professionals ages 24-34; and government relocation. The e-newsletter focuses on "Moving to Decatur," "Activities in Decatur," "Volunteering in Decatur," "Working in Decatur" and "Networking in Decatur." bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432 Dec. 20Court records show a Decatur man is back in Morgan County Jail this week after failing to appear in court for a cruelty to animals charge after he allegedly kicked a kitten over 10 feet at his grandmother's house in June. Todd McGee Lacey, 34, was booked into jail Thursday morning and was being held in lieu of a $2,500 bond. According to a complaint filed in Morgan County District Court, on June 13 at approximately 11:25 a.m., officers responded to Harold Drive Southwest for a domestic non-emergency call and the homeowner told them her grandson had been "argumentative" and destroying property. Advertisement Advertisement The property owner told police she had two grandsons, one of them being Lacey, who lived in two separate locations near her on property that she owns. She and her other grandson reported that Lacey had left the property with his friends the day before and returned that night under the influence of narcotics and was exhibiting wild and hostile behavior. Lacey had attempted to kick the door in to the other grandson's dwelling, but he prevented him from entering by holding the door shut. Shortly after, the other grandson left and Lacey was able to enter his dwelling. "While (the other grandson) was away, Todd entered the building and defecated on his body pillow and mattress," the complaint said. "Shortly afterward, Todd went to (his grandmother's) and knocked on her door, claiming he had defecated on himself and requesting to use her shower." Advertisement Advertisement While they were talking, a small kitten wandered onto his grandmother's porch close to where Lacey was standing. "When (the grandmother) refused his request, Todd aggressively kicked the kitten off the porch, sending it 10-15 feet away," the complaint said. The other grandson ultimately told the officer he did not want to prosecute Lacey for defecating on his things. Court records show Lacey has several convictions dating back to 2009. He currently has a jury trial scheduled in August for two counts of possessing controlled substances, second-degree possession of marijuana, obstructing governmental operations, and possession of paraphernalia stemming from an arrest in March 2024. Advertisement Advertisement An affidavit signed by a Decatur police officer states he pulled Lacey over on a traffic stop between Harold Drive and Modaus Road Southwest and located methamphetamines, buprenorphine hydrochloride, buprenorphine and naloxone films, marijuana, and methamphetamine residue in his vehicle. Lacey pleaded guilty to possessing controlled substances in 2021 and was sentenced to five years in prison. Lacey also pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery in 2016 and received a 15-year split sentence, according to court records. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to second-degree theft of property and was sentenced as a habitual offender to 10 years in prison. The year before, he pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a vehicle and was sentenced to two years in prison. wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the decision to move convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell to a minimum-security prison earlier this year, citing threats against her as the reason for the transfer. In a Sunday morning interview on Meet the Press with NBCs Kristen Welker, Blanche said the decision to transfer Maxwell to a less restrictive facility was made by the Bureau of Prisons, adding that every decision that they make lands on my desk to the extent it needs to. At the time that I met Miss Maxwell, there was a tremendous amount of scrutiny and publicity toward her, and the institution she was in, she was suffering numerous and numerous threats against her life, Blanche said. He did not elaborate on the threats. Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell was moved from a prison in Florida to a minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas this summer shortly after she met with Blanche as part of the Trump administrations effort to quiet backlash over its handling of the federal governments documents related to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, Epstein's convicted accomplice and onetime girlfriend, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on child sex trafficking charges in 2022. Bureau of Prisons policy generally prohibits people with a sex offender determination known as a public safety factor from being housed in minimum-security prisons. Blanche added that Maxwell might be moved to another institution tomorrow if security requires it, and that's true of any federal inmate across this country. Maxwell is also seeking a commutation from the Trump administration according to a document obtained by the House Democrats, POLITICO reported last month. The Supreme Court declined to take up her appeal in October, leaving a possible pardon or commutation which Trump has not ruled out as her likely last avenue to sidestep her sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell, who has exhausted all of her direct appeals, reportedly asked a federal court to vacate or correct her conviction and sentence on Wednesday, a Hail-Mary request that argues she did not receive a fair trial according to substantial new evidence. Blanche also defended the decision to speak with Maxwell over two days in July, noting that the Department of Justice had also met with victims and victims rights groups as recently as Thursday. Nobody ever talked to her. Nobody ever asked her questions about what she knew. So when she said she had something she wanted to say notwithstanding the fact that she had been convicted of course we went and talked to her, he said. Imagine if we didn't talk to her. Imagine she said: I have a story to tell and I would like to talk to the government and I said no. The same outrage would be directed at this department for not speaking with her. He also fiercely defended the Justice Departments decision to heavily redact files released Friday in compliance with a bill signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, insisting the DOJ remained in compliance with the law despite missing the deadline to release all of its files related to Epstein. Detroit Public School Community District faces a $2.2 million loss in state funding due to a law that penalizes districts for having less than 75% daily attendance. (Sylvia Jarrus for Chalkbeat ) This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for Chalkbeat Detroits free newsletter to keep up with the citys public school system and Michigan education policy. Detroits school superintendent wants legislators to change a state law that mandates penalties for not meeting daily attendance requirements as the district faces millions in fines. Advertisement Advertisement The Detroit Public Schools Community District will lose $2.2 million in state funding for not reaching a 75% attendance threshold multiple days last year, according to the Michigan Department of Education. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told Chalkbeat the law disproportionately punishes schools in communities with high concentrations of poverty and creates more funding inequities. He said the fines punish the district for attendance issues rooted in systemic challenges, such as housing instability, lack of transportation, health concerns. Ultimately, it takes away money that could be used to support students in need, he said. Many school building closures also have been caused by the citys aging infrastructure, which are beyond the districts control or ability to fix, the superintendent added. Its a policy that punishes the symptoms while making the underlying condition worse, said Vitti. Advertisement Advertisement Under the State School Aid Act, districts can lose state funding if less than 75% of enrolled students attend school on any day of instruction. The state superintendent can waive the fines in some situations, such as severe storms or epidemics. The MDE calculates the fines based on the amount of annual state funding allocated to each district and the percentage school systems fall short of reaching 75% attendance per day. Districts that receive more state funding stand to lose more in fines. Bob Wheaton, the MDEs director of public and governmental affairs, said the agency and its auditors are obligated to enforce the daily attendance penalties. All districts in the state are subject to the fines, regardless of student demographics, he added. When asked if the law is intended to address chronic absenteeism, Wheaton said the percentage of students in attendance on a school day is a different data point than chronic absenteeism rates, which represent how many students miss 10% or more of all days in a school year. Advertisement Advertisement While chronic absenteeism remains a serious concern for the state, the calculation of chronic absenteeism originates from federal and accountability reporting requirements and is monitored through separate data systems and processes, he said. State records show DPSCD fell below the attendance threshold 11 days last school year. Initially, the district faced more than $6.8 million in fines. However, the number was reduced to $2.2 million, according to the MDE, because the district reported absences at one school that went beyond the states 180 instructional day requirement. We were fortunate; the reduction was only possible only due to a unique circumstance at the specific building that was affected, said Vitti. Had the same situation occurred at nearly any other school in our district, wed still be facing the full $6.8 million. So far this year, Vitti said DPSCD has fallen below 75% daily attendance twice. Advertisement Advertisement But, our challenges typically accrue throughout the year; during the winter months when students face additional barriers getting to school due to weather, and at the end of the year when attendance drops, he said. State records showed 142 traditional public school districts and charter schools were initially identified as facing potential fines for last school years attendance rates. A final tally was not immediately available from the MDE this week. The Detroit district, where 84% of students come from low-income families, has long had high rates of chronic absenteeism. In recent years, the district has significantly reduced the rate with a multilayered approach. Advertisement Advertisement Were investing heavily in attendance agents, health hubs, home visits, parent engagement, mental health services; all the wraparound supports that actually move the needle on attendance, said Vitti. Last year was the first time students in the district were chronically absent at a lower rate compared to pre-pandemic years. Still, more than 60% of students missed too much school. The statewide absenteeism rate was higher in 2024-25 than before the COVID pandemic, at nearly 28%. As Michigan struggles to reduce absenteeism, recent data suggests districts with the most to overcome, like DPSCD, are outpacing the rest of the state in improving attendance. Advertisement Advertisement At a November policy committee meeting, Vitti said this year was the first since he became superintendent in 2017 that the attendance penalty has been enforced for the district. According to Wheaton, 2020-21 was the only year the penalty was not implemented in the state due to COVID. In 2023-24, Wheaton said only one district faced a fine, but it was waived once it was verified there was an error in the attendance data. That said, its common for somewhere between 35 and 50 districts to be initially identified, said Wheaton. Vitti told board members at the November committee meeting that the district should begin lobbying legislators to change the law. Advertisement Advertisement Taking millions from schools doesnt get a single additional child to school, he told Chalkbeat It just means we have that much less to help them get there. Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Officials said Hamas is driving incitement in these areas, while lone-actor attacks remain a concern. They urged Israelis to obey the law and avoid Palestinian Authority cities. A rising number of Israelis are illegally entering Area A in the West Bank, creating life-threatening situations that could end in lynching or murder, security sources told Walla on Sunday. The officials said Hamas is driving incitement in these areas, while lone-actor attacks remain a concern. They urged Israelis to obey the law and avoid Palestinian Authority cities. Advertisement Advertisement Security sources said every incident of an Israeli entering Area A carries the potential to inflame the sector. In the past year, several lynchings were narrowly averted thanks to rapid IDF intervention and coordination with other security bodies. In one case, a person with disabilities was located inside a refugee camp near Gush Etzion, and in another, Palestinians chased and smashed an Israeli vehicle in Nablus. Officials added that without deterrent measures against Israelis who knowingly break the law, the phenomenon will continue. They described the atmosphere in the West Bank as highly tense due to nationalist crime and ongoing incitement. One source said the current trajectory poses severe risks. Military members stand with an Israeli settlers near Jericho, in the West Bank, July 4, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD) IDF assists Israelis who accidentally enter West Bank On Thursday night, the IDF mounted exceptional efforts to extract a mentally unstable Israeli who entered Hebron. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, an Israeli woman entered Jericho and fled an apartment with eight Palestinians after realizing she was in a Palestinian city. She was rescued by Civil Administration officers with assistance from Palestinian security forces, and Israel Police opened an investigation. Security officials said a series of recent cases across the West Bank illustrates the growing trend, including illegal or mistaken entries and dangerous confrontations in Kalkilya and Nablus. They cited the August 2024 killing of Amnon Mukhtar in Kalkilya as a reminder of the potential consequences. The next disaster is a matter of time, one security source said. A dog who was attacked by a pack of other dogs in unincorporated Bremerton earlier this week has died from his injuries. The incident started on Dec. 17 when a pitbull on a leash broke free and attacked a Rhodesian Ridgeback that was being walked by its owner, who was in a mobility scooter. Then, three more dogs belonging to the same man who had the pitbull ran through an open door and joined the attack. Advertisement Advertisement The man on the scooter and his dog was attacked, as were people who tried to intervene and those watching the scene unfold. Deputies tried to pepper-spray some of the dogs, but that was ineffective, according to the Kitsap County Sheriffs Office. By the time the owner was able to get control of the dogs, eight people had been injured, with a majority having to go to the hospital for serious bites. Unfortunately, the Ridgeback, Jasper, died from injuries sustained in the attack by the other dogs. The 28-year-old owner of the pitbulls is under investigation for violation of Washington States Dangerous Dogs law. After Donald Trumps justice department failed on Friday to release all documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as required by law, multiple Congress members didnt only voice outrage they threatened legal action as well. Related: Removing photos from Epstein files release nothing to do with Trump, deputy AG says Several attorneys told the Guardian that those making the legal threats do have tools with which to try to follow through. But there is a major obstacle: those with legal authority in this case are the ones accused of failing to follow the law. Advertisement Advertisement Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who started West Coast Trial Lawyers, said Congress could in fact hold Trumps attorney general, Pam Bondi, or her deputy Todd Blanche in contempt. But the matter would be referred to the Department of Justice, which would not prosecute. Its theoretically possible, but practically its not going to happen, Rahmani said. Rahmani said it was more likely that Congress would file a lawsuit asking a federal judge to compel the justice department to produce the files in question. If the justice department refuses or fails to comply, then they can be held in contempt of court, Rahmani continued. But again, the [justice department] prosecutes judicial contempt. The judge could appoint a special prosecutor, but [that] almost never happens. Advertisement Advertisement The expectation is that the [justice department] enforces the law and that they therefore follow the law. Eric Faddis, founder of the Colorado law firm Varner Faddis and trial attorney who formerly worked as a prosecutor, echoed Rahmani. If justice department officials violated the act, they can be held in contempt of Congress, which would require a vote. The sergeant at arms, in turn, could detain them until they agree to comply, he said. If Congress subpoenaed records from Bondi or Blanche and they didnt comply, Congress could find them in contempt and refer that contempt to the DoJ for criminal prosecution, though that may present an inherent conflict for the DoJ, Faddis said. Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, Faddis added, if Congress investigated possible noncompliance by Bondi and Blanche, they may be subject to federal criminal prosecution for obstruction of Congress, concealment of records, or evidence tampering. Faddis said Congress could also try to hold Bondi and Blanche accountable by impeaching them though such a move would require a measure of political will that is easier said than done. John Day, a former prosecutor in New Mexico who now practices criminal defense, said there could be issues with meting out punishment due to the statute itself. There has been some talk by congressional supporters of releasing all the Epstein files of trying to impeach Bondi and Blanche for failing to release all files on time, and for the redactions, Day said. But Day does not see any enforcement mechanism for violations in the law requiring the release of the files by Friday. Advertisement Advertisement I think an actual prosecution would be unlikely because the law, as passed, did not contain any enforcement mechanism for violations, Day said. The remarks of Rahmani, Faddis and Day came after the US House member Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said that he and his Epstein Transparency Act co-author the Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie are exploring all options after Fridays deadline passed without a full release of files. Khanna confirmed those options included potentially impeaching justice department officials as well as possibly holding them in contempt of Congress. Khanna also suggested the possibility of referring for prosecution those who are obstructing justice. And Massie touted potential prosecutions, too, saying future justice department officials could convict the current AG and others because the Epstein Files Transparency Act is not like a congressional subpoena which expires at the end of each Congress. The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Appearing Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press, Blanche said Fridays partial release resulted from a need to protect victims from being identified in any new documents. Advertisement Advertisement Imagine if we had released tons of information around victims, Blanche said. That would be the true crime. That would be the true wrong. Trump has been dogged by the Epstein files controversy since the summer. While he promised to release those files while successfully running for a second presidency in 2024, his administration has yet to deliver since taking office in January. The lack of a full disclosure of those files has caused bipartisan uproar, including among a significant portion of his support base. Many far-right Trump supporters believe that Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, operated freely for years due to his powerful connections. Broad uproar of the Trump justice departments failure to produce files grew even more intense when the Associated Press revealed that at least 16 files had disappeared from the justice departments public website. These missing documents included an image of photos in a drawer, including a picture of Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, with Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell more recently was convicted of sex trafficking, having been found to procure teen girls for Epstein to abuse. She is fighting the conviction and the 20-year prison sentence it resulted in for her. Trump has denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and the president claimed that he had ended his friendship with Epstein years before the disgraced financiers crimes became public knowledge. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial several weeks after his arrest in 2019 during Trumps first presidency. Blanche on Sunday said it was laughable to suggest that the justice department had removed any photos after Fridays partial release solely to protect the president because his prior friendship with Epstein was already widely known. It has nothing to do with President Trump, Blanche contended. Later on Sunday, the justice department said it had reposted the image that had been taken down, after a review determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted. Vice President JD Vance declared one of President Donald Trumps big wins since returning to office has been gutting federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) laws that discriminated against white and Asian Americans. Vance made the comment during a speech at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday. The vice president said DEI is antithetical to American values and a meritocratic society which made it an easy target for the second Trump Administration. We dont treat anybody different because of their race or their sex, Vance told the crowd. So we have relegated DEI to the dustbin of history, which is exactly where it belongs. Advertisement Advertisement That comment drew a big roar from the crowd. Vance continued: In the United States of America, you dont have to apologize for being white anymore. And if youre an Asian, you dont have to talk around your skin color when youre applying for college. Because we judge people based on who they are, not on ethnicity and things they cant control. We dont persecute you for being male, for being straight, for being gay, for being anything. The only thing that we demand is that you be a great American patriot. And if youre that, youre very much on our team. Those comments were also well-received by the arena. His remark on white men comes a few days after a viral Compact article reported a number of professional fields had gatekeepers [who] promised extra consideration to anyone who wasnt a white man. Vance pointed to a number of accomplishments he said the Trump Administration has had in less than a year, including shutting down the southern border. He said it is imperative that the crowd continue to support the America First Party echoing Donald Trump Jr., who earlier in the day said the Republican Party was no longer a thing. Advertisement Advertisement He also slammed several Democratic leaders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Vance also quipped Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) had supported a fellow Somali to be the mayor of Mogadishu wait, I mean, Minneapolis. A little Freudian slip there. Watch above, via Fox News. The post You Dont Have to Apologize for Being White Anymore! JD Vance Declares Trump Killed DEI first appeared on Mediaite. Real estate magnate Steve Witkoff is now a key player in U.S.-Russia relations. This unconventional appointment by President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows among traditional diplomatic circles and allies alike. What Happened: Witkoff, who lacked previous diplomatic experience, has emerged as a significant figure in U.S.-Russia negotiations. This development came to light following a message from the Saudi Arabian crown prince, which indicated Russian President Vladimir Putins interest in meeting with Witkoff. Advertisement Advertisement The report, published by The Wall Street Journal, also revealed that Putin has been examining psychological profiles of Trumps officials, including Keith Kellogg, the retired three-star general Trump had appointed as America's envoy to Russia and Ukraine. However, the narrative is now being shaped by Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, a financier linked to the Kremlin, who are reportedly crafting a new economic and security structure for Europe. Witkoffs sudden rise has sparked concerns among longstanding European allies, who feel uninformed about the U.S.s diplomatic maneuvers. Also Read: Trump Sounds Alarm on Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Things Like This End Up in Third World Wars Advertisement Advertisement Witkoff has repeatedly declined CIA briefings on Russia and has not yet visited Ukraine, leading to apprehensions about the course of the negotiations, reports the outlet. Despite the concerns, Trump has lauded Witkoffs performance, stating that people love Steve. Witkoff himself has defended his unconventional approach, arguing that its time to try something new in the face of a war that has resulted in over a million casualties. Why It Matters: The appointment of Witkoff, a real estate tycoon with no diplomatic experience, to such a critical role in U.S.-Russia relations represents a significant shift in traditional diplomatic practices. His unconventional approach and the lack of transparency surrounding his appointment have raised concerns among allies, potentially straining international relations. Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, his reluctance to engage with traditional intelligence sources such as the CIA could have implications for the direction and outcome of negotiations with Russia. Read Next Trump May Formally Offer Putin Control of Occupied Ukrainian Land in Proposed Peace Deal UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga: This article How Donald Trump's Billionaire Friend Became Putin's Preferred US Envoy originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Jaxons Bricks for Bravery Holiday LEGO Collection: Drop off new, unopened Lego sets at Sir Troys Toy Kingdom, 4304 Belden Village St. NW, Canton. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Drop off sets through Dec. 31. All donations will be given to children facing medical challenges. A Night of Dancing & Compassion with Akron Snow Angels: 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at The Bank at the East End, 1201 E. Market St., Akron. This will be an evening filled with food, drinks, music and dancing with DJ Michelle Dangerfield & ROXXYMORON, all dedicated to lifting up our neighbors experiencing homelessness and shining a light on resilience, courage and community. For tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-night-of-dancing-compassion-with-akron-snow-angels-tickets-1830034485409. Womens Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation For Women, Forever Celebration: 5 p.m. March 26 at Quaker Station, 135 S. Broadway. Journalist Sara Shookman, founder of Storyglow Studio, will emcee the event. Bernett L. Williams, chief engagement officer at Akron Childrens Hospital, will receive the 2026 Judith A. Read Tribute Award for Service & Advocacy. Tickets go on sale in January. Register for the newsletter at akroncf.org/WEFNews. For more information, go to forwomenforever.org. Advertisement Advertisement Send information about social and charity events to The Scene, Akron Beacon Journal, 388 S. Main St., Suite 720, Akron, OH 44311. Or email droese@thebeaconjournal.com or listings@thebeaconjournal.com with The Scene in the subject line. Event notices should be sent at least two weeks in advance. Merits of all organizations have not been investigated by the Beacon Journal, so potential donors should verify the worthiness of a cause before committing. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Donate Lego sets for kids facing medical challenges This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain It begins with two people, one blanket, and two very different ideas of what's a comfortable sleeping temperature. By midnight, one partner is hot and sweaty while the other is freezing. Sounds familiar? You're not alone. Many couples have nightly arguments over blankets or duvets, bedroom temperature and differing sleep habits. Poor sleep and relationship strain can follow. So it's no wonder couples are curious about the "Scandinavian sleep method," which is having a moment on social media. But what is it? And will it end your nightly "duvet drama," as TikTok suggests? What is the Scandinavian sleep method? This is a sleeping arrangement for couples who share a bed. But rather than sharing bedding, each has their own blanket or duvet. This arrangement allows couples to continue sleeping together while meeting each person's individual needs. It offers a balance between sleeping together and sleeping apart. As the name suggests, it's said to be popular in Scandinavian countries. It reflects the preferences of many couples who value both intimacy (sharing a bed) and personal sleep comfort (their own blanket or duvet). Now many couples from non-Scandinavian countries say trying the Scandinavian sleep method has been a game-changer for their sleep. Does it really work? Most research on how couples sleep focuses on broader factors. These include the sleep environment (whether it's safe, quiet or dark), temperature and routines, rather than whether couples share a blanket. In the absence of research specifically testing "two blankets vs. one blanket," it is hard to check if the Scandinavian sleep method is scientifically valid. However, this method has many aspects that align with healthy sleep practices. So there's reasonable evidence to suggest it could reduce the type of sleep disturbances you can get from sharing a blanket with your partner. I'm hot, you're cold The body's internal clock manages daily rhythms in core body temperature, which drops when you fall asleep. And different bedding materials can influence your sleep by affecting your skin and body temperature. For instance, different fiber types can affect how quickly you fall asleep or the amount of deep sleep you get. Blankets that are too hot and raise your body temperature can also affect your sleep. But nighttime body temperature patterns can vary with age, body composition, hormones, and whether you're a morning or evening person. These contribute to whether you're a hot sleeper or a cold sleeper, and can explain why you need different types of bedding than your partner. Hot sleepers generally prefer lightweight, breathable fabrics, whereas cold sleepers tend towards heavier, insulating fabrics that trap heat. Individuals may also prefer different bedding for other reasons. Someone with heightened sensory awareness or skin sensitivities might favor more natural, smooth fibers. Or they may opt for weighted blankets to provide a calming effect that helps reduce anxiety or sensory processing issues. With the Scandinavian sleep method, each person can choose the type of bedding that suits them best. My feet are cold For female-male bed partners, sex differences in nighttime core body temperature patterns can lead to one person shivering while the other sweats under the same cover. Women's hands and feet often have lower skin temperatures, as their body prioritizes keeping their internal organs warm. This can explain why women might want to tuck their hands and feet in under the duvet or blanket, while their male partner is happy to stick theirs out. Women may also reach their lowest nighttime body temperature earlier in the night than men. As women age and transition to menopause, they might experience hot flushes and night sweats, which often disturb sleep. These differences in temperature regulation mean men and women usually have varying preferences for their ideal temperature for sleeping. I was almost asleep! If you have insomnia, your sleep can be disturbed by your partner's noise or movement. Your sleep can also be disturbed by your partner's influence over the sleep environmentwhether they watch TV or use their phone in bed, or if they sleep with the lights on. Female partners report being disturbed more often by their male partner's movement than the other way around. So separate bedding may help minimize someone's sleep being disturbed when partners go to bed and wake at different times. And as each person has their own bedding, it would also avoid the disturbed sleep that would arise when one person "hogs the blanket." What's the verdict? For couples who have poor sleep due to conflicting comfort needswhether it's blanket-hogging, different temperature preferences, restlessness or misaligned sleep schedulesthe Scandinavian sleep method seems to offer a practical and affordable solution. It allows you to manage your microclimate to suit your body's needs. But sleeping with a separate duvet or blanket can make it harder to make the bed and make bedtime cuddles more tricky. Unless you have a queen-size or bigger bed, it might also be tough to balance on the bed without one sliding off. While the Scandinavian sleep method appears promising, it certainly isn't a game-changer. Until there is research evidence, it should be best regarded as a practical "sleep hygiene hack" rather than a scientifically tested sleep method. Key medical concepts InsomniaMenopauseHot Flashes This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Gabriel Gonzalez, a Southern California native and Eaton Fire survivor had not publicly shared what life has been like for him over the last year, until today. "I spent probably eight months out of the year in my car, having difficulty finding showers, finding anything," said Gonzalez. Nearly one year since the Eaton Fire, roughly 80% of families remain displaced. Tuesday, a coalition of survivors, non-profits, and community leaders called on Southern California Edison to further help in housing relief. Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez, a small business owner, said he had just signed a lease in Altadena the month before the fire, losing $80,000 in plumbing tools when the Eaton Fire ripped through the home he moved into. "It's been quite a struggle to get back on my feet," he said. Gonzalez stepped out of the shadows where many survivors stand today, joining a coalition of organizations calling on Edison to pay up to $200,000 per displaced household in housing relief, stressing the utility can later be reimbursed through the California Wildfire fund, which ratepayers contribute to. "Edison's fire did not just destroy or contaminate thousands of homes. It also destroyed affordability overnight. Rents doubled and tripled across the region," said Joy Chen, executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network. The group outlined its demands in a proposal. "This press conference is not about sympathy. It's about responsibility. It is about accountability," said survivor Damon Blount. Advertisement Advertisement Pedro Pizarro, CEO of Edison International spoke with Eyewitness News, pointing out the California Wildfire Fund requires final payments or settlements before it distributes funds to a utility. "What we're doing is instead setting up our claims program, having that fast-pay option to move as quickly as possible, to not just provide temporary compensation, but provide the entire package. So individuals can move on with their lives more quickly," said Pizarro. The coalition said Edison's program requires signing a legal waver. They called on the utility to issue housing relief without strings attached and said it should not replace or duplicate long-term compensation, arguing other utilities have taken similar actions. "We're simply asking Edison to advance the money now and be reimbursed later," said Chen. For his part, Gonzalez is weighing his options, considering moving out of state. "There's nothing here to help us and it's really frustrating," he said. BEIRUT (AP) Egypt is doing all it can to prevent further escalation between Lebanon and Israel amid tension between the two neighbors over the disarmament process of the militant Hezbollah group, the countrys prime minister said Friday during a visit to the Lebanese capital. Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, has been working for months to deescalate the regional tensions and Prime Minister Mustafa Madboulys visit to Beirut comes after similar trips to the small Arab nation by Egypts foreign minister and intelligence chief. Egypt will spare no effort in continuing its tireless endeavors to keep Lebanon away from any escalation, Madbouly told reporters during a joint briefing with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam. Advertisement Advertisement Madboulys visit also focused on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing pressing regional developments. Madboulys meetings in Beirut came as the committee monitoring the enforcement of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah a year ago held another meeting Friday. Fridays gathering along the Lebanon-Israel border was the second meeting of the mechanism after Israel and Lebanon appointed civilian members to a previously military-only committee. The group also includes the United States, France and the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said that military participants offered operational updates and remained focused on deepening the cooperation by finding ways to increase coordination through the mechanism. It added that all participants agreed that a strengthened Lebanese army, the guarantors of security in the border area known as the south Litani Sector, is critical to success. Advertisement Advertisement The embassy added that civilian participants meanwhile focused on setting conditions for residents to return safely to their homes, advancing reconstruction, and addressing economic priorities. It added that they underscored that durable political and economic progress is essential to reinforcing security gains and sustaining lasting peace. The embassy said meeting participants reaffirmed that progress on security and political tracks remain mutually reinforcing and essential to ensuring long-term stability and prosperity for both parties. The Lebanese government has said that the army should have the whole border area south of the Litani River cleared from Hezbollahs armed presence by the end of the year. The latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Israel launched a widespread bombardment of Lebanon in September 2024 that severely weakened Hezbollah, followed by a ground invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes since then, mainly targeting Hezbollah members, but also killing 127 civilians, according to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. Also Friday, the Israeli military said that a Hezbollah operative who was captured from Lebanon last year played a major role in the groups secretive maritime force. The military added that Imad Amhaz was trained in Iran and Lebanon to carry out maritime operations. A Hezbollah official said the group will not comment on the video released by the Israeli military of Amhaz, describing him as a Lebanese citizen who was kidnapped. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Jeffrey Epstein would call high-profile friends while having a massage Jeffrey Epstein demanded that young girls show their school IDs to prove they were underage. Marina Lacerda, who was abused by Epstein from the age of 14, said the paedophile was furious when an 18-year-old was brought to him, immediately sending her away. Ms Lacerda, now 37, was forced to recruit other victims, and told The Telegraph that Epstein instructed her to only present him with girls who had a student school ID. Advertisement Advertisement Brazilian-born Ms Lacerda said Epstein stopped abusing her when she was 16 or 17 because he thought she was too old and she was not bringing him girls who were young enough. I did bring him somebody at the age of 18, and he booted her out... He just looked at her and knew she wasnt the age of 14, 15, or 16. And he really, he was like, Get the f--- out... he was aggressive, Ms Lacerda said. He turned to me, and he was like, Im done. Hes like, You need to start bringing me IDs when you bring girls here... I want school IDs. After the partial release of the Epstein files, Ms Lacerda accused the government of orchestrating a cover-up by redacting swathes of documents and failing to release everything it held to protect powerful men. Advertisement Advertisement The US justice department released thousands of files on Friday and Saturday, but hundreds of pages were heavily redacted, and a huge tranche of documents is yet to be released. Marina Lacerda has accused the US government of a cover-up over heavily redacted documents in the Epstein files - AP/Jose Luis Magana Ms Lacerdas testimony about being subjected to years of abuse was critical in securing the 2019 charges against the paedophile months before he died in jail. She is referred to as Minor-Victim 1 in the 2019 indictment and spoke publicly for the first time in September to call for the release of the Epstein files. She said she had looked through some of the recently released files and saw notes about Epstein demanding to see girls IDs, information that appeared to be from her interview with the FBI in 2019, two months before Epsteins arrest. Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, she also said the paedophile would brag to his powerful friends that he was being massaged by a beautiful girl while on a call, and make her say hello to them. We did speak to a lot of people on the phone who were, you know, politicians, some were princes... [they] were very important people, she told The Telegraph. He would make it clear that he knew everybody and he owned everybody... he manipulated us, she said. After lying down for a massage, Epstein would ring his contacts to talk business and would always bring up the fact like, oh, you know, I have this nice, young, beautiful girl giving me a massage. Advertisement Advertisement He would hand her the phone and tell her to just say hello, Ms Lacerda said. She would tell the men something like Hey, how are you? but would not discuss anything deep. Ms Lacerda said Epstein never explicitly told the powerful men that she was underage. She met one Hollywood star she had spoken to on the phone in person, but was not abused by them or anyone else, other than Epstein. Ms Lacerda is one of a number of Epsteins survivors who have been calling for the full release of the files, believing there is information about men in his orbit that has not been disclosed. 100 per cent total cover-up Only a fraction of the governments files on the paedophile have been released, some of which have been heavily redacted, prompting bipartisan outcry about an alleged cover-up. Advertisement Advertisement At least 16 files, including one photograph of Donald Trump, the US president, were also deleted from the justice department website after being published on Friday. In Fridays release, dozens of photographs of Bill Clinton, including one of the former US president topless in a hot tub, were published for the first time, as well as pictures showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor sprawled over the laps of five women with Ghislaine Maxwell grinning behind him at the Royal familys Sandringham retreat. Theres a reason why everythings redacted, Ms Lacerda said, adding that it was 100 per cent a total cover-up. Its almost like a joke, right? Like, we have to look at it as its like, this has to be a comedy show. Like, why did you even put out all these files? Advertisement Advertisement She added: Who are we really trying to protect? Are we protecting survivors, or are we protecting these powerful men?... Were tired of it. Its gotten to the point where, you know, weve protected these powerful men for a long time. Bill Clinton, the former US president, is in dozens of photos in the documents released on Friday - AFP There is no suggestion Mr Clinton has done anything wrong. The former president, who admits travelling on Epsteins private plane, wrote in his memoir that he had stopped contact with Epstein before he was first arrested in 2005, for soliciting a child for prostitution. He said that he always thought Epstein was odd but had no inkling of the crimes he was committing. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was ordered to leave Royal Lodge, his residence in Windsor, following weeks of scrutiny over his links to Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, his accuser. He has always denied the claims and any other wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Ms Lacerda met Epstein in 2002 when she was recruited by a friend, who did not give her details other than that she could make money massaging someone. Ms Lacerda, a Brazilian immigrant, was sharing a single bedroom with her mother and sister at the time and saw it as an opportunity to support her family. It got to the point where I think I got really desperate for money, she said. However, she could not face working for him any more after being forced to recruit young girls. She said: I didnt want to bring any more underage girls, being 17 and having some knowledge of what was really going on there. Advertisement Advertisement You had no choice but to bring him somebody because hes so persistent and just he wanted to have, you know, a new face, a new girl. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Israel has approved the construction of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted on X on Sunday. Smotrich, a right-wing minister, said on X that the Israeli Cabinet "has approved the proposal, put forward by me along with my friend, Defence Minister Israel Katz, to proclaim and organize 19 new settlements." This week, Israeli media reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet had decided to set up 19 new settlements, but there had been no official confirmation from the government. Advertisement Advertisement More than 700,000 Jewish settlers are estimated to be living among around 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank, which was occupied by Israeli forces in the 1967 Six Day War. The United Nations sees the settlements as a major obstacle to a peace agreement, as recognition of them would effectively obstruct contiguous Palestinian territory in the West Bank in the event a two-state solution is agreed. Israel's Peace Now organization, which backs a two-state solution, said the Security Cabinet had taken the decision on December 11. "Some of the settlements are slated for areas where Israel has not previously had a presence, while others would be built in densely populated Palestinian areas," it said in a release. Advertisement Advertisement It added that several of the settlements were to be built in the northern West Bank, on the sites of settlements that were evacuated under the 2005 disengagement plan and that some of the new settlements would be established on sites from which Palestinian communities had been expelled. Smotrich added on X that 69 new settlements had been established in the West Bank under the current Cabinet, terming this "an unprecedented record." The aim was to prevent the establishment of "a Palestinian terrorist state," he said, pledging to "develop, build and settle the land of our fathers in the firm belief in the rightness of our path." As Washington state residents take stock of widespread water damage, officials say the recent succession of storms highlights why proactive work to protect communities from flooding is so essential. But the Trump administration has delayed or attempted to cut federal funding for some of those projects, leaving a slate of the states major initiatives in limbo. Washington had secured tens of millions of dollars in federal grants for projects to elevate houses, move people away from flood-prone areas and protect homes with new levees, among other measures. But earlier this year, the Trump administration attempted to cancel roughly $182 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for natural hazard mitigation projects in the state, prompting a court battle. And according to Tim Cook, Washingtons state hazard mitigation officer, another $31 million in disaster prevention grants have for months been awaiting approval from Kristi Noem, the U.S. secretary of homeland security, per a department policy she implemented this summer. Advertisement Advertisement The recent atmospheric river storms have forced at least 1,300 rescues and assisted evacuations, killed one person and flooded thousands of homes. Such storms transport moisture from Pacific waters in the tropics and can look like fire hoses on weather radar systems. In the future, such events are expected to cause more severe flooding in Washington as global warming causes more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow and makes rainfall more intense. A person stands atop of property engulfed by floodwater Sunday in Snohomish, Wash. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images) (Brandon Bell) The federal funding for the state that has been held up under the Trump administration might not have made an immediate difference during this months storms, given the works long timeframe, but the point is to protect communities from future deluges, Washington officials say. This event and the one coming whenever in the future reinforces the importance of investing in the pre-disaster mitigation efforts to reduce damages. If folks on the ground werent believers before about the need to do pre-disaster mitigation, they certainly are now, Cook said. He added that every dollar invested in such programs saves six, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences. Advertisement Advertisement In response to a request for comment, a White House official referred NBC News to the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that it is "committed to ensuring FEMA delivers for the American people." "To ensure every recovery dollar is used as effectively as possible, Secretary Noem directed that grant and contract award expenditures be reviewed and approved before funds are obligated," the statement said. The Trump administration announced in April that it planned to end a FEMA program that supports state and local resilience projects across the country. Advertisement Advertisement "FEMA is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program," the agency said in a news release that is no longer available on its website, calling the program "wasteful and politicized. Washington and more than 20 other states sued to challenge the move. The states won a summary judgment last week, but the money has not been delivered. DHS argued in court that it had not canceled the BRIC program, but the judge disagreed. The department made the same claim in its statement to NBC News. DHS has not terminated BRIC. Any suggestion to the contrary is a lie," it said. Advertisement Advertisement While this legal battle has played out, projects that would have moved forward have been on hold. Neighbors work to clear a drain Dec. 12 in Burlington, Wash. (Natalie Behring / Getty Images) (Natalie Behring) In Washington state, the program had allocated $182 million for 27 ongoing projects, according to a court filing. A list of those projects, which Cook provided to NBC News, shows that many are related to proactive flood mitigation work. On Washingtons coast, for example, BRIC funding would have helped pay for miles of earthen levees, concrete floodwalls and raised roadways to protect the communities of Hoquiam and Aberdeen. In anticipation of that federal funding nearly $98 million for the flood-prevention systems in the two communities state and local governments had already invested more than $31 million into design, permit and pre-construction work, according to court filings. Brian Shay, Hoquiams city administrator, said the towns economic future could hinge on completion of the levee system. Advertisement Advertisement Weve been economically challenged for so long. People have been really counting on this, and so theres been a lot of worry and confusion, Shay said. The project could save residents about $5 million per year in construction and insurance costs, according to court filings. A sign for a Christmas tree farm as floodwater from the Snohomish River covers Marsh Road off State Route 9 in Snohomish on Dec. 11. (Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images) (Jason Redmond) The battle over BRIC funding also delayed a plan led by Pierce County, near Tacoma, to buy a flood-prone mobile home park and relocate residents out of the high-risk area. During the recent storms, floodwaters reached some structures in that park, according to Amanda Smith, a spokesperson for the countys planning and public works department. The county is still assessing how much damage was done. The project remains a priority, Smith said, but added that it likely wont be complete by the end of 2027 as planned because of the BRIC funding issues. Advertisement Advertisement The city of Orting, about 30 miles south of Seattle, also saw its BRIC funding canceled for the construction of a setback levee. The existing levee was just an inch or two away from being overtopped by floodwaters earlier this month, according to Ortings mayor, Joshua Penner. Had it been just a couple percent worse, we would have seen catastrophic damage, Penner said, adding that he expects the existing levee to fail soon. I dont know when, but soon, he said. There is no date set for the new levees construction, and it still faces additional permitting, construction and design hurdles. Neighborhood volunteers help fill sandbags for downtown businesses along the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., on Dec. 12. (Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images) (Jason Redmond) Despite the recent win in the lawsuit over BRIC funding, its not clear when affected projects will get their funding or whether the legal battle will continue. Advertisement Advertisement We dont know what their next step is, if theyre going to try to appeal or block the order, said Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for the Washington state attorney generals office. They havent signaled anything about when or if theyll turn the money back on. While the fight over BRIC funds has played out, another $31 million in grants are awaiting a signature from Noem, according to Cook. The homeland security secretary instituted a policy requiring all spending over $100,000 to be personally approved by her, current and former FEMA officials told NBC News in July. A vehicle drives past a flooded neighborhood Tuesday in Snohomish. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images) (Brandon Bell) One of the grants supported an $18.8 million program designed to acquire or elevate properties that have flooded at least twice in 10 years. The state planned to primarily use the program to buy properties and convert them to open space as a buffer for floodwaters. About 530 properties across every county in Washington have been identified as candidates for the voluntary buyouts. We were at the very last steps of getting that awarded when the new DHS review requirement came into play, Cook said. Advertisement Advertisement He said the grant has been stalled since June. NBC News could not independently verify the grants status. April Grant salvages belongings from her home in Sumas, Wash., on Monday after it flooded during last week's downpour. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images) (Brandon Bell) In some areas hit hardest by the December storms, including the communities of Everson and Sumas, homes have flooded repeatedly. Curt Hart, a spokesperson for the Washington state Department of Ecology, said that because it typically takes at least a year for people to go through a buyout process or raise their home, the project probably wouldnt have changed the outcome of this round of weather. But atmospheric river storms will cause the states rivers to flood again. Its important for us to keep these kinds of projects going and moving as much as we can, Hart said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A federal judge has blocked changes made to homeless funding requirements by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) after a coalition of states, including Washington, argued the changes would create administrative chaos and likely result in thousands losing housing. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Providence, Rhode Island, said the court would have a written opinion next week as she passed an injunction on Dec. 19. McElroy ordered HUD to process applications under the terms that existed prior to the changes it issued in November after she said HUDs changes of the funding requirements and timeline had exacerbated harm. Advertisement Advertisement Ensuring lawful agency action and continuity of housing and stability for vulnerable populations is clearly in the public interest, McElroy said during the hearing on Dec. 19. In November, Washington co-led a coalition of states including New York and Rhode Island in a lawsuit against HUDs changes, arguing the funding conditions were illegal and would penalize housing providers that recognize gender identity and diversity, mandated residents to agree to additional conditions to obtain housing and added illegal conditions to punish providers in localities that do not enforce strict anti-homeless laws and disadvantage programs that address mental disabilities and substance use disorder. Those conditions go against HUDs previous guidance and were not authorized by Congress, Browns office said in a statement regarding the decision. The program notice was also issued well after HUDs congressionally mandated deadline for making program changes, virtually guaranteeing gaps in funding. Following the ruling, a HUD spokesperson said the agency remains committed to program reforms intended to assist our nations most vulnerable citizens and will continue to do so in accordance with the law, according to a report from Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Service providers and advocates were concerned about the future of homeless and housing programs after HUD issued last-minute changes to funding requirements. In November, HUD issued funding requirements representing a major shift from priorities and principles that have been in place for decades. After pushback from states, local governments and nonprofits, HUD withdrew its application entirely, leaving officials wondering if the opportunity for federal funding would even be available. The cruelty of the sudden change in policy cant be overstated, Rob Huff, spokesperson for the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness, told The News Tribune recently. HUDs Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is the largest federal funding source for homeless services, providing grants for housing and support to communities to end homelessness, emphasizing rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing and services for domestic-violence victims. Advertisement Advertisement HUD awards money to coalitions that coordinate housing and services for homeless families and individuals. Those regional planning bodies are called Continuums of Care (CoC). There are more than 400 such organizations across the country competitively applying for billions in grant funding. From 2021 to 2023, Pierce Countys CoC received $13,002,963 from HUD to support permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, rental assistance and other programs intended to mitigate the homelessness crisis. In the last five years, 77% of CoC funding has been used to fund permanent supportive housing, according to Pierce County Human Service spokesperson Kari Moore. Since 2020, Pierce County has received approximately $22.7 million in COC awards, and $17.4 million has been spent on Permanent Supportive Housing. New HUD guidelines In November, just a few weeks ahead of the deadline for CoCs to apply for funding, HUD announced a new set of requirements and priorities for funding that were vastly different from previous years. Advertisement Advertisement According to Pierce Countys CoC, those requirements include: A cap on the amount of funding for permanent supportive housing at 30% Elimination of prioritizing certain racial demographics for housing A requirement that service providers collaborate with law enforcement and that law enforcement be a member of the CoC board A prioritization of transitional housing and supportive services Elimination of provisions to serve people with substance use disorder, HIV/AIDS, chronic health conditions, or mental health diagnosis Michael Yoder is the executive director of Associated Ministries, a nonprofit which provides homeless and housing services for the region. He is also on Pierce Countys CoC board. They tried to upend the system with late notice, Yoder told The News Tribune about the changes. Advertisement Advertisement He said HUD funding through the CoC is one of the few sources of funding for permanent supportive housing, and the 30% cap put existing housing at risk. Huff emphasized the importance of permanent supportive housing, which houses people with disabilities who otherwise could not live on their own. Supportive housing has been a HUD priority for CoC funding for decades, according to Huff. Coalition files lawsuit On Dec. 1, a coalition of nonprofits and county governments, including King County, filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against HUD in response to the funding requirements. After more than a decade of prioritizing evidence-based approaches that reduce homelessness, as the complaint explains, the new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for FY 2025 upends the stability of the program required by law, will have devastating impacts for plaintiffs, and cause hundreds of thousands of children, youth, adults, and families to become homeless, a statement issued by the coalition read. Advertisement Advertisement The plaintiffs said HUDs changes were drastic, changing the types of projects eligible for funding, the criteria for selecting awardees and the conditions grantees would be required to accept in order to receive funding. In defense of HUDs changes, attorneys with the U.S. Department of Justice argued that HUDs changes reflect the administrations new priorities and that CoC funding application requirements are within HUD discretion to change. In July, President Trump signed an executive order indicating a change in how his administration wanted to address the homelessness crisis. At the time, homeless advocates called the order abhorrent and said it would undermine recognized best practices such as community-based behavioral healthcare and housing first, a decades-old approach to homelessness which attempts to give unconditional housing to those experiencing homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Following the filing of that legal complaint in December, HUD rescinded its funding application, according to county officials. HUD has not said when they would reissue a NOFO; nor have they indicated whether it would be the same as the last one or something new, Cynthia Stewart, chair of Pierce Countys CoC board, told The News Tribune on Dec. 16. My guess is that they will wait until after Fridays court hearing and make some judgment then or they will just wait longer. Stewart said the situation has put CoCs in a quandary, leaving them uncertain about whether to prepare applications ahead of the upcoming deadline in January or to hold in place until new information is issued by HUD. We have no idea, she said. The last NOFO, the one that caused all the chaos and was then rescinded, was entirely different in priorities as well as terms and conditions from prior ones. Advertisement Advertisement Huff said typically the terms of the CoC funding applications are determined in August, giving months for CoCs to prepare applications. He is also concerned that contracts for services could lapse before the issue is sorted out, potentially leaving individuals and families at risk of being homeless. Stewart predicted two possible impacts. The first being that programs previously funded will not be funded, likely putting people on the street. The other is that programs that HUD wants may not be what we need in this community or that we dont have available on which to build an application for funding, and then we lose the funding opportunity, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advocates like Stewart are concerned that there might not be enough state and local funding resources to support programs if federal dollars dont come through. We are very concerned about losing programs if HUD persists in changing their priorities all of a sudden, Stewart told The News Tribune before the court decision. Or if they dont reissue a NOFO. Two people were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a rollover crash in Abington. It happened on Washington Street around 3 a.m. Sunday. Emma Dancy was just about to fall asleep when she heard a loud bang outside. I felt a shaking of the house, Dancy said. Dancys next-door neighbor said he was woken up to what felt like his house shaking. Well, its scary because first of all, you think its your house, Wally Heleen said. Thats what we thought because it actually vibrated. Advertisement Advertisement When the two ran outside, they were both shocked at what they saw. I see on the side of the house there was a car it was flipped over, Dancy said. The front windshield was crashed in. Before we knew it, there were police, fire, everything, this whole street was blocked off, Heleen said. Dancy noticed two people were trapped inside the mangled vehicle which was tightly wedged between her home and her neighbors fence. We were trying to see if anyone was ok, Dancy explained. We were knocking and no one was responding. Abington fire and police arrived on scene shortly after 3 a.m. and quickly got to work. Advertisement Advertisement The fire department said they had to use the jaws of life to remove two 20-year-old men from the vehicle. They were taken in critical condition to South Shore Hospital and Boston Medical Center. I hope those two people are okay, Dancy said. The crash also sent debris flying, damaged the structure of Dancys home, and caused electrical issues as well. You can always get another house, you cant replace a human being, Dancy continued. Courtesy: Abington Fire Department This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A federal judge ruled in favor of the state in a decades-long suit, which sparked a feud between the governor and the attorney general, against chicken corporations that have been polluting the Illinois River Watershed. Judge Gregory Frizzell made the ruling, which will require Tyson Foods, Tyson Poultry, Tyson Chicken, Cobb-Vantress, Cargill, Cargill Turkey Production, George's, George's Farms, Peterson Farms Simmons Foods and Cal-Maine Foods to pay to clean up decades of waste from the watershed. The companies can still appeal the decision or negotiate clean-up costs with the state, Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement. Drummond has been in favor of the state-filed suit, while Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt took the side of the corporations. Drummond is a fellow Republican who is running to succeed Stitt in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Frizzell determined that the companies are still polluting the watershed today and are responsible for the impact of their actions. He also ordered that they manage their poultry waste more responsibly and refrain from polluting Oklahoma waterways in the future. Neither the governor's office nor the poultry companies immediately responded to an emailed request for comment. Stitt met with poultry farmers Tuesday, Dec. 16, in his fight against the lawsuit. He traveled to Adair County to discuss the lawsuit with more than 300 poultry producers and community members, who, the governor reported, claimed the legal battle could force them to close. You have followed your permits," Stitt told the farmers when they met on Dec. 16, according to a release issued by his office. "Youre protecting the environment, and if anyone breaks the rules, well enforce them but were not going to go back 20 years and punish an entire industry that has done things right. Advertisement Advertisement More: Oklahoma AG asks judge to fine Tyson, others over poultry waste dumping, end certain practices The suit, filed by the state in 2005, accused several poultry companies of polluting the Illinois River Watershed with phosphorus from chicken waste spread on fields as fertilizer. While Drummond says that he's worked to resolve the case for years, Stitt has accused Drummond of inaction that is putting Oklahoma's food supply in danger because of the uncertainty and costs tied to the suit. "Having these producers and family farms is crucial to the Oklahoma way of life," Stitt said in a post on social media Dec. 14. "There is a solution to be had that protects Oklahoma farmers, domestic food supply and natural resources." A showdown over settlement In the last year, Drummond asked the judge to impose penalties of more than $100 million on the companies, which include Tyson, Cargill and Simmons Foods. A court also has ruled that the watershed remains polluted by poultry waste. Advertisement Advertisement In November, Stitt asked the judge to order both sides to continue with settlement efforts. A spokesperson for Drummond pushed back against Stitt's claims that the attorney general was refusing to resolve the case. "The issue at hand is resolving a 20-year-old lawsuit to enforce state laws that protect our water quality," spokesperson Shauna Peters wrote in an email. "We've simply been asking these companies to follow the law. Clean water and a thriving poultry industry can and should both exist for the benefit of every Oklahoman." Gov. Kevin Stitt arrives at a bill signing ceremony to sign several bills in the Blue Room at the Oklahoma Capitol, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Throughout the legal battle, Stitt has condemned the lawsuit, stating that it unfairly penalizes Oklahoma farmers. In 2024, he signed a law meant to protect the poultry industry from legal liability in similar cases in the future. Advertisement Advertisement The Poultry Federation, a regional industry group, did not respond to a request for comment by publication about the dispute. At the event in Adair County, Megan Langley spoke with Stitt about her concerns about the suit, as the owner of a chicken farm. When these companies get tired of fighting with the state of Oklahoma and decide its not worth it anymore, youre not destroying a large corporation youre destroying a family like mine, said Langley, according to the news release issued by the governor's office. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announces his 2026 gubernatorial campaign at the Osage County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. The conflict between Stitt and Drummond over the suit became more heated over Thanksgiving. Stitt claimed Drummond had ruined the holiday, while Drummond responded with claims that Stitt was backed by poultry companies. Advertisement Advertisement These companies have poured money into your political campaigns, and now you are doing their bidding seeking a sweetheart deal that puts their profits ahead of Oklahoma's people, our farmers and our land, Drummond said in a Dec. 2 letter. The Oklahoman reported in 2024 that Stitt had received nearly $20,000 in campaign donations from donors tied to the The Poultry Federation. Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, called on all parties to return to the bargaining table in the lawsuit Monday, Dec. 15. It is not uncommon for the governor and attorney general to be at odds over legal matters. Stitt and Drummond have disagreed on a plethora of issues in the past, including tribal rights and the misspending of federal education funds. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gov. Stitt, AG Drummond continue battle over poultry lawsuit All the rescued individuals were evacuated for further medical examinations, including checking for smoke exposure. Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority rescued six people, including an infant, from an apartment fire in Beersheba on Sunday. A fire blazes at an apartment building in Beersheba, December 21, 2025. (credit: ISRAEL FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY) Firefighters responded to reports of an apartment fire in the city's Ein Gedi neighborhood and worked to rescue the residents from two separate floors of the building, the Fire and Rescue Authority stated. Advertisement Advertisement Four of the residents were rescued from the seventh floor, while an additional two, including the infant, were rescued from the eighth floor. Magen David Adom issued a subsequent statement clarifying that the six were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, in a mild condition. A fire blazes at an apartment building in Beersheba, December 21, 2025. (credit: ISRAEL FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY) Residents suffer from smoke inhalation The rescued individuals are showing signs of smoke inhalation, MDA added. The Bombay High Court recently quashed a first information report (FIR) against a 19-year-old engineering student who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The court held that the case against the student, who has a clean record and a strong academic track, was built on glaring investigative lapses and serious legal infirmities. Appearing for the student, advocate Shravan Giri mounted a detailed challenge to the prosecution, arguing that the very foundation of the case was legally unsustainable. He pointed out that no contraband was ever seized or recovered from the student, nor was any substance preserved or sent for forensic analysis. In the absence of recovery or sampling, Giri argued, the basic ingredients required to invoke offences under the NDPS Act were entirely missing. The defence further highlighted that the investigation failed to produce any scientific or medical evidence to establish consumption of a narcotic or psychotropic substance. No blood test, breath analysis or objective medical examination was conducted. The medical papers relied upon by the prosecution, Giri submitted, were vague, routine and unsupported by any scientific findings. Such casual documentation, he argued, could not sustain prosecution under a law that mandates strict adherence to procedural safeguards. Another major flaw flagged before the court was the complete non-compliance with mandatory provisions governing search, seizure and arrest. Giri drew attention to contradictions in the prosecutions version regarding personal search and procedural compliance, and pointed out that the alleged destruction of the substance at the spot was itself in clear violation of statutory requirements. The FIR, he added, lacked even basic particulars about the nature, quantity or description of the alleged contraband. The defence also underscored the absence of independent witnesses. All witnesses cited in the charge-sheet were police personnel from the same station, with statements that were strikingly similar, indicating a mechanical and pre-determined investigation. Such an approach, Giri argued, severely undermined the credibility and fairness of the case, especially given the grave penal consequences under the NDPS Act. A division bench, after examining the record, agreed that the investigation suffered from fundamental defects and that mandatory safeguards under the NDPS Act had been violated. Taking note of the students young age, meritorious academic background and lack of any criminal antecedents, the court observed that allowing the prosecution to continue would amount to an abuse of the process of law and cause irreparable harm to his future. Stressing that criminal law cannot be allowed to operate mechanically, particularly against young, first-time accused, the high court exercised its inherent powers to quash the proceedings. The ruling reinforces the settled position that strict and scrupulous compliance with procedural safeguards under the NDPS Act is not optional, and that serious deviations are sufficient to vitiate the entire prosecution. The states police oversight board suspended the law enforcement certification of Michael Proctor, the former Massachusetts State Police trooper who investigated Karen Read. The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission suspended Proctors certification in the best interest of the health, safety, or welfare of the public on Dec. 18. This means Proctor will not be allowed to serve in law enforcement in the state. The decision also means Proctor must surrender any outstanding agency-issued credentials and equipment such as any uniform, badge, firearms, and use-of-force instruments such as tasers. Advertisement Advertisement In October, Proctor withdrew his appeal of his firing by Massachusetts State Police. Proctors decision came after the union representing state troopers pulled support for him just days before scheduled hearings. State Police terminated Proctor on March 19 largely due to his conduct in the Karen Read investigation, during which he sent a series of unprofessional and derogatory texts about Read, including one where he said he wished she would kill herself. Proctor was relieved of duty on July 1, 2024 the same day Reads first trial ended in a mistrial and was then suspended without pay a week later. In each of his last two years as a full-time trooper, Proctor earned more than $102,000. The State Police fired Proctor before the start of Reads second trial in the spring a decision he quickly appealed to the Civil Service Commission. Read was acquitted at the second trial of murder and manslaughter charges in the death of John OKeefe, a Boston police officer she dated. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. An old friend of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente who described himself as his only friend from his time at Brown University said he was shocked to learn that Neves Valente is believed to have shot and killed two students at Brown last week. Still, upon reflection, fellow Brown student and now Syracuse University professor Scott Watson remarked the the signs were there. Authorities say Neves Valente opened fire in a classroom on the Brown campus on Dec. 13. Two students Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov died, and nine were injured. Neves Valente is then believed to have driven to the Boston area and then shot and killed MIT professor Nuno Loureiro in his Brookline apartment building. Advertisement Advertisement Watson, now a professor of physics at Syracuse, got to know Neves Valente during their time together as students at Brown in 2000. In an email to MassLive, Watson said he was surprised when he heard authorities identify Neves Valente as the killer. Watson described Neves Valente, a native of Portugal, as a student who struggled to fit in at Brown, culturally and academically. He was socially awkward, and so was I, which I think is why we connected, Watson said. During orientation he was sitting alone, and I walked up and said hello. He was terse at first, but we eventually broke the ice and became close. Advertisement Advertisement Watson said he has fond memories of having lunch with Neves Valente at Portuguese restaurants near campus, but that Neves Valente often returned to grievances about schoolwork and campus life. He could be kind and gentle, though he often became frustrated sometimes angry about courses, professors, and living conditions, Watson said. In an interview with CNN, Watson said Neves Valente thought he had wasted his time by coming to the United States. He hated Brown and he hated Providence, Watson said. Watson said Neves Valente was a brilliant student who bristled at coursework he believed to be beneath his level of intellect. Advertisement Advertisement He often complained about moving to the United States and about the university, Watson said. He would say the classes were too easy honestly, for him they were. He already knew most of the material and was genuinely impressive. Neves Valente was also capable of agitating fellow students due to his standoffish personality. Watson recounted how Neves Valente used to bully a classmate, a native of Brazil, often calling him a slave. Things escalated to the point Watson said he had to break up a fight between the two. Neves Valente attended Brown in the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001. He then took a leave of absence, and eventually withdrew from the school for good in 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Watson remembers his final conversation with Neves Valente, in which Watson tried to convince him not to leave the university. Neves Valente told him he was going to return to Portugal. That was the final time Watson spoke with him, and the memories faded until he heard Neves Valentes name again when he was revealed as the Brown shooter. I am quite upset, Watson said. Authorities believe Neves Valente drove to a storage facility in Salem, N.H., after killing Loureiro on Monday, and then killed himself on Tuesday. His body was discovered in a storage unit on Thursday. Speaking to CNN, Watson said he now realizes the signs were there when he was friends with Neves Valente. Advertisement Advertisement To me, he was sweet, nice and caring, Watson said. I never thought he would do something like this. But then in talking with the FBI today and to many journalists, I realize it was there. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. There is no longer a famine in Gaza, a United Nations-backed food security organization reported Friday, as the enclave slowly recovers from two brutal years of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Food security and nutrition have improved, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification program wrote in a December brief. Famine has been pushed back. Far more people are able to access the food they need to survive, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement But 1.6 million Gazans still face profound food insecurity, with more than 100,000 children age 6 months to 59 months projected to battle acute malnutrition and require treatment through mid-October 2026, the IPC found. And the report cautioned that a resumption of full-scale hostilities in Gaza would throw significant portions of the enclave back into a famine for months, disrupting access to markets and stunting the cultivation of native crops. It underscores just how fragile the humanitarian situation remains in the region in the wake of Israels war against the Hamas militant group and Octobers nominal ceasefire negotiated by the Trump administration. Trump won international applause for his work in bringing about the tentative peace and freeing 20 living Israeli hostages. But private documents POLITICO reported on in November showed administration officials expressing deep concern that elements of their ceasefire agreement could fall apart. And Israeli forces have continued to lob occasional strikes into Gaza since the deal was reached. Sustained, expanded and unhindered humanitarian and commercial flows and access to these goods across the territory are critical to meeting the challenges identified in this IPC analysis, the researchers wrote. This will require a durable resolution to the conflict and the rebuilding of essential infrastructure and livelihoods. CHEYENNE After only a few of the proposed 45 election bills made it to the governors desk after the 2025 legislative session, many spearheaded by Secretary of State Chuck Gray, Gray is back with more proposed election reform bills ahead of the 2026 budget session. On Thursday, he hosted a news conference at the Wyoming State Capitol to discuss his top five legislative priorities. As Wyomings Secretary of State and Wyomings chief election official, I will continue our work on conservative, election integrity reforms, Gray said in a news release. On Thursday, he said that the current conservative majority provides a moment of tremendous opportunity to take action on these reforms. Advertisement Advertisement The legislative push comes after a strenuous 2025 session, where Wyoming lawmakers filed 45 election-related bills, making up about 8% of all proposed legislation, according to previous reporting from WyoFile. Despite this effort, many of the most extensive measures championed by Gray and sponsored by Wyoming Freedom Caucus members died in the Wyoming Senate. Gray noted that while six of his administrations 10 2025 priorities advanced, the remaining four were held up by the Senate, and these items form the core of his 2026 agenda. Gray expressed his disappointment with Senate leadership for halting the passage of bills that had garnered strong support in the Freedom Caucus-majority House. His 2026 agenda focuses heavily on reviving previously failed election reform bills, with some new proposals. Advertisement Advertisement 1. Requiring pen-to-paper ballots as default The first priority centers on mandating pen-to-paper ballots as the default voting method in Wyoming. While 22 of the 23 counties already operate this way, Gray noted that Laramie County, the largest county, utilizes electronic ballot marking devices that cast votes using barcodes. Gray said this mechanism lacks transparency for the voter because it is unknown to the naked eye if the barcode accurately reflects what is filled out on the ballot. I cant read bar code. I havent met anybody who could read bar code, and the argument that the clerk often gives is Well, the ballot marking device prints out a piece of paper with the names of the votes. It misses the point a little bit, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Gray said that mandating the physical oval marking ensures the vote is cast by the readable oval, not the unreadable barcode. Gray linked this proposal directly to an executive order from President Donald Trump, taking a step toward implementing that order in Wyoming. A similar bill passed the House with a majority in the 2025 session, but was ultimately shot down in the Senate. Election software companies like ES&S maintain that both hand-marked paper ballots and machine-marked paper ballots are secure methods of casting a vote. 2. Banning drop boxes and ballot collection This priority addresses two measures intended to tighten procedures for handling ballots after they leave the voters possession. Gray seeks to explicitly ban both ballot drop boxes and ballot collection. Advertisement Advertisement Regarding drop boxes, Gray argued they lack statutory authorization and proliferated only during the governments response to COVID-19. I believe it is important that we take immediate action to explicitly ban ballot drop boxes, he said. For ballot collection, which is the gathering and submitting of completed absentee or mail-in voter ballots by someone else, Gray seeks an outright ban. Wyoming must take action to ban ballot harvesting. ... Were one of a handful of states that does not have an explicit ban on ballot harvesting, he said. In previous legislative meetings, opponents argued that drop boxes are a secure and convenient voting option, particularly for rural residents. Both the ballot drop box and ballot collection bills passed the House in 2025 before dying in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement 3. True photo ID for voter ID Gray aims to change Wyomings Voter ID law by requiring that all forms of identification presented for voting must include a photograph. While Gray was the lead sponsor of the 2021 voter ID statute as a state lawmaker, he noted concessions were made that he wants to now improve upon. Specifically, he seeks to remove identifications from the statute that lack photos, such as Medicare and Medicaid cards, which are currently acceptable. Youre trying to prove that the person who is coming to the polls that is on the voter list, that that is the same person that theyre claiming to be, and if you dont have a photo on the ID, how are you going to do that? So, clarifying this requiring photo ID for voter ID is common sense, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Bills to revise acceptable identification by repealing the use of Medicare/Medicaid cards and student IDs passed the House in 2025, but failed to meet deadlines in the Senate. According to data from AARP Wyoming, more than 300 people used the Medicaid ID to vote last year, and voters over 50 have had the highest statewide percentage voter turnout every year since at least 2010. Gray would like to eliminate that and all student IDs. His mistaken belief is anyone can get to a WYDOT station for a free state ID, AARP Wyoming Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs Tom Lacock wrote in a statement. We push back on that and use the example of those in nursing homes. Those who are homebound, but would still like to vote on Election Day. We have offered other options outside of Medicare. The Secretary has not and is unwilling to consider anything different. 4. Hand tabulation for recounts and audits Advertisement Advertisement This measure seeks to institute hand tabulation verification of voting machines for recounts and audits. Gray stated that many Wyoming residents are distrustful of electronic voting machines and need verification methods. Its common sense that you shouldnt just trust everything that a machine spits out, he said. The proposal would implement mandatory hand recounts in races decided by a narrow margin (within one or two percentage points) or allow candidates to request a hand recount. Gray reminded those at the news conference that the bill to enable candidate-requested hand recounts passed the House in 2025, but was held by Senate leadership. 5. Banning dual citizenship voting Advertisement Advertisement The fifth priority is a new initiative aimed at amending the Wyoming Constitution to require all qualified electors to be solely United States citizens, effectively banning dual citizenship for voting and holding office. Gray said this measure is in line with the intent of the states founders when they drafted the state constitution. Gray noted that currently, dual citizens are legally allowed to vote under Wyoming law, leading to constituent questions. Its pretty common sense that, to vote in Wyoming, individuals would need to swear allegiance to the United States of America and the United States only, period, he said. And clarifying that dual citizenship is not allowed for voting is a very important clarification. Though county clerks have previously expressed budgetary concerns to the WTE amid increased election requirements compounded by continued decreases in funds from property taxes, Gray said he is all ears regarding the needs of county clerks and will continue to seek grant funding to fund necessary programs. Advertisement Advertisement The Wyoming County Clerks Association did not respond to request for comment prior to publication. The time for action is now. We cant dither and delay. We need to bring through these election integrity priorities, Gray said in conclusion, noting that passing a budget remains the ultimate priority ahead of election reform bills ahead of the 2026 budget session. The wooden beams that ran along the ceilings of the MBTAs Green Line tunnels were installed when the line was built in the late 1890s, a decade before the Ford Model T was released and Oklahoma became the 46th state in the Union. And for the next nearly 130 years, the beams capably served Bostons transit system. Although most riders never noticed, the beams known as troughs provided a crucial barrier between electrified train wires and the tunnel ceiling overhead. But the time has come for them to take a well-earned retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Years and water damage left their mark on sections of the trough, and the wood posed a fire risk, MBTA officials said. Federal and state officials made clear last year that the troughs needed a modern replacement. MBTA maintenance crews replace a wooden overhead "trough," which prevented the Green Line's wires from contacting the subway tunnel roof. The wooden component dated back to the line's construction in the 1890s. The T replaced it with a modern equivalent, which is pictured. MBTA maintenance crews replace a wooden overhead "trough," which prevented the Green Line's wires from contacting the subway tunnel roof. The wooden component dated back to the line's construction in the 1890s. The T replaced it with a modern equivalent, which is pictured. MBTA maintenance crews replace a wooden overhead "trough," which prevented the Green Line's wires from contacting the subway tunnel roof. The wooden component, pictured, dated back to the line's construction in the 1890s. The T replaced it with a modern equivalent. Advertisement Advertisement A worker along the incoming platform at Boylston station during a shut down as pictured on Thursday, December 17, 2025 in Boston, Mass. MBTA maintenance crews replace a wooden overhead "trough," which prevented the Green Line's wires from contacting the subway tunnel roof. The wooden component, pictured, dated back to the line's construction in the 1890s. The T replaced it with a modern equivalent. The steps to Boylston station are empty as construction moves forward on the Green Line, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Boston, Mass. The Boylston station is currently shut down until Tuesday, December 23, 2025 given a two week long effort to rehabilitate some of this stations safety equipment as pictured on Thursday, December 18, 2025 in Boston, Mass. Advertisement Advertisement An abandoned train tunnel at the MBTA's Boylston station in Boston, Thursday, December 18, 2025. The wooden "trough" that the T replaced is visible running the length of the tunnel ceiling. At the MBTA's Boylston station in Boston, the wooden "trough" that runs the length of the tunnel ceiling has been replaced with a modern metal version. It is pictured Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Signs directing Green line riders to other stations as pictured on Thursday, December 18, 2025 in Boston, Mass. MBTA maintenance crews replace a wooden overhead "trough," which prevented the Green Line's wires from contacting the subway tunnel roof. The wooden component dated back to the line's construction in the 1890s. The T replaced it with a modern equivalent, which is pictured. Advertisement Advertisement A newly installed transponder forms part of the Green Line Train Protection System which is part of the upgrades temporarily shutting down the green line at Boylston station as pictured on Thursday, December 18, 2025 in Boston, Mass. Steel beams have been installed as part of rehabilitative efforts at Boylston station in Boston, Mass., as pictured on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. An empty track on the Green Line near Boylston station in Boston on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. A pedestrian walks along the fence near Boylston station in Boston Common on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Boston, Mass. An abandoned train tunnel at the MBTA's Boylston station in Boston, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. The wooden "trough" that the T replaced is visible running the length of the tunnel ceiling. Advertisement Advertisement Signs directing Green line riders to other stations as pictured on Thursday, December 18, 2025 in Boston, Mass. They were degraded, but still safe and functioning, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said at a public meeting Thursday. Still, its a 130-year-old piece of wood underneath Boston Common ... The day it decides to bite us, its going to significantly impact our service. The replacement project has been no small feat, as Green Line riders have surely realized. It required shutting down the lines four branches across the entirety of Downtown Boston from Dec. 822 to give maintenance crews unencumbered access to the train tracks. Working around the clock for two weeks, crews replaced 13,000 feet of trough with a modern equivalent that will outlast all of us, Coholan said. Advertisement Advertisement The work is scheduled to wrap up Monday, on schedule, before the Green Line reopens Tuesday morning. Maintenance workers packed the tunnels, wearing reflective vests and hard hats plastered with stickers proudly touting the always-on-call reality of their jobs. This project had been planned for a year, T officials said. Executing it required extensive coordination to move heavy equipment and materials into the tunnels in the proper order, power down the trains electric grid, organize shuttle bus service for riders impacted by the shutdown and much more. Beginning at North Station, the shutdown extended as far west as Allston and Fenway. It covered some of the most heavily trafficked subway stops on the MBTA, including North Station, Park Street and Copley. Advertisement Advertisement The T has embraced a bite the bullet strategy on projects that require such widespread disruption to normal operations, choosing to complete as much work as possible in one fell swoop. A two-week closure was the least disruptive way to schedule the work, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said last month. Maintenance crews have piggybacked off the shutdown to finish other crucial projects, including installing the new Green Line Train Protection System, a network of transponders that will warn train operators of potential collisions and speeding. On Thursday, at Boylston station under the Boston Common, crews also installed new steel beams to support the Green Line tunnel ceiling in areas where water damage had deteriorated the existing beams. Advertisement Advertisement On the streets overhead, riders who would otherwise take the Green Line instead boarded shuttle buses the T offered as a free, alternative mode of transport during the shutdown. Other riders packed the Orange Line, which runs roughly parallel to the Green Line through Downtown Boston, or took commuter rail or public buses. The wooden troughs stayed in place for five generations because the T had long delayed investing in its replacement, Eng said last month. Replacing them was vital. Its a result of the need to take care of things more timely, and were committed to doing that, he said. The Green Line moved about 50,000 riders on an average weekday in November, according to data collected by TransitMatters, a public transportation advocacy organization. Advertisement Advertisement This was really, really important, Coholan said. We appreciate the patience of the public. We know this is impactful. More MBTA news Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday he remains confident that Congress will extend expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits despite persistent opposition from Republicans. In a Sunday morning interview with ABCs Jonathan Karl on This Week, Jeffries dismissed Senate Majority Leader John Thunes remarks that a clean three-year extension of the credits would be dead on arrival in the Senate, saying Thune is not serious about protecting the health care of the American people. It will pass, with a bipartisan majority, and then that will put the pressure on John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people: pass a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits so we can keep health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans who deserve to be able to go see a doctor when they need one, Jeffries said. Advertisement Advertisement The House is set to vote in January on a clean three-year subsidy extension after a Democratic discharge petition reached the necessary signature threshold to force a House vote on the bill against the objections of Speaker Mike Johnson. That comes after the House passed a Republican health care bill along party lines last week that does not address the credits, all but ensuring the subsidies lapse at the end of the year. In an interview with Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday," Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) of the Problem Solvers Caucus emphasized that the Democratic bill is a only a short-term solution to the problem. Fitzpatrick was one of four Republicans who signed onto Democrats' discharge petition advancing the bill on a clean extension. Praising Fitzpatrick for his willingness to work across party lines, Suozzi said: "The idea is to get a vehicle to the Senate so that we can work together to actually address it." But the bill still faces steep opposition from Senate Republicans. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday he remains opposed to extending the subsidies, instead touting his alternative health care plan to expand Association Health Plans, which allow customers to negotiate with health insurance companies for lower premiums. Advertisement Advertisement Paul was the lone Republican in the Senate to oppose the GOP plan to create government-funded health savings accounts earlier this month. "We have health care in our country for poor people. It's called Medicaid. All of the rest of the stuff has not worked, Paul said in an interview with Karl on ABC. Obamacare has been a failure. President Obama said it would bring premiums down; premiums have gone through the roof. Every time we give more subsidies, the premiums go higher. Still, Jeffries did not concede that the health care system must be reformed, telling Karl only that there are a variety of different things that need to be done. Jeffries instead attacked President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers for what he called empty promises about lowering costs. As Democrats, we're promising to focus relentlessly on driving down the high cost of living, to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, and to fix our broken health care system, which Republicans have been damaging in an extraordinary way throughout the year, including by enacting the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, he said. Floridas first statewide black bear hunt in a decade is more than halfway over but state wildlife leaders have offered no information on its progress, not even a death count. Are we overkilling like in 2015? asked Joe Humphrey, a Seminole County resident who described himself as a hunter at odds with the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commissions position that a bear harvest would not harm the once threatened species. They dont want us to know. Whatever its motivation, the DeSantis administrations approach to managing the hunt that stretches from December 6-28 is strikingly different from what was done a decade ago. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to rebuffing or ignoring questions from the media and conservationists, it eliminated the check-in stations where hunters had to log their kills in 2015, which provided an opportunity to make sure hunt rules were being followed, but which also became hubs for protest. This year hunters are simply supposed to inform FWC through an agency phone app if they bag a bear. Chuck ONeal, founder of the not-for-profit conservation group Speak Up For Wildlife, said Fish & Wildlifes lack of transparency reflects the total arrogance of the taxpayer-funded agency, its governor-appointed board and its disdain for public opposition to the killing it calls a harvest. He called on FWC Executive Director Roger Young to halt the hunt. Advertisement Advertisement Its clear this hunt was all about providing a special opportunity for hunters, ONeal said. It was never about accountability or weighing both sides, realizing a great majority of Floridians were and are against this hunt. Its just a big F.U. to the non-hunting public. But Chuck Echenique, a lifelong hunter and president of The Future of Hunting in Florida, defended the agencys silence. This frothing over the numbers is ridiculous, Echenique said in a text to the Orlando Sentinel. First of all, no state agency publishes a live harvest update on limited quota hunts. When you have a set number of tags, you know that you cannot exceed the total number of bears for which you issued permits. Wasting man hours and resources to provide daily counts and updates is a waste of time and energy. The 23-day bear hunt, the first in Florida since 2015 when 3,779 permitted hunters killed 304 bears in little more than two days, was limited to 172 permits across four hunting zones, including one in Central Florida where Fish & Wildlife set a harvest or kill limit of 18 bears. Advertisement Advertisement Echenique, who did not win a bear-hunt permit, said he was part of a hunting party with permit-holders who harvested two bears. He said he knew of another dozen other lawfully taken bears across bear management areas where hunting is allowed. Groups opposing the hunt say as many as 50 of their supporters won bear permits to keep them from bonafide hunters. Permits were awarded through a lottery which cost applicants $5 per entry. No entrant could win more than one bear tag. ONeal sent state wildlife leaders screenshots of social media posts suggesting some bears had been poached. Killed 2 today. Florida is awesome, one read. Going back tomorrow to possibly get the momma and one more kid bearling! Advertisement Advertisement The Sentinel could not authenticate the post. This hunt, which was sold to the public as a scientifically based, well-regulated, conservative hunt, has turned into a lawless free-for-all, ONeal said in a phone interview. The FWC has responded to us with inexcusable silence on these important issues. Echenique, the Tampa-based hunting advocate, dismissed the social media posts boasting of poaching bears as hooey. So much bad information, innuendo and pot-stirring taking place. Its disgusting, he said in his text to the Sentinel. Anyone who kills a bear without a tag (poaching) isnt going to report their harvest. Poachers are criminals and as hunters we despise them. Advertisement Advertisement FWC rebuffed multiple Orlando Sentinel inquiries about the hunt, directing the newspaper to file public records requests, which it did. The agency then failed to respond to those requests. Thursday afternoon, an FWC spokesperson sent a short note to the newspaper: We encourage the public to visit our bear hunt webpage, where they will find a lot of important and helpful information, such as FAQs, news releases, interviews and a newly added video featuring two of our SMEs. The webpage has no information about the progress of the hunt. The acronym SMEs likely means subject matter expert as the video features FWCs black bear expert Mike Orlando. Advertisement Advertisement The Florida agency argued the harvest quota was set using sound science and data as a management tool like other states do. But ONeal said FWC has brought suspicion upon itself by eliminating the check-in stations. In 2015, conservation groups and bear advocates opposing the hunt waited at the public stations and took notes. We knew right away in 2015 from firsthand, eyewitnesses accounts it was turning into a slaughter, ONeal recalled. He said quick draw hunters harvested female bears with cubs and underweight yearlings which were supposed to be off limits. Without those check stations, how do we know this hunt hasnt already gotten out of hand? he said. shudak@orlandosentinel.com Archbishop Paul Coakley, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, warned that the Trump administrations aggressive deportation campaign is instilling fear in a rather widespread manner across the U.S. on Sunday. Coakley, the archbishop of Oklahoma City, urged the Trump administration to be generous in welcoming immigrants while underlining, We certainly have a right and a duty to respect borders of our nation. This is kind of a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migrations: People have a right to remain in their homeland, but they also ought to be allowed to migrate when conditions in their homeland are unsafe and necessitate moving to a place where they can find peace and security, he said in an interview on CBS Face the Nation with host Margaret Brennan. Advertisement Advertisement Coakley who was elected to a three-year term leading the conference last month has frequently aligned with the churchs socially conservative faction, but he has been an outspoken critic of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown along with other leaders in the church. On the heels of Trumps inauguration in January, Coakley issued a statement reiterating his view that the majority of undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma are upstanding members of our communities and churches, not violent criminals. Coakleys comments come less than a week after Pope Leo XIV named Bishop Ronald Hicks as the next archbishop of New York, replacing conservative Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the leader of the countrys second-largest Catholic diocese. Dolan, who was Trumps pick to succeed Pope Francis, announced in February that he would resign upon turning 75, as required by Catholic law. Hicks, who like Leo grew up in the Chicago area and spent several years as a missionary in Latin America, endorsed a special message from the bishops conference condemning the Trump administrations immigration raids last month. Advertisement Advertisement Coakley defended that message on Sunday, explaining that the bishops hoped to reassure people amid rising anxiety about the immigration crackdown. In communities with a more dense migrant population, there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty, anxiety because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation, he said. Coakley said he had not yet met with Trump or Vice President JD Vance who accused the church of prioritizing financial motives over humanitarian concerns after a leader of the bishops conference criticized the administrations immigration policy but said he looked forward to engaging with them over matters of mutual concern. Since taking office in May, Leo has on several occasions challenged the Trump administrations stance on high-profile issues, suggesting that those who support the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States may not be pro life and warning against a U.S. military incursion in Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with POLITICO earlier this month, Trump said he would be open to meeting with the pope, saying, Im sure hes a lovely man like his older brother, who has praised the president and met with Trump at the White House in May. Coakley repeatedly said that immigration policy must be rooted in respect for human dignity, adding, I don't think we can ever say that the end justifies the means. "That's kind of a foundational bedrock thing for us, that people are to be respected and treated with dignity, whether they are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don't forfeit their human dignity, he said. Three years is a remarkably good span to witness transition in Mumbai. Since 2022, the city has gained a new airport, a Coastal Road that has halved travel time, several Metro lines, and a permanent problem called poor AQI. But in Uttan, a coastal town north of Mumbai, separated only by a still, narrow creek inhabited by seagulls and skirted by mangroves, change doesnt quite respond to time. Development here is often resisted on environmental grounds: last month, the MMRDA shelved plans for a Metro 9 car depot at UttanDongri following local protests over the felling of 11,306 trees. As this writer returns three Christmases later to the East Indian village of Kumbharwada in Uttan, nothing appears to have moved from its place. Women are still washing clothes near the bawdi (well); brick chulhas used for meat curries sit where we last saw themoutside homes; and the crib made of twigs and mud recreating the Nativity scene, locals tell us, is coming up in the same spot as before. Christmas preparations here are slow, in keeping with the unhurried pace of village life. It has always been this way, says resident and food and culture researcher Mogan Rodrigues. People only begin putting up the star and crib on Christmas Eve, he says, adding that things play out differently here when compared to the city, where celebrations kick off by mid-December with caroling, Christmas carnivals and bazaars. Our celebrations are more traditional, rooted in the culture and lives of the community here, adds Rodrigues. Uttan is one of six townsDongri, Pali, Chowk, Gorai and Manori includedthat together make up the coastal island known as Dharavi bet, named after the Dharavi Devi temple situated at the foot of the highest mountain here. Catholicism came with the Portuguese, who arrived on the islands shores around 400 years ago; the Church of Our Lady of the Sea, founded in 1634 in Uttan, is among the oldest here. Today, the town has a population of nearly 18,000 Catholics, comprising mainly kolis (fisherfolk) and kulbis (agriculturists), with the Mata Velankanni Shrine drawing the faithful from across the coastal region. Kumbharwada, where Rodrigues lives, is surrounded by the neighbouring kulbi villages of Pouli, Shire and Aldea. While most families, like Rodrigues own, were engaged in farming, the village also once had a large population of potters (kumbhar) and barbers. Because of its distance from the mainland, the place hasnt experienced the changes syncretism often brings; some Christmas traditions surprise outsiders too. A living tradition Mass is still in Marathi, though the dialects vary between villages, says Rodrigues. Even the carols are sung only in the mother tongue. Children sing Jagacha Malak Jagti Aala (The Lord of the Universe Has Come to the World), not Silent Night or Jingle Bells. Christmas celebrations begin with midnight mass, followed by youngsters going crib-hopping to see how every lane or village has imagined the Nativity scene. All of this is slowly changing, says Broson Benhar Kokya, a teacher and resident of Uttans Koliwada, a few kilometres from Rodrigues village. There was a time when community cribs were very popular in our fishing village, but now people prefer to build cribs in their own homes. The tradition of using rocks and sand from the seashore to make these cribs, he adds, is also fading. Rodrigues has also been documenting Portuguese words, which are falling out of favour: natal (Christmas) and koswar (traditional sweet platter) are now disappearing from daily vocabulary. Christmas mornings are the busiest time of the festive week. Villagers get up early and begin packing homemade sweets into boxes and paper plates, before sending children door-to-door to distribute them. Different communities make different kinds of sweets. At Rodrigues home, piti che unde (rice ladoos), prepared simply with rice, coconut and jaggery, is a favourite. The kulbis also adopted many sweets made in Catholic homes in Bombay, like marzipan, kulkuls, nevris and even cake. This is because most women from these villages worked as cooks in the homes of affluent Catholic families there. When they returned, they brought these recipes with them. The kolis make fewer treats, but those that are traditionallike the deep-fried pastry stuffed with coconut and jaggery are similar to nevris. We call it punnya, says Kokya. Lunch is always with family: pulao, chicken khudi curry, mutton curry, pork vindaloo and sarapatel (pronounced and prepared differently from its Goan counterpart), made with bottle masala, are staples on the menu. While cold-storage meat shops continue to open up in Uttan, buying pork from the family butcher is preferred. In Kumbharwada, Rosy DSouza is the go-to person. The 65-year-old has continued her familys legacy of rearing pigs and poultry. Neighbours give her leftover meals to feed the animals. Her meats are considered a delicacy, sold at Rs 400 a kilo. This year, I am butchering two pigs. After I made the announcement in the village, the orders started pouring in, she says. An annual reunion Horse stables are a common sight in the villages here. So are bullocks. They are reared for the annual East Indian get-together at Kashimira in Mira Road, held to celebrate the feast of St Jerome on December 26. We call it Kashe cha sann [the feast of Kashi]. Back in the day, families would travel on horses and bullock carts, and it would take us hours to reach. Some continue the practice to this day. At least five or six families here keep horses for this reason. Some leave on Christmas evening on horseback; others, like us, set out early the next morning. Families find a nook under a tree and prepare a meat gravy and rice, with friends and extended family joining in for a meal. This is the only time the natal celebrations move out of Uttan, Rodrigues says, smiling. When they return home, celebrations continue for another week, till New Years. There is nowhere else they would rather be. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Sundays forecast in Portland calls for a few rain showers mainly in our afternoon hours across the greater Portland-Vancouver area. Temperatures will remain slightly warmer than average with daytime highs looking to top off in the upper 40s or low 50s over the next five days around PDX. But the big weather storyline around here is the mountain snow thats expected to fall as we wrap up the weekend and head into the early part of next week. Advertisement Advertisement Snow showers will remain across the Cascades with heavy snow expected Sunday night. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Southern Washington Cascades and the Oregon Cascades at or above 4,000 feet that goes into effect 4 A.M. Sunday morning and runs until 4 A.M. Monday morning. Once-closed Portland burger spot opens with new name The total snow accumulation up above 4,000 feet is expected to be six to 11 inches in the 24-hour period. Folks driving over mountain passes in our region should expect winter weather driving and be prepared with a emergency kit in the car. And as we look ahead to this upcoming week for NW Oregon and SW Washington, Monday looks to be the wettest day with a more active weather pattern making it way to our region. Not only will we see numerous rain showers around the metro area but we are also expecting soaking rain at times, as well as breezy conditions Monday. Advertisement Advertisement For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in PDX, we will see still see some scattered showers with highs in the mid to upper 40s. Christmas night is looking to be a bit cooler with overnight lows dropping into the mid 30s heading into those early Friday morning hours. But for now, just make sure to have the rain gear and layers handy! Stay with the KOIN 6 Weather Team for the latest on the forecast across the Pacific Northwest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Cincinnatis beloved holiday trains have delighted families since 1946 when the elaborate model display was first set up in the lobby of the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Building at Fourth and Main streets. The O-gauge replica of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was built in 1936 as a touring promotional display, then found a permanent home in Cincinnati. Many of the engines are from the original layout, but the display has expanded over the years to 1,000 feet of track, with 50 engines and 300 rail cars. Fans of all ages have pressed their noses against the protective plastic watching the miniature locomotives zoom past intricate 1:48-scale houses and buildings in rustic Norman Rockwell scenes. In 2011, Duke Energy, the successor to CG&E, handed the trains over to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, where the Duke Energy Holiday Trains return every year as one of Cincinnatis most cherished holiday traditions. DECEMBER 1960: B&O model railroad display at the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. building at Fourth and Main streets downtown Cincinnati. The holiday train display at the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. building at Fourth and Main streets downtown Cincinnati was already a tradition in 1960. Jim Bax, draftsman for the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. in any other season, dons his conductor's cap at Christmas time in 1979 to help two other employees run miniature railroad that fills half the lobby of the CG&E Building. Christian Mangano, 4, from Loveland, checks out the Duke Energy Holiday Trains display when it moved to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal in 2011. Advertisement Advertisement Clem Scovanner watches over the Duke Energy Holiday Trains display in 2011 when it became part of the Holiday Junction exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. A close-up of the Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains at Cincinnati Museum Center. Model railroad enthusiasts looked over the $50,000 scale-model of the B&O railroad, on display in 1950 in the lobby of the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. on Fourth Street. The largest portable model railroad in the country, built on a a scale of one-quarter of an inch to the foot, this exhibit has 600 feet of tracks, yard and engine terminal, coaling station, water tanks, turntable, locomotives and cars. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Holiday trains have been a Cincinnati favorite since 1946 Ohio is part of a multistate $4.25 million settlement with a major home improvement retailer, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The settlement is with the Wisconsin-based company, Menards, over allegations of deceptive rebate advertising practices. An investigation found that Menards advertising misled consumers into believing they would receive immediate discounts at the register; however, the savings were provided later as in-store merchandise credit. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Fine print shouldnt cancel out big promises, Yost said. If a deal isnt an immediate discount, companies need to say that plainly so consumers can make informed choices. The states involved in this investigation found several concerning practices in Menards marketing and sales strategies. Advertised 11% OFF or 11% OFF EVERYTHING in a way that suggested an instant price cut Listed prices that already reflected an 11% discount Didnt clearly explain important limits of the rebate program Told customers that Rebates International was a separate company handling rebates, even though it is operated by Menards Yost said the company agreed to revise its advertising practices as part of the settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Some of those revisions include discontinuing misleading ads that imply immediate discounts and ensuring the terms and conditions of rebates are plainly stated. The company also plans to enhance online rebate submission processes and update its online rebate tracker promptly after entries are made. The State of Ohio will receive approximately $365,173.05 from the settlement, which will be allocated to the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Enforcement Fund. Yost was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Donovan Metayer was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida when a gunman opened fire and killed 17 people on Valentines Day 2018. A young man who was a radiant child according to family and friends, has died. Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, 26, died on Dec. 15 by suicide. Metayer, who survived the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, suffered from mental health episodes following the tragic incident and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The shooting occurred during Metayers senior year, when most students are thinking about college applications and their life after high school. Advertisement Advertisement But the shooting, which claimed the lives of 17 people, had a profound effect on Metayer and stands as an example of how the trauma of gun violence can linger on for years. The youngest child of the Metayer family, Donovan was brilliant from an early age and excelled academically. His humor, according to a GoFundMe page dedicated in his honor, could light up any room. In the years following the Parkland shooting, Metayers dreams of attending college and working in his preferred career field of computer science began to fade. On multiple occasions, he would be hospitalized for suicidal ideation and after one mental health episode in 2021, he was Baker-acted and deemed temporarily unable to purchase a firearm. Years later, with the help of a private psychiatrist and the Henderson Clinic Metayer began making progress and healing. Hed soon work at Office Depot and earn a promotion and an IT certificate. His mental health journey echoes that of many Black boys across America, masking emotions and not wanting to be seen as a burden by family. Treatment, from therapy to medication, may seem like a difficult path thanks to limited resources, social stigmas and more. Advertisement Advertisement However, just as Metayer was progressing and gaining more independence according to his family, he soon learned his Risk Protective Order had lapsed. Metayer then purchased a gun from a gun shop in the area and within a week, he turned the gun on himself. In a statement shared on his GoFundMe page, Donovans family wrote, Donnys passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the mental health crisis plaguing our youth and the lasting trauma of gun violence on our community. As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory. Though Donnys life was brief, his impact will be everlasting. The family is asking for funds to assist for Metayers celebration of life and endow a fund at the Henerson Clinic that will provide healthcare, housing and hope for people of all ages with behavioral health conditions throughout the state of Florida. Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. More must-reads: A Salisbury mother detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week has been transferred to a Louisiana facility, a move her attorneys say has delayed court proceedings that could determine whether she is eligible for release on bond. Vanessa Parrazal, 24, was taken into ICE custody Dec. 17 just minutes after dropping off her 5-year-old daughter at Pinehurst Elementary School, according to witnesses. Her legal team said she was initially scheduled for a Tuesday hearing, where attorneys planned to file petitions that could allow an immigration judge to immediately set bail. That plan changed Sunday, when Parrazal was transferred from Maryland to an ICE facility in Louisiana, according to her attorneys at Portner & Shure. Advertisement Advertisement ICE officials confirmed the arrest to the Baltimore Sun and defended their actions, with a spokesperson describing Parrazal as a criminal illegal alien from Mexico with a prior conviction. Court records show the 410 ft., 100 lb. Parazzal was charged with second-degree assault in 2020 when she was 18, a charge later reduced to a misdemeanor, to which she pleaded guilty. Her only other court record is a 2020 traffic citation for driving without a license. Her friends and neighbors told The Sun last week the assault case stemmed from self-defense against an abusive partner. An ICE spokesperson said they identified Parazzal during a targeted immigration enforcement operation on Dec. 17. Advertisement Advertisement ICE officers positively identified [Vanessa] Parazzal-Uscanga as she entered her vehicle and attempted to place her under arrest, however Parazzal-Uscanga refused to comply with lawful orders from and actively resisted arrest, an ICE spokesman told The Sun. For the safety of the officers and the community, officers legally extracted the criminal alien from the vehicle and placed her under arrest. You can watch video of the arrest, filmed by neighbors as it happened, by clicking here. ICE also accused critics of spreading lies in this case, although the spokesman didnt explain what parts are inaccurate. Instead, he simply said lies related to ICE arrests have contributed to a more than 1,150% increase in assaults on ICE officers nationwide. Working on her Green Card Parrazal is married to a U.S. citizen, Aaron Downes. While marriage does not automatically grant legal status, it can provide a pathway to apply for permanent residency. Her attorneys said that process was already underway. Advertisement Advertisement Vanessa has been in the United States for nearly 20 years, said Marlena Konopka, managing immigration attorney at Portner & Shure. She is a young mother, a loving spouse and a cherished community member in Maryland. She made a mistake when she was younger, learned her lesson and took the appropriate steps to rehabilitate. She has had no legal issues since. Maryland officials said theyve been monitoring the situation. Governor Moore is aware of the reports out of Salisbury and is deeply troubled by whats been described, said Moores senior press secretary Ammar Moussa. Maryland is a state that believes in due process, public safety, and basic human dignity and we will not normalize a country where parents who are living here, working, paying taxes, and raising kids can be taken into custody in front of their children on the way to school. We will continue working with local partners to support impacted families and keep our communities safe. Moussa said that Moores office had been in contact with Parazzals family. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollens office referred the Sun to his previous statement condemning the arrest on Thursday. These abusive tactics are absolutely unacceptable, the statement said. Parrazal remains in ICE custody in Louisiana as her attorneys seek a path to bring her case back before a judge and secure her release. Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore. Contact Emerging News Editor Brian Carlton at bcarlton@baltsun.com. Terrorists were shot dead for hurling stones and attempting an attack with explosives in separate incidents near Jenin, in the West Bank. The IDF killed two terrorists who attempted to attack Israeli soldiers across the West Bank in separate incidents, the military said on Saturday. In the first incident, a terrorist hurled stones toward IDF soldiers stationed at Kabatiya, near Jenin. The soldiers fired in response and killed the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement In the second incident, near the Silat al-Harithiya village, also in the vicinity of Jenin, a terrorist was shot dead while attempting to attack soldiers with explosives. No casualties were reported among Israeli forces. Border Police seize 'terror' drones in Hebron, arrest store owner Border Police officers operating in Hebron seized drones that could be used for "terror activities" in Hebron, N12 reported on Saturday. Border Police officers seize drones in Hebron, December 20, 2025. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE) The drones were being sold in a local store, according to the report, which added that the police officers detained the store owner for questioning. Heads up for holiday motorists: Eastbound Interstate 80 between Grand Prairie Parkway and Jordan Creek Parkway is closing for two nights. The Iowa Department of Transportation is removing a temporary barrier rail and installing a new configuration as work to reconstruct the interstate continues. Here's what to know. When will Iowa DOT close eastbound I-80? The Iowa DOT will close eastbound I-80 overnight from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Dec. 23. Advertisement Advertisement All closures will be subject to weather conditions. What is the detour when Iowa DOT closes eastbound I-80? A map shows the detour for I-80 closures on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23. During this closure, you will follow a marked detour route by exiting at Grand Prairie Parkway (exit 118), heading north on University Avenue and then south on Jordan Creek Parkway where you can rejoin eastbound I-80 and reach the southwest mixmaster. Changes could be made to the detour routes. Please visit 511ia.org for current detour route information before traveling through this construction zone and pay attention to detour signage and message boards while driving. Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at lcheng@gannett.com or 515-284-8132. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa DOT closing I-80 overnight between Waukee and West Des Moines Aghil Keshavarz, a Shahrood University student, was executed on Saturday, after Iran's judiciary convicted him of spying for Israel. Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called out the Islamic Republic's regime in a post on X on Saturday night after the execution of an Iranian national accused of spying for Israel. Aghil Keshavarz, a Shahrood University student, was executed on Saturday, after Iran's judiciary convicted him of spying for Israel. "The Islamic Republics murder of Aghil Keshavarz is clear evidence of its weakness. Khamenei and his regime are taking out revenge for their defeat in the 12 Day War by murdering Irans innocent youth based on lies," Pahlavi posted on social media. Advertisement Advertisement "This regimes greatest fear is from the people of Iran and their great national uprising. The Iranian nations will, however, is stronger than the regimes suppression and fear-mongering. A demonstration against Iran's violation of gay rights during the Christopher Street Day (CSD) gay pride parade in Berlin [File] (credit: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP) "I express my sincere condolences to the family of Aghil Keshavarz. I assure them, and all those seeking justice, that the people of Iran will end Khameneis reign of terror and his criminal regime and that the perpetrators of these crimes will face justice." Keshavarz accused of photographing military sites Accusations against Keshavarz included photographing military sites. Arrested in June after the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran, he reportedly confessed to the charges. Human rights groups condemned his trial as lacking due process, alleging torture by IRGC intelligence and threats to his family. Over 1,000 people have been executed in Iran in 2025 alone, and after the June War, the authorities boasted of arresting 21,000 "suspects" accused of collaboration with Israel. Iran analysts have previously told The Jerusalem Post that individuals who are genuine spies for Israel are rarely executed publicly, but rather dealt with behind the scenes. BAGHDAD (AP) Political factions in Iraq have been maneuvering since the parliamentary election more than a month ago to form alliances that will shape the next government. The November election didn't produce a bloc with a decisive majority, opening the door to a prolonged period of negotiations. The government that eventually emerges will be inheriting a security situation that has stabilized in recent years, but it will also face a fragmented parliament, growing political influence by armed factions, a fragile economy, and often conflicting international and regional pressures, including the future of Iran-backed armed groups. Advertisement Advertisement Uncertain prospects Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's party took the largest number of seats in the election. Al-Sudani positioned himself in his first term as a pragmatist focused on improving public services and managed to keep Iraq on the sidelines of regional conflicts. While his party is nominally part of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties that became the largest parliamentary bloc, observers say its unlikely that the Coordination Framework will support al-Sudanis reelection bid. The choice for prime minister has to be someone the Framework believes they can control and doesn't have his own political ambitions, said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi political analyst and fellow at The Century Foundation think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the backing of the Framework, but Jiyad said that he believes now the coalition will not give al-Sudani a second term as he has become a powerful competitor. The only Iraqi prime minister to serve a second term since 2003 was Nouri al-Maliki, first elected in 2006. His bid for a third term failed after being criticized for monopolizing power and alienating Sunnis and Kurds. Jiyad said that the Coordination Framework drew a lesson from Maliki that an ambitious prime minister will seek to consolidate power at the expense of others. He said that the figure selected as Iraq's prime minister must generally be seen as acceptable to Iran and the United States two countries with huge influence over Iraq and to Iraqs top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sudani in a bind In the election, Shiite alliances and lists dominated by the Coordination Framework parties secured 187 seats, Sunni groups 77 seats, Kurdish groups 56 seats, in addition to nine seats reserved for members of minority groups. The Reconstruction and Development Coalition, led by al-Sudani, dominated in Baghdad and in several other provinces, winning 46 seats. Al-Sudani's results, while strong, don't allow him to form a government without the support of a coalition, forcing him to align the Coordination Framework to preserve his political prospects. Some saw this dynamic at play earlier this month when al-Sudani's government retracted a terror designation that Iraq had imposed on the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group and Yemens Houthi rebels Iran-aligned groups that are allied with Iraqi armed factions just weeks after imposing the measure, saying it was a mistake. Advertisement Advertisement The Coalition Framework saw its hand strengthened by the absence from the election of the powerful Sadrist movement led by Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr, which has been boycotting the political system since being unable to form a government after winning the most seats in the 2021 election. Hamed Al-Sayed, a political activist and official with the National Line Movement, an independent party that boycotted the election, said that Sadrs absence had a central impact. It reduced participation in areas that were traditionally within his sphere of influence, such as Baghdad and the southern governorates, leaving an electoral vacuum that was exploited by rival militia groups, he said, referring to several parties within the Coordination Framework that also have armed wings. Groups with affiliated armed wings won more than 100 parliamentary seats, the largest showing since 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Other political actors Sunni forces, meanwhile, sought to reorganize under a new coalition called the National Political Council, aiming to regain influence lost since the 2018 and 2021 elections. The Kurdish political scene remained dominated by the traditional split between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan parties, with ongoing negotiations between the two over the presidency. By convention, Iraqs president is always a Kurd, while the more powerful prime minister is Shiite and the parliamentary speaker Sunni. Parliament is required to elect a speaker within 15 days of the Federal Supreme Courts ratification of the election result, which occurred on Dec. 14. Advertisement Advertisement The parliament should elect a president within 30 days of its first session, and the prime minister should be appointed within 15 days of the presidents election, with 30 days allotted to form the new government. Washington steps in The incoming government will face major economic and political challenges. They include a high level of public debt more than 90 trillion Iraqi dinars ($69 billion) and a state budget that remains reliant on oil for about 90% of revenues, despite attempts to diversify, as well as entrenched corruption. But perhaps the most delicate question will be the future of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of militias that formed to fight the Islamic State group as it rampaged across Iraq more than a decade ago. Advertisement Advertisement It was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016, but in practice still operates with significant autonomy. After the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 sparked the devastating war in Gaza, some armed groups within the PMF launched attacks on U.S. bases in the region in retaliation for Washingtons backing of Israel. The U.S. has been pushing for Iraq to disarm Iran-backed groups a difficult proposition, given the political power that many of them hold and Irans likely opposition to such a step. Two senior Iraqi political officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly, said that the United States had warned against selecting any candidate for prime minister who controls an armed faction and also cautioned against letting figures associated with militias control key ministries or hold significant security posts. The biggest issue will be how to deal with the pro-Iran parties with armed wings, particularly those... which have been designated by the United States as terrorist entities, Jiyad said. Advertisement Advertisement Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful militias in Iraq, designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization, issued a statement Saturday rejecting the possibility of giving up its weapons. The statement said the group's weapons will remain in the hands of its fighters, and no discussions with the government can take place before the departure of all occupation forces, NATO troops, and Turkish forces, and before ensuring the protection of the people and the sacred sites from extremist groups. Lets be honest: the agrarian dream is a nightmare for most of us. We are urbanites who enjoy the daily irony of being driven to gyms to walk on treadmills and only feel truly alive when a signal bar reaches 4G. For decades, we were told this was success. And we chased the luxury penthouse promise: a glass box in the sky, preferably with a view of other glass boxes. Now, even as courts approve projects that trade mangroves and cleaner air for speed, even the architects of our concrete cages have begun to recognise that the citys idea of luxury has shifted. The new brochure language favours treelines over skylines, birdsong over chandeliers. Some sample that calm through weekend farms and managed farmlands plots where the work is someone elses responsibility, but a soil-stained identity can be claimed on weekends others want to breathe cleaner air. They want lives that afford a direct relationship with land, food and time. Going all in, at 26 Jinam Dedhia, 26, grew up in Mulund and until August this year worked as a product designer with international brands, including Shell Petroleum, designing digital experiences and EV-related projects. Now, she lives in Tumbadi village in Kutch, about 35 km from Bhuj, running Kanakadhara Gaushala with her family. This was my fathers initiative, Dedhia says. Her father, Paresh, ran a garment business in Mumbai for over three decades before starting the gaushala nine years ago. For years, he commuted between Mumbai and Kutch. For a long time, my parents were living two lives, she says. About five years ago, they made the village their home. Two years later, Jinam followed. Her older sister, Harini, still lives and works in Mumbai, but her mother a lifelong Mumbaikar who initially saw the move as temporary is now reluctant to go back to the city even for special occasions. Their gaushala houses around 170 Gir cows. Safeguarding the cows is the main work, Dedhia says. Everything else flows from that: ghee, cold-pressed seed oils from organic crops, chemical-free fodder, and natural fertilisers made from cow dung. The family works closely with neighbouring farmers, encouraging chemical-free practices and also connecting produce to an urban customer base seeking native, unprocessed food. Dedhias days look nothing like her Mumbai routine. In the city, I struggled to wake up early. Id set alarms for 5 am and still only manage 89 am, she says. In Tumbadi, my eyes open naturally at dawn. Mornings start with yoga and chanting, followed by gaushala work, packaging, dispatch, and later, managing content and outreach. She doesnt romanticise the shift. I miss cafes, restaurants, the inspiration that comes from city chaos. But here you see the impact of your work on the land and in the health of people who eat our produce. Building the bridge and walking it Most urban exits dont happen overnight; they unfold in stages, as Dedhias did - with her parents shifting before she followed suit. Sunith Reddy, 41, has structured his work around that reality. A high-frequency trader, he exited his firm iRageCapital in 2017, and relocated from Mumbai to Hyderabad with his wife and two children. The impulse to slow down had been forming for years, but his fathers passing in 2020 crystallised it into action. Out of that moment emerged Beforest a shared-landscape collective where members co-own ecosystems prioritising water, food and power security first, housing last. My father was extremely passionate about farming, Reddy says, but he never really could do it full time. His wife became his backbone, bringing her food expertise to build Beforests produce arm under the brand Bewild. Reddy says a visit to Corbett National Parkonce a sparse forest, now ringed by resortswas one trigger. So was the rapid remaking of Hyderabad itself. When I was ten, our drinking water came from a reservoir 12 kilometres away, he says. By the time I was 35, it was coming from 250 kilometres away. The scale and speed of that change felt untenable. Time on the family farm highlighted another truth: that agriculture cannot be done casually. At the same time, Reddy kept meeting people who shared his urge to slow down but could not act on it. Lifejobs, children, obligationskept getting in the way. That tension shaped his initiative. We tell people upfront that this is a lifestyle choice, not an investment. Demand arrived faster than Reddy had anticipated. Beforests first collective reached capacity fast, eventually becoming a 132-acre shared landscape for nearly 50 urban professionals ready to trade concrete for soil. More collectives followed, in Coorg, Bhopal and Khopoli, near Mumbai, each drawing people willing to wait years to understand their land and to allow it to heal, rather than rush to construct some Balinese weekend home, with an Olympic-sized pool. One early subscriber was Husein Merchant, 35, a chartered accountant from Seewri who runs a personal finance practice with his wife (also a CA) advising creators writers, actors and artists. Buying land is easy, Merchant says, maintaining it is where things fall apart. Reddys project held appeal precisely because only about 15% of land is earmarked for housing; the rest is committed to regeneration and ecological study not weekend villas. Merchant has held onto his plot since 202122, even as construction has yet to begin. Hes happy to spend that time forming a relationship with the soil. The land is studied through seasons, says Merchant, who spends half his time at the farm all the same. With two young children a four-year-old and a seven-month-old schooling anchors the family to Mumbai. But Id move there in a heartbeat, he says, if my wife agrees to homeschool our kids. His conviction was sealed during the Geminid meteor shower a week ago when his family camped on their land and watched shooting stars. Nafisa, my four-year-old, didnt want to leave, even though we were in a tent and it was very cold. Thats when it became real, says Merchant, who grew up near JJ Hospital in a modest one-bedroom home, with little greenery and nowhere safe to play. I missed that as a child. I want my kids to grow up with open skies, rivers, and the freedom to explore. Life after the climb Venkat Iyer, now 59, made the leap long before calm became a marketed luxury. Two decades ago, he was a project manager at IBMs BKC centre, but by 2003, the corporate climb had lost its sheen. This is his 21st year as an organic farmer in Peth, a village in Maharashtras Palghar district. As he speaks, a cock crows in the background. In 2003, I decided I needed a change, Iyer says. The idea to farm came out of conversations with his journalist wife, Meena Menon, who had been researching organic cotton at the time. Her stories of farmers living a truly rich life on vast tracts of land stayed with him. When he asked her what shed think if he became a farmer, she didnt hesitate: Why not? Sixty-five per cent of the country is engaged in agriculture. Youd be very good at it. That sealed it for Iyer. Friends were supportive but didnt want to take the leap themselves. Home loans, kids school fees and family obligations kept them tethered, they said. When a friend advised him to plan his finances first, Iyer calculated he needed about Rs 7,500 a month to live in the village. Later that year, when IBM offered him a major project that would lock him in for two more years, he quit. In January 2004, I woke up a free man, he says. No job, no meetings but also no salary. In March 2004, the couple bought four acres in Peth for Rs 8.5 lakh. There was no road access; reaching the land meant crossing slushy fields. People said I was paying too much, he says. But it was wild and chemical-free. That was important to me. The shift was jarring at first, he admits. In the city, you hear noise all night, he says. Here, the darkness was deep. It was pretty unsettling. He got used to it quicker than he thought he would. His wife and he took to growing rice, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and fruit trees, slowly turning the neglected plot into a working organic farm. Healthcare does remain a concern; the nearest major hospitals are 70 to 100 km away. It nags at you, he says, but then you ask what do people here do? And you adjust. His journey, chronicled in Moong Over Microchips, has also reshaped the village. He helped form a self-help group of 12 local women, teaching them food-making and later English so they can manage orders on WhatsApp. Today, Iyer enjoys his morning cuppa by the river beside his land, works set hours in the fields, and sleeps by 9 pm, listening to the rustle of trees, rather than the buzz of the phone. The sounds of hens, ducks, dogs and cats has replaced that of honking cars, and he does not miss the city. I dont feel anything essential happens there, he says. Rewilding ambition If Iyers story is about stepping off the treadmill early, Manisha Lath Guptas is about questioning why the treadmill ever existed. An IIM graduate, Gupta, now 53, spent over two decades in senior leadership roles across Mumbai and Gurgaon, including as CMO at Axis Bank and Uber India. Her husband headed trading at Standard Chartered. Their daughters were seven and ten when the Guptas first considered a radically different life. I was deeply concerned about the world were leaving behind where clean food, pure water and breathable air are luxuries, says Lath Gupta. Raised in Chandigarh and educated at Jawaharlal Nehru University, she describes herself as someone wired to act. People can keep complaining. Im a doer, she says. In 2010, while still in corporate life, she and her husband identified six acres of barren land in Bunga village near Panchkula, at the foothills of the Morni Hills. They bought it within weeks of discovering permaculture, a design philosophy that builds human habitatsfood, water, shelterso they regenerate natural systems instead of depleting them. Permaculture, she says, is about creating regenerative spaces that meet our needs without ravaging the planet. For some six or seven years, the family built the farm remotely weekends and holidays were spent digging water-harvesting structures, mulching, rebuilding soil health while careers continued. In 2016, they moved to Gurgaon to reduce travel, and in 2020, Gupta quit her final corporate role and shifted full-time to the land. We always knew this would be home, she says of the land that was once barren, but which is now a dense food forest spread across 12 acres, with over 5,000 trees. Their house built after Covid uses natural materials, harvests rainwater, manages waste on-site, and the family does without air-conditioning. To live off the land, you have to be willing to be challenged, Gupta says. Dragging city conveniences here would be doing a disservice to the land and yourself. Today, Aanandaa Permaculture Farm functions as both a private family farm and a learning space. Gupta runs workshops, farm tours, a YouTube channel and mentors others attempting similar transitions. Even an acre is enough, she insists. What you grow on it may change the principle doesnt. The life, she says, is deeply fulfilling. But it only works if youre willing to take responsibility for your own comfort, not outsource it to systems or conveniences. Creativity without congestion For Kartik Ramachandran, 48, the migration from Bandra to a lakeside plot in Kamshet was a spatial expansion of the creative mind. A former Creative Director at MTV with over 30 film credits, Ramachandran says that he realised early that Mumbai is a good office, but a poor home. In 2008, he chose two acres in Kamshet over a 400-sq-ft seafacing matchbox in Bandra. I worked all my life to reach here, he reflects. The move allowed him to pivot from mainstream advertising to running an AI services agency and creating 50-foot museum installations. You get to think beyond ten by ten feet, he says. Its a life that fosters creativity, and there are loads of things to keep you busy through the days. It is, however, also a life that tests social and domestic alignment. While Ramachandran thrives on rural sobriety In Mumbai, one drinks too much; theres nothing else to do when you socialise infrastructure gaps are real. After experimenting with homeschooling and local schools, his wife and children returned to Mumbai for education. Its not everyones cup of tea, Ramachandran notes. His story presents an important caveat: the rural shift may offer creative scale and a deeper sense of meaning, but it demands a brutal recalibration of time, labour, relationships and expectations. Where comfort isnt pre-built That recalibration is clearest in the lives of Rohan Fernandes and Jharna Thakker, both 44, who did not stop working when they left Mumbais advertising and media world. They replaced one kind of work with another. Since 2019, the couple has run Fernandeswadi, a homestay and working farm tucked inside a coconut grove in Uran, Raigad district on ancestral land first acquired by Rohans grandfather, JN Heredia, former sheriff of Mumbai and freedom fighter. Their home itself carries a 1980s Goan aesthetic. This was never meant to be a farmstay, Fernandes says. Our plan was to live off the land. They tried to make that work, even roped in Israeli agri experts, but climate change and coastal conditions dismantled their models within a year. Farming alone wouldnt sustain them. So they opened their home to guests, cautiously, deliberately. What shocked me, Fernandes says, was how disconnected city people are from food. A moment with his nephew crystallised it: He ate our bananas and asked where they came from. He thought bananas were made in malls. Fernandeswadi became a way to reconnect that broken line from soil to plate. Simply said, Rohan grows it, I cook it, and we serve it to our guests, she says. The food is hyper-seasonal: coconut, banana, papaya, tadgola; daikon raddish, spinach, amaranth, pigeon pea, mustard leaves. Some crops thrive despite salty sea spray and sandy soil not because of it, but in spite of it. Workdays are longer than corporate schedules. From 8 am to 11 pm, Fernandes says, post dinner service and kitchen clean-down. Labour is physical, logistical and emotional. You work 24/7 with your partner, he adds. You have to be friends first, business partners later. They miss little about Mumbai. What theyve gained resists neat accounting: better sleep, improved health, and the rare satisfaction of effort translating directly into outcome. But theres no illusion about ease. Running a property is not cheaper than a flat, Fernandes says. Especially by the sea. If youre not careful, it becomes a white elephant. The off-grid radical Messages to Swapnil Rao and his wife, Mrunmayee Deshpande, dont travel fast anymore. Sometimes WhatsApp doesnt go through at all. When this writers email marked urgent finally reached Rao, he laughed. I saw it and thought, That really misses the point, he says. Urgency, he has learnt, is largely a city construct. Until a few years ago, Rao, 41, lived entirely inside that construct. Based in Powai, he ran a software-as-a-service startup in augmented reality; Deshpande, 36, worked as an actor and performance artist she still does. We kept asking ourselves what this was all for, Rao says. Money for gyms, hospitals, high rent, fractured communities? It didnt add up. They left Mumbai five years ago the exit was anything but abrupt. The decision unfolded over nearly seven years: Rao studied ecology, volunteered on farms, completed a nature conservation diploma and prepared financially. They sold their Powai home to fund the move, buying three-and-a-half acres of chemically exhausted land in Malusar, about nine kilometres beyond Mahabaleshwar, in the Western Ghats. Nature tested them quickly. Fifteen days after the purchase, a flash flood and micro-earthquake collapsed both wells, Rao recalls. Four of us spent a month digging one back by hand. That land is now home to Neil & Momo, the off-grid permaculture farm and learning space they run together. We have installed solar panels; they generate three kilowatts of power, Rao says. Half is used; the rest is fed back to the grid. With no EMIs and negligible electricity costs, their monthly expenses hover between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000. Youre living like a king, he says. Sunlight, fresh food, kombucha we brew ourselves its a luxurious life. Under their banyan-tree classroom, the couple host multi-day residential permaculture introductions. Rao chose not to build guest accommodation on land; participants stay in nearby village homes instead. It keeps the scale honest, he says. And it brings work to neighbours, shopkeepers and drivers. Deshpande continues to travel for acting projects, but the farm is her base. Their shift, Rao insists, was never about rejecting modern life or living like cavemen. It was about aligning daily choices with values. Asked about healthcare access, he says, You cant design life around hospitals. Life itself should be the healthcare system. If these stories share anything, it is a refusal to call constant consumption a life. Whether it is Dedhias gaushala in Kutch, Reddys collectives, Iyers two-decade-old farm, Guptas food forest, Fernandeswadis gruelling farm-to-table days or Neil & Momos off-grid minimalism, the pattern is the same: less outsourcing, more participation; fewer dependencies, more competence. The work is harder. The feedback is cleaner. And the luxury, such as it is, is no longer a view from a high floor, but the ability to breathe, sleep, eat and live without constant negotiation with the city. The un-hustle is not a vacation with paperwork. It is a redefinition of ambition, one that measures success not by how fast your life moves, but by how meaningful and rich it feels. The civilians fled the scene on foot, with several of them being detained later by the IDF. The military has opened an investigation into the matter. Several Israelis illegally entered the city of Nablus and ran over a Palestinian pedestrian on Thursday night, the IDF confirmed. The injured Palestinian was rushed to a hospital, and while the IDF did not specify his condition, according to Arab media, he had fractures on both of his legs. Advertisement Advertisement The civilians fled the scene on foot, with several of them being detained later by the IDF and taken to the police. The military also captured the vehicle used and opened an investigation into the matter. "We emphasize that entry of Israeli citizens into Area A is dangerous and prohibited by law," said the IDF statement. Israeli forces are seen operating in Nablus, in the West Bank, July 30, 2025 (credit: NASSER ISHTAYEH/FLASH90) Tensions rise in West Bank This event is part of a larger series of clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank. On November 29, two Jews and seven Palestinians were wounded in clashes that involved stone-throwing near Bethlehem in the West Bank, Army Radio reported. Earlier that month, on November 17, riots erupted near a West Bank Palestinian village in parallel with the military's demolition of an illegal Jewish outpost near Efrat. Advertisement Advertisement The IDF launched a manhunt for dozens of extremists, explaining that after the evacuation of illegal structures in the Wadi Kanub areaIDF, border police, and regular police forces rushed to the village of Jeba following a report that dozens of Israeli civilians had set fire to and vandalized homes and cars in the area. Yonah Jeremy Bob and The Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. A week after an attack on a Jewish festival on Sydney's Bondi Beach that killed 15, mainly Jews, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on Sunday for a global campaign against anti-Semitism. "The rise of Jew hatred across the world is a global emergency," Herzog told a Jerusalem event commemorating those killed in Australia. Two attackers, a father and his son, fatally shot and wounded people on the famous beach during a Hanukkah event. The father was shot dead by police and the son taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement A commemorative event held in Sydney was attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. During his speech, there was a live link to the gathering in Sydney. Herzog urged everyone to join the fight against anti-Semitism. "This is an urgent call to action to prevent the next catastrophe. We will not stand for this." He said fighting anti-Semitism calls for countries to take "very strong and tough measures" and also show "strong leadership." "I want to say to the Jews of Australia, the people of Israel are with you," Herzog said, adding that he hoped to visit the Jewish community in Australia soon. Advertisement Advertisement "Despite thousands of miles being apart, we feel your pain, we see your courage under fire, we share your sense of abandonment, shock, and horror." A minute of silence was held before Herzog's address, and he lit a candle afterwards. "We will not allow the hatred to break us," Herzog said. "We will not allow terror to diminish our light, our unity, our peoplehood, our mutual responsibility, our eternity. Together we will defeat this darkness," he said. The suspect in the kidnapping is an acquaintance of hers from work who traveled with her to Jericho for a social gathering. An Israeli woman was abducted from the Jericho area, the IDF announced on Friday. Israeli forces rescued the woman unharmed after the IDF was dispatched to the scene. The Israeli Civil Administration worked to contact the woman while security forces worked to rescue her. The Palestinian Authority's security mechanisms assisted in locating the woman and "took her to a safe place," KAN, Israel's public broadcaster, reported. IDF soldiers operate in Jericho, West Bank, February 27, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Suspect of kidnapping is an acquaintance of the victim KAN also reported that it obtained information that the suspect in the kidnapping is an acquaintance of hers from work who traveled with her to Jericho for a social gathering. Advertisement Advertisement When she realized she was in Jericho, she escaped and called the police early Friday evening. The victim of the kidnapping is a new immigrant with difficulty speaking Hebrew, which reportedly made it difficult for Israeli security forces to understand where she was, according to KAN. Security forces set up checkpoints in the West Bank to search for the perpetrators. Walla reported that no arrests have been made so far. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation will debate a bill on an inquiry on October 7, while the cabinet will decide on the closure of Army Radio on Monday. The government is expected to move forward on two contentious measures on Monday, The Ministerial Committee for Legislation will debate Likud MK Ariel Kallners bill to establish an inquiry into the October 7 Hamas attack, and at the same time, the cabinet will be asked to decide on the proposed closure of the IDFs Army Radio. Advertisement Advertisement Supporters say the steps would ensure accountability and restore the militarys apolitical standing, while critics warn of politicization and legal challenges. Knesset bill would put the Knesset, not Supreme Court in charge of appointing committee members The Kallner bill seeks to establish an inquiry committee into the October 7 events, but not as a state commission of inquiry under existing law. Under the proposal, the committee would be established by the Knesset and the government rather than by the president of the Supreme Court, who typically appoints state commissions. According to the draft, the committee would include six members appointed by the Knesset, with three from the coalition and three from the opposition. In addition, four representatives of bereaved families would be included as an oversight element for the committees work. The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approving the move to designate criminal groups as terror organizations, October 20, 2025. (credit: MA'AYAN TOAF/GPO) The bill outlines a mechanism for disputes. If no agreement is reached on the members identities or the chair within a set period, each bloc could appoint its own representatives. If there is no agreement on a single chair, the proposal allows the appointment of two co-chairs. Advertisement Advertisement Coalition figures argue this framework would ensure a balanced and representative committee that enjoys broad public trust, without reliance on the judicial system. Opposition voices and other critics say the move bypasses an independent state commission and risks creating a body perceived as political, established by those who may themselves be examined. Critics contend that such a committee would struggle to reach the truth and that its conclusions could suffer from a public legitimacy deficit. They call instead for a fully independent state inquiry. At Mondays cabinet meeting, ministers will also vote on a separate, widely debated proposal to close Army Radio. Defense Minister Israel Katz is leading the move and seeks to implement the closure in stages, beginning with the appointment of a professional team to plan the process, assess implications for employees, and examine options to continue Army Radio's music station, Galgalatz, under another framework. Advertisement Advertisement Backers of the plan say a military-run outlet should not broadcast current affairs and political content to the general public, arguing the change would return the IDF to a national, nonpolitical posture. Opponents warn of serious harm to press freedom and democratic space, noting the stations longstanding editorial role and internal independence. They add that closing the station by government decision alone, without comprehensive legislation and regulation, is likely to raise legal obstacles and could prompt petitions to the High Court of Justice. Together, the two proposals point to a fraught political week that pits a public demand for a thorough and independent reckoning over October 7 against a move that could reshape Israels media landscape and test the limits of executive authority. James Talarico, a 36-year-old former public school teacher and current Texas State Representative, is mounting a 2026 U.S. Senate campaign that challenges conventional wisdom about government spending and corporate responsibility. He represents a growing push to scrutinize corporate tax strategies and reframe the debate around who truly benefits from government support. His arguments about tax avoidance by Fortune 500 companies and wealthy executives are gaining traction among young voters and may influence future tax policy discussions if he gains higher office. During a recent taping of Jubilee Medias web series Surrounded at the companys Los Angeles studios, Talarico sat down with roughly 20 undecided Texas voters to debate his policy positions. The episode, which released on Monday, caught fire on social media after Talarico delivered a pointed reframing of conservative rhetoric about welfare spending. In a sharp challenge to long-standing political talking points about welfare queensa term traditionally used to disparage low-income individuals receiving government benefitsTalarico flipped the script, arguing that the nations actual dependency on public resources flows upward, not downward. The biggest welfare queens in this country are the giant corporations that dont pay a penny in federal taxes, he said. He also extended his critique to include wealthy executives, adding the biggest welfare queens are the CEOs who get a tax deduction for flying on a private jet. Corporate tax avoidance as hidden welfare Talaricos argument strikes at a real issue: Some of Americas largest corporations have legally structured their tax arrangements to minimize or eliminate federal income tax liability. This practice has drawn scrutiny from policymakers across the political spectrum and sparked ongoing debates about tax code reform. So, rather than accepting that welfare is primarily a lower-income issue, he argues the problem is systemic and benefits the wealthy. Advertisement Advertisement Talarico said his background as a middle school language arts teacher at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio informed many of his policy positions. I was a public school teacher, so I saw how when kids showed up hungry, they couldnt learn, he told local ABC affiliate KSAT in October. Even my brightest students, even my hardest working students couldnt succeed. Couldnt pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they didnt have boots. To illustrate the point, he invoked a metaphor about teaching someone to fish: If youre gonna take your friend out on a boat for the day to teach him how to fish, you wanna make sure he had breakfast that morning. You wanna make sure hes not sick, because that allows him to learn how to fish again, he said. A platform around corporate accountability Since his election to the Texas House in 2018 at age 28, Talarico has positioned himself as a champion of legislation targeting corporate and pharmaceutical industry practices. He was instrumental in passing legislation capping insulin copays at $25 per month in Texas and enabling the importation of lower-cost medications from Canada. Advertisement Advertisement His Senate campaign messaging appears to hinge on this core idea: that fairness and personal responsibility should apply equally to billionaires and working people. We dont want dependency. We want to reward hard work. And I think that should apply to those billionaires, not just working people, he said during the recent taping. You can watch the entire Surrounded episode featuring James Talarico below: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com By Kantaro Komiya, Yuka Obayashi and Katya Golubkova NIIGATA, Japan, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The Japanese region of Niigata is expected to endorse a decision to restart the world's largest nuclear power plant on Monday, a watershed moment in the country's pivot back to nuclear since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 220 km (136 miles) northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Japan has restarted 14 of the 33 that remain operable, as it tries to wean itself off imported fossil fuels. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa will be the first operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), which ran the doomed Fukushima plant. "We remain firmly committed to never repeating such an accident and ensuring Niigata residents never experience anything similar," said TEPCO spokesperson Masakatsu Takata. If approved, TEPCO is considering reactivating the first of seven reactors at the plant on January 20, public broadcaster NHK reported. Takata declined to comment on timing. RELUCTANT RESIDENTS WARY OF RESTART Advertisement Advertisement TEPCO earlier this year pledged to inject 100 billion yen ($641 million) into the prefecture over the next 10 years as it sought to win the support of Niigata residents. But many locals remain wary. A survey published by the prefecture in October found 60% of residents did not think conditions for the restart had been met. Nearly 70% were worried about TEPCO operating the plant. Ayako Oga, 52, settled in Niigata after fleeing the area around the Fukushima plant in 2011 with 160,000 other evacuees. Her old home was inside the 20 km irradiated exclusion zone. The farmer and anti-nuclear activist has now joined protests against what she sees as a new threat on her doorstep. Advertisement Advertisement "We know firsthand the risk of a nuclear accident and cannot dismiss it," said Oga, adding that she still struggles with post-traumatic stress-like symptoms from what happened at Fukushima. Even Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who backed the restart last month, hopes that Japan will eventually be able to reduce its reliance on nuclear power. "I want to see an era where we don't have to rely on energy sources that cause anxiety," he said. STRENGTHENING ENERGY SECURITY On Monday, the prefecture's assembly will cast a vote of confidence on Hanazumi, a de facto ballot on his support for the restart. Advertisement Advertisement The vote is seen as the final hurdle before TEPCO restarts the first reactor, which alone could boost electricity supply to the Tokyo area by 2%, Japan's trade ministry has estimated. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office two months ago, has backed nuclear restarts to strengthen energy security and to counter the cost of imported fossil fuels, which account for 60% to 70% of Japan's electricity generation. Japan spent 10.7 trillion yen ($68 billion) last year on imported liquefied natural gas and coal, a tenth of its total import costs. Despite its shrinking population, Japan expects energy demand to rise over the coming decade due to a boom in power-hungry AI data centres. Advertisement Advertisement To meet those needs, and its decarbonisation commitments, it has set a target of doubling the share of nuclear power in its electricity mix to 20% by 2040. Joshua Ngu, vice chairman for Asia Pacific at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said public acceptance of the restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, would represent "a critical milestone" towards reaching those goals. In July, Kansai Electric Power, Japan's top nuclear power operator, said it would begin conducting surveys for a reactor in western Japan, the first new unit since the Fukushima disaster. But for Oga, who will join protests outside the Niigata assembly as lawmakers cast their vote on Monday, the nuclear revival is a terrifying reminder of the potential risks. Advertisement Advertisement "Every news update about the restart it's like reliving the fear," she said. ($1 = 155.9200 yen) (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Issei Kato in Niigata and Yuka Obayashi and Katya Golubkova in Tokyo; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Kate Mayberry) Dec. 21 (UPI) -- House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Sunday that he expects lawmakers to pass a bipartisan compromise on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits. Jeffries said on ABC News' This Week that lawmakers will pass a bi-partisan compromise to extend ACA tax credits extension in the House, potentially forcing Senate Republicans hand on health insurance subsidies for at least 22 million Americans who will face higher premiums in the new year. Congress adjourned for Christmas without reaching a deal on extending on the tax credits, which Jeffries promised that House lawmakers will address in early January. Advertisement Advertisement "That will put pressure on John Thune and Senate Republicans to actually do the right thing by the American people, pass a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits, so we can keep health care affordable for tens of millions of Americans who deserve to be able to go see a doctor when they need one," Jeffries said. Democrats have said if the two sides are unable to reach a deal on an extension, they will wield it against Republicans in next year's midterm elections. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-LA, has opposed an extension of the tax credits but is expected to be forced to allow the House to vote on a bill extending them thanks to several Republican members of Congress joining with Democrats to sign a discharge petition for the legislation. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., has said access to affordable health care remains among the most pressing issues among voters. "It's just pathetic," Ryan said. "The last time there was a major national Republican effort to repeal the ACA, we had an overwhelming wave where they got absolutely wiped out, and I think that's likely what will happen here again." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD, has said that he does not expect a three-year extension of the subsidies to pass the Congress' upper chamber but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he expects the Senate to relent and pass it in January. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI A handful of centrist Republicans in vulnerable congressional districts bypassed the authority of House Speaker Mike Johnson to team up with key Democrats to authorize a vote on a three-year tax credit extension when the House returns to Washington the week of Jan. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Some Republican leaders have said they favor allowing COVID-19-era tax credits that made health care more affordable for millions of Americans to expire or be phased out over several years. Other members of the GOP, however, have said they favor extending the credits for longer. On Thursday, the Senate rejected a three year ACA extension. A Steelers legend helped spread holiday joy on Saturday. Jerome Bettis and his Bus Stops Here Foundation delivered gifts around the Pittsburgh area, stopping in multiple communities. Channel 11 crews caught up with the Bus in Carnegie at the Boys and Girls Club, an organization he has deep ties to. Chris Watts, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania, says Bettis himself was a club kid when he was growing up. Advertisement Advertisement That experience never left him, Watts said. And so, of course, during his time with the Steelers, in ways big and even behind the scenes, he supported the Boys and Girls Clubs here. And despite his incredible professional career, after his playing career, he still cares about Pittsburgh people and comes back often, and his foundation truly cares about the community, and hes stepped up in so many ways. Watts noted that the Boys and Girls Club has partnered with Bettiss foundation to develop a new cyber bus, which would act as a classroom on wheels. That project is set to launch in the spring. Bettis said his goal with the toy drive and community celebration was to give kids a great holiday. I remember as a kid, Christmas was a very important and pivotal part of the year, he said. So, to celebrate it, to get gifts and all those things, it means so much. So we want to provide just a little bit of joy at this time of the year, and we really believe that it will make a huge impact. Advertisement Advertisement Tiana Ballinger of Carnegie said the celebration was very special to her and her kids. Shes a big Bus fan and appreciates the Boys and Girls Club, which has helped her kids make friends and kept them active. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A New Jersey police chief has been charged with kidnapping and multiple assault charges following a September incident at a hotel in Bostons Back Bay, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced. Totowa Police Chief Carmen Veneziano was indicted on Thursday for one count of kidnapping and three counts of domestic assault and battery. According to the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office, its alleged that Veneziano confined a woman in a Back Bay hotel room on the morning of September 14 and assaulted her. Advertisement Advertisement Veneziano was detained on Friday without incident, waiving extradition proceedings, and will be transferred for a hearing in Massachusetts. Totowa Mayor John Coiro announced on the towns Facebook page that Veneziano would be suspended without pay until the legal process is concluded. Additionally, Coiro will also be appointing a new interim police chief. Veneziano is expected to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW There is a dangerous level of habituation of the current very high level of anti-Semitism in Germany, the president of the Central Council of Jews told dpa in an interview published on Sunday. "These are untenable conditions," Josef Schuster said in the interview following the terror attack in Australia on December 14, in which two men shot dead 15 people, most of whom were Jewish. Even though the situation in Gaza has been relatively calm, following the October tentative ceasefire, there has not been an ease in anti-Semitism, Schuster said. Advertisement Advertisement "That is not the case," he told dpa. Instead "anti-Semitism in Germany has surged explosively" since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 and resulted in around 250 taken hostage to Gaza. Israel then launched a massive attack against Gaza resulting in some 70,000 killed and mass condemnation. Warns against getting used to anti-Semitism Schuster noted that data shows that anti-Semitism is consolidating "at a high, far too high, level. Much worse, my feeling is that our society is experiencing a habituation and normalization effect regarding anti-Semitism. That must not happen." Schuster emphasized that for Jews and Palestinians to coexist, a dialogue is needed, but stressed that basic conditions must be met for that to hapen. "Israel's right to exist is not negotiable for me. I cannot enter into dialogue with people who want to make demonization of the Israeli state a condition for Jews to participate in social life." Melanin Bee curves her spine like a stretching cat as she lets out a maniacal, forced laugh. The quick-fire pattern of manufactured giggles oh, hoo hoo hoo, eeh, ha ha ha soon ripples into genuine laughter, and she giddily kicks her feet. Shes practicing what she calls Laughaste, a hilarious yoga routine she created that is a descendant of laughter clubs that emerged in India in the 1990s. It feels awkward at first, but you fake it till you make it, she said. Its about allowing yourself to be OK with being awkward, said Bee, a Los Angeles comedian and speaker. Then youre going to find some form of silliness within that is going to allow you to laugh involuntarily. The laughter clubs were based on the common-sense notion that laughter relieves stress. But a good laugh is also good for your heart, immune system and many other health benefits, said Dr. Michael Miller, a cardiologist and medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Like we say, exercise at least three to five days a week, Miller said. Belly laugh at least two to five days a week. The study of laughter Although luminaries from the ancient Greeks to Freud have opined on the roots and implications of laughter, the modern study of laughter gelotology began emerging in the 1960s. Stanford University psychologist William F. Fry, one of gelotologys founders, drew blood samples from himself while watching Laurel and Hardy. He discovered that laughter increased the number of immune-boosting blood cells. In 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician in Mumbai, got wind of the emerging research as editor of a health magazine while researching an article on stress management. To combat his own stress, he started the first daily laughter club in a park. It ballooned from a handful of participants to more than 150 within a month, he said. After the group quickly ran out of jokes, Kataria created exercises that activated the diaphragm, and he incorporated yogic breathing exercises, light stretches and deliberately silly sounds and movements. We were faking in the beginning and within seconds, everybody was in stitches, Kataria said. Why is laughter good for you? Miller began studying laughter in the 1990s. Showing funny movies to study participants, he found that laughter produces endorphins in the brain that promote beneficial chemicals in the blood vessels. Nitric oxide, for example, causes blood vessels to dilate, which lowers blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol. The combination reduces the risk for a heart attack, he said, and the endorphins are natural pain killers. When youve had a really good laugh, you feel very relaxed and light, said Miller, who is also chief of medicine at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration, where he is implementing a laughter therapy program. Its like youve taken pain medication. Forced laughter or simulated mirth, in academia may even be more beneficial than spontaneous laughter, said Jenny Rosendhal, a senior researcher of medical psychology at Jena University in Germany. Rosendhal completed a meta-analysis of 45 laughter studies, among other research, and found that laughter-inducing therapies decreased glucose levels, the stress hormone cortisol and chronic pain. They also improved mobility and overall mood, especially in older populations. Because humor is subjective, it is hard to measure. Thats why much of the more recent research has focused on laughter yoga and similar programs that provoke sustained bouts of laughter during 30- to 45-minute sessions, Rosendhal said. Laughter yoga is particularly effective for people who might not feel like laughing, such as those struggling with depression or cancer patients, she said. With simulated laughter, the physiological mechanisms are the same, such as additional inhaling, exhaling and muscle activity that also improves mood. The well-being comes through the back door, she said. You start with an exercise, and then the spontaneous laughter comes later because its funny to see people laughing. How to laugh more During a recent video call, Kataria said the trick is to learn to laugh for no reason. He and others in laughing yoga classes around the world have created hundreds of exercises that help. The simplest: Get together with another person, look in each others eyes and repeat the sound ha for a full minute. Or try the breathe in and laugh. Bring your hands to your chest on a deep inhale, hold your breath for three seconds, and burst out laughing on the exhale while extending your hands forward. In laughing yoga classes, people may pretend to greet each other like aliens, crawl around like their favorite animals, or tap their temple as if a light bulb went off, exclaiming, Aha! ha ha ha! Kataria suggested bringing laughter into your daily life, even at things that might not seem funny. Demonstrating credit card bill laughter, he held out his hand as if looking at a statement, and burst into a roiling, infectious laughter. For inspiration, you could log into one of the three dozen free online American laughter clubs recognized by Laughter Yoga International. Really, its not about forcing yourself to laugh, he said. Its like activating your laughter muscles, getting rid of your mental inhibitions and shyness. Then the real laughing is childlike laughing, unconditional laughing. ___ EDITORS NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about wellness, food and travel. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com By ALBERT STUMM Associated Press Some of the first Providence police major crimes detectives to set eyes on the scene of the Brown University shooting arrived as tactical police officers escorted survivors from the building on Dec. 13. The detectives arrived intermittently in the early minutes of an investigation that would test their skills and consume nearly all of their time over the course of five days. At times, some would go without sleep for more than 30 hours, according to the person in charge, Providence police Maj. David Lapatin. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators from a collection of agencies would grapple with four different leads, some more promising than others, before a fifth lead put them on the path of Claudio Neves Valente, the man who authorities say carried out the shootings at Brown, killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and then took his own life in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire. Providence police Maj. David Lapatin, center, meets with a team of investigators as authorities worked to track down the gunman in the Brown University mass shooting. The fifth lead, based in large part on aid from a Brown alumnus and Reddit poster and subsequent investigative accomplishments, was a long way off as the team assembled just after the shooting. Investigators' first view of the shooting scene The leaders of the teams on the scene in those early minutes, including Lapatin, saw the victims, Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, in the auditorium-style classroom. They saw dozens of spent cartridge shells. Backpacks and other paraphernalia were strewn around. Bullets had penetrated some of the seats. Lapatin spoke to a small group of detective supervisors. Advertisement Advertisement "I just told them, 'Look, we've got to take the chaos out of our heads and just concentrate,'" he says. "They all stepped to it," he recalls. "They're all professionals." Investigators from the crime scene processing team, the Bureau of Criminal Identification, were on the job. Agents from the many federal agencies were already on their way to join in the manhunt. State police handled emergency calls and some routine calls. Managing the surviving students safely and appropriately for investigative purposes was one of the tasks at hand. They were removed from the building. Police are visible at the Brook Street entrance of the Barus & Holley building at 6:20 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, as they work to clear the building at the center of the Brown University shooting. "We wanted to keep as many as we can in a safe place so we could question them later," Lapatin says. Advertisement Advertisement As the survivors waited to talk to detectives, investigators wanted the group at least separated from other people prior to the interviews. The preference, to separate such witnesses from each other, wasn't possible based on conditions. "We didn't have much choice," Lapatin said. "There was a lot of them, a lot in the beginning," he added, saying that there were also a lot of police officers with them as well. Were investigators worried the killer might be in the group? "That was always a thought, but we really didn't think so, because, you know, we had some people saying the suspect went out the door," Lapatin says. A person who walks away from the shooting rather than running Other investigators were already in a room at Brown University where screens showed video from campus surveillance cameras. A clip recorded by a camera drew attention, Lapatin says. Advertisement Advertisement "And what stood out was this man," Lapatin recalls. "This man, you know, in dark clothing with the face mask, which at the end turned out to be the suspect," he says. The man was not holding a gun in the video that was drawing the most attention. "It was after the shooting," Lapatin said. "He was walking," he said. "Everybody else was running." In time, investigators would come to believe that the gun was hidden. "Our belief was that he had the satchel now under his coat, with the gun inside," Lapatin says. A large police force gathers Lapatin and other detectives set up a command post in a building next door. Calls flowed in from other law enforcement agencies. Federal personnel from the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security Investigations joined the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Providence police were "leading" the investigation, Lapatin says. "That was without question," he says. A lead agency has to be established for organizational reasons, he says. It was important to make sure there were no "wildcat" investigators and "that everybody is on the same page." Early lead fails to pan out Two major leads took shape during the first 12 hours of the investigation, Lapatin says. One, based on a tip from an "outside agency," involved a person who had applied for a gun permit, Lapatin says. The information involved a person staying at the Hampton Inn in Coventry just off Interstate 95. He was detained as a person of interest before dawn early Sunday morning, Dec. 14. Advertisement Advertisement The investigators saw "some guns and other things," Lapatin says. They needed to look into it further. "And that's what they did. They checked him out." The news that someone had been detained was a relief for Rhode Islanders. But not for investigators, according to Lapatin. And when the Coventry lead failed to pan out, investigators were not saddled with a big emotional letdown either, he says. They had never let their hopes lift that high in the first place, Lapatin says, adding that their search for other leads had continued without pause. "We never skipped a beat," he said. A second lead emerges A second tip worthy of investigation had also emerged early Sunday morning, Lapatin says: Multiple people had referred police to a man who lived near the university. Advertisement Advertisement Brown had sent out an email asking anyone who was in the building to contact police. The same man called to tell police he had been in the building the day before the shooting. "He had an alibi and he was cleared," says Lapatin. How different law enforcement agencies worked together By late morning on Sunday, Dec. 14, the base of the investigation had moved from Brown to the third floor of police headquarters at the Providence Public Safety Complex. "We decided we needed to take this back to our home grounds," Lapatin says. The large suite of offices that houses Providence detectives, as well as the department's new Real Time Crime Center, is on one end of the floor. An aerial view of neighborhoods north of Brown University, near Swan Point Cemetery and Blackstone Boulevard, draws focus in the Providence Police Department's Real Time Crime Center at 9:02 p.m. on Dec. 17. In a separate section at the other end, investigators set up in a room where they could work on the tips that were flowing into the station on a designated phone line that was advertised to the public. Advertisement Advertisement The Providence police team that processes crime scenes for evidence, led by Lt. Robert Papa, remained at Brown with their counterparts in the FBI. By Lapatin's estimate, at this point, a group of 200 investigators were working "in and out" of the complex. Investigators did not work alone. The first daylight on Sunday helped. Lapatin says they knew what they would do. They needed to methodically collect and view as much video as possible in the neighborhoods close to the scene and then work outward. "It's one of our best chances of solving the case," Lapatin said. However, other investigators stayed at the safety complex. FBI Boston's Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks speaks at the Dec. 15 press briefing on the Brown University shooting investigation at the Providence Public Safety Complex. "We had two rooms filled with people on computers," he said. "That's all they did, sit on the computers all day. And then in the Real Time Crime Center, there was more people on computers. These people sat there for hours and hours and hours and just went through things without moving." Advertisement Advertisement Most of them were FBI analysts. Lapatin says he had made contact with Wing Chau, the U.S. Marshal for Rhode Island. Chau added marshals to the massive force of investigators. Agents from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations were already part of the team. At Lapatin's request, Brown police Lt. John Carvalho, also the acting deputy chief of Brown's police department and a former Providence police sergeant, joined the team in place on the third floor. Some of the special technology from the FBI could help gather information from cellular communications. The bureau also had special tech tools for dealing with video and for quickly checking on criminal history, Lapatin says. The ATF personnel contributed skills and capabilities for analyzing firearms and spent ammunition and shells. Some rounds that were not fired at the scene were found at the scene. They were checked for DNA. Some samples were obtained. The evidence was driven to Connecticut's state crime lab in Meriden for analysis. Providence police Detective Lt. Jonathan Primiano, foreground, and other investigators study video on screens in the department's Real Time Crime Center at 9:02 p.m. on Dec. 17. The Providence police remained the lead investigative agency, Lapatin says. Still, they prepared for the possibility of supporting a case for prosecution in federal court if necessary. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha is a former U.S. Attorney, and two high-ranking prosecutors in his office Deputy Attorney General Adi Goldstein and the chief of Neronha's criminal division, Stephen Dambruch also had extensive experience as federal prosecutors. They were in a group of prosecutors stationed in Lapatin's office. The tip center had about 15 investigators working the phones and recording the tips. Workflow benefited from an FBI system that funneled the tips into a bin where everyone could see them, Lapatin says. "And the other thing that's going," Lapatin says, "that's full force now, is our Real Time Crime Center." The crime center, which launched this past summer, has links to more than 300 live cameras, police say. If investigators looking at those cameras can identify a suspect or person of interest to follow, the center is designed to help them track the person across multiple video feeds from one location to another. The center is not staffed around the clock, Lapatin says. "If something happens, we always have somebody who can jump right in there," he says, adding that somebody was probably in the center "minutes" after the shooting. Three calls about one person On Monday morning, Dec. 15, as the public reacted to news about the Coventry lead not panning out, investigators focused on a third tip. Three different calls, each of them regarding the same man, were received in the tip center, Lapatin says. The man's size and physique lined up. One caller said they thought the man might have worked at Brown in the past. The investigation surveilled the person. "That involved watching him go through his daily routines," Lapatin says. Investigators hoped to pick up something, perhaps some trash, that would provide a sample of DNA. "We had a team on him, waiting for an opportunity to get some DNA," he says. The work on that angle of the case would continue for days, even as the investigation ultimately focused heavily on Neves Valente. Switching to a search by grids As of late Monday night, investigators had gone through thousands of minutes of video. On Tuesday morning, they established seven grids to search for video, Lapatin says. Prior to this, the search for cameras was organized by individual streets. The search for video gained organization and efficiency by examining each house for potential cameras. Sometimes, street investigators obtained video. Other times, specialists went to extract the video. Lapatin estimates that each grid had 100 or 150 properties. "It was time-consuming," he says. "I know people were anxious. It was being worked." Investigators hoped that a surveillance video would lead them to a better image of the masked suspect or even to a car associated with him. "So lead three is hanging out there," Lapatin says. "Lead one's gone. Lead two is gone." Reddit post provides crucial tip On Tuesday a post on Reddit started to draw a lot of attention from investigators. The post referred to a gray Nissan with Florida plates parked by the Rhode Island Historical Society. It also mentioned a man who'd acted strangely, locking and unlocking the car with a key fob. "It looks pretty good," Lapatin says. Investigators, based on video from the area, were already aware of movements by the masked man on Cooke Street prior to the shooting as well as some sort of contact he'd had with another person. But their video did not show any car, Lapatin says. And they would learn that that other person was the Reddit poster. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 16 and 17, long before they finally interviewed the Reddit poster on Wednesday night, investigators worked to track down a gray Nissan with a Florida plate. Hunt for a gray Nissan with a Florida license plate The gray Nissan represented the fourth major lead in the case. Investigators focused on a woman who owned such a vehicle with a Florida plate. When the detectives looked into it, they found that the vehicle had been observed in the area. Also, the woman had a close relative who may have fit the profile, Lapatin says. After a lot of surveillance, they felt the lead wasn't the strongest, Lapatin says. They talked to the woman at work and corroborated that she had told them the truth about where she had been during the time in question. That lead was ruled out. "It was a fluke," Lapatin says. Key break: A blue Nissan emerges The fifth and final lead, the one that would take police to the shooter, a Miami man, emerged as investigators continued to look for a Nissan of any color with a Florida plate. Capt. Dennis P. O'Brien said that more than 100 investigators had worked stints of more than 20 hours at a time, or longer, without sleep. O'Brien recalls working 31 hours on one shift. The teams didn't quit on the Nissan. Providence police detectives, including Detective Joseph Nezier and Detective Mitch Guerra, and state police Detective Sgt. Robert Hopkins and several others, digested great amounts of video to try to see the Nissan in the area. They also ran searches within the system of networked license-plate reading cameras on the East Side. The information provided by the system showed that a blue Nissan had been on North Main Street, at Randall Street near Whole Foods, on dates in early December and in the area on the day before the shooting, Lapatin says. The blue Nissan was identified in the North Main Street, Doyle Street, Camp Street area, Lapatin says. By Wednesday afternoon, investigators had the name of the man who had rented the car. They were familiar with his connections to Brown University. They had an image of him at Alamo Rent A Car in Boston, where he had rented the car on Dec. 1. Simultaneously, investigators were still working to make contact with the man who had authored the post on Reddit. To get his IP address, investigators had to get a subpoena, Lapatin says, adding that the FBI handled that. On Wednesday night, investigators interviewed the Reddit poster. The man who wrote the Reddit post had graduated from Brown University in 2010, Lapatin says. Where he actually lived wasn't perfectly clear to investigators, Lapatin acknowledges. Detectives didn't push that issue. "We needed to know more important information," he says. It was clear that the man, who has a cell phone, had spent a lot of time on the streets, frequently used the bathroom in the engineering building and was familiar enough and protective enough to spot someone who didn't belong there, Lapatin says. On Dec. 18, police and FBI agents swarm a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, where the body of Brown University shooter Claudio Neves Valente was found. "So he comes in," Lapatin says, referring to the Reddit poster, "and he's very well-spoken. And he explains exactly what happened." The masked man had raised his suspicions during an encounter in the building. His post on Reddit, about a gray Nissan, had channeled the investigation toward Neves Valente. "That was it from there, the hunt was on," Lapatin says. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Brown University shooter: An inside account of police investigation Defense Minister Israel Katz said he will seek government approval to close Army Radio (Galei Tzahal), a controversial decision opposed by the Israel Press Council. Defense Minister Israel Katz said he will seek government approval to close Army Radio (Galei Tzahal) on Sunday, with the change taking effect on March 1, 2026, after 75 years of broadcasting. Army Radio commander Tal Lev-Ram, who previously served as the military correspondent for The Jerusalem Post's sister newspaper, Maariv, has said they would challenge the closure in the High Court of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara has said the move raises concerns about political interference in public broadcasting and raises questions regarding the violation of freedom of expression and the press. The Israel Press Council, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer, has called Katzs decision to close Army Radio illegitimate and illegal and said the station can be closed only through legislation by the Knesset. He threatened to file for High Court intervention. Free press concerns The Movement for Quality Government in Israel also vowed to petition the High Court and declared the defense minister's decision a "continuation of the dangerous trend of systematically attacking the free press. Radio broadcasters seen in the offices of Galei Tzahal, the national IDF radio station, in Jaffa, on March 27, 2014. (credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90) Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi recently succeeded in moving along a Knesset bill, which critics have cautioned will give the government much greater control over the media. Advertisement Advertisement The NGO said that, The claim that the station harms morale is a pathetic excuse for a political maneuver whose purpose is to silence criticism. Government ministers must not be allowed to close media outlets based on political considerations." It is unclear how the High Court will rule, given the many legal issues in play and the unprecedented nature of Katz's closure action. In the past, the High Court has slowed governments' attempts to completely eliminate Israel Radio but has allowed them to significantly transform the body, including mass firings and new hires, which led to the formation of KAN. The defense minister's decision is based on the recommendation of a professional committee, but critics have said the committee was handpicked to ensure Katz's desired outcome. Advertisement Advertisement The committee had described the very existence of a military radio station broadcasting to the general public as a democratic anomaly that has no equal in the world, and said its involvement in current affairs and news harms the IDFs status as the peoples army. Katz argued that the stations original purpose - as a platform serving IDF soldiers and their families - has been overshadowed by political content that, in his view, undermines the army. As I have made clear, what was is not what will be. The Israeli government established Army Radio as a military station to serve as a mouthpiece and an ear for IDF soldiers and their families - and not as a platform for voicing opinions, many of which attack the IDF and the IDF soldiers themselves, he has said. The defense minister's committee said it considered multiple alternatives, including transferring the station to another public body, privatizing it, or partially closing it. Advertisement Advertisement It recommended two options: either convert Army Radio into a Soldiers Home model, broadcasting only music and brief news flashes without current affairs or political content, or close the station entirely. There was no clear public explanation of why Army Radio could not be partially privatized, as many experts have suggested as a compromise solution to salvage one of the country's premier media outlets, while severing it from being fully and directly linked to the IDF. Multiple former defense ministers talked about closing the station when it is critical of them or their governments' policies. Katz is not the first to object to the strange model of having Army Radio, which, on one hand, claims to be and often acts as an independent media outlet, ready to criticize any party, including the IDF, but on the other hand, often acts as an arm of the IDF. Advertisement Advertisement This is part of what has sometimes pitted it against government officials on both sides of the aisle. But former defense ministers have always either backed off completely from trying to close Army Radio or navigated toward a compromise by changing some of the makeup of the top personnel to diversify the broadcasters or seeking other reforms, such as diversifying the programs themselves. In the end, other defense ministers have decided that despite its idiosyncrasies, its general reputation as a valued member of the independent media was too great to wipe out entirely. The Galgalatz, the music and transportation station operated by the IDF, is expected to continue operating in its current format. Advertisement Advertisement Lev Ram said the station had learned of the move with complete surprise, adding that Army Radio had not even gotten to respond to the committee report or to try to address their criticisms. He cited numerous flaws in the panels work, including conflicts of interest, the premeditated selection of members, and what he called manipulation of the facts. "A heavy shadow hangs over the committees work, which from the outset operated under the premise that what was will no longer be,'" he said. Katz said a professional team will be established within the Defense Ministry to oversee the implementation of the decision, ensuring civilian employees at the station can end their employment under proper arrangements while safeguarding their rights. Army Radio has broadcast to the Israeli public for 75 years, serving as both a news outlet and a cultural presence for the military. Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Friday warned against making early endorsements in the 2028 presidential race, pushing the GOP to seek a competitive primary instead. I think its very important that the Republican party have a competitive primary, McEnany, who served at the end of President Trumps first term, told Fox News Martha MacCallum. It makes you tougher. We see how much weaker, in my opinion, the left was by not having a primary, she added, referring to Democrats decision to support Vice President Harris soon after former President Biden withdrew from the 2024 race against Trump. Advertisement Advertisement I hope we have that competitive primary, the former press secretary added. McEnanys analysis comes after Erika Kirk, executive director of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and the wife of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, announced Thursday that she is endorsing Vice President Vance for 2028. Were going to ensure that President Trump has Congress for all four years, Kirk said during TPUSAs AmericaFest conference in Phoenix. We are going to get my husbands friend, JD Vance, elected for [48th president] in the most resounding way possible. McEnany acknowledged that the support will give Vance a leg up in the race. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have seen their momentum rise in recent weeks following key election wins in the 2025 races, with messaging largely focused on the economy and affordability. GOP lawmakers are now growing increasingly concerned about the upcoming midterms as Republicans including President Trump see their poll numbers falling. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who has been floated as a potential Democratic candidate in 2028, recently highlighted a poll showing her leading Vance in a hypothetical match-up, though neither have announced a run. The survey showed Ocasio-Cortez besting the vice president by 2 points. Among the list of likely GOP candidates are Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Vance has rebuffed rumors of a potential rivalry between him and Rubio, who ran against Trump in 2016. He also said he is not entitled to the nomination just because he is vice president. Advertisement Advertisement The president has also declined to make an early endorsement. In August, Trump said it was too soon to settle on a successor but added that Vance is most likely his heir apparent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Update 12/21/2025: Evacuations were lifted on Sunday afternoon for the area of the South end of East Salmon River and East Welches Road in Welches. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A landslide in Welches has prompted Level 3 Go Now evacuations on Saturday evening, Clackamas County officials say. The Level 3 evacuation notice is for the South end of East Salmon River and East Welches Road in Welches. Level 2 evacs for possible landslide in Oregon City Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the notice means residents in the area are in extreme, life-threatening danger and should leave immediately. People are advised not to stop and gather belongings, follow emergency plans and leave as fast as possible. The notice comes after Level 2 Be Set evacuation notices were issued for other areas in Clackamas County on Saturday, including at the Applegate Terrace apartments in Oregon City, due to a possible landslide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Massachusetts is staring down an uncertain future. The state needs to add 222,000 new homes over the next decade to address a housing crunch that has driven prices skyward. In many local school districts, students are slow to regain ground lost to the COVID pandemic. At all levels of government, leaders face challenging financial decisions ahead. And behind all of it, President Donald Trumps return to office has brought Massachusetts and some of its cities increasingly into conflict with the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement MassLive is highlighting eight leaders to watch in 2026, who will help chart the states path in the coming years, each in his or her own way. Some already hold positions of immense power, and their decisions will have tremendous influence over the daily lives of Bay Staters for years to come. Others bring novel ideas to address the states most pressing questions or the potential to shape their local communitys success. They were selected by MassLive staff. Brian Allen, Worcester Schools superintendent Across the country, municipal officials face strapped finances and daunting prospects of balancing their budgets. They might consider looking to Worcester for a vision of the path forward. For 12 consecutive years, Worcester Public Schools has been recognized with a national award for its budgeting process. Only two other school districts in Massachusetts received the award last year. Advertisement Advertisement Behind that process was a team led by Brian Allen, the new Worcester superintendent, now in his first year leading the district. As deputy superintendent since 2022, he oversaw the school systems finances and its $586 million budget. He attributes the districts budgeting success to years of stability and consistent planning and lists it among his greatest accomplishments. Also on that list was his leadership of a multi-year effort to bring the districts transportation in-house. Millions of dollars had been going to an independent bus contractor annually. Now, those dollars stay within the school system, Allen said in an interview. The quality of transportation also improved with the change, he said, and the districts bus drivers have been fully staffed for the last two years. The shift to a district-run bus program also earned Worcester national and state recognition. Its a process other school districts are now looking to emulate, Allen said. If these sound like the most mundane, nitty-gritty issues of municipal government or school leadership, thats because they are. But by capably handling the minutiae, school leaders earn the time to focus their energy elsewhere, Allen said. Advertisement Advertisement If were not dealing with parent complaints on transportation, if were not dealing with always facing criticism over our finances, we can use that time to focus on our strategic plan, our overarching goals of the district and really provide the leadership to schools, he said. Allen also helped lead advocacy for the Student Opportunity Act, a 2019 state law that provided the most significant update to school funding in over 25 years. The district is implementing a multiyear strategic vision developed under the previous superintendent, Rachel Monarrez. Among its key features is a push to hire and retain talented teachers, including those who came up through the school system as students. We have heard over and over again, We want our teachers to look more like our students, Allen said. Wheres the best place to get that from? Our own students. Advertisement Advertisement Though he never taught in a Worcester classroom himself, instead joining the district directly on the administrative side, Allen knows the value of Worcester students giving back to their community. You can find him in the yearbook of Worcesters South High Community School, Class of 1988. Im a Worcester kid, he said. Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights is in the trenches, fighting multiple key legal battles against the tsunami of shifting policy from the Trump administration. At the organizations helm is Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, whose two-decade legal career has included defending voting rights, workers rights, the LGBTQ community and more. But the civil rights lawyer is best known for his work on immigration issues. Advertisement Advertisement Under his leadership, Lawyers for Civil Rights has challenged Trumps effort to discard birthright citizenship, his threats to the federal funding of so-called sanctuary cities and his removal of humanitarian protections for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants fleeing unrest at home. In addition to those high-profile cases, Espinoza-Madrigals group has also filed claims against immigration agents for violently removing passengers from their vehicles and supported people in need of free legal counsel on immigration issues. We are seeing tremendous need on the ground, Espinoza-Madrigal said. And the availability of free legal services is one of the most critical interventions at this time. People need free legal support to be able to navigate what has steadily become significant federal overreach. He is confident in the organizations ability to rise to the occasion. Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers for Civil Rights dates back to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, when President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy called on American lawyers to step up in support of the struggle for equality. The organizations history can be traced through cases challenging discriminatory promotion practices in the Boston Police Department, segregation in public housing and immigration arrests in and around Massachusetts courthouses. For inspiration, Espinoza-Madrigal looks to personal mentors who lived through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Some of them, he said, marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965, when police officers brutally beat civil rights demonstrators. He thinks about what they would tell him about the role lawyers and courts play in safeguarding freedoms and dignity. Advertisement Advertisement When I think about the challenges were facing today, its important for us to remember that progress is possible, he said. It requires us to think creatively and to have tremendous resilience in the face of adversity. Kimberly Budd, chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd is about to complete her fifth year leading Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. At age 59, she has more than a decade until mandatory retirement. When Budd was sworn in as chief justice in 2020, she was the youngest person to take the oath in more than a century. Shes also the first Black woman to serve as chief justice. In that role, she serves as the leader of Massachusetts court system, leading not only its highest court but also overseeing the entire judiciary branch. Speaking to members of the Massachusetts bar recently, Budd highlighted some of the ways the courts are coming into the modern age. The system has invested in upgraded WiFi in all its courthouses and piloted digital signage in the Chelsea District Court, she noted. Advertisement Advertisement Following her address, Budd was asked about the ways the courts are working to maintain public confidence in the judiciary. She pointed to efforts to make the system more accessible, including for those who dont have lawyers, and also the relaunch of the judicial evaluation process, which was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. That process allows jurors, lawyers and court staff to offer feedback on judges. Were constantly looking for ways to improve. Were not staying static, she said. In 2025, Budd authored the courts decision upholding the legality of the hotly debated MBTA Communities Law, which requires communities served by the T to zone for new housing. The court also heard several other high-profile cases, like Karen Reads double jeopardy appeal and the bar advocate work stoppage that plunged the states trial courts into chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Still, 2025 is not some outlier. In 2024, the court ruled that life sentences without the possibility of parole were unconstitutional for emerging adults, a decision that suddenly made dozens of offenders eligible for parole for the first time and drew the ire of prosecutors. That year, the court also found that so-called johns, men accused of paying for sex at a high-end brothel, did not have a right to privacy. But the SJCs work doesnt always draw headlines. The court also reviews every first-degree murder conviction in the state. It decides on complicated legal questions facing Massachusetts, setting new ways of doing business in the states judicial system. Budd will be a key figure behind those decisions for years to come. Leah Foley, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts The Trump administration wasted no time in January appointing veteran prosecutor Leah Foley as U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, bypassing the typical drawn-out confirmation process to place her in the position a day after the inauguration in January. Foleys appointment was expected after she was a finalist for the position during the first Trump term. She has spent nearly two decades working in the U.S. Attorneys office in Massachusetts. Before taking over as the top federal prosecutor in the state, Foley worked in the offices narcotics unit. In a state dominated by the Democratic Party but under a Republican federal government, Foley has emerged as arguably the most prominent conservative voice in Massachusetts. She publicly clashed in June with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, who had called federal immigration agents a secret police. Foley said Wus remarks were reckless and inflammatory. In November, Foley blasted Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, another Democrat, who had signaled her disappointment that the state was relatively powerless to take action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foleys public comments on ICE have mirrored the steps her office has taken to carry out the Trump administrations strict federal immigration policy. Her office has also shown willingness to prosecute those accused of interfering with ICE operations. In October, it charged a woman accused of threatening ICE agents while they detained a person outside Malden District Court. State-level politicians are lined up in opposition to Trump. But on matters of federal law, Foley and her office remain the most powerful voice. Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association Max Page is bracing for years of turbulence to come as he guides a 117,000-person educators union through federal cuts to education spending, the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and attempts from the Trump administration to exert more influence over classrooms. As president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Page is responsible for advocating for the best interests of not only teachers, but essentially any adult involved in a public school or college or university, he said. This administration, as many previous authoritarian administrations, wants to control ... public education, pre-K through higher ed, Page, a University of Massachusetts Amherst professor, said in an interview. This moment as head of this union ... is a very fraught one. The last few years have been eventful for the 180-year-old union, which Page has led since 2022. It was one of the key backers of the states Fair Share Amendment, more commonly known as the millionaires tax, and led a campaign to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement. The Fair Share Amendment, which imposed a 4% tax on the portion of a persons income above $1 million, has been a critical resource in defending against Trumps cuts to education, Page said. With funds raised by the tax, the Legislature has directed more than $6 billion toward education and transportation. Free community college, universal school meals and vocational schools have all been funded with Fair Share revenue, Page said. He also suggested Massachusetts could go even further. If were doing all this great stuff and the wealthy are getting wealthier and theyre not leaving, then theres clearly, theres clearly more room to have people contribute their fair share, he said. To that end, Raise Up Massachusetts, an advocacy group the MTA worked with to pass Fair Share, is lobbying for a similar tax on corporations. Its part of a broader strategy for the union, Page said: going on offense. He wants the union not just to react to events as they happen, but to be proactive. As the state with the heritage of the best public education system in the country, we have to actually double down on that by raising the funds, necessarily, by strengthening workers rights, by strengthening how we teach, we actually help defeat a regime that is fundamentally wanting to control and undermine public education, Page said. Sometimes, though, the unions influence comes up short. The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill in October aimed at improving student literacy that the MTA lobbied against. In a letter sent to legislators, Page said the union opposed the bills one-size-fits-all approach to literacy instruction. Phillip Eng, Mass. transportation secretary and MBTA general manager When Phillip Eng arrived in Boston in March 2023 as the new general manager of the MBTA, he inherited a transit system in crisis. Disruptions were rampant on a train network plagued by outdated infrastructure and speed restrictions. In the year before Engs hire, trains had collided and caught fire, and a man was killed when a Red Line train pulled away with his arm caught in the door. Federal officials had outlined significant areas of concern with the safety of the T and demanded improvement. Gov. Maura Healey said Engs hire was the most important appointment she had made to that point in her administration. Two and a half years after Eng pledged an open and strategic plan to turn Greater Bostons public transit around, riders can feel the improvement. After completing an aggressive surge of repairs last year, trains are running noticeably faster. And the T is on its way to meeting the federal governments standards for improved safety. Eng says the Ts goals now include bringing the system into a state of good repair, increasing the frequency and reliability of service and building out resiliency so that normal maintenance issues dont become headaches for riders. Eng is popular among his ridership. In Healeys 2025 State of the State address, mention of his success brought a crowd of lawmakers to their feet. But Eng remains adamant that his work is unfinished. And for him, the work itself has now changed. In addition to still serving in the highly demanding general managers role, Eng also leads the states Department of Transportation. Healey tapped him for the job in October after Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt stepped down. Until Healey appoints a new secretary a job Eng said he would open to holding as long as its needed Eng will have tremendous influence over the commonwealths major transportation projects. He stepped into the expanded role at a time when some of the states most pressing transportation projects have lost or risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. In a period of great uncertainty, Healey is leaning even further on Engs leadership. Theres definitely a fantastic opportunity for me to streamline how transportation agencies work together in this dual role, he added. And I look forward to doing more of that. Vikas Enti, co-founder and CEO of Reframe Systems Massachusetts faces a massive housing crunch. One report from the Healey administration found the state needs to build 222,000 homes over the next decade to meet demand. Many communities once affordable to first-time buyers are now increasingly out of reach, driving outward migration of young adults that threatens to drain the states deep talent pool. Massachusetts cannot afford to wait for more housing supply, the housing advocacy group Abundant Housing Massachusetts said earlier this year. Enter Vikas Enti and his team at Reframe Systems. In 2022, the former Amazon robotics executive partnered with two other former senior engineers of the retail giant to change the way factory-built homes are constructed. By automating a hefty portion of housing production, they aimed to reduce construction costs and increase production. We think there is a path to the future here where we increase housing supply at the right price points that really unlock our ability to build a profitable business, allow developers to be profitable and allow more people to get into homes they can afford, Enti said. Buildings and the construction industry account for more than a third of global carbon emissions. So Enti and his fellow Reframe co-founders also wanted to produce homes that require fewer materials and release fewer toxins into the environment. The housing shortage and climate change are two of the biggest challenges of our generation, Enti said. He hopes Reframe can provide a path to solving both. Robots take on the repetitive, physically demanding aspects of the projects, such as framing walls and ceilings, Enti said. Human workers can then focus on the finer touches, including wiring and plumbing. Were working towards eventually automating 60 to 80% of factory tasks, blending robotic precision with human craftsmanship, Enti said. Reframes first factory is now open in Andover. Its first home, a 900-square-foot two-bedroom in Somerville, was completed last year. Two more Somerville triple-deckers one meant for multigenerational living and one for affordable housing are scheduled to be finished this month. Other homes are planned in Devens and Woburn. A second production facility is planned in Southern California to support the rebuilding of areas of Los Angeles scorched by this years wildfires. The company hopes to build 1 million homes over the next two decades, and estimates that doing so would require 800 factories nationwide. Xiomara Alban DeLobato, chief of staff to Western Mass. Economic Development Council Xiomara Alban DeLobato is building a bridge between the world of corporate business and communities in Western Massachusetts. In practice, that means she gets a lot of cups of coffee with key figures on both sides as she works to build relationships. A first-generation American, DeLobato said her parents, both Ecuadorian immigrants, instilled in her a sense of resilience and determination. Before working for the Western Mass. Economic Development Council, DeLobato was a staffer to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, and Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno. Her political experience, which included civic engagement work, has helped her in the business world. To create communities that people want to come to and spend their money at local businesses DeLobato said she tries to get to know each town and city on its own. Using those relationships is a key part of balancing the needs of different communities, she said. Western Massachusetts is not a monolith. The hilltowns are far different from Springfield. But in many cases, theres overlap in their needs. Rural Western Mass. has a lot of areas of disinvestment that need and require this level of focus and attention and care, the same as other parts of ... Springfield or Holyoke or Greenfield, DeLobato said. Asked to point to recent accomplishments, DeLobato cited the Springfield WORKS Cliff Effect Pilot. The program supports those on government assistance programs to prevent what she described as a vicious cycle in which people avoid taking a raise or promotion, which would cost them benefits and leave them overall worse off. As their income from work grows to match or exceed what they had been receiving in assistance, the benefits begin to fall away. Not only is this benefiting our participants, right, our workers who are dedicated and committed and able to do this, its also going to save the state a lot of tax dollars, she said. Looking ahead, DeLobato sees Western Massachusetts as a potential future home for quantum hardware production. The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, based in Holyoke, will soon become what state officials touted as the nations first Quantum Computing Complex, thanks to a partnership between the Healey administration and QuEra Computing. DeLobato said the council is also working to create a quantum accelerator in Springfield. Not only are we working towards this business development, attraction and retention. Its going to naturally, also organically, bring and also allow us to upskill a workforce, she said, noting that Springfield Technical Community College is in the process of creating a Quantum Workforce Academy. Holyoke is going to see the build-out of the first quantum computer in Massachusetts, she said. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Dec. 20SANTA FE The key to driving down stubbornly high crime rates and improving judicial efficiency in New Mexico may lie in revised data collection and tracking by local law enforcement in conjunction with the state, an analysis presented to the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee found last week."Despite large investments by you, the Legislature, violent crime rates remain high and accountability has not become more swift or certain," Stephanie Joyce, LFC program evaluator, said at the opening of the presentation to the nonpartisan committee last Thursday.Joyce presented the 64-page report, titled "Policy Spotlight: Felony Arrests and Outcomes," along with fellow analysts John Valdez and Garrett Moseley.The analysts found that roughly half of law enforcement agencies in the state were not current in their reporting of crime or clearance rates to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety as of September, a requirement under state law. DPS reports data it receives from police agencies in New Mexico to the FBI, a system of information sharing in place in the state since 2008.But in 2018 the FBI switched the way it would compile crime data going forward, from the previous Summary Reporting System (SRS) to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Since the switch, many law enforcement agencies in New Mexico, and elsewhere in the country, have not kept up with annual reporting of crime data.According to the report, the data that is available from 2024 showed the highest number of crimes were reported in Albuquerque the state's most populous city by far but the smaller municipalities of Gallup, Taos and Belen had higher overall crime rates, meaning reported offenses per 100,000 people.A footnote in the data table reads: "Not all jurisdictions report data to NIBRS."The LFC report found that despite more than $380 million in one-time funding awarded by the Legislature to improve staffing and information-sharing across the criminal justice system since fiscal year 2021, there were significant gaps in crime data gathering across the state."Several large agencies have recently cautioned they have been reporting inaccurately for years," the report states. "Court filings for felony crimes have not shifted substantially, suggesting arrest rates are probably roughly the same as in FY18."The findings cast doubt on the state's current body of criminal justice data, which has noted precipitous declines in both violent and property crimes. Ad The analysts recommended an incentive tying grant funding for local law enforcement agencies to how well they report crimes."The central theme is to get better information to people at all levels of the system to help them make better decisions," Joyce said.That extends to local law enforcement agencies themselves, half of which responded to a survey commissioned by the committee that they don't use real-time crime data to determine where officers should be deployed and when.The committee also recommended shifting responsibility for its crime data-sharing network from the New Mexico Sentencing Commission to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the state judicial system's central support agency.Despite recent reforms, felony cases also continue to crawl through New Mexico's state district court system, with courts resolving only about 79% of felony cases within 365 days on average, well below national rates. The number of hearings and continuances, or delays, in a court system was the greatest predictor of case efficiency.The New Mexico Supreme Court in recent years has enacted new rules to speed up case processing in state courts. In the 1st Judicial District in July, for example, the high court issued a new rule requiring criminal cases to be resolved within seven to 10 months, except for those of "unusually high complexity."During last week's presentation, the committee recommended the Administrative Office of the Courts standardize performance tracking and guidance on best practices to further improve case processing speeds.Analysts also suggested assigning universal case numbers that would apply to all court events tied to the same crime, creating an automated notification system to alert parties to activities in cases they're tracking, a "functioning" victim notification system and ensuring more consistent fingerprinting of people arrested for misdemeanor or felony crimes, which Joyce said remains the gold standard when tracking defendants whose other identifiers might change over time. John Miller is the northern New Mexico correspondent for the Journal. He can be reached at jmiller@abqjournal.com. A local graduate of Brown University held a vigil on Saturday, honoring victims of last weeks mass shooting. Two students were killed, and another nine were injured after a gunman opened fire at the Rhode Island university on Dec. 13. Zuhal Saljooki graduated from Brown University in 2023 and knows people who knew the students who died. Saljooki recalled feeling an immense amount of grief after the shooting, and a desire to reach out to others who were struggling. Advertisement Advertisement I personally wanted to be on campus, but the situation was so dire that I couldnt go safely to my alma mater. So, I wanted to create a community for grieving alumni and generally people who felt connected to the event and gun violence in general. Hosted at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Mount Washington Branch, Saturdays vigil included light refreshments and the reading of a poem and a prayer. The tragedy on campus deeply impacted students, Saljooki said. They are disturbed. They are terrified. Truly, the word terrorism is used for a reason. Theyve instilled terror in these young adults. Advertisement Advertisement However, students were relieved to learn that the suspected shooter had been found, Saljooki said. RELATED COVERAGE >>> Brown University attack suspect died 2 days before his body was found, autopsy finds Claudio Neves Valente, 48, was found dead in New Hampshire late Thursday. Authorities say he was also linked to the shooting death of an MIT professor days after the shooting at Brown University. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The longtime leader of the Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (CSSMV) has recently announced her resignation, according to a spokesperson with the non-profit organization. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Laura J. Roesch, Chief Executive Officer of CSSMV, is stepping down after 16 years in the role on Feb. 27. Roesch has worked at CSSMV for 37 years and will start her new position as Executive Director of The Glen at St. Joseph on March 1. Advertisement Advertisement She made history as the third layperson and second woman to hold the CEO position of CSSMV since its founding more than 104 years ago. TRENDING STORIES: Under Roeschs leadership, CSSMV executed a five-year, $10 million Generations Campaign to enhance its services, the spokesperson said. Some of this funding led to a 6,500-square-foot expansion at the Choice Food Pantry on West Riverview Avenue. An accessible Welcome Center, elevator, and universal changing table were added to the building. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the pantry conducted more than 20,000 food distributions, the spokesperson said. Other programming has grown and evolved to meet the communitys current needs during Roeschs tenure. These services cover a wide range, including programs for older adults, supervised visitation, refugee services, behavioral and mental health support, and more. CSSMV took an active role in recovery efforts after the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes and has successfully merged with Life Essentials to enhance guardianship services across multiple counties. Roesch was also elected to the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities USA in 2018, according to the spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement In a way, I am completing a full circle, Roesch said. In college I found my calling as a volunteer. I then began my career as a licensed social worker at Catholic Social Services, working with single mothers and their children. The Glen at St. Joseph provides a safe haven for single mothers and their children and a path toward long-term stability and success for families. A search for Roeschs successor will begin soon. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A loose seal caused a brief stir along the Oregon Coast Dec. 20 after it was discovered wandering up U.S. Highway 101. Lincoln County Sheriff's deputies located the seal near milepost 146 between Seal Rock and Newport and quickly intervened to keep the seal away from traffic. While waiting for a response from the Oregon Coast Aquarium, deputies used a rope to leash the seal out of concern for the animal's safety. A seal was discovered wandering up U.S. Highway 101 near Newport on Dec. 20. A staff member from the Oregon Coast Aquarium was able to safely secure the seal upon arrival. Advertisement Advertisement The Lincoln County Sheriffs Office thanked Oregon State Police and the Oregon Coast Aquarium for their assistance. A seal was discovered wandering up U.S. Highway 101 near Newport on Dec. 20. "We wish our new pinniped pal all the best on his journey!" they said in a statement. The sheriff's office also reminded drivers that Lincoln County roadways pass through active wildlife areas, to be mindful while driving, and to report any wildlife collisions or concerns. Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Loose seal found wandering up US Highway 101 on Oregon Coast Murphys, CA An international circus artist who grew up in Murphys finds herself in the midst of challenges related to the recent travel ban. Circus Artist Erin Stephens, who has family in Murphys and plans to continue entertaining local audiences, shares how a ban on all citizens from Burkina Faso entering the US impacts her. Stephens fell in love with the West African country and became the co-director of Yennega Circus in March of 2020. Ouagadougou, the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso has become Stephens home base as she travels, including hosting a performance in Murphys in July, and the International Jugglers Association (IJA) Regional Competition in Manizales, Colombia in September. Stephens married Armand Ouendlamita in Koudougou, Burkina Faso in what she describes as a magical celebration on December 10, 2025. Her family members, circus performers, and hundreds attended. The same week also featured celebrations, with Yennega Circus performing on a national TV station and in front of thousands on a huge stage as part of Polyphonies for Peace and the countrys 65th Independence Day Anniversary. The travel ban was expanded by President Trump on December 16, 2025 to include Burkina Faso, stating, According to the Department of State, terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso. The detailed statement continues Additionally, Burkina Faso has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. Concluding, The entry into the United States of nationals of Burkina Faso as immigrants and as nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended. Read the full statement here. Stephenss challenge, as she states it; Trump has officially banned citizens from Burkina Faso from entering the USA meaning my husband cannot meet my father, meet my community, get to know my favorite foods, places and parts of my culture of California and the US. She strongly objects to President Trumps blanket statements and goes on to share her experience, In my travels I have fallen in love with said third-world countries because what I have encountered in all third world countries Ive visited is kindness, welcome, joy, dancing, laughter, intelligence, resilience, passion, brilliance, beautiful nature and architecture, incredible history and culture, riches that are rarely shown in the popular media and far less crime than that which Ive encountered and that which statistically exists in the United States of America. Ive come to appreciate and admire the focus on community, taking care of each other and a sense of belonging that all citizens feel. Her full statement is here. A Fact Sheet detailing the restrictions and limits on Burkina Faso and other countries is at www.whitehouse.gov. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has warned against US military intervention in Venezuela. "Armed intervention in Venezuela would be a humanitarian disaster for the hemisphere and a dangerous precedent for the world," Lula said on Saturday at the summit of the South American confederation Mercosur in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguacu. The US military has assembled a force of warships, fighter jets and soldiers off the coast of Venezuela. Officially, the mission is aimed at combating drug smuggling. Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, however, fears that Washington wants to force a change of power in Caracas. Advertisement Advertisement Mercosur is divided on the issue, however, with the right-wing governments of Argentina and Paraguay supporting a tough stance against Venezuela. "Maduro is a dictator and must go," said Argentinian Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, according to a report in the newspaper La Nacion before the summit began. Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez Lezcano stressed the threat to regional security posed by the Venezuelan government and called for the release of political prisoners. Mercosur is made up of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Venezuela was a member but has been suspended. Foz do Iguacu is located near the world's largest waterfall, the Iguacu Falls, which straddle the border between Brazil and Argentina. The city also sits on the border with Paraguay. Guest Opinion. Being a federally recognized tribe in the United States officially recognizes the political relationship between the sovereign nation of a tribe and that of the United States of America. This relationship is the foundation of land ownership in America, and it enabled the fledgling U.S. government to buy land through treaties, which it used to encourage settlement (Manifest Destiny) and to pay Revolutionary War soldiers with 100 to 1,000 acres of land in land bounties because there was little money to pay soldiers. The government then continued to use Indian lands to pay for other wars, including the Indian Wars. Please support our year-end campaign. CLICK HERE TO DONATE. Advertisement Advertisement Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. The tribes of first contact are on the East Coast, from New England to Florida, and then New Mexicoall Spanish contact in the 16th century. Then came English colonization, and since the English were the victors, history is written from that perspective, often leaving out the Spanish completely. The 16th and 17th centuries were periods of enslavement of Lumbee ancestors, and it is estimated that 250,000 Natives were enslaved and shipped to other countries, including the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal. Some of the enslaved Natives made their way back to the Virginia and North Carolina colonies. The tribes of first contact were enslaved, shipped away, died of smallpox, or were killed, making land acquisition without treaties easy. By 1871, Congress, in my view, unconstitutionally ended the presidents Article II treaty-making power with Indian tribes. The Lumbee Tribe survived all of this and found refuge in the swampy areas of North Carolina and South Carolina, and were recognized by the state of North Carolina in 1885. The federal government also made frequent visits to the Tribe, and excavations and reports from the Smithsonian accumulated knowledge of the history of the people and their artifacts. Reports were written analyzing the feasibility of state recognition versus federal recognition as early as the 1880s (the McMillian Report). Advertisement Advertisement Finally, in 1956, the Tribe took the political opportunity to choose its own name, and that is the year the U.S. Congress passed a law federally recognizing the Lumbee Tribe as Indians. But this was the Termination Era, when the federal government had a policy of eliminating tribal governments, and so the bill lacked any of the usual benefits and opportunities of fully federally recognized tribes. Once the Termination Era was over, the Tribe sought full federal recognition, but with legislation that said the Tribe could not have the benefits of a federally recognized tribe, no amount of executive rulemaking could overcome legislative lawmaking. That is the way the Constitution favors the will of the people that comes from the Legislature. That is why a memo from the Department of the Interior, the cabinet agency that houses the Bureau of Indian Affairs, released a memorandum from its solicitor in 2016 saying that they interpreted the statute to mean that the Lumbee could seek recognition through the executive branch. However, as before, no amount of executive rulemaking can overcome legislative lawmaking. It was surprising that this memo passed scrutiny within the Department of the Interior. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn, a fellow law professor whom I greatly respect (and who was in line to become president of the law professors association, AALS), was involved. This was an astonishingly narrow interpretation of the statute, if not outright wrong, but I believe it was an attempt to help us out of an untenable situationa kind of purgatory in which the Tribe was neither fully recognized nor unrecognized, with no legal pathway to resolve it other than legislatively. Knowing there was only a legislative solution to the problem, competing interests and tribal enemies insisted that the Lumbee Tribe go through the executive branchs Office of Federal Recognition (OFR), knowing full well that it was a dead end because legislation precluded full recognition. These dark forces used vast amounts of lobbying and funding to block efforts by the Lumbee Tribe to make a legislative change. Since the Office of Federal Recognition was established in 1978, only 18 tribes have succeeded in gaining recognition, and decades often pass during consideration. To illustrate the absurdity of this process, for example, the tribe of Pocahontas, the Pamunkey Tribe, was not federally recognized until 2015! Advertisement Advertisement Here is one of my favorite political cartoons that captures the Office of Federal Recognition process precisely, and the fact that it is from almost 25 years ago tells you how long the process has been seen as dysfunctional. Why President Trump likes the Lumbee Tribe President Trump ran for president in 2016 and won, in large part due to the Lumbee Tribe, which is one of the most bipartisan tribes in America and can tip decidedly conservative. The Tribe also tipped the scales toward Trump in 2020 and 2024, leading to a victory for the Trump team in North Carolina, a key swing state. Seeing this voting profile, President Trump promised to give the Tribe federal recognition. But in seeking votes, a long line of presidential candidates before him had also promised federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, including Kamala Harris (both as a vice-presidential and presidential candidate) and Joe Bidenbut no steps were taken to fulfill those promises. On one of the first days of the Trump administration in 2025, the president signed an executive order directing his administration to find a pathway to federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe. That alone was the most any president had done to follow through on such a promise. This time might be different. Senators from North Carolina had also promised to introduce legislation to recognize the Lumbee Tribe. This was done multiple times by well-meaning U.S. senators. For example, Sen. Elizabeth Dole made the introduction of this legislation the first act of her Senate service, yet never got the bill out of committee. It is surreal Sen. Tom Tillis of North Carolina was the latest to introduce legislation to recognize the Lumbee Tribe in 2024. He was not taking no for an answer, but the bill never got to a vote. Then, with synergy from President Trump, the Lumbee Fairness Act was added to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 (NDAA). The NDAA passed the House on Dec. 10, 2025, by a vote of 312112, and then passed the Senate unchanged on Dec. 17, 2025, by a vote of 7720. The next day, President Trump signed the bill into law, and the Lumbee TribePeople of the Dark Waterbecame the 575th federally recognized Native American tribe. Advertisement Advertisement The phrase I kept hearing from Lumbee tribal members was it is surreal after working for the last 137 years for federal recognition. It is about more than benefits; it is about identity and confirming culture, history, and worldview. The Lumbee Tribe, though denied federal recognition for so long, never lost sight of holding to heritage and unity as a tribe. It is a surreal moment. To read more articles by Professor Sutton go to: https://profvictoria.substack.com/ Professor Victoria Sutton (Lumbee) is a law professor on the faculty of Texas Tech University. In 2005, Sutton became a founding member of the National Congress of American Indians, Policy Advisory Board to the NCAI Policy Center, positioning the Native American community to act and lead on policy issues affecting Indigenous communities in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net A man is facing charges for allegedly setting a fire on a CTA train on the city's Northwest Side on Friday morning, Chicago police said. Police said it happened near the CTA Blue Line's Damen Avenue stop in the Wicker Park neighborhood just after 6 a.m. Jesus Martinez, a 52-year-old Northlake man, intentionally lit his belongings on fire, causing burns to his leg, police said. Police said the fire was extinguished, and Martinez was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agents took him into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Martinez has been charged with felony Aggravated Arson/Know Person Present and felony Criminal Damage/Government Property greater than $500 to $10,000, police confirmed on Sunday. SEE ALSO | Man accused in Blue Line fire attack facing new arson charges in separate blaze at City Hall No other injuries were reported, police said, but the incident caused extensive delays for Blue Line riders. Friday morning's fiery incident happened on the same day CTA officials planned to bolster their police presence at stations and stops across the city after submitting a safety plan to the federal government. INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood An Ohio man is facing federal charges after allegedly placing hidden cameras in the homes of minors. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Last week, 32-year-old David Mitsnefes of Blue Ash was scheduled to appear in federal court in Cincinnati for a detention hearing. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The hearing is in connection with federal child exploitation and pornography charges Mitsnefes faces after he allegedly hid spy cameras in the house of minor victims. Charging documents indicate that between 2021 and 2025, on multiple occasions, the family of teenage victims found hidden cameras in the minors bedrooms. Mitsnefes allegedly used wifi to save videos of the minor occupants in various states of undress to his iPhone. He also allegedly took the victims underwear on multiple occasions and kept them in his bedroom. In November 2025, the familys Ring security camera allegedly caught an image of the suspect wearing a dark hoodie and pants entering the home while the family was out of town. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities searched Mitsnefess electronic devices and found videos of the victims as well as numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material obtained over the internet. A criminal complaint was unsealed on Dec. 17, charging Mitsnefes with attempted sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A widespread power failure plunged San Francisco into darkness on Saturday night, disrupting traffic citywide and forcing numerous self-driving Waymo taxis to stop abruptly in the middle of streets and intersections. As electricity went out across large portions of the city, traffic signals failed, leaving autonomous vehicles unable to operate as normal. Photos and videos shared by users on X showed Waymo robotaxis frozen in place, backing up traffic and creating hazardous conditions for other drivers. Waymo confirmed on Saturday evening that it had shut down its driverless ride-hailing service throughout San Francisco after footage circulated online showing its vehicles blocking roads during the blackout. Advertisement Advertisement We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the widespread power outage, a Waymo spokesperson, Suzanne Philion, said in a statement to several news outlets. Our teams are working diligently and in close coordination with city officials, and we are hopeful to bring our services back online soon. Rolling blackouts affected roughly 130,000 homes and businesses throughout the day, according to Pacific Gas & Electric Company. By Saturday evening, about 30% of PG&E customers in San Francisco were without power. Mayor Daniel Lurie addressed residents in a video posted to social media, urging them to please stay off the roads and stay inside because traffic lights were not functioning. He said police officers were being dispatched to major intersections and high-traffic corridors. With signals dark across the city, Waymo vehicles appeared confused and came to a standstill. Social media posts showed robotaxis stopped at intersections while lines of human-driven cars piled up behind them. Advertisement Advertisement Many of the circulating videos and photos showed multiple Waymos immobilized in clusters. In several locations, two, three and sometimes as many as six vehicles sat motionless rain falling while other drivers maneuvered around them. The incident drew attention to how reliant autonomous vehicles are on surrounding infrastructure. Although Waymo often highlights that its vehicles perform better than human drivers in safety measurements, the outage demonstrated how failures outside the companys control, such as disruptions to the power grid, can severely affect operations. Waymo currently operates the only paid robotaxi service in the US without safety drivers or onboard monitors, managing a fleet of about 2,500 vehicles. The company began offering paid autonomous rides in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2020, roughly 11 years after it first launched as Googles self-driving car project. While Waymo has expanded gradually over time, it like other companies in the autonomous vehicle space has also been the subject of federal investigations related to unexpected driving behavior. Advertisement Advertisement The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. Two hikers from Massachusetts were rescued after falling into a brook on Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Officials say one of the hikers was heavily intoxicated. According to New Hampshire Fish and Game, at approximately 10 p.m. on December 19, officers with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department were alerted by New Hampshire State Police Dispatch of three hikers in distress on the Ferry Spring Trail of Mount Monadnock. Officials said that upon making contact with the hikers via cellphone, it became evident that one hiker was attempting to provide aid to two hikers in distress. Advertisement Advertisement The two hikers, identified as 18-year-old Shawn Paelian and 18-year-old Brendan Girouard from Wichendon, Massachusetts, had fallen into a brook and were wet and freezing. New Hampshire Fish and Game say high winds, dropping temperatures, and their soaking wet clothes created a situation for life threatening cold weather injuries. According to officials, the two hikers in distress had no food, water, warm clothes, change of clothes, or any cold weather gear. One of the hikers was able to walk down the mountain under his own power, however the other hiker was unable to move and suffering from cold weather injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Rescue crews eventually got him out of his frozen clothes and began to warm him up. Officials say the pair had started their hike after dark, and one of the hikers, identified as Girouard, was heavily intoxicated. New Hampshire Fish and Game say he will be charged with minor in possession of alcohol and it will be recommended that the hiking pair be billed for the rescue. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) On Thursday, the Mesa County Sheriffs Office Major Offender Task Force (MOTF) located and arrested a wanted suspect and two other adults for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, paraphernalia used for distributing illicit drugs and a handgun. The wanted suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jason Soper, had allegedly absconded from Parole out of the Colorado Department of Corrections after a multi-year conviction related to numerous drug and weapons charges. MOTF had received information that Soper was located at a hotel on the 700 block of Horizon Drive. At around 7 p.m., MOTF members attempted to contact Soper in a hotel room and arrested him without incident after multiple loudhails. Advertisement Advertisement The two other adults, 38-year-old Kyle Billings and 29-year-old Saleah Campbell, were found inside the same hotel room and arrested without incident. Deputies found over three-quarters of a pound of a white crystalline substance, which was identified preliminarily as methamphetamine, drug distribution paraphernalia and a handgun with several rounds of ammunition when searching the room. The three suspects, all from Grand Junction, were transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following: Soper was charged with Distribution/Manufacture/Possession with Intent to Distribute >225 Grams of a Schedule I/II drug or >112 Grams Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or >50 Milligrams of Flunitrazepam, which is a level one drug felony Unlawful Possession of >4 Grams Controlled Substance Schedule I/II Drug, Flunitrazolam, Ketamine, or GHB, which is a level four drug felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, which is a drug petty offense Parole Violation Billings was charged with Distribution/Manufacture/Possession with Intent to Distribute >225 Grams of a Schedule I/II drug or >112 Grams Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or >50 Milligrams of Flunitrazepam, which is a level one drug felony Distribution/Manufacture/Possession with Intent to Distribute >225 Grams of a Schedule I/II drug or >112 Grams Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or >50 Milligrams of Flunitrazepam, which is a level one drug felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, which is a drug petty offense Campbell was charged with Distribution/Manufacture/Possession with Intent to Distribute >225 Grams of a Schedule I/II drug or >112 Grams Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or >50 Milligrams of Flunitrazepam, which is a level one drug felony Unlawful Possession of >4 Grams Controlled Substance Schedule I/II Drug, Flunitrazolam, Ketamine, or GHB, which is a level four drug felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, which is a drug petty offense Failure to Appear Warrant Advertisement Advertisement We would like to thank the Grand Junction Police Department Street Crimes Unit for their assistance in this case. Cases like these are successful because of our law enforcement partnerships across the county, stated the Mesa County Sheriffs Office in a press release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. NEED TO KNOW U.K. mom Sophie Hunt, 34, died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) in Turkey in 2022 Her family claims that she wasn't "fit for the surgery," per the BBC "I just hope it makes somebody think," Sophie's sister Aimee told This Morning in 2023 Three years after a 34-year-old mother of two from Northampton, England, died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) in Turkey, her family is claiming she was "not fit for the surgery," per the BBC. The outlet reports that during an inquest into Sophie Hunt's death at the Northampton Coroner's Court this week, Sophie's family shared their concerns about the procedure, which, according to reports from BBC and SkyNews, took place at the private Nisantasi Hospital in Istanbul. Advertisement Advertisement Sophie experienced multi-organ failure and died after going into cardiac arrest three times on March 9, 2022, two days after having a BBL and tummy tuck. Per the BBC, in a statement read to the court this week, Sophie's mother, Sandra Hunt, shared that after the surgery, Sophie lost consciousness and had swelling in her hands. She added that she believes her daughter "was not fit for the surgery," citing paperwork from the hospital that reportedly showed "some of her ECG (electrocardiogram) readings indicate an abnormal heartbeat." However, the outlet states that a report from Turkey's Council of Forensic Medicine claimed that "the individual had no known medical illnesses." At the inquest, coroner Sophie Lomas said that she "does not have the jurisdiction to fully investigate what happened in that hospital" because the surgery took place out of the country. Advertisement Advertisement "Sophie Hunt died due to complications of a surgical procedure carried out whilst abroad," she concluded. PEOPLE reached out to Nisantasi Hospital but did not immediately hear back. A statement from the Northampton coroner's office to PEOPLE reads: "In March 2022 Sophie Hunt travelled to Turkey to undergo abdominoplasty and liposuction. On 7th March 2022 Sophie underwent the procedure at a private hospital. The procedure appeared to have proceeded without complication. Sophie was stable post-operatively and was able to mobilise but she then experienced a sudden loss of consciousness and then went into cardiac arrest. She was resuscitated and stabilised before being transferred to another hospital with a coronary intensive care unit. Whilst en-route she experienced another cardiac arrest and upon arrival was transferred to intensive care where she was found to be in multi-organ failure. Despite treatment her condition deteriorated and she had a further cardiac arrest. She sadly died at Safek Hospital, Istanbul on 9th March 2022. A post-mortem examination carried out in Turkey concluded that Sophie died due to complications of abdominoplasty and liposuction. A post-mortem examination carried out in England agreed with this conclusion due to the close temporal link between the surgery and subsequent cardiopulmonary arrest." Sophie Hunt/Facebook Sophie Hunt. Sophie Hunt. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Per BBC, a report provided by Turkey's Council of Forensic Medicine stated: "The individual had no known medical illnesses." Advertisement Advertisement It further noted that Sophie had the tummy tuck and liposuction on March 7, 2022, and then experienced "sudden loss of consciousness." It concluded that she died "as a result of abdominoplasty and liposuction procedures and the complications that developed thereafter." Kevin West performed a postmortem exam after Sophie's body was returned to the U.K. It was concluded that she did, in fact, die from complications of the surgery, but West noted that the "exact cause of cardiopulmonary arrest is unclear." Sophie's sister Aimee Hunt told the BBC, "If she hadn't had the surgery, she would be alive still." She continued, "They still haven't stated what the complications were. It's not really an answer. No-one can really tell." Advertisement Advertisement Aimee added that the family is seeking "more answers" about Sophie's death. Of her sister, Aimee told the BBC: "Sophie was outgoing, funny, fun to be around, caring, kind and a brilliant mum." In an interview on This Morning in July 2023, Aimee said she and her mom were "worried" about Sophie going abroad for the procedure. "We all were worried, but I just wanted Sophie to be happy, and she said she really wanted to do it, so I supported her decision," she shared. Aimee also recalled getting a phone call from Sophie's friend, who had gone to Turkey with her and had the same procedure. Advertisement Advertisement "She just said 'They've told me to call you, you need to come out,'" Aimee said. When she arrived to Turkey, she said the doctors wouldn't let her see Sophie but told her that she had gone into cardiac arrest and was given 90 minutes of CPR. Shortly after, Aimee was told that Sophie has passed away. However, Aimee said on This Morning that doctors later told her that her sister had died before Aimee even arrived in the country. "He said that because I had had a long journey, it was better to prepare me," she recalled. "I just hope it makes somebody think that, 'Actually, I can die,'" Aimee urged. "'Cause you can. My sister's died. It can go wrong." Read the original article on People Individuals named Anglesey typically exhibit strong leadership qualities combined with deep spiritual conviction. They are often perceived as resilient and steadfast, capable of weathering challenges with grace and determination. Their connection to the name's historical roots often manifests as a strong sense of tradition and responsibility toward preserving values and heritage. Anglesey's tend to be natural guardians of community and family traditions. These individuals often display a thoughtful, introspective nature with a natural inclination toward community service and mentorship. They possess a calm, grounded presence that others find reassuring, and they frequently serve as pillars within their social and religious circles. Their strength lies in their ability to balance traditional wisdom with practical application, making them effective leaders who inspire loyalty and respect. The name suggests someone who values stability and continuity while being adaptable enough to guide others through changing circumstances. Psychologically, the name Anglesey correlates with characteristics of reliability, wisdom, and spiritual depth. Those bearing this name often feel a sense of historical connection that informs their worldview, making them particularly suited to roles involving education, religious leadership, or cultural preservation. Their personality typically blends quiet strength with compassionate understanding. NEED TO KNOW Darren Munoz, 19, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal solicitation in connection with the deaths of his father Oscar and stepmother Dina Police responded to a call about a burglary in progress at a home in Clovis on Dec. 15 and found the couple shot in their bedroom Investigators said in an arrest warrant affidavit that the suspects belief, per his romantic partner, had been that Oscar owned a convenience store franchise and that if he was dead, the money would end up with his son A New Mexico teenager is accused of hiring a friend to kill his father and stepmother so that he could claim his inheritance, per an affidavit for his arrest. Darren Munoz, 19, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal solicitation in connection with the deaths of his father Oscar Munoz, 58, and his stepmother Dina, 71, according to the Clovis Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Julio Zamora, 18, is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, police said. Police responded to a call about a burglary in progress at a home in Clovis on Dec. 15 just before 5 a.m. When officers arrived, they found the garage door open. Munoz allegedly told officers that everything had been fine there, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. When one of the officers said he planned to check on Munozs parents, Munoz allegedly told the officer he didnt want him to go inside because his parents slept in the nude. Munoz eventually led the officer inside and Munoz went into their room, per the affidavit. When he came back out of the room, his hands were allegedly covered in blood. Advertisement Advertisement The officers then entered the room and found Munoz's father and stepmother shot, the affidavit states. Oscar was still showing signs of life although he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit. Dina was pronounced dead at the scene. Munoz allegedly told investigators that his parents spent the weekend in San Antonio for their anniversary and he stayed home alone. According to the affidavit, he said that when his parents returned, they brought home food and he went to bed between 9 and 10 p.m. before he woke up hours later after hearing the garage door alarm. He would then lie to investigators about whether he called 911 or not, the affidavit states. However, 911 call logs would indicate Darren had called and when confronted with this information Darren admitted he did in fact call 911, reporting the [alleged] burglary. According to police, Munoz told officers he had been spending time with his girlfriend, who was seen by witnesses at the home over the weekend. An acquaintance of the couple later contacted police alleging that there had been a plan in place for several weeks or months between Munoz and two of his friends to kill the teen's parents, per the affidavit. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The acquaintance claimed that Darren wanted to take over the parents belongings/finances and this is how they would do it, the affidavit states, adding that the acquaintance alleged "there had been a plan for Darren to trade an AR rifle for a ghost glock or a pistol without a serial number." Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with police, Munozs girlfriend claimed he wanted his fathers money and Zamora agreed to kill Darrens parents in exchange for the money when Darren got some, per the affidavit. Investigators alleged the belief had been that Oscar owned a convenience store franchise and that if he was dead, the money would end up with his son. The alleged plan, according to his girlfriend, was for Zamora to go through the garage and then shoot Munozs parents in their bed, police said in the affidavit. While executing a search warrant on Munozs phone, investigators allegedly discovered a conversation thread between Zamora and Munoz where Munoz said his parents werent home yet but were on their way. Advertisement Advertisement "Darren also told Julio his parents would let him know when they were on their way and he would relay this info to Julio," per the affidavit. Home security footage also allegedly showed Munoz hiding a pistol in his waistband around 5 p.m. the night before the killings happened. Zamora was later arrested leaving his home, and allegedly had a ghost gun in his possession, police said. "The reason for the murder was motivated by money. Darren believed he would inherit a large sum of money if his mother and stepmother were out of the picture," the affidavit claims. Both teens are being held at the Curry County Adult Detention Center. They have both pleaded not guilty. Munoz's next court appearance is set for Dec. 22, while Zamora's hearing is set for Dec. 23. Read the original article on People WASHINGTON In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently. Legislation Introduced to Transfer Federal Land to Pueblos for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has introduced the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025, legislation to place three tracts of land from the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding land into trust for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. Please support our year-end campaign. CLICK HERE TO DONATE. Advertisement Advertisement Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Heinrichs Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and led in the House by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.). My legislation expands on decades of bipartisan work to put the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding tracts of land in to trust for the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico. This land, in particular, will be used by the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to scale Native-owned businesses, create jobs, and expand business services for local and Native-owned businesses an economic win for everyone, said Heinrich. The Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act of 2025 will expand economic development and cultural education opportunities for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which serves all nineteen of New Mexicos Pueblos, said Lujan. I am proud to introduce this legislation to help the center grow its capacity as a cultural and economic institution, creating jobs and generating revenue for New Mexicos Pueblos and our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Heinrichs Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 builds upon a longstanding, bipartisan effort to transfer the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding tracts to the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico for the development and growth of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a nationally recognized museum and cultural institution owned and operated by the Pueblos, dedicated to both preserving and perpetuating pueblo history, culture, and art, while facilitating their future economic growth and long-term economic sustainability. The text of the bill is here. 20th annual Office on Violence Against Women Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation Jan. 2123, 2026 | Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, Minnesota The 20th annual Office on Violence Against Women Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation will be held Jan. 2123, 2026, at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The consultation provides an opportunity for elected tribal leaders and their designees to offer recommendations on improving the federal response to violence against Native women. Leaders and advocates are encouraged to prepare using NIWRCs tribal consultation resources, including its priorities document and resource hub. Ruiz Votes Against SPEED Act to Protect Tribal Sovereignty and Environmental Safeguards On Thursday, Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) released the following statement: Advertisement Advertisement "Today, I voted against H.R. 4776, the SPEED Act, because it would weaken the National Environmental Policy Act and undermine critical protections for Tribal Nations, their lands, waters, and cultural resources. For more than 50 years, NEPA has helped ensure Tribal governments have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their communities. Speeding up permitting should not come at the expense of Tribal consultation, environmental review, or the protection of sacred sites and treaty rights. "I support responsible economic development and energy projects that move forward in partnership with Tribal Nations and with respect for their sovereignty. I remain committed to strengthening environmental protections while addressing real permitting challengeswithout cutting corners or silencing Tribal voices." About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net Speaking on the All In podcast, Barak addressed the Netanyahu trial, Israels democratic future, the absence of a state commission of inquiry, and aspects of his own judicial legacy. Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus corruption trial had gone on for far too long and reflected a failure in its handling, in a rare and wide-ranging interview released this week. Speaking on the All In podcast hosted by journalist Nadav Perry, Barak, nearly two decades after retiring from the Supreme Court, addressed the Netanyahu trial, Israels democratic future, the absence of a state commission of inquiry, and aspects of his own judicial legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Addressing the ongoing criminal proceedings against the prime minister, Barak said the length of the trial pointed to a fundamental problem. The trial is too long. There is a flaw in its management, he said. Barak also said he was surprised by the judges reported recommendation to remove the bribery clause from the indictment, referring to developments surrounding Case 4000. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to the courtroom at the District Court in Tel Aviv, in the trial against him, October 15, 2025 (credit: REUVEN KASTRO/POOL) Netanyahu has been on trial since 2020 in three cases, commonly known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, which include charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The prime minister denies all wrongdoing. Barak linked the state of Israels democracy directly to the outcome of the next national elections, warning that voters would bear responsibility for the direction the country takes. 'We will know in the next elections if the people want democracy' We will know in the next elections if the people want democracy, he said. If this government is elected again, we will not be able to say, We didnt know. Advertisement Advertisement His remarks came amid ongoing domestic debate over judicial reform, governance, and the balance of power between Israels branches of government. Barak was also sharply critical of the continued failure to establish a state commission of inquiry, calling the situation unreasonable. It is very not logical that there is still no commission of inquiry, he said. He accused Netanyahu of opposing an independent investigative process, saying the prime minister did not want objective investigators but rather politically aligned ones. Netanyahu does not want objective investigators. He wants investigators of ours, Barak said. Advertisement Advertisement In a rare moment of personal reflection, Barak addressed criticism surrounding his judicial philosophy and terminology associated with his tenure. I regret the use of the expression constitutional revolution, he said, referring to a term long associated with the expansion of judicial review in Israel. He also pushed back against a frequent claim made by critics, saying, I never said everything is justiciable. The interview marked one of Baraks most extensive public interventions in recent years and quickly drew attention across Israels political and legal spheres. FAIRMONT As the holiday season unfolded across North Central West Virginia, Pierpont Community and Technical College celebrated with a series of community events and charitable initiatives that reflected its mission of service and connection. From parades to charitable programs, Pierpont showed up with holiday cheer and a commitment to making a difference. Lighting Up Local Communities Pierpont joined some of the regions most cherished holiday traditions, bringing its presence to parades and community gatherings. The College joined the Clarksburg Winterfest Christmas Parade on Dec. 5, the Bridgeport Christmas Parade on Dec. 6, and the White Hall Christmas Parade on Dec. 11. At each parade, Pierponts decorated truck led the way as staff and volunteers distributed candy and Pierpont sticker sheets to families along the route. In addition to the parades, Pierpont leadership and staff attended Bridgeports Light Up Night, a kickoff to the holiday season that brings neighbors together. Advertisement Advertisement The College also hosted the Marion County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours on Dec. 3 at the Advanced Technology Center, to welcome local business leaders and partners for an evening of networking. Participating in these holiday events is about more than celebration; it is about connection, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs David Beighley said. When our faculty, staff and students participate in these events, it reinforces that Pierpont is here to serve, support and grow with our community. These moments remind us that education does not stop at the classroom door; it lives in the relationships we build every day. Commitment to Giving Back Pierponts holiday season was also about showing compassion in action. Through several initiatives, the College demonstrated its commitment to supporting those in need. Advertisement Advertisement An Angel Tree project brought together faculty and staff to fulfill the wishes of a 12-year-old girl. The wish list included a bicycle, Elvis-themed bedding, clothing and winter shoes. Thanks to generous contributions, the team ensured every item was delivered. The WV WORKS Holiday Giving Initiative marked its first year as a new tradition at Pierpont. Designed to support students identified as low-income, the program allowed participants to sign up anonymously for holiday assistance. Through the generosity of faculty and staff, six students and their families received gifts, including $25 gift cards for each student, multiple presents for every child, and an additional $50 gift card for each family. Volunteers wrapped and distributed the gifts on Dec. 12. For anyone who was unable to participate this year, we are excited to share that this initiative will continue next year, said Jama Marshall Roy, DoHS student services coordinator for TANF/WV WORKS. The WV WORKS Holiday Giving Initiative was a tremendous success in its first year, and we look forward to growing it as a new Pierpont tradition. Pierpont also extended its outreach beyond campus through a volunteer day at the Union Rescue Mission on Dec. 1. Members of the College community wrapped presents for families in need. Advertisement Advertisement Celebrating Together On Dec. 10, faculty, staff and board members gathered at Muriales Italian Kitchen for Pierponts annual Employee Holiday Wrap-Up Dinner. Interim President Michael Waide reflected on the years progress. This evening is not about charts or reports, Waide said. It is about people. It is about the work that happens where learning really lives in classrooms, in labs, in offices, in hallways, in early mornings and long evenings, and in conversations that solve problems one step at a time. Guests enjoyed an Ugly Sweater Contest, and competed for the tackiest sweater, cutest sweater and ugliest sweater ever. Advertisement Advertisement Looking Ahead Students, faculty and staff are invited to join the Holiday Gift Wrapping Volunteer Event in partnership with United Way of Harrison County. Volunteers will help wrap gifts at Meadowbrook Mall, spreading cheer while supporting a great cause. Students can also earn community service hours for their participation. The event will take place at Meadowbrook Mall on Dec. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with volunteers welcome to choose any time during the available window. As Dr. Waide shared during the holiday dinner, Momentum does not come from slogans. It comes from people who care enough to improve the work one day, one decision, one student at a time. Pierpont has momentum because you created it. That spirit of giving and growth will carry into the new year, creating opportunities for students and strengthening the communities Pierpont calls home. A dangerous critter has reappeared in one European country for the first time since the 1970s. What's happening? The oriental hornet was spotted near Split in a Kastela quarry, Croatia Week reported in September. It said that the insects were at peak activity and that stings could be likely. The species had previously been seen in Trieste, Italy, and may have traveled there by ship. It moved to neighboring Slovenia and then down the Adriatic coast to Dalmatia, the region that covers the southernmost part of Croatia. Advertisement Advertisement "It is known that it was present before, but there has been no literature data since the 1970s, so it has retreated and is now returning to its old habitat," Nediljko Landeka of the Institute of Public Health told Dnevnik Nova TV, per Croatia Week. Why is this important? Strictly speaking, the oriental hornet may not be an invasive species in Croatia, which is at the limit of its range. But its long absence suggests that it could at least be a nuisance. Invasive species are plants and animals that are not native to an area. They can spread rapidly, taking over ecosystems that haven't evolved with or adapted to their presence. Without natural predators or similar mechanisms to keep them in check, they push out other species and unbalance the environment. "The reappearance of the oriental hornet serves as a reminder of how species can resurface after decades and why caution is vital when encountering them," the outlet noted. Advertisement Advertisement The oriental hornet looks like the European hornet but is reddish brown, and its yellow bands don't reach the end of its abdomen, as the U.S. Army Public Health Center Entomological Sciences Program shows. It should also not be confused with the Asian hornet. The fascinating creature can convert solar radiation into electrical energy, according to National Geographic. But it is also a threat to dwindling honeybee populations, according to the Italian Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie. What's being done about the oriental hornet? The sting of the hornet can cause an allergic reaction and can even be fatal, so residents were advised to steer clear of nests. Treatment consists of washing the area with soap and water, as well as applying an antiseptic and cold compress. Those who experience worsening symptoms should seek medical care immediately, per Croatia Week. If the bug continues to spread, officials may have to take action. In the United Kingdom, for example, the government captured Asian hornets and used minute tracking devices to find their colonies. And in the United States, where the spotted lanternfly has become an invasive peril, biologists recommended removing certain invasive trees to spur local birds to develop an appetite for the planthopper. Advertisement Advertisement That's because native plants are crucial to supporting native animals, and invasive species feed off one another. You can help by rewilding your yard and controlling pests naturally. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. An ambitious submarine dismantling project has been halted due to safety concerns regarding the reactor material contained inside. A local official in Scotland said that removing the most radioactive parts from the submarine was unsafe and unnecessary, as there's no reliable place to store them. As the Dunfermline Press reported, local councillor Brian Goodall rejected a proposal to potentially release higher levels of radioactivity into the environment. At Rosyth Dockyard, there are seven old nuclear subs on site, and additional subs are scheduled to come out of service soon. Advertisement Advertisement There's been a nuclear submarine dismantling process underway at the dockyard for the past 10 years. But without a safe facility to further dispose of the radioactive waste, the dismantling plan has been put on hold. The councilor halted the experimental stage two of the process due to the risk of unsafe radioactive discharges. He is also opposed to any additional nuclear submarines coming to the Rosyth Dockyard. Preventing exposure to radioactive waste is a positive step because it addresses a significant concern about nuclear energy. Nuclear power is a reliable and sustainable energy source that generally has a lower environmental impact compared to coal, oil, and gas. However, it's essential to manage nuclear waste to make this type of power safer and more widely accepted as a clean energy option. Advertisement Advertisement In Scotland, the councillor who opposed the additional exposure to radioactive waste faced opposition. "It is disappointing to see Cllr Goodall on one hand accept that Rosyth should be a centre of excellence for submarine dismantling and support hundreds of jobs, but then in the very next breath say that the workforce are not capable of doing what is needed safely and securely," Graeme Downie, another local official, said, per the Dunfermline Press. Fortunately, scientists have been working on ways to manage radioactive waste more safely and responsibly, such as using molecular crystals to capture harmful byproducts. Meanwhile, innovators have been researching how to turn radioactive waste into useful, everyday products. Advertisement Advertisement It's worth learning more about the potential climate benefits of nuclear power to educate yourself and share the scientifically proven facts with others. For example, nuclear energy could support national energy security, generate large amounts of low-carbon electricity with minimal pollution, and help diversify the world's energy mix. This critical climate issue is controversial but worth exploring as we work toward a cleaner, more sustainable planet. "With homes within meters of the site and schools, shops, and countless other businesses right next door, Rosyth should never have become a nuclear facility and radioactive waste store," Goodall said. "We should now be doing all we can to create a long positive, clean, green future for the dockyard." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Indiana is hoping to lead the charge with a new revolutionary nuclear energy plant that aims to reuse its own nuclear waste and develop sustainable nuclear technology. In a press release, startup First American Nuclear (FANCO) announced plans to host the first U.S. "closed-fuel cycle" nuclear energy park in the state. The park will reprocess and reuse spent nuclear fuel on-site in a process designed to eliminate "97% of long-lasting nuclear waste." The nuclear plant would be the first of its kind to significantly reduce the volume and long-term dangers of nuclear waste. FANCO will also look to establish its company headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Indiana, opening the door for the creation of thousands of jobs in the state. Advertisement Advertisement "Indiana is leading the nation in the next chapter of American energy independence," Indiana Governor Mike Braun said in the release. "With First American Nuclear planting its roots here, we're bringing 5,000 high-paying, generational Hoosier jobs while cementing our state as a leader in clean, reliable nuclear power." Nuclear power plants produce virtually zero carbon pollution during their operation, which makes them a key aspect in the strategy to combat climate change and achieve various net-zero targets. "Indiana and First American Nuclear joining forces to improve the quality of life for Hoosiers and the American people was an easy decision to make," said Suzanne Jaworowski, Indiana's secretary of energy and natural resources in the release. A nuclear facility can efficiently generate large amounts of energy without the operational costs and needs of a traditional fossil-fuel plant. This can ultimately result in lower energy bills for customers. Advertisement Advertisement "FANCO has the ability to deliver affordable, sustainable power to light up our rooms, keep us warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and rise to the ever-increasing energy demands of an advanced manufacturing and computing economy," Jaworowski added. However, nuclear plants can also produce radioactive waste that remains hazardous to human health and the environment for thousands of years. This can present a serious challenge in the safe and long-term storage and disposal of waste materials. With the ability to reuse its own nuclear waste, the proposed Indiana plant could change how people view nuclear facilities. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. A suspended Cincinnati Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of strangling a woman is now facing a federal charge, according to our media partner WCPO-9 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Samuel Saxon, 47, is accused of lying to a federal law enforcement officer, according to an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on Dec. 17. Advertisement Advertisement This federal charge is connected to an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred on Dec. 5. As previously reported by News Center 7, Saxon allegedly put a woman in a chokehold, causing visible injuries on her neck in their Corryville apartment complex. TRENDING STORIES: He pleaded not guilty to domestic violence, strangulation, and felonious assault charges on Dec. 12, according to WCPO-9. Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutors office said a witness who saw the entire incident told officers what happened. The victim in this incident didnt cooperate with authorities. The witness said she saw a man dragging the victim into an apartment in a chokehold and heard the woman screaming. The screaming continued once they went into the apartment, WCPO-9 reported. Officers found the victim with bruises on her chest. Saxons new charge is linked to an interview after his arrest with a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General agent and the Cincinnati police. A federal complaint obtained by WCPO-9 claims that Saxon repeatedly lied to the agent during the interview about interacting with the victim and witness on Dec. 5. Advertisement Advertisement The complaint indicates that Saxon said he only talked to the victim over the phone that day. However, a witness submitted videos to law enforcement claiming they were captured shortly after Saxon was spotted taking the victim inside their apartment, WCPO-9 reported. (The videos) appear to capture the sound of an aggressive argument between Saxon and the victim, the complaint stated. Saxon has since been suspended from his position with ICE as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in the Cincinnati region. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Parents wanting to enroll their children in one of the Oklahoma City Public Schools districts six so-called application schools for the 2026-27 school year have until Feb. 13 to do so. Application schools are free public middle and high schools with selective admission requirements. Criteria for selection may include a combination of achievement tests, attendance, auditions, grades and letters of recommendation. In the Oklahoma City district, application schools include Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School, Classen SAS Middle School and Southeast Middle School, along with Southeast High School, Classen SAS High School at Northeast and the new Belle Isle Enterprise High School, which will open to freshmen for the 2026-27 school year. Advertisement Advertisement Any student currently in grades four through 11 may apply to one of the application schools, including students who reside in other districts. Priority is given to students who live within the boundaries of the Oklahoma City school district. Classen SAS High School is one of the Oklahoma City Public Schools' so-called "application" schools. Families interested in finding out more about application schools can visit www.okcps.org/applicationschools. Superintendent Jamie Polk said in a statement that the application schools offer unique pathways, whether in the arts, STEM, leadership, or advanced academics. At OKCPS, we are committed to expanding opportunities that allow every student to discover their strengths and pursue their passions, Polk said. Details of the updated contract for Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Jamie Polk have been made public. Details of Polk's updated contract made public In addition to her new $275,000 base salary approved earlier this month by the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education, district Superintendent Jamie Polk has financial perks in her updated contract, obtained by The Oklahoman. Advertisement Advertisement The contract includes $10,000 every year for an automobile and technology allowance for the purpose of providing a vehicle, vehicle related expenses, and technology expenses related to the performance of her duties and personal use. Theres also up to $3,000 a year for expenses incurred during her participation in the operations, programs and activities of local, state and national school administrator and/or school board associations and other civic, community, and leadership development organizations. The district also will reimburse Polk for membership dues in organizations that are determined to be beneficial for maintaining and improving her professional skills. She also is eligible for a one-time performance bonus of up to 10% of her base salary no later than June 30 of a fiscal year. For the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, that would be $27,500. Polks contract also provides for 15 days of sick leave, five days of personal business leave and 22 vacation days, as well as professional leave as it is provided to other full-time Central Office certified administrators. Applications open for fellowships to Colonial Williamsburg institute Fifth- and eighth-grade teachers in Oklahoma can apply now for fellowships to attend the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg in summer 2026. The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence coordinates the selection of Oklahoma educators for the institute. Advertisement Advertisement The institute is held in and around the restored capital city of 18th-century Virginia, which is billed as the worlds largest living history museum. The institute gives educators a chance to immerse themselves in early American history, as attendees visit with character interpreters, participate in hands-on activities and collaborate with a facilitator on developing lesson plans and interactive teaching techniques. The 2026 sessions will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The fellowships cover program activities, airfare, lodging and most meals. Educators also receive a $300 stipend for classroom materials. To apply, educators can visit OFE.org. The deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 2. This program has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this time period that I can't wait to share with my students, said Katherine Ethridge, a fifth-grade teacher at Nicoma Park Intermediate School, who attended the teacher institute in 2025. Mustang set to host inaugural Fine Arts Gala Mustang Public Schools will host its inaugural black-tie fundraising event, entitled The Mustang Fine Arts Gala: An Evening for the Arts, on Jan. 31 at the Mustang Performing Arts Center. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma actor, director and comedian Lucas Ross will host the gala. Guests will see and hear performances featuring students and faculty from all Mustang fine arts programs, including music, theatre and visual arts. Proceeds from the Mustang Fine Arts Gala will directly support the fine arts in Mustang Public Schools. The event also will include the official induction of the inaugural class into the Mustang Fine Arts Hall of Fame. The initial class of honorees is Kenn Hughes, an associate professor of music and associate dean in the Roger Breland Center for Performing Arts at the University of Mobile in Alabama; Ty Fanning, a Broadway and film actor; and Bryan Myers, the retired band director for Mustang Public Schools. "The Mustang Fine Arts Gala is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible talent within our schools while ensuring these vital programs continue to thrive," said Michael Raiber, the Mustang districts director of fine arts. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKCPS application school enrollment open, Polk's contract now public A powerful storm in Sao Paulo left around 1.3 million locals without electricity and canceled nearly 400 flights, prompting frustration and blame upon a utility company and local officials. What's happening? The AP reported on the storm that Utility Enel said featured winds reaching 100 kilometers (around 62 miles) per hour that took down trees and power lines. Most of the canceled flights were leaving out of nearby Congonhas airport. While Enel initially restored power to 1.2 million of its 2.2 million clients, 300,000 customers lost power on Thursday, and 1 million remained in the dark. Enel faced criticism for delays in restoring power from Sao Paulo mayor Ricardo Nunes, who called the company "irresponsible." Bloomberg reported that the state's commerce federation estimated business and service providers face 1.54 billion reais (around $290 million) in lost revenue due to the outages. Advertisement Advertisement The outages are far from the first Sao Paulo has grappled with, nor is it the first time Enel has been under fire for its handling of them. 2023 and 2024 featured similar controversies and criticisms from local leaders and residents, per Bloomberg. Why are Sao Paulo's ongoing blackouts important? The continuing vulnerability of the energy grid highlights how extreme weather, intensified by rising temperatures, affects communities. The economic toll that these events take is significant, and utility providers are struggling to keep up with the increasing challenges of severe weather. "Every time something happens, we are left behind without electricity," a frustrated Nunes said. Locals were similarly frustrated and spread the blame. "It is the third time this year alone," psychologist Thais Fernandes told the AP. "Neither the company nor these local authorities are to be trusted." Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, it doesn't seem this disruption or the storm turned deadly, but you don't have to look far to find instances of extreme weather that include losses of life. What's being done about extreme weather causing power outages? Utility companies like Enel and governments can do a better job of bolstering the grid and preparing for extreme weather. Improved weather monitoring using advanced technology is one way they can be more equipped for these events. Customers have their own options to get ahead of extreme weather. One way to increase resilience against such events is through solar power. By investing in a solar panel system with battery storage, you can keep your home powered during outages. This approach reduces dependence on the grid and mitigates reliance on less sustainable energy sources like oil and gas. If you're interested in exploring solar options, check out TCD's Solar Explorer to connect with vetted installers and save significantly on installation costs. Advertisement Advertisement EnergySage, a TCD partner, also offers a free service to help you find local installers, potentially saving up to $10,000 on solar installations. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Ansariah holds deep significance in Islamic culture, deriving from the Arabic root 'n-s-r' meaning 'to help' or 'to support.' It connects to the concept of Ansar, the helpers of Prophet Muhammad in Medina, representing community support and solidarity. Throughout Islamic history, the name has been associated with women who embody charitable qualities and community service. In many Muslim societies, naming a daughter Ansariah reflects the parents' hope that she will grow to be a supportive, helpful member of her community, carrying forward the tradition of mutual aid that is central to Islamic teachings. The name symbolizes the Islamic virtues of compassion, assistance to others, and active participation in building strong, supportive communities. The cultural importance of Ansariah extends beyond its literal meaning to encompass broader Islamic values of social responsibility and community welfare. In various Muslim cultures, the name is often chosen by families who value education, social service, and community leadership for their daughters. Historical records show women named Ansariah playing significant roles in early Islamic education, charitable work, and community organization. The name continues to represent the ideal of the supportive Muslim woman who contributes positively to her society while maintaining strong faith and cultural identity. Collective punishment is a hateful and unjust practice that has been used by bigots throughout history to harm entire groups of people for the actions or alleged actions of a few individuals. President Trump is now cruelly imposing collective punishment on millions of people around the world in response to deadly shootings in Washington, at Brown University and near MIT. Following the attack on two National Guard members near the White House in November, Trump imposed new restrictions to keep people from 39 countries out of the U.S. An Afghan immigrant, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, faces murder and other charges in the attack that killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and gravely wounded guardsman Andrew Wolfe. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Advertisement Advertisement After a December shooting attack at Brown University left two students dead and nine wounded, followed by the fatal shooting of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro, Trump suspended a diversity lottery program that awarded up to 50,000 green cards annually to enable people from countries (primarily in Africa) with few citizens in the U.S. to immigrate to America. Portuguese immigrant Claudio Neves Valente, whom authorities said was responsible for shooting the Brown students and the MIT professor, was found dead by self-inflicted gunshot wound Dec. 18. No one other than Lakanwal and Valente is believed by authorities to have been involved in the shootings. Trumps collective punishment of millions people for the alleged actions of two immigrants makes no sense. Advertisement Advertisement Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated President John F. Kennedy in 1963, was born in Louisiana. Timothy McVeigh, who murdered 168 people in the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995, was born in upstate New York. By Trumps faulty logic, the millions of people living in Louisiana and New York should have been collectively punished following those heinous crimes. Numerous studies dating back to 1870 have found that immigrants both legal and unauthorized are far less likely to commit crimes than people born in the U.S. A Cato Institute study published in September found that among people born in 1990, native-born Americans were 267 percent more likely to be incarcerated than immigrants by age 33. The overwhelming majority of immigrants coming to the U.S. are grateful for the opportunity and want to work hard, play by the rules and achieve the American Dream. About 52 million immigrants live in the U.S., including about 14 million who are unauthorized, and together they make up 19 percent of the nations workforce, the Pew Research Center reported in August. Trump whose mother, paternal grandparents and two of his wives all came to the U.S. from Europe has spent years demonizing other immigrants, especially those from non-European nations. The shootings of National Guard members, Brown students and the MIT professor gave Trump just the excuse he needed to justify intensifying his anti-immigrant campaign. Advertisement Advertisement The president has attacked nonwhite immigrants from Somalia and other countries with particular fury. He recently compared allowing Somali immigrants into the U.S. to taking garbage into our country and denounced Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a U.S. citizen who is a legal Somali immigrant. Ilhan Omar is garbage, Trump said. Her friends are garbage. He later falsely stated that shes here illegally and said we ought to get her the hell out. Trumps bigoted characterization of human beings as subhuman garbage is dangerous and reminiscent of the way Adolf Hitler dehumanized Jews by referring to them as rats, lice, cockroaches, vultures and other animals. In the same way, enslavers of Africans in the United States considered them subhuman animals who could be owned like cattle or horses. Categorizing people as subhuman means it is fine to deprive them of human rights and inflict unlimited collective punishment on them up to and including murder. Leaders around the world have scapegoated racial, religious, ethnic and other minorities since ancient times collectively punishing vast numbers of people. Black Americans have been frequent targets. Advertisement Advertisement For example, in 1921, a Black man in Tulsa, Okla., was falsely accused of attempting to rape a white female elevator operator. Whites then rioted in a Black neighborhood and in a horrific case of collective punishment killed up to 300 Black residents and destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses, looting and burning them in what is known as the Tulsa Race Massacre. Im well aware that xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and other forms of prejudice remain an ugly reality in America and around the world, used by the haters among us to justify all sorts of collective punishment. But until Trump came onto the political scene, I never imagined that a president of the United States would publicly embrace evil and immoral hatreds in the 21st century. Sadly, Trump has proven me wrong. A. Scott Bolden is an attorney, NewsNation contributor, former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party and a former New York state prosecutor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This story is part of SLO Tribune's Parents Central, our expanding coverage for local parents. We're tackling issues that matter to you the most, explaining the "what it means," from school budgets to children's health. We also want to have fun: Send us your best tips for local parents and things to do. Email tips@thetribunenews.com. The Paso Robles principal who was arrested for a suspected DUI in November received a $40,000 payout as a condition of her resignation agreement, according to documents obtained by The Tribune. Former Paso Robles principal Megan Fletcher was arrested on campus on Nov. 10 after police said she allegedly drove to work under the influence of alcohol. A police report obtained by The Tribune showed Fletchers blood alcohol content registered at more than three times the legal driving limit on the day of her arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Fletcher was immediately placed on paid administrative leave following the incident. By Nov. 18, the Paso Robles school board had unanimously approved a resignation agreement between the district and Fletcher, a district spokesperson previously confirmed. To further understand the circumstances surrounding Fletchers resignation, The Tribune requested a copy of the resignation agreement and Fletchers last employment contract through a public records request. Former principal receives payment, benefits for resignation According to the documents, Fletcher remained on paid administrative leave through Nov. 30, after which she was officially placed on unpaid leave. Advertisement Advertisement Shes set to remain on unpaid leave through June 30, 2026, when her resignation will officially go into effect. As part of the agreement, the district agreed to pay Fletcher a $40,000 lump sum within 30 days of the school boards approval of the agreement. The agreement said the payment was subject to all taxes and payroll deductions that might apply, except for retirement contributions. Additionally, the district will pay Fletchers health benefits in full until June 30, 2026. The agreement upheld the right for the district to submit a notice of unprofessional conduct to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing related to the circumstances leading to the resignation. Advertisement Advertisement The district also agreed to a neutral reference clause, meaning the district can only provide a potential future employer of Fletchers with the dates of her employment, the last position she held and her final wage or salary information, according to the document. The document does not equate to an admission of liability for either party, it said. The parties understand and agree this agreement is a compromise of disputed claims and that nothing in this agreement shall be construed as an admission of liability, fault, or wrongdoing by any of the parties or either of them, the document said. The parties specifically deny any liability, fault, or wrongdoing in this matter and in executing this agreement, intend merely to avoid litigation or other controversy. The agreement detailed additional legal clauses around tax consequences for Fletcher, any existing or potential legal claims and more. Advertisement Advertisement The document also declared that the district and Fletcher each paid for their own attorneys fees related to the agreement. The agreement was dated Nov. 14, and was signed by both Fletcher and Paso Robles superintendent Jennifer Loftus. The Tribune also requested Fletchers last employment contract with the district. According to the document provided to The Tribune, which was dated for the 2025-26 school year and appeared to be carried over through contracts from 2023 through 2025, Fletcher received an annual salary of $139,981. A person aboard a small private jet that crashed in North Carolina on Thursday texted "emergency landing" to a family member moments before the plane went down, killing seven people, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, federal transportation officials confirmed Saturday. The Cessna C550 crashed at about 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday while landing at Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte. Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter, Emma, and son, Ryder, were killed in the crash, along with Dennis and Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth. - PHOTO: A small plane crashed at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, on Dec. 18, 2025. Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family dead in small plane crash in North Carolina: Officials Advertisement Advertisement "I can confirm that the NTSB is aware of one brief text from a passenger on board the aircraft to a family member that read and I quote 'emergency landing,'" NTSB Board Member Michael Graham said at a news conference on Saturday. The official did not say who sent or received the text message. He said investigators are not aware of any other messages from passengers to those on the ground. A 16-member NTSB team arrived at the crash site on Thursday. The cause of the crash is still being determined. Blue Origin sends person using a wheelchair to space for the 1st time Their preliminary investigation suggests that the aircraft departed from one runway and attempted to land on another after being airborne for about ten minutes, Graham said. The plane was stable on approach, with its landing lights on according to multiple witnesses, but the aircraft came in low, Graham said. Advertisement Advertisement The NTSB is still not sure who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash, said Graham. The NTSB said previously three people on the aircraft had pilot's licenses. Jonathan Bachman/SRX via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this June 18, 2022, file photo, Greg Biffle is shown with his children during the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience event at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. NTSB investigators located the cockpit voice recorder and sent it to the NTSB lab in Washington, D.C., for analysis. The aircraft did not have a flight data recorder, but it was not required to have one. A preliminary report on the crash is expected within 30 days, but a final report will take 12-18 months. "Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many," NASCAR said in a statement. "His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport." Advertisement Advertisement A joint statement from the families of those aboard stated they were devastated by the loss of their loved ones. "Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives," the statement said. "We ask for privacy, compassion and understanding as we grieve and begin to process this unimaginable loss." WASHINGTON Disability rights groups fear a death penalty case before the Supreme Court could have implications for the intellectually disabled far beyond the criminal context. The justices are considering how to weigh multiple IQ scores when determining if a death row inmates intellectual disability is severe enough that it would be cruel and unusual punishment to execute him. But how the court rules could potentially affect eligibility for government services for people with disabilities, such as health care, education services and income support, according to advocates. Advertisement Advertisement More than one-fifth of working-age recipients of Supplemental Security Income qualified because of an intellectual disability, according to a 2017 report. Its just very critical that there be a universal definition when it comes to intellectual disability, said Shira Wakschlag, general counsel for The Arc of the United States. The Arc and other advocate groups worry that the court could move towards relying solely on IQ tests and not factoring in other information about someones ability to navigate daily life and how early any problems started. A view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., July 19, 2024. The Supreme Court rejected that approach in 2014, ruling that Florida could not use a single IQ test to decide an inmates eligibility for the death penalty. Advertisement Advertisement Intellectual disability is a condition, not a number, the court said in a 5-4 opinion. And in 2019, the court said Texas failed to account for the possible error range in an IQ score, assuming that a score over 70 ruled out an intellectual disability. Now, in a pending case from Alabama, the court is considering what to do when most but not all of a persons IQ scores are above 70 after factoring in the error range. Disability rights groups told the court in filings that when IQ scores are ambiguous or if their accuracy is doubted, then other evidence about how someone functions should be considered. Advertisement Advertisement During the courts December oral arguments, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson brought up the mental health communitys position. More: Ease of claiming low IQ at center of Supreme Court death penalty case They seem to be saying that youve got to look at a lot of different things in order to come to the truth of whether or not this person is actually intellectually disabled, she said. Alito floats concrete standards for death penalty cases But Justice Samuel Alito, suggested there would be greater consistency and predictability in death penalty cases if a defendant has to meet a concrete standard. More: Justice Alito still doesn't like court's gay marriage decision but said it's precedent Advertisement Advertisement Is that not one of the lodestars of the courts death penalty jurisprudence, as opposed to a situation where everything is up for grabs in every case? Alito asked. Death penalty cases are only a tiny fraction of the universe of intellectual disability assessments, according to disability rights groups. Because people who have intellectual disabilities generally need ongoing support throughout their lives, a clinical diagnosis can help them get special education, home and community-based services and other help. Wakschlag, the general counsel for The Arc, said the Supreme Court has resisted past efforts by states to change its approach to intellectual disability assessment. Advertisement Advertisement But if the court reverses course, she said, those decisions have implications in terms of how future courts in other cases and how agencies in general define the term. Its very dangerous, Wakschlag said, to veer away from the clinical definition. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The pending Supreme Court case that worries disability rights groups A man found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Sunday afternoon has been charged in connection with the shooting, Atlanta PD said. In an update police released Sunday night, police identified the person who shot himself as 59-year-old Douglas E. Smith. APD said they found him in the upper-level baggage claim area at about 3:34 p.m. with a gunshot wound to his left arm. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Airport operations were not affected by the shooting, police said. Smith was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and reckless conduct. He will be taken to jail following his release from the hospital, APD said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A Hamas terrorist sits inside a vehicle in Gaza City, November 20, 2025; illustrative. (photo credit: REUTERS/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS) Security sources have denied that the terrorists entered Israel illegally during the October 7 massacre. According to KAN, the three had had permits and had been in Israel prior to the massacre. Security sources have denied claims that the terrorists from Gaza who were arrested on Saturday entered Israel illegally during the October 7 massacre, KAN News reported on Sunday. According to KAN, the three had had permits and had been in Israel prior to the massacre. Advertisement Advertisement Israel Police initially announced they had arrested the three over two years after the massacre during a raid in Rahat. Police found numerous weapons during a search at the site. This included 50 rounds of 9 mm. ammunition and an unspecified number of loose 7.62 Kalashnikov rounds. 9mm pistol rounds; illustrative. (credit: Hammad Sarmad/Shutterstock) In addition, an iron lathe was located, including an iron lathe that was found within the compound. Authorities suspect that the lathe was being used for "weapons-related activity." The detainees and seized items were transferred to Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for further handling. Rahat is the largest Arab city in southern Israel, comprised largely of ethnicBedouins, and located a short distance north of Beersheba. Authorities detain terror infiltrators in Rahat shortly after Oct. 7 massacre Two Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israel from Gaza during the October 7 terrorist attackswere arrested in Rahat in early November 2023, approximately one month after the massacre, it was revealed two weeks after the event. Shir Perets contributed to this report. IOWA PARK (KFDX/KJTL) Police in Iowa Park are warning residents to be on alert after a porch pirate investigation led to arrests and the recovery of stolen packages. Officers say the thefts may stretch across multiple communities during one of the busiest delivery weeks of the year. A man and woman, identified as Harley Holder and Virginia Burden, were taken into custody early Wednesday morning, December 17. Their charges are still pending. Advertisement Advertisement Officers say they responded to the area after receiving a Ring Doorbell notification about a woman taking packages from someones porch and pulled over the suspected vehicle. After questioning the couple, they noticed the woman matched the suspect seen in the ring footage. Upon searching the vehicle, at least 57 pieces of stolen mail were found spanning across Wichita County. This case is still under investigation, but police urge residents to take extra precautions, including tracking packages, retrieving packages as soon as possible, and installing security measures, such as lighting, package cases, and cameras. You can now stream KFDX and Texomas FOX live 24/7 on your smart TV with KFDX+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. FAIRMONT It was 3 a.m. when the wind woke up Mike Angelucci in the early hours of Friday. Its been bad buddy, Angelluci, who is the president of the Fire Chief Association of Marion County, said. I got a weather machine Im going to put up for my own personal thing, just to see what some of these gusts were. Because it was tremendous last night. It sounds like we were beside a railroad track somewhere. Tens of thousands of West Virginia residents awoke to power outages from a windstorm knocking trees into power lines. According to a post from the Marion County Homeland Security and Emergency Management, gusts of wind from 35 to 45 mph passed through the region. The U.S. National Weather Service warned temperatures will fall rapidly below freezing from west to east, and patches of black ice may form on surfaces that received rainfall. Advertisement Advertisement Hanna Catlett, spokesperson for FirstEnergy MonPower, said the storm impacted more than 50,000 customers. The company worked to assess the damage and restore power to about 29,000 customers as of 11:15 a.m. Catlett said Marion, Gilmer, Harrison and Taylor counties appeared to be the hardest hit. Angelucci said around noon that roughly 4,600 Marion County residents were without power. The high winds continued throughout the day, Catlett said as long as high winds are present, the company cannot safely put a crew member in bucket trucks when the wind speeds are too high. In the aftermath of severe weather, our main priority is clearing hazards such as downed power lines, downed trees and equipment blocking the roads and assessing the damage so that our line crews can access the site of an outage and begin to safely make the repairs, Catlett said. Our crews follow a formal restoration process after a major storm, during which they typically address outages that restore the largest number of customers before moving to more isolated problems. Catlett asked residents to report outages and to stay alert for downed or low hanging power lines. Advertisement Advertisement Fairmont City Manager Travis Blosser said most of the city wasnt affected by the outage. There is one section just outside the city, Meadowdale, that faced outages. Also, a portion of East Side had outages as well, a section of Speedway Avenue, Morgantown Avenue and the Norwood Park area. Blosser said theres been a significant uptick in phone calls for downed trees. Blosser said he knows there may be folks who are frustrated that tree debris hasnt been fully cleared yet, but that the city is focused on ensuring roads remain open. He said crews will return to finish cleanup once the most vital work is done. Blosser said none of the citys critical facilities have had any kind of outage. He added the city has the capacity at its water treatment plant that allows for a day to have water without water being pumped from the river. The city also had backup generators at both its treatment facilities. The win was pretty excessive last night and has still been a little excessive today, Blosser said. Our public works crews are also responding to the removal of trees and roadways. From that perspective, everyone, just try to be as safe as possible and avoid some of those areas. The Presidents health is once again making headlines. Donald Trump appeared to have trouble staying awake Thursday at the Oval Office. He was signing an executive order to move marijuana to a lower drug classification. While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, many people noted the President appeared to drift off numerous times. The order he signed was to expand research into marijuana and potentially widen its medical use. Trumps face droops, wrote one journalist online in response to what he saw. What audiences witnessed on Thursday is far from the first time the Presidents health has been questioned. President Trump appeared to fall asleep during an Oval Office ceremony Trump's face droops as he struggles to stay awake during another on-camera event pic.twitter.com/BK1aztIB7P Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 18, 2025 The President has repeatedly assured people hes of sound body and mind, but many who saw his conference on Thursday wont likely believe him. At one point, it looked like Donald was nodding forward before snapping back awake. Advertisement Advertisement Many times, before, reporters and journalists have suggested the Presidents physical health is struggling. New York Times columnist Katie Rogers felt Donalds wrath online for suggesting the Presidents health is declining. Donald slammed her on Truth Social, calling Katie Ugly both inside and out. In the past, hes boasted about the cognitive tests administered to him. Every time he alleged that he aced them. The fact that hes had more than one has some like comedian Jimmy Kimmel suggesting that alone is cause for concern. California Governor Gavin Newsom had some fun at the Presidents expense, saying it was his nap time upon seeing the infamous video. Democratic influencer Harry Sisson also chimed in, saying its obvious to him that the President is not well. He suggested they exercise the 25th Amendment, which is the constitutional process for replacing a sitting President. In her column, Katie noted that the Presidents events reportedly begin two hours later than they did in his first term in office. Donald turns 80 in June. TELL US IS THE PRESIDENTS ALLEGED FATIGUE AFFECTING HIS ABILITY TO GOVERN? The post President Donald Trump Sparks Health Concerns as Face Droops appeared first on Reality Tea. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) made clear hes far from enamored with the idea of Vice President JD Vance succeeding President Donald Trump. In a Sunday interview on ABCs This Week, host Jonathan Karl quizzed Paul about Vance effectively being endorsed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a 2028 candidacy in a Vanity Fair feature published on Tuesday as well as Erika Kirk throwing her support behind the vice president. We saw Erika Kirk endorse JD Vance already for 2028 for president, Karl said. That was interesting. But also interesting was, so did Marco Rubio who in that article in Vanity Fair said that if JD Vance runs, hell be the nominee, and Ill be one of the first to support him. I know its early. What do you make of this? Is JD Vance the heir apparent here? Advertisement Advertisement Paul while not mentioning the veeps name positioned himself squarely against the idea of a President Vance. I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes, Paul said. See, it used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem, we didnt want less revenue, we wanted less spending. But now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in. That has never been a conservative position. So Im going to continue to try to lead a conservative free market wing in the party, and well see where things lead over time. And thats not JD Vance? Karl asked following up. The Kentucky senators response was crystal clear. No, he said flatly. Watch above, via ABC. The post Rand Paul Flatly Rejects JD Vance as Trumps Heir Apparent first appeared on Mediaite. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Bayley has deep roots in medieval French and English society, originally deriving from the Old French term 'baillif,' which referred to a steward or administrator responsible for managing estates, collecting rents, and overseeing household affairs. This occupational surname became a given name during the Middle Ages, particularly among families of Norman descent who settled in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The role of a baillif was one of significant responsibility and trust, often involving legal and financial management for noble households or royal domains. Throughout history, the name evolved across different social classes, from aristocratic stewards managing vast estates to municipal officials in growing towns. In French culture, the name maintained its administrative connotations, while in English-speaking countries it transitioned into a popular given name during the 19th century. The spelling 'Bayley' specifically gained prominence as a distinctive variation that maintained the name's historical gravitas while offering a unique phonetic presentation. This evolution reflects how occupational names often transition into personal names while carrying forward their original connotations of responsibility and management. Lawmakers on Sunday accused the Trump administration of flouting the law following the release of thousands of increasingly redacted documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Though the Justice Department on Friday began its release of additional documents regarding Epstein, Saturdays second batch of highly redacted material drew frustrations from Republicans and Democrats alike. Now, some have begun to accuse the department of hiding critical information in order to protect President Donald Trump and his associates. How can you block out an entire document? It makes no sense, Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a Sunday interview with CNNs State of the Union. Advertisement Advertisement This is all about covering up things that for whatever reason Donald Trump doesn't want to go public, the Maryland Democrat added, either about himself or other members of his family, friends, Jeffrey Epstein or just the social business cultural network that he was involved in for at least a decade if not longer. The Justice Department has released more than 13,000 documents related to Epstein over the last two days, but Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Sunday indicated he was unsatisfied with the release. They are flouting the spirit and letter of the law, Massie, co-sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, told CBSs Face the Nation in a joint interview alongside the other co-sponsor, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). It's very troubling, the posture they have taken. And I won't be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied. I said in the hours leading up to this release that we will know if they are complying if they implicate any of the other suspects that are involved, the witnesses, the victims themselves have given to the FBI and they have never been mentioned. Advertisement Advertisement Massie on Sunday revealed that he and Khanna are discussing drafting orders to bring inherent contempt against Attorney General Pam Bondi, a move that would be a step short of impeachment but would nonetheless rebuke Bondi for her inadequacies in releasing the files, in the lawmakers view. This, he said, would be the most expeditious way to get justice for these victims, adding that they are building a bipartisan coalition to back the orders if and when they come to the House floor. Trump had faced pressure over the release of the files for months, in part due to promises he made on the 2024 campaign trail. Last June, he told Fox News that he would declassify the files. But during the first few months of his second term, Trump repeatedly dismissed concerns about the deceased financier, calling the files a Democrat-created hoax. After Trumps about-face in which he then urged Republican members of Congress to vote in favor of the files release, the DOJ was forced to release the documents in order to comply with a new law that Trump signed into law last month. Though Friday was the deadline to release the documents, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said more documents would be made public in the coming weeks and that DOJ was taking steps to ensure that throughout the production of materials, the department is protecting every single victim and suggested moving more expeditiously could lead to identifying information for the victims being made public. The same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently don't want us to protect victims, Blanche told host Kristen Welker on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement So the same complaints that we're hearing yesterday and even this morning from Democrats and from others screaming loudly from a hill about lack of production on Friday, imagine if we had released tons of information around victims? That would be the true crime, he added. If they have an issue with me protecting victims, they know how to get a hold of me, but we're not going to stop doing it." Khanna on Sunday said the redactions were excessive. This shouldn't be a big document dump, said Khanna, co-sponsor of the Jeffrey Epstein Transparency Act. There is a pretty simple point: who raped these young girls, who covered it up and why are they getting away with it? While photos of former President Bill Clinton were included in the latest release, as well as at least one photo of Trump that has disappeared from the DOJs website, much of the material was either already publicly available or heavily redacted. Advertisement Advertisement Blanche on Sunday defended the Justice Department's decision to remove more than a dozen files from its website, telling Welker that there were concerns about the safety of those featured. "You can see in that photo, there are photographs of women, and so we learned after releasing that photograph that there were concerns about those about those women and the fact that we had put that photo up, he said. Blanche pointed out that dozens of photos of Trump with Epstein are already publicly available. So the absurdity of us pulling down a single photo because President Trump was in it is laughable, and the fact that everyone is trying to act like that's the case is a reflection of the true motivation, he said. Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday said the initial release is inadequate. "It falls short of what the law requires, Jeffries told ABCs This Week. But he demurred when asked about the prospect of backing impeachingment against Bondi, saying instead there needs to be a full and complete investigation of what the law requires the Justice Department to release. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told Jonathan Karl in an interview with ABCs This Week on Sunday that it all should be released. I mean, look, the administration has struggled for months and months with something they initially ginned up and then sort of tried to tamp down, he said. So any evidence or any kind of indication that there's not a full reveal on this, this will just plague them for months and months more. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) echoed Paul in remarks to NBC's Meet the Press," but he went a step further in indicating that he doesn't trust the DOJ to comply with the law. "So when they actually do release files and it's a fraction of what's available, and it's heavily redacted, and then a day later they pull material back, the facts that I've just lain out for you how why so many people are really suspicious," the Virginia Democrat said. "All these files need to come out." And its not just the volume of outstanding documents, Khanna said, but also the contents of whats in them thats leading him and others to accuse the Justice Department of deliberately concealing critical information. The key documents that our law said needed to be released, the 60-count indictment that actually implicates a lot of these people and the prosecution memo, were not released, Khanna said. It's not about the timeline. It's about the selective concealment. The White House referred POLITICO to Blanches NBC interview. The Department of Justice did not immediately responded to a request for comment. Jacob Wendler contributed to this report. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for talks with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti on Sunday. Putin believes if there is mutual political will, talks between the two can only be seen positively, Peskov said. On Friday, Macron said that it could be useful for Europe and Ukraine to speak with Putin again in order to be directly involved in the discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Otherwise, we are discussing among ourselves with negotiators who will negotiate on their own with the Russians. That is not optimal, the French president said. Ukrainians, Americans, and Europeans held talks last Sunday and Monday in Berlin on a peace solution for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia nearly four years ago. In Miami, talks over the weekend entered the next round. The US negotiators intend to relay the results from Berlin back to the Russian representatives. Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev described the talks as constructive after the first round. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for talks with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti on Sunday. Putin believes if there is mutual political will, talks between the two can only be seen positively, Peskov said. The French government welcomed Peskov's statement, with French media reporting that Macron's office would take a decision over the days ahead on how the talks should take place. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Macron said that it could be useful for Europe and Ukraine to speak with Putin again in order to be directly involved in the discussion. Otherwise, we are discussing among ourselves with negotiators who will negotiate on their own with the Russians. That is not optimal, the French president said. Ukrainians, Americans, and Europeans held talks last Sunday and Monday in Berlin on a peace solution for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia nearly four years ago. In Miami, talks over the weekend entered the next round. The US negotiators intend to relay the results from Berlin back to the Russian representatives. Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev described the talks as constructive after the first round. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Sunday they are committed to holding Justice Department officials accountable for their failure to release all eligible Jeffrey Epstein files by Fridays deadline, saying they're speaking with members of Congress about holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt. "The quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi," Massie said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" when he was asked how Congress can force the Justice Department to release the rest of the files it has related to Epstein. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that calls to impeach Justice Department officials for their handling of the release are "premature" after Khanna floated the possibility of impeachment Friday. Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Kaine pointed to other mechanisms Congress has to prompt the Trump administration to release certain information. "We have tools in appropriations bills and other tools to force compliance if somebody is dragging their feet, and I'd rather focus on those tools than get into discussions about contempt and impeachment," Kaine said. He pointed specifically to a provision in defense funding legislation that could limit Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget next year if the Defense Department doesn't release video of certain strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean. Khanna and Massie last month led efforts in Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which compelled the Trump administration to release all unclassified files it has related to Epstein by Dec. 19. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the department released thousands of files but not all the documents Khanna and Massie expected, leading to widespread condemnation of the Justice Department on both sides of the aisle. Khanna told CNN on Friday: Congress is talking about possible impeachment. Theyre talking about inherent contempt for the attorney general or deputy attorney general." He added, Any Justice Department official who has obstructed justice could face prosecution in this administration or a future administration." Asked about Kaines comments, Khanna said lawmakers only need the House for inherent contempt" and added that "were building a bipartisan coalition, and it would fine Pam Bondi for every day that shes not releasing these documents. Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who appeared on "Meet the Press" just before Kaine, said Sunday that the complete files would be released but that attorneys in the Justice Department were still working to redact information and photos related to Epstein's victims. "We're going through a very methodical process with hundreds of lawyers looking at every single document and making sure that victims' names and any of the information from victims is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the Transparency Act expects," Blanche said. He also responded to remarks from Massie and Khanna about possible impeachment or contempt in Congress, saying he doesn't take the threats seriously, "not even a little bit." "Bring it on," he added. "We are doing everything were supposed to be doing to comply with this statute. And Congressman Massey and these other congressmen that are coming out speaking negatively about [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel and the attorney general have no idea what theyre talking about." Advertisement Advertisement Massie hasn't called for Congress to impeach Justice Department officials, but he pointed to a provision in the Epstein Files Transparency Act that would allow future presidential administrations to prosecute current Justice Department officials who don't comply with the legislation's deadlines. "A future DOJ could convict the current AG and others because the Epstein Files Transparency Act is not like a Congressional Subpoena which expires at the end of each Congress," Massie wrote Friday on X. On Sunday, Kaine also spoke about multiple undated photos of former President Bill Clinton that were released without context in the Epstein files Friday, saying Clinton "should address" the photos. "If there are unanswered questions, you know, he should address them, and I suspect he will," Kaine said. Clinton hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Friday, a spokesperson for Clinton said: "The White House hasn't been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on Friday to protect Bill Clinton. This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they'll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be." Blanche said Sunday that the Justice Department doesn't plan to charge anyone based on anything in the released files. "We are not prepared to bring charges against anybody, but we are learning new information all the time," he said on "Meet the Press." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Republicans will be fighting to keep control of Congress next year, and the party fears that the Epstein controversy will negatively affect their chances. Extensive redactions and the limited number of documents released related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein angered some Republicans. They did little to defuse a scandal threatening the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Trump administration touted this week's release of a cache of Epstein-related files as a show of transparency, but a handful of Republican lawmakers and right-wing media figures joined Democrats in blasting Friday's disclosures as inadequate and possibly in violation of a law that prompted their release. Advertisement Advertisement While the criticism fell short of a broader party backlash, it underscored that the Epstein controversy was far from being put to rest and was likely to linger into next year, when Republicans will be fighting to keep control of Congress. The release of files, starting Friday and followed by a second, much smaller batch released Saturday, is intended to comply with a bipartisan law passed by Congress in November that mandated the disclosure of all Epstein files held by the Justice Department, despite a months-long effort to keep them sealed by US President Donald Trump, who once counted Epstein as a close friend. The new disclosure represented only a fraction of the total data the FBI and Justice Department have said they possess related to Epstein and was heavily redacted, including several documents of 100 pages or more that were entirely blacked out. An entire sheet of redacted pages in connection with late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is shown on a computer screen in this combination image of documents released by the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, US, on December 19, 2025. (credit: US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS) Also notable was the dearth of references to Trump, who had a well-publicized friendship with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s. Instead, the released files extensively featured former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat and political foe. Adding to controversy Brian Darling, a Republican strategist and former Senate aide, said the limited disclosures would fuel conspiracy theories about Epstein and legitimate transparency concerns, potentially dampening turnout among Trump voters. Advertisement Advertisement "The heavily redacted disclosures of the Epstein documents added more fuel to the fire of controversy," Darling said. "This remains a political risk for all Republicans in swing seats going into the midterms." The US Justice Department on Friday released some 300,000 pages of documents, photos, and other materials from the government's investigations into Epstein, who died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019 as he faced federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. The wealthy financier's history of hobnobbing with prominent figures has fueled speculation about whether anyone in his social circle was involved with his alleged sexual activity. One person, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, has been convicted on Epstein-related charges to date. The Epstein scandal resonates with much of Trump's base because it reinforces their belief in a corrupt establishment, often labeled the "Deep State," willing to protect itself at all costs, a narrative Trump has repeatedly promoted. Advertisement Advertisement Rachel Blum, a political science professor at the University of Oklahoma, said the lack of fuller disclosures could erode support among some Trump backers, including young men who swung to him in 2024 in part over their distrust of government. "He's at risk of becoming the Deep State," Blum said. "I think this has the potential to damage his credibility more than a lot of the other scandals he's gone through." 'People are raging and walking away,' MTG says The Justice Department's initial disclosure fell short of the law's mandate that all investigative files involving Epstein be released by Dec. 19. The law allowed for records to be withheld or redacted if the information posed a threat to national security or identified victims of sexual abuse. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday that the deadline was missed due to the massive volume of data and the need for careful redactions to protect victims. He promised to release more files "over the next couple of weeks." Advertisement Advertisement Democrats criticized the administration for not releasing all the files and for the extensive redactions. Representative Ro Khanna of California, who co-authored the law requiring full disclosure, floated possible impeachment of Blanche and Attorney General Pam Bondi over the failure to release the files on time. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky who worked with Khanna on the legislation, said he, too, believed that Bondi was in violation of the law, warning in a post to X that she and others could face criminal charges in the future when the Justice Department was in Democratic hands. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a House Republican who split with Trump last month over her efforts to compel disclosure of the Epstein files, cited the failure to release all the documents as well as the heavy redactions as among actions she considered inconsistent with Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. "People are raging and walking away," she wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Some conservative commentators also criticized the Justice Department's decision not to disclose more. Kyle Seraphin, a right-wing podcaster and former FBI agent, reposted an old X post by Bondi praising the Trump administration as the most transparent in history, saying, One gets the feeling that this is tongue-in-cheek at this point Owen Shroyer, a podcaster who was pardoned by Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol but has since become a critic of the president, said he believed the Justice Department was intentionally slow-walking disclosures. "They covered up the Epstein Files. No other way to put it now," Shroyer wrote on X after Friday's release. The rise of illegal off-roading throughout Rhode Island's management areas is reaching a boiling point for many local residents. As a result, some are urging officials to take immediate action to curb the problem before it causes irreparable harm to the region. As ecoRI News reported, the use of all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes inside state-managed lands, such as parks, forests, and wildlife refuges, is such a large issue that it has become impossible to ignore. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management spokesperson Evan LaCross reiterated that Rhode Island law prohibits all-terrain vehicles from operating inside management areas. LaCross notes that the DEM's Division of Law Enforcement has received around 1,660 reports of illegal off-roading in the last five years. Advertisement Advertisement However, Rhode Island residents say that nothing has stopped off-roaders. Andy Grover, an experienced hiker who enjoys exploring Rhode Island's scenic trails, described the growing concern with off-roading in these protected areas. According to Grover, the problem stems from a lack of enforcement. "This stuff tends to be what happens when agencies are gutted," Grover said. "The General Assembly needs to see that if they have the manpower, then you can say, 'Why aren't you patrolling?' Between the off-roading jetting through here and the logging, the forest is being destroyed." Off-roading in vulnerable management areas can cause untold damage to the landscape. Deep ruts left behind by all-terrain vehicles can lead to severe soil erosion and even habitat destruction for wildlife. Over time, this may disrupt vital ecosystems in the state. An anonymous source shared two separate satellite images with ecoRI News that demonstrated just how prevalent the use of all-terrain vehicles has become throughout the region. The images revealed countless off-roading trails that not only affected Rhode Island, but neighboring Connecticut as well. Advertisement Advertisement "Local officials are well aware of the activities that take place along these trails but short of patrolling them on a regular basis, there is not a lot they can do about it," the source wrote in an email sent to ecoRI News. "A good part of these activities occur in the evenings and on weekends when there are very few RI DEM staff available." Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? No way Definitely Only certain tools I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Indonesia's remote Pari Island is fighting a climate-related lawsuit against cement giant Holcim. Residents face eroding beaches and the threat of homes being submerged, and they accused the company of contributing to rising sea levels. What's happening? Thomson Reuters Foundation reported that four islanders are trying to take Holcim to court after accusing it of "failing to cut emissions as their island faced repeated floods." Advertisement Advertisement Asmania, a mother of three, is among the group that sued the Swiss company in 2023. "The sea is not like it used to be," Asmania stated. "It's hotter, rougher, and it scares us." Cement production is a major source of planet-overheating pollution. According to the Global Cement and Concrete Association, it accounts for 7% of global carbon dioxide pollution. Indonesia is an archipelago that's vulnerable to erosion. The country has seen sea levels rise by about 4.25 millimeters a year since 1992, per the report. Pari Island could be underwater by 2050. Asmania has noticed warming seawater since 2010. She experienced failed seaweed harvests and fish farming due to "seawater heat." Why is Indonesia's island erosion concerning? This struggle on Pari Island is the result of human activity. Advertisement Advertisement Pollution from burning dirty fuel sources traps heat in the atmosphere, which exacerbates sea level rise by melting polar ice and water expansion. This endangers coastal communities, which have seen increased flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion. Rising sea levels can destroy homes, livelihoods, and vital ecosystems like coral reefs. These impacts intensify with longer and more powerful storms, which are made worse by a warming climate. The lawsuit is the epitome of climate justice. The Pari Island community contributes very little to global emissions, yet they are dealing with the most severe consequences. "This is global damage caused by Holcim's emissions," Asmania said. "It's unfair because we are the ones suffering from the impact." Advertisement Advertisement Climate-related disruptions, from food security to housing, leave vulnerable communities worse off. What's being done about the rising sea levels at Pari Island? The Swiss court has not decided on whether to hear the case against Holcim, per the report. It's just one example of a growing trend, with communities trying to ensure corporate accountability through the courts. Regardless of the legal outcome, it sets an important precedent, and companies may be deemed liable for historical emissions. For example, survivors of natural disasters in the Philippines and Pakistan have taken legal action to hold oil, energy, and cement companies accountable for pollution that contributes to extreme weather. Advertisement Advertisement On Pari Island, residents like Asmania are not waiting. They are active and engaged in mangrove restoration efforts on Rengge Beach. Mangroves are valuable assets for islanders, as they prevent erosion and absorb carbon pollution. A fisherman quoted in the TRF report said the shrubs are "breeding grounds for fish, sea cucumbers, and crabs." Over half of Indonesia's total fish catch depends on mangroves. "Planting mangroves is our way of holding on," Asmania said. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. It was two hours after a mass shooting on Hope Street on Saturday, Dec. 13. Residents sheltered in place. Heavily-armed tactical police officers maneuvered in the dark to search and secure the area. Each of the teams is escorted by a two-person team of emergency medical personnel. By about 6:20 p.m., it was clear that not as many fire rescue transports were needed so close to the Brown University engineering building, where a gunman had shot two students and injured nine others. Advertisement Advertisement The search for a killer was less than three hours old. Some streets were cordoned off with police lines, but the work shifted and changed. Passage between Thayer, Brook and Hope streets was cut off as police worked. On the radio, firefighters coordinated the removal of certain emergency medical transports and personnel near the scene. One of the transports with the EMS task force would care for a patient not involved with the shooting but in need of help. By about 6:30 p.m., personnel from the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps, which was working with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and Providence Emergency Management was headed up Interstate 95. There was a heavy police presence on Thayer Street after a shooting at Brown University on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The convoy included a tandem-trailer unit, with two reserve corps vehicles. It moved with haste through the 95 junction with Route 4. Its ultimate destination was 225 Hope Street. Advertisement Advertisement The site had been chosen as the designated reunification center and by 7 p.m., activity there was picking up. At about 7:46 p.m. a large group of tactical police officers moved along Hope Street and staged across from the center. On the sidewalk outside, large boxes of Kleenex arrived with other supplies for a mental health response, which was the focus of the reserve corps. Hope is Rhode Island's state motto. Hope is also a feeling. And, in that hour, on Hope Street it was a feeling that would drive work toward healing, recovery and justice in the days to come. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Hope always remained in days of Brown University shooting response RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded access to its only store that sells alcohol, allowing wealthy foreign residents to buy booze in the latest step in the once-ultraconservative kingdoms experiment in liberalization. Theres been no official announcement of the decision, but word has gotten out, and long lines of cars and people can now be seen at the discreet, unmarked store in the Diplomatic Quarter of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The store opened in January 2024 for non-Muslim diplomats. The new rules allow non-Muslim foreigners who hold Premium Residency to buy. The residency permit goes to foreigners with specialized skills, investors and entrepreneurs. Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, has banned alcohol since the early 1950s. The store is widely seen as a way to cautiously test the controlled sale of alcohol. Saudi Arabias de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and his father, King Salman, have pursued a dramatic liberalization policy in the kingdom, aiming to attract tourism, boost international business and reduce economic dependence on crude oil. The kingdom, which adheres to Islamic Sharia law, has opened movie theaters, allowed women to drive and hosted major music festivals. But political speech and dissent remain strictly criminalized, potentially at the penalty of death. Alcohol remains banned for the general public. Advertisement Advertisement The unmarked store resembles a duty-free shop. Its ownership remains officially undisclosed. Security is strict. Every visitor is subject to eligibility checks and frisking before entry. Phones and cameras are banned inside, and staff even inspect eyewear for smart glasses. The Associated Press spoke to several customers leaving the store. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the stigma around alcohol. Prices are sharply elevated, they said. Diplomats are exempt from taxes on their purchases, but Premium Residency holders are not. The customers described the store as relatively well-stocked, though some said the selection of beer and wine was limited. Advertisement Advertisement The Premium Residency permit was created as part of the kingdoms drive to attract global expertise. Unlike other residencies, it doesnt require a Saudi sponsor, and it offers benefits including the right to own property, start a business and sponsor family. It requires high incomes or large investments to qualify. Saudis and other residents who want a drink often travel to the neighboring island of Bahrain, where alcohol is legally available to Muslims and non-Muslims. On weekends and holidays, the island sees an influx of visitors from Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, making it a popular getaway. The more expensive option is to go to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Others resort to smuggled alcohol, which can be extremely expensive, or to bootleg booze often homemade and risky, using unsafe materials. Some people in Saudi Arabia enjoy alcohol-free beverages as a substitute for the real thing or to capture the aesthetic of drinking, often snapping photos for social media. At major events and festivals, its not uncommon to see long lines forming at alcohol-free beer stands, especially among young Saudis and visitors looking to partake in the vibe. King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabias founding monarch, banned the sale after a 1951 incident in which one of his sons, Prince Mishari, became intoxicated and used a shotgun to kill British vice consul Cyril Ousman in Jeddah. What started out as alleged shoplifting turned into attempted murder when an Ohio man pulled a gun on a police officer inside a Walmart Thursday ... and the whole thing was caught on tape. Watch this insane video ... 21-year-old Shane Newman appears anxious, chewing on his gloved fingers while sitting inside Walmart's loss prevention office around 1:40 PM. You can see him sneakily turn his back to the camera, and when he turns back around ... he produces a gun. While aiming the weapon at an officer off-camera, you can hear what appears to be the click of Newman pulling the trigger, but the gun never goes off. Advertisement Advertisement Then, all hell breaks loose. The store's loss prevention specialist dives on Newman, knocking the gun out of his hands, before the officer rushes in with a crushing knee to Newman's midsection. Newman is then quickly wrestled to the ground. Stark County Jail WOIO reports Newman was not allowed to own or have a firearm due to a previous felony conviction. They also report he was in possession of 50 blue pills identified as Molly -- AKA MDMA. Police said an officer found two rounds of 9mm ammunition in Katrina's pocket. Canton Police tell TMZ ... Newman was charged with attempt to commit murder; felonious assault on peace officer; robbery; aggravated possession of drugs; and weapons under disability ... 23-year-old Katerina Jeffrey was charged with complicity to commit robbery. They were both taken to Stark County Jail. Spark New Zealand (Spark) has partnered with ASX-listed financial services organisation Challenger Limited (Challenger) to establish a new financing structure for the interest free payment (IFP) plans Spark offers its customers to acquire mobile handsets and other accessories. The sale of Sparks existing IFP receivables will be used to reduce net debt in H1 26 by ~$240 million. Spark will also sell future IFP receivables to Challenger on a regular basis, supporting growth in IFP as a valued option for mobile customers to manage costs over time. This partnership enables Spark to continue expanding its mobile business while improving capital efficiency and return on invested capital. Spark New Zealand (Spark) today announced a partnership with ASX-listed financial services organisation Challenger Limited (Challenger) to establish a new financing structure for the interest free payment (IFP) plans Spark offers its customers to acquire mobile handsets and other accessories. The new structure will reduce working capital carried on Sparks balance sheet and support the continued growth of IFP as a key acquisition and retention tool in Sparks mobile business. Spark will sell eligible receivables from its existing IFP customers to Challenger for ~$240 million. The proceeds will be used to reduce net debt, but will not materially affect Sparks net debt to EBITDAI ratio under S&Ps methodology(1). The proceeds will be excluded from free cashflow for the purposes of the H1 26 dividend calculation. In addition to the sale of Sparks existing IFP receivables, the partnership includes an ongoing arrangement with Challenger to sell future IFP receivables on a regular basis. This will enable Spark to optimise its working capital and increase the overall size of IFP funding offered to its mobile customers. Spark New Zealand CEO, Jolie Hodson said: Our mobile customers highly value interest free payment options as a convenient way to purchase the latest devices and manage costs over time. The value of IFP as a highly effective acquisition and retention tool only continues to grow, particularly as mobile device prices increase. Mobile is our number one priority as a business, and this new partnership with Challenger will enable us to support the ongoing growth of IFP while improving capital efficiency allowing us to reinvest in areas that deliver the most value for our customers and shareholders. Victor Rodriguez, Chief Executive Funds Management, Challenger said: Were pleased to have partnered with Spark for this transaction. Acquiring their IFP receivables represents high quality, resilient cash flows that are highly attractive for Challenger and institutional investors. Whole loans, encompassing mortgages, personal loans and asset finance, represent a substantial and growing asset class in New Zealand, Australia and globally. We see a significant opportunity to position whole loan investing as a core pillar of Challenger's overall portfolio allocation. Spark will continue to retain full control of the overall customer experience. The new financing structure will not affect how Spark customers enter into IFP plans or make their IFP payments, nor will it change how Spark manages credit checks, collections, or the sourcing and supply of devices. Spark will continue to collect repayments from its mobile customers directly and transfer eligible handset receivables to Challenger at a fair value, accounting for financing costs and credit risk. 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Related News: RYM - Refreshed strategy and new capital management framework ENS - Clarification of Gina Tuzcets status BGP - 4th Quarter Sales to 25 January 2026 Contact Energy 2026 Half Year Results Presentation February 2nd Morning Report VHP - Half year results announcement date and webcast details Devon Funds Morning Note - 30 January 2026 AIA - Auckland Airport new board appointment General Capital (GEN:NZ) Subsidiary General Finance Update January 30th Morning Report Individuals named Brendis are typically characterized by intense passion and strong willpower. They often exhibit natural leadership qualities, combined with a creative spark that drives them toward innovative thinking and problem-solving. Their fiery nature manifests as enthusiasm for their pursuits and loyalty to those they care about, though it can sometimes lead to impatience or strong reactions when challenged. Brendis personalities tend to be dynamic and action-oriented, preferring to lead rather than follow. They possess a natural charisma that draws others to them, and their determination often helps them overcome obstacles that might deter others. While they can be intense, they also show remarkable warmth and protective instincts toward family and friends, embodying both the destructive and nurturing aspects of their namesake element. These individuals often excel in careers requiring bold decision-making and creative vision. Their passionate nature makes them compelling communicators and dedicated partners, though they may need to learn temperance to balance their fiery disposition. The name suggests someone who leaves a lasting impression and often becomes the driving force in their social and professional circles. SEOUL, Dec 21 (Reuters) - South Korea's consumer agency said on Sunday it would order SK Telecom to compensate 58 users who filed a class action against the company over a recent hacking incident. The agency said it decided at a Thursday meeting to order the company to pay each applicant 100,000 won ($67) worth of combined cash points and mobile phone bill discounts. In August, the firm was fined 134 billion won after the country's largest mobile carrier suffered a cybersecurity breach this year that led to the leak of data for more than 20 million users. Advertisement Advertisement The agency said it would ask the company to take steps to compensate all of the victims, and the total cost would amount to nearly 2.3 trillion won. The agency said it would send notification of the order to SK Telecom as soon as possible, and the company must respond within 15 days of receiving it. ($1 = 1,475.42) (Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Jamie Freed) Southwest is preparing to launch a new route from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii next summer. Starting Aug. 6, 2026, the carrier will connect Las Vegas and Hilo. Hilo is the largest population center on the Island of Hawaii, often referred to as the "Big Island." Flights will operate three times per week, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Tickets are now on sale. Southwest currently offers interisland flights from Hilo to Honolulu but does not link Hilo to the mainland. Advertisement Advertisement Airline officials noted the large Hawaiian population in Las Vegas and said the new route will help families visit each other and stay connected, while also supporting leisure travel. Hilo lost its last nonstop connection to the U.S. mainland in 2023, when United terminated its service from Los Angeles. Southwest also plans to operate special one-off flights for Hawaii's Merrie Monarch Festival in April 2026. The carrier will fly from Las Vegas to Hilo on April 9 and from Hilo back to Las Vegas on April 12. Sir Keir Starmer is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under the age of 16. The world-first law in Australia, aimed at protecting young people from the dangers of the internet, applies to platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Sir Keir previously said he was personally against the blanket ban for teenagers that Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, introduced this month. Advertisement Advertisement However, The Telegraph has learnt that Downing Street is in fact closely monitoring the policy. The Telegraph understands that discussions are under way between Sir Keir and Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, about introducing similar legislation if the Australian scheme were to prove effective. However, sources told The Telegraph that a decision is a long way off. A Government spokesman told The Telegraph: We understand parents concerns about the impact of social media on children, which is why weve taken some of the boldest steps globally to ensure online content is genuinely age-appropriate. Its important we protect children while letting them benefit safely from the digital world, without cutting off essential services or isolating the most vulnerable. Advertisement Advertisement The Government is closely monitoring Australias approach to age restrictions. When it comes to childrens safety, nothing is off the table, but any action must be based on robust evidence. After the publication of this article, the Government updated its statement to add the line: For that reason, there are no current plans to introduce a blanket ban on smartphones or social media for children. Streeting wants radical action When asked about Mr Albaneses policy days after its introduction, Sir Keir said he was personally opposed to a blanket ban on under-16s using social media. The Prime Minister said: I think its more about how you control the content children can see. Advertisement Advertisement But on Sunday, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, called on the Government to think much more radically about online safety because social media has been a place of bullying, intimidation, sometimes misogyny, even radicalisation. He told The Observer: I think about how difficult it was when I was a teenager to sneak myself into a 15 or 18 film at a cinema. Nowadays kids are able to access the most extreme content. Going on to warn that social media had increasingly become anti-social media, Mr Streeting added: Thats why I think what Australias doing is interesting and we should follow the results closely and see if thats something we should consider doing here. Sources acknowledged that there were conflicting views among experts, with some charities warning against a social-media ban because it could drive children to unregulated sites. Advertisement Advertisement These include the Molly Rose Foundation, set up after the death of teenager Molly Russell, who had viewed thousands of images promoting suicide and self-harm on social media. One source said the Government hoped to take a grown-up approach and welcomed the ongoing debate, adding that Australia would help act as a test case. Ms Kendall, who replaced Peter Kyle as Technology Secretary at the reshuffle in September, has always said she would take an evidence-based approach. At a Commons select committee appearance earlier this month, she signalled her opposition to an outright ban on under-16s owning mobile phones. Advertisement Advertisement Ms Kendall said there was a really important balance to be struck between helping children deal with the online world while making sure that they do not face harmful content. She continued: I am not currently in favour of a ban on smartphones until 16. It is good they are not at school and there is more we have to do to help kids deal with it. I am worried about chatbots and I am worried about sleep. If you said, nothing until you are 16, then how are they going to cope? That is how I am thinking about it. Fred Thomas, a Labour MP who has campaigned for a social media ban for under-16s since he entered the Commons last year, said: Ive been urging the Government to ban social media companies from giving accounts to under-16s for some time. We all know its deeply harmful for their development. Every time I speak to teachers, parents and kids theyre unanimous. Just look at the shocking rise in anxiety and mental health problems in children. We should get on and take action, like the Australian Labor government has. The State Department on Friday restricted the visas of two Honduran officials over national security concerns, claiming they tried to impede on a special vote count following the nations election last month. The Trump administration revoked a visa for Mario Morazan, a magistrate of the Electoral Justice Tribunal. Marlon Ochoa, a member of the Honduras National Electoral Council, was denied a visa. Both men are a part of the countrys LIBRE party, which holds the legislative majority in the Central American nation. In a statement, the department pointed to Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to justify its moves. The section, per officials, generally bars entry to those whose entry or proposed activities have potentially serious adverse U.S. foreign policy consequences. Advertisement Advertisement The United States will not tolerate actions that undermine our national security and our regions stability, the statement reads. We will consider all appropriate measures to deter those impeding the vote count in Honduras. The ban comes nearly 20 days after the election, which remains undecided among two candidates due to inconsistencies with the vote count. President Trump weighed in on the election earlier this year, putting his support behind Nasry Tito Asfura. As of Saturday, Asfura is narrowly leading LIBRE candidate Salvador Nasralla, also a conservative, by roughly 0.6 percent, according to The Associated Press. Nasralla acknowledged in a recent Reuters interview that Trumps endorsement of his opponent likely hurt his chances of winning and ripped the algorithm after a brief website malfunction. But the candidate did not accuse the U.S. leader of meddling in the election. Advertisement Advertisement After a special count was called, the president said there would be hell to pay if Asfura did not win. If he doesnt win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is, he continued at the time. Tito will be a Great President, and the United States will work closely with him in order to ensure the success, with all of its potential, of Honduras! Neither candidate has declared victory in the race. Trump also issued a pardon for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez in December. The embattled ex-leader, who was sentenced to 45 years behind bars in July 2024 for collaborating with drug traffickers, was released from prison after clemency was granted. Advertisement Advertisement Hernandez thanked Trump and is maintaining his innocence. Nasralla pushed back on the move, saying the former president deserves punishment in Honduras. The pardon also drew scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Dec. 20When a council member reaches the end of their term and finally makes their exit, they are given a small parting gift recognizing their service. In Newton, like many other communities, councilpersons get a fancy clock as a sort of symbolic way of showing how important their time meant to city government. Steve Mullan has one of the few clocks with multiple service terms etched on the front. Steve Mullan shows off his timepiece he received for his service to the Newton City Council. Advertisement Advertisement From 2006 until 2021, Mullan served on the Newton City Council. He offered his wisdom and perspective as a longtime Cardinal and former teacher. He saw the end of Maytag, the beginning of TPI Composites and of the Iowa Speedway, a recession, a city rebrand and a pandemic during his long tenure on council. In 2024, he was brought on to the city council once again to fulfill the term left by the outgoing Vicki Wade in Ward 4. He was appointed to the seat in large part because of his experience. He understood the processes of the council and the city, and he certainly understood the value of public service. Fellow council member Mark Hallam now the longest serving member on the Newton City Council gave Mullan his newly updated clock at the end of the Monday night meeting. It now shows both sets of his time spent on the council, and Mullan accepted the gift proudly and embraced Hallam. "Well this is a great night because I'm celebrating my 47th wedding anniversary tonight as well," Mullan said. "It's been great!" Advertisement Advertisement Mullan encouraged young people in their 20s, 30s and 40s to start running for city council. Ideally, he suggested there should be two to three candidates per open seat on the council. Mullan said it is a privilege to work for the city, which he noted has made great progress in the past few years. "I hope that the present council and the people coming on board will keep that ship floating right along," Mullan said. If Mullan had any regrets, it would be that he failed to convince everybody how to properly say the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. At the start of every council meeting it is recited by both city officials and city residents in attendance. Listen closely to any meeting in which Mullan is present and you'll notice he leaves no pause between "one nation" and "under God" as so many people do. Without fail he says it as one complete phase. "No commas in there!" he said with a laugh. A brazen car theft in the English city of Stoke-on-Trent has turned into a chilling window into the underground world of modern auto crime, one where teenagers boast online, burglary is routine, and stolen cars are treated as disposable toys. The case centers on a black BMW 440i belonging to a man named Sha, who woke up one morning to find his pride and joy gone from his driveway. Worse still, the thieves had entered his home while his family slept. What followed was not a quiet disappearance into the criminal underworld, but an audacious social media spectacle. A Dangerous Face-to-Face Confrontation Image Credit: Mark McCann/YouTube. As a YouTube channel that investigates vehicle theft began tracking the BMWs disappearance, the suspects posted TikTok videos openly flaunting the stolen car. In one clip, they bragged about their haul, a move that could have earned them as much as $4,000. The posts stunned viewersand enraged the victimshowing the car racing, joyridden, and mocked online while its owner struggled to sleep at night. Advertisement Advertisement Instead of retreating, the creators behind the investigation took a risky step: they directly messaged the thieves. To their surprise, the suspects responded. After some back-and-forth, the thieves proposed a face-to-face meeting. At a price. They wanted 1,000 to talk. Days later, in Stoke-on-Trent, the meeting happened. Two masked teenagers arrived, both just 18 years old. Calm, confident, and disturbingly casual, they admitted to stealing the BMW. When asked if they felt fear entering a strangers home, one replied bluntly: No. Its funny. Low-Tech Crime in a High-Tech Age What emerged during the encounter was a stark portrait of a new generation of car thieves. Unlike the high-tech relay attacks often associated with modern vehicle crime, these youths favored brute force and opportunity. The BMW was targeted not randomly, but because the house had a wall-mounted key box, a common convenience used by families, carers, and cleaners. Image Credit: Mark McCann/YouTube. The thieves demonstrated how cheaply made key boxes can be ripped from walls in seconds, granting instant access to a home and its car keys. From there, the theft was easy. Original keys, they explained, make cars far more valuable on the black market than vehicles stolen electronically. Advertisement Advertisement The BMW didnt travel far. It was dumped locally to cool off while the thieves checked for trackers. AirTags, they claimed, are easily detected using specialized apps. After a day, the car was sold. Gone for good. In the meantime, the thieves admitted to joyriding the BMW around town, racing it, picking up friends, and racking up speeding offenses. Sha later received a ticket in the mail for 82 mph in a 50 zone, committed while the car was uninsured and untraceable. No Remorse, No Exit and a Crime That Never Sleeps Even more alarming was how routine the crime sounded. The teenagers said they steal cars nearly every night, sometimes multiple in one evening. A 60,000 BMW X5 stolen nearby was sold for just 5,000. Quick cash, minimal risk. That kind of money, they argued, is impossible to earn in legitimate work, especially with no qualifications and criminal records already forming. Asked if they regretted their actions, the answer was flat. No remorse. No fear of prison. Just adrenaline. Advertisement Advertisement The BMW 440is fate is now sealedlikely stripped for parts, shipped abroad, or sold to an unsuspecting buyer under cloned documents. For Sha and his family, the damage is permanent. Their home no longer feels safe. For viewers, the investigation delivered a sobering takeaway: modern car theft isnt just about technology but about vulnerability. And sometimes, the biggest threat isnt a hacker with a laptop, but a teenager with a hammer and nothing to lose. Joshua Byers, the man who prosecutors believe stabbed Ambrosia Swain to death on Dec. 8, was arrested the day after the Houston Police Department released surveillance photos. According to HPD, he turned himself in. "Guilt, I mean, what else? You know, he must've seen something. I hope the guilt got to him," Swain's cousin, Kihla Brandes, said. For family members, the arrest doesn't soften the pain and agony of losing someone to an act of violence. Advertisement Advertisement "Just the fact that he's behind bars and everyone else is safe, unless you know, in case it happens again. But other than that, it doesn't feel any different. She's still gone. It still hurts. It doesn't make it hurt less," Brandes said. Investigators say the incident happened along Hahlo Street in the Denver Harbor neighborhood. HPD says Byers was spotted with her moments before she was found. Houston police haven't revealed a connection between the two. As ABC13 works to learn more about the investigation, Swain's family is sharing her story, describing her as artsy, creative, and a good aunt who put others before herself. Advertisement Advertisement With Christmas just a few days away, her family says the holiday just won't be the same. "We had a secret Santa planned, a little gathering of the cousins and our kids, secret Santa planned. And now, I don't know if everyone is up to showing up, and that's OK. But, it's just not going to feel fair." While Byers didn't have much to say in court, Swain's loved ones do have a message for the alleged killer. "I hope you realize who you took. You took from so many, so many people when you took her," Byers said. For updates, follow Mo Haider on Facebook, X and Instagram. A woman and her five-month-old baby are recovering after being shot inside a West Philadelphia home, as police continue searching for the suspected shooter. The woman was identified by her sister as 43-year-old Alayiah Hill. She was shot seven times and underwent surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Her baby, five-month-old Yuri Weaver, was shot in the leg and taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Advertisement Advertisement Both the mother and child are expected to survive. Police said the shooting happened inside a second-floor bathroom of a home on the 1500 block of North Robinson Street around 4 a.m. Sunday. Detectives are searching for 39-year-old Faheem Weaver, who the victim's sister said is the baby's father. She said she was home when the shots were fired. "We were asleep, all you hear is boom boom boom, and I hopped up because I didn't know what the noise was, so I got up, went into the front room where she sleeps at, and she was bleeding. She said, 'He shot me.' And I said, 'Who?' And she couldn't say anything, she was just in shock," said the victim's sister, Amaryiah Mathis. Advertisement Advertisement Mathis said her sister has had issues with him in the past. "She was handling it like she should. It's being a good mom, doing what she needs to do for her daughter. But this is a lot," Mathis said. "My sister's a great mom. My sister works two jobs." Police said they believe Weaver is driving a silver Toyota pickup truck with the Pennsylvania license plate ZSG-1977. "From what I know, they still ain't found him," Mathis added. "They're looking for his car, so it's just a waiting game at this point." Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact police. New York Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy, joined Emily Spatto, New York ambassador of the not-for-profit Kadas Promise, on Dec. 17 to make a special delivery of dozens of teddy bears and stuffed animals to the city of Utica Fire Department, which firefighters, ambulance teams and emergency medical technicians will distribute to children while making pediatric calls throughout and beyond the holiday season. According to a statement, the hope is that stuffies will offer much needed comfort to Utica area children who may be in crisis. Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, center right, and Emily Spatto of non-profit Kada's Promise, Deliver Teddy Bears to Utica Fire Department. The teddy bears and other plush toys were originally part of a larger lot donated by Spatto on behalf of Kadas Promise to Buttenschons 6th annual Winter Accessories and Food Drive on Dec. 15. Advertisement Advertisement I want to thank Emily for her hard work and dedication with this project, said Buttenschon in a statement, to share these teddy bears with so many, Kadas Promise is a non-profit established by the late Kadance Fredericksen, a former Miss Teen USA Pageant contestant from Okaloosa County, Florida. According to the charitys website, Kada suffered sexual and other abuses as a young child, followed by homelessness and hunger. Until the day she was finally rescued by her biological father and his wife, the mother who adopted her as her own, the only thing that kept her from feeling alone in the world was a single stuffed animal. "The only thing that brought her comfort was a single stuffed animal, a small source of security in a world that often felt unsafe, shared the story on Kadas Promise website. She carried that stuffy with her from house to house, couch to couch, clinging to it when everything else felt uncertain. Kadance Fredericksen of Okaloosa County, Florida, founder of Kada's Promise, which distributes stuffed animals to abused children or children in crisis, poses with a Teddy Bear before her tragic death at the age of 18. Fredericksens parents processed her tragic passing by devoting themselves to carrying on her legacy by continuing the work of Kadas Promise, a charity that provides teddy bears and blankets to children in foster care, shelters for abuse survivors, hospitals, and kids without a home. Advertisement Advertisement Kadas Promise is probably my greatest accomplishment to date. Its my life story. said Kada of establishing the non-profit before her tragic death, which is shared on the organizations website. Its my life story. Yes, it is painful to think back to those dark days in my life, but all of that disappears when I meet a scared, lonely little girl in a shelter and get to hand her a stuffed animal, probably the first shes ever owned. Her eyes fill with sparkle, her smile stretches wider and wider. I am so blessed that my pain was temporary and now I get to use my story to temporarily take someone elses pain away. Kadas parents appointed a Kadas Promise ambassador in every state to broaden the impact of Kadas mission and legacy. Earlier this year, Emily Spatto was named the Kadas Promise ambassador in New York State. Its been such a rewarding experience, said Spatto. Being able to support the organizations mission of helping children and families in need is something that I hold dear to my heart. Spatto shared being drawn to donate the stuffed toys to Buttenschons annual event because she wanted to help bring a little extra joy and comfort to children in our community during the holiday season. Advertisement Advertisement Buttenschon added her gratitude to Uticas fireman, ambulance crews, and EMTs for the role they will play in bringing that comfort and joy to the communitys children in need. I also want to thank our first responders, said Buttenschon, as when a child is in crisis, these bears will provide some comfort as our EMS providers care for them. Spatto concluded, I love to make a difference and help others, and this is a way to do that while carrying on Kadances legacy. This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Teddy bear donation honors Kada Fredericksen's work for kids in crisis Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office has filed a smart TV privacy lawsuit against five television companies, arguing that some smart TV features crossed the line from convenience into covert tracking. In a public statement, the office names Sony, Samsung, LG, plus Hisense and TCL Technology Group Corporation (TCL). Texas notes Hisense and TCL are based in China, and it frames the cases around what it describes as unlawful data collection happening inside peoples homes. The key allegation is that the companies used Automated Content Recognition (ACR) to collect personal data about what consumers watch, without the viewers knowledge or meaningful consent, then profit from it through ad targeting. The ACR claim in plain terms Texas describes ACR as software that can capture screenshots of a TV display every 500 milliseconds, track viewing activity in real time, and send that information back to the manufacturer. Advertisement Advertisement The state also claims this viewing data can be sold to help target ads across platforms. What will matter in the filings is the nitty-gritty: what disclosures were shown, how consent was requested (if at all), what data was collected, and whether consumers had a clear way to say no. Why Texas says it matters The attorney generals office argues this is not only about advertising. It says the alleged tracking could put sensitive information at risk, and it points to examples like passwords and bank information. Texas also raises a separate concern about data access when a company has China ties, citing Chinas National Security Law as part of its argument about risk. Those claims are part of the states case, and they are likely to be tested hard as the lawsuits move forward. What to watch next at home The next practical checkpoint is the full text of the complaints, plus any responses from the companies. The statement lays out allegations, not findings, and the specifics will shape what this means for TV owners. Advertisement Advertisement If this smart TV privacy lawsuit has you rethinking what your living room devices collect, its a good moment to open your TVs privacy and advertising menus and look for settings tied to content recognition, viewing data, or ad personalization. The outcome here may set clearer expectations for what a smart TV is allowed to learn about your viewing, and how plainly it has to ask first. The post Texas just put smart TV privacy lawsuit on trial, and it could affect your home appeared first on Digital Trends. Cultural & Historical Significance Brites holds deep cultural significance in Portuguese and Celtic traditions, where it has been used for centuries as a name denoting strength and resilience. The name gained particular prominence in Portugal through legendary figures like Brites de Almeida, the 'Baker of Aljubarrota,' who became a national symbol of courage and determination during the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota. Her story of defending her town with a baker's shovel against Spanish invaders cemented Brites as a name representing feminine strength and patriotic valor. In Celtic cultures, Brites connects to ancient traditions valuing strong female figures and warriors. The name's evolution through various Romance languages reflects the blending of Celtic roots with Latin influences, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula where Celtic tribes once thrived. Throughout medieval Portugal, Brites was commonly used among both nobility and common folk, symbolizing the ideal of the strong, capable woman who could defend her home and community. This cultural legacy continues to influence the name's perception as embodying traditional values of courage and reliability. The streets around the Providence Public Safety Complex filled faster than usual on Thursday with news vans, camera crews and VIP-carrying black SUVs. During an abnormal week for a community unfamiliar with mass shootings, Dec. 18 was a new kind of different. By early afternoon, a break in the case that, just 24 hours earlier, appeared perilously close to a dead end, was now clear. Speculation flowed and reporters from just down the street, down from Boston or from "down under" milled around the lobby, one eye on their phones, another on the lookout for friendly detectives who might share a nugget about the ongoing manhunt. Advertisement Advertisement The elevator banks, where authorities briefly stopped on their way upstairs to the investigation's nerve center, were popular feeding grounds. But reporting is a frantic, every-second-counts form of waiting. Media pack the auditorium at the Dec. 18 press conference at the Providence Public Safety Complex for an update on the Brown University shooting investigation. Shortly after 2 p.m., it was clear the 4 p.m. news conference would be postponed until the fate of the shooting suspect, identity still shrouded in mystery, was determined one way or another. No one would be making it home for dinner that night. In the police auditorium where the news conferences take place, reporters sprawled out in chairs and along the sides lined with camera tripods. Every half hour, the room swelled with sound as the voices of television reporters beaming their live shots built to a cacophony. Advertisement Advertisement Pizzas arrive. Then more. Republican Congressional candidate Victor Mellor, there as a concerned citizen, ordered Domino's for the group. Providence Democratic Mayor Brett Smiley, the main political character in the week's events, ordered more pies. Gov. Dan McKee addresses the media during the Dec. 18 press conference at the Providence Public Safety Complex at which the identity of the Brown University shooting suspect was announced. The mood at Monday's news conference had been anxious, approaching angry. Frayed nerves and disbelief that the shooter may have slipped through law enforcement's grasp led to pointed questions and hard eye rolls. When authorities finally marched to the stage Thursday around 9:30 p.m., everyone in the building had been watching video of officers in tactical gear converging on a Salem, New Hampshire, storage facility. Adrenaline was kicking in, a particular type of anticipation. Advertisement Advertisement The outcome of the manhunt seemed obvious, which only fueled the demand for answers, for motives, reasons. Why did this week happen? What did it mean? This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What it looked like as media await Brown University shooting news France is a nation of contradictions, its engineering trends being simultaneously ultra-conservative yet radically inventive to the point of absurdity. The forces of conformity and eccentricity have long been at odds in this great European nation. The looks of Frances aircraft designs have been equally contradictory, swinging wildly from extremely beautiful to utterly gross. Today, we look at the latter: 10: Breguet 1050 Alize Breguet 1050 Alize Arguably, the Breguet Br.1050 Alize (French: Tradewind) does not match the spectacularly appealing ugliness of its British counterpart, the Fairey Gannet, but it is still a monster. This carrier-based anti-submarine warfare aircraft flew in 1956 and was introduced into the French Navy in 1959. Advertisement Advertisement Powered by a single Rolls-Royce RDa.7 Dart Mk 21 turboprop engine putting out up to 2099 horsepower, the Alize could reach 322 mph. Armament options included torpedo or depth charges in the internal bay. Bombs, depth charges, rockets, or missiles could be carried underwing. The Indian Navy operated 14 Alize aircraft from shore bases and the INS Vikrant. These planes played key roles in Goas 1961 liberation and the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, sinking three gunboats. One Alize was lost to a Pakistani F-104 Starfighter while conducting anti-submarine warfare patrols. Visually, the aircraft was an incoherent mess. The already cluttered lines were further muddled by a mass of aerials, radio antennae wires, a pipe-like exhaust and other bulges and protrusions. But looks aside, the Alize was an effective aircraft that served from 1959 until 2000. 9: Breguet 763 Deux-Ponts Breguet 763 Deux-Ponts With all the elegance of a python digesting an elephant or a Lockheed Constellation that has committed carbocide, the Breguet 763 was a French four-engine aircraft that first flew in 1949. It was known informally, but almost universally, as Deux-Ponts, meaning double-decker. Advertisement Advertisement Design work on the aircraft began during the war, in 1944, with the intention of creating a 100-passenger airliner that utilised readily available engines, which could be quickly developed for the new era of peace. It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 eighteen-cylinder radial engines rated at 2400 horsepower. The aircraft faced twin commercial threats: a glut of surplus wartime piston-engine transports and a new generation of far faster jet aircraft. Against such competition, the unlucky lumpen Deux-Ponts didnt stand a chance. Production of the series was halted after a mere 20 were made. Its double-deck configuration foreshadowed the Boeing 747 and A380. Air France aircraft had room for 59 passengers on the top deck and 48 on the lower deck. In a higher-density configuration, 135 passengers could be carried. A military variant, the Breguet 765 Sahara, served in small numbers with the French Air Force. 8: Amiot 143 Amiot 143 Looking as awkward and unlikely as a flying cable car cabin held aloft by a giant mechanical bison, seemingly nobody told Amiot that the 1930s was supposed to be an era of beautiful aeroplanes. Where to begin in describing this visual horror story is hard, but the wing must be mentioned. Advertisement Advertisement The chord of a wing is the distance from the front to the back of the wing. The chord of the 143 is so vast its wings looked more cheeseboard than aeronautical. However, there are advantages to a broad chord wing: it offers a large internal volume that can be used for fuel and may also allow for a reduced wingspan. Armament consisted of four 7.5 mm (0.295 in) MAC 1934 light machine guns (one each in the nose and dorsal turrets, forward gondola and rear gondola) and up to 800 kg of bombs carried internally plus a maximum of 800 kg externally. In the autumn of 1939 Amiot 143s carried out reconnaissance and propaganda leaflet drops over Germany. In the Battle of France of 1940, the Amiot 143 was used in night attacks against airfields and communications lines. The aircraft proved exceptionally vulnerable in daylight raids. 7: Airbus BelugaST Airbus BelugaST Seemingly possessing a disproportionate forehead with a swollen sausage of a fuselage, the Airbus Beluga is almost nobodys idea of elegance. Although not aesthetically pleasing, the Beluga excels in its primary role of transporting oversized wing and fuselage sections of incomplete aircraft for the Airbus company. Advertisement Advertisement Airbus is an international company making airliners. The parts, made at different factories around the world, need to be moved for final assembly. The quickest way is by air, but some parts are too large to fit in standard transport aircraft. Airbus used to rely on the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy, a heavily modified Boeing C-97/ 377, for their outsize transport needs, but as this grew long in the tooth, they designed a new transporter based on their own A300, and able to carry twice the load. Also known as the A300-600ST Super Transporter, the Beluga first flew in 1994. It can carry up to 40 tonnes of freight and has a maximum range of 1650 km. It is capable of moving objects 39 metres long and 7 metres high. 6: Nord.500 Cadet Nord.500 Cadet The Nord-Aviation N.500 Cadet was one of the many experimental ADAV (VTOL to English speakers) research aircraft built in France during the 60s. Its basic configuration was similar to the Canadian CL-84 or US XC-142 tilt-wings of the same period - and it was developed at the request of the French armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement The French military wished to replace helicopters and conventional fixed-wing military transports with fast vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The role of the Cadet was to test and develop the new technology of tilt-rotor ducted propellers, even before the first test of the prototype. The second prototype flew on July 23 1968, in captive flight (attached to the ground by strong steel cables to limit the risk of accidents). The N.500 Cadet made its first and only free flight in 1969 but never transitioned from vertical to horizontal flight. The programme was scrapped in 1971 despite the promise of larger and more powerful versions. The government preferred conventional helicopters and instead opted for the Sud-Aviation SA-330 Puma. Though it never entered service, it was probably the inspiration for the fictional Hunter-Killer drones of the Terminator movies, and the ducted fan VTOL concept has never gone away, appearing on many uncrewed aircraft and personal transport concepts. 5: Breguet 410 Breguet 410 If you design an aeroplane with aerodynamics as the priority, it will tend to be beautiful; if you design an aircraft with uninterrupted arcs of fire for defensive machine guns as a key concern, you may end up with a monstrosity. And Sacre bleu, the 410 was a monstrosity Advertisement Advertisement Its proportions, with its massive tail, truncated tadpole fuselage and oversized main undercarriage, hurt the eyes. Its towering forward fuselage looked like 60s experimental architecture that should have never been built. 5: Breguet 410 Breguet 410 This sesquiplane (a biplane where one wing, typically the lower one, is significantly smaller than the other) was developed by Breguet Aviation in the late 1920s to create a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, classified as a Multiplace de Combat. Only a single unit of the initial Breguet 410 variant was produced, with the design ultimately being rejected in favour of the competing (and also hideous) Amiot 143. Although the Amiot 143 was chosen, production of an improved Breguet variant (the 413 still began), albeit in limited numbers. The French Air Force acquired several units. One Breguet 413 variant was sold to the Spanish Republican Air Force, where it may have participated in the Spanish Civil War, what would be its only known combat deployment. 4: Riout 102T Alerion Riout 102T Alerion Rene Louis Riout built his first flapping wing aircraft in 1913, the DuBois-Riout. It got off the ground in 1916 but crashed almost immediately. Undeterred, Riout continued to develop his ornithopters. He built larger models until a state body coordinating aeronautical efforts expressed interest in the engineers strange proposals and agreed to create an experimental prototype. Advertisement Advertisement And so, the Riout 102T Alerion was born (or hatched). Its fuselage was made of tubular steel and covered with aluminium. The closed cockpit was located at the very front of the machine; in the nose and the engine, a small V-twin engine was installed behind the pilot and the attachment point of the four flapping wings. 4: Riout 102T Alerion Riout 102T Alerion The aircraft had four small retractable wheels and four wings operating in pairs. By early 1938, construction of the Alerion had been completed, and it had been moved to Chalais-Meudon (an aeronautical research and development centre southwest of Paris). Wind tunnel testing began with the wings stationary, then later flapping, before the final stage of deformation was tested (it is this deformation that produces thrust to propel the aircraft). The wings gave way under the rigours of the wind tunnel combined with the violence of the flapping. The machine was not repaired and it never flew. 3: Bleriot 125 Bleriot 125 In 1928, the Bleriot company created a modern airliner that looked and still looks - like nothing else, the rather buoyant Bleriot 125. The specifications called for a passenger aircraft that could carry between ten and twelve passengers over a range of 1000 kilometres. Advertisement Advertisement The aircraft was distinguished by the presence of two passenger cabins and a central cockpit, making it a double-beam aircraft. The two massive pods have been compared to clown shoes. The 125 was powered by two Hispano-Suiza 12HBr inline engines installed in a push-pull configuration that was rather unusual for the time. 3: Bleriot 125 Bleriot 125 It was at the Grand Palais Air Show in Paris in 1930 that the aircraft was presented to the public for the first time. Although there was no aesthetic standard for the perfect design of an airliner as there is today, visitors were surprised by its strange configuration. An American press correspondent cruelly called the twin-engine aircraft a Flying Joke" - despite his complete lack of knowledge of the aircrafts performance in the air. For that, it was necessary to wait for the first flight on March 9, 1931. The Flying Joke actually had relatively good flying characteristics and was fairly easy to fly. 2: Papin & Rouilly's Gyroptere Papin & Rouilly's Gyroptere Seemingly a biz-jet designed by H. R. Giger to take him to the depths of Hieronymus Boschs hell, lets meet the utterly unlikely Gyroptere. Engineers Papin and Rouilly created a sort of helicopter whose flight technique was directly inspired by the fall of the samaras, the winged seeds of the sycamore tree. Advertisement Advertisement It consisted of a single rotating 17-metre-long blade driven by a tip-jet of compressed air, produced by an 80-horsepower Rhone rotary engine driving a compressor. The engine also served as a counterweight to the blade. The pilot sat at the centre of gravity in a small gondola, which was stabilised from the rotation of the blade by a second jet of compressed air. 2: Papin and Rouilly's Gyroptere Papin and Rouilly's Gyroptere The configuration allowed, in (the quite likely) case of failure, the pilot to gently lower the machine back to the waters surface...at least in theory. A prototype was built in 1913, but tests were delayed by both a troubled development and the outbreak of the First World War, and the machine did not make its first attempt to take off until March 1915 from the Cercey reservoir in France. After starting the engine, the canopy began to turn, and the machine took off and left the water for a short time before becoming violently unstable. The weird craft hit the surface of the water and sank. The overall Gyroptere concept was a technological cul-de-sac but a fascinating vision of another universe where the giant mechanical tomahawk was a viable form of transport. 1: Farman F.120 & F.170 Jabiru Farman F.120 & F.170 Jabiru The jabiru bird from which the Jabiru aircraft were named is a large stork found in the Americas. It is an impressive bird, but not the most beautiful or gainly. Rarely has an aircraft been so appropriately named. The Farman F.120 (pictured) was a series of aircraft that first flew in 1923. The series was used in various roles, including as airliners and bombers. It was utterly grotesque, a strong contender for the ugliest aircraft ever made. Perhaps the most hideous member of the family was the three-engine F-4X (pictured). 1: Farman F.120 & F.170 Jabiru Farman F.120 & F.170 Jabiru As the Farman F.170 Jabiru (which first lumbered into the air in 1925) sat low on its wheels, it was derisively nicknamed the ventre-a-terre (belly to the ground). Although ugly, the F.170 (pictured) was, in many ways, a sound design. Like the Amiot 143, the Farman F.170 Jabiru had a hideously broad chord wing. This inelegant wing was combined with a comical fuselage and windmill-like propeller, giving an uninspiring toylike look. In the F. 170s defence, it was at least better looking than the F.120. Follow Joe Coles on Substack, Twitter X or Blue Sky. His superb Hush-Kit Book of Warplanes is available here. If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar Photo Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en ]]> Tacoma police are searching for a vehicle of interest in the deadly crash that took the life of Washington State Patrol Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting on Friday night. According to a release sent out by the Tacoma Police Department on Sunday afternoon, Trooper Guting was struck by a vehicle while investigating an unrelated collision on the on-ramp to southbound SR-509 from Port of Tacoma Road. The initial impact caused the trooper to be thrown into the right travel lane of southbound SR-509, where the trooper was incapacitated and lying motionless in the roadway. A short time later, a second vehicle, a dark-colored pickup truck, struck the trooper in the right lane. Tacoma police say that the vehicle then continued southbound on SR-509. Advertisement Advertisement Police are now searching for the truck as a vehicle of interest. The truck is described as a dark pickup truck, possibly black in color. It is believed to be either a Chevrolet Avalanche (four-door) or a Cadillac Escalade EXT-style pickup (four-door). The vehicle may have tinted windows, chrome door handles, and chrome running boards. No license plate information is available. Photo Courtesy: Tacoma PD Photo Courtesy: Tacoma PD Photo Courtesy: Tacoma PD Police ask that anyone who witnessed the collision, observed the vehicle of interest, or may have dash-camera footage from southbound SR-509 in the area of Port of Tacoma Road around 7:207:30 p.m. contact investigators. This second vehicle - its dark, its rainy, theres a lot going on in that area - also struck the trooper, Boyd said. We really want to talk to that person to kind of put this puzzle together completely. Advertisement Advertisement Tacoma police are asking anyone with information on the truck or its driver to reach out to Crimestoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. A $1,000 reward is offered for information leading to the drivers arrest. Being able to help the state patrol with investigating this case is really important to us, Boyd said. It is important to the troopers, to the community, to the family that we get it right. Guting was 29 years old and graduated from the academy a little over a year ago. Troopers, officers, and firefighters paid a solemn tribute to Guting this weekend, saluting her flag-draped body as it was removed from St. Joseph Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Trooper Tara-Marysa Guting was out doing what she loved that day. Im still trying to process it myself, if Im being honest, Trooper Kameron Watts of WSP said. Its not something Ive spoken to in the media a lot, but its affecting all of us in Tacoma, and her family is going through a lot. There is no word on whether the first driver to hit Guting will face charges. What happens when a government declares war on a domestic terrorist organization that doesnt actually exist? Its a question that completely flummoxed Michael Glasheen, the FBIs branch and operations director, last week when he was testifying before the House Committee on Homeland Security. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., asked him where antifa, the alleged terrorist organization, was headquartered and he could only reply, were building out the infrastructure right now, an impressive non sequitur that dodged the question. Glasheen could not give any specifics as to how many people are involved in antifa or where they are, but he said that it was ongoing for us to understand thatno different than al-Qaida and ISIS. Thompson pressed him further about just who and what this alleged terrorist threat actually was, and all he could do was shrug and say it is the most immediate violent threat were facing on the domestic side. Its not surprising that the FBI cannot give any concrete evidence. Antifa is not an organization, terrorist or otherwise. Its simply a single concept: anti-fascism. As the Washington Post reported, Thursday marked the first deadline for all the federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate delivery of their intelligence files to the FBI, which will be drawing up lists of leftist networks, Americans and foreigners to investigate. Attorney General Pam Bondis order defined anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, anti-Christianity, opposition to law and immigration enforcement, radical gender ideology and hostility towards traditional views on family, religion, and morality as the kind of ideology requiring investigation by federal authorities. Those are elastic enough terms that it could cover at least half the population. Advertisement Advertisement This followed an executive order issued in September in which the Trump administration designated antifa as a domestic terrorist organization that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law. Any such manifesto or statement of principles doesnt exist; this was simply an attempt to justify the targeting of left-leaning groups and critics of Donald Trump through extrajudicial powers granted to the government for use against foreign terrorist threats. The administration formalized this order with the issuance of National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) on Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence, which the Brennan Center described as addressing a mishmash of incidents, some of which are criminal and some of which constitute activity protected by the First Amendment. These include violence directed at public figures such as conservative activist Charlie Kirk, President Trump, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh; the killing of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson; a purported 1,000 percent increase in attacks on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers; a shooting at an ICE facility; and anti-police and criminal justice protests. Those incidents, according to the Trump administration, are part of an organized left-wing campaign to silence opposing speech, limit political activity, change or direct policy outcomes, and prevent the functioning of a democratic society. Clearly, what they are attempting to do is give themselves the power to define any political dissent as terrorism or provide material support to terrorism which, if you were to apply the same laws that govern foreign terrorism, would lead to prosecution and imprisonment. In previous cases when the Supreme Court sanctioned the governments power to prosecute foreign terrorists, the justices were clear that these mechanisms could not be applied to domestic organizations, because they would clearly violate the First Amendment. But that was the Supreme Court of another era. Who knows what they would say today? Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administrations campaign against the left is not new to American life. The government has gone after left-wing speech and organizing for more than a century, beginning with the first Red Scare in 1919-1920. Spooked by the Russian Revolution, anarchist bombings and labor unrest, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer ordered a crackdown on anything that looked like it might be radical through illegal searches and seizures, unwarranted arrests and detentions. Naturally, a lot of it was focused on immigrants, hundreds of whom were deported under suspicion of being anarchists. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover got the country all worked up in April 1920 with a warning that communists were plotting a violent May Day rebellion; his agents conducted massive raids across the nation. After no rebellions took place, the judicial system put on the brakes, the public turned against Palmer and the scare went dormant. The unfortunate consequence was continued anti-immigrant feeling that led to the draconian Immigration Act of 1924. The years after World War II brought a second red scare, with the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and the McCarthy hearings led by the anti-communist crusader Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wisc., who was of course advised by Trumps future mentor Roy Cohn. The government once more scoured the country for radicals and traitors, trampling all over the First and Fourth Amendments, ruining lives and threatening livelihoods until the fever finally broke. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. During that period, Hoover, still running the FBI, created COINTELPRO, a project to surveil and smear individuals and infiltrate political organizations the FBI considered subversive threats. These included anti-war protesters, the Civil Rights Movement, environmentalists, student groups and various racial and ethnic organizations among others. Unsurprisingly, all of them were left-leaning. Advertisement Advertisement By the late 1960s, the FBI was operating as a secret police force. The organization had abandoned any pretense of fealty to the rule of law, all in the name of protecting America from the alleged threat from within. The program continued until it was exposed in the press, with the Senate Church Committee conducting an investigation in 1975. Now another crackdown is upon us. This time, the government is targeting a phantom organization that is little more than an idea with no central organization or planning. As Reuters reported in October, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is spearheading a program to defund left leaning organizations such as Democratic donor George Soros Open Society Foundations; ActBlue, the funding arm of the Democratic Party; Indivisible and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights by claiming they are funding domestic violence. When pressed for examples, the White House highlighted seven political protests in 2023 and 2025 that included acts of violence directed against law enforcement officials, and two incidents of vandalism at Tesla dealerships this year as well as half a dozen social media posts celebrating the damage. In the past, when the government embarked on one of these paranoid campaigns, public pressure managed to put an end to it once the agenda became clear. When you combine this latest plan with the administrations violent crackdown on immigrants, the nation is about to be overwhelmed by scenes of mayhem and cruelty at the hands of federal agents. Will the people step up to stop this next chapter in domestic political repression? If past is prologue, it will happen. Unfortunately, as always, there will be a whole lot of carnage left in its wake. The post Trumps crackdown on the left has decades of precedent appeared first on Salon.com. By the time Mubashir was allowed to prove who he was, it no longer mattered. In mid-December, the 20-year-old Minneapolis resident was walking through the citys Cedar-Riverside neighborhood when federal immigration officers stopped him. He offered to show identification. They refused, according to reporting by Sahan Journal. Instead, a now-viral video of the incident shows agents putting Mubashir, who has said he only wants to give out his first name, in a chokehold, forcing him to the ground, and handcuffing him in front of bystanders. For roughly 20 minutes, Mubashir says, he repeatedly asked to show his ID, which officers declined. Instead, they took him to a federal building that houses immigration court and Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices, fingerprinted him, and ran his biometrics through federal systems. When officers finally allowed him to present his identification, it confirmed what he had said all along: He is an American citizen. Advertisement Advertisement What happened on a snowy sidewalk in Minneapolis offers a glimpse of where the road is heading for immigration enforcement in the United States. Under Donald Trump, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is attempting to rewrite the rules on how the government collects and uses DNA, claiming legal authority to treat the entire human body its structures, its sounds, even its molecular code as government data. In early November, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) a component of DHS proposed a sweeping redefinition of the biometrics it can collect from anyone tied to an immigration process. The change would radically widen what the government considers fair game: voice prints, iris scans, so-called behavioral characteristics, and DNA itself. Under the proposal, the entire body becomes data the raw material for a permanent, person-centric dossier that can follow people for years, trigger recurring vetting, and be shared across law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and even foreign governments. An even more recent proposal extends this approach to short-term visitors as well, expanding biometric collection for tourists entering and leaving the United States through revisions to the federal arrival-and-departure record. Advertisement Advertisement Increasingly, identity doesnt live on paper; it is something the government extracts from your body. This didnt come out of nowhere. On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order containing a blunt directive: DHS should start collecting DNA from everyone it detains, breathing new life into an existing law allowing federal agents to take genetic samples from anyone in immigration custody. Our data is the most important currency that we have in our world at this point in time, says Texas civil rights attorney Rochelle Garza. How we treat immigrants is always the canary in the coal mine for how we feel about civil rights in this country. Garza knows this terrain better than most. As president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, and chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights whom, according to Politico, Trump has tried to oust in recent months, Garza has spent years watching the border serve as a laboratory for civil-rights erosion. What she sees working in the Texas borderlands is a warning shot for the rest of the country. Advertisement Advertisement The entire country has realized that the border has come to them, to their doorstep, she says. The border has always been the testing ground for taking away civil rights, and its now being exported to the rest of the country. What Is Actually Being Proposed? What DHS is now proposing reads like a blueprint for how far a government can reach into the human body. Tucked into dense language, the agency seeks to redefine biometrics so broadly that almost nothing about a person is off-limits. While DHS already has authority to collect DNA in limited enforcement contexts, the proposal folds it into an expansive definition that also includes iris scans, retina maps, palm patterns, facial structure, voice texture, and behavioral characteristics. In DHSs own words, any measurable biological (anatomical, physiological, or molecular structure) or behavioral characteristic of an individual becomes fair game. The proposal wraps all of this in what DHS calls a biometrically-based, person-centric records model, a permanent dossier that shadows a person for years, and wouldnt close until, they claim, citizenship is obtained. DHS also lays out a regime of enhanced and continuous vetting, meaning the government intends to keep re-screening people throughout the entire immigration lifecycle to ensure they continue to present no risks to national security or public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Under the proposal, anyone who files or is associated with an immigration request including petitioners, sponsors, household members, and in some cases U.S. citizens may be required to appear at a DHS-designated location to submit biometrics. This opens the door for immigration bureaucracy to sweep millions of ordinary people into a biometric capture system once aimed only at migrants in custody. DHS says these person-centric records would close once someone obtains U.S. citizenship. But closed does not mean erased. The proposal creates no automatic right to delete biometrics collected along the way, and many of the people swept into the system are captured because of someone elses case, not their own. By the time a file is theoretically closed, biometrics may already have been retained under existing schedules, shared across agencies, and used for years of screening and re-vetting. DHS once had strict age limits on whose biometrics it could collect. The new rule wipes those out entirely. In the name of identity management throughout the immigration lifecycle, the department is seeking authority to take biometrics from anyone, of any age, in any immigration-related setting in effect, asking to eliminate the last remaining guardrails on who can be biometrically scanned. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal even reaches into the Violence Against Women Act, which provides a humanitarian path for survivors of domestic abuse to seek legal status without relying on their abusers. Because VAWA protections are processed through Citizenship and Immigration Services, they fall under the same benefit request umbrella DHS is now trying to rewire. Under todays rules, VAWA self-petitioners can demonstrate good moral character by submitting police clearance letters or a sworn affidavit. DHS now wants to replace that with mandatory biometric collection for every applicant. The agency estimates this expansion will capture an additional one million biometric submissions per year or more. That surge would push the federal biometric pipeline to well over three million people annually, according to the proposal. The proposal is open for public comment through Jan. 2, 2026. After that, DHS can finalize the rule through the administrative process, without a vote in Congress. Unless blocked by a court challenge or new legislation, the policy could be implemented soon after locking in one of the largest biometric expansions in U.S. history. DHS did not respond to requests for comment for this story. How Things Work Now Under current law, DHS already has extraordinary latitude to collect DNA from non-citizens detained under federal authority, a category broad enough to include many asylum seekers and visa holders with no criminal history at all. Advertisement Advertisement The process looks like this: In the field, Border Patrol or ICE officers take a cheek swab during booking or intake, then send the sample to an FBI-contracted lab for analysis. DHS has also deployed Rapid DNA machines in certain facilities, allowing agents to run an on-site analysis in roughly 90 minutes. The agency says the swabs help confirm or disprove parent-child relationships and combat trafficking. The genetic material is uploaded into the national criminal DNA database known as CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), where it is retained indefinitely. CODIS is a very closed system. Its a secure database. The FBI keeps it really locked down so that it cannot be compromised, says Sara Huston, a principal investigator of the Genetics and Justice Laboratory at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, which studies how genetic technologies intersect with the criminal legal system. Huston, who used CODIS while working in a forensic crime lab in the early 2000s, says only a small, tightly controlled set of labs and agencies can interface with it. Advertisement Advertisement This database holds far less genetic information than people imagine, with just enough to confirm identity or close biological relationships and nothing more. It stores no names, almost no biographical data. The link between a DNA profile and a persons identity stays with the local lab that uploaded it. By design, says Huston, you cannot cross-reference CODIS outside of CODIS. Even inside the system, its usefulness stops at basic identification. It cannot reveal health risks, traits, ethnicity, or anything resembling a full DNA profile. The database only contains DNA collected and processed inside a DOJcontrolled chain of custody. For years, DHS operated under a DOJ exemption that prevented it from collecting DNA at all. The first Trump administration eliminated that exemption, building the chain-of-custody workaround needed for Border Patrol officers to feed samples into CODIS. They had to figure out a way to permit Border Patrol to be part of the chain of custody, since CODIS requires it to be a law-enforcement agent to take the sample, Huston explains. They figured that out back in the first Trump administration so that the hold could be removed. Advertisement Advertisement But CODIS was never built for this. As Huston explains, the system was designed to store DNA from people convicted of crimes so investigators could match those profiles against evidence in unsolved cases. That original logic, she argues, has now been flipped on its head. Were searching not for their crime of border crossing, but potentially that they will be involved in some sort of violent crime in the future, Huston says, and I dont understand why border crossing means that they should have a higher degree of surveillance. It undermines the whole system. It was originally set up to solve historic crimes, not to surveil for future crimes. But if this second Trump administration has their way, the immigration system could soon become a massive genetic surveillance apparatus extending even further beyond the intent of its framework. Advertisement Advertisement It may come as a surprise, but this moment is 20 years in the making. A 20-Year-Old Trojan Horse Despite the tenacity of the Trump administrations pursuit of immigration reform, what is happening now is the culmination of decades of bipartisan groundwork that steadily expanded the federal governments power to collect and store DNA. Twenty years ago under President George W. Bush, the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005, introduced by then-Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), blew open the gates of a legal pathway for the federal government to start DNA collection as a front-end identification tool. It expanded upon a Clinton-era bill from 1994 that had allowed the establishment of CODIS, mainly framed as a crime solving tool for forensic casework. We couldnt find evidence in the record of any real debate over the expansion of DNA collection from criminal policing into the immigration space, but it did happen in 2005, says Stephanie Glaberson, director of research and advocacy for the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law. In 2005, the act was smuggled in through bureaucratic sleight of hand, buried deep inside a dense reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act a politically untouchable bill guaranteed to pass with overwhelming bipartisan support, which was championed by then-Senator Joe Biden. The DNA Fingerprint Act was a Trojan Horse that radically expanded who the feds could collect DNA from. It marked the first time compulsory DNA collection was extended beyond the criminal justice system into civil detention The power sort of laid dormant, because DHS basically didnt see the value in spending the incredible amount of time and energy and money to build out a DNA collection program, Glaberson says, in large part because this kind of DNA collection doesnt actually serve immigration enforcement purposes. Successive administrations over the next 15 years rarely used it, and DNA collection at the border remained sporadic and limited. Obama kept a DHS exemption in place that prevented DNA collection from migrants, and even after Trump removed that exemption in 2019, large-scale swabbing didnt begin until the final weeks of his first term. Under Biden, collection was minimal to the point that members of Congress along with the Office of Special Counsel blasted the administration for failing to enforce the DNA Fingerprint Act, accusing DHS of violating federal immigration laws by not swabbing more people. In short, the executive order Trump signed in January was merely the ignition switch an enforcement catch-up activating machinery that already existed. It directed DHS to fully utilize existing statutory authorities and to ensure that everyone in federal custody is properly identified, casting immigration enforcement as a matter of national security and public safety. In that framing, expanded biometric collection is presented as a correction a way to activate powers Congress had already granted but prior administrations had failed to fully use. The Hidden Architecture of DHS Data Machine Whats happening with DNA is only one piece of a much larger puzzle an expanding system of biometric and data-driven surveillance DHS is assembling to monitor people across the entire immigration lifecycle, and increasingly, beyond it. The Department of Homeland Securitys November proposal makes the shape of that system unmistakable. Its difficult to overstate the risks of an administration with sweeping anti-immigrant ambitions gaining control of an ever-expanding biometric arsenal. Its equally unclear how far this data could be pushed to advance Trumps broader agenda. DHS has really been empowered, and funded, says Glaberson. Theyve got all kinds of interlocking systems to gather data through. I mean, you name it. A report by Georgetown, which Glaberson co-authored American Dragnet: Data-Driven Deportation in the 21st Century shows that, beyond biometrics, DHS is pulling data from almost every imaginable source to track people: drivers license records, utility accounts, automated license-plate readers, commercial brokers, even child-welfare files. According to Georgetowns report, ICEs surveillance reach extends into datasets covering a large share of the U.S. adult population. The authors estimate ICE has used face recognition to search drivers-license photos for about 1 in 3 U.S. adults (32 percent), has access to drivers-license data for about 3 in 4 adults (74 percent), can track vehicles in cities home to about 3 in 4 adults (70 percent), and can locate about 3 in 4 adults through utility-linked address data. It is a mistake to think about what the Trump administration is doing now as immigration enforcement, the report states. Trump is using immigration powers as the vehicle for the activities of his militarized police force, which is currently composed of ICE and CBP agents, as well as local police who have been officially or unofficially deputized to do the bidding of the federal government. Its worth noting where the new proposal to expand the definition of biometrics came from. The rules authorship points to an ideological throughline. It was drafted inside DHSs Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, whose leadership includes Michael Scardaville a former Heritage Foundation policy analyst who now serves as deputy assistant secretary for screening and vetting, the very functions this rule seeks to expand. Heritage, of course, is the driving force behind Project 2025, which calls for broadening DHSs powers, supercharging screening and vetting, and treating immigration enforcement as the core of domestic security. Additionally, Peter Thiel-run Palantir Technologies has also become a central contractor inside the immigration system, winning a $30 million deal to build ImmigrationOS and holding the sole-source contract for ICEs Investigative Case Management platform. Public records show both systems are built to interface with DHS and FBI identity databases, including those run by the Office of Biometric Identity Management and the FBIs Criminal Justice Information Services division. Palantir hasnt said whether DNA is part of those integrations, but its platforms are designed to ingest biometric and identity data at scale. In June, Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, and Americans for Immigrant Justice sued DHS after ICE and CBP failed to turn over even basic records about their DNA collection program. The complaint says the agencies blew past Freedom of Information Act deadlines and withheld nearly everything, leaving the public with no clear picture of how DHS is gathering and using genetic data. In the meantime, efforts to track and apprehend immigrants have only intensified. DHSs proposal arrives alongside a new requirement that every noncitizen be face-scanned at entry and exit, effective Dec. 26, 2025. In November, four Democratic senators raised alarms that ICE has not only developed advanced biometric technology but is actively using it to surveil and identify members of the public despite lacking clear legal authority. The Trump administration is using this technology to intimidate Black and Brown communities and silence protesters or anyone who disagrees with the administration. It is Orwellian in the extreme, says Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who has been tracking this expansion across agencies for more than a year. Markeys warning comes after months of escalating confrontations with DHS, ICE, and CBP over their use of surveillance technology. Since the summer, he has sent at least eight formal oversight letters pressing agencies to halt use of a biometric phone app known as Mobile Fortify, demanding answers about license-plate readers and predictive tracking systems used to monitor Americans movements, raising alarms over drone surveillance of peaceful protestors, and questioning the governments growing reliance on AI to assess risk. In an email statement provided to Rolling Stone, Markey said further expansion of the technology heralds a new chilling era of mass government surveillanceone that deliberately violates privacy and chills speech. This isnt securityits Big Brother, he added, pledging to continue pressing ICE to cease its use of facial recognition and related biometric tools that threaten the privacy of individuals in the United States. Meanwhile, the Trump administrations enforcement rhetoric has grown more explicit. On Nov. 27, Customs and Immigration Services director Joseph B. Edlow tweeted hed been ordered to conduct a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every green card issued to immigrants from 19 countries. The next day, DHSs official X account tweeted: The stakes have never been higher, and the goal has never been more clear: Remigration now. And in May, the State Department announced plans for a new Office of Remigration, signaling an effort to deport millions of immigrants. Beyond the Border The immigration enforcement system DHS is constructing, which its new biometric powers would only accelerate, is already reaching deep into peoples lives in ways few understand. Although DHS under the Biden-Harris administration was widely criticized for failing to collect DNA at the scale federal law required, CBP still managed to swab nearly 2,000 U.S. citizens, including children, during the same period. CBP records obtained by Georgetown show multiple U.S. citizens including a 14-year-old child had their DNA taken and sent to the FBI despite no criminal charges. A 25-year-old traveler at Chicago Midway, a 20-year-old stopped in Laredo, and a 19-year-old in San Diego were all detained, cleared, and released in one case after being incorrectly charged under a statute that applies only to noncitizens. None of the cases were referred for prosecution. Yet in every instance, CBP still swabbed them and submitted their DNA to a federal criminal database, sweeping ordinary Americans into a system built for offenders simply because they crossed paths with immigration officers. The future is the real fault line. With further legislative and technological expansion, how could biometrics be used in the future a year, five years, even 10 or 20 years from now? Theres just an incredible influx of data from basically all touchpoints that the agency is scooping up to build out this pervasive, universal surveillance network, Glaberson says. The DNA is one piece of that, but a very particular and very sensitive piece. Congress could repeal the federal statute that authorizes DHS to take DNA and replace it with modern protections governing how genetic data is collected, stored, shared, and used by both government and private actors. Oversight committees in the House and Senate could compel DHS to disclose how its DNA program actually works, what technologies its procuring, and how it plans to use genetic material in the future. States can tighten their own genetic-privacy laws and restrict local law-enforcement reliance on DNA collected without constitutional safeguards. But reversing this trajectory will require political will, legal pressure, and sustained public scrutiny. What started as a border program to collect migrants DNA has evolved into the architecture of a biometric surveillance state a system that could soon watch us all, no matter how far we are from the border. Alex Ashley is a journalist and writer based in Los Angeles and Seattle. His reporting has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, on NPR, and other national outlets. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. President Donald Trump called the deaths of actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, a very sad thing after they were found dead with stab wounds in their Brentwood home. Trump is accused of politicizing a violent and deeply personal tragedy. While he initially expressed sympathy, Trumps decision to repeat political attacks was criticized as insensitive. Rob Reiner had long been a vocal critic of Trump and blamed him for the 2022 attack on Rep. Nancy Pelosis (D-CA) husband. Advertisement Advertisement Trump repeated his criticism of Rob Reiner, saying he suffered from Trump derangement syndrome. Critics argue that politicizing a recently deceased person is callous and shifts attention away from the human loss. Analysts say public figures should show restraint and basic empathy following a death, especially one involving violence. The exchange emphasizes tensions in U.S. political discourse over how public figures balance commentary with respect for private grief. This story was reported by content partner Modern Newsstand LLC. President Trump on Saturday evening endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for governor of New York, one day after Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) surprisingly exited the race and announced she would not seek reelection to Congress. Trump did not mention Stefanik in his Saturday post on Truth Social endorsing Blakeman. Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning, he wrote, extolling the Nassau officials work with border officials and police. Advertisement Advertisement Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN! Stefanik has been a close ally of Trumps, and was a nominee at the beginning of the year to serve as the Trump administrations representative to the United Nations. Trump withdrew that nomination as Republicans became concerned over their partys narrow majority in the House, fearing they would need Stefaniks vote and could not survive her absence for the campaign. Trump had previously not offered an endorsement in the New York governors race. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, The New York Times noted in a Friday story, he said theyre both great people in response to a question about whether he had a preferred candidate in the GOP primary. At the time, Blakeman had not officially entered the GOP race. In her announcement on Friday afternoon, Stefanik said she had made the decision to exit the race and not run again for Congress after discussions with her family. She said the most important job in her life was to be a mother. She also said it would not have been an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York. Responding to Trumps endorsement of Blakeman on Saturday, a campaign spokeswoman for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), whos seeking reelection, said in a statement that New Yorkers couldnt trust Blakeman to put their needs first. Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump endorsed Bruce Blakeman for one reason: hell put Trump first, New York last, and leave families to foot the bill, Hochul spokeswoman Sarafina Chitika said. Blakeman should have learned a lesson from Elise Stefanik: MAGA sellouts dont win New York, and they sure as hell dont end up in the governors mansion, she added. Trump made waves in November when Zohran Mamdani, just elected as New York Citys new mayor, showed up at the White House for a meeting with Trump. The two took questions from reporters, with Mamdani standing next to Trump, who was seated at his desk in the Oval Office. Advertisement Advertisement Trump proceeded to repeatedly compliment Mamdani in glowing terms. In doing so, he undercut Republicans in general and Stefanik in particular, as the New York lawmaker had sought to cast Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, as not only a danger to the city and state of New York but a symbol of an increasingly left-wing Democratic Party. During the press event, one reporter cited Stefaniks accusations that Mamdani is a jihadist and asked Trump if he felt he was sitting next to a jihadist right now in the Oval Office. No, I dont, Trump replied. Referring to Stefanik, Trump said shes out there campaigning and told reporters theyd need to ask her about the jihadist comments. He then described meeting with a very rational person in Mamdani. Advertisement Advertisement New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is seeking reelection, argued at the time that Trump had nuked the entire premise of Stefaniks campaign. A Siena College Poll released this week showed Hochul leading Stefanik by 19 points in a hypothetical head-to-head, while the governor holds a 25-point lead over Blakeman. This story was updated at 6:53 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON (AP) As the dawn rose on President Donald Trumps second term, one key figure from his first administration stood back, content to focus on his personal business interests and not retake a formal government role. Now, nearly a year into Trump 2.0, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has been drawn back into the foreign policy fold and is taking a greater role in delicate peace negotiations. Talks had initially been led almost solo by special envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate mogul who had no government experience before this year. The shift reflects a sense among Trumps inner circle that Kushner, who has diplomatic experience, complements Witkoffs negotiating style and can bridge seemingly intractable differences to close a deal, according to several current and former administration officials who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal deliberations. Advertisement Advertisement That role was on display this weekend as Kushner and Witkoff took part in a blitz of diplomacy in Miami. On Sunday, they concluded two days of talks with Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev in Miami on the latest proposals to end Russias war in Ukraine. The talks with Dmitriev came after they met on Friday in Florida with the Ukrainian negotiating team, led by Rustem Umerov, as well as senior British, French and German national security officials. The Ukrainians and European officials stuck around Florida for more talks with U.S. government officials facilitated by Trump's envoys. Witkoff and Kushner also squeezed in meetings on Friday with Turkish and Qatari officials to discuss the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as they look to implement the second phase of Trumps ceasefire plan. Advertisement Advertisement Kushner and Witkoff employ contrasting styles Witkoff, a longtime pal of Trump's, is seen by some inside the administration as an oversize character who has traveled the world for diplomatic negotiations on his private jet and does not miss an opportunity to publicly praise the president for his foreign policy acumen, the officials say. Kushner has his own complicated business interests in the Middle East and a sometimes transactional outlook to diplomacy that has distressed some officials in European capitals, a Western diplomat said. Still, Kushner is seen as a more credible negotiator than Witkoff, who is viewed by many Ukrainian and European officials as overly deferential to Russian interests during the war that began with Moscow's invasion in February 2022, the diplomat said. Advertisement Advertisement Kushner has a bit more of a track record from the first administration, said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Georgia who now teaches diplomacy at Northwestern University. Kelly stressed, however, that the jury is still out on Kushner's intervention. Trump views Kushner as a trusted family member and talented adviser who has played a pivotal role in some of his biggest foreign policy successes, said White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly. Trump and Witkoff "often seek Mr. Kushners input given his experience with complex negotiations, and Mr. Kushner has been generous in lending his valuable expertise when asked, Kelly added. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott called Kushner a world-class negotiator. Pigott noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is grateful for Kushner's "willingness to serve our country and help President Trump solve some of the worlds most complex challenges. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes in October, Kushner spoke about his unconventional approach to diplomacy. I was trained in foreign policy really in President Trumps first term by seeing an outsider president come into Washington with a different school of foreign policy than had been brought in place for the 20 or 30 years prior, he said. But some Democrats and government oversight groups have expressed skepticism about Kushner's role in shaping the administration policies in the Middle East while he manages billions of dollars in investments, including from Saudi Arabia and Qatars sovereign wealth funds through his firm, Affinity Partners. Similarly, Witkoff has faced scrutiny for his and his family's deep business ties to Gulf nations. Witkoff last year partnered with members of Trump's family to launch a cryptocurrency company, World Liberty Financial, which received a $2 billion investment from a United Arab Emirates-controlled wealth fund. Advertisement Advertisement What people call conflicts of interests, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world, said Kushner, who is not drawing a salary from the White House for his advisory role. White House counsel David Warrington said in a statement that Kushner's efforts for Trump "are undertaken in full compliance with the law. Given that Jared Kushner was a critical part of the efforts leading to the historic Abraham Accords and other diplomatic successes in the first Trump Administration, the President asked Mr. Kushner to be available as the President engages in similar efforts to bring peace to the world," Warrington said in a statement, referring to Trump's first-term effort that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. "Mr. Kushner has agreed to do so in his capacity as a private citizen." Kelly and other veterans of U.S. diplomatic encounters with the Russians over many years are also skeptical about Kushner's ability to secure a Russia-Ukraine deal because Witkoff technically remains in the lead. Advertisement Advertisement I dont see that the Witkoff approach is going to work, Kelly said. He doesnt really read the Russians well. He misunderstands what they say and reports the misunderstandings back to Washington and the Europeans. They seem to have this idea that the magic key is money: investment and development," Kelly said. "But these guys dont care about that, they are not real estate guys except in the sense that they want the land, period. Kushner was out of the spotlight until he wasn't For the first half of the year, Kushner stayed out of the spotlight, even as he pushed, unsuccessfully in some cases, to install some former associates those with whom he worked on negotiating the Abraham Accords into powerful roles in the new administration, according to the current and former administration officials. Advertisement Advertisement Kushner had told Trump and others that while he would not be joining the second-term White House, he stood ready to offer his counsel if it was desired. That is a role he also played on a few occasions during the Biden years as the Democratic administration tried, without success, to expand the Abraham Accords. Although Kushner remained an informal sounding board for Trump and top advisers, he resisted getting directly involved, even as the president expanded his peacemaking pursuits, until it became clear to him and others that the job might be too much for Witkoff to seal on his own, the officials said. As Trumps efforts to forge an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza faltered over the summer, Kushner came in, trading on his experience and contacts in negotiating the Abraham Accords to help Witkoff push Trumps plan over the finish line. Agreed to in late September after frantic talks surrounding the annual U.N. General Assembly, the 20-point plan is still a work in progress, but its implementation is being coordinated by Kushner and numerous members of his Abraham Accords team. Advertisement Advertisement We always bring Jared when we want to get that deal closed, Trump told Israels parliament, the Knesset, shortly after the agreement. We need that brain on occasion. As soon as the Gaza plan was finalized, Kushner said he was returning to his family and day job in Miami, where he heads a multibillion-dollar private equity firm. His involvement in high-stakes peacemaking was only temporary, Kushner said, joking that his wife, Ivanka, might change the locks if he did not get home soon. Im gonna try to help set it up, and then Im gonna hopefully go back to my normal life, Kushner said in October. But within weeks of shepherding the Gaza ceasefire, Trump turned again to his fixer-in-law to dive into the Russia-Ukraine negotiations. They had been deadlocked for months despite persistent efforts by the White House to lure both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy into an agreement. Trump hinted then that he would continue to lean on Kushner when the stakes are highest, just as he has done. Ivanka Trumps husband is trying to get Middle Eastern leaders to invest in his vision of a high-tech paradise built on the ruins of Gaza. Jared Kusher, 44, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, 68, have concocted a 32-slide, sensitive but unclassified PowerPoint presentation titled Project Sunrise: Building a New and Unified Gaza, which paints a vision of a sparkling metropolis built on the war-torn ruins of the Gaza Strip, The Wall Street Journal first reported on Friday. Jared and Witkoff are pitching a futuristic utopia built on the ruins of Gaza. / Wall Street Journal The proposal says the U.S. would commit 20% of the development costs to turn the Gaza Strip into a ritzy tourist destination, replete with high-speed railways, AI-driven power grids, and beachside luxury resorts. The plan would cost $112.1 billion over ten years, with the U.S. promising to support nearly $60 billion in grants and guarantees on debt for all the contemplated work streams in that time period. Advertisement Advertisement Kushners pitch deck does not provide a specific plan for exactly where 2 million displaced Palestinians would go during the reconstruction period. It does say they would be placed in temporary shelter, field hospitals, and mobile clinics. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts request for comment. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Journal, The Trump administration will continue to work diligently with our partners to sustain a lasting peace and lay the groundwork for a peaceful and prosperous Gaza. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff have been pressing their business connections to try and secure profitable peace deals in the Middle East. / Win McNamee/Getty Images Trumps son-in-law and Witkoff reportedly pressed their business connections in the Middle East while hammering out a peace deal in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Kushner and Witkoff are reportedly trying a similar tactic to secure a profitable peace in the Russia-Ukraine war. So far, the two men have shopped the PowerPoint to Turkey, Egypt, and wealthy Gulf Kingdoms, according to the Journal. Advertisement Advertisement However, Middle East experts have serious doubts that Jared and Witkoffs vision will ever come to fruition. Nothing happens until Hamas disarms. Hamas will not disarm, so nothing will happen, said Steven Cook, a senior fellow for the Middle East at the Council on Foreign Relations. Reconstruction in Gaza would require the removal of 68 million tons of debris, undetonated land mines, and 10,000 killed Palestinians. / Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images The tenuous peace deal in the Israel-Hamas conflict struck on Oct. 10 hinges on Hamas agreeing to disarm, which it so far has refused to do. Hamas disarmament is phase 2 of Trumps 20-phase peace plan. Without Hamas disarmament, the rest of the peace agreement cant move ahead. Slide 2 of the Project Sunrise PowerPoint concedes that it cant move forward unless Hamas disarms. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Hamas remains the biggest roadblock to any reconstruction effort. Advertisement Advertisement You are not going to convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they believe another war is going to happen in two, three years, he said. We have a lot of confidence that we are going to have the donors for the reconstruction effort and for all the humanitarian support in the long term, he added. Even if Kushner and Witkoffs Project Sunrise somehow moves forward, building a tech metropolis in Gaza isnt a simple endeavor. Construction would require the removal of unexploded land mines, 68 million tons of rubble, and the bodies of 10,000 killed Palestinians. The name Ceolfrith suggests a personality characterized by deep intellectual commitment, administrative competence, and spiritual seriousness. Individuals with this name are often perceived as natural leaders who combine visionary thinking with practical organizational skills. They typically exhibit remarkable patience and persistence, capable of working toward long-term goals with unwavering dedicationqualities essential for the manuscript production and monastic development associated with the historical Ceolfrith. These individuals often possess a methodical approach to complex tasks and a respect for tradition and established procedures. At the same time, they demonstrate adaptability in navigating changing circumstances, much like the historical figure who maintained his monastery's mission through political turmoil. The name implies someone who values knowledge not just for its own sake but as a means to higher purposes, whether spiritual, educational, or cultural. Their strength lies in balancing contemplation with action, study with administration, and innovation with tradition. NEED TO KNOW Fox News host Jesse Watters claimed that President Donald Trump told him he is building the new White House ballroom as a monument to himself He added that Trump said he was doing so because no one else will Watters recounted the alleged conversation while speaking at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest in Phoenix on Dec. 20 Jesse Watters claims President Donald Trump told him he is constructing the new White House ballroom as a monument to himself and that hes doing it because no one else will. The Fox News host recounted the alleged conversation while speaking at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest, a multiday conservative conference and festival in Phoenix, on Saturday, Dec. 20. A video of the moment has since been posted on X. Advertisement Advertisement Watters, 47, told the large crowd that he was sharing a meal with Trump, 79, when the president asked him if he wanted to see a rendition of the big, beautiful ballroom. I said, Sure, let me see it, Watters continued. He [Trump] rolls the whole thing out. And guys, I don't know if you know this the ballroom is huge. Like, I said, Mr. President, the ballroom is four times the size of the White House.' McCrery Architects/The White House Rendering of the interior of the proposed White House ballroom Rendering of the interior of the proposed White House ballroom He said, Jesse, it's a monument. I'm building a monument to myself because no one else will,' " Watters added, eliciting loud laughs from the audience. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Advertisement Advertisement Trump recently said that the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which is being built on the site of the former East Wing, will now cost $400 million a significant jump from earlier estimates. Trump announced the updated price tag on Dec. 17 during a Hanukkah reception at the White House, where he also revealed that a federal judge has allowed construction on the controversial project to move forward. He repeated the figure multiple times while thanking the official for clearing the way for continued construction, describing the ruling as an act of courage. The ballroom which is being funded entirely by private donors, including a contribution from Trump himself is expected to be completed by summer 2028. PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Heavy machinery tears down a section of the East Wing as construction begins on the White House ballroom on Oct. 20, 2025 Heavy machinery tears down a section of the East Wing as construction begins on the White House ballroom on Oct. 20, 2025 Trump has argued that the sprawling ballroom is needed so future presidents can host large events indoors rather than on the South Lawn. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. It's unclear just how many people the space can accommodate. Trump told NBC News in September that it would hold up to 900 people; BBC reporting cites plans for a capacity of 1,350. Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 16, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected a request from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to temporarily halt construction while the project undergoes additional review, the Associated Press reported. However, the judge said he plans to hold a hearing in January on the groups request for a preliminary injunction and warned the administration not to make underground construction decisions that would lock in the design of the ballroom above ground, per Bloomberg. Read the original article on People The trilateral partnership took shape some 15 years ago after Israels ties with Turkey deteriorated, even if it was initially framed in the language of energy cooperation and regional diplomacy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will host his Greek and Cypriot counterparts in Jerusalem on Monday as part of a trilateral partnership that has steadily changed character. The partnership took shape some 15 years ago after Israels ties with Turkey deteriorated, even if it was initially framed in the language of energy cooperation and regional diplomacy. Advertisement Advertisement But what was once implicit has now become more explicit, with concerns about Turkeys intentions increasingly defining the trilateral agenda. A decade ago, natural gas provided both the language and the legitimacy for building closer ties with Greece and Cyprus, two countries that for decades were among the most critical of Israel in Europe. Gas pipelines, export routes, and the connection of electrical grids were ways to deepen cooperation among the three countries without explicitly framing it as an alliance against Turkey. But today, as energy projects fade or change form and regional tensions have sharpened, that caution has given way to more candor. Security cooperation once a talking point that appeared well after gas was discussed has become the central pillar of the relationship. CYPRIOT PRESIDENT Nikos Christodoulides (R) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in Nicosia on September 3, 2023 ahead of a trilateral summit with Greece. (credit: IAKOVOS HATZISTAVROU/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) On the eve of this summit, reports emerged and later denied that the three countries were considering putting together a rapid-response force composed of military units from each country. Advertisement Advertisement The roots of this partnership lie in the early years of this century, when Israels offshore gas discoveries coincided with a sharp deterioration in its ties with Ankara, brought about by the election of Recep Tayyip Erdogan as prime minister in 2002. Historic Turkey rivals become new Israeli partners As Erdogan dramatically altered Turkeys relationship with Israel, seen most vividly in the Mava Marama incident in 2010, Israel lost an important strategic ally. As a result, it sought new partners in the region to take Turkeys place, and Greece and Cyprus both historic rivals of Turkey and wary of its regional aims emerged as natural alternatives. Energy cooperation provided the initial framework something that could serve as a foundation for closer ties, bring Israel nearer to Europe, and deepen coordination with two EU member states without immediately defining the alliance as a counterbalance to Turkey. At the time, the gas story was compelling, with an ambitious idea of a pipeline running from Israel through Cyprus to Greece and onward into Europe. The EastMed pipeline, as the project was known, was expensive and technically challenging, but it offered a vision around which this new alignment could coalesce. Advertisement Advertisement This alignment was all the more striking because it broke with history. Greece and Cyprus had been among Israels harshest and most consistent critics in Europe for decades. The sight of Israeli, Greek, and Cypriot leaders standing together at summits in Nicosia and Athens represented a significant diplomatic shift. Gas did not erase political differences, but it created common interests strong enough to override them. Turkey, however, always lurked in the background. The proposed energy routes were attractive not only because they connected Israel to Europe, but also because they went around Turkey. Still, this was rarely stated outright. The emphasis remained positive: cooperation, development, and regional stability. Energy allowed all three countries to advance the alliance as a counterweight to Turkey without presenting it as such. This framing was deliberate. Israel was still testing whether its relationship with Ankara could get back on track. Greece and Cyprus, for their part, preferred not to frame their diplomacy explicitly as anti-Turkish. Gas provided a neutral vocabulary one that enabled progress without forcing a confrontation. Over time, however, the limitations of that approach became clear. The EastMed pipeline to Europe never got off the ground, despite endless discussion. The project quietly slipped off the agenda due to its immense costs, engineering challenges, shifting energy markets, and, eventually, the withdrawal of US support in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Energy cooperation did not disappear altogether, however. Gas exports to Egypt and from there to Europe moved forward. Discussions about undersea electricity cables linking Israel directly to Cyprus and then to Greece and the European electricity grid began to advance. But gas no longer carried the political or strategic weight it once did. It could not sustain the relationship on its own. Instead, the relationship was sustained by enhanced security cooperation, something that had been developing all along. Even before the ambitious gas projects fell by the wayside, Israel and Greece were building an impressive web of military ties. Israeli pilots trained in Greek airspace after access to Turkish skies was closed. Joint exercises expanded in scope and frequency. Intelligence cooperation deepened. Cyprus also steadily strengthened its security dialogue and cooperation with Jerusalem and even let IDF soldiers train there. Advertisement Advertisement By the early 2020s, this cooperation had matured into an institutional arrangement. Long-term defense agreements were signed. Major procurement deals moved forward. Coordination among air, naval, and ground forces became routine rather than exceptional. The relationship deepened. What has changed in recent years is not the existence of that cooperation, but the context in which it is now being discussed. Turkeys actions have sharpened threat perceptions across the region. Airspace violations over the Aegean, maritime maneuvers in the Mediterranean, diplomatic and military activism in Libya, and efforts to entrench influence in Syria have made clear to Athens, Nicosia, and Jerusalem that Turkey is flexing its muscles and testing limits. For Greece, the concern is less about full-scale war than about escalation through miscalculation. For Cyprus, it is the permanence of a divided island backed by an overwhelming Turkish military presence. For Israel, it is possible that Turkish deployments or influence could one day complicate operational freedom over the skies of Lebanon and Syria. Advertisement Advertisement These are not identical concerns. But they overlap. That overlap explains why ideas that once would have been politically sensitive are now being openly aired and denied. Reports in recent weeks about deliberations over a trilateral rapid-response framework involving Israeli, Greek, and Cypriot forces have drawn swift official pushback, stressing that no standing joint force is being established. Those denials matter. They reflect real constraints and a clear desire to avoid formal alliance commitments. But they also reflect something else: a willingness to let it be known that the three countries are thinking together about crisis response and how they could operate together in a crisis. A decade ago, such discussions would have remained entirely behind closed doors. Today, even the act of denying them sends a message. There is an irony here. Gas was long portrayed as the foundation of the Israel-Greece-Cyprus partnership. But Turkey was the reason the partnership was formed in the first place, even if that was not how it was packaged at the time. Advertisement Advertisement As the ambitious energy projects faded or changed form, what remained was the core of the relationship: security cooperation, defense procurement, intelligence sharing, and close diplomatic coordination. That core has proven more durable than any infrastructure plan. Turkey, once the background constant, has become the catalyst that clarifies why all this matters; the central factor in todays fluid regional order driving the Israel-Greece-Cyprus alignment in the first place. Two soldiers injured in an attack by ISIS gunmen in Palmyra, Syria, returned to the United States, according to the Iowa National Guard. The National Guardsmen were part of a unit based in Syria that was attacked on Dec. 13. Two Iowa soldiers Sgt. William Nathaniel "Nate" Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, and Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines along with civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Michigan, were killed last weekend in an attack in Syria. Five Iowa National Guard soldiers in all were attacked. The two wounded soldiers arrived on Dec. 20 and are currently in stable condition, a spokesperson for the Iowa National Guard said in a news release. Their families are with them while they begin the next phase of their recovery, she said. Advertisement Advertisement The National Guard declined to reveal the identities of the two soldiers, who are receiving medical treatment at a dedicated military facility. A third Iowa National Guardsman injured in the attack returned to duty after receiving treatment in Syria. Caring for our impacted families and the safe return of our service members is our highest priority, said Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, in a news release. We are incredibly proud of their courage and sacrifice, and our focus is now on providing them and their families with the comprehensive support they need during this time. We ask that all Iowans keep them in their thoughts and prayers as they recover. What happened in Syria? The Associated Press reported the gunman stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards. Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba told the Associated Press it was a major security breach." Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump helped escort the bodies of Howard and Torres-Tova in a dignified transfer on Dec. 17 at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The soldiers eventually will return home to Iowa, where information on arrival and funeral services had not yet been released by Saturday evening. All three were killed Saturday, Dec. 13, by an attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, before being shot dead. The Syrian Interior Ministry has described the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State. Three other Iowa National Guard soldiers, whose names were not released, were injured. All were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, which is part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. The brigade began deploying to the Middle East in late May 2025 for Operation Inherent Resolve to advise and assist forces tasked with "defeat(ing) ISIS." A dignified transfer is held to receive remains of fallen soldiers killed overseas to honor those who have given their lives in the service of our country, according to Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the caskets, draped with American flags, were transferred from the plane to an awaiting vehicle and taken to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations building at the Dover base for positive identification by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System and preparation for their final resting place. On Dec. 16, Syria arrested five people suspected of having links to the shooting of five Iowa National Guard members and Syrian troops in Palmyra. Syria's Interior Ministry said its units in Palmyra carried out an operation in coordination with "international coalition forces" that resulted in the arrest of five suspects, "who were immediately referred for questioning." On Dec. 19, the U.S. military launched airstrikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday in retaliation for a deadly attack on two Iowa National Guard soldiers. President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strikes targeted "ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites" and said the operation was "OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE." Advertisement Advertisement "This is not the beginning of a war it is a declaration of vengeance," Hegseth said. "Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue," he added. Kim Norvell and Reuters contributed to this article. Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at the Des Moines Register. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Two Iowa National Guard soldiers wounded in Syria return to the US Ukraine has said its long-range drones struck two Russian Su-27 fighter jets in occupied Crimea worth $70m. One of the planes was on the runway ready for a combat sortie when it was blown up and destroyed, Ukraines SBU security services said on Saturday. A second plane was damaged in the attack on the Belbek military airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea. The strike followed a separate operation a day earlier in which the SBU said it had hit a Russian shadow fleet vessel crossing the Mediterranean sea, the first such attack in those waters since the war began. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine said the Belbek operation marked its second successful strike on the airfield in recent days. On Dec 18, our drones struck Russian equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the SBU wrote, citing a Pantsir-S2 air defence system, two Nebo-SVU radars and a MiG-31 aircraft, among other military objects. The strike came as US and Russian officials geared up for fresh talks in Florida on Saturday aimed at ending Russias war in Ukraine. Ukraine struck two Russian Su-27 fighter jets in Crimea - SBU Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putins envoy, criticised warmongers [who] keep working overtime to undermine the US peace plan for Ukraine. Mr Dmitriev, who heads Russias sovereign wealth fund, is due to lead the Russian delegation in meetings with Steve Witkoff, Washingtons roving envoy and a former property tycoon, and Jared Kushner, Donald Trumps son-in-law. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner met Ukraines delegation, led by Rustem Umerov, in Miami on Friday after earlier discussions in Berlin with Ukrainian and European officials. Mr Umerov said after the talks that Ukraine had agreed with our American partners on further steps and on continuing our joint work in the near future. Recent rounds of talks have been held in a bilateral format, with US representatives meeting separately with Russian and Ukrainian officials. However, Volodymyr Zelensky suggested on Saturday that the US had mooted a new format involving direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, with the involvement of American and possibly European envoys. Advertisement Advertisement The US said they would have a separate meeting with representatives of Russia. And they proposed the following format, as far as I understand: Ukraine, America, Russia, and, since there are representatives of Europe there, probably Europe as well, the Ukrainian president told reporters in Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelensky suggested the US is proposing direct talks between Ukraine and Russia - Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA/Shutterstock Ukrainian and Russian representatives have not met face-to-face since inconclusive talks in July, when they convened in Istanbul but failed at progressing negotiations beyond prisoner swaps. A Russian source told Reuters that a meeting between Mr Dmitriev and Ukrainian negotiators had been ruled out. Western officials have reported progress this week on security guarantees for Kyiv, though it remains unclear whether Moscow will be willing to accept these terms. Earlier this month, Mr Trumps envoys were reported to have pressed Mr Zelensky to accept a US-brokered deal by Christmas. Vladimir Putin has threatened a to cut Ukraine off from the sea - Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/EPA/Shutterstock However, on Friday Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that the US would not impose a ceasefire deal on Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Theres no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it, Mr Rubio told a news conference in Washington. Ahead of the talks, Ukraines State Emergency Service said that Russian attacks on port infrastructure in the Odesa region had killed eight people and injured 27 others after a civilian bus was caught in the shelling. Many of the regions more than two million inhabitants have been left without electricity for a week, with heating and water supplies also disrupted by escalating Russian strikes on the coastline area. Russia is once again trying to restrict Ukraines access to the sea and block our coastal regions, Mr Zelensky said on Saturday of the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Early this month, Putin threatened what he termed a radical option of cutting Ukraine off from the sea in response to a spate of attacks on Russias tanker fleet. Kyiv, however, has signalled it remains undeterred. On Saturday, Ukraines General Staff announced that it had carried out kamikaze drone strikes on a Russian warship in the Caspian Sea as well as on a nearby Russian oil platform. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Russian troops have abducted around 50 Ukrainians from a village in the north-eastern border region of Sumy and taken them to Russia, Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported on Sunday. In a post on Telegram, Lubinets, citing preliminary information, said Russian forces had captured residents of the village of Hrabovske right on the border with Russia on Thursday. They were held prisoner without access to means of communication before being abducted to Russia on Saturday, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the majority of those abducted were "elderly women," asking the international community to intervene. "We urge all states and international organizations to join us in demanding the release of innocent civilian people stolen from their homes," he wrote on X. "This particular war crime is already being prosecuted in Ukraine and should receive an appropriate response at the international level as well," he added. "It also underscores the permanent threat of living next to Russia. That is why Ukraine needs a real, lasting peace. Living next to terrorists requires strength and robust security guarantees." Advertisement Advertisement Lubinets said that he had appealed to the Russian human rights commissioner and to the Red Cross. He issued an appeal to Ukrainians to evacuate from border regions along with their relatives, saying that it was dangerous to remain there. Ukrainian media reported citing military sources that most of those abducted had previously refused to evacuate to the Ukrainian interior. Sumy Military Governor Oleh Hryhorov said on Facebook that evacuation from border regions was ongoing. This included residents who had in the past refused to leave the area. Ukraine has been warding off a Russian full-scale invasion for almost four years. Sumy has been the target of repeated Russian attacks. Dec. 21State Rep. Justin Pizzulli, R-90, of Franklin Furnace, speaks on the issue of recovery housing legislation at a meeting of South Point's village council in November. (Heath Harrison The Ironton Tribune) COLUMBUS State Rep. Justin Pizzulli, R-Franklin Furnace, recently announced that the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health recently requested a preliminary injunction against an unaccredited recovery housing operator STEP Wellness for noncompliance with state laws. Seven recovery housing residences listed in the Department's requested injunction have been operating in Portsmouth without proper accreditation, a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law. Advertisement Advertisement The Scioto County Court of Common Pleas has now issued an order to stop the locations from operating. "My constituents deserve to know that regulated providers in the community are following the law," said Pizzulli. "I call on authorities to ensure this matter is fully investigated and enforce the law against operators who believe they can cheat the system and put Ohioans at risk." A d d i t i o n a l l y , Pizzulli is championing legislative efforts House Bill 58 at the Statehouse to address unregulated recovery housing in Ohio, establishing effective oversight and ensuring a fair distribution of services statewide. Pizzulli visited Lawrence County in November, where he spoke on the issue of recovery housing and his legislation at the November meeting of South Point's village council. West Texas marked a historic milestone in space exploration on December 20, 2025, as Blue Origin sent Michaela Michi Benthaus, a wheelchair user, past the Karman line aboard its New Shepard rocket. The 33-year-old German aerospace engineer, paralyzed after a 2018 mountain biking accident, became the first person with such mobility needs to experience spaceflight during the NS-37 mission, reported ABC News. For Dallas residents, this achievement underscores the economic ripple effects from West Texas launches, supporting local supply chains and inspiring STEM education in North Texas schools amid a projected 100,000 new aerospace jobs over the next decade. Advertisement Advertisement The autonomous New Shepard capsule lifted off from Blue Origins Launch Site One near Van Horn, carrying Benthaus and five crewmates: former SpaceX executive Hans Koenigsmann, investor Joey Hyde, entrepreneur Neal Milch, mining executive Adonis Pouroulis, and computer scientist Jason Stansell, per CNN. Blue Origin stated, per ABC News, Michis flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream. The suborbital flight lasted about 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of over 65 miles, where the crew experienced several minutes of microgravity before parachuting back to the desert floor, The Guardian reported. Benthaus, an engineer at the European Space Agency, required minimal accommodations, including a patient transfer board for seating and a post-landing carpet for wheelchair access. Advertisement Advertisement Blue Origin engineer Jake Mills noted the capsules design already prioritized accessibility, making it more inclusive than traditional spacecraft. Koenigsmann, who sponsored Benthaus and served as her emergency helper, assisted in lifting her from the capsule after landing, per the Los Angeles Times. I am excited to show the world that also wheelchair users can go on a suborbital flight, and Im really happy that Blue Origin is supporting this, Benthaus said in an interview, reported ABC News. The company has flown passengers with limited mobility before, including those with impaired sight, hearing, and two 90-year-olds. Benthaus aims to inspire accessibility improvements on Earth and in space. Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard is chasing down a third foreign oil tanker in the Caribbean, which refused to be boarded amid President Donald Trump's pressure campaign against Venezuela, reports said Sunday. "The U.S. Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion," an unnamed official told NBC News. "It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order." The tanker Bella 1 was placed under U.S. sanctions in June 2024 under counterterrorism authorities, according to the Treasury Department, which said the vessel was part of a shipping network linked to Sa'id al-Jamal, a U.S.-designated Houthi financial facilitator. Advertisement Advertisement Vessels in that network have been used to transport sanctioned oil, including Iranian crude, and the proceeds are directed to militant groups, U.S. officials have said in describing the basis for the sanctions. Separately, U.S. officials said federal authorities obtained a seizure warrant from a magistrate judge authorizing them to take possession of the Bella 1, The New York Times reported. Officials cited Bella 1's alleged prior involvement in the Iranian oil trade rather than any alleged links to Venezuela. The ship was allegedly not flying a valid national flag when U.S. forces approached it, which would allow for it to be boarded at sea under international law. But the ship refused to be boarded and continued sailing, one official told The New York Times as another called it "an active pursuit." If seized, the Bella 1 would become the third tanker apprehended by U.S. authorities. On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard seized another tanker in international waters near Venezuela after Trump declared a blockade of Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement That tanker was flying a Panamanian flag and was carrying Venezuelan oil that it expected to sell in Asia, officials alleged. Last Wednesday, a sanctioned oil tanker called The Skipper was also seized after it left a Venezuelan port. The ship was diverted to Texas and was allegedly flying the flag of Venezuela's neighbor, Guyana, which said the ship is not among those registered there. Nine Republican lawmakers, including several congressional committee chairs, sent a letter this week urging US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to add more than a dozen Chinese technology firms to the Pentagon's list of companies alleged to have links to the Chinese military. The letter, released on Friday after US President Donald Trump signed a US$900 billion military spending bill restricting US investments into Chinese tech, asks the Pentagon chief to place AI firm DeepSeek, smartphone maker Xiaomi and pharmaceutical services company Wuxi AppTec on what is known as the Section 1260H list. While placement on the annually updated Pentagon list does not involve immediate bans, it sends a stark warning to US entities about the risks of conducting business with affected companies and could put pressure on other executive branch agencies and Congress to add more restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Other firms named by the lawmakers include battery maker Gotion High-Tech; chip companies Hua Hong Semiconductor, Kingsemi and Shennan Circuit; display and imaging companies BOE Technology Group and Tianma Microelectronics; sensing, surveillance and robotics firms CloudMinds, LeiShen, Livox, RoboSense, Tiandy Technologies, Unitree Robotics; and biotech firm GenScript Group. The list, reflecting bipartisan concern that the US is contributing to firms fuelling China's military rise, was last updated in January 2025. A 2021 defence authorisation act, similar to the one Trump signed this week, mandates that the 1260H list be updated every year until 2030. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth at a Christmas service at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images alt=US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth at a Christmas service at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images> Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, multiple Chinese firms placed on the blacklist - including drone maker DJI and lidar maker Hesai Group - have sued the Pentagon for including them, arguing that they do not have military links. Other firms also already on the list include tech giant Tencent Holdings and major battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL). "The firms listed below represent the next logical tranche of military-civil fusion contributors whose designation under Section 1260H would directly support Congress's intent that US taxpayer funds not underwrite PRC military-industrial and internal-security or intelligence capabilities," wrote the lawmakers from the House of Representatives and Senate. Letter signatories include House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chair John Moolenaar, House Homeland Security Committee chair Andrew Garbarino, House Intelligence Committee chair Rick Crawford, and Senate Special Committee on Aging chair Rick Scott. Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon declined to comment. The South China Morning Post has attempted to reach out to representatives of all the Chinese companies named in the letter and is awaiting responses. Some of the firms included on the lawmakers' list - like battery maker Gotion - have been the target of congressional scrutiny for years, while others, like Unitree, have more recently drawn lawmaker attention. Earlier this year, a plan for Gotion to set up a battery plant in Michigan failed after local officials withdrew support amid political and community opposition over the company's ties to China. Last month, Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon was considering adding Alibaba, Baidu and electric vehicle maker BYD to the list. Advertisement Advertisement Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Individuals named Corrianna are often characterized by a unique blend of strength and sensitivity, reflecting the name's dual nature of representing both solid hills and flowing waters. They typically possess deep emotional intelligence and intuition, able to navigate complex social situations with grace and understanding. Their connection to the name's natural meanings often manifests as a strong appreciation for beauty, whether in art, nature, or human relationships, and they frequently demonstrate creative problem-solving abilities. Corriannas tend to be resilient and adaptable, much like the landscapes their name references. They often show remarkable perseverance in challenging circumstances while maintaining their core values and compassion for others. Many display a natural leadership quality that combines decisive action with empathetic consideration, making them effective in roles that require both strength and subtlety. Their personality often balances the stability of 'the round hill' with the dynamic energy of 'the seething pool,' creating individuals who are both grounded and transformative in their approach to life. An American company will soon design and build the future small surface combatant (SSC) ship for the U.S. Navy. HIIs Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been selected to build the vessel. Ingalls shipbuilders will once again engage in construction activities alongside its destroyer and amphibious ship shipbuilding lines where the national security cutters were built, using the same sequence of build. "We look forward to supporting the Navy on this critical program," said Chris Kastner, HII president and CEO. "Speed matters, and the NSC ship design is stable and produceable and will lead to predictable schedules. I have great confidence in the Ingalls team to execute this program, and in our ongoing efforts with our partners to successfully expand the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base to meet the Navys needs." More agile surface combatant The new class of smaller combatant ships, the FF(X), will be a critical component of the Navys fleet of the future. The FF(X) will be a smaller, more agile surface combatant designed to complement the fleets larger, multi-mission warships and enhance operational flexibility around the globe. Advertisement Advertisement The FF(X) is a highly adaptable vessel. While its primary mission will be surface warfare, its ability to carry modular payloads and command unmanned systems enables it to execute a broad spectrum of operations, making it ready for the challenges of the modern maritime environment. Based on HIIs Legend-Class National Security Cutter design "To deliver at speed and scale, Ive directed the acquisition of a new frigate class based on HIIs Legend-Class National Security Cutter design: a proven, American-built ship that has been protecting U.S. interests at home and abroad," said John C. Phelan, Secretary of the Navy. "President Trump and the Secretary of War have signed off on this as part of the Golden Fleet. Our goal is clear: launch the first hull in the water in 2028. To expand capacity and production across our maritime industrial base, we will acquire these ships using a lead yard, and competitive follow-on strategy for multi-yard construction. Shipyards will be measured against one outcome: delivering combat power to the Fleet as fast as possible." Operational flexibility Small surface combatants have always been essential to the fleet, handling a wide range of missions where a large warship isn't required. The FF(X) will continue this vital role, and will take on more routine operations, enhancing the fleets operational flexibility, adaptability, and mission readiness, according to a press release. "Like the Medium Landing Ship, leveraging a complete design and production baseline approach will allow the Navy and shipbuilders to reduce costs, schedule and technical risk," said Adm. Daryl Caudle, 34th Chief of Naval Operations. "We know this Frigate design works, we know it operates with the Fleet, and most importantly, we know how to build it now." FF(X) is engineered for rapid, cost-effective production, enabling this vital capability to the fleet faster. This is made possible by basing the new frigate on HIIs proven Legend-Class National Security Cutter. This approach leverages a mature design to deliver ships to our sailors without delay, as per the release. Currently, Ingalls is simultaneously building three classes of ships (DDG 51 Flight III, LHA, and LPD Flight II) and modernizing the Zumwalt-class of guided missile destroyers with technology upgrades including the incorporation of the conventional prompt strike weapons system. Ingalls supported the U.S. Coast Guard for nearly two decades by building and delivering 10 Legend-class national security cutters (NSCs). The final cutter was delivered in October 2023. Erika Kirk presented the Charlie Kirk Courage Award to a student from Utah on Saturday at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest conference. Caleb Chilcutt, a senior and the chapter president of Utah Valley Universitys TPUSA chapter, described the experience of receiving the award from Erika Kirk as fantastic. I found out at 5 p.m. last night, so I definitely had the nerves, but it was an unforgettable experience, he said. Advertisement Advertisement After Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, Chilcutt has made an effort to memorialize Kirk on campus and across the state of Utah. According to his bio, which was displayed on the big screen as he received the award, Chilcutt is working to establish an official memorial on UVUs campus to commemorate Charlie and celebrate his life in the very place he was murdered. Chilcutt said so far he hasnt heard anything from leadership at UVU in regards to a memorial. This year is Chilcutts third year at AmericaFest. Ive loved seeing the improvements each year, he said. There are definitely some controversial (speakers), but I think everyones been great. This is a testament that the conservative movement can unify, especially after a tragedy like Charlies assassination. Advertisement Advertisement Although Chilcutt said he personally likes to avoid controversy Im here to support my chapter and Turning Point, he told me this years lineup of speakers have been publicly battling over the direction of the conservative movement. Erika Kirk takes the lead at AmericaFest Erika Kirk had to take the reins of Turning Point USA after Kirks assassination. AmericaFest was her first major outing as the new leader of the organization. As the conference got underway, Ben Shapiro gave an address that was lauded by many on the political right as courageous, as he criticized bigotry and the spreading of conspiracy theories. He also called out several conservative heavyweights, including Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Megyn Kelly, as the Deseret News reported. But not everyone believes the right is going to come apart because of infighting. Blaze TV host Steve Deace, who spoke Saturday, said young Republicans are more engaged and united than ever before, and unfazed by the debates. Advertisement Advertisement A few young Utahns at AmericaFest who spoke to the Deseret News on Saturday relayed the same perspective. Utahns on what AmericaFest 2025 has been like Riley Beesley, the vice chairman of the Utah Federation of College Republicans, said that a convention like this brings up internal conversations about what beliefs and values a party stands for, and its so fundamentally important that we do that. Ultimately, it comes down to the shared American identity, he said. We need to work through our issues, but yelling at people, fighting, or even in the instance of Charlie Kirk, where he got killed for speaking thats something that we cant have in this country, Beesley said. Caleb Chilcutt, a senior and the chapter president of Utah Valley Universitys TPUSA chapter, and Riley Beesley, the vice chairman of the Utah Federation of College Republicans, at AmericaFest on Saturday evening. Chilcutt won the Charlie Kirk award of Freedom. | Gitanjali Poonia, Deseret News This is the first AmericaFest he has ever attended. He was joined by at least 20 other young Utahns who traveled to Arizona for the four-day conservative convention. Advertisement Advertisement Its their first time, too, he told me as we stood by the media kiosks. The Daily Wires programming blared on speakers close by. Beesley drove down from Utah on Wednesday, as did Tyler Boyles, the field director for the Utah Republican Party, and the chairman and political director of the Utah Federation of College Republicans. Everybody knows that theres some discourse going on where were headed as a party, as a movement, Boyles told the Deseret News close to the end of Saturdays programming. As long as we stay firm in our beliefs, but also willing to listen to each other and engage in these conversations, were on the right track, Boyles said. Lighthearted moments at AmericaFest Actor Rob Schneider, who spoke at the convention on Friday, was hilarious, Beesley said. It was almost unexpected, because you want to think of him as being a big political guy, but at the end of the day, hes a comedian at heart, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Im so excited for tomorrow, Beesley said. He noted TPUSA COO Tyler Boyers social media posts about a big surprise on the final day of AmericaFest. Im looking forward to seeing what, or even who, that could be, Beesley said. In Saturdays surprise, Jack Posobiec and Benny Johnson brought to the stage Jeannie Beeman, a Target employee who was confronted by a customer for wearing a red Freedom T-shirt in honor of Charlie. The incident, which took place in Chico, California, went viral. The crowd broke into chants for Grandma Jeannie, who wore the same shirt she went viral in. Saturdays other headliners included Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Fox News host Jesse Watters, Allie Stuckey and conservative activist Riley Gaines. Vice President JD Vance is set to make an appearance on Sunday, along with Mercury Radio Arts CEO Glenn Beck, White House border czar Tom Homan and Donald Trump, Jr. PHOENIX After three straight days of MAGA infighting here at Turning Points AmericaFest, top Republicans including Vice President JD Vance tried to find agreement on Sunday afternoon, shifting their focus to countering the opposition. President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests, Vance told the crowd to loud applause, adding later: We have far more important work to do than canceling each other." In his speech, Vance ripped into far left Democrats, casting their policies as toxic to Americans and blaming them for Charlie Kirk's September killing, which has loomed large over the gathering. He touted the Trump administrations policies on immigration, vaccines and transgender issues, while calling for the crowd to engage ahead of next years midterms. Advertisement Advertisement If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight what he died for? Do you promise to take the country back from the people who took his life? Vance asked the crowd. His speech at the Phoenix Convention Center is the culmination of a weekend-long festival for 30,000 of President Donald Trumps most ardent supporters. But until Sunday, much of the weekend was clouded by an intra-party schism that kicked off during night one on Thursday, when conservative commentator Ben Shapiro ripped into a number of fellow MAGA-verse influencers, especially Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Steve Bannon. The conservative movement is in serious danger, Shapiro said, especially from some charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty. Those themes carried through on Friday and Saturday, with presidential-hopeful turned Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy casting the moment as a time for choosing in the conservative movement. Advertisement Advertisement Like Shapiro, Ramasawamy focused significant time on Carlson and his interview with far-right influencer and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, listing some of his most inflammatory remarks and saying they have no place in this movement. Then, Bannon hit the stage and reversed course, comparing Shapiro to a a cancer, and that cancer spreads. Ben Shapiro is the farthest thing from MAGA, Bannon told the crowd. The sold-out annual meeting is the groups first since founder Charlie Kirk was gunned down in September. It has featured a broad array of figures from within the conservative movement, including top commentators, elected officials, candidates and religious leaders, culminating with Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson called the weekend an epic and faithful battle that truly will determine the future of our great republic while stressing the importance of keeping control of the House ahead of next years midterms. Vance also spent much of his speech talking about the midterms, bashing Democratic Senate candidates Graham Platner of Maine and Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who are both running in competitive primaries. We are gonna kick their ass next November, Vance said of Democrats as the crowd immediately burst into USA chants. Outside of Johnson and Vance, a number of other speakers on Sunday sought to bridge the divisions that emerged in the prior days. "I choose to build a movement, be part of a movement, that stands on principle, on strength, that loves the people in the movement, even sometimes when they piss you off, said Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who is running for governor. "You can't form a winning unit if you can't stay focused on the mission at hand. Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump Jr. also sought to shift the focus to Democrats. The real enemy? Its not Steve Bannon or Tucker Carlson or Ben Shapiro, its the radical left that murdered Charlie and celebrated it on a daily basis, Trump Jr. told the crowd. The political beliefs of alleged Kirk shooter Tyler Robinson, who is facing multiple charges including aggravated murder, arent easily defined. NBCs Kristen Welker confronted a top Justice Department official about why Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a more permissive prison camp following her DOJ interview in July. In the waning moments of a 20-minute showdown on Sundays Meet the Press, Welker pressed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate and convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell being transferred to a cushier minimum-security prison over the summer. In July, you interviewed her in Florida where she was serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison, Welker said. Just a week later, Maxwell was moved to a more permissive prison camp in Texas. Why was she moved just days after you interviewed here Mr. Blanche? Advertisement Advertisement Initially, Blanche punter. So thats a Bureau of Prison Security issue that I will not talk about, Blanche said. Welker promptly interjected. Did you have anything to do with it? Welker said. I am responsible for the Bureau of Prisons, so every decision that they make lands on my desk to the extent it needs to, Blanche said. But just let me talk about the security issue. At the time that I met Ms. Maxwell, There was a tremendous amount of scrutiny and publicity towards her, and the institution she was in, she was suffering numerous and numerous threats against her life. So the BOP is not only responsible for putting people in jail and making sure they stay in jail, but also for their safety. And so she was moved. She is in federal prison. She was in federal prison before, shes in federal prison now. Shes doing 20 years because she was convicted. And the fact that she was, she moved, she might be moved to another institution tomorrow if security requires it. And thats true of any federal inmate across this country. Advertisement Advertisement The Meet the Press moderator went on to note the objections raised by victims of Epstein and Maxwell. As you know, survivors were outraged by all of this especially the fact that she was moved, Welker said. Why talk to Ghislaine Maxwell and not the survivors, Mr. Blanche? What you just said is completely false, Blanche replied. We will talk to any survivor at any time, which is something that we have said from Day 1. But have you talked to them? Welker asked. Of course, Blanche responded. The attorney general and I spoke with a victims rights group as recently as Thursday, OK? And if folks want to talk to us next week, or the week after, or in the coming months, they know how to get a hold of us and we will always talk to survivors and victims families. Advertisement Advertisement But just backing up to your question about Ms. Maxwell, nobody ever talked to her. Nobody ever asked her questions about what she knew. So when she said that she had something she wanted to say not was saying the fact she had been convicted. Of course we went and talked to her imagine if we didnt talk to he,,r Imagine if she had said, I have a story to tell and I would like to talk to the government and I said no. The same outrage would be directed at this department for not speaking with her. So so were trying to do our job here and we are doing our job here. But any victim that wants to talk the FBI, that wants a talk to Department of Justice, they can call us anytime. Watch above, via NBC. The post WATCH: NBCs Welker Confronts Trump DOJ Official on Ghislaine Maxwell Being Moved to More Permissive Prison first appeared on Mediaite. WAUSAU New Beginnings For Refugees Inc. has received a grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation to support its Empowerment Program, according to a community announcement. The Empowerment Program offers a week of workshops aimed at equipping refugees with essential skills for workforce integration and daily life. Participants engage in sessions on workplace safety, financial literacy and basic life skills, while also developing teamwork, problem-solving, communication skills and adaptability. The program also provides guidance on navigating community resources and essential job interview skills. The Green Bay Packers Foundation awarded a grant to New Beginnings For Refugees Inc. to help refugees gain workforce skills and thrive in their communities. The Green Bay Packers Foundation, which issues grants each year to nonprofit organizations across Wisconsin, focuses on projects that address a range of areas, including animal welfare, health and wellness, civic and community initiatives and environmental causes. This year, the foundation awarded $1.5 million in grants to 398 organizations throughout the state. Advertisement Advertisement The grant will enhance the Empowerment Program, connecting refugees with essential resources, training and skills to thrive in their new homes. "We are honored to partner with the Green Bay Packers Foundation in this important mission," said Yee Leng Xiong, executive director of New Beginnings For Refugees Inc. Green Bay Packers Foundation has been supporting communities since 1986 Since its establishment in 1986, the Green Bay Packers Foundation has distributed more than $25.7 million for charitable purposes. The annual grant applications are reviewed by the foundations trustees to ensure funds are allocated to impactful programs. For more information about the Green Bay Packers Foundation and its annual grants process, visit packers.com/foundation. Advertisement Advertisement This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Wausau refugee empowerment program receives Packers Foundation grant The search for the 57-year-old Fort Myers attorney and his 33-year-old nephew continues Sunday after the pair was reported missing Dec. 19 after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples. The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the search along with partner agencies to find attorney Randall Spivey and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, who were reported missing at about 9 p.m. Friday. The boat they'd been using for their trip had been scheduled to return at about sunset. The pair went out in a 42-foot Freeman boat named "Unstopp-A-Bull," according to Luis Garcia, the supervisor on watch for the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg. The Coast Guard found the boat floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, with no signs of the missing boaters. Advertisement Advertisement Now, one of the largest searches in Southwest Florida history is underway, with a large community effort behind it. Here's what we know so far, as of noon, Sunday, Dec. 21. Were the missing Florida boaters from Fort Myers found? Boater's wife provides updates As of 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier, the Florida boaters reported missing Dec. 19 after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples, had not been found, according to Billmaier's wife, Deborah. "Updates after speaking with the U.S. Coast Guard this morning," Deborah Billmaier wrote in a Facebook post Sunday. "The EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) was unfortunately still on the boat. They were bottom fishing when the incident occurred (still not sure exactly what occurred.)" Advertisement Advertisement The post also mentioned that a couple of life jackets were not found on the boat, indicating that Spivey and Billmaier may be wearing them. Who is involved in the Florida missing boaters search? The U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg posted news of the search on social media Saturday morning, Dec. 20. According to the Facebook post, air and surface crews from the agency and partner agencies U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami and Lee County Sheriff's Office are involved in the search. "The search effort support features an 87-foot boat on water, 45-foot boat, 60-foot helicopter, 144 plane, 6130 Air Force from Patrick Air Force Base and an 144 continuing through the day (not sure if this is a boat or a plane)," Deborah Billmaier wrote in her post the following morning. Advertisement Advertisement An urgent marine broadcast has also been issued to all vessels in the area to help expand the search range, said Billmaier. Community steps in to help in missing boater search in Florida The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated one of the largest search parties in Southwest Florida history Sunday morning, Dec. 21, starting at first light, according to Deborah Billmaier, wife of Brandon, Billmaier. In her Facebook post, she asked those with capable vessels to help out. Florida Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman shared the post on X. Erin Shaw Harrel of Facebook group SWFL Boaters urged people Saturday to take to the water to search for the missing boaters, providing these coordinates for the search: 25-51.67N 083-12.16W. Advertisement Advertisement Brent Stokes, owner of Stokes Marine, also asked for volunteers to help search. According to Stokes, anyone willing to help with the search could call the U.S. Coast Guard at 727-322-4180. Who are Randall Spivey, Brandon Billmaier ? Florida attorney and nephew missing off Fort Myers Fort Myers attorney Randy Spivey (pictured) and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier, have gone missing off the coast of Naples during a Dec. 19 fishing trip. Attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier were reported missing at about 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. Tricia Spivey reported her husband and nephew missing Friday night, said Luis Garcia, supervisor on watch for the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg. They were going to fish about 102 miles offshore. Spivey is a white male, 61, 245lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark in color shirt, according to Lee County Sheriff's Office. Billmaier is a white male, 62, 250lbs, with strawberry hair and brown eyes. Where was the boat of the missing fisherman found? The pair went out in a 42-foot Freeman boat named "Unstopp-A-Bull," Garcia said. The Coast Guard later found the boat floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, but no signs of the missing boaters. Advertisement Advertisement Tricia Spivey says GPS coordinates from the boat's spot tracker led them to that location near Marco Island and Flamingo. That's where the search has been concentrated. The Coast Guard found a 42-foot Freeman boat, named "Unstopp-A-Bull," floating upright in the Gulf , but no signs of the missing boaters, attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier. Where to call with information, help with search for missing Florida boaters The Lee County Sheriff's Office requested the public's help in locating Spivey and Billmaier. If anyone knows about the pair's whereabouts, they can call 911, if applicable, or call the sheriff's office at 477-1000. To remain anonymous, you can also call SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Missing boaters updates Sunday as search continues in Florida NBCs Kristen Welker squared off against Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a tense showdown over the Epstein files. In a 20-minute interview on Sundays Meet the Press, Welker grilled Blanche on why the DOJ failed to comply with legislation requiring that all of the files be released on Friday. The Epstein Files Transparency Act called for all files, with limited exceptions, to be released within 30 days, Welker said. On Friday, the Justice Department released just a fraction of the overall Epstein files. Why didnt the Justice department meet that Friday deadline? Advertisement Advertisement Blanche argued the government did not have time to review all the files to make redactions needed to protect victims Its very simple and very clear, Blanche said. The statute also requires us to protect victims. And so the reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply that to protect the victims. So the same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently dont want us to protect victims. Welker questioned whether President Donald Trumps DOJ was honoring the wishes of Epstein victims with its handling of Fridays release. The law directed the Justice Department to, release internal DOJ communications, including emails, memos, meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates,' Welker said. Thats the crux of what many of the victims or the survivors say they want to see. Why wasnt that information prioritized in the first release, Mr. Blanche? Advertisement Advertisement Well, first of all, it was, Blanche replied. And there are numerous documents released on Friday that address what you just quoted from, from the statute, that address internal communications within the Department of Justice and internal communications between law enforcement and the Department if Justice. But its for the same reason, because many of those internal communications talk about victims. Many of those back-and-forths between prosecutors and law enforcement talk about the victims and their stories. And that has to be redacted. And by the way, everybody expects us to redact that. So the same complaints that were hearing yesterday and even this morning from Democrats and from others screaming loudly from a hill about lack of production on Friday, imagine if we had released tons of information around victims. That would be the true crime. That would be the true wrong. The Meet the Press moderator then broached the topic of the many redactions in the files released Friday as well as the 16 images which disappeared from the DOJs website after initially being posted. The Epstein-Files Transparency Act prohibits redactions on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity. Has anything been redacted on that basis? Welker asked. The deputy AG was unequivocal. Advertisement Advertisement Absolutely, positively not, Blanche said. He added, A judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group if they have any concerns about the material that were putting up. And so when we hear concerns, whether its photographs of women that we do not believe are victims, or we didnt have information to show that they were victims, but we learn that there are concerns, of course were taking that photograph down, and were going to address it. If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, and then well put it back up. Mr. Blanchard, I want to follow up with you on what you just said, Welker responded. You were referencing the 15 files released Friday. They disappeared from DOJs website yesterday, including this photo of what looks like a desk with a drawer open containing photos of Donald Trump. Just to be very clear, to put a fine point on it, why were these files taken down? Youre saying it was at the direction of a judge? You can see in that photo, theres photographs of women, Blanche said. And so we learned after releasing that photograph that there were concerns about those women and the fact that we had put that photo up. So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump. There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public seeing him with Mr. Epstein. He has said that in the 90s and early 2000s he socialized with him. So the absurdity of us pulling down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is laughable. Are you saying that one or more of the women in one of the photos or several of the photos is a victim or a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein? Welker asked. And thats why you took those files down? And will they be put back up? Advertisement Advertisement No, thats not what Im saying, Blanche replied. Of course, if we knew that, if we believed that that photograph contained a survivor, we wouldnt have put it up in the first place without redacting the faces. But not withstanding what we believe, we dont have perfect information. And so when we hear from victims rights groups about this type of photograph, we pull it down and investigate. Were still investigating that photo. The photo will go back up. Welker then put Blanche on the spot. Can you guarantee that every mention and every photo of President Trump in the Epstein files will be released? Welker asked. Yes, Blanche said. I mean, Ive said it three, four times now, weve said it before, and President Trump has said it repeatedly, since before he was elected, and since he was elected, all summer long, he said the same thing. I have nothing to hide. And so, of course, thats the case. But let me just make sure everybody understands something. To the extent that he is, quote, in the Epstein files, its not because he had anything to do with the horrific crimes. Full stop. Watch above, via NBC. The post Why Were These Files Taken Down? NBCs Kristen Welker Grills Trump DOJ Official On Epstein File Removals in Showdown Interview first appeared on Mediaite. (WFRV) Officials in central Wisconsin announced that a runaway inmate is back in custody nine days after he failed to report back to jail from an authorized release. The Juneau County Sheriffs Office reported on December 10 that Eugene Jones was out on an authorized Huber work release on December 9; however, he had failed to report back to the Juneau County Jail by the required time. Former Neenah police officer sentenced to three years in prison for possessing child porn Advertisement Advertisement The initial release mentioned that Jones is charged with escaping from custody, but he is now back in the custody of the Juneau County Sheriffs Office. Officials reported that Jones was found in Adams County on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Women named Czigany are often perceived as possessing a strong, independent spirit with deep emotional intensity and artistic sensitivity. They tend to be passionate individuals who value freedom and self-expression, often demonstrating remarkable creativity in various artistic pursuits. Their personality is frequently characterized by a magnetic charisma and emotional depth that draws others to them, combined with a resilient nature that helps them navigate life's challenges with grace and determination. These individuals typically exhibit a strong connection to their heritage and cultural roots, often serving as bridges between different communities. They possess an intuitive understanding of human nature and are known for their loyalty to family and close friends. While they may appear mysterious or enigmatic to outsiders, those who know them well appreciate their warmth, generosity, and deep capacity for love. Their combination of artistic talent, emotional intelligence, and cultural pride makes them compelling figures in any social or professional setting. NEED TO KNOW In the summer of 2025, Virginia Worthington moved into her dream New York City apartment with three friends When she moved in, she saw a crack in the ceiling, but didn't think anything of it at the time As the weeks went on, the crack began to grow, but by the time she finally sent an email to maintenance, it was too late Virginia Worthington was looking forward to a summer in New York City, but what she didnt know was that the short stay would be marked by a quintessential N.Y.C. experience: apartment trouble. After finishing her finals at Auburn University, Worthington, 22, moved to N.Y.C. for a summer internship. She and three of her college friends moved into a fully furnished lofted apartment with two bedrooms and one bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Worthington and one of her friends, Merrin, moved into a bedroom on the first floor, but she now tells PEOPLE they "could have never anticipated what a poor decision that would be. Virginia Worthington Crack in the ceiling Crack in the ceiling We first noticed a small crack in the ceiling, sprouting out of the overhead light, about a month after moving into the apartment," she shares. "It, very slowly, progressively grew longer and longer as the days went on. But in a way, it was like watching a toddler grow, you don't realize how big they have gotten until you look back at a past photo because the daily growth is so minute it's almost undetectable." "It wasn't until we started realizing the ceiling was beginning to bubble that we became truly concerned, Worthington says. She says the ceiling didnt look wet, but rather appeared as if something from above was weighing it down. Virginia Worthington After the ceiling fell After the ceiling fell Eventually, they reached out to the building's management and maintenance with photos, with the email subject URGENT! Advertisement Advertisement On the same day the ceiling collapsed, she received a response saying maintenance would be there to fix it. So, all the residents went to work expecting it to be fixed by the time they returned. However, that couldn't have been further from reality. "We arrived home from work to a ceiling that was beginning to crumble into our bed," Worthington shares. "All of us got straight to work - moving anything and everything we could out of the room before the inevitable fall." "We could see our ceiling rapidly cracking and bellowing, so I decided to set up my phone and film just in case anything were to happen," she continues. "Just as we were about to begin removing the furniture from the room, Merrin and I heard a chilling grumble from the ceiling and ran out of the doorway just in time for a total collapse. Worthington is thankful they were not asleep when it happened, since the two women watched a massive brick fall from the ceiling onto the bed, right where their heads would have been. Advertisement Advertisement The ceiling plaster was so thick and heavy that we were hardly able to shove it out of the way to close the door so that the fumes didn't infiltrate the whole apartment, Worthington recalls. Worthington shared a video of the collapse on her TikTok, which amassed 2.4 million views. They later learned the ceiling had been an ongoing problem, and instead of fixing the ceiling, she claims the maintenance team kept putting plaster on the cracks over and over" until "it got so thick and heavy it collapsed, not from water damage this time, but from weight. We had a jarring experience trying to get help from our building and cooperation from our property manager," she claims. "The superintendent of our building was sent up to help. He told many contradicting stories about how this had happened previously, then backtracked when we pressed further." Virginia Worthington Worthington's room while under construction. Worthington's room while under construction. "A bag of jewelry had been left in the room, as we weren't able to remove everything before the collapse, and we sent him in to get it. He came back holding the bag, now filled with dirt and plaster and filth, laughing at my devastation, Worthington recalls. Advertisement Advertisement The company that rented them the apartment covered their hotel stay while working to repair the ceiling. Once it was fixed, the women were able to move back into the apartment for the remainder of their sublease but they kept an eye on the ceiling the whole time. Read the original article on People Based on the number of lit candles, the incident likely occurred on Thursday. A Muslim woman has gone viral after she was recorded blowing out the Hanukkah candles in the Weizmann Mall near Ichilov Hospital. Based on the number of lit candles, the incident likely occurred on Thursday. A man who appeared to know the woman was also recorded clapping after she blew out the candles. Woman alleged to have returned to the scene of the extinguished menorah The woman later returned to the extinguished candles to record on her phone, Israeli media reported. Diaspora outlet TheJ.ca reported the woman posted the video, captioning it, No one can see me because all shops are closed! The Jerusalem Post is unable to verify the post. More than three years after their homes were nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ians floodwaters, residents along Lake Harney in east Seminole County are finally seeing relief. Seminole County, acting on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, recently agreed to buy two large houses off Whitcomb Drive, at the request of homeowners whose land and structures were otherwise unmarketable and uninhabitable. Its an area that floods time and again after large rain events and forces residents to use canoes and kayaks to venture out of their homes for days afterward. The homes will soon be bulldozed, the land leveled, and the lots will remain empty in perpetuity. Advertisement Advertisement Never to be built on again, said Alan Harris, Seminoles emergency management director. It returns the land to the flood plain. The two homes are among the first in what may be dozens of vulnerable properties across the county whose owners are compensated under a joint county-federal program to clear flood-plagued properties that otherwise would cost millions to insure and rebuild. But approvals for applicants to the program are moving slowly, and other homeowners are still waiting. Rob Boulanger and his wife, Cheryl, still dont know if FEMA will approve their applications asking the county to either purchase their home on Whitcomb or rebuild it to a higher elevation. Advertisement Advertisement Were still waiting, Rob Boulanger said. Its been hard for us. Lake Harney is a swollen portion of the St. Johns River, which collects rainwater from Orange, Brevard, Osceola and Indian River counties as it flows northward before reaching a choke point in east Seminole. So for weeks after a major rain event, the levels on Lake Harney continue to rise and water overflows into the properties lining Whitcomb Drive and surrounding streets. One of the homes purchased by the county is owned by Pamela Sanders, who has lived on Whitcomb Drive for nearly three decades and saw her property flooded after hurricanes Matthew in 2016, Irma in 2017 and Ian in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement But she received a dose of good news last month, when the Seminole County Commission approved using FEMA dollars to buy her four-bedroom home overlooking Lake Harney for nearly $1.2 million. The county will soon begin to demolish the two-story house built in 1995. Sanders could not be reached for comment. But in 2021 she told an Orlando Sentinel reporter that water levels on Lake Harney have grown increasingly higher every year after a major storm event. Now were getting all the water from the lake because the river is rising, she said. But also, were getting all this water because new subdivisions are being built. Commissioners at the Nov. 18 meeting also agreed to use FEMA funds to purchase Angela Zwaryczs two-story house on 1.4 acres, also on Whitcomb and overlooking Lake Harney, for $498,000. Zwarycz applied for FEMA assistance just days after Ian flooded her home. Advertisement Advertisement Zwarycz also could not be reached for comment. But she told a Sentinel reporter in 2022 that she fled in the middle of the night carrying as many of her belongings as she could while holding a flashlight in her mouth, after watching her bedrooms filled with more than a foot of stormwater. She lived in a trailer on her property for months. Likewise, Boulanger and his wife watched in September 2022 as more than 18 inches of stormwater filled their four-bedroom home as Ian plowed through Central Florida for hours. The structure has since been unlivable, and the couple have been living in a trailer. We have just been waiting to get back inside our home, for something to happen, he said. The property purchases are made through FEMAs Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, a federal assistance initiative that helps local governments pay for projects that reduce risks to disasters. This includes buying out properties or rebuilding structures including elevating them in flood prone areas. Advertisement Advertisement The goal is to break the cycle and reduce the financial losses of continuing to rebuild homes and businesses after large-scale natural disasters, such as a hurricane or tropical storm. Across Seminole, there are 31 applications from residential property owners asking FEMA to have the county buy and demolish their homes, elevate the existing structure, rebuild the house to a higher level or build a retaining wall. Most of those are still waiting for a resolution as additional FEMA funds become available next year, or are already in negotiations for a settlement. Seminole staff are in negotiations with the owners of one such property to buy and demolish a four-bedroom house in the Spring Valley Farms subdivision near the Little Wekiva River that has consistently flooded. Commissioners at the November meeting also approved using $145,270 in FEMA funds to elevate a house in the Maltbie Shores subdivision in Altamonte Springs. The 1971 house will be lifted and two feet of concrete poured underneath to form a new and higher concrete slab. It should take about three years to complete the work, which should then protect the home from a 100-year storm, according to county documents. Advertisement Advertisement Homeowners cant apply for the funding themselves. Instead they submit the applications through their local government, where it can take years to be approved and any compensation received. Its a benefit to all of us, Harris said about the program. These properties will no longer have to be insured. A vacant property also will help water percolate into the soil rather than fall on a rooftop or driveway and eventually flood a structure. And emergency crews will not have to rescue residents trapped inside these homes. The list of benefits is long, Harris said. Seminole Commissioner Jay Zembower pointed out that as storms get wetter and stronger every year, flooding near Lake Harney is going to continue to be a problem. Advertisement Advertisement Many of these properties have been flooded multiple times, he said. So getting them out of the inventory, so someone is not living with flooding, and that the county does not have to assist them, is a big benefit. He added that keeping the property vacant will help with the water quality. Every time a home gets flooded, it goes into the river, Zembower said, as he recalled seeing a portable restroom filled with sewage fall over and float into the St. Johns River weeks after Ian. Still, Rob Boulanger admitted it would be hard to leave the quiet rural area covered in a thick canopy of old-growth trees and vegetation a slice of Florida from ancient times that hes fallen in love with. Its still paradise to us, Boulanger said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded with sharp criticism to Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands for new elections in his country. "It is not for Putin to decide when and in what format elections take place in Ukraine," he said at a press conference in Kiev during a visit by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. He promised that Putin would not be able to influence a possible vote on the future Ukrainian president. The criticism was triggered by Putin's statements on Friday at his annual press conference, where he not only once again demanded presidential elections in the neighbouring country he invaded and criticized the current Ukrainian leadership as illegitimate, but also insisted that Ukrainians living in Russia should participate in the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Putin said there are between 5 million and 10 million Ukrainians in Russia. There are no diplomatic missions of Ukraine in Russia, where citizens abroad would normally vote. Putin's election official, Ella Pamfilova, said that the Russian authorities could organize the voting there. No elections in Russia and occupied territories "Ukrainian citizens who are in Ukraine in the Ukrainian-controlled areas will vote," Zelensky said in response. Only there could honest and transparent elections be guaranteed, he said. In addition, there is the usual practice of voting in foreign missions. Advertisement Advertisement "In the areas not controlled by Ukraine, no elections can be held because it is clear that they would be conducted there as Russia always does," he said, referring to international criticism of the questionable fairness of elections in Russia. Martial law prohibits elections during wartime Putin, who ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly stated since last year that Zelensky is no longer legitimate due to his expired term. Kiev, however, points to martial law, which prohibits elections during wartime, thereby extending Zelensky's term. Internationally, Zelensky is still recognized as the Ukrainian president. Advertisement Advertisement Recently, however, US President Donald Trump adopted Putin's demand for new elections in Ukraine. Zelensky expressed his willingness to do so but demanded a ceasefire during the election to ensure the security of the vote. Putin's re-election in March 2024 was also sharply criticized as illegitimate in Western countries. The German government, for instance, classified the vote as "neither free nor fair." Real opposition candidates were not allowed, there was a climate of intimidation, and there is no freedom of expression, said the then spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann. Russia, she said, is now a dictatorship. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Darwish carries deep cultural significance rooted in Islamic mysticism and Sufi traditions. Originating from the Arabic word for 'dervish,' it refers to spiritual ascetics who dedicate their lives to God through poverty, prayer, and devotion. Throughout Islamic history, dervishes have been revered as spiritual guides and embodiments of Islamic piety, known for their whirling dances, chanting, and ecstatic worship practices. The name represents a connection to the rich tradition of Sufi orders that have shaped Islamic spirituality across centuries, from the Mevlevi order founded by Rumi to various other tariqas throughout the Muslim world. In many Muslim societies, naming a child Darwish expresses aspirations for spiritual depth, humility, and connection to Islamic heritage. The name symbolizes the ideal of traveling the spiritual path (tariqa) toward divine truth, emphasizing values of simplicity, compassion, and detachment from material concerns. Beyond its religious connotations, Darwish has become associated with cultural resistance and identity preservation, particularly through figures like Mahmoud Darwish, whose poetry gave voice to Palestinian national consciousness. This dual significance - both spiritual and cultural - makes the name particularly meaningful in contemporary Muslim contexts where tradition and modernity intersect. India cannot afford to let the Jaguar strike aircraft fade away. That is why New Delhi is turning to Oman to support its frontline combat fleet. News published in a Pakistani newspaper has warned the Pakistani government. Praising India, the Pakistani newspaper Friday Times said that if Modi comes again in 2024, Pakistan will be in plight. It has also been said in the article published in this newspaper that the difference in power between India and Pakistan is continuously increasing. India will take an aggressive stand on PoK in the coming times. Along with this, it has also been published in the newspaper that India is far ahead of Pakistan in terms of education, development technology, and FDI. Epstein Files: The DOJ had temporarily removed the image for review after the Southern District of New York flagged it to protect victims. In a press release, the Department stated that it is committed to transparency and redacting only what is legally required. The central government provides financial support to farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, offering Rs 6,000 annually in three installments of Rs 2,000 each through direct bank transfer. So far, 21 installments have been released, with the latest tranche disbursed by Narendra Modi in November. Individuals named Erromon are typically perceived as having a strong sense of heritage and cultural pride, combined with practical wisdom and leadership qualities. They often exhibit the steadfastness and reliability associated with Roman engineering metaphorsbuilding lasting relationships and structures in their personal and professional lives. Their connection to the name's historical roots often gives them a natural authority and organizational ability that others respect. These individuals tend to be bridge-builders between different groups or ideas, much like the historical connection between Basque and Roman cultures that their name represents. They often demonstrate resilience and adaptability, able to navigate changing circumstances while maintaining their core values. Their personality typically blends traditional values with forward-thinking perspectives, making them effective in roles that require both respect for heritage and innovation. Individuals named Eztli are often perceived as possessing intense vitality and deep emotional resonance. They tend to be passionate, determined, and fiercely loyal to their family and community. Their personality reflects the name's connection to life forcethey approach challenges with remarkable resilience and inner strength. Eztli bearers often demonstrate strong protective instincts and a profound sense of responsibility toward those they care about. They may exhibit a natural leadership quality rooted in their connection to ancestral wisdom and cultural traditions. While they can be intense and serious when circumstances demand, they also possess a deep capacity for empathy and understanding. Their emotional depth often makes them insightful and perceptive, able to navigate complex social situations with wisdom beyond their years. The name suggests someone who balances strength with sensitivity, carrying both the weight of history and the promise of continuity. Women named Fannia are typically associated with a unique blend of strength and grace, reflecting their name's dual heritage of Roman nobility and Christian virtue. They often possess a quiet confidence and natural dignity that draws respect without demanding it. Their independent nature is balanced by deep loyalty to family and principles, creating individuals who are both self-reliant and deeply connected to their communities. The historical Fannias were known for their political acumen and intellectual interests, suggesting that modern bearers might inherit tendencies toward thoughtful analysis and cultural appreciation. This name suggests a personality that values freedom but understands it as responsibility rather than license. Fannias are often perceived as having strong moral compasses and the courage to defend their beliefs, much like the early Christian martyrs who bore similar names. They tend to be resilient in adversity yet maintain their elegance and composure. Their strength is typically understatedmore like the enduring marble of Roman architecture than dramatic fireworks. This creates individuals who provide stable leadership and wise counsel, often becoming the quiet backbone of their families and social circles. In contemporary times, Filberta remains an exceptionally rare name, primarily preserved within families with strong Catholic traditions or European aristocratic heritage. Its usage has declined significantly since the early 20th century, though it experiences occasional revivals among parents seeking distinctive, historically rich names with spiritual significance. The name is most commonly found in Italy and among Catholic diaspora communities, particularly those maintaining connections to their European roots. Modern parents who choose Filberta typically value its elegant sound, Christian heritage, and meaningful association with brilliance and enlightenment. While it doesn't appear on popular baby name charts, it has seen a slight resurgence as part of the vintage name revival movement, appealing to those looking for names that are both traditional and uncommon. The name's rarity today contributes to its distinctive charm while maintaining its historical and religious gravitas. December 8, 2025: Toloka, a two year-old Ukrainian manufacturing operation, recently revealed its latest and most powerful naval drones, the TLK-1000, with a range of 2,000 kilometers and a five ton payload, and the TLK-400 with a range of 1,200 kilometers and a half ton payload. Ukraine has been developing subsurface drones and in early 2023 the first one, the Toloka2 TK-150 was introduced. This drone was 2.5 meters long and equipped with a sensor mast that remained above the surface for navigation and to identify targets. Toloka2 can also carry a small explosive warhead. Later, Ukraine developed the larger Marichka drone that is six meters long and one meter in diameter. Ukraine plans for a Western manufacturer to build and weaponize Ukrainian drones. The TLK-150 was not intended for attacks but for reconnaissance. To do this it has a long mast that operates like a periscope but contains a digital video camera with night vision to record what is nearby. TLK-150 can be remotely controlled or operate autonomously using GPS. At night the small mast is nearly invisible as it leaves a small wake when moving and no wake at all when it is stationary. There are three models of the battery powered TLK. The TLK-150 is 2.5 meters long, has a range of up to 100 kilometers and top speed of 20 kilometers an hour. Payload size is 20-50 kg depending on battery size. A larger battery provides more range. The TLK -150 can be used for reconnaissance, for enemy targets or to lay underwater minefields. In attack mode the TLK will approach slowly, usually at night when the small periscope containing the video camera and communications antenna is nearly invisible to enemy eyes or surface radars. Sonars would also have a hard time detecting the TLK-150 because only silent electric motors power two propellers, one on each wing of the TLK. Ukraine is testing the TLK-150 and may build a lot more of them if it performs as expected in the Black Sea. If an armed TLK-150 is able to attack Russian warships, that will further change the naval balance in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian use of armed aerial and surface drones against Russian ships has been a mixed success because the Russians can spot these and use autocannon and heavy 12.7mm or 14.5mm machine-guns to destroy the attackers, even during night attacks. Ukraine also has a government owned and operated manufacturing operation that builds naval drones, like the Magura naval surface drone. About a hundred of these drones defeated Russias Black Sea fleet. When the war started in 2022, the Magura V5 was just a concept, a preliminary design for a one ton 5.5 meter long naval drone. Magura initially used a fishing boat that had a solid waterproof cover added, along with batteries for propulsion. There were sensors and a compartment for 300 kg of explosives or weapons. These include a machine-gun protruding above the drone top while two Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles were in launch tubes, ready to be fired at Russian aircraft or helicopters. Magura has a substantial number of electronic components, including several day/night video cameras that give the remote operator a view of what is around the drone. There is also an autopilot, so the remote operator does not have to personally maneuver the drone over long stretches of open water. Magura is equipped with co Most Magura missions are one-way, but those equipped with machine-guns and surface to air missiles are also used to attack Russian aircraft. Three months ago a Magura V7 used those two missiles to shoot down two Russian SU-30 jet fighters. This was the first time a naval drone had shot down warplanes. Earlier a Magura had used Ukrainian R-73 heat-seeking missiles to take down one Mi-8 helicopter and damage another. In 2025 Ukraine introduced the Magura V7, which weighs about 1.2 tons and can carry 650 kg of weapons. Its operational range is a thousand kilometers. The V7 can also be equipped with an electricity generator, enabling it to stay at sea for up to seven days. This model can move at speeds of up to 72 kilometers an hour. Cruising speed is 43 kilometers an hour. The Ukrainian experience using naval drones to defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet was unique. Ukraine had only surface-to-ship missiles when the war started, but eventually shifted to three new naval drones, Sea Baby, Mother, and MAGURA, or Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus. Some of these naval drones were used for a mid-2023 Kerch Bridge attack. One of the drones carried 850 kg of explosives and inflicted enough damage to halt use of the bridge. The Mother drone carries 450 kg and MAGURA 320 kg. In addition to attacking targets, these drones can also be used for reconnaissance and surveillance using video cameras that broadcast what they see back to the drone operator. Some drones have been armed with small rocket launchers. The Mother drone has a range of over 700 kilometers and can operate on the high seas. Endurance is about 60 hours, and top speed is over 70 kilometers an hour. Mother was used for an attack on the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk, which is a thousand kilometers from Crimea. Ukrainian drones have been quite successful in attacking and sinking or disabling Russian navy ships. So far there have been over a dozen attacks which resulted in sinking or damaging about twenty ships. Ukrainian drone operations in the Black Sea forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to withdraw to the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Sevastopol was no longer a safe place to be, and Russian ships could no longer launch their Kalibr cruise missiles without risking attack by Ukrainian drones. The presence and aggressive use of the drones meant that Ukraines grain corridor was kept open despite Russias threats to interfere. Beyond symbolic significance, the corridor holds critical economic importance for Ukraine and is expected to contribute up to seven percent to GDP growth in 2024 because of the grain shipments. Russian countermeasures to Ukrainian naval drones included using aircraft and helicopters to destroy slow-moving drones before they attack, and expanding use of jamming to disrupt drone control signals. These changes made it much more difficult for Ukrainian naval drones to reach and destroy targets. But by 2025 the Russians had already lost control of the Black Sea and were not getting it back. People named Gauthier are typically associated with a strong, commanding presence combined with thoughtful intelligence. They often exhibit natural leadership qualities, showing both the courage to take initiative and the wisdom to make considered decisions. The historical weight of the name suggests someone who values tradition and honor, yet remains adaptable to modern circumstances. Gauthiers are frequently perceived as protective figuresreliable in crises and steadfast in their commitments. Their strength is not merely physical but extends to moral and emotional resilience, making them pillars of support in their personal and professional relationships. While they can be authoritative when necessary, they typically balance this with fairness and a genuine concern for others' wellbeing. The name's warrior heritage implies someone who fights for their principles and defends those who cannot defend themselves, while its noble connotations suggest refinement and cultural sophistication. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Halley has evolved from its Old English origins meaning 'from the hall' to become a name with significant cultural resonance. Originally a surname derived from places where manors or large houses stood, it transitioned into a feminine given name in the 20th century. The name gained particular prominence through famous bearers like actress Halle Berry, who brought visibility and modern appeal to the name. In Christian contexts, while not directly biblical, the name's association with halls and gathering places connects it to community and fellowship values important in Christian tradition. The astronomical connection to Halley's Comet, though spelled identically to the astronomer's surname, has also contributed to the name's celestial and timeless quality in popular imagination. This dual heritageearthly roots and cosmic associationsgives Halley a unique position in naming culture, representing both grounded stability and inspirational wonder. Individuals named Hoh are typically perceived as ambitious, confident, and naturally authoritative. They often possess strong leadership qualities and a determined mindset that drives them to pursue high goals and achievements. Their name's meaning of 'high' or 'elevated' seems to manifest in their personality through a tendency to think big and aim for positions of responsibility and influence. These individuals usually exhibit excellent organizational skills and strategic thinking, making them effective in managerial or entrepreneurial roles. They tend to be pragmatic problem-solvers who approach challenges with methodical precision and unwavering focus. While sometimes perceived as reserved or serious, those named Hoh often demonstrate deep loyalty to their principles and those they care about. Their strong sense of duty and tradition, combined with innovative thinking, creates a unique balance between respecting established ways and pushing for progress. This combination of traditional values and forward-thinking approach makes them particularly effective in roles that require both stability and adaptation to changing circumstances. Cultural & Historical Significance Kammie emerged as a modern Christian name variant, drawing from the rich traditions of names like Kamelia and Kamille that have roots in both botanical symbolism and Christian virtues. The name carries connections to the camellia flower, which in Christian symbolism represents perfection and purity, often associated with the Virgin Mary's divine qualities. Throughout European Christian communities, similar names have been used to honor saints and biblical figures who exemplified devotion and spiritual strength. The name gained particular traction in English-speaking Christian communities during the 20th century as parents sought unique yet meaningful variations of traditional names. It represents a bridge between classical Christian naming conventions and contemporary preferences for distinctive spellings while maintaining spiritual significance. The evolution of Kammie reflects the ongoing adaptation of religious names within modern Christian families who value both tradition and individuality. Individuals named Kineks are often perceived as possessing a unique blend of gentle strength and natural elegance. They tend to be deeply connected to their roots and values while demonstrating remarkable adaptability to modern circumstances. Kineks bearers typically exhibit nurturing qualities, showing care for both people and the environment, often displaying a special sensitivity to beauty in all its forms. Their personality reflects the rosebud symbolism - starting with quiet potential that gradually unfolds into full expression. They are known for their resilience, able to weather challenges while maintaining their core essence, much like a rosebud that withstands changing seasons. Many Kineks individuals demonstrate artistic or creative talents, particularly in areas that bridge traditional and contemporary expressions. They often serve as cultural ambassadors in their communities, balancing respect for heritage with forward-thinking perspectives. This combination of traits makes them particularly effective in roles that require both sensitivity and strength, and they frequently become advocates for causes they believe in, especially those related to cultural preservation and environmental stewardship. Individuals named Laili are often perceived as introspective, intuitive, and possessing a quiet strength. They tend to be observers rather than center-stage personalities, with a deep capacity for empathy and understanding others' emotions. Their nighttime namesake suggests someone comfortable with solitude and contemplation, often displaying wisdom beyond their years. Laili's are frequently creative souls, drawn to artistic expression, writing, or music that explores deeper emotional landscapes. While they may appear reserved initially, they form deep, lasting connections with those they trust. Their calm demeanor often makes them natural peacemakers in conflict situations, and they possess an innate ability to see multiple perspectives. The nocturnal association also suggests someone who does their best thinking during quiet hours, often being night owls who find inspiration when the world sleeps. This combination of introspection and creativity makes Laili's particularly suited to careers in counseling, arts, education, or any field requiring deep understanding of human nature. Individuals named Makena are typically associated with warm, optimistic personalities that naturally attract others. They often exhibit a contagious enthusiasm and genuine joy that makes them popular in social settings. Their inherent happiness tends to be resilient, allowing them to maintain positive outlooks even during challenging circumstances. Makenas are frequently described as having sunny dispositions, quick to laugh, and skilled at finding silver linings in difficult situations. Beyond their cheerful nature, Makenas often possess strong emotional intelligence and empathy. They tend to be natural peacemakers who can diffuse tension and bring people together. Their happiness is not superficial but stems from a deep appreciation for life's blessings and connections with others. Many Makenas develop strong intuitive abilities, sensing the emotional needs of those around them and offering comfort or encouragement when needed. This combination of joy and emotional awareness makes them valued friends, family members, and community contributors who uplift everyone they encounter. People named Miles typically exhibit a unique blend of strength and compassion that reflects the name's meaning of 'merciful.' They often possess a calm, thoughtful demeanor that allows them to approach challenges with wisdom rather than impulsivity. Their merciful nature manifests in strong empathy and understanding toward others, making them excellent friends and confidants who offer support without judgment. Despite their gentle approach, individuals named Miles often demonstrate remarkable inner strength and resilience. They tend to be principled people who stand up for what they believe in, combining conviction with compassion in their actions. Many display creative talents and intellectual curiosity, often excelling in fields that require both analytical thinking and emotional intelligence. Their balanced personality makes them adaptable to various situations, capable of providing leadership when needed while also being excellent team players who value collaboration and mutual respect. Individuals named Nacumbea typically exhibit strong leadership qualities combined with deep empathy and protective instincts. They often possess natural authority and the ability to inspire others, reflecting the warrior spirit embedded in their name. These individuals tend to be resilient in facing challenges, showing remarkable perseverance and inner strength that helps them overcome obstacles while maintaining their core values and principles. Their strength is often quiet but undeniable, like the deep roots of ancient trees. Nacumbeas often demonstrate a balanced combination of assertiveness and compassion, making them effective mediators and community builders. They typically have strong intuitive abilities and a deep connection to their heritage or personal values. Their warrior nature manifests not through aggression but through steadfast commitment to protecting what they valuewhether family, community, or principles. They often become pillars of strength for those around them, offering guidance and support while maintaining their own independence and integrity. This creates individuals who are both formidable in their convictions and nurturing in their relationships, embodying the complete spectrum of what it means to be a true protector and leader. Individuals named Orwald are typically perceived as strong-willed, principled, and determined. They often exhibit natural leadership qualities combined with a deep sense of integrity and moral conviction. The historical associations with Christian kingship and martyrdom contribute to an image of someone who stands firmly for their beliefs, even in challenging circumstances. There's often an air of quiet authority about them, and they tend to approach life with seriousness and purpose. These individuals usually possess both intellectual depth and practical competence, able to navigate complex situations with wisdom and strength. They're often seen as protectors and providers, with a strong sense of responsibility toward others. While they may appear reserved at first, those who know them well appreciate their loyalty and steadfast nature. The combination of 'spear' and 'strength' in the name's meaning suggests someone who is both decisive in action and resilient in character, capable of facing adversity with courage and determination. This creates a personality profile of someone who balances strength with wisdom, and action with reflection. December 15, 2025: In September the USAF successfully operated with Norwegian forces in the Norwegian Sea to test the Quicksink maritime weapon system in a realistic combat situation. The test involved a B-2 bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s to caddy out a long-range attack operation against a surface vessel. The B-2 used a Quicksink bomb to attack and sink an unmanned vessel. This Quicksink incorporated a 228 kg GBU-38 JDAM guided bomb. Three years ago the U.S. Air Force and Navy developed a cheap alternative to the torpedo called Quicksink. This weapon uses a modified version of the JDAM kits that turn an inexpensive unguided dumb bomb into a GPS guided bomb. Quicksink, like regular guided bombs, can be released up to 24 kilometers from the target. The GPS coordinates are programmed into the JDAM kit before releasing the bomb or altered after launch from the aircraft. When the Quicksink bomb gets close to the target, it goes underwater and glides to the nearby ship, detonating against the hull like a torpedo. The U.S. conducted a test against a large cargo ship scheduled for scrapping that was towed into position on a maritime test range. The Quicksink bomb performed as intended and hit the ship underwater, blowing it in half like a heavy torpedo, costing millions of dollars. The ship sank within minutes. Quicksink was not intended for use against warships equipped with air defense systems, or commercial ships escorted by such warships. Even in wartime a lot of large cargo ships travel alone and Quicksink would be a more efficient and cheaper alternative than using torpedoes. Quicksink is resistant to GPS jammers because its alternative INS Inertial Navigation System is unjammable although less accurate. When the target is a large commercial ship moving at its normal slow cruising speed to reduce fuel costs Quicksink still works. The warplanes carrying Quicksink also carry targeting pods that enable pilots to see, in great detail, what's happening on the surface, even when the aircraft is flying at 6.8 kilometers altitude. For example, the pod users can tell if someone down there is dressed as a man or a woman, or is carrying a weapon. With much larger naval targets, identification is a lot easier. Any aircraft, including heavy bombers, can use the pods for attacking ships at sea. In 2011 a B-1B successfully used laser guided JDAM bombs against moving naval targets. These tests involved the B-1B using its Sniper targeting pod to put the laser beam on the target. The JDAMs homed on the laser light reflecting off the moving target ships. The laser guided bombs are more expensive than Quicksink and do not attack underwater like a torpedo. Targets would be enemy shipping, especially in the early stages of a war. Quicksink could also be useful in some wartime situations, like a Chinese amphibious attack on Taiwan. The Chinese plan to use dozens of large R0/Ro, or Roll on/Roll off ships that could put hundreds of armored and unarmored vehicles on certain beaches or any dock. These ships are unarmed and American or Taiwanese aircraft could launch several Quicksinks at each target, using accompanying EW Electronic warfare or SEAD Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses aircraft to suppress anti-aircraft air defenses long enough for the Quicksinks to be launched and reach their targets. At the very least, Quicksink forces China to reconsider their current invasion plans. A Quicksink kit with small wings would provide an even longer over 60 kilometers glide range for Quicksink. With Quicksink available China has to worry about their commercial shipping in general, especially in the early stages of a war when many of those ships operate independently and are vulnerable to Quicksink. Quicksink builds on the American experience with air dropped naval mines. These were used since World War II, with each generation of air-deliver mines becoming more capable. In 2018 the U.S. successfully used a JDAM glide and satellite navigation kit to deliver a 909 kg Quickstrike naval mine to a location over sixty kilometers from a B-52 bomber that can carry dozens of these mines. For this test Quickstrike had no explosives, just inert material to maintain the proper weight. The Quickstrike had its naval mine sensors and other electronics plus a locator device. That enabled a ship to locate and recover the Quickstrike, which was found to be functioning properly. These tests began in 2015, using a 228 kg Quickstrike and later a 456 kg Quickstrike. Now the Air Force or Navy can deliver all three sizes of these Quickstrike ER extended range mines using JDAM. The original Mk-62 Quickstrike was basically a 500-pound bomb, with a sensor package attached to the rear. There were three different sensor packages, each providing a different set of sensors to detonate the mine. The Mk-62 is a bottom mine, which is dropped in shallow water, and then detects a ship passing above using pressure of the ship on the water, magnetism of the metal in the ships hull, or vibration. The sensor also comes with a computer, to enable the mine to follow certain instructions, like only detonating for ships that meet certain criteria. Think of Quickstrike as the ultimate underwater weapon, being relatively inexpensive, autonomous and relentless in carrying out its mission. One drawback with the Quickstrike is that the aircraft delivering it had to drop the mines at an altitude of 300 meters or less while moving at 500-600 kilometers an hour. The mines are usually dropped in known shipping lanes, especially those that serve as approaches to a major port. World War II air dropped mines proved devastating to Japanese shipping. Same thing with their use against North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Any bomber aircraft that can go in low and slow can deliver Quickstrike. The F-35, F-18, B-2, B-1B, P-8 and P-3C can also deliver naval mines. The U.S. air force and navy revived regular Quickstrike bombing exercises nearly two decades ago and publicized them to send a message to North Korea, Iran and China about how quickly their seaborne lifelines could be cut. China responded by stationing air defense systems to cover the shallow water sea lanes that Quickstrike could be used in. The United States has since developed Quickstrike ER. The current JDAM smart bomb kit comes with wings that enable the bomb to glide up to 70 kilometers thus avoiding many enemy air defenses. It also means you dont have to risk your nuclear subs for the delivery of these mines. Subs have long been an effective way to plant mines in enemy waters. The JDAM approach does not eliminate all risk from anti-aircraft systems. China and Russia have modern S-300 and S-400 systems with ranges of over 200 kilometers. But the farther away the attacking aircraft are the less they are at risk. Thats because American aircraft go into combat with EW electronic warfare aircraft and EW devices on all aircraft. That provides a lot of protection but it is not 100 percent and the less time you spend in the danger zone the less risk you are exposed to. More improvements are planned for Quickstrike. The next step is to test longer range glide bombs like JASSM, with a range of up to 900 kilometers. The original JDAM bomb kit, added to 500, 1,000, and 2,000-pound bombs, costing $26,000 each. The longer range, 120 kilometers JSOW JDAM with larger wings and more powerful guidance system, cost $460,000 each. The even longer range JASSM cost $500,000, the 400 kilometers version to $930,000 the 900-kilometer JASSM ER each. Air defense systems can detect JDAM, JSOW and JASSM but with some difficulty because these glide bombs are small, low and slow moving. China has not developed systems similar to Quickstrike or Quicksink in part because Western nations have more commercial ships operating over a wider area than China, which only has one coastline that is much smaller than the combined coastline of Western nations. Women named Perke are typically perceived as deeply spiritual, compassionate, and steadfast in their convictions. They often exhibit a strong sense of purpose and dedication to their beliefs and values, reflecting the name's meaning of devotion to God. These individuals tend to be reliable, thoughtful, and deeply connected to their cultural and religious heritage. Their devotion extends beyond religious practice to include commitment to family, community, and personal relationships. Perkes are often seen as pillars of strength in their communities, offering wisdom and support to others while maintaining a humble demeanor. They possess an inner resilience that helps them navigate challenges with grace and faith. While traditional in their core values, many Perkes demonstrate remarkable adaptability, blending ancient wisdom with modern understanding. Their spiritual nature often manifests as empathy and a genuine concern for others' wellbeing, making them natural caregivers and community builders. The combination of strong faith and practical compassion makes Perkes respected figures in both family and community settings. Their leadership style tends to be quiet and influential rather than overtly authoritative, earning them deep respect through consistent example and genuine care for others. Women named Roana are typically characterized by their warm, grounded nature and strong connection to their roots and traditions. They often possess a natural elegance and stability that makes them reliable anchors in their social and professional circles. Their personality reflects the earthy quality of their name - they tend to be practical, nurturing individuals with deep emotional intelligence and an intuitive understanding of people and nature. Roanas often demonstrate remarkable resilience and adaptability, able to weather challenges with grace and emerge stronger. They frequently exhibit creative talents, particularly in arts connected to their cultural heritage or nature-inspired pursuits. Their warm demeanor and genuine interest in others make them excellent friends and confidantes, while their strong sense of identity and values guides their life choices. Many Roanas show a particular affinity for environmental causes, cultural preservation, or community building, often becoming quiet leaders who inspire through example rather than loud proclamation. Women named Salvatora are often perceived as compassionate, protective, and deeply empathetic individuals who naturally assume caretaking roles. They tend to possess strong moral convictions and a genuine desire to help others, often putting the needs of family and community before their own. Their name's meaning frequently manifests in their personality through a nurturing disposition and an innate ability to provide emotional support during difficult times. Salvatoras are typically resilient and determined, with a quiet strength that enables them to overcome challenges while maintaining their caring nature. They often excel in professions that involve service, healing, or guidance, where their natural empathy and protective instincts can benefit others. While they may be reserved in unfamiliar situations, those close to them appreciate their loyalty and the profound sense of security they provide. The name seems to attract individuals who embody its meaning through their actions and relationships. Men named Selwyn typically exhibit characteristics of reliability, intelligence, and deep loyaltyqualities that align perfectly with the name's meaning of 'good friend.' They tend to be methodical thinkers who approach life with careful consideration, often displaying wisdom beyond their years. Their thoughtful nature makes them excellent problem-solvers and trusted confidants, though they may sometimes appear reserved until they feel comfortable in their surroundings. Selwyns often possess a strong moral compass and sense of duty, making them particularly suited to roles in education, religion, or community leadership where their inherent trustworthiness shines. In social settings, Selwyns are known for their consistency and dependability rather than flashy charisma. They form deep, meaningful relationships built on mutual respect and shared values. Their analytical minds make them keen observers of human behavior, and they often serve as peacemakers or mediators in conflicts. While not necessarily the life of the party, Selwyns provide the stable foundation that holds groups together, embodying the Christian virtues of patience, faithfulness, and service. Their strength lies in their ability to maintain composure during challenges and offer steady guidance to those around them. Cultural & Historical Significance Thuy holds profound cultural significance in Vietnam as a name that embodies essential elements of Vietnamese identity and philosophical traditions. The water element (thuy) represents one of the five fundamental elements in Eastern philosophy and is particularly meaningful in Vietnam, a country defined by its relationship with water through the Mekong Delta, Red River, and extensive coastline. Water symbolizes the flow of life, adaptability, and the nurturing qualities that sustain communities. Simultaneously, the connection to pussy willow (lieu) ties the name to Vietnamese spring traditions and Lunar New Year celebrations, where willow branches are displayed to invite prosperity and growth. This dual symbolism makes Thuy a name that connects individuals to both natural cycles and cultural heritage, representing the Vietnamese values of resilience, community, and harmony with nature. The name's enduring popularity across generations demonstrates how it encapsulates core aspects of Vietnamese spiritual and cultural identity while remaining personally meaningful. Individuals named Werian typically exhibit strong protective instincts and a natural inclination toward defending others, whether physically, emotionally, or ideologically. They often possess a calm, steadfast demeanor that makes them reliable in crises, combined with strategic thinking that allows them to anticipate threats and prepare defenses effectively. Werians tend to be deeply loyal to their families, communities, and principles, showing remarkable consistency in their commitments and a willingness to stand firm even when facing significant opposition. Beyond their defensive nature, Werians often demonstrate excellent leadership qualities, particularly in situations requiring organization and protection. They are typically patient, methodical thinkers who prefer to build strong foundations rather than seek quick victories. While they may appear reserved initially, they form deep, lasting relationships built on trust and mutual protection. Their strength lies not in aggression but in their ability to create safe spaces and defend what they value, making them pillars of stability in their social and professional circles. Individuals named Winthorp typically exhibit a distinctive blend of traditional values and intellectual curiosity that makes them natural leaders and community pillars. They tend to be methodical, principled, and deeply committed to their responsibilities, often displaying the Puritan work ethic historically associated with the name. Winthorps are usually excellent planners and organizers, with a keen eye for detail and a systematic approach to problem-solving. Their strong moral compass guides their decisions, and they often become respected figures in their professional and social circles due to their reliability and integrity. Beyond their practical capabilities, Winthorps frequently possess a philosophical depth and historical consciousness that informs their worldview. They tend to be well-read, particularly in history and classics, and often develop expertise in specific areas through dedicated study. While they may appear reserved initially, they form deep, lasting friendships and are fiercely loyal to those they trust. Their combination of analytical thinking and emotional depth allows them to excel in leadership positions where both strategic vision and interpersonal skills are required. Modern Winthorps often continue the family's historical legacy of community service, education, or public leadership while adapting traditional values to contemporary contexts. Women named Yolanthe typically exhibit a remarkable blend of inner strength and outward grace that defines their character. They possess a resilient nature that allows them to face challenges with quiet determination and emotional fortitude. This strength is complemented by their intuitive understanding of people and situations, making them both perceptive and practical in their approach to life's difficulties. Their elegance is not merely superficial but reflects a deep-seated dignity and self-awareness. Yolanthes are often natural leaders who inspire others through their composed demeanor and unwavering principles. They balance their strong will with compassion and empathy, creating relationships built on mutual respect and genuine connection. Their creative sensitivity often manifests in artistic pursuits or innovative problem-solving, while their practical intelligence ensures they can implement their ideas effectively. This combination of traits makes Yolanthes particularly adept at navigating complex social and professional environments while maintaining their authenticity and personal integrity. Cultural & Historical Significance Zihna holds profound cultural significance within the Hopi tradition, where names are considered sacred and carry spiritual weight beyond mere identification. The meaning 'spins' connects to fundamental Hopi cosmological concepts, representing the cyclical nature of time, the rotation of celestial bodies, and the continuous motion that sustains the universe. In Hopi philosophy, this spinning motion symbolizes the interconnectedness of all life and the perpetual flow of energy that binds the physical and spiritual realms. The name reflects the Hopi worldview that emphasizes harmony with natural cycles and recognition of the dynamic balance in all things. When a child receives this name, it invokes blessings of adaptability, continuous growth, and connection to the universal rhythms. The spinning concept also relates to traditional Hopi practices such as pottery making and weaving, where spinning motions transform raw materials into objects of beauty and utility, mirroring the transformative journey of human life and spiritual development. December 18, 2025: In late November U.S. Africom/Africa Command carried out its hundredth airstrike against Somali ISIL/Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Islamic terrorists based in the Golis mountains up north. Airstrikes in Somalia this year far exceeds that of all previous years including the previous one-year high of 63 in 2019. AFRICOM has long conducted operations against al-Shabab, an Islamic militant group associated with al-Qaida that has been fighting in Somalia for decades. While al-Shabab remains the largest terrorist group in Somalia, strikes against ISIS/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in Somalia, formed in 2015 by a group of defectors from al-Shabab. U.S. military personnel in Somalia provide various forms of support to the countrys unstable central government as it attempts to keep al-Shabab and ISIS at bay. AFRICOMs missions in the country involve training and advising local ground forces, as well as carrying out airstrikes coordinated with the Somali government. U.S. Africa Command carried out its 100th airstrike of the year in Somalia in its campaign against Islamic militants in east Africa. On New Years day the UN authorized a new peacekeeping force of 11,900 troops. In February the U.S. carried out airstrikes against Islamic terrorists in Puntland, which is in northern Somalia. Soldiers and militiamen killed over 120 Al Shabaab attackers. Last year piracy returned to Somalia. This time the pirates had a difficult time of it because of all the foreign warships in the area dealing with Shia rebels in nearby Yemen who are attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles provided by the rebels Iranian patrons. The Shia rebels use Iranian drones equipped with reconnaissance capability to locate targets off the coast and accurately fire missiles at ships passing through the narrow, 26 kilometers wide, Bab-el-Mandeb straits off southwestern Yemen. This forces ships, almost all of which are trying to use the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal, to take the longer and more expensive and time consuming route around the southern tip of Africa. Some ships avoid or ignore the missiles and continue north to the Suez Canal. These ships discovered they faced another threat in that the Yemen rebels sent armed men in small boats to board these large cargo ships and force the crews to take them to towns on the nearby Somali coast known to be pirate friendly in the past. The warships off the Yemen coast have been more aggressive in dealing with this, often launching a helicopter with armed men to land on the captured ship and deal with the pirates. Sometimes the pirates are warned and leave the hijacked ship before the helicopter arrives. Worldwide, attacks on cargo ships, and an occasional tanker, are still a problem. In 2023 there were 120 attacks on ships compared to 115 in 2022. In 2023 105 ships were boarded, four ships were hijacked and two were fired on. When ships are boarded, there are attempts to kidnap crew members and hold them for ransom. In 2022 two crewmen were taken hostage while 14 were kidnapped. In 2023 there were 41 hostages and 73 kidnapped. The hostages are used for taking control of the ship and moving it to a different location. Pirates rarely have any knowledge or experience operating these ships. Kidnapped crew are taken ashore and held until a ransom is paid. In December 2023 a large cargo ship was hijacked and taken to Somalia. This was the first hijacking since 2017. Normally, none of the boardings and hijackings take place off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. There were also incidents or threats of attempts in the Singapore Straits, the Malacca Straits, and the Indonesian archipelago. As recently as 2018 piracy was still a problem off the Somali coast, just not the kind that creates headlines in the international mass media. The pirates adapted and in 2017 there were nine pirate attacks off the Somali coast, up from two in 2016. This was notable because worldwide pirate activity hit a 22 year low with 188 attacks in 2017, and most of it was far away from Somalia in places like the west coast of Africa and Southeast Asia. Those 188 attacks created damage worth $7 billion, with 80 percent of it absorbed by the ships and their owners. Higher insurance rates and operating costs were the major additional costs. That is an issue off Somalia where higher insurance costs are still a problem and getting worse because of the ineffectiveness of defending warships this time. Back in 2011 there were 327 attacks off the Somali coast. The solution was an international anti-piracy effort that continues. But shipping companies still have to pay higher insurance rates for their ships that operate in the danger zone extending far out into the Indian Ocean. At the end of 2017 the maritime insurance companies had real reason to be worried. In November 2017, for the first time since 2014, the international anti-piracy patrol arrested six Somali pirates who were caught firing on and trying to board ships off the Somali coast. Violence in Somalia has targeted United Arab Emirates/UAE military training activities in the capital of Mogadishu. Several foreign military trainers were killed. Al Shabab continues to carry out terror attacks in and around Mogadishu. Al Shabab has been trying, without much success, to reverse progress over the last few years to bring peace and prosperity to Somalia. For example, in 2022 Somalia finally got a new government after several years of efforts to overcome clan and warlord objections to democracy in general. The elections were held, and results certified. This made possible the formation of a parliament and new president. The parliament met and approved the presidents selection of a new prime minister. The prime minister then formed a government by filling dozens of key jobs with candidates that did not cause disputes in parliament over who got what. Somalia is still dominated by the power of the clans and the blind loyalty to clan even when it harms national unity. Overcoming this factionalism in a democracy is often very difficult. So far it appears that a majority of Somali leaders were willing to give a clean government a chance to work in Somalia. The key test is to form the new government successfully. Major suppliers of foreign aid restored suspended aid programs. The United States ordered several hundred special operations and other troops to return to Somalia. In late 2020 the previous U.S. government ordered 700 U.S. troops out of Somalia. The departing American troops who were missed the most were Special Forces and SEAL operators training and advising their Somali counterparts. The American troops in Somalia also handled intelligence collection and monitoring things in general. This continued from a major American special operations base in neighboring Djibouti as well as the use of American drones, also based in Djibouti, to search for Islamic terrorists and carry out airstrikes when the opportunity presents itself. After a year or so of indecision by the Americans, the U.S. resumed regular air strikes against Al Shabab and other groups interfering with aid shipments or the new Somali government. This led to over 200 drone airstrikes that killed nearly a thousand al Shabaab and other Islamic terrorist group members. All this positive activity by the new government convinced foreign donors to continue and increase economic and military aid. Foreign money as well as peacekeepers were already being withdrawn before the new government was established. The UN had already started the process of pulling out its 20,000 peacekeepers. Foreign aid donors then adopted a policy of sending the aid to where it will do the best good. That policy put Somalia at a disadvantage because much, if not most, of its aid was stolen and never reached those who needed it. If the new government can demonstrate an ability to change the wicked ways of its predecessors, the aid may resume and increase. Somalia and other nations in the region need this because the region is suffering from one of its periodic droughts, and a major one at that. In the past these major droughts would cause visible declines in the population. After World War II foreign aid by a growing number of countries and Non-government Organizations or NGOs made it possible to prevent these starvation deaths, at least in countries that could distribute the aid effectively. Somali was one of the nations that had trouble doing that, mainly because Somalia was still a deeply divided region because of the persistence of many powerful clans that looked after their own even if it meant other Somalis suffered. The clan loyalties are still a problem and a major factor in delaying fair election of a national parliament. The new government also restored good relations with Kenya. This includes cooperation with Kenya in dealing with al Shabaab activity in northeast Kenya, where Mandera county has long suffered from Somali violence. This includes al Shabaab roadblocks to check vehicles for non-Moslems, who are often kidnapped or killed. Counter-terror efforts have largely kept al Shabaab terrorists out of the capital Nairobi, which is a thousand kilometers from Mandera, and that is what national politicians focus on. There have been two al Shabaab attacks in Nairobi since 2013. The latest one was in 2019. Politicians have priorities and problems get more attention the closer they are. Al Shabaab has long sought to drive all non-Moslems out of northeastern Kenya because a lot of ethnic Somalis and Moslems live there. Over 80 percent of Kenyans are Christian and only twelve percent Moslem, most of them ethnic Somalis. There are also tribal problems in Mandera. One area along the Somali border has long been the scene of fighting between the Kenyan Murule ethnic Somali Moslems and the Marhan clan from across the border in Somalia. In 2015 about a hundred Marhan warriors crossed the border and raided Murule territory. Despite Kenya sending more soldiers and police to Mandera, the violence continued. The Marhan have long been accused of supporting al Shabaab while the Murule oppose Islamic terrorism and al Shabaab efforts to chase Christians from the Mandera region. Somali refugees and ethnic Somali Kenyans living in Kenya near the Somali border have been a major source of al Shabaab recruits for raiding and terrorism in Somalia as well as Kenya. Somali violence, both from al Shabaab and clan disputes, is less frequent throughout Somalia but persists on both sides of the Kenya border. On the Somali side is the autonomous Somali region of Jubaland. Across the border are the Kenyan counties/provinces of Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit. Occasionally the violence extends to cities elsewhere in Kenya. What is keeping al Shabaab active here and not elsewhere in Somalia are lucrative smuggling operations the Islamic terrorists dominate along the border. In addition to bordering Somalia, there are several other reasons for all the Somali violence in this part of Kenya. First there is the usual pervasive corruption in Kenya and Africa in general. In addition, Somalia is recognized as the most corrupt nation in the world. Al Shabaab takes advantage of police corruption in Kenya, where the largely Christian police are particularly brutal towards ethnic Somali Kenyans. Similar attitudes are directed at the Somali refugees. That brutality and discrimination makes Kenyan Somalis reluctant to cooperate with police in finding al Shabaab terrorists or smugglers. About 76 percent of the four million Kenyan Moslems are ethnic Somalis who are citizens. Kenyas Moslem minority has been known to harbor Islamic terrorists. Most Kenyan Moslems live in coastal cities like Mombasa, where about a third of the 1.1 million population is Moslem. A lot of ethnic Somalis and Moslems live in northeastern Kenya and that is a problem when most of the soldiers and police are Christians Since early 2017 to 2020, when Africom increased its use of armed drones over Somalia, there have been nearly 120 drone airstrikes that have killed over 800 al Shabaab and ISIL members. In the previous six months, there were 42 of these drone attack missions and 235 total in Somalia in the last decade. Striking back at those air operations has long been an al Shabaab goal but the Islamic terrorists have had little success at that. So far this year there have been about 40 drone attacks. Most of those attacks were against al Shabaab targets with a few directed at ISIL forces in the north. In 2019 there were 63 drone attacks in Somalia for the entire year. The 2020 attacks have killed several senior leaders although most of the drone attack missions are in support of Somali Army operations, especially in southern Somalia where the remaining al Shabaab strongholds are. Al Shabaab has been trying to solve its lack of access to technical experts, especially medical ones, by kidnapping and enslaving Kenyans who have the needed skills. In the last year at least eleven such kidnappings have occurred in Kenya, mostly in Mandera Country just across the border. The tech experts are taken to al Shabaab controlled areas of Somalia and provided good treatment as long as they cooperate. This sort of thing is nothing new as Somalis have been raiding areas to the south for centuries. The objective has usually been loot of any sort and for a long time slaves were a valuable commodity as they could be sold to traders in Somali coastal towns who would take the slaves to Arabia or Iran where there was always a market for these captives. Western nations outlawed slavery during the 19th century and that included parts of Africa controlled by European countries. The Middle East resisted this ban into the late 20th century. Some nations in Africa and Arabia still tolerate slavery. Slavery survives in Somalia not just because of corruption or local custom, but also because it is an important aspect of the financial support system al Shabaab has always maintained to finance its terrorist operations. For many al Shabaab members, what they do is their profession and it pays for their living expenses. This is particularly important for older members who have wives and children. For a fifteen year old organization like al Shabaab the financial overhead is quite large. Most fundraising efforts are illegal which means that al Shabaab members spend much of their time operating like gangsters. This is one reason why radical groups like al Shabaab often evolve into criminal gang operations that have abandoned the Islamic terrorist, nationalist or whatever angle got them started. That process may be underway with al Shabaab as there is currently a feud within the organization over financial strategy and accusations of corruption. Actor Tom Holland's starrer 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' has officially wrapped up the shooting for the highly awaited film. Cretton posted on Instagram on Saturday to announce the news and thank the cast and crew for their hard work during the film's production. He called the movie one of the most "rewarding projects" he has been part of and shared how much the journey meant to him. Cretton wrote, "I'm so deeply grateful for the people who walked with me through the biggest, most rewarding film I've ever been a part of. To @nik__ki , for laughing through the insanity and carrying our entire family on your back. To my kids, for forcing me to put my phone down and get out of my head long enough to build a fort in the living room with couch cushions. To our amazing cast, for breathing so much life into these beloved characters and moving us every day. To our unbelievable crew, who worked tirelessly with unmatched creativity and craftsmanship, who made me laugh so hard my stomach never stopped hurting. I love you all so much and can't wait for the world to see your stunning work on the big screen." The director went on to heap praise on Tom Holland for his work on the film. He spoke about Holland's leadership, hard work, and dedication, both on screen and off screen. "And of course, to @tomholland2013 , for your kind, generous leadership on and off screen, for your relentless work ethic, your fearless performances, and for your friendship. That's a wrap on Spider-Man: Brand New Day!," he added. Take a look https://www.instagram.com/p/DSdmkohiFck/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Apart from Holland, the film also features Mark Ruffalo, who returns as Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. Michael Mando is back as Scorpion, while Jon Bernthal joins the film as the Punisher. Sadie Sink is also part of the cast in a role that has not been shared yet. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon return as MJ and Ned. The film is set to release in theatres on July 31, 2026. (ANI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday paid her condolences to veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter, and director Sreenivasan, who passed away at the age of 69. Vadra took to her X account on Sunday, remembering Sreenivasan's long journey in cinema and his impact on people. She spoke about his "humane storytelling" and "sharp wit" and said his work touched many hearts across the country. "Deeply saddened by the passing of Malayalam actor and filmmaker Sreenivasan ji. His humane storytelling, sharp wit and timeless performances enriched Indian cinema and touched countless hearts. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers," Vadra wrote on X. https://x.com/priyankagandhi/status/2002626102687379759?s=20 The last rites of the veteran Malayalam actor were held on Sunday morning in Kochi. Soon after his death, tributes poured in from across the state. Earlier on Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered his tributes and honoured Sreenivasan's cinematic legacy. "The passing of Sreenivasan is an irreparable loss to Malayalam cinema. What we are losing is a talent who rose to leading positions across every domain of filmmaking. Very few filmmakers have succeeded, as he did, in bringing the life of the common man to the silver screen and in guiding the audience, through humour and reflection, to levels of awareness he intended. Sreenivasan stepped into cinema by breaking several long standing conventions," CM Vijayan said, as per a press release from the Chief Minister's Office. Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar condoled the veteran actor's passing and said, "His iconic performances and timeless contributions will be remembered forever. Condolences to his bereaved family. May his soul attain mukti." (ANI) On Instagram, Shraddha Kapoor reshared a video from the latest episode of KBC 17 in which a fan asked Amitabh Bachchan to request that Shraddha Kapoor agree to a coffee date with him, as he claims to be her biggest fan. The KBC host playfully supported the contestant's request and asked Shraddha to go on a coffee date with him. Responding to the request, Shraddha Kapoor asks Amitabh Bachchan for a coffee after describing herself as the actor's biggest fan. She also called the actor the "best host in the world." "Amitabh Bachchan sir, since I'm your biggest fan, sabse pehle aap mere saath coffee piyo (firstly, you drink coffee with me). You can make everything classy, dignified and beautiful. Best host in the world." On the work front, Shraddha Kapoor was last seen in the film 'Stree 2' opposite Rajkummar Rao. She will reprise her role for the third instalment of the superhit horror-comedy franchise, which is slated for a 2027 release. As announced by Maddock Films, 'Stree 3' will hit theatres on August 13, 2027. As for Amitabh Bachchan, the actor was last seen in the film 'Vettaiyan' opposite Rajinikanth. He will be next seen in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. (ANI) Emotional scenes marked the funeral of celebrated Malayalam actor, screenwriter and filmmaker Sreenivasan, as family members, close friends, colleagues and thousands of admirers gathered to pay their final respects. The last rites of the actor were conducted with full state honours at his residence in Kandanad, Ernakulam, on Sunday. Veteran filmmaker Sathyan Anthikkad honoured his longtime friend with a deeply moving gesture, placing a pen and a small piece of paper on the funeral pyre, inscribed with the words, "May only good things happen to everyone forever." The quiet tribute captured the essence of a friendship and creative bond that spanned decades and helped define modern Malayalam cinema. Born and raised in rural Kerala, Sathyan Anthikkad and Sreenivasan shared humble beginnings shaped by everyday Malayali life. They later moved to Chennai with dreams of cinema, enduring years of hardship and poverty, often working as ghostwriters for small fees. Their early collaborations portrayed the lives of ordinary Malayalis, focusing on unemployment, poverty and wounded pride, with humour as their strongest narrative tool. Films like ''Nadodikkattu'' became cultural landmarks, with Sreenivasan''s character Vijayan turning even the dream of a lottery win into irony, reflecting the Malayali ability to laugh through despair. Sreenivasan''s son, actor-director Vineeth Sreenivasan, performed the final rites by lighting the funeral pyre. His younger son, Dhyan Sreenivasan, stood close by, visibly shaken, breaking down as the ceremony progressed. Before the pyre was lit, Dhyan raised a clenched fist in salute, offering a silent final goodbye. Sreenivasan''s grandson was seen sobbing beside the pyre, prompting Sathyan Anthikkad to comfort the grieving child. The funeral drew prominent figures from the Malayalam film industry and beyond. Tamil superstar Suriya visited Sreenivasan''s residence on Sunday to pay his last respects. Political leaders, cultural figures and fellow artistes arrived in large numbers to honour the late actor. Thousands of people paid homage during the public viewing held earlier at the Ernakulam Town Hall, and later at Sreenivasan''s home in Kandanad, through the evening and into the following morning. Many waited patiently for hours for a final glimpse. Sreenivasan passed away at 8.30 am on Saturday. His health deteriorated while he was being taken to Edappally Amrita Hospital for dialysis, and he was pronounced dead on arrival at Tripunithura Taluk Hospital. Of the 58 films directed by Sathyan Anthikkad, Sreenivasan wrote the screenplays for 16. More than a frequent collaborator, he was also a mentor whose influence continued to shape Sathyan''s filmmaking even in projects where Sreenivasan was not directly involved. For many, Sreenivasan''s passing feels deeply personal. More than an actor or screenwriter, he was a voice that spoke with honesty, humour and empathy, reflecting everyday struggles with rare clarity. While that voice has now fallen silent, its echoes will continue to resonate in Malayalam cinema for generations to come. (ANI) In a pursuit to eradicate the drug menace from state, Punjab Police on Saturday conducted a statewide Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) at identified drug Hotspots (the points of sale of drugs and psychotropic substances) across the state as part of the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" (War Against Drugs), marking the 294th day of the intensified anti-drug campaign. The CASO was conducted simultaneously from 11 am to 3 pm across all 28 Police districts of the state on the directions of the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, on Saturday. Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab a free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, to monitor the war on drugs. According to Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who was personally overseeing the operation, police teams conducted raids at 494 drug hotspots across the state, resulting in the arrest of 153 persons and the registration of 132 first information reports (FIRs). "Over 700 Police teams, comprising over 5,000 personnel, under the supervision of 162 gazetted officers, had successfully conducted the operation", he said. The Special DGP said that police teams had also recovered 1.5 kg of heroin, 1 kg of opium, 500 grams of Ganja, 5 kg of poppy husk, 1310 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 32000 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers. Meanwhile, during the operation, police teams conducted checks at 173 Bus Stands and 120 Railway Stations across the state. Earlier, on December 18, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police arrested three drug smugglers and seized 4.5 kilograms of heroin and one pistol. In a post on X on December 18, the Director General of Police, Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, informed that the accused were involved in heroin and illegal arms trafficking. The police have registered an FIR under the NDPS Act and Arms Act at PS Gate Hakima, in Amritsar. According to preliminary investigations, the arrested individuals were in contact with a foreign-based handler through social media platforms, who directed them to transport and supply consignments of heroin and illegal arms across different locations. The Amritsar police had acted swiftly on forward-backwards linkages to bust the cross-border narco smuggling cartel. "The Punjab Police remains firm in eliminating drugs and dismantling narco networks across Punjab," the DGP stated. Earlier, the Counter-Intelligence wing of the Punjab Police in Amritsar had busted a drug supply module linked to foreign-based handlers, arresting three operatives and recovering 4 kg of heroin along with a pistol, magazine, five live cartridges, and Rs 3.90 lakh in drug money. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the module was connected to a foreign-based handler identified as Lakhwinder Singh alias Baba Lakha and to a jailed associate, Daya Singh alias Preet Sekhon, who is currently lodged in Central Jail. An FIR had been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and Arms Act at the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) Police Station in Amritsar. With the latest arrests, the police reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating drugs and dismantling narco networks across Punjab. Further investigation is underway to identify forward and backward linkages and dismantle the entire network. (ANI) December 9, 2025: The U.S. Marine Corps, in an effort to increase re-enlistments, now encourages marines to accept new jobs or different career tracks. Marines seeking to take advantage of these opportunities have choices that include Counterintelligence/human, intelligence specialist, Reconnaissance Marine, Critical skills operator, Influence specialist, Amphibious Combat Vehicle crew, ACV repairer/technician, Explosive ordnance disposal technician, Ground control station technician, Tactical data systems technician, Tactical air operations/air defense systems technician, Unmanned MQ-9 aircraft mechanic, Avionics/maintenance technician, unmanned aircraft system, Operational contract support specialist, Marine Corps community services, Career counselor, Criminal investigator agent, Low Altitude Air Defense gunner, Information Specialty Technician, Cyberspace Warfare Operator and Career Recruiter Specialties. In 2024 1,014 made lateral career moves versus 811 in 2023. The marines also have an early release program for marines who return from an overseas or at sea tour and only have a few months left in their term of enlistment. The marines developed this program not only to encourage more marines to remain in service, but also to deal with shortages in many marine occupational specialties. These techniques are nothing new. Fifteen years ago, the marines offered to guarantee most marines 14 months at their home base, for every seven month tour in a combat zone. The U.S. Army had a similar program, two months at home for each month in a combat zone. The U.S. Army has already increased the time troops spend at home to 14-15 months, taking advantage of all the troops returning from Iraq and not being replaced there. Time at their home base with their families was called dwell time, and the more of it you had between combat tours, the less likely you were to have stress related mental problems. More units were even getting 17-18 months of dwell time between combat tours. The goal is 24 months of dwell time. To that end, the army added 65,000 troops to its strength over a few years, and developed software that went through everyone's personnel records to make sure everyone eligible to go overseas actually went. That put less stress on the troops who seemed to be going over every 24 months. In 2007, at the height of the Iraq fighting, army troops were spending a bit less than a year at home for every year overseas. Back then the army was also in the midst of a reorganization which didn't change the number of troops, or equipment in a brigade, but did change how they are organized and used. The reorganization created more brigades, and made the army even better able to deal with the kind of heavy deployments required in 2005-7. The math worked like this. The army, marines and reserves could muster about sixty combat brigades. During 2004-7, there were 19 brigades deployed to combat zones, 15 in Iraq, three in Afghanistan and one in South Korea. That's when the army began working to get active duty troops two years dwell time for every year in a combat zone. For reserves, the goal was home for four years, overseas for one. It was believed that, with a little help from the marines, the army could just about make that. The increase in troops sent to Afghanistan delayed this dwell time plan for a few years. There are several reasons for the two year dwell time goal. These include morale, keeping combat veterans in uniform, and the reduction of combat fatigue. The more you keep the troops in a combat zone, beyond a certain number of months, the less likely they are to re-enlist. Note that everyone in the army works on employment contracts of 3-4 years, usually. Not everyone renews their contracts when they expire. But after September 11, 2001, an above average number of people have. That has gone up even more after the 2008 recession. Keeping combat veterans in the army is very important, because officers or enlisted personnel who agree to extend their service are the most valuable people you can have in combat. But keep them out there too long, and they will start to leave. Not in large numbers at first, but eventually you will suffer large losses. The U.S. Navy has had the same problem because of the long deployments at sea sailors often had to endure. That experience enabled the navy to work out a formula which calculated the number of sailors they would lose for each additional day, beyond the usual six months, they kept them at sea. The army encountered a similar effect. The army was not publicizing their anticipated losses of soldiers who didnt re-enlist, but it was up to several thousand troops a year. That doesn't break the army, but does provide more headaches for those in charge of recruiting and retention. The senior generals treat this sort of thing as losses but not combat losses, the people who don't re-enlist leave the army in one piece. The more time you spend in combat, without dwell time, the more likely you are to develop combat fatigue. That can mean anything from transferring to a non-combat job, to a medical discharge that gets you a pension and life-time medical care. Both of those options cost the army money. The army would rather see if additional dwell time will enable troops to recover from the stress that comes from being in a combat zone even if not in combat. The additional dwell time would be possible if most troops were withdrawn from Iraq. That's not a sure thing until the Iraqis settle some of their current disputes. The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has donated a patient transport ambulance to the Sub District Hospital (SDH) Bhaderwah in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir Police. The ambulance was formally handed over to the hospital by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Doda, Harvinder Singh. The ambulance, part of SAIL's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The DC expressed his gratitude to Advocate Manjeet Razdaan, independent director of Steel Authority of India, for his efforts in securing the ambulance for the hospital. "Thanks to Manjit's (Advocate Manjeet Razdaan, independent director of Steel Authority of India) efforts, we received an ambulance from Steel Authority of India through the CSR initiative, which we recently flagged off. This is a big force-based ambulance, which we will deploy with 108 in the coming days. People in need will get free services through this ambulance...", DC Harvinder Singh told ANI. Advocate Manjeet Razdaan said that he had requested the Chairman of SAIL to donate an ambulance for Bhaderwah during a board meeting in Delhi. "A few months ago, I had a board meeting in delhi during which I requested the Chairman of the Steel Authority of India to donate an ambulance for Bhaderwah, which will be fully air-conditioned. For this, he provided funds. For this, I think the steel authority of India... This fund is allocated under CSR..."," he told ANI. Dr. Versha Sharma, Block Medical Officer Bhaderwah, expressed her gratitude to the DC and SAIL for the donation. "Today, we are all gathered here because DC Doda and the Steel Authority of India gifted the ambulance... The national highway here is considered highly accident-prone, but in recent times, accidents have decreased significantly... During such events, critical ambulances have helped us provide crucial care to patients on the spot... We thank them for this ambulance...", Sharma told ANI. (ANI) Congress leader Udit Raj on Sunday criticised the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill in Parliament, alleging that the legislation weakens the legal right to employment that existed under MGNREGA and adversely impacts rural labourers. "This was the biggest scheme (MNREGA) to eliminate rural unemployment, and initially, it was a legal right. But now it's no longer the case. So now the central government can get work done wherever it wants," Raj told ANI. He further alleged that labourers would lose their entitlement to demand work. "Now, labourers cannot demand work as a right, and previously, when they didn't get work, they received an allowance. That won't happen anymore," he said. Objecting to the renaming of the scheme, Raj added, "Erasing Gandhi's name (from the scheme's name) is a very dangerous thing for our country..." Along with Raj, Congress MP Shafi Parambil also slammed the BJP-led government over the passage of the Bill in both Houses of Parliament, calling it a "Godse-motivated action." Speaking to ANI, Parambil questioned the provisions of the legislation, particularly the fund-sharing pattern between the Centre and the states. "Not just a politician, but how can any Indian agree to this? What is the motive of taking out Mahatama Gandhi's name from MNREGA?... This is a Godse-motivated action by the government," Parambil said. He further alleged ideological motives behind the renaming of the scheme. "Though they call it 'G-RAM-G', it's not Lord Ram in their mind. In their mind, it is Nathuram..." he said. Raising concerns over the financial burden on states, Parambil questioned the feasibility of the cost-sharing formula."Say 60:40, how can a state like Kerala bear this burden...though they announce it as 125 days...practically they are going to ensure not even 50-60 days is easy for the government," he said. He asserted that the new law would hit the poorest sections the hardest. "Who is getting affected by this bill? The poorest of the states. Why is the government declaring a war on the poorest?... Even those who support the BJP can not join this agenda..." Parambil told ANI. Earlier, Parliament passed the VB-G-RAM-G Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after the Lok Sabha cleared it. Opposition members staged a walkout from the Upper House, demanding that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Bill would play an essential role in the welfare of the poor and accused the Congress of disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi's ideals. The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. As per Section 22, the fund-sharing pattern between the Centre and the states will be 60:40, while for the Northeastern states, the Himalayan states, and the Union Territories, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, it will be 90:10. Section 6 of the Bill allows state governments to notify in advance a period aggregating up to 60 days in a financial year, covering peak agricultural seasons such as sowing and harvesting. (ANI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said in an address in Jaipur on Sunday that his government has done unprecedented work in the state over the last two years, with a strong focus on creating jobs for youth. Earlier, the Chief Minister flagged off the "Run for Viksit Rajasthan" programme in Jaipur and also took part in the event to show support for the participants. After the run, CM Sharma addressed the gathering, congratulated the people of Rajasthan and criticised the previous government, alleging that it had failed young people. "I congratulate the people of the state, and unprecedented work has been done in Rajasthan over the past two years. In the previous government, the dreams of youth were crushed, creating a sense of aimlessness," he said. The Rajasthan CM added that when the present government came to power, it made clear promises to the youth and has been working to fulfil them. "When we formed the government, we promised to fulfil the dreams of the youth, and today you can see that our government is continuously working in that direction," he said. He added that development is taking place across various sectors in the state but stressed that youth-related initiatives remain a priority. "Development is taking place across all sectors, but we have worked especially hard for the youth," the Chief Minister said. CM Sharma further said that his government is committed to providing employment opportunities and securing the future of young people in Rajasthan. "We are committed to ensuring that employment is provided to the youth and their future is secured," he added. The Chief Minister also said that Rajasthan has significant potential across different sectors and urged people to assess the work done by the government in recent years. He added that efforts are also underway to address the needs of farmers. "We are working to support the farmers. From Kishan Samaan Nidhi to whatever assistance they require, our government is supporting them on every front," CM Sharma said. (ANI) According to the police, Ravindra, the victim's brother, and Pushpendra, his friend, killed Sushila because she wanted to marry someone against her family's wishes. Ravindra and Pushpendra planned to kill Sushila after she refused to return home when Ravindra asked her to. On December 10, 2025, Pushpendra gained Sushila's trust by offering to arrange her marriage with her lover and took her to a secluded spot on Panchgaon Road, where he strangled her to death with a dupatta. After committing the crime, both accused individuals dumped Sushila's body in a dilapidated hut. The police received information about the body on December 13, 2025, and launched an investigation. After efforts to identify the deceased, the police finally identified her as Sushila and arrested the two accused on December 20, 2025. The accused individuals, Ravindra, who works as a cook in a private hotel in Gurugram, and Pushpendra, who works as a helper at a tyre shop in Gurugram, will be produced before the court, and police custody remand will be sought for further investigation. The Gurugram Police have registered a case under Section 103(1) BNS and are conducting further investigation into the matter. (ANI) Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai on Sunday slammed the Modi government over the passage of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 in Parliament, saying it has proven that "these are people who admire Godse and hate Gandhi". "The Modi government has proven that these are people who admire Godse and hate Gandhi. Those who couldn't even pay for 100 days of work are now promising to pay for 125 days. This is another lie..," he told ANI. Meanwhile, the Congress is set to hold a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting next week, on December 27, to decide on its plan of opposing the VB G RAM G Bill nationwide. During the recently concluded winter session, the Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation hours after the Lok Sabha passed it. The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. Section 6 of the Bill allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting. As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Sunday expressed serious concern over the ongoing developments in Bangladesh, describing the situation as alarming for the South Asian region. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Jha referred to the political upheaval in the neighbouring country following the recent wave of violence triggered by the death of a Hindu man and youth leader, Sharif Osman Hadi. "The events in Bangladesh are a cause for concern. Even after the coup happened there, we said we should keep a close eye on developments. I'm almost taken aback. The way things have unfolded, this region of South Asia needs to be watched very carefully and seriously, and I would expect and urge my government to take some proactive initiatives," Jha said. This comes amid Bangladesh unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a prominent student activist and a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 2026 national elections, died on December 18, 2025, in Singapore while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during an attack in Dhaka. Following this, Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy, and his body was set on fire. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. The lynching happened amid national unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a prominent student activist and a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 2026 national elections, died on December 18, 2025, in Singapore while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during an attack in Dhaka. The funeral prayer service for Sharif Osman Hadi concluded in Bangladesh on Saturday. The prayer service drew a large crowd to pray for the Inqilab Moncho convenor. In accordance with the family's wishes, Hadi was buried beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Hadi, who had announced plans to run as an independent for the Dhaka-8 seat in the upcoming election, was shot at close range on Dec 12 while travelling by rickshaw in the capital's Bijoynagar area. Police said two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Meanwhile, ten individuals have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth, in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) apprehended seven suspects, while the police arrested three others. (ANI) Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday called for the protection of the Aravalli hills, following the Supreme Court's acceptance of the Centre's definition of the Aravalli hills on November 20. The definition reportedly states that any hills in the range with an elevation of less than 100 metres are not subject to the strictures against mining. In a post on social media platformX, Yadav emphasised that preserving the Aravalli hills is directly linked to Delhi's future, as the range functions as a natural shield for the Delhi-NCR region. He said the hills play a crucial role in reducing air pollution, regulating the city's temperature, and maintaining biodiversity. He asserted that if the Aravallis survive, Delhi will remain lush and green, stressing that saving the hills is not merely an option but a national resolve. "Dear Residents of Delhi, If the Aravalli survives, Delhi will remain lush and green! Saving the Aravalli is not an option but a resolve. Do not forget that only if the Aravalli is saved will the NCR be saved. Saving the Aravalli is imperative because it serves as a natural shield--or rather, a God-given barrier--for Delhi and the NCR. Only the Aravalli can bring back the stars that have vanished from Delhi's skies and protect the environment. The Aravalli mountain range alone reduces Delhi's air pollution and plays a vital role in rainfall and water. The biodiversity of the NCR survives only because of the Aravalli. The wetlands that are disappearing one by one can be saved by it alone. It can bring back the birds that are vanishing. The temperature of the NCR is regulated by the Aravalli alone. Moreover, there is an emotional attachment to the Aravalli that is part of Delhi's cultural and historical heritage. Saving the Aravalli means saving Delhi's future; otherwise, Delhi's residents, who are already struggling to take every breath, will never escape the deadly conditions of smog," wrote Yadav. Further, Akhilesh Yadav highlighted the impact of pollution in the national capital, warning that if the situation continues, Delhi could lose its significance as the largest market and economic hub of North India. He therefore appealed to everyone to become part of the "Save Aravalli" campaign. Earlier, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack against the Centre over the change in the definition of the Aravalli hills range, calling it a "death warrant" for the hills. Congress shared an excerpt from Gandhi's article in a national daily, which said, "The Aravalli range, which runs from Gujarat through Rajasthan and till Haryana, has long played a significant role in Indian geography and history. The Modi Government has now nearly signed a death warrant for these hills, already denuded by illegal mining. It has been declared that any hills in the range with an elevation of less than 100 metres are not subject to the strictures against mining. "It is an open invitation for illegal miners and mafia to finish off 90 per cent of the range which falls below the height limit set by the Government. There is a deep-seated and continuing disregard for the environment in government policymaking," the X post said. Further, she flagged deforestation and the eviction of local communities from forests as a "breach of the spirit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972." The Congress leader demanded policy-level change, asking the Centre to roll back amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022. Earlier, on November 20, the Supreme Court bench headed by former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai pronounced an order accepting the definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges as per the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The apex court also accepted the recommendations for sustainable mining in the Aravalli Hills and the steps to be taken for preventing illegal mining. The three-judge bench directed the ministry to prepare a Management Plant for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), to "identify permissible areas for mining, ecologically sensitive, conservation-critical and restoration-priority areas within the Aravali landscape where mining shall be strictly prohibited or permitted only under exceptional and scientifically justified circumstances; incorporate a thorough analysis of cumulative environmental impacts and the ecological carrying 15 capacity of the region; and include detailed post-mining restoration and rehabilitation measures." (ANI) Newly elected Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Sanjay Saraogi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on opposition parties over the ongoing debate surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that their resistance stems from fear that the names of infiltrators and illegal immigrants would be removed from voter lists. Speaking to ANI in Patna, Saraogi questioned the opposition's objections to the SIR process and accused them of attempting to mislead the public for political gains. "Why are the opposition leaders so flustered about the SIR issue today? Previously, they conducted fraudulent voting. Their clear objective is to ensure that the names of Bangladeshis are not removed from the voter list and that infiltrators continue to vote here," he said. The Bihar BJP chief said the issue of SIR had been raised even before elections in the state by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, but the public rejected what he described as a misleading narrative. "This SIR issue was also raised in Bihar before the elections by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, but what did the public do? The public is not going to spare those who spread misinformation these days..." Saraogi asserted. Extending his criticism beyond Bihar, Saraogi alleged that similar opposition to the SIR process is being witnessed in West Bengal. "In Bengal too, the state government is opposing SIR because they fear that the names of infiltrators and Bangladeshis will be removed from the voter list..." he claimed, adding that the Prime Minister's stand on the issue is justified. "Therefore, what the Prime Minister has said is correct..." he said. The Bihar BJP president's remarks come amid a broader national discussion on electoral reforms and the identification and removal of ineligible voters from electoral rolls, an issue that has sparked political debate across several states. Meanwhile, Sanjay Saraogi, a six-time legislator from Darbhanga, was recently appointed as the new Bihar state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), replacing Dilip Jaiswal, who currently serves as the state's Industries Minister in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet. Born on August 28, 1969, in Darbhanga, Bihar, Sanjay Saraogi has a strong academic background, with postgraduate degrees in Commerce (MCom) and Business Administration (MBA). A member of the Vaishya community, he entered public life during his student years, spending nearly a decade with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), where he held various organisational roles and laid the foundation for his later political career. By 1999, he had formally entered the party structure, serving as the District Minister for the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). Sanjay Saraogi has been elected to the MLA for six consecutive terms, beginning with his first victory in February 2005 from the Darbhanga constituency. He retained his seat in the November 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025 elections, marking two decades of continuous representation. (ANI) Ankit Dewan, who alleged that he was assaulted by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal-1 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, said the incident occurred during security checks while he was travelling with his family. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Dewan explained the chronology of the incident, saying, "We were travelling with our four-month-old baby in a stroller, and CISF personnel directed us towards a particular security check area. I later realised this is an old-style machine, and old-style machines have been while other-style machines have been upgraded. So this machine that could handle big luggage like a guitar and strollers, and this has also been used by the staff." Dewan said the security area already had a long queue, including staff members, and more people continued to join. "I was standing in the passengers' queue. A group of people with guitars were also ahead. I had a lot of luggage, so I asked my wife to take the baby through the ladies' gate while I managed four trays, three bags, and a stroller," he said. According to Dewan, tensions escalated when he objected to staff members allegedly jumping the queue. "I saw one staff member instigating another to pick up all their trays and place them ahead. I objected and asked them to stand in the queue like everyone else," he said. He alleged that a man later identified as Virender Sejwal made derogatory remarks. "He said things like, 'yeh kaha se aa jate hain.' When I told him CISF had directed me there and that I had a four-month-old baby, he replied, 'anpadh ho kya, tumhe dikhayi nahi deta, wahan likha hai, it's a staff entry,'" Dewan said. Dewan claimed the verbal argument quickly turned aggressive. "He said 'yahin maar dunga' and 'bahar mil tu.' I was also shouting back. He then jumped the queue, put his bag through the X-ray, and went straight for frisking," he said. The alleged assault occurred moments later, Dewan claimed. "While he was being frisked, he kept shouting at me and told the CISF personnel, 'main isko peet ke aata hoon.' My wife heard this from the other side. He then came back, and instead of talking, he immediately started hitting me. Everything happened very fast. I don't remember how I fell to the floor; the next thing I remember was holding on to his sweater," he said. Dewan reiterated that he used the staff or PRM entry only because the stroller needed to be scanned through the larger X-ray machine. "That was the only reason I was there," he added. Meanwhile, Delhi Police have said that no formal complaint has been received so far in connection with a social media post alleging physical assault by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal-1 of the airport. The matter came to the notice of the police only after the allegation was shared on platform X by Ankit Dewan. In an official clarification, police stated that neither the complainant nor the airline has reported the incident to the police station. Authorities said that appropriate legal action will be taken if a written complaint is submitted by the victim. "With reference to a social media post posted on platform X by an Ankit Dewan, alleging physical assault by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal-1 of the airport- No such matter has been reported to the police station either by Ankit Dewan or by the airlines. The matter has come to the knowledge of the police through this social media post. Whenever a written complaint is received by the victim, in this regard, appropriate legal action will be taken," said Delhi Police. (ANI) The convicted include Satyendra Singh Gangwar, former Chief Finance & Accounts Officer, Ashok Kumar Upadhyay, former Junior Accounts Clerk, DRDA Ballia, and Raghunath Yadav, a private person. All three were sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a total fine of Rs. 77,000 for causing wrongful loss to the government exchequer of over Rs. 1 crore. The CBI had registered the case on 31 October 2008, taking over Crime No. 498/2006 (EOW No. 244/06) from PS Garwar, Ballia, which involved 135 accused persons. The investigation revealed that the accused caused a loss of Rs. 75.12 lakh in cash and Rs. 31.10 lakh in food grains under SGRY by cheating, forgery, and the use of forged documents, and by causing the disappearance of records. After completing its investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet on 30 June 2010 against the accused. Following a trial, the court rendered a verdict, convicting all three individuals on the charges. The case highlights the CBI's continuing efforts to curb corruption and ensure accountability in government schemes. Meanwhile, the Special Judge POCSO Case, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on December 20, held all five accused, namely, Juber @ Sunil @ Parwej; Sajid; Dharamvir @ Jitender; Naresh @ Sandip Baheliya and Sunil Kumar @ Sagar guilty in the Bulandshahr Gang Rape Case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the instant case in compliance with the Order dated 12.08.2016 of the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, whereby the investigation of FIR No. 838 of 2016 of Police Station Kotwali Dehat, District Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, was transferred to CBI, the probe agency said in a statement. The case pertains to a heinous incident involving rape, dacoity, wrongful confinement and penetrative sexual assault on a child. (ANI) December 12, 2025: Over the last few decades, American universities, and service academies, have pushed more STEM/Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at the expense of the humanities. This has important military implications because improving military technologies is crippled if there is little or no knowledge of military history. Having the latest weapons and military technologies does little to improve the quality of your forces if the officers in charge have little knowledge of how new technologies were used in the past. Equally important is knowing how historical commanders dealt with changing technologies and which adaptations worked and which didnt and why. Even the American military academies fell into this trap. To make matters worse, the American military also has problems with recruiting, training, and retaining competent officers. This is nothing new because the United States traditionally had a small armed force and many of the officers were supplied to the army by West Point and navy by Annapolis. These were supplemented by officer training programs at colleges. The quality of these new officers declined since the Cold War ended. With no real threat, like the defunct Soviet Union, it proved difficult to get officer candidates to take their training and performance seriously. The military became another civil service job. European militaries had this problem before the Cold War ended. For Europeans, the end of World War II marked the end of more than thirty years of horrendous combat and losses. And then there are the problems Russia is having obtaining a new generation of career soldiers and officers. In Ukraine so many officers have been killed that Russia was forced to offer commissions to the most promising sergeants or lower ranking enlisted men. Russia has been forced to innovate. One of the more interesting innovations involves the use of under 18 children in the war effort. Russian teenagers 14-17 years old now have a military training course at school. Here they learn the basics of military life and are prepared for eventual mobilization into the military. Currently the children are put to work, learning how to operate and repair drones. Then comes building drones in school or at home. The young students get official recognition from their schools for their drone-related activities. So far Russia has brought over 600,000 children into these programs. In addition to military training the children are encouraged to participate in programs where they learn how to operate drones. There are similar problems as India and China prepare for a potential war. India is acutely aware that it is falling farther behind China economically, in part because Chinese schools are much less corrupt and much more effective. In short, China has a much better educated workforce and that is driving economic growth that has made China three times per capita as productive as Indians. This translates to more and better officer candidates in China compared to India. Another Chinese and Indian advantage is that both countries take pride in their military histories and relish teaching and embellishing it. There are some problems in China with the government censoring some aspects of Chinese military history that reflect poorly on the current government. Thanks to the internet, diligent Chinese military history buffs can always fill in the blanks. That includes getting past the Golden Shield, the Chinese internet firewall meant to keep truth away from curious Chinese. Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected local body representatives across Kerala, Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday said the party's performance in the local body elections marks the beginning of a new political chapter in the state. Speaking at the Municipal Corporation office in Thiruvananthapuram, Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed happiness over the developments and termed the occasion a long-awaited moment for the party in Kerala. He said the support from the public reflects a growing acceptance of the BJP's development-oriented politics. "We are all very happy. What we have been unable to do for so many years, we are able to do today. The people of Thiruvananthapuram have supported for 45 years, and hopefully today is the beginning of a new sunrise," Chandrasekhar said. Highlighting the political significance of the local body election results, he said the BJP's consistent focus on development has resonated with voters. "We have been doing development politics in the state. Politics plays a major role in the local body elections. It is now clear that development is all that people want. This win is a collapse of LDA, and the fight in the assembly election is going to be between UDF and the NDA," he added. Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar also termed the result a significant turning point in Kerala politics. He said the party's progress in the state is the result of decades of sustained effort by its workers. "We are very proud because this was the moment Kerala was waiting for. This is the beginning of a massive change in Kerala politics. Our party workers have worked for 45 years, and it is the result of their efforts," Javadekar said. Drawing a comparison with Gujarat, Javadekar said the BJP's rise in Kerala could follow a similar trajectory. "... This is exactly the Gujarat moment for us, where we began our victory march from the local body elections, similar to Kerala. The BJP's campaign has paid off, and PM Modi's message has reached the people of Kerala very clearly. The BJP is progressing in Kerala, and we will achieve much more..." he added. Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, the BJP's nominated councillors paid floral tributes at the Palayam martyrs' memorial. This was followed by a procession to the municipal corporation office, which was attended by several state and district-level party leaders. Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA last Saturday scripted history in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, where it has secured control of the corporation, ending the LDF's 40-year rule. Of the 101 wards in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the NDA secured 50, the LDF 29, the UDF 19, and two went to independent candidates. BJP's victory comes as a shock to the Congress-led UDF and Left Parties, as the NDA continues to make inroads into their vote share, emerging as a third front in the state. Last Year, BJP's Suresh Gopi secured victory in Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress-led UDF emerged as the biggest winner in the heart of the battle, leading in 505 of the 941 Grama Panchayats as of 9 pm. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) suffered a setback, with a majority in only 340 Grama Panchayats. NDA led with 26, while AAP won three, according to the State Election Commission. The AAP candidates who won in their respective wards are Beena Kurian (Ward 13, Karimkunnam Grama Panchayat), Sini Antony (Ward 16, Mullenkolly Grama Panchayat), and Smitha Luke (Ward 4, Uzhavoor Grama Panchayat). However, the election wasn't just a simple binary. There was the intriguing drama of the Tie--64 Grama Panchayats hung in a suspenseful balance. Moving up the hierarchy, the UDF also dominated the Block Panchayats, leading 79 out of the 152. LDF is leading 63 Block Panchayats, while a tie was witnessed at 10 Block Panchayats. The real surprise came in the high-stakes urban centres: the Municipalities and Corporations. In the 87 Municipalities, the UDF maintained its lead, winning 54. But the LDF, with 28, proved they could hold onto crucial urban pockets. The battle for the 6 Corporations was the most dramatic. The UDF led 4, seizing control of a majority of the major cities. The LDF managed to get 1. Overall, the BJP secured a modest 26 Grama Panchayats and two Municipalities, including the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. This single urban victory represented a significant, symbolic breakthrough, disrupting the traditional bipolar landscape. Additionally, in the ward elections, the UDF, led by the Congress, is ahead in 3155 wards. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), is ahead in 2565 wards, while the NDA, spearheaded by the BJP, is ahead in 577 wards. Others have taken the lead in 532 wards. The updated figures indicate a significant advantage for the UDF relative to earlier trends, particularly in several urban and semi-urban pockets. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tribute at Swahid Smarak Kshetra as an emotional moment. Assam CM accompanied PM Modi, who paid his respects to the martyrs and garlanded the bust of Swahid Khargeswar Talukdar in Guwahati on Sunday. CM Sarma reflected on the dark days of Assam's history when the Congress party allegedly plundered the state, promoting illegal infiltration, massacring locals, and draining the state's finances. He contrasted this with the current era of development and growth under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. CM Sarma praised PM Modi for his personal commitment to Assam's development, noting that he remembers the sacrifices of the people in protecting their culture. In a post on X, CM Sarma wrote," An emotional moment for me and everyone in Assam. Today, as Adarniya @narendramodi ji paid his tributes at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra and garlanded the bust of Swahid Khargeswar Talukdar, I could not help but be reminded of those dark days in Assam's history when the Congress party plundered the State on numerous counts - promoting illegal infiltration, massacring sons of the soil, taking the State down into financial abyss. Contrast that with today when people are celebrating development, and the Prime Minister personally remembers the sacrifice of the people in protecting their culture and is deeply invested in the growth of Assam, more than all previous PMs combined." https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/2002619244358611111?s=20 "We are privileged to have Adarniya Pradhan Mantri Modi Ji leading Assam's renaissance from the front. I am honoured to be a small part of this growth journey as part of the larger Double Engine efforts to turn Assam back on an accelerated path - where peace, prosperity and stability reign," post added on X. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the Swahid Smarak Kshetra at Paschim Boragaon in Guwahati, where he paid homage to the martyrs of the Assam Movement. PM Modi will interact with 25 meritorious students of Assam as part of the 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme in Guwahati today. The interaction will be held on a cruise on the Brahmaputra River, marking a unique setting for the Prime Minister's engagement with students ahead of examinations. Later in the day, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a fertiliser plant with a capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes at Namrup in Dibrugarh district, a project aimed at strengthening fertiliser production and supporting agricultural growth in the region. On Saturday, PM Modi inaugurated the New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The Prime Minister also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi at the entrance of the new terminal complex, paying tribute to the iconic leader and the first Chief Minister of Assam. Addressing the gathering during the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi said that Assam and the entire Northeast are emerging as a new gateway to India's development. He described the occasion as a celebration of development and progress for Assam and the northeastern region, adding that the transformation underway reflects the government's sustained focus on infrastructure and connectivity. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, PM Modi said that Saturday marks the festival of development and progress of Assam and the North East. He highlighted that when the light of progress reaches people, every path in life begins to touch new heights. The Prime Minister further remarked that his deep attachment to the land of Assam, the love and affection of its people, and especially the warmth and belonging of the mothers and sisters of Assam and the Northeast, continuously inspire him and strengthen the collective resolve to develop the region. He highlighted that today, once again, a new chapter is being added in Assam's development. "Modern airport facilities and advanced connectivity infrastructure serve as gateways to new possibilities and opportunities for any state, and stand as pillars of growing confidence and trust among the people," PM Modi noted. He remarked that when people witness the construction of magnificent highways and airports in Assam, they themselves acknowledge that true justice for Assam has finally begun. (ANI) The meeting focused on assessing logistical arrangements, security measures, and coordination among party leaders and officials to ensure the smooth conduct of the inauguration programme. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials and party functionaries to complete all preparations on time and ensure the event is organised efficiently. CM Yogi said that this landmark project, being dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will emerge as a powerful symbol of national consciousness, cultural heritage, and pride. The birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is celebrated on December 25 across the country. CM Yogi Adityanath stated that the statues of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Atal Ji installed at Rashtra Prerna Sthal will inspire future generations to understand and imbibe the ideals of national unity, Integral Humanism, and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The Rashtra Prerna Sthal is developed over 65 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 230 crore, which includes the 65-feet-tall bronze statues of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It also includes a modern museum showcasing the lives, ideas, and contributions of national leaders, a rally ground and main stage with a capacity of nearly two lakh people, amphitheatre, meditation centre, vipassana-yoga centre, cafeteria, and civic amenities and well-planned layout with attractive landscaping, clear zoning, ample parking, and robust security arrangements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate Rashtra Prerna Sthal on December 25, marking a significant occasion. (ANI) Odisha Minister Krushna Chandra Patra reviewed the Kharif Procurement Operations and instructed officers to ensure procedures are followed to ensure smooth procurement. The Minister arrived for a review of the Kharif Procurement operations to direct the Zilla Prashasan officers on the proper procedures for the procurement from Mandis and farmers. "The review meeting was held to review the procurement process and how to do it correctly", he said. He mentioned that officers from Zilla Prashasan (district administration), along with the local MLA, were there for the review. "The district administration officers and the local MLA were also present, and it went well. The district administration will ensure that the procurement process goes smoothly.", he added. The minister stated that procurement would be on the right track after the review and that all officers are in service for it. He mentioned that several officers have been assigned to closely monitor the procurement process. "Many officers have been deployed for the same purpose. That includes Mandi Nodal Officer and Mandi Supervisor. They have been trained for a smooth procurement process, and they will work towards that.", says Patra. Furthermore, he stated that there would be no "Katni-Chatni" (unauthorised deductions) in the Kharif procurement operation. It is a malpractice which includes illegal deduction of paddy quantity by millers or Mandi officials from farmers, often under the pretext of poor quality. This was done in an effort to ensure that the Indian government's process of buying Kharif (monsoon) crops like paddy, pulses, oilseeds, and cotton from farmers at the declared Minimum Support Price (MSP) through agencies like FCI (Food Corporation of India) goes smoothly. Meanwhile, in a bid to curb vehicular pollution and enforce stricter compliance with emission norms, the State Transport Authority (STA) in Odisha has directed oil marketing companies to stop dispensing petrol and diesel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).Several districts in Odisha are likely to experience dense fog in the coming days, prompting authorities to issue road safety alerts. In view of this, the State Transport Authority (STA), Odisha, has urged road users to exercise extreme caution while driving to prevent accidents. Drivers are advised to reduce speed, use fog lights, avoid overtaking, and maintain safe distances from other vehicles. (ANI) Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Sunday strongly criticised the newly VB-G RAM-G Bill, 2025, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), alleging that it removes Mahatma Gandhi's name and scraps the guarantee of employment. Speaking to ANI, Shrinate said, "We disagree with removing Mahatma Gandhi's name. The way they have completely scrapped such a massive scheme that guaranteed employment is unacceptable. This new law offers no guarantee of work." She further attacked the acronym used in the bill's naming, stating, "And yes, it doesn't include the name of Lord Ram. He is our revered deity and God, a symbol of our faith and values... They have created an acronym: R for Rojgar (employment), A for Ajeevika (livelihood), and M for Mission. They should not insult Lord Ram in this way... What they are doing is completely wrong." Shrinate warned that the Congress party would oppose the changes vigorously, adding, "In the coming days, millions of people will take to the streets." During the recently concluded winter session, the Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation hours after the Lok Sabha passed it. The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. Section 6 of the Bill allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting. As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that visiting Swahid Smarak Kshetra at Paschim Boragaon in Guwahati was a "deeply moving experience", recalling the sacrifice of people during the Assam Movement. In a post on X after his visit to Swahid Smarak Kshetra, where he offered tributes to the martyrs, PM Modi said, "Paid homage at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra and offered tributes at the Swahid Pranam Jyoti. Walking through the Swahid Gallery was a deeply moving experience, recalling the courage and sacrifices of the Bir Swahids martyred during the Assam Movement." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2002667161698083046?s=20 Highlighting the significance of people's sacrifices, PM Modi reaffirmed his commitment to work tirelessly for Assam's progress. "The sacrifices made during the Assam movement are an integral part of Assam's identity and collective memory. We remain resolute in our commitment to working tirelessly for Assam's progress, prosperity and cultural pride," he said. During his visit to Assam, PM Modi performed Bhoomi Pujan for the new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project at Namrup within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Namrup, Dibrugarh district. The project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 10,600 crore, will meet fertiliser requirements of Assam and neighbouring states, reduce import dependence, generate substantial employment and catalyse regional economic development. It stands as a cornerstone of industrial revival and farmer welfare. Addressing a public gathering, PM Modi said, "Today is a big day for Assam and the entire North-East. The dream that Namrup and Dibrugarh had been waiting for a long time is being fulfilled today. A new chapter of industrial progress is about to begin in this whole area... Before coming to Dibrugarh, a new terminal of the airport was inaugurated in Guwahati. Everyone is saying that Assam has caught on to a new pace of development. What you are experiencing right now is just the beginning." On Saturday, PM inaugurated the New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The Prime Minister also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi at the entrance of the new terminal complex, paying tribute to the iconic leader and the first Chief Minister of Assam. (ANI) Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday harshly criticised the Modi government over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) issue, saying that the allegations that were levelled in the Parliament that the Congress has not given any suggestions to the Election Commission regarding electoral reforms are "completely false." Dismissing the allegations, Ramesh said, "Allegations were levelled at us in the Parliament that the Congress party has not given any suggestions to the Election Commission regarding electoral reforms. This is completely false. We have repeatedly requested time. We were not given time. Rahul Gandhi has held three press conferences...We were accused in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. We are now preparing a document on electoral reforms and will soon present it to the Election Commission." He further expressed hope that the ECI will meet the Congress party and discuss the proposals. "We hope the Election Commission will meet with us and discuss it...From June 2023 to December 2023, we repeatedly requested time from the Election Commission regarding the VVPAT issue...The electoral roll needs to be cleaned up; there can be no two opinions about that. Only Indian citizens can vote. There is no debate, no controversy about that...The Home Minister should tell us. This information should be given to the country: you conducted an SIR in Bihar. How many infiltrators did you delete in Bihar?...RSS wants to change this Constitution. Narendra Modi wants to change it. Do you remember what the slogan was for 2024? "Abki Baar 400 Paar" Why? So that they can change this Constitution...," he told ANI. Meanwhile, he also announced that the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for December 27 will finalise an action plan for a nationwide movement across all states against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill passed in Parliament. Speaking to ANI, Ramesh said the new legislation has taken away employment opportunities from rural, deprived and exploited sections of society. "The fundamental character of MGNREGA has been changed; the basic structure of the scheme has been altered. The employment that was being provided to rural, deprived, and exploited people has been taken away," he said. During the recently concluded winter session, the Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving the legislation hours after the Lok Sabha passed it. The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. (ANI) Slamming the lynching of Hindu youth in the neighbouring country as "shameful", BJP Minority Morcha National President Jamal Siddiqui said there is no "true" Islam in Bangladesh because where there is radicalisation, there is no Islam. Amid anti-India protests in Bangladesh, Dipu Chandra Das was killed in a mob lynching in Mymensingh district on December 18 over allegations of blasphemy and his body was set on fire. The incident happened as violent protests gripped Bangladesh following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising that resulted in the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Reacting strongly to the incident, Siddiqui said the killing was an act that "shames the world and brings disrepute to Islam". Speaking to ANI, Siddiqui said, "There is no true Islam in Bangladesh because where there is radicalisation, there is no Islam. Radicalisation is not a part of Islam." He alleged that radical elements have become dominant in Bangladesh, drawing parallels with Pakistan, and claimed that atrocities against minorities, particularly Hindus, were increasing. "The atrocities being committed against our Hindu brothers are condemned by all of us, Indian Muslims and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party. If needed, we will actively stand with our Hindu brothers and fight alongside them in Bangladesh. Our PM Narendra Modi is keeping a very close watch on this. If necessary, India will not hesitate to teach Bangladesh a lesson," Siddiqui said. He further said, "The arrests made in Bangladesh are just a show. Given how radicalisation has gripped Bangladesh, I appeal through you to the secular people there, those who believe in humanity, and those who care about Islam, to stand with our Hindu brothers and come forward to ensure justice and security for them. Just as Muslims are a minority in India, but our Hindu brothers protect us and provide us with security and equal status, this is the culture of our country, and Bangladesh has adopted this culture. " He further added, "But it is very sad that Bangladesh is becoming like Syria and other radical countries. The people in the government there are radicalised, they are people who spread terror, and India will support freeing Bangladesh from such people." Siddiqui also launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of following a path similar to Bangladesh's and of promoting radicalisation for vote-bank politics. "West Bengal, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, is following the path of Bangladesh, and if this continues, West Bengal will also not be safe, and Mamata Banerjee is no less than a radicalist or an ISIS leader. Her ideology is a radical ideology, and she promotes radicalisation so that she can use it as a vote bank. We will not let West Bengal become like Bangladesh. In the 2026 elections, the people of India and Bengal will free Bengal from Mamata Didi," he said. "Backward states like Bihar are now on the path of development, and similarly, we will free West Bengal from Mamata Banerjee's radicalism and make it an even more developed state,' he added. (ANI) A One-Day National seminar on "Holistic Student Development and Confidence Building: Preparing Students for Real-World Challenges" was held at the National Institute for Teacher Education, Khetri in Assam's Kamrup (Metro) district on Saturday. The seminar was attended by a constellation of erudite scholars, professors, academic administrators, high-profile personalities and research scholars from across India. The seminar programme began with lamp-lighting by Binapani Majumdar Bharali, President of Bharali Education Foundation, Khetri. Dr Sristidhar Biswas, Principal of the college, welcomed the guests, resource persons, research scholars for paper presentation, students, staff and others. In his address, Dr Biswas calls for everybody's support to hold seminars and conferences in future for better academic achievements of the students of Assam. As the key speaker of the seminar, Prof Dulumoni Goswami, Head, Department of Education, Gauhati University, elaborated on the seminar topic and emphasised institutional responsibility to prepare and empower students to become leaders of society. Dr Md Baniyamuddin, Regional Director, IGNOU, Guwahati, Assam, stressed students' holistic development as the essence of confidence-building among students. Dr Baniyanuddin appreciated the efforts of the college to send a positive message to the academic society through this seminar. Dr Mahanda Borah, Principal, Dimoria College (Autonomous), stressed the roles of family and institutions inthe holistic development of students and the creation of confidence in students. Prof Kalyan Pandey, a senior professor of the college and chief organiser of the seminar, explicated the key concept of the seminar and focused on its purpose. He thanked everybody for all the support received to hold the seminar successfully. Ram Charan Bharali, Secretary of the College GB, Chief of BEF, Khetri, focused on the essence of student holistic development for confidence building and assured all support for holding such programmes in future. Dr Emily Pandey, Head, School of Liberal Arts, ASBM University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, highlighted the aspects of holistic development for students required for their confidence building to groom them to emerge as leaders in diverse fields of knowledge and Dr Aradhana Paul, Director, A Bose Institute, Kolkata, focused on the areas for students' holistic development. In the seminar, more than 20 scholars presented their research papers, which will be published in the college's ISSN research journal titled Multidisciplinary Research Journal, said by Hemangi Thakuria, Librarian of National Institute for Teacher Education, Khetri, in a press statement. (ANI) Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday met with a Buddhist delegation from Himachal Pradesh at his residence in New Delhi. Sharing the glimpses of his interaction in a post on X, Rijiju said he met the representatives of the Buddhist community from Lahaul, Spiti, Kinnaur and Dharamshala, describing the interaction as "a warm and meaningful exchange rooted in harmony, culture and shared values." https://x.com/KirenRijiju/status/2002661628152873074 The interaction comes a day after the Union Minister extended warm greetings to the people of Ladakh on the occasion of Losar, the traditional Tibetan New Year, as he participated in the cultural celebration atthe Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) in Ladakh. Sharing a post on X, Rijiju said, "On the auspicious occasion of Losar (New Year), I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to the people of Ladakh. May the New Year usher in happiness, prosperity and peace for all. Tashi Delek & Julley!" The post was accompanied by a video showing the Union Minister dancing to the rhythmic beats of the traditional dhol and trumpet along with students and faculty members of the CIBS. Rijiju was in Ladakh to attend the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the Traditional Arts Academic Block at the CIBS. During the event, he interacted with students and staff, joining them in cultural performances. Losar marks the beginning of the New Year according to the Tibetan lunar calendar and is one of the most important festivals for Tibetan Buddhists. Celebrated across Ladakh, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and the renewal of hope. The festival spans a week or two, blending religious ceremonies with vibrant cultural festivities. (ANI) December 11, 2025: The primary advantage U.S. forces have in wartime is logistics. Since World War II American forces have prevailed largely because there were always enough supplies, especially bombs, bullets, rockets, missiles, shells and all other implements of destruction. American forces did not win every battle, but the enemy always took a beating. During the 1950-53 Korean War, 1,283,000 U.S. soldiers and marines served. Calculating fuel consumed per day is impossible to calculate because no precise records were maintained that would allow for calculating how many L/Liters per day each soldier and marine required. During the 1965-1975 American involvement in the Vietnam War, American soldiers and marines consumed 33.4 L per day The 1990-91 Gulf War American ground forces consumed 38 L per man per man daily. The 2001-21 War in Afghanistan US ground forces consumed 57 L per man per man daily, almost all of which had to be delivered by thirsty aircraft. During the two wars in Iraq, the 1991 war was to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. During that war U.S. troops consumed 37 L of fuel per day for each soldier. In 2003 American forces invaded Iraq to overthrow the government of Saddam Hussein. During that war U.S. troops consumed 55.5 L of fuel per day for each soldier. Alleging a "political conspiracy" is underway to restart the dispute of the Babri Masjid, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that the recent foundation stone laying ceremony for the masjid in West Bengal's Murshidabad is being "done for votes" and will not benefit either Hindus or Muslims. A few weeks ago, suspended TMC leader and MLA Humayun Kabir had laid the foundation stone for the construction of Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district on December 6. He drew attention to the constitutional right to build places of worship and said that he is not doing anything unconstitutional, "as anyone can make a temple or church, so can I". According to the suspended TMC leader, a 300-crore budget has been allocated for the mosque, which will also include a hospital, guesthouse, and meeting hall. He reiterated his commitment to the project and said, "It is a promise of the Muslims: The Babri Masjid will be built, it will be built, it will be built." Kabir asserted that legal challenges would not deter the mosque's construction. He further referred to the demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, calling it a historically controversial site. "Now, this is a political conspiracy to restart the dispute by rebuilding the Babri Masjid. This is being done for votes; it is neither for the benefit of Muslims nor Hindus. This shouldn't happen. That's what I think," Mohan Bhagwat said in Kolkata. Bhagwat has also rejected the idea of religious places being built with government money, giving the example of the Somnath temple being constructed with donations by people. "The government should not build temples or any religious place. That's the rule. The Somnath temple was built. At that time, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the Home Minister. The President attended its inauguration, but government money was not used," he said. Similarly, Ram Mandir was built after a Supreme Court judgement, and people contributed to a trust, he said. "The Ram Mandir was built after the Supreme Court judgment. The government was asked to form a trust, and they did. The government didn't provide the money. We all contributed," he said. Bhagwat addressed the RSS event at Science City, Kolkata, where multiple other dignitaries, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Admiral (retd.) DK Joshi were also present. The 100 Vyakhyanmala programme by RSS is a series of lectures given by the organisation's chief Mohan Bhagwat, part of the RSS' centenary celebrations. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he concluded his two-day visit on Sunday. Assam CM called the visit a "momentous for our state in our stride towards a Viksit Assam." In a post on 'X', Assam CM Sarma said, "As Adarniya Shri @narendramodiJi departs from Assam, I joined my colleagues to see off our Hon'ble Prime Minister, expressing heartfelt gratitude to him. The past 2 days have been momentous for our State in our stride towards a Viksit Assam." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a public gathering in Namrup, said the "double-engine government", led by the BJP at the centre and the state, was resolving long-pending problems created by the Congress in Assam, alleging years of neglect of Namrup's fertilizer units. PM Modi said that Congress governments failed to modernise old factories, leading to the shutdown of several industrial units in the region."Just think, why is work for the welfare of farmers only happening after the BJP government came to power?... The technology in the old factories became outdated, and the Congress governments paid no attention to it. Many units of Namrup kept shutting down because of this," the Prime Minister said.He added that Congress never found solutions to these issues and remained indifferent to the problems faced by farmers and workers."Congress never found a solution to this problem. They were nonchalant. Our double-engine government is solving those problems too that were created by the Congress," PM Modi said. During his visit to Assam, PM Modi performed Bhoomi Pujan for the new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project at Namrup within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Namrup, Dibrugarh district. The project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 10,600 crore, will meet fertiliser requirements of Assam and neighbouring states, reduce import dependence, generate substantial employment and catalyse regional economic development. It stands as a cornerstone of industrial revival and farmer welfare. On Saturday, PM inaugurated the New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The Prime Minister also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi at the entrance of the new terminal complex, paying tribute to the iconic leader and the first Chief Minister of Assam. (ANI) Stressing that India is a "Hindu nation," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that no constitutional approval is needed as it is the "truth". Addressing an event marking 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said that India is, and will remain, a Hindu nation until Indian culture is appreciated in the country. "The Sun rises in the east; we don't know since when this has been happening. So, do we need constitutional approval for that too? Hindustan is a Hindu nation. Whoever considers India their motherland appreciates Indian culture, as long as there is even one person alive on the land of Hindustan who believes in and cherishes the glory of Indian ancestors, India is a Hindu nation. This is the ideology of the Sangh," he said at the '100 Vyakhyan Mala' program of RSS in Kolkata. "If Parliament ever decides to amend the Constitution and add that word, whether they do it or not, it's fine. We don't care about that word because we are Hindus, and our nation is a Hindu nation. That is the truth. The caste system based on birth is not the hallmark of Hindutva," he added. RSS has always argued that India is a "Hindu Nation," given the culture and majority's affiliations to Hinduism. However, 'secular' was not originally part of the Preamble of the Constitution, but it was added along with the word 'socialist' by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Bhagwat also urged people to visit the organisation's offices and 'shakhas' to understand its work, so that the false perception of the organisation as "anti-Muslim" can be dispelled. Bhagwat said that people have understood that the organisation advocates for the protection of Hindus, and are "staunch nationalists," but not anti-muslim. "If there is a perception that we are anti-Muslim, then, as I said, the RSS work is transparent. You can come anytime and see for yourself, and if you see anything like that happening, then you keep your views, and if you don't see then you change your views. There is a lot to understand (about RSS), but if you don't want to understand then no one can change your mind," Bhagwat said. He said, but anyone unwilling to learn cannot be helped. "After seeing, people have said that you are staunch nationalists. You organise Hindus, and you advocate for the protection of Hindus. But you are not anti-Muslim. Many people have accepted this, and those who want to know more should come and see the RSS for themselves," he said. (ANI) Reacting to the row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 9 States and 3 Union Territories, Uttar Pradesh BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary on Sunday said that the Centre never runs away from discussion, but the opposition is never satisfied. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and newly appointed UP BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary, attended the organisational meeting organised at the IGP office on Sunday. Speaking to reporters, Pankaj Chaudhary said, "The opposition is attacking on the issue of SIR. First, they demanded a discussion; we held a discussion on electoral reforms. We do not run away from discussion; after that, they also held a rally at Ramlila Maidan. They are not satisfied." Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said an organisational meeting was held on Sunday. Speaking to ANI, Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "This was an organisational meeting. Its results will be far-reaching. There was a discussion regarding ensuring that every task of the organisation is accomplished." UP minister Jaiveer Singh said that the organisational meeting has concluded, experiences of the government and organisation were shared, and discussions were held on necessary organisational matters. UP minister Dayashankar Singh said, "It was an organisational meeting to strengthen the party. This was the first meeting with him (Pankaj Chaudhary), in which there was a discussion on how to strengthen the party." Earlier, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday harshly criticised the Modi government over the SIR issue, saying that the allegations that were levelled in the Parliament that the Congress has not given any suggestions to the Election Commission regarding electoral reforms are "completely false." Dismissing the allegations, Ramesh said, "Allegations were levelled at us in the Parliament that the Congress party has not given any suggestions to the Election Commission regarding electoral reforms. This is completely false. We have repeatedly requested time. We were not given time. Rahul Gandhi has held three press conferences...We were accused in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. We are now preparing a document on electoral reforms and will soon present it to the Election Commission." He further expressed hope that the ECI will meet the Congress party and discuss the proposals. "We hope the Election Commission will meet with us and discuss it...From June 2023 to December 2023, we repeatedly requested time from the Election Commission regarding the VVPAT issue...The electoral roll needs to be cleaned up; there can be no two opinions about that. Only Indian citizens can vote. There is no debate, no controversy about that...The Home Minister should tell us. This information should be given to the country: you conducted an SIR in Bihar. How many infiltrators did you delete in Bihar?...RSS wants to change this Constitution. Narendra Modi wants to change it. Do you remember what the slogan was for 2024? "Abki Baar 400 Paar" Why? So that they can change this Constitution...," he told ANI. Meanwhile, he also announced that the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for December 27 will finalise an action plan for a nationwide movement across all states against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill passed in Parliament. (ANI) Lauding the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) law, 2025, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan explained the reasons behind bringing up the new legislation by the Union Government. While addressing an event in Sehore, Chouhan stressed that the previous MGNREGA scheme had ensured only 100 days of employment. In contrast, the current law provides a 125-day employment guarantee. He stressed that the government wants the villages to be developed, and we have ensured that the Panchayats do not repeatedly request funds for minor items. We have empowered the Panchayats to make those decisions. "First reason for introducing this bill was the previous scheme of MGNREGA, which ensured only 100 days of employment. We decided that we would guarantee 125 days of employment... We want villages to be developed, and we have ensured that the Panchayats do not keep asking for funds for every little thing. We have empowered the Panchayats to make those decisions... The Prime Minister's vision of a Viksit Bharat cannot be achieved without Viksit villages," he said. Earlier today, amid mounting attacks from opposition parties, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in a video message, alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA and said that 'Viksit Bharat - G Ram G' law is in favour of the poor and development, and that this law provides a complete guarantee of employment to workers. "A conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA. Misinformation is being spread...For our labourer brothers and sisters, there is now a guarantee of 125 days of work, not just 100 days...There is a provision for providing additional payment if wages are delayed and on the other hand, a huge sum of money, which is proposed for this year, is more than Rs 1,51,282 crore. This is to ensure sufficient funds for providing employment and for the complete development of villages...This law is in favour of the poor, development. This law provides a complete guarantee of employment for labourers. It fulfils the resolve of developed villages for the construction of a developed India. There is another special provision. The administrative expenditure has increased from 6% to 9%...," Chouhan said in a video message on Sunday. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of rural employment policy, as per a release by the President's Secretariat. (ANI) As the Mahayuti alliance swept the local body elections by winning over 200 seats across the state, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde celebrated the win, highlighting that his party, the Shiv Sena, has secured 50 seats, larger than the combined seats won by the Opposition Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA). "The BJP scored a century, and the Shiv Sena scored a half-century. Some people said the Shiv Sena was limited to Thane, but now it has spread from Chandrapur to Bandra (all over Maharashtra). My gratitude to all our elected representatives, ministers, and MLAs. Thank you to my dear sisters and brothers, and congratulations to all the party workers. I also congratulate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; the BJP has also achieved great success," Shinde said in a press conference here. He said that the results have shown that the court of public opinion telling who the actual Shiv Sena belongs to. "The voters have shown in this election whose Shiv Sena it is. The Shiv Sena belongs to the Shiv Sainiks. Some people thought it was their monopoly; some considered themselves owners and others as servants," he said in the press conference. While posting about the victory on X, Shinde also made an appeal to the Shiv Sainiks that they should not be "complacent" seeing the victory , and should dedicate themselves to doing the work. "In the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections, Shiv Sena has secured more seats than the combined total won by the Maha Vikas Aghadi. It is clear that Shiv Sena's strength is growing in Navi Mumbai. Therefore, an appeal was made to Shiv Sainiks on this occasion to not remain complacent and instead wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to the work," Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said on X. Vote counting for 286 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats began at 10 AM today. The elections were conducted in two phases with some councils going to polls on December 2, and others conducting polls on December 20. Multiple key local bodies, including Baramati, Ambernath, went to polls. Two councils saw candidates being elected unopposed too, in Angar in Solapur and Dondaicha in Dhule. In Pune district, around 17 local bodies went to polls, with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) securing 10 president's positions, Shiv Sena secured 4 posts, and BJP 3. As per the consolidated results in Pune, the NDA comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) secured 289 seats in total. According to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, around 129 municipal council chairpersons have been elected from the BJP. Together, all three alliance parties (Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) account for 75% of the city council chairpersons. Among corporators, over 3,300 BJP candidates have been elected. The local body elections also signal a run-up to the much-awaited political contest set to happen on January 15, when multiple Municipal Corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporations, and multiple other local body polls, will be held. The vote counting for BMC and other bodies is set for January 15, with counting on January 16. (ANI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday asserted that the RSS is a staunch nationalist organisation, it advocates for the protection of Hindus but not anti-Muslim. While addressing the RSS 100 Vyakhyan Mala' programme in Kolkata, Bhagwat said that RSS was a transparent body and anyone who felt that RSS was anti-Muslim should come and assess the work. Mohan Bhagwat said, "If there is a perception that we are anti-Muslim, then, as I said, the RSS work is transparent. You can come anytime and see for yourself...After seeing, people have said that you are staunch nationalists. You organise Hindus, and you advocate for the protection of Hindus. But you are not anti-Muslim. Many people have accepted this, and those who want to know more should come and see the RSS for themselves..." Reacting to the debate on the acceptable level of population, he said that population growth can serve as both an asset and a burden. He said, "We haven't managed the population effectively. Population is a burden, but it's also an asset. We have a democratic dividend as the population is huge. We should make a policy based on a 50-year projection, taking into account our country's environment, infrastructure, facilities, the status of women, their health, and the needs of the country." Reacting to the concept of live-in relationships, he said that marriage is about society and religious traditions. "Regarding the concept of live-in relationships. You're not ready to take responsibility. This isn't right. The family, marriage, is not just a means of physical satisfaction. It's a unit of society. The family is where an individual learns how to live in society. So, it's about preserving our country, society and religious traditions. If you don't want to get married, that's fine. We can become sanyasis. But if you won't even do that, and won't take responsibility, then how will things work?," he further said. He further said that the question of how many children a couple should have is a matter for the family, the bride and groom, and society. "A formula cannot be given. I've gained some knowledge by talking to doctors, etc and they say that if marriage takes place early, between 19-25 years of age, and there are three children, then the health of the parents and children remains good. Psychologists say that having three children helps people learn ego management. Then demographers say that if the birth rate falls below three, the population is declining, and if it goes below 2.1, it's dangerous. Currently, we are at 2.1 only because of Bihar; otherwise, our rate is 1.9. That's the information I've received. I am a preacher, unmarried. I don't know anything about this matter. I've told you based on the information I received," he added. (ANI) During his visit today to the Electric Vehicle (EV) Expo at Bharat Mandapam on Sunday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh observed that from environment protection to employment creation, EVs are driving India's next growth story. The Minister also interacted with exhibitors and reviewed a wide range of electric mobility solutions and Make in India EV products showcased by domestic companies, said an official release. During his visit, the Minister toured multiple stalls at the exhibition and took note of the rapid advancements being made by Indian manufacturers in electric vehicles, components and clean mobility technologies. He appreciated the growing confidence and capability of indigenous EV companies, terming the sector a key pillar of India's transition towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future. Addressing the media, Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, right from the beginning, sought to create widespread public awareness about environmental protection and e-mobility, while highlighting the new technological options available globally. He said India is not only benefiting from these global innovations but is also emerging as an active participant in this transformative journey towards clean energy and sustainable transport. The Minister drew a parallel between reforms in the clean energy ecosystem and recent policy initiatives, noting that the passage of the SHANTI Bill, 2025, to promote private participation in nuclear energy reflects the Government's holistic approach to strengthening clean and reliable energy sources. He said electric mobility similarly aligns with the global shift towards clean energy while meeting India's developmental and environmental goals. Highlighting the user-friendly nature of electric vehicles, the Union Minister said EVs offer significant ease of driving compared to conventional vehicles, with reduced physical effort and simplified operations. He underlined the versatility of EVs, noting their expanding use across segments such as ambulances, e-rickshaws, passenger vehicles and commercial applications, making them suitable for diverse mobility needs. The Minister emphasised that electric mobility is not only vital from the perspective of transportation, environment and clean energy, but is also emerging as a powerful engine of entrepreneurship, employment and livelihoods, particularly for the youth. He said the ecosystem created under Prime Minister Modi's leadership has enabled young entrepreneurs to start EV-related ventures with modest investments, supported by technical and financial assistance from the Government, and scale them into high-turnover enterprises within a short span of time. Singh stressed the need for greater outreach and awareness among young people about opportunities in the EV sector, adding that electric mobility represents a promising pathway for innovation-driven growth, self-reliance and sustainable development. The EV Expo, being held at Bharat Mandapam, brings together leading electric vehicle manufacturers, startups, technology providers and policy stakeholders on a common platform to showcase innovations, exchange ideas and accelerate India's journey towards clean and smart mobility, in line with the Make in India and Viksit Bharat vision. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday congratulated the leaders of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra for sweeping the state's local body polls, as the Bharatiya Janata Party claimed it won more than 150 seats across the state, and had 3,300 corporators get elected. Union Minister Shah also thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and all the workers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). "Thanks to the people of the state for giving overwhelming support to the Mahayuti in the Maharashtra Nagar Panchayat and Nagar Parishad elections. This victory is the people's blessings on the vision of the welfare of every section under the central and state governments of the NDA led by Modi ji. On this victory, I extend my best wishes to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar, and all the workers of the NDA," Shah wrote on X. He also congratulated the BJP state president and state party workers on ensuring the party won such a large number of seats. "At the same time, congratulations to state president Ravindra Chavan, and all the workers of BJP Maharashtra for the BJP winning the maximum number of seats!" he said. Vote counting for 286 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats began at 10 AM today. The elections were conducted in two phases with some councils going to polls on December 2, and others conducting polls on December 20. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed earlier today that around 129 municipal council chairpersons have been elected from the BJP. "Together, all three alliance parties (Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) account for 75% of the city council chairpersons. In terms of corporators, over 3300 candidates of the BJP have been elected," he said. In Pune district, 17 local bodies went to polls, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance was not able to open its account. The local body elections is also a run-up to the much awaited political contest set to happen in January 15, when multiple Municipal Corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation and more than 20 others will go to polls. Voting for BMC and other bodies is scheduled for January 15, with counting on January 16. (ANI) The 28th Meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant were held on Sunday at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav. According to a press release, the meetings brought together senior government officials, scientists, and field experts from tiger and elephant range states, along with representatives of key conservation institutions, to review the progress of Project Tiger and Project Elephant and to deliberate on future strategies for the conservation of tigers and elephants in India. Chairing the NTCA meeting, Yadav emphasised India's globally recognised tiger conservation model and underscored the importance of science-based management, landscape-level planning, community participation, inter-state coordination, and international collaboration. The minutes of the 27th Meeting held on 18 April 2025 were confirmed, and the Action Taken Report on decisions taken therein was reviewed. The outcomes of four Regional Meetings were discussed, with a focus on key challenges faced by tiger reserves. Measures to address human-tiger conflict, including a three-pronged strategy and the launch of the project 'Management of Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves', were highlighted, said the release. Issues related to staff shortages, financial constraints, habitat degradation, and invasive species management were also reviewed, with directions issued for appropriate follow-up by States and concerned authorities. As per the release, the meeting ratified the decisions of the Technical Committee Meetings of the NTCA, covering approval of Tiger Conservation Plans; extension and expansion of Project Cheetah; tiger translocation; prey augmentation; landscape management planning; carnivore health management training programmes; and inputs provided by the NTCA on project proposals to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Updates were presented on compliance with the directions of the 7th National Board for Wildlife pertaining to the NTCA, including the expansion of Project Cheetah to Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Banni Grassland in Gujarat, as well as progress on initiatives supported under CAMPA. Preparatory activities for the proposed Global Big Cat Summit were also reviewed. The Minister reviewed major ongoing activities of the NTCA, including progress under the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation, landscape-level training programmes across different regions, commencement of ground surveys from November 2025, and international cooperation under Project Cheetah, including visits by delegations from South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. The meeting also took note of the Order of the Supreme Court and deliberated on its implications for tiger conservation and management, said the release. The Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant commenced with the confirmation of the Action Taken Report of the 21st Steering Committee Meeting, followed by deliberations on issues raised by Steering Committee Members and Permanent Invitees. Presentations were made on the status of Regional Action Plans for elephant conservation in Southern India and North-Eastern India, highlighting progress achieved by elephant range states and identifying priority areas for coordinated inter-state action. According to the press release, the Steering Committee reviewed updates on the All-India Synchronised Elephant Estimation, a critical exercise for evidence-based planning and decision-making. Progress under the Model Elephant Conservation Plan for the Nilgiri Elephant Reserve and ongoing work on DNA profiling of captive elephants were also discussed, with emphasis on strengthening scientific management and welfare standards. A comprehensive review of the status of human-elephant conflict across the country was undertaken. The Committee discussed findings from ongoing studies on conflict drivers and mitigation measures, along with the status and adequacy of compensation mechanisms adopted by elephant range states. The meeting also deliberated on the evaluation of elephant population estimation methods, progress on integrated conservation and management strategies for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve, and future action plans. These include the conduct of Management Effectiveness Evaluation for all Elephant Reserves with CAMPA funding support and a proposed study on elephant corridors, habitat utilisation, and conflict hotspots in the Bandhavgarh region. The Steering Committee reaffirmed the Government of India's commitment to science-based conservation, inter-state coordination, technological innovation, and community-centric approaches to ensure a sustainable future for elephants and the people living in elephant landscapes. On the occasion, Yadav released six publications. These included Project Cheetah in India, highlighting the progress achieved under Project Cheetah through scientific management and international cooperation; the latest issue of STRIPES, NTCA's outreach journal, focusing on modern technology, tiger dispersal, and the commencement of the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE); an NTCA booklet documenting India's tiger conservation framework and institutional milestones; Tigerverse - Little-known facts from India's Tiger Reserves, showcasing biodiversity, culture, and conservation stories from tiger reserves across the country; Best Practices in Captive Elephant Management for Elephant Handlers and the December 2025 issue of the TRUMPET Quarterly Journal. (ANI) December 14, 2025: Russia recently sought to suppress some very bad news. This involved Russian soldiers shooting themselves, or each other in non-vital areas. Such injuries result in several hundred thousand dollars in compensation payments per man. Russian anti-corruption investigators found that at least three dozen members of an elite Guards air assault brigade were involved in this scam which could have earned them nearly $2.5 million. The accused blamed it all on low morale. The brigade has been in combat too long and many soldiers were worn out. An increasing number refused to fight. Officers can shoot reluctant soldiers, but the officers are also suffering from poor morale and unwillingness to get their troops involved in heavy combat. The brigade was in bad shape. There were not enough supplies reaching, including basics like food and drinkable water. This was another side effect of drone warfare. Both sides used drones to cut enemy supply lines and often succeeded. The difference is that the Ukrai This is not a unique situation. Last year a Russian deputy defense minister was arrested for corruption. Then the head of the ministrys personnel directorate was hauled into court. Within a few weeks two more senior military officials were detained. All faced charges of corruption, which they denied. The arrests started shortly before President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term after a longtime ally, longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, was demoted to a new job. This immediately raised questions about whether Putin was reasserting control over the Defense Ministry amid the war in Ukraine, whether a turf battle had broken out between the military and the security services, or whether some other scenario was playing out within the government. To many this seemed to be a return to the Russian government long described as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Corruption scandals are not new and officials and top officials were accused of profiting from their positions for decades. Corruption in Russia functions as both a carrot and stick. Its a way of encouraging loyalty and urging people to conform, as well as a method of control. Putin favors men who have embarrassing secrets when selecting key officials in his government. Trust those who have a secret they want kept secret. The Russian government constantly searches for such secrets so it can threaten to publicize them if the officials do not do as they are told. This hidden secret policy and tolerance for corruption are key elements in running the current Russian government. The war in Ukraine has led to much larger defense spending that has increased opportunities for graft. In April the first official arrested for corruption was a former Deputy Defense Minister who presided over military-related construction projects that had high priority, access to lots of money and few financial controls. One of the projects was the reconstruction of the devastated Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. The Ukrainians held out for a long time and the Russians had to fight hard to capture a city of ruins and unusable factories and port facilities. The recent arrests are not described as part of an anti-corruption campaign, but rather ongoing activities throughout the Russian government. Thats another way of admitting that corruption was everywhere and ongoing as an essential element of making the government work. Key officials make little effort to hide their new wealth. They do this through ostentatious displays ranging from hundred million dollar yachts to new wrist watches that cost several times their official annual salaries. These displays of ill-gotten wealth by senior government and military officials and their family members were so extensive and obvious that it enraged Russians who were suffering economically because of the cost of the war. There were more personal costs because about a million Russians have died, been disabled or deserted in Ukraine since early 2022, and their families and friends blame the Russian government because it was Russia that invaded Ukraine, not the other way around. During World War II, the last time Russia was invaded, there was little corruption in part because 15 percent of Russians died in that war. Most of them were killed by the Germans but many were killed by the Russian government. Prompt obedience to orders in World War II was a matter of life or death for Russian soldiers and civilians because military officers and NKVD secret police personnel could kill any Russian displaying reluctance or refusal to carry out orders. The desperate situation during World War II limited opportunities for corruption. The war in Ukraine is different but, as many corrupt officials are discovering, not different enough to keep them out of prison or an early grave. The recent arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment of senior officials who were corrupt, or too obviously corrupt, sent a message to all senior officials in jobs giving them access to the swollen defense budget that is now about eight percent of GDP. Before the invasion it was 3.6 percent. Putin thought the invasion would quickly overthrow the Ukrainian government. That did not happen and the costs of that war are more than Russia can afford. This is nothing new, it was decades of spending 15 percent of GDP on defense, and tolerating a lot of corruption by senior officials, that caused the Soviet Union to collapse in 1991. Many Russian economists and bankers believe another economic collapse, similar to what destroyed the Soviet Union, is possible unless the increased defense spending is restrained along with the growing corruption. Manali is witnessing a surge in tourist footfall ahead of Christmas and New Year. Along with that, to escape the pollution, they are flocking to popular tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh. A tourist from Delhi said, "The pollution in Delhi is so bad that it's difficult to even breathe, so we thought we'd make a plan to go somewhere where the AQI is less. The AQI here is approximately below 50, while in Delhi it's around 700. It seems like Delhi has turned into a gas chamber." Earlier on Saturday, tourists said they felt relief from respiratory heaviness, coughs, and eye irritation caused by high air pollution. Pankaj, a tourist from Faridabad, said that the air in the city is bad at the moment, which is why he planned a trip to Manali with his friends. "This is my first day in Manali, we visited the Hadimba Devi Temple and then went to Mall Road. We plan to visit Club House, Atal Tunnel, Sissu, Rohtang Pass, and Gramphu with their friends," he said. Saurav Pandey, a tourist from Gurugram, said that in his area, some shopkeepers have shut their shops temporarily to escape ill effects of pollution. "Pollution has increased so much that even shopkeepers have closed shutters. I feel at peace and refreshed after coming to Manali," he said. Kullu district also has seen a rise in the inflow of tourists. Over 15,000 vehicles from across the country have arrived in Kullu-Manali, which has given a boost to the state's tourism industry. Kullu District Tourism Development Officer Rohit Sharma said there has been an increase in tourist arrivals across the district, including Manali, Manikaran, Kasol, Tirthan, Banjar, Jibhi, and surrounding areas. He also attributed the recent increase in tourist flow to the festive season of Christmas and New Year, saying that many people have made bookings. "With Christmas and New Year approaching, tourists from across the country are making advance bookings, and if there is snowfall in the coming days, it will further benefit the tourism business," he said. Manikaran Valley Hotel Association President Kishan Thakur said that the tourism business is getting back on track since the natural disasters in the area. "In the last two weeks, a large number of tourists from across the country have been arriving in the Manikaran Valley. Hotel owners have made various preparations for Christmas and New Year, including organising live music and aarti (religious ceremony) for tourists coming from all over the country," he said. (ANI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday urged the central government to "take cognisance" of the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, and urged the Hindus in the neighbouring country to stay "united for maximum protection." He also called on the global Hindu community to help them in times of need. Bhagwat further expressed confidence in the government's ability to address the issue, saying that while some things have been disclosed from the government's side, some cannot be. "The Indian government will have to take cognisance of this. They will have to do something. They might already be doing something. Some things are disclosed, some cannot be. Sometimes there are results, sometimes there aren't. But something has to be done," he said here in Kolkata at an RSS event. While claiming that the "only country for Hindus is India," Bhagwat urged the Hindus in Bangladesh to stay united. "They (Hindus) are a minority there, and the situation is quite difficult. Even though it's difficult, for maximum protection, the Hindus there will have to stay united. And Hindus all over the world must help them. We must help them as much as we can, within our limits. We have to do everything we can, and we are doing it. The only country for Hindus is India," he said. Replying to a question by BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari asking about "islamic fundamentalism" in West Bengal, Bhagwat said i if Hindu society stay united, then "it won't take long to change the situation in Bengal." "If the Hindu society stands united, it won't take long to change the situation in Bengal. Now, regarding my thoughts on political change, I want to tell you that thinking about political change is not my job. We are working for social change through the Sangh," he said. Bhagwat's comments come four days after a 27-year-old Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, was brutally killed in Bangladesh's Mymensingh over alleged blasphemy, and his body was subsequently set on fire on December 18. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. Chief Adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, confirmed on Sunday that 10 individuals were arrested in connection with the murder. (ANI) Taking a giant step towards building a self-reliant Assam and India through fertilizer production, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project of Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the day a moment of joy for the people of Assam. Governor of Assam, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, were present on the occasion. It may be noted that this world-class Ammonia-Urea project, with an investment of Rs 10,600 crore, will have an annual production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes. The project will produce 2,200 metric tonnes of ammonia and 3,850 metric tonnes of urea per day. It will significantly reduce the country's dependence on urea imports and play a crucial role in meeting the urea requirements of Assam and the North-Eastern region. The project will also create employment opportunities for local youth. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma termed the day as a moment of joy for the people of Assam and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his sincere support towards the development and progress of the State. He recalled that during the campaign for the 2021 Assembly elections, the people of Namrup had urged him to initiate the construction of the fourth unit of the Namrup fertilizer plant to revitalise the region. Subsequently, he had conveyed Prime Minister Modi of the hopes and aspirations of the people of Namrup and requested for his approval for a proposed project with an annual capacity of five lakh metric tonnes. However, instead of a five lakh metric tonne plant, Prime Minister Modi approved the establishment of a project with an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes, and with today's foundation stone, the project has moved towards realisation and implementation. The Chief Minister stated that, respecting the sentiments of the people of Assam, the Prime Minister has also provided the State Government with the opportunity to hold a 40 per cent equity stake in the project. He further mentioned that earlier too, the Prime Minister had allowed the State government to hold 26 per cent stake in the Numaligarh Refinery. Sarma said that Prime Minister Modi believes that the people of Assam have rightful ownership over the state's oil, gas and natural resources, and therefore, opportunities of partnership have been extended to the State government and the people of Assam in both the Numaligarh Refinery and the Namrup Ammonia-Urea Project. The Chief Minister moreover observed that several major projects have been gifted to Assam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent times. He stated that the Prime Minister has approved a project worth Rs 760 crore to enhance the refining capacity of the Digboi Refinery to one lakh metric tonnes. Similarly, due to the Prime Minister's goodwill towards Assam, projects to increase the capacity of the Numaligarh Refinery to nine lakh metric tonnes, and mega projects worth nearly Rs 40,000 crore for ethanol and polypropylene production from bamboo, have become a reality. He also informed that the construction of the Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra, the Dhola-Sadiya bridge named after Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the second bridge at Koliabhomora, and the inauguration of the new terminal at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati have all become possible because of Prime Minister's love for Assam and North East. The Chief Minister further referred to the initiatives such as the semiconductor project at Jagiroad, the thermal power project at Dhubri, a new airport at Silchar, the 32-kilometre-long elevated corridor at Kaziranga, construction of an underwater tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra, and the establishment of medical colleges in every district, the reflection of PM's attention to Assam. Stating the advanced stages of the construction work of the Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge and the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, Sarma said that after 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ushered in a new era of hope and transformation in the lives of the people of Assam. Sarma stated, "During the tenure of a single Prime Minister, the people of Assam had never witnessed multiple bridges over the Brahmaputra and the successful implementation of a series of mega projects in the state. The Prime Minister has brought about unimaginable changes to the lives of our people. Today, we can proudly say that Assam has begun its journey towards becoming one of the top five States in the country. If given opportunity and facilities, Assamese people can touch the sky--and under the leadership of the Prime Minister, they are doing so." The Chief Minister stated that a festival of development is currently underway across the State. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both the Central and State governments have been working to place Assam among the top five States of the country. The Prime Minister has respected the sentiments of the people of Assam and extended cooperation for the State's development, while taking necessary steps so that the youth of Assam can reach new horizons. In this context, the Chief Minister also mentioned the Prime Minister's support in granting classical language status to Assamese, securing UNESCO World Heritage recognition for the Charaideo Maidams, and the construction of a grand statue of Vir Lachit Borphukan at Hollongapar in Jorhat. He said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, achievements once unimaginable for the Assamese community have become reality. The Chief Minister further noted that Swargadeo Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha had vowed to build Greater Assam on the sacred land of Tipam in Namrup, and today, on the very land, the Prime Minister has taken Assam to a new horizon of development through laying foundation stone of the Ammonia-Urea Project. He described the development as a moment of pride for the people of Assam. Referring to efforts to develop Dibrugarh as the second capital of Assam, he said, "We have fulfilled every promise we made." On the occasion, the Chief Minister presented the Prime Minister with a traditional gamosa, a xorai, a statue of Swargadeo Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha, and a special gamosa woven with golden threads bearing the portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as tokens of respect. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, MP Rameswar Teli, Minister for Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Bimal Bora, Minister for Power Prashanta Phukan, Guardian Minister of Dibrugarh district Jogen Mohan, MLAs Taranga Gogoi, Ponakan Barua, Terash Gowala, Chakradhar Gogoi, Binod Hazarika, and a host of other dignitaries, along with senior officials of the Central and State governments were present on the occasion. Earlier, before leaving Guwahati for Dibrugarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the newly constructed Shaheed Smarak Kshetra at Paschim Boragaon in Guwahati and paid homage to the sacred memory of 860 martyrs of the historic Assam Movement. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also paid tribute to the martyrs while accompanying the Prime Minister. On the occasion, Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Agriculture Atul Bora, and several other dignitaries were present. (ANI) The Centre has said the Aravalli Hills will remain under robust ecological protection while balancing conservation with responsible development, amid the ongoing protests in multiple regions of northern India after the Supreme Court's recent acceptance of the Union Environment Ministry's definition of the Aravalli hills. According to a press release by the government, "Under the approved framework, any landform rising 100 metres or more above local relief will be classified as an 'Aravalli Hill', including its supporting slopes and associated landforms. Further, two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other will constitute an "Aravalli Range", ensuring protection not only of prominent peaks but also of valleys, slopes, and smaller hillocks that form an integrated ecological system. "Contrary to alarmist claims, there is no imminent threat to the Aravallis' ecology. Ongoing afforestation, eco-sensitive zone notifications, and strict monitoring of mining and urban activities ensure that the Aravallis continue to serve as a natural heritage and ecological shield for the nation. India's resolve is clear: the Aravallis will be safeguarded for present and future generations while balancing conservation with responsible development," the statement said. In a recent judgment delivered in November, the apex court endorsed the recommendations of a committee led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), constituted in May 2024 to frame a uniform policy definition of the Aravallis for mining regulation. The committee included forest department secretaries from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, along with representatives from the Forest Survey of India, the Central Empowered Committee and the Geological Survey of India. The Supreme Court reiterated the ecological significance of the Aravalli range as one of India's oldest geological formations, highlighting its role in preventing desertification, recharging groundwater and sustaining biodiversity across northern and western India. It cautioned that unregulated mining poses a "grave threat to the ecology of the nation". The government said the definition builds on Rajasthan's long-standing criterion in force since 2006, while introducing greater objectivity, transparency and conservation focus. All Aravalli hills and ranges will be mandatorily marked on Survey of India toposheets, core and inviolate areas will be clearly identified, and scientific criteria will guide decisions on permissible activities. "The Supreme Court has accepted the committee's recommendations to prohibit mining in core and inviolate areas, except for specified critical, strategic and atomic minerals under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. It has also directed the MoEFCC to prepare a comprehensive Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) for the entire Aravalli landscape through the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), on the lines of the Saranda forest mining plan," the release said. Crucially, the court has ordered an interim freeze on the grant of new mining leases in the Aravallis until the MPSM is finalised. Existing mines may continue operations only under strict compliance with sustainable mining norms and enhanced monitoring to curb illegal mining, it said. According to the government, the landscape-level approach will help preserve the Aravallis' role as a natural barrier against the Thar Desert, protect groundwater recharge zones, conserve biodiversity corridors and safeguard the "green lungs" of the Delhi-NCR region. Rejecting concerns of immediate ecological threat, the press release said afforestation drives, eco-sensitive zone notifications and robust enforcement mechanisms, including drones, CCTV surveillance and district task forces, are already in place. The government reaffirmed its commitment to balancing conservation with responsible development, stating that the Aravalli Hills will be protected for future generations through transparent, science-based regulation. While addressing media in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas on Sunday, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav also strongly rejected allegations that the Centre has diluted protections for the Aravalli hills, asserting that nearly 90 per cent of the Aravalli landscape will remain under the protected zone and mining will be allowed only in a very limited area under strict scrutiny of the Supreme Court. While the Centre maintains that the order strengthens oversight and curbs illegal mining, the Congress insists the revised framework weakens long-term protection of the ancient Aravalli range and has vowed to continue its agitation both on the streets and in Parliament. Addressing a press briefing in Jaipur on Sunday, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of attempting to "jeopardise the future of Rajasthan" by diluting protections for the Aravalli range, which he described as the state's ecological lifeline. He alleged that the move was intended to benefit the mining mafia and was contrary to judicial orders and established government records. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) on Sunday launched a scathing attack on both the Telangana and the Central government, alleging that they are jointly betraying the interests of Telangana, particularly the drought-prone Palamuru region. Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, KCR asserted that Telangana is not a backward region by nature but has been "deliberately pushed backward" through decades of injustice. He accused successive Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) governments of discriminating against Palamuru district during the united Andhra Pradesh era, recalling that the region was once reduced to running "gruel centres" due to neglect and lack of development. KCR said Mahabubnagar was the "most discriminated" district in the erstwhile state, despite being entitled to 174 TMC of Krishna basin water. He alleged that only 17 TMC was allocated to the Jurala project, and termed the formation of Andhra Pradesh as a "curse" for Telangana. He cited the Bachawat Tribunal, which, he said, had acknowledged "neglect" of the Telangana region. Highlighting the BRS government's initiatives, KCR said 170 TMC of water was allocated to the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, combining Krishna and Godavari sources. He said Rs 37,000 crores was sanctioned for the project, with Rs 27,000 crores already spent and high-capacity pumps installed. Despite this, he alleged, the present government has completely neglected the scheme and even suggested that 45 TMC of water would be sufficient, which he termed "shameful and irresponsible." KCR accused the BJP-led Centre of obstructing the project by acting at the "behest" of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, alleging that the project's DPR was returned based on Naidu's objections. He also alleged rampant corruption, claiming the government was more interested in real estate deals, including selling hill lands for commissions. On industrial policy, KCR defended the Pharma City project, stating that 14,000 acres were acquired, a Pharma University was set up, and global outreach was undertaken during the BRS regime. He alleged that attempts are now being made to sell the project and questioned the relevance of a proposed "Future City." Raising concerns over governance, KCR referred to the "deaths" of Gurukul students, "daylight murders" in Hyderabad, collapsing land prices, fertiliser shortages, and unfulfilled election promises. He announced a series of public meetings across Nalgonda, Rangareddy, and Mahabubnagar districts to mobilise people against what he termed the Centre and State governments' "injustice," warning that the BRS would not remain silent. (ANI) The Congress party on Sunday launched multiple protests against the overhaul of the national rural employment scheme, Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Act, 2025, across the country. President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of rural employment policy, as per a release by the President's Secretariat. The party has alleged that the scheme, known previously as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is a "lifeline for the poor" and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is "purposely destroying that Act and they want to make the poor villagers and farm labourers slaves of the rich." The Act enhances the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year for rural households. It seeks to advance empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of development initiatives and saturation-based delivery, thereby strengthening the foundation for a prosperous, resilient and self-reliant Rural Bharat. "MGNREGA is a lifeline for the poor. They are purposely destroying that Act and they want to make the poor villagers and farm labourers slaves of the rich. That's why we fought to retain the MGNREGA law, and all its provisions should remain as they are. I condemn the new law, which is only helping the government," said the party chief, Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said the fundamental character of MGNREGA has been changed, announcing that the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for December 27 will finalise an action plan for a nationwide movement across all states against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill passed in Parliament. Speaking to ANI, Ramesh said the new legislation has taken away employment opportunities from rural, deprived and exploited sections of society. "The fundamental character of MGNREGA has been changed; the basic structure of the scheme has been altered. The employment that was being provided to rural, deprived, and exploited people has been taken away," he said. The new scheme brings in significant changes to the rural employment guarantee. The central government has increased the number of days for work from 100 days to 125 days, changed the share of centre-state fund sharing, with the Centre giving 60 per cent of funds and 40 per cent to be given by states, while northeastern states and Himalayan states, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, will have a 90-10 share. The law also allows the government to notify, in advance, an aggregating period of 60 days in the year where the scheme will be paused, covering peak agricultural seasons such as sowing and harvesting. The party, through its state units, launched several protests across the country, including in Jammu, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, and others. Apart from protesting on the streets, the party also held several press conferences. Addressing a press conference at Chennai's Satyamurthy Bhavan, P Chidambaram claimed that by removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from the bill, he has been "killed for the second time." He also criticised the nomenclature of the legislation, alleging that it is neither proper English nor Indian, but merely Hindi words written in English letters, which even ministers find difficult to understand. "Mahatma Gandhi has been killed a second time by altering the scheme. It is neither proper English nor Indian, but merely Hindi words written in English letters, which even ministers find difficult to understand," he said. The new scheme will not be implemented nationwide. The Central Government will decide which districts and regions receive work. It states that the scheme cannot be implemented for 60 days a year, without specifying which 60 days. If a district is declared as having 'no work', people cannot even demand employment. The new law contains several serious flaws... This is no longer an employment guarantee scheme. There is no guarantee at all, and the ones who will suffer the most are the poor," said Chidambaram. Congress leader Udit Raj also criticised the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill in Parliament, alleging that the legislation weakens the legal right to employment under MGNREGA and adversely affects rural labourers. Puducherry Congress also held a demonstration against the renaming restructuring of the scheme. "Today, Puducherry saw a demonstration against the renaming and restructuring of MGNREGA--the landmark social welfare programme that transformed the lives of millions of rural farmers, labourers and deprived sections," the party posted on X. "Under the leadership of its president, Ve Vaithilingam, along with the former CM of Puducherry, V Narayanasamy, and several other leaders and workers, the Puducherry PCC led the protest, raising slogans against the Modi government for their insensitivity towards the right to work guaranteed to the poor and its vendetta politics," the party said. Meanwhile, in Jammu, Congress workers clashed with the police while protesting against the act. "Today, the JKPCC, under the leadership of Tariq Karra, held a fierce protest against the BJP government's move to snatch away the livelihoods of millions of poor workers and labourers. During the protest, the J&K police attacked the Congress workers and sealed the Congress headquarters' entrance to stop them from raising this critical issue," the party said. Meanwhile, Union Ministers have hit back against the opposition to the scheme, saying that a "conspiracy" is being hatched to mislead the country. In a video message released, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA and said that 'Viksit Bharat - G Ram G' law is in favour of the poor and development, and that this law provides a complete guarantee of employment to workers. "A conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA. Misinformation is being spread...For our labourer brothers and sisters, there is now a guarantee of 125 days of work, not just 100 days...There is a provision for providing additional payment if wages are delayed and on the other hand, a huge sum of money, which is proposed for this year, is more than Rs 1,51,282 crore," he said. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also dismissed the claim that the act is an attempt to snatch employment opportunities from people, saying that the scheme instead will bring in more transparency, improve infrastructure and help with reverse migration. "It is the most progressive bill. Some people are opposing it, claiming it will snatch employment opportunities in rural areas, which is false. It will bring transparency, and the number of job days has been increased from 100 to 125. It will improve rural infrastructure, support higher employment and consumption, and help in reverse migration," the Union Minister said. Earlier, Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, marking a decisive reform in India's rural employment and development framework. The Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, with a modern statutory framework that enhances livelihood security and is aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. According to the government, the act is anchored in the principles of empowerment, growth, convergence and saturation, the Act seeks to transform rural employment from a standalone welfare intervention into an integrated instrument of development. It strengthens income security for rural households, modernises governance and accountability, and links wage employment with the creation of durable and productive rural assets, thereby laying the foundation for a prosperous and resilient Rural Bharat. (ANI) A protest was held in Siliguri, West Bengal, by Bangia Hindu Mahamancha, a pro-Hindu organisation, against the brutal murder of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh on Saturday. The protesters burned an effigy of Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's Interim Government, expressing outrage over the incident. The protest highlights concerns about the safety of minority communities in Bangladesh. The organisation is urging the Indian government to take action, reflecting the emotional impact of the incident on the Hindu community in India. A protester told ANI, "An innocent Hindu was burnt alive in Bangladesh, and it was a horrific visual. We are protesting against this... We want the Indian government to investigate this and take strict action against Bangladesh." Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy, and his body was set on fire. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. The lynching happened amid national unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a prominent student activist and a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 2026 national elections, died on December 18, 2025, in Singapore while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during an attack in Dhaka. The funeral prayer service for Sharif Osman Hadi concluded in Bangladesh on Saturday. The prayer service drew a large crowd to pray for the Inqilab Moncho convenor. In accordance with the family's wishes, Hadi was buried beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Hadi had announced plans to run as an independent for the Dhaka-8 seat in the upcoming election, was shot at close range on Dec 12 while travelling by rickshaw in the capital's Bijoynagar area. Police said two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Meanwhile, ten individuals have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth, in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) apprehended seven suspects, while the police arrested three others. Chief Adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, in a post on X, said that "10 arrested in the Mymensingh Hindu Youth Beating Murder Case." "10 Arrested in Mymensingh Hindu Youth Beating Murder Case: Mymensingh, 20 December 2025: Law enforcement agencies have arrested ten individuals in connection with the beating murder of Dipu Chandra Das (27), a Sanatan Hindu youth, in Baluka, Mymensingh," he added. The arrested individuals are: Md. Limon Sarkar (19), Md. Tarek Hossain (19), Md. Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alomgir Hossain (38) and Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46). RAB arrested them, while the police arrested the other three, namely, Md. Azmol Hasan Sagir (26), Md. Shahin Mia (19) and Md. Nazmul. https://x.com/ChiefAdviserGoB/status/2002402318399189331?s=20 "Among the arrested, seven were apprehended by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and three by the police. Those arrested by RAB are-- 1. Md. Limon Sarkar (19) 2. Md. Tarek Hossain (19) 3. Md. Manik Mia (20) 4. Ershad Ali (39) 5. Nijum Uddin (20) 6. Alomgir Hossain (38) and 7. Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46). Those arrested by the police are-- 1. Md. Azmol Hasan Sagir (26), 2. Md. Shahin Mia (19) and 3. Md. Nazmul. RAB and police conducted operations in various locations to arrest the aforementioned individuals," he added. (ANI) Police confirmed that the suspect had been surveying the area in the days leading up to the attack. According to NHK, he visited the crime scene three days before the incident and also went to a commercial facility in the area on Thursday or Friday. The 27-year-old suspect, who later died after jumping from the sixth floor of a building following the attack, was already on a wanted list for obstructing military service procedures by failing to respond to a draft notice. The attack occurred on Saturday when the suspect threw a smoke-emitting device at Taipei Main Station before launching a stabbing spree. He then fled toward another subway station, where he stabbed more people. He later died after jumping from a nearby building. At an emergency meeting on Saturday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te stated that the incident had shocked Taiwanese society and emphasised the need for a thorough investigation into the suspect's background and motive. He added that the government would strengthen public safety and social stability by deploying more police officers, including rapid response units, to crowded public areas and venues hosting major events, NHK reported. The police are still investigating the suspect's motive and are treating the assaults as a premeditated crime. (ANI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said that the United States has proposed a possible framework for peace talks that would bring Ukraine and Russia to the same table, but he expressed scepticism over whether such a meeting would result in any substantive breakthrough, Politico reported. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said Washington has suggested a trilateral format involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia. However, he said any joint meeting would make sense only after clarity emerges from talks that have already taken place between Ukraine and its partners. "They proposed this format as far as I understand: Ukraine, America, Russia," Zelenskyy said, adding that it would be "logical" to consider such a meeting only after assessing the results of earlier discussions held in Berlin. The Ukrainian President noted that the proposed trilateral talks would likely be held at the level of national security advisers. Nevertheless, he remained cautious, pointing out that similar formats in the past had yielded limited results. "I am not sure something new would come of that. We already had such a format of meetings in Istanbul," Zelenskyy told journalists during a WhatsApp briefing. Ukrainian and Russian representatives last met face-to-face in Istanbul in July. While those discussions led to prisoner-of-war exchanges, they failed to achieve progress on a comprehensive peace settlement. Zelenskyy described the prisoner swaps as "very important" but acknowledged that no broader agreement was reached. He added that if a trilateral meeting, possibly in Florida, could help unlock further prisoner exchanges or serve as preparation for a meeting between leaders, Ukraine would support it. "There are very important and difficult issues that must be decided at the leaders' level. So how can I be against such a meeting?" Zelenskyy said. According to the Ukrainian president, Kyiv's key priorities in any peace talks include the status of Ukrainian territories, firm security guarantees, and the future operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Zelenskyy said the possibility of trilateral talks would depend on the outcome of ongoing US-Ukrainian negotiations that began on Friday. He added that a European delegation currently in Florida could also join the discussions if the talks move forward. Meanwhile, negotiators from Russia and the United States met on Saturday in the US city of Miami, even as Zelenskyy urged Washington to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war, Al Jazeera reported. The meeting involved Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, and US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Dmitriev told reporters that the talks were positive and would continue. "The discussions are proceeding constructively," he said, adding that talks would resume on Sunday. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he might also join the discussions in Miami. Rubio said progress has been made, but acknowledged that significant differences remain. "The role we're trying to play is figuring out whether there's any overlap they can agree to," Rubio said. "That may not be possible. I hope it is. I hope it can get done this month, before the end of the year." US officials said Trump's envoys have been working for weeks on a 20-point peace plan in discussions with Ukrainian, Russian and European officials. However, major disagreements remain, particularly over territorial issues and security guarantees, which Kyiv has said are essential for any peace deal. (ANI) Two women from the same family were allegedly detained and taken to an undisclosed location during a late-night raid in Balochistan's Hub Chowki, The Balochistan Post reported. According to the report, the family members said personnel from the Frontier Corps (FC), the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and intelligence agencies raided a residence around 3 am on Saturday in the Ganjhi Ghot Daroo Hotel area. The women were identified as 17-year-old Hairnisa Wahid and her 27-year-old relative, Hani. Relatives told The Balochistan Post that they have received no information regarding where the women were taken, leaving the family in severe distress. As noted by The Balochistan Post, the incident comes amid increasing concern over multiple reported cases of enforced disappearances of Baloch women in recent months. The outlet reported that on 18 December, CTD personnel allegedly conducted another raid in the Daroo Hotel area of Zehri Ghot, Hub Chowki, detaining a woman named Hazra along with her two-year-old son, Brahmdag. Their whereabouts, the Balochistan Post said, remain unknown. Earlier this month, on December 1, The Balochistan Post reported that a woman identified as Farzana Zehri was allegedly forcibly disappeared by security personnel while returning from a hospital in Khuzdar. In a separate case cited by The Balochistan Post, another woman, Raheema, was detained along with her brother in Dalbandin and has not been seen since. The Balochistan Post further reported that on 22 November, a 15-year-old girl, Nasreen (also known as Nasreena) Baloch, was allegedly taken by FC personnel and unidentified armed men during a night raid in the same Hub Chowki area. Her family told The Balochistan Post that approximately 15 armed individuals entered their home, damaged household belongings, confined relatives to a room, and took the girl away. She has not been presented before any legal authority. Balochistan has been a hotspot for enforced disappearances for decades, reflecting a deep-rooted human rights crisis in the region. Many individuals, including activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens, have reportedly been taken into custody by security forces or intelligence agencies and never returned. Families often have no information about the fate or location of their loved ones, creating fear, uncertainty, and trauma in local communities. (ANI) December 20, 2025: Last month the Russian Defense Ministry discovered that they did not have enough cash to pay all the soldiers or provide money to induce civilians to join the army. The average monthly pay for Russian soldiers in Ukraine is nearly $2,000 a month. Monthly pay can be as high as $5,0000 a month depending on rank and time in service. Most soldiers join after receiving a signing bonus of up to $30,000. The recent inability to pay Russian soldiers was not a complete surprise. Russian government officials knew there were problems with the economy and the cash supply. Nearly four years after invading Ukraine, the Russian defense budget has turned into a monster devastating the economy. This crisis has been brewing since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The increased defense spending and years of economic sanctions have deformed the economy as more is spent on weapons and military needs. This displaces production of civilian goods. High casualties in Ukraine plus the millions of men who left Russia to avoid military service have caused a labor shortage. Military spending also reveals another Russian tradition, corruption in military procurement Corruption is less tolerated and more frequently punished in the civilian economy. Military production does not directly impact civilians and their lives. Now that there is more military spending, corrupt officials are getting rich while the soldiers get shoddy equipment. In the case of winter clothing procured for the soldiers, a lot of that ends up on the black market while the troops go without and the military procurement officials get rich. During the first winter of the war, Russian soldiers overcame these shortages by plundering the Ukrainian economy for cold weather clothing. By the second year of the war that source had dried up and Russian soldiers stayed warm anyway they could, or via winter clothing mailed to them by their families. The cause of all this woe is the escalating expense of the war in Ukraine. The defense budget for 2023 was $75.2 billion while 2024s was $115 billion. For 2025 it will be $140 billion followed by $128 billion in 2026 and $126.6 billion in 2027. In 2023 Russia expected its 2024 government revenue to be a record $349 billion, but instead it was $450 billion. Because of the ailing economy there is less to tax and government budgets are constricting. With rising defense spending these is less left for pensions and other social welfare programs as well as maintain and expanding infrastructure, Less money for roads, canals, ports and railways contributed to the ongoing collapse of the Russian railroad system. Sanctions halted the supply of ball bearings for rail cars and now thousands of these rail cars are useless. This year may see a collapse of the railroad system, which will cause an economic collapse. The government is frantically seeking a solution to their several transportation crises while pretending to There are plans to sustain this level of revenue while keeping Russian military spending at record level. This means more purchases of weapons and equipment from Russian suppliers as well as continuing generous death and disability payments to soldiers or their families. The impact of these payments is obvious on poor regions of Russia that have a lot of men in the military. So many local men have been killed or disabled that the families of the dead are now relatively wealthy and spending money on new cars or upgrading their housing and lifestyles in general. This is intentional because the government is desperate to avoid large-scale dissatisfaction with the war effort. The Russian defense budget is now a wartime budget. For the first time since the Soviet Union collapsed, the defense budget will be six percent of GDP and exceed spending for social welfare programs. Russia plans to maintain this higher defense spending until they win the Ukraine war. That is unlikely to happen because the Ukrainian war effort is subsidized by weapons and military equipment supplied by NATO countries. Collectively, NATO nations account for about half the global GDP. Despite the fact that NATO is far wealthier than Russia, the Russians believe the massive NATO support for Ukraine wont last as long as the Russian determination to prevail. Russia notes that NATO has 31 member states. Not all these nations agree on long-term policy or how much should be spent on continuing support for Ukraine. At the same time, NATO members agree that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO. That can only happen when the war with Russia is over. At the moment the Ukrainian forces are better armed and equipped than the Russian invaders. That is one reason why Russian forces are largely on the defensive and suffering much higher casualties and equipment losses than the Ukrainians. By spending so much on military production and social welfare, Russia expects to maintain popular support for the war effort. The problem is that Russia does not have enough income to sustain a wartime economy. Spending too much on defense was a major reason why the Soviet Union went bankrupt and collapsed in 1991. It was later discovered that the Soviet government had inadequate financial controls and lacked a realistic financial plan. This was revealed to the world, and most Russians, after 1991. Up until 1991 Russia was spending about 15 percent of GDP on defense, and not enough on more urgent matters like managing the economy prudently in order to avoid a financial collapse. Russian leaders did not believe national bankruptcy would cause the collapse of the Soviet Union. Misunderstanding or ignoring a problem wont solve that problem or eliminate the consequences. December 20, 2025: Last month the Russian Defense Ministry discovered that they did not have enough cash to pay all the soldiers or provide money to induce civilians to join the army. The average monthly pay for Russian soldiers in Ukraine is nearly $2,000 a month. Monthly pay can be as high as $5,0000 a month depending on rank and time in service. Most soldiers join after receiving a signing bonus of up to $30,000. The recent inability to pay Russian soldiers was not a complete surprise. Russian government officials knew there were problems with the economy and the cash supply. Nearly four years after invading Ukraine, the Russian defense budget has turned into a monster devastating the economy. This crisis has been brewing since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The increased defense spending and the years of economic sanctions have deformed the economy as more is spent on weapons and military needs. This displaces production of civilian goods. High casualties in Ukraine plus the millions of men who left Russia to avoid military service have caused a labor shortage. Military spending also reveals another Russian tradition, corruption in military procurement Corruption is less tolerated and more frequently punished in the civilian economy. Military production does not directly impact civilians and their lives. Now that there is more military spending, corrupt officials are getting rich while the soldiers get shoddy equipment. In the case of winter clothing procured for the soldiers, a lot of that ends up on the black market while the troops go without and the military procurement officials get rich. During the first winter of the war, Russian soldiers overcame these shortages by plundering the Ukrainian economy for cold weather clothing. By the second year of the war that source had dried up and Russian soldiers stayed warm anyway they could, or via winter clothing mailed them by their families. The cause of all this woe is the escalating expense of the war in Ukraine. The defense budget for 2023 was $75.2 billion while 2024s was $115 billion. For 2025 it will be $140 billion followed by $128 billion in 2026 and $126.6 billion in 2027. In 2023 Russia expected its 2024 government revenue to be a record $349 billion, but instead it was $450 billion. Because of the ailing economy there is less to tax and government budgets are constricting. With rising defense spending these is less left for pensions and other social welfare programs as well as maintain and expanding infrastructure, Less money for roads, canals, ports and railways contributed to the collapse of the Russian railroad system, Sanctions halted the supply of ball bearings for rail cars and now thousands of these rail cars are useless. This year may see a collapse of the railroad system, which will cause an economic collapse. The government is frantically seeking a solution to their transportation crises while pretending to Russia and the world that the situation is under control. There are plans to sustain this level of revenue while keeping Russian military spending at record level. This means more purchases of weapons and equipment from Russian suppliers as well as continuing generous death and disability payments to soldiers or their families. The impact of these payments is obvious on poor regions of Russia that have a lot of men in the military. So many local men have been killed or disabled that the families of the dead are now relatively wealthy and spending money on new cars or upgrading their housing and lifestyles in general. This is intentional because the government is desperate to avoid large-scale dissatisfaction with the war effort. The Russian defense budget is now a wartime budget. For the first time since the Soviet Union collapsed, the defense budget will be six percent of GDP and exceed spending for social welfare programs. Russia plans to maintain this higher defense spending until they win the Ukraine war. That is unlikely to happen because the Ukrainian war effort is subsidized by weapons and military equipment supplied by NATO countries. Collectively, NATO nations account for about half the global GDP. Despite the fact that NATO is far wealthier than Russia, the Russians believe the massive NATO support for Ukraine wont last as long as the Russian determination to prevail. Russia notes that NATO has 31 member states. Not all these nations agree on long-term policy or how much should be spent on continuing support for Ukraine. At the same time, NATO members agree that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO. That can only happen when the war with Russia is over. At the moment the Ukrainian forces are better armed and equipped than the Russian invaders. That is one reason why Russian forces are largely on the defensive and suffering much higher casualties and equipment losses than the Ukrainians. By spending so much on military production and social welfare, Russia expects to maintain popular support for the war effort. The problem is that Russia does not have enough income to sustain a wartime economy. Spending too much on defense was a major reason why the Soviet Union went bankrupt and collapsed in 1991. It was later discovered that the Soviet government had inadequate financial controls and lacked a realistic financial plan. This was revealed to the world, and most Russians, after 1991. Up until 1991 Russia was spending about 15 percent of GDP on defense and not enough on more urgent matters like managing the economy prudently in order to avoid a financial collapse. Russian leaders did not believe national bankruptcy would cause the collapse of the Soviet Union. Misunderstanding or ignoring a problem wont solve that problem or eliminate the consequences. Fahmeeda Khushik, Deputy Organiser of the World Sindhi Congress for the UK and Europe, highlighted the enduring legacy of Karima Baloch, a prominent leader in the Baloch freedom movement, at a seminar organised by the Baloch National Movement (BNM) in London on Saturday. According to a BNM Post on X, Khushik stated, "Karima Baloch played a central role in mobilising Baloch youth around political awareness, self-determination, and resistance to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings." She noted that Baloch had served as chairperson of the Baloch Students Organisation-Azad and consistently stood at the forefront during times of systemic militarisation, resource exploitation, and cultural suppression in Balochistan. Khushik remarked, "Karima Baloch spoke out against illegal occupation, demographic changes, and the denial of basic political and human rights." She further explained that Baloch later became a global advocate for the Baloch cause, taking the issue to international forums. According to Khushik, "Her leadership sent a clear message that this struggle is not confined to gender, geography, or race." Addressing the personal costs Baloch endured, Khushik said, "She faced harassment, threats, and was forced into exile, yet continued to campaign on behalf of victims of enforced disappearances and families affected by violence in Balochistan." She added that exile did not weaken Baloch's resolve, noting, "She continued speaking for voiceless mothers, disappeared sons, and the silenced graves of Balochistan." Khushik also reflected on the impact of Baloch's death in Toronto, Canada, in December 2020. She observed, "Her loss is not only a loss for the Baloch nation but also an irreparable loss for the Sindhi nation." She mentioned that Canadian authorities labelled her death as non-criminal, a conclusion that left many questions unanswered. She further commented that Baloch's death symbolised "a broader pattern of transnational repression faced by activists from oppressed nations in Pakistan." Finally, Khushik emphasised that Karima Baloch's legacy continues to inspire resistance and activism, particularly among Baloch women. She urged participants to "reaffirm their commitment to remembering Karima Baloch and continuing the struggle she represented," noting that Baloch's name remains central in protests against enforced disappearances and in calls for justice and self-determination. (ANI) Amnesty International's South Asia Regional Office has raised concerns over the detention of journalist Sohrab Barkat, who was reportedly targeted by Pakistani authorities for alleged criticism of state institutions online. Taking to social media platform X, the organisation stated, "Sohrab Barkat, a journalist, was detained by Pakistani authorities last month for alleged criticism of state institutions online. Since then, he has been implicated in three separate cases under Pakistan's cybercrime law" The group further stated, "Two cases were filed against him in August 2024 and 2025; he was never informed about them. Months later, on 26 November 2025, while trying to travel abroad, he was detained. After receiving bail in one of the cases, he was arrested in relation to a third case" According to information provided by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Barkat, an Islamabad-based correspondent for the Pakistani news outlet Siasat and host of his own YouTube channel, was detained at Islamabad International Airport on his way to a United Nations conference. Multiple news outlets and Barkat's lawyer, Saad Rasool, confirmed the details to CPJ via messaging apps. According to CPJ, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered a case against Barkat on August 5, 2025, alleging he had made "derogatory remarks" and spread misinformation about state institutions, as noted in a Dawn report and a court document reviewed by CPJ. Rasool added that the allegedly insulting remarks were made by Sanam Javed, a member of the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in an interview conducted by Barkat and published on his YouTube channel. Journalism in Pakistan is extremely challenging due to political pressure, censorship, and threats from extremist groups. Reporters often face harassment, intimidation, or violence for exposing corruption or sensitive issues. Media outlets struggle with government regulations and biased ownership, limiting freedom of expression. Economic instability also affects journalists' job security. Despite these risks, many continue to pursue truth, showing courage, but the environment makes reporting accurately and safely very difficult. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], December 21 (ANI/TPS): Israeli security officials said three Gaza men recently detained in the southern city of Rahat were not involved in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, contradicting an earlier announcement by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. See updated story. Three Gazans who entered Israel during the October 7 attack and are suspected of involvement in terrorism were arrested this week in the southern Bedouin city of Rahat, Israeli authorities announced. The arrests were carried out during a police operation at a compound in the city. Officers from a canine unit conducted a search of the site, where they located equipment and ammunition, raising concerns of weapons manufacturing activity. An iron lathe was found in the compound and is believed to have been used to produce or modify weapons. Police also seized approximately 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, along with additional ammunition intended for use in a Kalashnikov-style rifle. The police said the arrests were part of a broader enforcement campaign launched about a month ago targeting violent crime and weapons offences in the Bedouin sector. The operation involved multiple specialised police units and included dozens of raids on compounds linked to rival clans. Over the course of the campaign, more than 250 suspects were detained on suspicion of illegal possession, use, or theft of weapons, as well as involvement in violent disputes. The suspects were transferred to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for interrogation and further investigation. The latest arrests are not the first involving Gazans who entered Israel during the October 7 assault and were later discovered in Rahat. Approximately one month after the attack, two additional suspects linked to Hamas were captured by undercover investigators. At the time, police clarified that the two detainees were not members of Hamas's elite Nukhba force. One was identified as a looter who crossed into Israel from Gaza during the chaos of the attack, while the other was described as a Hamas operative. With a population of roughly 80,000-85,000 residents, Rahat is the world's largest recognised Bedouin city. Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza. (ANI/TPS) Washington-based non-governmental organisation Genocide Watch recently published an article on its website titled "Genocide Emergency: Xinjiang, China 2025". The report highlighted the ongoing persecution of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), where approximately twelve million Uyghurs live. According to Genocide Watch, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is pursuing a systematic campaign to assimilate Uyghurs, replacing their culture, language, and religious traditions with Han Chinese culture and communist ideology. Uyghur social and political institutions are being dismantled and replaced with CCP-controlled structures, eroding the community's identity and autonomy. The article said that since the 1990s, millions of Han Chinese have been resettled in Xinjiang under the "Big Development of the Northwest Plan," intensifying demographic and cultural pressures on the Uyghur population. The CCP has detained hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uyghurs in so-called "reeducation" centres, while Han Chinese monitors are forcibly placed in Uyghur homes to suppress dissent. According to Genocide Watch, Officials justify these measures as "counterterrorism" efforts, but evidence shows they target Uyghurs as an ethnic and religious group. As reported by Genocide Watch, the repression has deep historical roots. In 1997, the banning of Uyghur traditional celebrations led to protests that were violently suppressed, resulting in over 200 deaths and mass arrests. In 2009, ethnic clashes in Urumqi further escalated tensions, leaving at least 200 dead. Today, Xinjiang is one of the most heavily surveilled regions in the world. Uyghurs are monitored through AI-driven systems, biometric data collection, and pervasive "convenience police stations" that control movement and enforce CCP policies. The article further said that since 2017, an estimated 800,000 to 2 million Uyghurs have been detained in mass detention facilities, where they face forced political indoctrination, physical abuse, sexual violence, and systematic cultural erasure. The Uyghur language is banned in these centres, and detainees are coerced to abandon Islam. Many mosques have been destroyed, further restricting religious practice and freedom. (ANI) Amid the opposition's allegations that the SHANTI bill was passed under pressure from America, foreign expert Robinder Sachdev said that "this bill was long overdue for India to achieve its green energy. This will create the right environment for private operators and vendors." Robinder Sachdev, who has played a significant role in shaping India's civil nuclear diplomacy with the US and Japan since 2005, said that, "I have been involved in the 123 agreements between the US and India and I was also involved in 123 nuclear agreements between Japan and India. In 2010 India passed the liability bill, the terms of which were that, no foreign or even Indian equipment vendor was agreeable to, even our Indian companies like BHEL and L&T said that they will not be able to work under conditions of that liability bill." "Including operators like GMR, Tata Power and Reliance Energy, which were contemplating at that time in 2010 entering into nuclear power, backed out. American, Japanese and French companies also withdrew. As a result, the entire nuclear energy sector has been in limbo for the last 15 years, only because of the condition of the 2010 bill. This is the bill which was due for the reform," added Sachdev. He further stated that, "After this new law, liability will not be passed on to vendors and suppliers in any case of accident. This will create the right environment for private operators and vendors to supply reactors, etc., which is required. The bill was long overdue for India to achieve its green energy. India's target for nuclear energy by 2047 is one hundred gigawatts; now we are generating nearly nine gigawatts only." Advocating for green energy, Robinder Sachdev said that "Nuclear is a cleaner and safer source of energy, although its upfront cost is higher but its life cycle is longer. A nuclear plant operates for about 70-80 years, whereas a coal plant's life is 30-40 years. With all these benefits for the consumer in mind, it is important that nuclear energy be produced in India. That's why this bill is absolutely right and this should have come much earlier." On Opposition leader's allegations, Robinder Sachdev said that "they do have a point, that India has made this reform under pressure from America. But I look at this otherwise. The primary reason for this reform is our own national self-interest. We want to use and utilise nuclear energy and our own Indian companies. They would not be able to participate in this sector unless there was reform." Concluding his views on this issue, Sachdev said that, "after this, nuclear energy will be cheaper than coal energy, and also cleaner. There will be no emission. The benefits therefore be for India." "We also need investments, so ultimately the bottom line of beneficiaries will be the common man, the consumers," he added. (ANI) Foreign Affairs expert Robinder Sachdev on Sunday expressed deep concern over "growing anti-India sentiment" in Bangladesh, warning that foreign agencies could exploit the situation to fuel tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Reacting to the recent mob lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das, he described the situation as "absolutely alarming". He warned that hostile external forces like Pakistan could exploit this . "The situation in Bangladesh is absolutely alarming for India. The recent incident of the lynching of a Hindu person and the Bangladesh government saying it has arrested 10 of the accused is a small welcome step. We hope that the Bangladesh government takes more action going forward, but our basic hope is that no such incident should ever happen... We are seeing a growing anti-India sentiment," Sachdev said. "There are agencies or agents, foreign, especially let's say Pakistan, and there could be some others also, who are obviously taking advantage of this anti-India sentiment because it is to their benefit that there be more tensions between Bangladesh and India," he added. Sachdev also highlighted the declining percentage of the Hindu population in Bangladesh, calling it a matter of "huge concern" for India, stressing the need for stronger measures to protect minorities and maintain communal harmony in the country. "The percentage of Hindus has been declining in Bangladesh... It is a matter of huge concern for India," the foreign affairs expert added. Sachdev's remarks come after heightened tensions between the two neighbours following the recent killing of a Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Bangladesh's Mymensingh, triggering international concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. Das was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges, and his body was subsequently hanged and set on fire on December 18. After the widespread outrage and condemnation, Bangladesh's Interim Government said there is "no space for such violence in the new Bangladesh" and that "the perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared." "We wholeheartedly condemn the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh. There is no space for such violence in the new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared," the interim government said in a statement. Meanwhile, ten individuals have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Dipu Chandra Das, as per a statement by the Chief Adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus. (ANI) Tensions between Caracas and Washington reached a boiling point this weekend as Venezuela condemned the seizure of another oil tanker off its shores, Russia Today reported. The Venezuelan government has labelled the move an "act of piracy" and a direct attempt by the United States to seize the country's energy resources and topple its leadership. In a scathing official statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry denounced the "theft and hijacking" of a private vessel that was transporting Venezuelan oil through international waters. Caracas went further, accusing US military personnel of the "forced disappearance" of the ship's crew, as per Russia Today. The Venezuelan government argued that this latest interception is not an isolated incident. Instead, they described it as a "colonialist model" being orchestrated by Washington to strip Venezuela of its sovereignty and natural wealth. Determined to fight back, Caracas vowed to seek accountability through international bodies, including the UN Security Council, warning that those responsible would eventually be judged by "justice and history." The US perspective, however, is one of strict enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the predawn operation on Saturday, framing the seizure as an enforcement action against Venezuelan oil exports. This move follows a major escalation by President Donald Trump, who just days ago ordered a "total and complete" blockade of all "sanctioned" tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, according to Russia Today. President Trump has been transparent about the economic motivations behind these manoeuvres, claiming that Venezuela "stole" US energy assets. He warned that unless these assets are returned, Caracas will face the power of "the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America." Inside Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro has been vocal in his opposition, accusing Washington of trying to install a "puppet government" that would abandon the country's constitution and surrender its resources. Maduro has characterised the blockade and ship seizures as "corsair tactics" and a "diplomacy of barbarism." The situation has also drawn concern from major global powers. Both Russia and China have issued warnings, stating that the increased US military presence and the seizure of vessels risk triggering wider regional instability. Both nations have urged restraint and a return to the principles of international law. (ANI) The Law Enforcement agencies in Bangladesh on Sunday stated they have arrested two more individuals in connection with the mob lynching of the Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in the Mymensingh district, taking the total number of arrests to 12. According to the Daily Star, citing sources from the Bangladesh police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the latest arrests were made early today. Mymensingh's Additional Superintendent of Police, Abdullah Al Mamun, stated that the two individuals were identified as Ashik aged 25 and Kaium aged 25, The Daily Star reported. All 12 detainees had been handed over to the Bhaluka Police Station in Mymensingh. It was noted that Dipu Chandra Das, who was a worker in a garment factory, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges, and his body was subsequently hanged and set on fire on December 18. According to the Daily Star, an additional superintendent of police stated that a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory, accusing him of making "derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)" in a Facebook post. Factory sources told The Daily Star that the assailants later took Dipu out of the factory premises, where local residents also joined the attack, resulting in his death. However, RAB-14 Company Commander in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, told The Daily Star that investigators found no evidence suggesting the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could have hurt religious sentiments, adding that neither local residents nor fellow garment factory workers could point to any such activity by the victim. The victim's brother, Apu Chandra Das, also filed a case at Bhaluka Police Station on Friday, naming 140 to 150 unidentified individuals as accused. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. Earlier on Saturday, the Chief Adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, in a statement, stated that ten individuals were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Dipu Chandra Das, noting that the RAB apprehended seven suspects, while the police arrested three others. According to the statement, the individuals arrested by RAB are Md Limon Sarkar (19), Md Tarek Hossain (19), Md Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alomgir Hossain (38) and Md Miraj Hossain Akon (46). While the three arrested by the police are Md Azmol Hasan Sagir (26), Md Shahin Mia (19) and Md Nazmul (21). Further investigation into the incident is underway, officials also added. (ANI) Russia "does not have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine," let alone invade Europe, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has said, accusing "deep state warmongers" and sections of the Western media of pushing alarmist narratives to derail peace efforts. In a post on X, Gabbard said, "The truth is that US intelligence assesses that Russia does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine, let alone invade and occupy Europe." She alleged that claims suggesting otherwise were being used to justify "pro-war policies". Gabbard accused what she described as "deep state warmongers and their propaganda media" of trying to undermine efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring peace to Ukraine and Europe. She said these groups were falsely claiming that the US intelligence community supports the EU and NATO view that Russia aims to invade and conquer Europe. "Deep State warmongers and their propaganda media are again trying to undermine President Trump's efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, and indeed Europe, by falsely claiming that the 'US intelligence community' agrees with the EU/NATO view that Russia's aim is to invade and conquer Europe," she wrote. According to Gabbard, such assertions are being pushed "to gin up support for their pro-war policies." Her remarks come amid renewed Western reports claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin's territorial ambitions remain unchanged and that Moscow still seeks to occupy Ukrainian territory. Russia has rejected these allegations. This week, Putin dismissed claims that Russia plans to attack European Union countries, calling them "lies and nonsense," and accusing Western politicians of using fear to justify increased military spending, Russia Today reported. Backing Gabbard's comments, Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised her as a voice challenging what he described as war-driven narratives. "Gabbard is great not only for documenting the Obama-Biden origins of the Russia hoax, but now for exposing the deep-state warmonger machinery trying to incite World War Three by fueling anti-Russian paranoia across the UK and EU," Dmitriev wrote on X. "Voices of reason matter. restore sanity, peace and security." Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States has proposed a possible framework for peace talks that would place Ukraine and Russia at the same negotiating table, though he expressed scepticism about whether such a format would deliver meaningful results. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said Washington had suggested a trilateral format involving Ukraine, the US and Russia, but added that any joint meeting would make sense only after clarity emerges from talks Ukraine has already held with its partners. Meanwhile, negotiators from Russia and the United States met in Miami. The talks involved Dmitriev, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev said the discussions were positive and would continue. "The discussions are proceeding constructively," he told reporters. (ANI) Australia is observing a National Day of Reflection, honouring the victims of a devastating anti-semitic terror attack during a Jewish festival at Sydney's Bondi Beach last week, in which 15 people were killed and dozens wounded. The commemorations come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a comprehensive review into the nation's law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Al Jazeera reported. The day of mourning began Sunday morning at the waterfront Bondi Pavilion. Indigenous leaders led a traditional smoking ceremony at the site, which has been transformed by an impromptu memorial for the 15 people killed. The victims were targeted while celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, as per Al Jazeera. Throughout the country, flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings. A national minute of silence was scheduled for 6:47 pm (07:47 GMT), marking the exact moment the violence began on December 14. As Sunday also marks the start of the eighth and final day of the Jewish festival Hanukkah, the festival of lights, authorities have invited the public to light a candle. The government described the gesture as "a quiet act of remembrance with family, friends or loved ones" for the victims of the attack, allegedly carried out by a father-son duo. An evening memorial event at Bondi Beach will take place under a heavy police presence, including officers carrying long-arm firearms, police said in a statement. The attack on December 14 was Australia's deadliest mass shooting since 1996, when an attacker killed 35 people in the state of Tasmania, as per Al Jazeera. The authorities are investigating the shooting as an act of "terrorism" targeting Jews. Authorities believe the attackers were inspired by ISIL (ISIS) and said the group's flags were found in the car the attackers took to Bondi. While suspect Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, who was also shot and emerged from a coma on Tuesday, has been charged with 59 offences, including murder and terrorism. He remains in custody in the hospital. Some 13 of those wounded at Bondi also remained in Sydney hospitals on Sunday. (ANI) December 8, 2025: The Ukraine War has been a disaster for Russia. There is a labor shortage because over two million men have been removed from the workforce. Half of these are soldiers who were killed, disabled or missing in Ukraine. The other half are military age men who fled the country to avoid getting put into the army and killed in Ukraine. While its illegal for Russian men to leave the country to avoid military service, when its a matter of life or death, motivation overrides laws and rules. Some events in the war revealed the extent of corruption in the government. When Ukrainian forces entered Russia in 2024 via Kursk province, local officials were revealed as unprepared and had stolen the money needed for border security. It was later revealed that other stretches of the Ukraine/Russia border were similarly undefended. When Russia brought in North Korea troops, their first job was to fight the Ukrainian troops inside Russia and push them out. That took several months and a third of the North Korea troops were killed or wounded. Then there is Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov. During the 1990s Russia restored order in the Caucasus region of Chechnya by enticing, with cash and legal rule of Chechnya, Ramzans father to side with Russia. That was a major factor in ending the rebellion. Ramzan has led armed Chechens to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Russia gave Ramzan more money to remain a loyal supporter of the Russian war in Ukraine. It will take more cash than Russia can afford to deal with the problems caused by returning veterans of the Ukraine War. This is especially true with the thousands of veterans who joined the army to get out of prison and earn a pardon. Many of those now back in Russia have returned to their old gangsters lifestyle, enhanced by the combat experience and other connections picked up while in Ukraine. This is made worse by the shortage of police all over Russia because so many policemen had joined the army to fight in Ukraine. The police were, and still are, poorly paid and the signing bonuses plus the monthly pay were more money than these policemen thought theyd ever see. Many of those policemen turned soldiers died in Ukraine and many of those who returned to Russia found better paying jobs because of a labor shortage and continued low pay for the police. This has led to a crime wave that has hit rural Russia particularly hard. In the major cities there is still some police and a lot of private security ava And then there is an increase in Islamic terrorist attacks in Russia. The government blames this on the Americans and Ukraine. Few Russians believe that, because the threat of Islamic terrorism has been around long before the Ukraine War. The shortage of security personnel inside Russia makes it easier for the Islamic terrorists to plan and execute attacks or simply engage in profitable crimes. The FSB, which is similar to the U.S. FBI or Britains MI5 concentrates on finding and punishing Russians who oppose the war in Ukraine. If they went after criminals, they might run into politicians with enough clout to make the FSB back off. Meanwhile the average Russian is feeling increasingly unsafe. Russian leaders shrug off such complaints because the war in Ukraine remains a higher priority undertaking. The George W. Bush Presidential Centre has criticised America's decision to suspend the immigration of Afghans, saying that the action punishes allies who risked their lives supporting American forces over decades, Khaama Press reported on Sunday. As per Khaama Press, the George W Bush Presidential Centre has criticised the move and called it contrary to core American values. The Centre emphasised that tens of thousands of Afghans had risked their lives in the past two decades by cooperating with the United States and its international allies, thus providing crucial support in military and humanitarian operations. It further reported that 61 US lawmakers wrote to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, condemning the administration for exploiting the actions of one individual to impose sweeping restrictions on Afghan migrants. They warned that the policy spreads fear and uncertainty across Afghanistan communities in the United States. In a post on X, the Bush Center shared an article which highlighted how the Afghan allies should have the opportunities to live their lives in peace. "Our Afghan allies and their families matter. Following proper vetting for those who have sought to come here, they should have the opportunity to live their lives in peace. " https://x.com/TheBushCenter/status/2002144661281124393?s=20 Earlier in December, the head of the Afghanistan-US Relations Office in the United States has called for a serious and comprehensive investigation after the shooting that took place near White House on Thanksgiving Eve, which resulted in the death of one US National Guard, as per a report by Tolo News. A wave of concern and questions has arisen within the Afghan community in the United States, and even beyond. This comes as the US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a fresh set of guidelines in the wake of the shooting of two national guards by an Afghan person on the eve of Thanksgiving in the United States. The new policy guidance would authorise USCIS officials to consider country-specific factors from 19 countries when reviewing immigration requests. In an official statement, USCIS said that it will consider relevant country-specific factors when using its broad discretionary authorities regarding aliens from 19 high-risk countries after halting refugee resettlement from Afghanistan and the entry of Afghan nationals in the first year of the Trump administration. The shooting occurred at close range in central Washington, prompting a swift reaction from the administration. Addressing reporters, Trump criticised former president Joe Biden's earlier immigration policies, claiming the suspect had entered the United States from Afghanistan in 2021, and referring to the Asian country as a "hellhole." Authorities identified the accused as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who arrived in 2021. Officials believe he acted alone. Citing information from Homeland Security, Trump again noted that the suspect was Afghan. As per Khaama Press, the Bush Center stressed that the shooter alone is responsible, and Afghan migrants should not face collective punishment. (ANI) Taiwan's main opposition parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), stated they would seek to impeach Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, accusing him of engaging in what they described as "undemocratic" conduct, even as legal and political hurdles make the move largely symbolic, Focus Taiwan reported. According to Focus Taiwan, the announcement made on Friday follows President Lai's decision not to promulgate a recently passed amendment that would have increased the share of central government revenues allocated to local governments. Lai argued that the legislation would undermine Taiwan's fiscal stability. Earlier the same day, Premier Cho Jung-tai declined to countersign the bill, which the president cited as the basis for withholding its promulgation. Addressing a press conference at the Legislative Yuan, KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi accused Lai of overstepping his authority. "Lai Ching-te has made himself emperor and shown no respect for public opinion," Fu said, as quoted by Focus Taiwan. TPP caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang said the Constitution requires the president to promulgate legislation within 10 days after the legislature rejects a Cabinet request for reconsideration, as happened on December 5. "There has never been a president who has refused to promulgate a law passed by the Legislature," Huang said, as quoted by Focus Taiwan, adding that the opposition caucuses would submit a motion to impeach Lai for review in a plenary session. Under Taiwan's Constitution, an impeachment motion must first be supported by at least half of all lawmakers and then approved by a two-thirds majority before being sent to the Constitutional Court for adjudication, Focus Taiwan reported. However, the court currently has only eight justices, below the quorum required to hear such a case, after efforts to fill vacancies stalled. Even if the motion were to pass the legislature, the absence of a functioning Constitutional Court would prevent the impeachment process from proceeding. Moreover, the KMT and TPP together hold 60 of the 113 seats in the legislature, short of the two-thirds majority needed. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) controls 51 seats, with two held by KMT-leaning independents, Focus Taiwan reported. Responding to the opposition's move, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said the presidency respected any action taken within constitutional boundaries. Separately, DPP lawmaker Wu Szu-yao said the impeachment push was unlikely to succeed, calling it largely political posturing given the legislature's current composition and the Constitutional Court's paralysis, as reported by Focus Taiwan. (ANI) A large fire at Kabul's historic Mandawi market on Sunday, resulted in dozens of shops getting destroyed and caused an estimated USD 700,000 in losses, Khaama Press reported, citing officials. As per Khaama Press, the large fire swept through Kabul's Mandawi market early on Sunday. The incident highlighted persistent safety risks in the Afghan capital's commercial areas. While no casualties were reported, the fire, however, left dozens of traders facing heavy financial losses. It mentioned that local merchants said most shops in Mandawi are uninsured, leaving owners with little protection against such disasters. The Traders have called on the authorities to provide emergency assistance, and the Interior Ministry said it would investigate the incident. Khaama Press said that the incident has renewed scrutiny of fire safety in Kabul, where similar blazes in crowded markets have previously been blamed on faulty wiring. With a lack of fire exits and inadequate firefighting equipment, it underscored the need for urgent infrastructure upgrades. As per Khaama Press, the blaze broke out before dawn in a shoe market inside Mandawi, which is one of the capital city's oldest and busiest wholesale centres for imported goods like footwear, clothing and household items. According to Khaama Press, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit- a problem traders and experts say is common in markets with old wiring and limited safety oversight. It further mentioned, citing the ministry that firefighters were dispatched with several water tankers who worked for hours to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring sections of the market. Khaama Press underlined that the fire comes amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with the United Nations estimating that nearly 90% of the population lives below the poverty line and is unable to meet basic needs such as food, healthcare and shelter. Citing UN agencies, it further mentioned that the unemployment in the country has surged to around 75%, thus increasing hardship as the country also faces an influx of nearly three million returnees from Iran and Pakistan, which further strains the limited resources and aid efforts. (ANI) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a detailed conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre on Sunday to discuss the current momentum of diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. During the call, Zelenskyy highlighted his negotiating team's progress while cautioning that Russia continues to send "negative signals" through ongoing military assaults. Zelenskyy reported that diplomatic work is proceeding at a "fairly rapid pace," noting that the Ukrainian team has been coordinating closely with American officials in Florida. The negotiations have also expanded to include European representatives. "I spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Stre. We discussed in detail the diplomatic work underway these days. We are moving at a fairly rapid pace, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side. European representatives were also invited," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "These negotiations are constructive, and this matters. Much depends on whether Russia feels the need to end the war for real - it must not be a rhetorical or political game on Russia's part," he added. Despite the diplomatic movement, Zelenskyy emphasised that the situation on the ground remains dire. He noted that the Kremlin's actions contradict any narrative of peace, citing continuous pressure on the frontlines and deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure. "Unfortunately, the real signals coming from Russia remain only negative: assaults along the frontline, Russian war crimes in border areas, and continued strikes against our infrastructure," he said. Zelenskyy stressed that the international community cannot afford to remain passive amid these escalations, stating, "It is essential that the world does not remain silent about all of this." He also expressed deep gratitude to Norway for its multifaceted assistance, which includes maintaining diplomatic pressure on Moscow and supporting Ukraine's physical and economic recovery. A key focus of the partnership remains energy security, as Norway has committed to supporting Ukraine in maintaining its power grid following Russian strikes. "I am grateful to Norway for its readiness to continue helping, both in maintaining pressure on Russia and in recovery after their strikes. Norway will also assist us with energy resilience - thank you for that," he said. Looking ahead, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine's diplomatic mission will now broaden its focus. Following intensive work with the United States, Kyiv intends to deepen engagement with its continental allies. "There is a shared sense that, after the work by our diplomatic team in the United States, we should now hold consultations with European partners in a broader circle. I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine!" Zelenskyy stated. (ANI) According to Al Jazeera, Israel's defence exports rose by 13 per cent last year compared to 2023, reaching a record level of nearly USD 15 billion. Missiles, rockets and air-defence systems accounted for the bulk of the exports, the statement said. More than half of Israel's defence deliveries in 2024 were made to European countries, while significant shipments were also sent to the Asia-Pacific region, led by India, Al Jazeera reported. Israel currently ranks among the world's top 10 arms-exporting nations. The surge in revenues came amid international scrutiny of Israel's military operations in Gaza. Israel is facing a case at the International Court of Justice brought by South Africa, while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes. Israeli arms trade analyst Shir Hever, speaking to Al Jazeera, said importing countries were aware of the legal and ethical implications of purchasing Israeli weapons. He said that under international law, third countries have obligations regarding trade with states accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In addition to conventional weapons, Israeli defence exports include advanced surveillance and artificial intelligence-based technologies, such as facial recognition systems. These tools are deployed extensively in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, according to rights groups, Al Jazeera reported. Israel's Ministry of Defence said Europe accounted for 54 per cent of total defence exports in 2024, up from 36 per cent in 2023. The Asia-Pacific region represented 23 per cent of exports, while the United States accounted for 9 per cent, Al Jazeera reported. Despite growing demand, some countries, including Spain, have introduced restrictions on arms imports from Israel, citing humanitarian and legal concerns. (ANI) Special envoy of the Russian President and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, stated that the discussions on a settlement for a peace deal in Ukraine currently underway in Miami are being held constructively, noting that talks, which started on Friday, will continue through Sunday (local time), TASS reported. The negotiations were held between Russia and the United States as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Washington to increase pressure on Moscow. The meeting included Dmitriev, US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as reported by TASS. Speaking to reporters following the meeting on Saturday, Dmitriev said, "Discussions are being held constructively," as quoted by TASS. "They started and continue today and will also continue tomorrow," Dmitriev added, underscoring the ongoing engagement between the parties. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that he may also join the discussions, Al Jazeera reported. Speaking on the talks, Rubio said that while progress has been made, "there is still a way to go." "The role we're trying to play is figuring out whether there's any overlap here that they can agree to... That may not be possible. I hope it is. I hope it can get done this month, before the end of the year," he added, as quoted by Al Jazeera. Trump's envoys have been negotiating a 20-point peace plan with Ukrainian, Russian, and European officials over the past few weeks. While US officials have said progress has been made, significant differences remain on key issues, including territorial disputes and security guarantees that Kyiv considers essential for any agreement. Russia, meanwhile, has shown little willingness to compromise on its territorial ambitions in Ukraine, believing it can consolidate its position as the war continues and divisions emerge among Ukraine's European allies, as reported by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said the US has proposed a framework for peace talks that would bring Ukraine and Russia to the same table. Still, he expressed scepticism about whether such a meeting would yield any substantive breakthrough, Politico reported. He has also described the 1994 Budapest Memorandum as a "piece of paper", stressing that Ukraine will not accept any peace agreement with Russia that lacks strong and enforceable security guarantees. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that while peace is preferable to war, it cannot come at the cost of Ukraine's sovereignty or security, as he called for a "just, durable peace" that cannot be undermined by future aggression from Moscow. Drawing a parallel with the Budapest Memorandum - under which Moscow and other powers provided security assurances to Kyiv in exchange for their giving up the nuclear arsenals they inherited from Soviet times - Zelenskyy said the agreement failed to protect his country. "I do not see the Budapest Memorandum as an agreement; I see it as nothing more than a piece of paper, because our territories were occupied, and so many people were killed. And this agreement did not protect us. I do not consider it strong or effective," he said in his post. (ANI) After firing shots to disperse them, three terrorists crossed the Yellow Line and approached the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat to them. Also, in two other incidents in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces identified two terrorists who crossed the yellow line and approached them in a manner that posed a threat. In all three incidents, the Israel Air Force, under the direction of the forces, attacked the terrorists in order to eliminate the threat. The IDF did not say if the terrorists were killed or harmed. The Yellow Line marks the areas where Israeli forces are continuing to operate under the Gaza ceasefire agreement: Israel controls everything to the east, north and south of the line and Hamas and other terrorists are prohibited from crossing it. (ANI/TPS) The injured boy, aged 17 years, was moved to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital for treatment. According to Dawn, the suspect was identified as a resident of Bizan Khel and fled the scene after the incident. Police registered a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of one of the victim's relatives. The bodies were sent for a post-mortem. The Township police have launched raids to arrest the accused. Further investigation into the incident is underway, Township police said. Last week, Lahore police found that a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) had killed his wife and 19-year-old daughter. DSP Usman Haider Gujjar was the head of the Kahna police circle (investigation) when he registered a kidnapping case about two months ago, saying that his wife and daughter went missing, Dawn reported. The FIR stated that the DSP's wife and daughter went missing on September 27, while a formal application for the registration of the kidnapping case was submitted on October 18, The Express Tribune reported. Following this, the police launched an investigation, after which a case was registered, and suspicions deepened when the victim's sister approached authorities, alleging possible involvement of the officer. Forensic teams later recovered blood samples from the suspect's residence, including from a bed and a door. Laboratory results strengthened doubts, leading senior officers to confront the DSP during a high-level inquiry. "After being presented with the forensic findings, the suspect confessed to the crime," a police officer said, as quoted by The Express Tribune. (ANI) On the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), the FAR deployed three military field hospitals in the municipalities of Ait Mhamed in the province of Azilal, Ouirgane in the province of Al Haouz, and Tounfite in the province of Midelt. This initiative forms part of the high solicitude that the Monarch has continuously shown towards rural populations, particularly those living in mountainous areas facing difficult weather conditions and a significant drop in temperatures at this time of year, the FAR General Staff said in a statement. In this context, the Royal Armed Forces mobilized all the human and logistical resources necessary to ensure a rapid and effective response, thereby meeting the health needs of citizens in these regions. Following the cold wave that hit Morocco this winter, significant resources have been mobilized to assist the populations affected and the vulnerable groups. The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity launched a large-scale emergency operation to assist thousands of families affected by severe winter conditions. The Grand Froid operation aims to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities hit by freezing temperatures, heavy rain and snow across 28 most affected provinces. About 73,000 households will receive food supplies and blankets, the Foundation said in a statement. Significant logistical and human resources have been mobilized in coordination with the Interior Ministry, local authorities, the Royal Armed Forces and the Royal Gendarmerie to reach remote villages and high-altitude areas. Teams include social workers, doctors and military personnel tasked with ensuring access to isolated communities. Authorities are also working to maintain road and communication links and guarantee rapid assistance for people in critical situations. Citizens in affected areas have been urged to exercise caution, avoid risky travel and follow safety guidelines as heavy snowfall and rainfall continue to disrupt parts of the country. In parallel, the Interior Ministry has activated its national winter emergency plan to mitigate the impact of severe weather during the 2025-2026 season. Regional governors have been instructed to strengthen monitoring systems, coordinate interventions and take preventive measures to protect lives and property. The plan includes the deployment of provincial crisis committees, continuous field assessments, and pre-positioning of supplies such as food, heating materials and fodder for livestock. Authorities are also working to maintain road and communication links and guarantee rapid assistance for people in critical situations. Citizens in affected areas have been urged to exercise caution, avoid risky travel and follow safety guidelines as heavy snowfall and rainfall continue to disrupt parts of the country. December 17, 2025: Last year, the Ice Pact between the US, Canada and Finland led to contracts to build a lot more icebreakers. The United States is negotiating with Finland to buy 15 icebreakers. There is also the perceived need for NATO to add about 40 icebreakers. Finland currently has eight. Finland builds 60 percent of the worlds icebreakers, and designs 80 percent. Most Finnish shipyards can build an icebreaker in two or three years. Both of Canadas new heavy icebreakers will have Finnish connections. The Seaspan icebreaker was designed by a Canadian and Finnish team. And then there is China. Last year China put into service the Jidi, its third icebreaker ship. This 5,600-ton vessel can break through ice up to a meter thick and do so while moving at a speed of about three kilometers an hour. The ship has accommodations for 60 personnel, which includes crew and specialists to operate the air, surface and subsurface drones carried. Jidi has sufficient fuel and other supplies to stay at sea for 80 days. The surface drone can transport 250 kg of supplies for trips to nearby bases surrounded by shallow or otherwise unsuitable conditions for Jidi to get close enough to unload cargo. Chinas first icebreaker, Xue Long, entered service in 1993. This ship was built as an Arctic cargo icebreaking ship in Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union. Xue Long was a 21,000-ton vessel that could carry up to 160 crew and passengers along with a helicopter. This ship was converted by China in the 1990s to operate as a polar research ship. The ship underwent a major refurbishment in 2007. A second icebreaker, Xue Long 2, entered service in 2019. Similar but slightly smaller than Xue Long , the new ship was more capable and served as the model for Jidi. This was a remarkable achievement for China, which built these ships in part to make effective use of a then new Russian ice-breaking design. In 1899 Russia pioneered the design and production of ocean-going icebreakers when it introduced the 10,000-ton Esmark. The United States, Canada and most European nations with Arctic waters also obtained icebreakers so they could enter and explore iced over waters and provide resupply for Arctic, and later Antarctic bases. Chinese coastal waters are largely ice free. But in the north, in the Bohai Sea near the capital Beijing and the Shandon Sea to the south, there are iced over waters during the winter months. This ice is usually no thicker than a meter or so and, without icebreakers, there are some periods during the winter that ships must either wait for the ice to melt or land their cargo at an ice free port and have it moved by truck or train to its destination. After the Chinese communists took power in 1949, they found northern China had no icebreakers and was unable to support all the shipping activities in those areas when there was ice. Until 1945, Japan handled ice breaking activities off the Chinese northern coast but only had one icebreaker, which the Americans captured in 1945 and later turned over to Japan to be used as a Museum Ship. Until the 1980s, political disputes within the Chinese government as well as money shortages prevented China from developing its own Arctic research program, or obtaining icebreakers to handle winter periods when coastal waters are iced over. Some cargo ships are built to break through thin, less than a meter thick, ice. Some cargo ships that operate in areas that are sometimes iced over are built with reinforced hulls to handle some ice but depend on icebreaker ships to open ice-free channels. The nations with the longest Arctic coastlines are Canada, Norway, Danish Greenland, Russia and the United States. Russia has the longest Arctic coastline that is in regular use for commercial traffic. This is the 5,600 kilometer long Northern Sea Route/NSR, which became operational in 2010. For cargo moving by ship between East Asia and Europe, the NSR cuts transit time by about a quarter. Its predominant users are China and Russia. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Western shipping ceased to use the NSR, leaving the NSR handing mostly Russian and Chinese ships. There are no fees charged for using the NSR and Russia is trying to revive Western use of the NSR despite the war in Ukraine. The NSR is a cheaper alternative to the Suez Canal for many northern hemisphere countries. Currently Yemen Houthi rebels are firing on shipping headed north towards the Suez canal, so most commercial shipping has stopped using the canal and taken the longer and more expensive route around the southern tip of Africa. West Africa's Atlantic margin, particularly the MSGBC basin, is experiencing a resurgence in oil and gas exploration interest due to its promising Cretaceous geology and the need for new supply, attracting a new generation of international players. West Africas Atlantic margin is entering a period of renewed exploration interest, driven by a combination of promising Cretaceous geology, shifts in company portfolios, and a widening recognition that new barrels will be required to balance future supply. The MSGBC basin has attracted particular attention as its geological potential becomes clearer and as a new generation of international players, most notably Chevron in Guinea-Bissau, signal that frontier opportunities remain firmly on the strategic map. This uptick comes at a moment when exploration capital is increasingly concentrated in select basins with large, meaningful upside, making the Atlantic margins Cretaceous plays especially competitive. The regions momentum is reinforced by the broader exploration revival happening across Africa. As global operators rebalance toward oil-weighted, infrastructure-adjacent prospects, West Africas offshore domains offer both scale and technical running room. Sierra Leone, long recognized for its basin potential but historically overlooked, may also regain relevance, particularly as subsurface models are refined and as regional drilling success invites a second look at underexplored acreage. The push toward higher-impact frontier opportunities aligns well with these basins resource potential, positioning them for renewed licensing and partnership activity in the near term. Meanwhile, Angola stands out as a model of how a mature petroleum province can successfully revitalize itself. Through regulatory reforms, improved fiscal terms, and a deliberate effort to attract investment into pre-salt, post-salt, and marginal fields, Angola has managed to reverse exploration stagnation and bring new entrants into the fold. The governments consistency of purpose and the pragmatic leadership of Sonangol and regulator ANPG demonstrate how stability and predictability can materially improve an investment environment. Angolas approach offers a reference point for peers across the Atlantic margin looking to stimulate exploration without compromising national interests. However, this emerging momentum cannot be separated from the regions governance realities. Investors continue to weigh above-ground risk heavily, and recent developments, such as the ambiguous coup in Guinea-Bissau, underscore above-ground risks fragility that can affect frontier basins. While geological potential may be compelling, long-cycle offshore projects require durability of institutions and clarity in policy. Exploration decisions are increasingly influenced not only by subsurface quality but by the perceived reliability of fiscal regimes, contract sanctity, and continuity of national strategies across political cycles. Maintaining a stable investment climate is therefore essential if West African states wish to convert geological opportunity into commercial outcomes. Schreiner Parker, Head of Emerging Markets & NOCs National oil companies will be central in shaping how this moment of opportunity plays out. Many West African NOCs are already embedded in partnerships that position them to advance exploration while strengthening governance and commercial capacity. GEPetrol in Equatorial Guinea has actively participated in joint ventures to build technical depth, while Angolas Sonangol has demonstrated how asset restructuring and collaboration with IOCs can modernize a national portfolio. In the MSGBC basin its name an acronym of the five countries that share it Petrosen in Senegal and SMHPM in Mauritania have become increasingly effective stewards of offshore development, gaining both operational experience and credibility through partnerships in major LNG and oil projects. These examples show that when NOCs are empowered, commercially disciplined, and properly aligned with international partners, they become critical enablers of sector expansion rather than administrative bottlenecks. The coming years will determine whether the Atlantic margins Cretaceous resurgence becomes a sustained trend or a short-lived burst of activity. Success will depend on countries maintaining transparent regulatory frameworks, enabling NOCs to mature into more commercially agile institutions, and creating an environment where frontier exploration remains both technically and politically investable. With global capital becoming more selective, West Africa has a compelling story to tell, but converting interest into projects will require consistency, coordination, and a clear understanding that geological advantage alone is no longer enough. By W. Schreiner Parker, Head of Emerging Markets & NOCs at Rystad Energy. More Top Reads From Oilprice.com This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An illustration of a young solar system immersed in high-energy cosmic rays from a nearby supernova. Unlike considering only direct injection of supernova ejecta, this process naturally explains key radioactive nuclei without destroying the protoplanetary disk. Credit: R. Sawada (AI-assisted illustration) How common are Earth-like planets in the universe? When I started working on supernova explosions, I never imagined that my research would eventually lead me to ask a question about the origin of Earth-like planets. Yet that is exactly where it brought me. For decades, planetary scientists have believed that the early solar system was enriched with short-lived radioactive elementssuch as aluminum-26by a nearby supernova. These radioactive elements played a crucial role in forming water-depleted rocky planets such as Earth. Their decay heated young planetesimals, causing them to lose much of their originally accreted water and other volatile materials. There was just one problem that kept bothering me. The classic "injection" scenario requires an extraordinary coincidence. The supernova must explode at just the right distanceclose enough to deliver radioactive material, but not so close that it destroys the fragile protoplanetary disk. The geometry must also be finely tuned so that the material is injected efficiently. In other words, Earth's birth appeared to depend on an event that was possible, but extremely rare. As a researcher working on supernova physics and cosmic rays, this explanation felt incomplete. Supernovae are not just explosions that eject material. They are also some of the most powerful particle accelerators in the universe. Their shock waves generate enormous numbers of high-energy particlescosmic raysthat propagate far beyond the expanding debris. Yet in most models of solar system formation, these particles were largely ignored. I began to wonder: what if the young solar system was not simply hit by supernova ejecta, but was also immersed in a bath of cosmic rays? In our recent study published in Science Advances, my colleagues and I explored this idea using numerical simulations of cosmic-ray acceleration and nuclear reactions. When cosmic rays interact with the protosolar disk, they can trigger nuclear reactions that naturally produce short-lived radioactive elements, including aluminum-26. What surprised us was how well this mechanism worked. The required amounts of radioactive elements are produced at distances of about one parsec from a supernovaa distance that is entirely typical in star clusters. At these distances, the protosolar disk remains intact. There is no need for an extraordinarily lucky injection event. The young solar system simply had to exist in the same stellar nursery as a massive star that later exploded. We call this mechanism a "cosmic-ray bath." From a physical perspective, it is a much more universal process. Many sun-like stars form in clusters. Many clusters contain massive stars. Many massive stars explode as supernovae. If cosmic-ray baths are common in such environments, then the thermal histories that shaped Earth's interior may be common as well. This realization has broader implications. If Earth-like planets require an extremely rare supernova encounter, then water-depleted rocky planets might be exceptional. But if cosmic-ray immersion is sufficientand commonthen the conditions that helped shape Earth may arise around a large fraction of sun-like stars. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Of course, our work does not claim that supernova guarantees every habitable planet. Many factors still matter, including disk lifetime, cluster structure, and stellar dynamics. But what our results show is that Earth's formation may not have depended on an almost miraculous coincidence. For me, this study was a reminder of how interconnected astrophysical processes are. A phenomenon usually studied in high-energy astrophysicscosmic-ray accelerationturns out to be central to questions in planetary science and habitability. Sometimes, the key to understanding where we come from lies not in adding more complexity, but in noticing what we have been overlooking. This story is part of Science X Dialog, where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate. Publication details Ryo Sawada et al, Cosmic-ray bath in a past supernova gives birth to Earth-like planets, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adx7892 Journal information: Science Advances I am an astrophysicist (ICRR fellow, Ph.D) at the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo. My research focuses on supernova explosions, cosmic-ray acceleration, and nuclear processes in astrophysical environments. By combining models of high-energy astrophysics with planetary science, I study how violent astrophysical events influence the formation and evolution of planetary systems. I am particularly interested in connecting supernovae with the origin of Earth-like planets and habitability. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain When prison inmates break the rules, they may be placed in solitary confinementsometimes for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Although it is frequently criticized, disciplinary segregation is still widely used in Quebec's provincial jails. The purpose of disciplinary measures is to encourage offenders to change their behavior and not repeat the misconduct (such as violence, insubordination or possession of prohibited items). But does segregation achieve this? A recent meta-analysis published in Aggression and Violent Behavior casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of disciplinary confinement: it does not, in fact, reduce the likelihood of further misconduct once the offender is returned to the general prison population. What's more, it may actually increase recidivism. "Across the groups studied, the overall effect was nil, or even negative," said study co-author Dr. Alexandre Dumais, a clinical professor in Universite de Montreal's Department of Psychiatry and Addiction. When inmates placed in solitary confinement were compared with inmates with similar criminal profiles who were not, it was found that the likelihood of repeated misconduct was higher in the first group, he noted. Almost no social contact Disciplinary confinement often means spending 23 hours a day alone in a cell with very few activities, only limited access to a phone and almost no social contact. For people who are already in a fragile state because of incarceration, the additional break from the outside world, enforced idleness and perceived injustice create a "perfect cocktail of psychological suffering," said Dumais. This effect is particularly pronounced in people with mental health issues (psychotic disorders, depression, borderline personality disorder, etc.), he added. "These individuals, who are already vulnerable, are less likely to learn from punishment," said Dumais, a psychiatrist at the Philippe-Pinel forensic psychiatric hospital and the Montreal University Institute of Mental Health. "For them, segregation is likely to breed anger, frustration and deterioration of psychological well-being." Dumais also noted that many incarcerated individuals had childhoods marred by traumatic experiences, violence or abandonment at an early age. "Adding punishments to the burden they already carry is unlikely to bring about lasting change in their behavior," he said. Alternatives are available Removing an agitated or disruptive person can help calm the situation temporarily, Dumais acknowledged. But it also creates a ticking time bomb: the inmate remains unstable. While there are no simple solutions to preventing escalation, Dumais believes there are alternatives that would have more positiveand lastingeffects. The main idea is to shift from a punitive mindset to a supervised mental health care approach, in a provincial prison environment where resources are often scant. For example, controlled withdrawal areas could be set up where agitated inmates could be managed without being completely confined, Dumais suggested. These areas could provide access to a telephone, support workers, care and some activities (such as reading, games and hygiene). Dumais also believes that treatment outside the prison, at facilities such as psychiatric hospitals, would be advisable in some cases. "It's also important to intervene quickly," he added. "Waiting several hours for a basic need to be met while in segregation can be extremely stressful." More information Laura Dellazizzo et al, Does disciplinary confinement fulfill its objectives? A meta-analysis on the effects of disciplinary confinement on misconduct and recidivism, Aggression and Violent Behavior (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2025.102097 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: 200 hours Yoga TTC in Rishikesh from Pexels The dangers of heat and humidity are so well known it's become cliche to mention them. But the impacts can extend farther than even scientists and doctors realized. In a paper published in Science Advances, researchers at UC Santa Barbara looked at the effect of prenatal exposure to extremely hot, humid conditions on the health of children in South Asia. They found that humidity worsens the impacts of heat exposure, in part because it prevents pregnant women from cooling down. Accounting for humidity quadrupled the effect of extreme heat on child health. "Exposure to hot, humid conditions in-utero is dangerous for child health, and more dangerous than just hot temperatures alone," said lead author Katie McMahon, a doctoral student under Professor Kathy Baylis in the Geography Department. By focusing on the effects of temperature only, many researchers, doctors and public health officials may be underestimating the true impacts of extreme weather. This is particularly concerning given that these conditions are predicted to become more frequent and extreme due to climate change. What's more, some of the most densely populated regions on Earth are hot, humid areas along rivers and coastlines. Populations are also growing rapidly in many of these locations. Fortunately, understanding this phenomenon can help guide interventions. Even simple actions could have significant benefits, the authors claim. patial distribution of prenatal heat exposure in South Asia. Each point represents a cluster (N = 29,357) from the DHS. Point color is determined by the average number of days in each heat category experienced during trimesters 1 to 3 by 0-to-5 year olds in each cluster. (A) Percentage of total days that exceeded neither heat threshold. (B) Percentage of days that were extreme by both definitions. (C) Percentage of days with maximum temperatures (Tmax) above 35C but maximum wet-bulb globe temperatures (WBGTmax) below 29C. (D) Percentage with WBGTmax > 29C but Tmax < 35C. Credit: Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adx3010 How we measure matters Humidity in the forecast doesn't just make heat more miserable; the "feels like" temperature has an actual basis in our biology. Humans cool by sweating. But evaporation slows when air is humid. "And when evaporation can't happen, then cooling can't happen," McMahon said. "All that heat builds up in our bodies, causing heat stress." And this can happen at much lower temperatures under humid conditions. That's why the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was invented in the 1950s. Unlike a simple temperature measurement, this metric accounts for four of factors that affect heat stress: air temperature, humidity, radiant heat sources, and airflow. This is precisely what McMahon and her co-authors tracked in their investigation. As for the health effects, the authors looked at height-for-age: a ratio of a child's height compared to the average for their age. This ratio is a commonly-used indicator of chronic health status for children under age five. The researchers culled data on child health data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), a large-scale and comprehensive household survey of public health and demographics. Their daily weather data was produced by the Climate Hazards Center at UCSB. Much of the work involved linking demographic data and surveys with heat and humidity data to identify prenatal heat exposure. After this, the authors ran the data through their statistical models with carefully selected temperature, humidity and growth thresholds. These thresholds were 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) for temperature and 29 C (84 F) for WBGT. "We needed our hot and hot-humid thresholds to be comparable," McMahon said, "and this approach led us to two thresholds that occur with nearly equal frequency in South Asia." The researchers found that exposure to extreme heat was bad, but humidity made outcomes even worse. For example, looking at exposure during the third trimester revealed that heat and humidity was approximately four times worse than heat alone, Baylis explained. The results suggest that a child who experienced a one-standard deviation increase in heat and humidity in the year before birth would be 13% shorter for their age than expected. In contrast, a one-standard-deviation increase in extreme heat exposure translated to a 1% reduction in height for age. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The pregnancy factor Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to heat stress for a number of reasons. The added weight causes them to produce more heat, and hormonal changes also make them more vulnerable to overheating. Combining these with the effects of high humidity can spell real trouble for a woman and her future child. The worst times were very early and very late in pregnancy, the team found. "At the beginning of pregnancy, the fetus is very vulnerable," McMahon explained, "while at the end of pregnancy, the mother is more vulnerable." For example, heat stress can induce premature labor late in pregnancy, leading to infants who are not yet fully developed. This setback could then carry on into childhood, causing developmental issues and poor health that are never fully overcome. On the opposite end, a particularly risky time for heat exposure was right around the beginning of pregnancy, possibly even right before conception. A woman herself may not know she's in this critical time for her future child, or that she's pregnant at all. Across cultures, women late in pregnancy are often treated with particular care, "but my guess is that almost nobody appreciated these risks during the first trimesterincluding me, before this study," said co-author Chris Funk, Director of the Climate Hazards Center. Robust results The authors acknowledge that the paper has several limitations. For instance, they weren't able to access exact birth dates and pregnancy lengths, so they can't completely account for the effects of premature births. For instance, if a baby were born a month premature, they would actually be about 0.9 years old developmentally at their first birthday. The researchers said that they would love better, more granular health data from more regions. Still, the team also says the study's findings are strong enough to make causal claims. They checked their results under a variety of alternative thresholds and considered other factors that may have influenced their findings. "We show versions of the results that use five different sets of alternative thresholds," McMahon said. "No matter the threshold, our main conclusion remained the same." They even looked at the effect of prenatal WBGT on birthrates and infant mortality. "It does not look like early death or failed pregnancies are seriously impacting the results of our study," Funk said. Far-reaching ramifications The results have a number of implications. Assessing risk based solely on temperature misses humid coastlines and river valleys. "These are literally the cradles of civilization," Funk said. "And so they're the most densely populated places on the planet." Scientists have estimated that about 38% of the global population lived within 100 kilometers of the coast as of 2018, and an even higher percentage live in close proximity to a river or lake. South Asiaa region of over 1.7 billion peoplecould be hit particularly hard in the coming years. If exposed to conditions expected by 2050 under a high-emissions scenario, around 3.5 million children would've experienced stunting in the study region alone. "Even if societies succeed in limiting warming to 2C above preindustrial levels, South Asia is expected to suffer from deadly heat events every year," the authors write. What's more, a lot of research on the effects of extreme weather looks at deaths rather than health impacts. "But, extreme weather harms many more people than it kills," McMahon said. Focusing only on mortality leaves out a large part of how these conditions affect people's lives. "This affects our calculus of the cost of climate change for human health and society overall." Poor health also generates large economic impacts, which can be multigenerational, creating a cycle of further poverty and poor health, Funk explained. "The picture painted by this research is grim, but it could lead to a lot of potentially positive interventions." It's important to note that many vicious cycles are virtuous cycles run in reverse, meaning that small interventions could yield dramatic, far-reaching effects. Relatively simple education and messaging campaigns could produce big increases in resilience and adaptive behaviors, the researchers said. Funk and his colleagues at the Climate Hazards Center are working on extreme heat forecasting and early warning systems, such as a project with the Kenyan meteorological department to improve the forecasts for the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya. By tracking WBGT, the organization running the refugee camp can take adaptive measures when a heat wave is imminent. The center is also studying the conditions that drive these heat waves to understand their connection to regional weather systems. The team is working with Microsoft's AI for Good Lab to harness machine learning for weather modeling to forecasting conditions in refugee camps. Baylis's group is investigating how hazards compound upon each other, such as the effects of heat and air pollution. McMahon will look into some of the nuances of heat exposure, such as which mothers, babies and children are most vulnerable to this hazard, as well as how these disparities may evolve in the future. McMahon also plans to continue investigating the effect of heat and humidity on vulnerable populations, including farmworkers in California. She will work with a group of health clinics in the Salinas Valley to understand how extreme these conditions affect rates of heat-related medical visits in farm-working communities. Heat stress among farmworkers is well documented in the media and a number of qualitative studies, she said, but this work will help quantify this serious health problem in one of California's key agricultural regions. Publication details Kathryn McMahon et al, Does humidity matter? Prenatal heat and child health in South Asia, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adx3010 Journal information: Science Advances Key concepts Hot TemperatureHumidity KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 21, 2025 In a significant move to bolster regional stability and economic growth, Nepal and Bangladesh are expanding their bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including energy trade, investment, and tourism. During the NepalBangladesh Economic Cooperation program, hosted by the Embassy of Nepal in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, the Nepali Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ghanashyam Bhandari, noted that ties between the two nations are on a steady upward trajectory. He highlighted that the relationship is transitioning from diplomatic dialogue into practical, high-impact ventures. Ambassador Bhandari emphasized that the private sector must serve as the primary engine for this deepening partnership, urging Bangladeshi business leaders in Rajshahi to engage more closely with their Nepali counterparts to unlock the region's untapped potential. Furthering this strategic roadmap, First Secretary Yojana Bomjan identified priority areas for collaboration, such as streamlining power exports, encouraging cross-border investment in infrastructure, and enhancing tourism connectivity to boost people-to-people exchanges. This vision was reinforced by a diverse assembly of over 120 participants, including government officials, representatives from chambers of commerce, and tourism operators from across the Rajshahi division. The overarching consensus among these stakeholders highlighted that increased cooperation between Kathmandu and Dhakaspecifically through regional hubs like Rajshahiis essential for navigating modern economic challenges and fostering a more integrated and prosperous South Asian economy. Geneva: Expressing serious concern over the current volatile situation in Bangladesh erupted after the murder of a young leader, the global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) urges the caretaker government in Dhaka to ensure safety & security to the media fraternity across the south Asian country. Condemning the incidents, where a digital media editor Imdadul Haque Milon (45) was killed and an unruly mob attacked two newspaper-offices (Prothom Alo and The Daily Star) in the capital city on Thursday night, the PEC also slams the physical abusers of New Age editor Nurul Kabir, who along with some media professionals tried to prevent the vandals. Milon, who used to work for online news portal Bartaman Somoy was targeted by four motorcycle-born armed men at Shalua market on 18 December evening. Seriously injured Milon was rushed to Khulna medical college hospital, where the Shalua Press Club office bearer was declared brought dead by the attending doctors. He is the 163rd journo-victims globally and fifth casualty in Bangladesh after Assaduzzaman Tuhin, Bibhuranjan Sarkar, Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu and Khandahar Shah Alam till date this year. "We condemn the shooting down of journalist Imdadul Haque Milon. Moreover, the midnight vandalism and arson attacks on Dhaka-based prominent Bengali daily Prothom Alo and acclaimed English newspaper The Daily Star, when many employees including journalists were still working, is horrible and it deserves to be denounced with strongest words. Both the dailies even couldn't publish the Friday edition," said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC (pressemblem.ch), adding that it should be termed as an assault on freedom of the press, which needs to be protected by the government as the Muslim majority nation prepares for the general election on 12 February 2026. PEC's south and southeast Asian representative Nava Thakuria informed that an unprecedented violence broke out in the country soon after the interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus confirmed the demise of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi in Singapore, where he was airlifted for advanced treatment following a bullet injury in Dhaka. Hadi came to public notice during the student-led mass uprising last year which ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina compelling the Awami League leader to flee to neighboring India for shelter. Meanwhile, Prof Yunus talked to both the editors and assured support & security assistance. MOSCOW (AP) President Vladimir Putin emphasized Friday that Moscows troops were advancing across the battlefield in Ukraine and voiced confidence the Kremlin would achieve its goals militarily if Kyiv doesn't agree to Russia's conditions in peace talks. Speaking at his tightly orchestrated annual news conference that lasted about 4 1/2 hours, Putin declared that Russian forces have fully seized strategic initiative and would make more gains by year's end. In the early days of the conflict in 2022, Ukraine's forces thwarted an attempt by Russias larger, better-equipped army, to capture the capital of Kyiv. But the fighting soon settled into grinding battles, and Moscow's troops have made slow and steady progress over the years. Putin frequently touts this progress even though it's not the lightning advance many expected. Our troops are advancing all across the line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in some others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors, Putin said at the live news conference, which is combined with a nationwide call-in show that offers Russians across the country the opportunity to ask questions of their leader. Putin, 73, has ruled the country for 25 years and uses the event to cement his power and air his views on domestic and global affairs during a broadcast that mixes criticism of the West with promises of more social payments. Although he is sometimes asked about his personal life, he gives scant details. This year, the news conference took place against the backdrop of a peace plan in Ukraine put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite the extensive diplomatic push, Washingtons efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv. While the event has previously focused heavily on domestic questions and has offered Putin a chance to expound on topics from the price of eggs to water cuts Ukraine dominated it this year. Since it is highly choreographed, that could reflect the Kremlins desire to assuage the public after nearly four years of fighting. Russian demands remain unchanged Putin praised Trump's peace efforts and reaffirmed that Moscow was ready for a peaceful settlement that would address the root causes of the conflict, a reference to the Kremlins tough conditions for a deal. He said he has agreed to make certain compromises and uneasy decisions at the Alaska summit with Trump in August but didn't elaborate. He wants all the areas in four key regions captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He has also insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscows forces havent captured yet. Kyiv has publicly rejected all these demands. The Kremlin has also insisted that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO and warned that it wouldn't accept the deployment of any troops from members of the military alliance members and would view them as legitimate target. Putin also has repeatedly said Ukraine must limit the size of its army and give official status to the Russian language demands he has made from the outset of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to drop Ukraines bid to join NATO if the U.S. and other Western nations give Kyiv security guarantees similar to those offered to alliance members. But at the same time, he has emphasized that Ukraine believes NATO membership remains the best security guarantee. The United States dont see us in NATO, for now," Zelenskyy said this week. Politicians change. Commenting on Zelenskyy's statement that he was ready to call a presidential election if a ceasefire is established, Putin responded that Russia has held elections without demanding a truce. He said that Moscow was ready to consider the issue and could agree to halt attacks deep inside Ukraine on the election day, but noted that millions of Ukrainians living in Russia must have the right to vote. Ukraine introduced martial law banning elections, but Russia hasn't made such a move. Putin rebuffed Western claims about purported Russian plans to attack European nations as sheer nonsense aimed at deflecting public attention from domestic problems. He particularly singled out NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte for his statements about the Kremlin's aggressive intentions, pointing out Trump's recently published national security strategy that doesnt name Russia as a direct adversary. How can you prepare NATO for a war with Russia if the main member of NATO doesn't consider us as an enemy? Putin said. He alleged that European elites impudently backed Trump's Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and now hope the U.S. political landscape will change after the midterm elections to Congress, helping raise pressure on the White House. Putin says seizing Russian assets will backfire As it faces grinding Russian advances across the front line and relentless attacks on its energy facilities, Ukraine desperately cash infusions from its Western allies. On Friday, European Union leaders agreed to provide a massive interest-free loan, but they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. The leaders tried to reassure Belgium, where most of the frozen assets are held, that they would protect it from any retaliation from Moscow if it backed the plan, but the leaders eventually opted to borrow the money on capital markets. Using Russian assets to help Kyiv would have amounted to robbery, Putin said, adding that the move would have spooked investors, dealing not only an image blow but undermining confidence in the eurozone. Putin says troop numbers are strong Putin said the flow of volunteer soldiers has remained strong, topping 400,000 this year. It was not possible to independently verify that claim since little is known about the recruitment effort. But the government offers relatively high pay and extensive benefits that have helped swell troop ranks. The Kremlin says it exclusively relies on volunteers to fight in Ukraine, but some media reports and rights groups have said that military officers often coerce conscripts into signing military contracts. Asked by a soldiers widow about slow pension payments, Putin apologized and vowed the issue would be quickly resolved a typical exchange at the annual event, which he often uses to show his command of a wide array of subjects and his ability to solve problems. The news conference featured questions from journalists in the Gostinny Dvor amphitheater as well as via video links from across Russia. A young man in a red bow tie who held a placard saying he wanted to get married used his question to Putin to propose to his girlfriend. Later, one of the anchors hosting the event reported that she had answered yes, and Putin joked about collecting money for the wedding. December 9, 2025: In August Finnish prosecutors charged the captain and two senior officers of the tanker Eagle S with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications by dragging the ships anchor for 90 kilometers along the subsurface terrain. This ruptured the Estlink 2 undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia as well as four internet lines. Prompt repairs to restore service cost $70 million, with complete restoration of power and internet service costing even more. Nations bordering the Baltic Sea have been nervously anticipating and preparing for sabotage after a string of outages of power cables, gas pipelines and telecoms, although subsea infrastructure is also subject to technical malfunctions and outages caused by accidents. The Eagle S disruption caused serious risks to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland The year began with a fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden being damaged by parties unknown. Over the last few years more than a dozen Baltic Sea underwater cables have been damaged or cut. These cables can be repaired in a few weeks, but local Coast Guard officials consider most of these incidents deliberate and that makes them criminal. Over the last year there have been several underwater cables cut in the Baltic Sea. The damage was done using anchors dragged across the seabed. The common factor in all this was Russia and its oil smuggling operation. The economic sanctions on Russia because of the Ukraine War have made Russia desperate. Russia has a fleet of tankers that operate in the shadows to smuggle Russian oil. The more the Russians carry out these acts, the more the sanctions are increased. Countries bordering the Baltic formed a force of patrol boats that patrolled areas where underwater cables were. If a Russian ship moved into the area anyway, local navies would send out a warship and board the Russian vessel for a chat. Russia is not the first nation to attack the hundreds of underwater cable networks around the world. In 2009 the U.S. Navy found itself defending underwater Internet cables. That's where most of the planet's Internet traffic spends most of its time, as it travels from continent to continent via fiber-optic cables. The navy proposed to undertake more aggressive operations to prevent terrorists, or hostile nations, from trying to cut these cables. AFP When Sudanese nurse Asmaa returned to the Darfur city of El-Fasher, she found only bodies where her neighbours once lived and no sign of the family she had come to save. The Rapid Support Forces, battling Sudan's military since April 2023, seized the army's last stronghold in Darfur on October 26 in a bloody offensive marked by executions, atrocities, pillaging and rape. Since then, an RSF-imposed communications blackout has sealed El-Fasher off from the outside world. Little has been known since RSF fighters posted images eight weeks ago showing mass killings that shocked the world. AFP managed to speak to two residents inside the city via satellite internet, collected accounts from two aid groups that gained rare access, and analysed satellite imagery to piece together an image of El-Fasher under the RSF. More than 106,000 people have fled El-Fasher since the takeover, while between 70,000 and 100,000 remain trapped, according to the World Food Programme. Asmaa fled the city on the Sunday it fell to the RSF, but was detained with 11 others near the South Darfur capital Nyala and released only after paying a $3,000 ransom. Instead of escaping for good, she went back to El-Fasher, and has spent five weeks searching for her brothers, brother-in-law and several cousins, amid reports of thousands still detained in the city. "I do not know if they are detained or dead. I just keep looking in shelters, schools, everywhere," she told AFP. What she has found instead is a city "terrifying and full of bodies". Her own home has been "completely destroyed". Asked by a neighbour to check on his family, she entered their house and found "two bodies inside". She recognised them as his cousins, and ran in terror. "They were still fresh," she said. Near her home, she saw deep burial pits she says were used to "erase evidence of killings". Satellite imagery analysed by AFP corroborates her account, revealing an increasing number of what look like graves in a 3,600-square-metre area near UNICEF headquarters. Grave-shaped earth disturbances in the area controlled by the RSF since early October, have continued to increase from September. - 'Completely empty' - What little is known about conditions in El-Fasher is "beyond horrific", the WFP said, citing accounts of burned bodies, abandoned markets and roads littered with mines. A Red Crescent volunteer, speaking to AFP anonymously from the city, said his team entered El-Fasher on December 4 and buried "bodies scattered" across streets and buildings, with new corpses reported daily. Satellite analysis from late November by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) revealed "piles of objects consistent with human bodies", being moved around, buried and burned, with RSF forces present, its director Nathaniel Raymond told AFP. In areas once bustling with activity, streets are now empty. An analysis of recent satellite images by AFP shows no visible activity at four main markets across the city in mid-December, areas that were busy before the war began. Ismail, who returned to El-Fasher from the nearby town of Garni five weeks after the takeover, described a deserted neighbourhood, his home partially damaged and stripped bare. "The area is completely empty. When I go out to get something, I fear for my family," Ismail told AFP, using a pseudonym for his safety. For 18 months under siege, civilians in El-Fasher eked out a meagre existence on animal feed and cowhide. The UN confirmed famine last month, and the city has received virtually no aid. One of the few groups granted access, Malam Darfur Peace and Development Organisation, told AFP it delivered food and blankets on December 2 but found a severe shortage of water, food and medicine. - Trapped inside - Doctors without Borders (MSF) teams in the refugee town of Tawila, 70 kilometres west, say they have received numerous fresh reports of kidnappings inside El-Fasher and along escape routes. "The RSF wants to keep people inside," MSF emergency coordinator Myriam Laaroussi told AFP, adding that many attempting to leave recently were forced back. Those who make it recount families paying ransoms, men tortured or shot, parents killed and children left unaccompanied, she said. The RSF has dismissed accusations as "fabricated narratives", claimed it was investigating and sought to broadcast a different image of El-Fasher under their rule. In videos, they boast "reconstruction" campaigns, a new police station and inspections of the city's water plant, while urging residents to resume "normal" life. The conflict in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions more and unleashed a new litany of horrors on the people of Darfur, long-scarred by the atrocities committed in the early 2000s by the RSF's predecessor, the Janjaweed. KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 21, 2025 In a significant display of global and national commitment to mental well-being, Nepal joined the international community today to celebrate the second annual World Meditation Day. Various programs are being held across the country to celebrate the day. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology organized a massive public meditation session at Sainik Manch, Tundikhel, drawing participants from across the capital on Sunday morning. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also recognized meditationspecifically mindfulness meditationas a critical evidence-based self-care tool. The WHO stated that incorporating even a few minutes of meditation into a daily routine can significantly aid in stress management, reduce symptoms of anxiety, and enhance overall cognitive focus. Mexico and the U.S. sign agreement to address Tijuana-San Diego border sanitation issue Mexico City, Mexico Mexico and the U.S. signed agreement to address the Tijuana-San Diego border sanitation issue. According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the agreement advances comprehensive border sanitation efforts in the Tijuana-San Diego region. The actions will significantly reduce discharges of untreated wastewater and sediment into the Tijuana River and the Pacific Ocean, benefiting the environment and the health of the border population. On December 15, 2025, through Minute 333 of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), entitled Comprehensive Actions to Address the Border Sanitation Problem in Tijuana, Baja California San Diego, California, both governments formalized a clear roadmap for binational collaboration to address this long-standing problem in a comprehensive, structural and long-term manner. The Minute was signed in the city of Tijuana and received the approval of both governments, and has therefore entered into force. This agreement establishes a set of technical, financial and governance actions to implement specific sanitation projects in Tijuana, including new sediment treatment and control infrastructure, which will have a positive impact on public health, the environment and the beaches of Tijuana and San Diego. It also establishes long-term water management planning for the area through a master plan and comprehensive technical studies that will allow for anticipating urban growth and preventing future crises. In the agreement, the United States will assume financial co-responsibility, through the North American Development Bank (NADB), to ensure the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure on the Mexican side and prevent its deterioration over time. This new framework reaffirms that the solution to border sanitation does not fall on a single country, but is a shared responsibility. This agreement continues the Memorandum of Understanding signed on July 24, 2025 in Mexico City, between the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico, Alicia Barcena Ibarra, and the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, strengthening the framework of technical and institutional cooperation between both countries. Mexico reaffirms its commitment to working with the United States, within a framework of cooperation and mutual respect, to advance lasting solutions that contribute to the well-being of border communities and the strengthening of the bilateral relationship. Riviera Maya News serving Quintana Roo Mexico since 2014 Your online newspaper New direct Calgary-Cozumel route makes inaugural landing on island Cozumel, Q.R. A new direct Calgary to Cozumel flight landed at the islands international airport for the first time Saturday. Governor Mara Lezama says the new direct flight from Canada boosts air connectivity and tourism in Cozumel. As a result of the intense efforts and promotional actions promoted and driven by Governor Mara Lezama, the inaugural flight of the Calgary-Cozumel route, operated by WestJet airline, arrived at the islands international airport on December 20, the CGC (Coordinacion General de Comunicacion) said in a statement Sunday. Governor Mara Lezama noted that the new air connections represent more visitors, more jobs, more well-being and shared prosperity for the residents of the island and Quintana Roo. Westjet is seen here landing at Cozumel International December 20, 2025. In accordance with protocols, state and municipal authorities, directors and guests of the Cozumel International Airport, headed by President Jose Luis Chacon Mendez, welcomed the first arrival. Starting December 20, WestJet becomes the airline connecting Cozumel with Calgary in Canada with one weekly flight using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with a capacity for 174 passengers. Passengers can enjoy 12 premium cabins and 162 in economy class. The direct flight was greeted by local authorities. December 20, 2025. The new direct route further expands Cozumels air connectivity. WestJet currently offers flights to the island from Toronto and now Calgary as part of its expansion into sun and beach destinations, operating seasonal routes. Riviera Maya News serving Quintana Roo Mexico since 2014 Your online newspaper 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51 Posted on 21 December 2025 by BaerbelW, Doug Bostrom A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 14, 2025 thru Sat, December 20, 2025. Story of the week As you can see below, five of the six articles in the Climate Policy and Politics category are about the plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. If you live in the US and would like to speak out against this ill-advised plan, you can do so via the action page provided by AGU, the American Geophysical Union: Speak Out to Save NCAR today! Stories we promoted this week, by category: Climate Policy and Politics (6 articles) Climate Change Impacts (5 articles) Miscellaneous (4 articles) 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50 A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 7, 2025 thru Sat, December 13, 2025. Skeptical Science, Barbel Winkler & Doug Bostrom, Dec 14, 2025. A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 7, 2025 thru Sat, December 13, 2025. Skeptical Science, Barbel Winkler & Doug Bostrom, Dec 14, 2025. Climate Change Is Threatening Christmas Classics From ramping up hot chocolate prices to threatening reindeer populations, global warming is taking a toll on the holiday season. Inside Climate News, Kiley Price, Dec 16, 2025. From ramping up hot chocolate prices to threatening reindeer populations, global warming is taking a toll on the holiday season. Inside Climate News, Kiley Price, Dec 16, 2025. DE Foolproof: How to Build Resistance to Misinformation A discussion between Matthew Facciani and Sander van der Linden about misinformation "Misguided" on Youtube, Matthew Facciani, Dec 18, 2025. A discussion between Matthew Facciani and Sander van der Linden about misinformation "Misguided" on Youtube, Matthew Facciani, Dec 18, 2025. The Holiday Misinformation Survival Guide Advice that also maps to climate: when to set the record straight, and when to just pass the rolls. MedPageToday.com - medical news for physicians, editorial@medpagetoday.com (Editor), Dec 20, 2025. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (4 articles) Climate Science and Research (3 articles) Analysis: What are the causes of recent record-high global temperatures? The past three years have been exceptionally warm globally. Carbon Brief, Zeke Hausfather, Dec 10, 2025. The past three years have been exceptionally warm globally. Carbon Brief, Zeke Hausfather, Dec 10, 2025. Emergence vs Detection & Attribution Skeptical Science, Ken Rice, Dec. 15, 2025. Skeptical Science, Ken Rice, Dec. 15, 2025. Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2025 As always we highlight intriguing open access research reports, this week including how air over the Arctic is traveling through the region more rapidly and lessons from Canada about climate solutions delay and how better to prevent it. Skeptical Science, Doug Bostrom & Marc Kodack , Dec 18, 2025. Climate Law and Justice (2 articles) Public Misunderstandings about Climate Solutions (2 articles) Climate Education and Communication (1 article) Free online courses teach health professionals about climate change and health The program helps them talk about the problem and how it affects health with patients. Yale Climate Connections, YCC Team, Dec 15, 2025. International Climate Conferences and Agreements (1 article) `A shift no country can ignore`: where global emissions stand, 10 years after the Paris climate agreement The watershed summit in 2015 was far from perfect, but its impact so far has been significant and measurable The Guardian, Fiona Harvey, Dec 13, 2025. In Slates annual Movie Club, film critic Dana Stevens emails with fellow criticsfor 2025, Justin Chang, Alison Willmore, and Bilge Ebiriabout the year in cinema. Greetings, my never-undesirable friends, The last time I joined the Movie Club was five years ago, during that first COVID-impacted winter of 2020a rather different season of turmoil for the movies, the media, and democracy, and not one I ever thought Id look back upon with anything approaching nostalgia. In the preamble to my own list of the best 25 films of 2025, I wondered, to little avail, about how a year of such thoroughgoing existential gloom, especially concerning the future of the film industry, could also have been a year of such staggering cinematic richesin sheer numbers, at least, the most robustly rewarding movie year I can recall since before the pandemic. Were so back! Also, were so fucked! The cognitive whiplash is real. In any case, Im glad to be with you all and grateful for any opportunity to pore over this medium that we love and will continue to love, stubbornly, to its final breath. As will, Im sure, Steven Soderbergh, who, for all his oft-expressed pessimism about the industry, continues to churn out work that feels like a paragon of wit, elegance, and the kind of all-around savoir faire that we used to associate with Hollywood on a more regular basis. Thats certainly true of the spectacularly fleet and witty Black Bag, starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as British intelligence agents whose marriage comes under stealth attack from a mole. What ensues is a tour de force of sex, lies, and data scraping, Edward Albee by way of John le Carre, in which our lead agents try to suss out which of their deviously smart and sexy colleagues could be the culprit. Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, and Rege-Jean Page are all in top form, though the ensemble revelation has to be Marisa Abela, whose immortal delivery of a single line (My God, thats so hot) was enough to earn her a lone vote for Best Supporting Performance, from yours truly, at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association meeting earlier this month. (It wasnt nearly enoughthe two awards in that category went to Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another and Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Valuebut hey, its still one more vote than Ariana Grande managed to bag for Wicked: For Goodness Sake Why.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alison, I was delighted to see Black Bag ranked so high on your list; I couldnt keep it off mine or, in the end, extricate it from Presence, the other thriller that Soderbergh and the screenwriter David Koepp released this year, and one no less awash in the pleasures and perils of secret surveillance. (Throw in their terrific tail-end-of-COVID shut-in thriller Kimi, and youd have a magnificently paranoid triple bill.) Im also glad that you mentioned Dag Johan Haugeruds luminous Sex/Love/Dreams trilogy, which Im kicking myself for not including on my list. One of my more obnoxious go-to lines this year has been that, with Dreams in the mix, the much-acclaimed Sentimental Valuewhich I know Dana loves and has written about, beautifullywasnt even the best Norwegian release this year. In Joachim Triers film, Stellan Skarsgard plays a veteran filmmaker seeking to work and reconcile with his two estranged daughters, one of whom (played by Renate Reinsve) is an accomplished stage actress. Its one of several dramas this season about bad showbiz dads and the families they neglect in the selfish pursuit of their arta subgenre capacious enough to include the globe-trotting upper echelons of Hollywood, in Noah Baumbachs alternately sharp and schmaltzy Jay Kelly, and the Globe-trotting glimpse of Elizabethan England, in Chloe Zhaos wildly divisive Hamnet. Advertisement Advertisement As someone trying to be a less bad, less overworked dad himselfand who, while far from sold on Hamnet, wept as copiously at the big Shakespearean climax as Bilge didI dont know what it says about me that Sentimental Value, its faultless performances notwithstanding, left me almost as cold as a Nordic winter. Even as a stealth haunted-house movie, a rumination on how the physical spaces we inhabit accumulate indelible layers of historical, emotional, and psychological memory, it pales beside Mascha Schilinskis much more intricately considered realization of a similar concept in Sound of Falling. (Seeing them both in the space of a week, at this years Cannes Film Festival, admittedly did Triers film no favors.) Beyond that, Sentimental Value struck me as oddly coy about its ostensible subject, the passionately symbiotic relationship between life and artsomething that Trier explored to richer, thornier ends in 2006s Reprise and 2021s The Worst Person in the World, the bookending installments of his own justly celebrated, pre-Haugerud Oslo-based trilogy. Advertisement Advertisement But then, Alison, its possible that the reticence that holds me back from Sentimental Value is precisely the same thing you find off-putting in Sorry, Baby. I loved that film with few reservations, though Im sympathetic to your argumentperhaps more as a general principle than in specific application to Sorry, Baby itselfthat a character study, especially one circling an unspeakable trauma, can lean too heavily on a characters silences, gesturing toward meaning in spaces where none really exists. One critics artful understatement can be anothers maddening emptiness. The crucial difference here may simply be that I loved every minute of Eva Victors performance, every comically arched eyebrow, every sudden dark flash of memory, and every goofily inappropriate punch line burbling up from the depths of God knows where. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate The Years Most Daring, Original Blockbusters All Came From the Same Studio Read More In its destabilizing use of both humor and stillness to examine the lingering aftermath of sexual assault, Sorry, Baby makes a fairly intuitive companion to the equally superb On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, to the point where Im tempted to unwind my list and pair them together. But where Victors film respects the singularity of a traumatic experience, the gifted Zambian-Welsh filmmaker Rungano Nyoni takes a more expansive view. Guinea Fowl is about what happens after the death of a serial rapist in the family: the systematic retraumatization of several young women forced to participate in the long, meaningless charade of mourning their abuser. I was struck by Nyonis ability to convey her tensions and meanings almost entirely in formal termsthe way she sets the quietly watchful face of her star, the remarkable Susan Chardy, so starkly against the mourners weeping-and-wailing group theatrics. I was also struck by the gender-blind comprehensiveness of her indictment; she brings us into a world where the patriarchy exerts its stifling power in no small part through matriarchal bullying. Advertisement Advertisement Ill save Who by Fire for a later dispatchor perhaps Ill kick it over to Bilge, who I know admires this cabin-fever tour de force as much as I do; for now Ill just say that the brilliant Quebecois filmmaker Philippe Lesage is one of the most inexplicably well-kept secrets on the international film scene. Advertisement And, Bilge, while I have you: I love that we both handed the No. 3 slots on our lists to Jia Zhangkes wrenching archival docudrama Caught by the Tides, which, in its epic survey of two decades worth of transformations across not only China but also the motion-picture medium itself, is as inspiring a mascot for cinemas enduring power as anything I can think of. Its startling to see the great Zhao Tao, in the performance of the year (and maybe the past 20-odd years), looking so young and fresh-faced in the rough, degraded digital video of the early sectionsthen so broken and worn down in the sharp, crystalline HD of the later sections. And yet, in a closing scene that feels like an article of faith, she keeps going. The movies, I suspect, will find a way to do the same. Justin Advertisement My top 25, arranged as a set of pairs (and one trio): 1. Sirat 2. One Battle After Another 3. Caught by the Tides 4. Resurrection 5. My Undesirable Friends: Part ILast Air in Moscow 6. The Secret Agent 7. Sound of Falling 8. April 9. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl 10. It Was Just an Accident 11. Cloud 12. Blue Moon 13. Who by Fire 14. Marty Supreme 15. If I Had Legs Id Kick You 16. The Mastermind 17. No Other Choice 18. Sorry, Baby 19. Souleymanes Story 20. Black Bag 21. Presence 22. Misericordia 23. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery 24. Sinners 25. Nouvelle Vague Read the next entry in Movie Club: Some of This Years Most Urgent, Timely Movies Were Remakes. Read all of the entries in Slates 2025 Movie Club. December 19, 2025: Ukraine recently introduced its Magura V7 naval drone, which weighs about 1.2 tons and can carry 650 kg of weapons. Its operational range is a thousand kilometers. The V7 can also be equipped with an electricity generator, enabling it to stay at sea for up to seven days. This model can move at speeds of up to 72 kilometers an hour. Cruising speed is 43 kilometers an hour. Ukrainian naval drones have revolutionized naval warfare that takes place within a few hundred kilometers of a coastline. So far, no other navy has shown much interest in duplicating the Ukrainian success with naval drones. The U.S. Coast Guard has used naval drones to assist in interdicting drug smuggling boats. The U.S. Navy has access to Ukrainian naval drone technology and is paying attention because the Chinese are doing a lot of work on naval drones, including a ship described as a drone carrier, equipped with aerial and naval drones. It all began in 2022 when the Russian Black Sea fleet dominated the Black sea and threatened Ukrainian grain exports, which accounted for 41 percent of its export income. Most of these grain products went to Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ukraine needed to deal with the Black Sea Fleet and do it quickly. The initial problem was that Ukraine did not have much of a navy. They had some patrol boats, which were a nuisance, not an obstacle, to continued Russian control of the Black Sea. Ukraine had a secret weapon, the Magura naval surface drone. About a hundred of these drones defeated the Black Sea fleet. When the war started, the Magura V5 was just a concept, a preliminary design for a one ton 5.5 meter long naval drone. Magura initially used a fishing boat that had a solid waterproof cover added, along with batteries for propulsion. There were sensors and a compartment for 300 kg of explosives or weapons. These include a machine-gun protruding above the drone top while two Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles were in launch tubes, ready to be fired at Russian aircraft or helicopters. Magura has a substantial number of electronic components, including several day/night video cameras that give the remote operator a view of what is around the drone. There is also an autopilot, so the remote operator does not have to personally maneuver the drone over long stretches of open water. Magura is equipped with contact fuses at the front of the boat Most Magura missions are one-way, but those equipped with machine-guns and surface-to-air missiles are also used to attack Russian aircraft. In May a Magura V7 used those two missiles to shoot down two expensive Russian SU-30 jet fighters. This was the first time a naval drone had shot down warplanes. Earlier a Magura had used Ukrainian R-73 heat-seeking missiles to take down one Mi-8 helicopter and damage another. The Ukrainian experience using naval drones to defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet was unique. Ukraine had only surface-to-ship missiles when the war started, but eventually shifted to three new naval drones, Sea Baby, Mother, and MAGURA, or Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus. Some of these naval drones were used for a mid-2023 Kerch Bridge attack. One of the drones varied 850 kg of explosives and inflicted enough damage to halt use of the bridge. The Mother drone carried 450 kg and MAGURA 320 kg. In addition to attacking targets, these drones can also be used for reconnaissance and surveillance using video cameras that broadcast what they see back to the drone operator. Some drones have been armed with small rocket launchers. The Mother drone has a range of over 700 kilometers and can operate on the high seas. Endurance is about 60 hours, and top speed is over 70 kilometers an hour. Mother was used for an attack on the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk, which is a thousand kilometers from Crimea. Ukraine has been developing subsurface drones and in early 2023 the first one, the Toloka2 TK-150 was introduced. This drone was 2.5 meters long and equipped with a sensor mast that remained above the surface for navigation and to identify targets. Toloka2 can also carry a small explosive warhead. Later, Ukraine developed the larger Marichka drone that is six meters long and one meter in diameter. Ukraine sought a Western manufacturer to build and weaponize Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian drones have been quite successful in attacking and sinking or disabling Russian navy ships. So far there have been over a dozen attacks which resulted in sinking or damaging about twenty ships. Ukrainian drone operations in the Black Sea forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to withdraw to the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Sevastopol was no longer a safe place to be, and Russian ships could no longer launch their Kalibr cruise missiles without risking attack by Ukrainian drones. The presence and aggressive use of the drones meant that Ukraines grain corridor was kept open despite Russias threats to interfere. Beyond symbolic significance, the corridor holds critical economic importance for Ukraine and is expected to contribute up to seven percent to GDP growth in 2024 and even more in 2025 because of the grain shipments. Russian countermeasures to Ukrainian naval drones included using aircraft and helicopters to destroy slow-moving drones before they attack, and expanding use of jamming to disrupt drone control signals. These changes made it much more difficult for Ukrainian naval drones to reach and destroy targets. But by 2025 the Russians had already lost control of the Black Sea and were not getting it back. This left Russian warships dependent on bases in the north, near the land border with Norway, and in the Far East, near Japanese and South Korean naval bases. In a post-Cold War development the Japanese and South Korean fleets are now far larger than the Russian Far East fleet. Before the 1990s, the South Korea fleet was largely non-existent and the Japanese fleet tiny and purely defensive. Chinese naval power began to emerge by the late 1990s but took another decade to become a significant force. Then as now, the American western Pacific fleet was the major naval power in the region. The lessons learned by American, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Ukrainian and Russian naval commanders is that these drones have changed the rules for naval warfare. If China tries to invade Taiwan, they have to prepare countermeasures for numerous naval drones blocking the way. Everyone continues to observe Black Sea operations for details on what new tactics, techniques and drones designs appear. The U.S. has an edge because they are a major supporter of Ukraine and are seeking to make the most of their insider knowledge of the Ukrainian naval drone effort. Grit N Grace blasted to the front in the third quarter and left the field behind, soaring to a 4-3/4-length score in the $40,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Dec. 20. Jody Jamieson found the mare a spot in fifth from post 10 as an early break by Style For A Mile (Doug McNair) up front scattered the leading group on the first turn. With several horses left wide, there was a succession of lead changes as Carrera Sunset N (Louis-Philippe Roy) took over from Avyanna (Tyler Borth) after the quarter in :27.4 and So Much More (James MacDonald) reached the engine at the half in :56.4. Jamieson lit the fuse of Grit N Grace at the halfway mark, and the mare exploded past her foes on the final turn, racing three-lengths clear at three-quarters in 1:24.3. She was unthreatened down the stretch and finished the mile under wraps in 1:53, with So Much More battling on for second. Angostura Hanover (Trevor Henry) surged to dead-heat with Avyanna for third. Grit N Grace has reigned over Mohawks top pacing mares for three straight weeks, bolstering her seasonal record to 15 wins in 36 starts for trainer Mike Kwietniowski. The four-year-old Im The Pied Piper-Dragonart mare has won 22 times and earned $409,985 in 52 career outings for owner/breeder Lorraine Rey of St. Claude, Man. She paid $5.40 to win. Trainer Carmen Auciello tripled on the 12-race program. The winners from his barn were Larceny ($13.30), who rallied from a locked-in seventh at the eighth pole for Roy, Hf Pans Shadow ($5.60), who held on by a nose after reaching the front in the stretch for McNair, and Moving On Over ($3.50), whom MacDonald steered to a half-length victory off cover. Auciello now has 98 wins this year in 900 starts. To view Saturdays harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. (Standardbred Canada) Starlink satellite is out of control and tumbling to Earth SpaceX has lost control of one of its Starlink satellites after it suffered a malfunction in orbit, Elon Musks company has warned. The space internet satellite suffered an anomaly on Wednesday, SpaceX said, causing it to break up into a small number of objects. The main part of the Starlink is now tumbling through space and is expected to fall from orbit in the coming weeks. The anomaly led to venting of the propulsion tank, a rapid decay in semi-major axis by about 4km, and the release of a small number of trackable low relative velocity objects, SpaceX said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The satellite is largely intact, tumbling, and will reenter the Earths atmosphere and fully demise within weeks. The objects current trajectory is below the International Space Station (ISS), according to SpaceX, meaning it poses no risk to the crew of the orbiting lab. SpaceX is coordinating with Nasa and the US Space Force to track the satellite. It is one of more than 10,000 satellites that SpaceX has launched for its broadband network since 2019, with around 8,600 currently active and operational. Earlier this week, SpaceX revealed that a Starlink almost collided with another launch by a Chinese competitor, with the two satellites coming within 200 metres of each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been several close calls for Starlink satellites, with experts warning that collisions could become increasingly common as mega constellations like Starlink fill low-Earth orbit. Operational Starlink satellites have onboard thrusters that allow them to manoeuvre if necessary, though it requires space operators to collaborate with each other. Most of the risk of operating in space comes from the lack of coordination between satellite operators this needs to change, said Michael Nicholls, the vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX. Chinese launch provider CAS Space also called for more collaboration between international space agencies and private companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any potential collision could lead to what is known as the Kessler Syndrome, whereby pieces of debris cause countless more collisions in a domino effect that creates an impenetrable layer of debris that traps us on Earth. As SpaceX continues to track the broken Starlink satellite, a company representative said that it is working to figure out what caused the issue in order to avoid it happening again. As the worlds largest satellite constellation operator, we are deeply committed to space safety, SpaceX said in a statement. We take these events seriously. Our engineers are rapidly working to root cause and mitigate the source of the anomaly and are already in the process of deploying software to our vehicles that increases protections against this type of event. Threat hunters have discerned new activity associated with an Iranian threat actor known as Infy (aka Prince of Persia), nearly five years after the hacking group was observed targeting victims in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Turkey. "The scale of Prince of Persia's activity is more significant than we originally anticipated," Tomer Bar, vice president of security research at SafeBreach, said in a technical breakdown shared with The Hacker News. "This threat group is still active, relevant, and dangerous." Infy is one of the oldest advanced persistent threat (APT) actors in existence, with evidence of early activity dating all the way back to December 2004, according to a report released by Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 in May 2016 that was also authored by Bar, along with researcher Simon Conant. The group has also managed to remain elusive, attracting little attention, unlike other Iranian hacking crews such as Charming Kitten, MuddyWater, and OilRig. Attacks mounted by the group have prominently leveraged two strains of malware: a downloader and victim profiler named Foudre that delivers a second-stage implant called Tonnerre to extract data from high-value machines. It's assessed that Foudre is distributed via phishing emails. SafeBreach told The Hacker News that other Iranian nation-state groups focus primarily on organizations and networks for large-scale espionage and operational disruption. They are also known to employ broader reconnaissance and mass-exploitation techniques during early phases of the attack lifecycle. In contrast, Prince of Persia is more "laser-focused" and geared towards targeting individuals for direct surveillance and intelligence. "It specializes in long-term surveillance of high-value targets, such as dissidents and academics," the company said. "Prince of Persia has historically utilized malware to access Telegram chats. While these are encrypted in transit, the group's malware can capture messages directly from a victim's compromised machine." The latest findings from SafeBreach have uncovered a covert campaign that has targeted victims across Iran, Iraq, Turkey, India, and Canada, as well as Europe, using updated versions of Foudre (version 34) and Tonnerre (versions 12-18, 50). The latest version of Tonnerre was detected in September 2025. The attack chains have also witnessed a shift from a macro-laced Microsoft Excel file to embedding an executable within such documents to install Foudre. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the threat actor's modus operandi is the use of a domain generation algorithm (DGA) to make its command-and-control (C2) infrastructure more resilient. In addition, Foudre and Tonnerre artifacts are known to validate if the C2 domain is authentic by downloading an RSA signature file, which the malware then decrypts using a public key and compares with a locally-stored validation file. SafeBreach's analysis of the C2 infrastructure has also uncovered a directory named "key" that's used for C2 validation, along with other folders to store communication logs and the encrypted exfiltrated files. "Every day, Foudre downloads a dedicated signature file encrypted with an RSA private key by the threat actor and then uses RSA verification with an embedded public key to verify that this domain is an approved domain," Bar said. "The request's format is: 'https:///key/.sig.'" Also present in the C2 server is a "download" directory whose current purpose is unknown. It is suspected that it's used to download and upgrade to a new version. The latest version of Tonnerre, on the other hand, includes a mechanism to contact a Telegram group (named "," meaning "proudly" in Persian) through the C2 server. The group has two members: a Telegram bot "@ttestro1bot" that's likely used to issue commands and collect data, and a user with the handle "@ehsan8999100." While the use of the messaging app for C2 is not uncommon, what's notable is that the information about the Telegram group is stored in a file named "tga.adr" within a directory called "t" in the C2 server. It's worth noting that the download of the "tga.adr" file can only be triggered for a specific list of victim GUIDs. "The exact file that stores the 'allowed machine GUIDS' is unknown, it could be an embedded logic inside the index.php under the 'r' folder [used for storing the communication logs] or a separate unknown file," SafeBreach said. "But, after the sent machine GUID is compared and verified to be an allowed machine GUID the server will return an HTTP 302 redirect response with the location equals to tga.adr file and Tonnerre will follow the redirect and download and parse the 'tga.adr' file." Also discovered by the cybersecurity company are other older variants used in Foudre campaigns between 2017 and 2020 - A version of Foudre camouflaged as Amaq News Finder to download and execute the malware A new version of a trojan called MaxPinner that's downloaded by Foudre version 24 DLL to spy on Telegram content A variation of malware called Deep Freeze, similar to Amaq News Finder, is used to infect victims with Foudre An unknown malware called Rugissement "Despite the appearance of having gone dark in 2022, Prince of Persia threat actors have done quite the opposite," SafeBreach said. "Our ongoing research campaign into this prolific and elusive group has highlighted critical details about their activities, C2 servers, and identified malware variants in the last three years." The disclosure comes as DomainTools' continued analysis of Charming Kitten leaks has painted the picture of a hacking group that functions more like a government department, while running "espionage operations with clerical precision." The threat actor has also been unmasked as behind the Moses Staff persona. "APT 35, the same administrative machine that runs Tehran's long-term credential-phishing operations, also ran the logistics that powered Moses Staffs ransomware theatre," the company said. "The supposed hacktivists and the government cyber-unit share not only tooling and targets but also the same accounts-payable system. The propaganda arm and the espionage arm are two products of a single workflow: different projects under the same internal ticketing regime." (The story was updated after publication with additional responses from SafeBreach.) As Europe seeks to curb its dependence on China for rare earths, plans to mine the continent's biggest deposit have hit a roadblock over fears that mining operations could harm endangered beetles, mosses and mushrooms. A two-hour drive southwest of Oslo, in the former mining community of Ulefoss home to 2,000 people, lies the Fensfeltet treasure: an estimated 8.8 million tonnes of rare earths. These elements, used to make magnets crucial to the auto, electronics and defence industries, have been defined by the European Union as critical raw materials. "You have rare earths in your pocket when you carry a smartphone," said Tor Espen Simonsen, a local official at Rare Earths Norway, the company that owns the extraction rights. "You're driving with rare earths when you're at the wheel of an electric car, and you need rare earths to make defence materiel like F-35 jets," he added. "Today, European industry imports almost all of the rare earths it needs -- 98 percent -- from one single country: China," he added. "We are therefore in a situation where Europe must procure more of these raw materials on its own," he said. In its Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) aimed at securing Europe's supply, the EU has set as an objective that at least 10 percent of its needs should be extracted within the bloc by 2030. No rare earth deposits are currently being mined in Europe. - 'Rush slowly' - Due to environmental concerns, Rare Earths Norway has already been forced to push back its schedule. Now it aims to begin mining in the first half of the 2030s. Its so-called "invisible mine" project is intended to limit the mine's environmental footprint. It plans to use underground extraction and crushing -- as opposed to an open-pit mine -- and re-inject a large part of the mining residue. But the location of the mineral processing park, where ore extracted underground would be handled and pre-processed, has posed a problem. The company had planned to transport the minerals on an underground conveyor belt emerging above ground behind a hill, in an area out of sight from the town and largely covered by ancient natural forests, rich in biodiversity. But experts who examined that site found 78 fauna and flora species on Norway's "red list" -- species at risk of extinction to varying degrees. They included saproxylic beetles (which depend on deadwood), wych elms, common ash trees, 40 types of mushrooms, and various mosses. As a result, the county governor formally opposed the location during a recent consultation process. Adding to concerns was the fact that disposing of waste rock would take place within a protected water system. "We need to start mining as quickly as possible so we can bypass polluting value chains originating in China," said Martin Molvaer, an adviser at Bellona, a Norwegian tech-focused environmental NGO. "But things should not move so quickly that we destroy a large part of nature in the process: we must therefore rush slowly," he said. - 'Lesser of two evils' - Faced with such objections, the municipality has been forced to review the plans and take a closer look at alternate locations for the above-ground part of the mine. While there is another less environmentally sensitive zone, neither the mining developers nor the local population favour it. "We accept that we will have to sacrifice a significant part of our nature," local mayor Linda Thorstensen said. "It comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils." Thorstensen supports the mine project, given the small town has seen jobs and young people move elsewhere for decades. It is "a new adventure", she said. "A lot of people live outside the job market, many receive social welfare assistance or disability pensions. So we need jobs and opportunities," she said. In the almost-empty streets of Ulefoss, locals were cautiously optimistic. "We want a dynamic that makes it possible for us to become wealthy, so that the community benefits. We need money and more residents," Inger Norendal, a 70-year-old retired teacher, told AFP. "But mining obviously has its downsides too." phy/ef/po/jj/gv December 17, 2025: Islam is a religion as well as a form of government complete with a set of laws defined in the Sharia. Many of these laws explain why Islamic terrorism continues to flourish in many parts of the world. Sharia has caused many problems when Moslem people, generally Arabs or Afghans, migrate to Western countries. Islam insists that sharia supersedes any local laws. When enough Moslems have arrived to be the majority in towns or provinces, there will be demands to allow sharia to coexist with local laws. Western countries try to accommodate their new Moslem, citizens but are discovering that Moslems consider sharia superior to Western laws and will observe sharia in secret if they have to. A growing number of Western nations are reconsidering their policy of allowing Moslems to become residents and citizens. In some cases, extremist Islamic preachers or leaders have been expelled. The more Moslems you let in, the more difficult that is going to be. The Moslems vote, often as a block at the direction of their leaders. Just another reason to keep Moslems out. In small groups Moslems can be friendly, but when their numbers will eventually reach the point where a local or imported Islamic cleric, or Imam will see Another problem is that Islamic scripture mandates that a non-believer be killed if he refuses to become a Moslem. This is the justification for large scale massacres of infidels. It also encourages Moslem warriors to rape infidel women and girls. This still happens in areas where Christian, or other minorities reside near Moslem communities. The non-Moslem women usually avoid rape or unwanted attention by dressing in clothing similar to what Moslem women wear. Despite that, these crimes continue to occur in areas where Moslem and non-Moslem populations mix. This is often the case in India, where such crimes are prosecuted and widely and vividly reported in local media. There is some good news. Worldwide, deaths from Islamic terrorism are down, with about 2,800 deaths in 2025.In 2014 there were 35,000 deaths, 19,000 in 2017 and 14,000 in 2018. Five nations Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria and Pakistan account for most of the Islamic terrorism deaths. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is a major source of these deaths and associated mayhem. Since the 1990s, 90 percent of terrorism related deaths have been caused by Islamic terrorists. Most of the remaining ten percent are caused by Maoist militias in eastern India and various other similar groups in the region. Moslems, particularly Arabs, have other problems. Islam does not encourage scientific study or seeking to create a major engineering, academic or technical advance. This can be seen by the fact that Israeli Jews obtained 33 Nobel prizes for achievements in those areas compared to one awarded to an Arab. There are 80 times as many Arabs as Jews. The problem is that Moslem Arabs do not seek education or achievements in those technical areas. When Islam was founded 1,500 years ago, the emphasis was on conquest and forcibly converting others to Islam. This effort left over a hundred million infidels/non-Moslems dead as Islam was established throughout the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe. Later Islam spread to Southeast Asia via Moslem traders. Southeast Asian and East Asian Moslems are much easier to get along with than Arab Moslems. Arab countries suffer from an abundance of corruption and a lack of economic, educational, and political progress. Arabs have fallen behind the rest of the world largely because of the Arab tendency to blame outsiders and to avoid taking responsibility. Tolerating tyranny and resistance to change doesn't help but those attitudes are slowly shifting. The exact nature of this lethal cultural situation can be described by detailing the major components. Lets start with the fact that most Arab countries are a patchwork of different tribes and groups, and Arab leaders survive by playing one group off against another. Most Islamic scholars oppose the concept of interpreting the Koran, which considers the word of God as given to His prophet Mohammed. This led to Arabs looking down on Westerners who will look something up if they don't know. Arabs prefer to fake it and pretend it's all in their head. Another problem with Arabs is their attitude towards leadership. Arab government, political or municipal leaders treat people as leaders or followers. There is no effort to bridge the gap with what the West calls middle management. The people are treated harshly. Work accidents that would end the careers of Western managers, are ignored in the Arab world and nobody cares. This is slowly changing, with the steady growth of a proper NCO corps and middle management, plus better management attitudes towards their subordinates. But the old ways often return, with disastrous effects on the morale and effectiveness of the average Arab. Not surprisingly, in Arab cultures, the ruling class is despised by their subordinates, and this does not bother the leaders. Many Arab leaders simply cannot understand how treating the subordinates, unless they are family, decently will have any benefit. This is another old tradition that dies hard. Paranoia prevents adequate training. This is made worse by the habit of Arab tyrants insisting that their subordinate organizations have little contact with each other, thus ensuring that no subordinate leader can become powerful enough to overthrow the senior leadership. Subordinate organizations are purposely kept from working together or communicating on a large scale. Arab leaders don't have as broad a knowledge of what their subordinate leaders do, whereas Western leaders tend to know what subordinates do. Arab promotions are based more on political reliability than proficiency and efficiency. Arab leaders prefer to be feared, rather than respected, by their subordinates. This approach leads to poorly trained populations and low morale. A few rousing speeches about Moslem Brotherhood before a national emergency boils over does little to repair the damage. Many, if not most, Arab leaders now know that the paranoia and parochialism are bad but ancient traditions are hard to abandon. Arab leaders often do not trust each other. While an American manager or officer can be reasonably confident that the others they work with will be competent and reliable, Arabs in similar situations seriously doubt that their peers will do their job on time or accurately. This is an inefficient and sometimes fatal attitude, especially for Arab militaries. It's been difficult getting Arab leaders to change when it comes to trust. Arab leaders consider it acceptable to lie to subordinates and allies in order to further their personal agenda. This had catastrophic consequences throughout Arab history and continues to make progress difficult. When called out on this behavior, Arabs will assert that they were misunderstood. This is still going on. While Western American middle managers and Westerners in general are only too happy to impart their wisdom and skills to others as teaching is the ultimate expression of prestige, Arabs try to keep any technical information and manuals secret. To Arabs, the value and prestige of an individual is based not on what he can teach but on what he knows that no one else knows. This destructive habit is still around, despite years of American advisors patiently explaining why this is counterproductive. While Westerners thrive on competition among themselves, Arab leaders avoid this as the loser would be humiliated. Better for everyone to fail together than for competition to be allowed, even if it eventually benefits everyone. This attitude is still a factor in the Arab world. Westerners are taught leadership and technology; Arabs are taught only technology and not nearly enough. Leadership is given little attention as Arab leaders are assumed to know this by virtue of their social status as leaders. The new generation of Arab leaders have been taught leadership, but for too many of them, this is an alien concept that they do not understand or really know what to do with. Initiative is considered a dangerous trait in the Arab world. Lack of initiative makes it difficult for Arabs to maintain modern equipment. Arabs prefer to use easier to control central repair shops. This makes the timely maintenance of equipment difficult. Entrepreneurs, often non-Arab Moslems, often handle a lot of the maintenance. This is still a problem throughout the Middle East, where the oil rich nations have most of their non-government operations staffed by foreigners. Security is maniacal. Everything, even vaguely military or government related, is top secret. While Western military and corporation promotion lists are routinely published, this rarely happens in Arab organizations. Officers and managers are suddenly transferred without warning to keep them from forging alliances or networks. Any team spirit among officials is discouraged. Arab Moslems had other problems twenty years ago when the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/ISIL banned the wearing of the burqa in some parts of northern Iraq where suicide bombers, dressed as women in the all-concealing burqa, used that disguise to attack ISIL forces. This is not the first time this has happened in Iraq. Some of the founders of ISIL had participated in the establishment of the Islamic State of Iraq in late 2006. This was an act of bravado, touted as the first step in the re-establishment of the caliphate, a global Islamic state, ruled over by God's representative on earth, the caliph. The caliphate has been a fiction for over a thousand years but still resonated with Islamic radicals. Many other Islamic terrorists opposed this move and some used burqas as disguises to move about or even make attacks on members of this 2006 Islamic State. The original caliphate came apart after a few centuries because the Islamic world was split by ethnic and national differences. Various rulers have claimed the title over the centuries, but since 1924, when the Turks gave it up after four centuries, no one of any stature has stepped up and assumed the role. So when al Qaeda elected a nobody as the emir of the Islamic State of Iraq, and talked about this being the foundation of the new caliphate, even many pro-al Qaeda Moslems were aghast. But six years later many of those involved in the failed 2006 effort again declared the establishment of another caliphate. With that there was again a lot of fighting between Islamic terror groups, many of them routinely using the burqa as a disguise. The burqa has frequently been used by Islamic terrorists, or even criminals, to just get past security. American troops in Iraq soon figured out how to defeat this by watching what burqa clad people were wearing on their feet. Large feet and footwear more common with men than women was a giveaway. Also revealing was how a burqa clad figure moved. Female American troops could detect a man in a burqa more easily than the male troops could and a list of tips was soon compiled and distributed. This sort of profiling also made it easier to detect female suicide bombers. The subsequent ISIL burqa ban was directed at rival Islamic terrorist groups that are sometimes using burqas for suicide bombers, but are more frequently using the disguise to get close enough to use a pistol or assault rifle on ISIL checkpoints or throw a grenade. The World Bank Group has officially opened its new, energy-efficient offices here, which will serve as the hub for its Caribbean operations. The building brings the Banks Caribbean team together in one physical space, which will strengthen the institutions presence and support in Jamaica and the wider region. December 16, 2025: After nearly four years of fighting in Ukraine , more Russian soldiers are reaching the end of their term of service and returning to Russia. Many of them are bringing their weapons home with them. Few try to sneak rifles into Russia, most of the weapons are pistols. These are either Russian models or U.S. and European pistols taken from dead or captured Ukrainian soldiers. The hundreds of pistols returning to Russia has contributed to the increased lawlessness in cities and rural areas. While the Russian police forces have lost thousands of men to the army and Ukraine fighting, they are needed now, more than ever, because many of the returning soldiers were convicts granted pardons if they joined the army. These men brought back pistols so they could resume their criminal activities. In many parts of Russia the reduction of the police force left these areas with no police at all. A few gangsters with guns could do whatever they wanted in these areas and often did. The government tried to keep stories of the armed gangsters out of the media, but those efforts only slowed the news down. As news leaked out to the public it was often exaggerated and embellished, scaring the Russian public even more. Most of the returning soldiers were not former criminals and sought to sell their pistols. There was always a black market for pistols in Russia and now there were higher priced exotic weapons like Glocks, Sig Sauer and even a few Americans .45s/12.7mm pistols. Most collectors only had World War II vintage .45s , so the 21st century ones fetched premium prices. Some Russian soldiers in Ukraine, who were support troops and rarely in combat, sought to collect as many Western pistols as they could and get them all back to Russia and sell them for premium prices. Back in Russia the police still had Russian weapons they were issued. These included the Russian 9A-91 assault rifle which has been the standard national police automatic weapon since 1994. Most of the time police are armed with just a 9mm pistol. When more firepower is needed, they use their 9A-91 automatic weapons. Police training includes how to use and maintain the 9A-91. Most police personnel have served in the military and are already familiar with automatic weapons. The 9A-91 is not used by the military, except by some special operations Spetsnaz units. The new PL-14 police pistol was a 9x19mm weapon that weighed .8kg empty, had a 127mm barrel and a 15 round magazine. The PL-14 was originally designed using suggestions from police and army veterans and special operations troops. Still, it was not ready for mass production and suggested changes were so extensive that by late 2015 the pistol got a new name, the PL-15. This is the PL-14 with modifications made based on feedback from hundreds of PL-14 users who received an initial production run of the PL-14 for field testing by soldiers and police. The PL-15 was available in lighter aluminum or polymer frames, had ambidextrous controls and an adjustable firing mechanism. Many changes were obviously to attract Russian customers who have tried Glocks and other Western models but would buy Russian if the pistol were competitive on looks and performance. Since the 1950s the most common pistols used by the Russian military, and many police, has been the Makarov PM followed in 2003 by a small quantity of the unpopular MP-443 design. Neither were competitive with Western designs. The MP-443 itself was meant to replace the Makarov PM. However, lack of money in the defense budget, plus lack of user enthusiasm, meant few were bought and many Russian troops are still using the 1950's era Makarov PM. The MP-443 used the world standard 9x19 pistol round, including the locally produced, hot loaded 7N21 armor-piercing round. MP-443 is a 0.59 kg empty, 184mm long pistol with a 112mm barrel and a 17 round magazine. While it's a relatively modern weapon, it is not as easy to handle as Western 9mm pistols and had a shorter 112mm barrel than most Western 9mm designs. It was not popular with Russian users who knew about the Western competition. The PL-15 was considered a Western design coming from a respected Russian firm. Kalashnikov had customer acceptance but not the expected big orders. In 1951 the Makarov PM was introduced to replace all the 7.62mm pistols used during and before World War II. During that conflict, Russian troops captured a lot of German 9mm pistols and preferred them. Unfortunately, the Russian government wanted to improve on the German 9mm designs and one aspect of that was using a non-standard 9x18mm round and a small 8 round magazine. The Makarov PM also had a short 94mm barrel and while adequate for executing prisoners and other close-range situations, was not much better than the World War II pistols. Later models had larger 10 and 12 round magazines and a few other tweaks but the Makarov PM was always considered second rate. Yet the Makarov PM was seen as a major improvement on the World War II era Tokarev 7.62mm pistols. Even before World War II the 7.62x25 pistol round was losing out to the more compact, slower moving 9x19 round. Both were developed in Germany. The 7.62x25 pistol round came first in the 1890s and was simply a shorter, much less powerful, rifle cartridge. While popular at first it was largely displaced in 1902 with the development of the 9x19mm round. The 9mm round was shorter, had less of a kick, less propellant and allowed for the design of more compact and easier to handle pistols. Meanwhile, the Russians developed a more powerful 7.62x25 round that had more propellant, higher velocity and used steel core bullets that had more penetration for their popular World War II submachine guns. This 7.62x25 Tokarev could fit in pistols using the less powerful 7.62x25 round but was not safe to use that way. A weapon had to be sturdy enough to handle the 7.62x25 Tokarev safely. Any pistol firing the Tokarev round was heavier and had quite a recoil compared to 9mm ammo. Meanwhile, the 7.62x25 Tokarev proved outstanding in Russian submachine guns. Despite its larger longer size and greater kick, the 7.62x25 Tokarev continued to be popular as a pistol round in some parts of the world but for most pistol users the 9mm or American .38 caliber was preferred. Russia stopped making 7.62x25mm pistols in 1954 because users were eager to get the new Makarov PM. Even though many were disappointed in the Makarov PM it was considered an improvement over the Tokarev round pistols. If I asked you (the reader): do you think most people can be trusted? Would you answer yes o December 10, 2025: New details have been released about the Ukrainian Operation Spiderweb. This was the daring June 2024 Ukrainian attack on Russian airfields deep inside the country. SBU/Ukrainian Security Service recently revealed more details on this operation but withheld some details involving items that might be used again. Spiderweb was mostly about solving logistical problems. The drivers of the trucks were Russians who never knew they were working for the Ukrainians. The drivers simply delivered the crates containing the drones to specified locations and left. The operation was delayed a month because the drivers went on binge over Easter and were unavailable for the original operation dates. The Russian FSB/secret police eventually discovered where the Russian drivers lived, arrested them and tortured the drivers for information the drivers never had. In fact, the drivers did nothing illegal. They drove cargoes of sealed crates to specified locations and left them there. The drivers didnt learn wh The final staging area for the truck drivers was in Chelyabinsk, which is 2,100 kilometers from Ukraine. The trucks were stored in a garage one block from the FSB headquarters in Chelyabinsk. Since the trucks were Russian, as were the drivers, and the cargo was just wooden crates, the FSB never suspected a thing. Another detail the Ukrainians revealed was that the warheads of those drones were armed with Shaped Charge devices. Normally these are used to penetrate armor. These shaped charges were used to penetrate the bomber's metal skin and penetrate deeply enough to hit a fuel line or tank and ignite whatever fuel was in the aircraft. This way the bombers supplied the flammable liquids needed to destroy or seriously damage them. Another revelation was that the SBU had made plans to keep the drones in the crates warm if the attacks were made during the winter. The SBU spent nearly two years planning Spiderweb and it worked. Ukraine was able to launch a surprise drone attack on five Russian air bases located all over Russia. The farthest target was about 9,600 kilometers from Ukraine. One base was at Murmansk in northwestern Russia while another was in Amur Oblast near the Pacific coast. Two more, Ryazan and Ivanovo were near Ukraine while Irkutsk was in central Siberia near the Mongolian border. The attacks destroyed 41 aircraft, nearly 35 percent of the Russian long-range bomber fleet. Several other bombers were damaged but repairable. Most were Tu-95 and Tu-22M strategic bombers. Ukraine estimated the destroyed aircraft were worth $7 billion. Actually, these bombers are priceless because none of the destroyed bombers are manufactured anymore. Even making repairs is difficult because few of the aircraft components are still being made. Ukraine called this operation Spider's Web because it involved smuggling 117 drones worth about half a million dollars. The drones were transported on several tractor-trailer trucks hauling standard cargo containers. These containers were modified so that the tops would be raised by remote control and the drones inside launched. The drones were First Person View/FPV models and the controllers were in Ukraine. There was not a lot of control to do because the drones had targeting systems that sought images of specific aircraft and landed on or near the aircraft fuel tanks before detonating. The remaining fuel in those tanks did most of the damage. Two or three drones were assigned to each target, The Russian heavy bombers carried up to eight Kh-101 missiles each. These missiles are like the 1983 American Tomahawk but did not enter service until 2010. Tomahawks have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers while the Kh-101 can travel as far as 5,500 kilometers. For the Ukraine War most of these missiles carried less fuel and larger 800 kg warheads. The missiles were usually launched about a thousand kilometers from the Ukrainian border to avoid being shot down by Ukrainian aircraft or Patriot missiles. While somewhat stealthy, they travel at subsonic speed and Ukrainian air defenses soon became quite proficient at shooting them down, usually with Patriot or other missiles. Ukrainian aircraft carrying long-range anti-aircraft missiles have also accounted for a lot of Kh-101s. In response Russia is using more inexpensive drones while developing high-speed Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Kinzhal is more likely to reach its target but costs five times as much as Kh-101 and entered service in 2018. Ukrainians air defense experts found ways to intercept Kinzhal, but not as frequently as Kh-101s. 7Plus adds Trucking Hell FAST channel Nine seasons of UK factual series clearing motorway blockages all yours on 7Plus. The Seven Network has launched a second FAST channel on 7plus in partnership with Keshet International. Trucking Hell FAST channel sees KI licensing features nine seasons (159 hours) of Crackit TVs series about heavy vehicle rescue. Richard Henson, Director Distribution & Content Partnerships at Seven Network, says: FAST on 7plus has surged in 2025, with exceptional growth that reflects the platforms commitment to premium content, simplicity of navigation and the value of free streaming. Streamed FAST channel minutes are now +68% YOY, with an average monthly audience of 618,000, up 18% YOY. Kelly Wright, KIs MD of Distribution, says, Australias VoD services and FAST channels are going from strength to strength, so we are excited to be cementing our partnership with 7plus to launch Trucking Hell, our second FAST channel together. Elaine Hackett, Founder, CEO and CCO, Crackit TV adds, Having witnessed the success in the UK and globally for our Trucking Hell brand, we and our commissioning broadcaster in the UK, 5, are delighted that a FAST channel is being launched for fans of Trucking Hell in Australia. Trucking Hell takes viewers inside the high-stakes world of Crouch Recovery, a family-run heavy rescue operation that clears Britains biggest road disastersfastso the country keeps moving. Each episode follows the full recovery cycle, from the emergency call to the final clearance: rollovers, smash-ups, breakdowns, and tangled motorway blockages, tackled with an extraordinary fleet of super-heavy recovery vehicles and a crew of larger-than-life specialists. They work in punishing conditionsnight, rain, wind, live trafficwith police, highways agencies and customers demanding immediate results. They might look like everyday blokes, but when a motorway becomes a danger zone, Crouch Recovery are the unsung heroes who go in, lift the impossible, and get Britain back on track. Last December, KI and the Seven Network launched True Crime Files, a FAST channel on 7plus featuring true crime content produced predominantly by Woodcut Media including the latest two seasons of the phenomenally successful Worlds Most Evil Killers (S8 & S9: 4060), Jo Frost on Killer Kids (460, produced with Nanny Jo Productions), and Murdered in the Line of Duty (360) together with Woodcut International. With a lineup of more than 50 FAST channels, 7plus is the fastest growing premium free streaming platform in Australia, with consumption +58% YOY. Live viewing is driving this growth, up 84% YOY, with On Demand consumption +30% YOY. 7plus now has 15.4 million verified registered users, with 1.4 million new user registrations secured in 2025. As worldwide distributor for all nine series of Crackit TVs Trucking Hell (totalling 159 episodes produced to date), KI has licensed this factual entertainment docuseries to ProSieben and Discovery in Germany, Nelonen in Finland, TV2 in Hungary, Free TV in Israel, Sky in New Zealand, CBS Reality in Africa and Poland, and Viasat in the Nordics, CIS, CEE and sub-Saharan Africa. Trucking Hell is also one KIs most successful AVOD title, with multiple deals signed with Tubi TV, Little Dot, Pluto TV, amongst others. My Top 5 of 2025 Four Dramas and one Entertainment series float to the top of my favourite new shows of 2025. Time once again for my annual Top 5 shows of the year. As always these are drawn from brand new titles in 2025, no second / third seasons etc. In 2025 there were quite a few shows I just didnt get to, a result of so much content and the demand to maintain an output of news stories. As a reviewer, there are those that you just dont get finish (frankly thats most series) and those that youve reviewed positively after two episodes -but which couldnt maintain the quality throughout. Or the reverse. So this list comes with some hindsight. The 5 are listed in order of premiere along with an excerpt from site review. And no, theyre not all dramas. Adolescence Netflix Episode three is a powerful interrogation room scene between Jamie and psychologist Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty). Here to write an assessment, Briony sits face to face with Jamie in some of the dramas most compelling exchanges. If you saw Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and were gobsmacked by a single take episode with actor Cooper Koch, now try imagining the same with a 14 year old actor. I can only assume young Owen Cooper has a wealth of theatrical experience to have memorised roughly an hour of dialogue to perform alongside Erin Doherty. Both deliver an acting masterclass. I wont spoil the final episode, again filmed as a single take, but there are compelling performances, confronting themes and heartbreaking drama. What the series says of society, the family unit, masculinity and morality will leave you squirming on your couch. The Piano ABC Make no mistake, the real power in this series is the individuals who sit down at the keys. The styles range from Chopin and Beethoven to Taylor Swift and John Williamson. They play from 5 years old to 103 years young. There are original compositions. A quartet. A young man who, remarkably, even plays with one hand. For 17 Dom of Naraween, its a most personal matter. Its not a very masculine thing so I tried to hide it, he says, adding, The piano gives me a purpose. For 103 year old Bill it evokes memories and memory muscle. Playing a piano I have something to hang onto, he says. Andrew, 29, spent time in a mental health ward he gravitated to a lone piano every day, while Michael, 76, is grateful to play to his wife in her nursing home because music makes her smile. Its a story that evokes tears in the eyes of Amanda Keller, who reveals her own challenges with husband, Harley. You feel like you lost them in increments. Dammit, I just wanna give her a hug. The Piano provides such power from screen to couch. Youll smile, youll fight back tears with Keller as the perfect host, warm, spontaneous, down to earth and genuine. This City is Ours Stan At its heart this is a dysfunctional family drama, where mobsters and thugs lie, sacrifice, kill their own for an ultimate prize. In its most scintillating scenes, which occur in early episodes, they amount to gripping, high-stakes death rattles. These also reel the viewer in to its world so addictively, youll be wanting to gorge them in a binge. Sean Bean is always commanding in these kinds of roles, but this is James Nelson-Joyces story as the lad with the tender heart. Forever looking cold and tight-lipped, he is magnetic on screen. He is amply matched by Hannah Onslow as Diana, who has her own backstory which adds layers to their relationship. It can be hard to grasp some of the dialogue, due to thick accents, so Id recommend considering subtitles on this one. These are never available on previews, but I still found myself invested in the shit that was going down. The Family Next Door ABC Its wine oclock in Pleasant Court, Osprey, when Ange (Bella Heathcote), Essie (Philippa Northeast), and Fran (Ming-Zhu Hii) set up their plastic chairs in their street. The sun is beating down casting an orange hue over the seaside town. And there is deep suspicion about their newest neighbour, Isabelle (Teresa Palmer) who is renting a house whilst researching a travel article on the Great Ocean Road community. Or so she says. Welcome to The Family Next Door, a new 6 part series based on the book by Sally Hepworth. But whilst this looks similar to another famed Aussie TV street, theres nothing cosy or soapie about this drama. Writer Sarah Scheller doesnt reveal her full hand when Bella Essie and Lulu episodes unfold, deviously teasing motivations as part of a complex mosaic. Pluribus Apple TV For Carol the manifestation is cataclysmic. Everything she has ever known is disrupted and her life is like a bad science-fiction movie. bodies are writhing on the ground, cars are crashing, cities are burning, hospitals have also fallen victim to the inexplicable disaster. Until those same bodies then start to rise up Fleeing to her home, Carol turns to the TV news, only to discover the only channel is C-SPAN with a government spokesperson at the White House speaking to her directly, and offering to help. To reveal much more would be spoiling the alarming fun of this wild idea. Carol when youre ready you can reach us at this number, we know youve got questions. And so does the audience. Gilligan is king of unleashing perplexing scenes in which the audience has no idea where we are, why we are here or how they link to the central story (opening scenes of Ep 2 for example). From the Middle East to Spain and New Mexicobut he also is deserving of trust, with each one of those questions answered all in good time with satisfying pay-off. In Rhea Seehorn, who was so brilliant in Better Call Saul, Carol is unflinching and combative, in a desperate fight for self-preservation and clinging fast to the sanity she knows. But to whom can you turn when the world has effectively left you to fend for yourself? Do you submit willingly or mount the fight of your life? Honourable mentions (no particular order): Happiness (HBO Max) Good Night & Good Luck (Foxtel) Reckless (SBS) IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max) Top End Bub (Prime Video) Invisible Boys (Stan) An Evening with Dua Lipa (Seven) Pee Wee as Himself (HBO Max) Your Friends & Neighbours (Apple TV) The Studio (Apple TV) Ludwig (Seven) The Pitt (Foxtel / Binge) Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (Foxtel / Binge) Mix Tape (Foxtel / Binge) Paradise (Disney+) Australia: An Unofficial History (SBS) Revealed: Surviving Malka Leifer (Stan) Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (Disney+) Feel free to vote for your favourites in the TV Tonight Awards. French President Emmanuel Macron told French troops at a military base in Abu Dhabi on Sunday that he had given the official go-ahead to replace his country's flagship, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. "In line with the last two military programming laws, and after a thorough and comprehensive review, I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier," Macron said during a visit to French troops in the United Arab Emirates, adding that the decision to move ahead with the project was made this week. Macron arrived in the United Arab Emirates earlier Sunday to celebrate Christmas with French troops and to discuss bilateral ties with the Gulf state, as France hopes for more cooperation in its fight against drug trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macron is due to meet with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss "strengthening the strategic partnership" between the two countries, according to the French presidency, which stressed their cooperation on security and defence. Read moreLive: French presidency welcomes Putin's willingness to hold talks on Ukraine The French president traditionally celebrates the end-of-year holidays with troops deployed abroad, of whom there are more than 900 in the UAE, before sharing a Christmas meal prepared by the Elysee's chefs. France cooperates with the UAE on areas including artificial intelligence and trade, and now wants to secure the Gulf state's support in its war on drug trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major traffickers are believed to have found refuge in the UAE, Dubai in particular, and some of them are thought to have built up substantial real estate portfolios there. The French delegation includes Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, who last month called on the UAE to extradite some 15 suspected drug traffickers wanted by France. And Macron said on Tuesday that he wanted to seek cooperation from countries where certain ringleaders are located to seize their assets and have them arrested. The French troops deployed in the UAE take part in anti-drug trafficking patrols at sea. They are also participating in Operation Aspides the EU naval task force deployed to the Red Sea in response to attacks on ships by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and in Operation Chammal, which seeks to contain the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) Language, Bias, and Violence: Why We Must Name Terrorism Fairly Defending Islam requires more than citing scripture. It demands consistent, visible rejection of violence from within Muslim communities, while the global community must judge acts of terror by what they arenot by who commits them. [Ahmed al Ahmed, who risked his life by wresting a gun from an attacker in Australia's deadly mass shooting, is also a source of pride for his hometown in Syria.] On 14 December, during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Australia, at least 15 Jewish civilians, including a child, were killed in a terror attack. Authorities swiftly declared the incident an anti-semitic act carried out by a fatherson duo. Australian police identified the suspects as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram. The father was killed at the scene by police, while the son was critically injured and later taken into custody. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese immediately condemned the violence as act of antisemitism... [and] terrorism... Amid the chaos, a 43-year-old Muslim bystander, Ahmed al-Ahmed , tackled and disarmed one of the attackers, an act of courage that saved many lives. His bravery was widely praised, local authorities called a hero. Similarly, kebab shop owner Youssef Hamdan rushed to help resuscitate victims. Yet, while two Muslims risked their lives to save others, two Muslims committed the attack. Too often, however, the world prefers to see only one side of that reality. Any act of terror, regardless of the perpetrators background, religion, ethnicity, or ideology, must be condemned without hesitation. Civilians everywhere deserve safety, dignity, and justice. Violence driven by hatred must be denounced clearly by religious leaders, political authorities, and civil society alike. Condemning antisemitism and condemning Islamophobia are not competing moral duties; they are inseparable. The deliberate killing of civilians is always wrong, everywhere, by anyone. At this point, I am reminded of the 13th-century Persian poet Saadi Shirazi, whose famous verses from the Golestan declare: bani-adam azay-e yek peikarand keh dar afarinesh ze yek goharand cho ozvi be-dard avarad ruzgar degar ozvha ra namanad qarar to kaz mehnat-e digaran bi-ghami nashayad keh namat nahand adami A close English rendering reads: Human beings are members of one body; Created from the same essence and soul. If one part is afflicted with pain, The others cannot remain at peace. If you feel no sympathy for human suffering, You do not deserve to be called human. Yet global discourse around violence too often reveals selective outrage, selective blame, and selective silence. When a Muslim commits violence, their religion is frequently foregrounded as the motive. When others commit mass killings, media narratives tend to stress mental health, personal struggle, or individual pathology. This double standard reinforces a false and damaging association between Islam and terrorism. Comedian Trevor Noah highlighted this disparity in his 2015 special Lost in Translation when discussing the Charleston church shooting, where nine African Americans were murdered by white supremacist Dylann Roof. He critiques: So weird, how our prejudices have given everyone their lane. Middle Easterner does something, they're a terrorist. Black person does something, they're gang-related, they're a thug. But if a white guy walks into a church killing nine people there, what do they lead with on the news? And today, in an isolated incident, a lone gunman walked into a church opening fire and killing nine people. It's always a lone gunman. A lone gunman with no ties to society whatsoever. They always separate them as quickly as possible. Noah further highlighted how media outlets routinely emphasise mental instability in such cases while avoiding the term terrorism. He argued that Roofs actions; entering a place of worship and murdering civilians to advance a hateful ideology, constituted terrorism by any reasonable definition. To deny that label, Noah suggested, is itself a form of racial bias. His broader point was not to minimise mental illness but to expose how public language selectively shields certain perpetrators from ideological accountability. By contrast, Islamic scripture is unequivocal on the sanctity of human life. Holy Quran states: Whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul or for corruption in the land, it is as if they have killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it is as if they have saved all of humanity. There is no credible teaching within Holy Quran or the authentic Islamic tradition that endorses the killing of non-Muslims or any group of civilians. Claims otherwise reflect political distortion rather than serious engagement with Islamic scholarship. At the same time, some non-Muslims perceive that Muslim leadership has not sustained highly visible, unified campaigns condemning extremism. While statements are issued, they have often failed to develop into enduring moral movements capable of decisively challenging extremist narratives. This absence weakens moral authority and allows extremists to misrepresent Islam. History makes clear that terrorism is not confined to any single religion or identity. Anders Breivik in Norway killed 77 people in 2011, Brenton Tarrant murdered 51 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, Dylann Roof killed nine African Americans in a Charleston church in 2015, and Baruch Goldstein in Hebron killed 29 Palestinians in Hebron in 1994, remind us that violent extremism has appeared across multiple communities and religions. These crimes are not used to define Christianity or Judaism as inherently violent. To apply that logic only to Islam is prejudice, not analysis. Islam, like other faiths, does not teach terror; it forbids it. The Quranic moral vision is explicit: taking an innocent life is like killing all humanity, while saving a life is like saving all humanity. Defending Islam requires more than citing scripture. It demands consistent, visible rejection of violence from within Muslim communities, while the global community must judge acts of terror by what they arenot by who commits them. Justice must not depend on geography. Grief must not depend on identity. If the term terrorism is to retain meaning, it must be applied universally and without favour, because human beings are members of a single whole, created from one essence and soul. [Azmat Ali is a New Delhibased writer in English and Urdu who focuses on literature, religion, and politics.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Vietnam commemorated two historic milestones in 2025 with sweeping celebrations across the country - 50 years since national reunification and 80 years of independence. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi became the epicenters of emotional tributes, military parades, cultural performances, and public unity. In Ho Chi Minh City, more than 20 large-scale events were organized, including four signature programs: The Peace Symphony, A Nations Complete Joy, fireworks displays at 30 locations, and an epic military parade. Countless memorial, artistic, and cultural activities also took place nationwide, honoring the sacrifices of generations past and inspiring the future. The highlight was the April 30 parade and celebration, held in the heart of former District 1. The procession featured 38 blocks from the armed forces - 25 military and militia units, and 13 public security divisions - along with 12 mass organization formations. Notably, military parade contingents from China, Laos, and Cambodia also joined the event. Held with solemn grandeur, the ceremony once again reaffirmed the profound historical significance of the 1975 Spring Victory - a defining moment in Vietnams fight for reunification and sovereignty. In his speech, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: Time may pass, but the victory of our people in the resistance war against the US will forever shine in our nations history as a symbol of revolutionary heroism - a triumph of justice, courage, and Vietnamese intellect; of passionate patriotism and the yearning for independence, freedom, and unity. Vietnam is one nation, one people. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office, the series of commemorative events spurred a boom in the citys service sector. Total retail and consumer service revenue reached nearly $5.3 billion, an increase of almost 38% year-on-year. Revenues from food and lodging services surged over 86% and 97% respectively. Many central hotels were fully booked during the holiday peak. Four months later, the historic Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi hosted an equally grand celebration for National Day on September 2. The event combined solemn reverence with dazzling pride, evoking deep patriotic emotions. Leading up to the event, socio-economic initiatives flourished nationwide, including tourism stimulus campaigns and movements like Join hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated housing across the country in 2025. In a historic first, on August 28, the Politburo approved a policy to gift every Vietnamese citizen $4 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day. The September 2 ceremony brought together 40,000 military personnel and civilians, accompanied by an impressive display of weaponry, tanks, UAVs, radar, and artillery systems. Fighter jets, transport helicopters, and armed rotorcraft performed thrilling maneuvers above, symbolizing the armed forces modern capabilities. On the ground, modern military vehicles rolled past cheering crowds in a powerful show of unity. For the first time in Vietnams history, naval forces also participated in the parade. The event welcomed international contingents from China, Russia, Laos, and Cambodia. Hanois streets were drenched in red and gold, creating a breathtaking national tableau. The atmosphere echoed the sacred moment 80 years ago when President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed independence at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945. Amid this profound moment, General Secretary To Lam delivered a rousing message: Under the glorious banner of the Party, guided by the light of Ho Chi Minh, and relying on the peoples strength and national unity, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome - no noble goal we cannot reach. Nothing can prevent our journey toward peace, prosperity, and eternal development. Over the past 80 years, Vietnam has risen from hunger and war to independence, unification, reform, and global integration. Every step forward reflects the strength of national solidarity and determination. Looking to the future, our Party has set a goal: by 2045, when we celebrate 100 years since our founding, Vietnam will be a powerful, prosperous, and happy nation. That is the dream of the entire nation - a solemn pledge to history and to the people, the General Secretary affirmed. The dual commemorations stirred the hearts of millions of Vietnamese both at home and abroad, evoking pride, emotion, and renewed commitment. The 50th anniversary of reunification and the 80th anniversary of independence served as unifying milestones for all Vietnamese - regardless of ethnicity, religion, or geography - to come together and build a strong, prosperous, civilized, and happy nation. Tran Thuong Fresh leaks are painting a clearer picture of Samsungs upcoming flagship - the Galaxy S26 Ultra. With its launch expected in January or February 2026, the Galaxy S26 series is just around the corner. Over the past few months, a steady stream of leaks has revealed new details, gradually completing the puzzle. At the heart of the excitement is the Galaxy S26 Ultra - the most powerful and premium model in the lineup. Its rumored to feature a brand-new design, a next-gen processor, and a range of advanced Galaxy AI features that will set it apart from its siblings. Galaxy S26 Ultra to ship exclusively with Snapdragon chip Galaxy S25 Ultra model. Photo: PhoneArena According to an FCC-related listing, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely feature Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip across all markets. This is a significant shift, as the smaller models in the S26 lineup are expected to alternate between Exynos and Snapdragon depending on the region. Samsung seems to have made a clear decision: the Ultra model - the most powerful and expensive - will rely solely on Qualcomm silicon. This could ensure more consistent performance globally and eliminate discrepancies between markets that previously used different chips. Significant boost in charging speed Samsung has often lagged behind in the fast-charging race, but the S26 Ultra is finally expected to take a leap forward. Based on multiple certifications and even a leaked 60W Samsung charger, the upcoming Ultra is rumored to support up to 60W wired charging. This marks a clear improvement from the 45W limit of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though it still trails behind Chinese rivals already offering 100W+ solutions. Still, for Samsung users, this is a welcome change - a sign that the company is listening to real-world needs. Wireless charging could also get a minor but meaningful upgrade, from 15W to 25W, improving daily convenience. Qi2 wireless charging with built-in magnets The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to fully support the new Qi2 wireless charging standard. This means the device will include built-in magnets, enabling compatibility with a wide range of accessories - from power banks and magnetic cases to wireless docks and car mounts. The previous Galaxy S25 models were only Qi2-ready and lacked internal magnets, making the experience feel incomplete. Samsung appears to be addressing that limitation with the S26 Ultra. Subtle but smart design tweaks Several S26 Ultra renders have leaked, and design changes now seem highly likely. Corners are now more rounded, aligning with the aesthetics of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus - a departure from the boxier Ultra designs of the past. Another notable change is in the camera module. Instead of separate protruding lenses, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to have a true camera island, creating a more cohesive and modern design. Galaxy AI features exclusive to the Ultra A recent leak suggests the Galaxy S26 Ultra will come with new and more advanced Galaxy AI features, not found on the regular S26 or S26 Plus. Even the S25 Ultra may need to wait several months after the S26 Ultras release to receive these features via a software update. While details are scarce, these AI tools likely focus on advanced image processing, productivity, and intelligent assistants - further widening the gap between the Ultra and the more modest models. Smart privacy display rumored One of the most intriguing leaks hints at a new privacy-focused screen for the S26 Ultra. The device could include a smart privacy display that automatically hides content from prying eyes nearby. Reportedly, the screen's pixels would adapt to the environment. If AI detects someone trying to peek over the users shoulder, the display would blur or conceal the content. If true, this would eliminate the need for traditional privacy screen protectors, which often reduce brightness and clarity. Satellite connectivity expansion A 3C certification for the Chinese version of the S26 Ultra confirms support for direct satellite communication. In fact, the Galaxy S25 Ultra already had basic satellite messaging and emergency features. These capabilities are expected to return - and possibly expand - with the S26 Ultra. As satellite features become increasingly important for safety and off-grid use, this enhancement will benefit users who often travel or work in remote areas. Larger f/1.4 aperture for main camera On the camera front, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to retain the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor for its primary lens. However, a key upgrade lies in the aperture, which may be bumped up to f/1.4. A larger aperture allows more light intake, improving low-light photography and producing a more natural bokeh effect with shallower depth of field. This will be especially valuable for users who prioritize photography in a premium smartphone. When will the Galaxy S26 Ultra be released? Unlike previous years, Samsung is expected to delay the Galaxy S26 series launch. This could be due to last-minute changes in the product roadmap. Current sources suggest the S26 series - including the Ultra model - will be unveiled in February 2026, instead of the traditional January window. If true, it would be a small but meaningful shift, heightening anticipation among global tech enthusiasts. Hai Phong PM Pham Minh Chinh (photo: MST) Reviewing the nation's achievements in the nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (renovation), the PM noted that agriculture helped the country escape poverty after the devastating war and ensured national food security, becoming one of the world's leading rice exporters. Innovation and development in industry can contribute to reaching upper-middle income status. In 2025, Vietnam's per capita income is estimated to be over $5,000. Science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition will lead the country to become a developed, high-income nation with rapid and sustainable development. GDP growth in 2025 is expected to reach 8 percent, with an average growth rate of 6.3 percent in 20212025, 1.6 times higher than the global average. Excluding the Covid-19 year of 2021, Vietnams average growth in the 20222025 period is estimated at 7.2 percent per year, 2.1 times the global growth rate, according to IMF data. The PM affirmed that innovative entrepreneurship is a strategic choice and a top investment priority. It is the key to opening development opportunities for enterprises and an important driver of fast and sustainable economic growth for nations, especially in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. However, he pointed out that due to a later starting point, Vietnams startup and innovation ecosystem still lags behind the region and the world, and is not yet commensurate with the intellectual potential and capabilities of the Vietnamese people. He believes that there must be satisfactory answers for many big questions: How to effectively promote the linkage between domestic enterprises and FIEs, so that Vietnamese businesses can participate more deeply in the global value chain? How can Vietnamese products assert their value and reach further and wider in regional and international markets? Where will Vietnam stand in the current global semiconductor value chain? What is the core focus? Design, packaging, testing, manufacturing, equipment, materials, or a combination? What is the strategic priority - deep development, core technology, or broad expansion of the ecosystem? These are questions posed to managers, scientists, and institutions, and we need to contemplate the appropriate choices. When the whole society innovates, the country will transform strongly He said that innovation means refreshing traditional growth drivers while effectively exploiting new growth drivers to create a breakthrough development. For businesses, it is about promoting core strengths more effectively and researching and building new, solid competitive capabilities in the domestic, regional, and global markets. For every citizen, it is the tireless effort to enhance existing capabilities, and foster new strengths to adapt and assert themselves in an era of rapid transformation and sustainable development. "When every individual innovates, every business innovates and the whole society innovates, our country will transform strongly and surpass itself. And when the spirit of innovation spreads, Vietnam will take great strides on the journey of rapid and sustainable development," he said. The PM stressed that developing domestic technological capacity is the path to building an independent and self-reliant economy, associated with substantive and effective international integration. The creative startup ecosystem is the foundation to ensure technological autonomy and national innovation, and is the key to unlocking the great potential of the country. In his speech, the PM also mentioned key orientations to make Vietnam a creative startup nation so that Vietnam can continue to have technology unicorns, to catch up, move forward, and potentially surpass others in the current global technological flow. TECHFEST Vietnam 2025 took place in the context of the countrys implementation of the Politburos Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, and the Governments finalization of the National Strategy on Creative Startups. In 2025, Vietnam's startup ecosystem entered a new growth phase. The country currently has nearly 4,000 creative startup businesses and two technology unicorns. Vietnam's Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 ranks 44th out of 139 countries, and the Creative Startup Ecosystem Index ranks 55th out of 100 countries. Major Vietnamese cities have entered the top 1000 global startup cities, with Hanoi ranking 148th, HCMC 110th, and Da Nang 766th, thereby connecting domestic resources with the region and the world, elevating Vietnam to the group of the three fastest-growing startup ecosystems and ranking fifth in the ASEAN region. Du Lam The initiative follows the Law on Emulation and Commendation, and Government Decree No. 152/2025, which outlines the decentralization of authority in the fields of commendation and rewards. The Ministry has also issued detailed guidance on the implementation of certain provisions under this law. According to the nomination dossier, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is the individual proposed to receive this prestigious national title. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao. Earlier, on December 17, 2025, the Hanoi Peoples Committee submitted Document No. 477 to the Prime Minister, recommending that the President confer the title of Hero of Labor on Thao under his designated authority. The public consultation is being organized by the Central Emulation and Commendation Board (Ministry of Home Affairs) to ensure transparency, openness, and democratic participation in the process. The collected feedback will serve as the basis for the Central Emulation and Commendation Council to review and decide. Public opinions related to this case can be sent to the Central Emulation and Commendation Board at 103 Quan Thanh Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, for compilation according to current regulations. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is widely regarded as one of Vietnams most prominent business leaders, recognized for her significant contributions to private sector development and the aviation industry. As the founder and Chairwoman of Vietjet Air, Thao has led the airline to become a new-generation carrier with one of the fastest growth rates in the region. Vietjet's extensive domestic and international network has improved access to air travel for tens of millions of Vietnamese citizens. Beyond her business ventures, Thao is active in social, educational, and entrepreneurship programs. Her work promotes a spirit of innovation and a bold vision for the future of Vietnamese enterprise. Vu Diep The US governments countervailing tariffs on Vietnamese wood products have posed significant challenges for exporters. Yet, Vietnams wood industry is demonstrating notable resilience, with businesses actively adapting and charting new directions. Adaptability is key Despite mounting challenges, wood exports continued to grow in 2025. Photo: Anh Phuong Do Thi Kim Loan, CEO of Sao Nam Trading and Manufacturing Co., Ltd., shared that her company responded to shifting market demands by adjusting product specifications - reducing wood plank thickness from 21mm to 19mm, 15mm, or even 9mm. This move lowered input material costs and made products more affordable for consumers. It also helped the company win multiple domestic project bids in 2025, leading to a 15% revenue growth. Export turnover remained steady compared to the previous year. Adaptability is what matters most, Loan told VietNamNet at the First National Congress (20252028 term) of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA), held on December 18. While the 20% U.S. countervailing tariff could have hindered business, the sector instead showcased its ability to pivot swiftly. According to HAWA, wood and forest product exports in 2025 are projected to exceed $17.3 billion - up 5.4% from 2024. Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that wood and wood products alone account for about $15.5 billion, reaffirming Vietnams lead in Southeast Asia and its position as Asias second-largest wood exporter. From zero to $400 million in four years A standout example is Huynh Le Dai Thang, Director of Nghia Son Wood Company. Four years ago, his firm began exploring e-commerce channels such as Amazon, Walmart, and Wayfair. This digital transition quickly broadened market access and boosted sales. In 2025, Nghia Sons export revenue rose 40%. The company shipped over 1,000 containers to the U.S., and orders are already booked through May 2026. Thang noted that most Vietnamese wood businesses operate in the B2B space. However, global B2B buyers are increasingly squeezing manufacturers on price, reducing them to subcontractors without brand control. But if Vietnamese businesses take e-commerce seriously, theres massive room to scale and succeed, Thang said. He cited a Chinese wood company that scaled its e-commerce revenue from zero to $400 million in just four years. At the Wayfair Asia Supplier Conference in Shanghai, Thang observed that many e-commerce furniture vendors now generate over $100 million annually - something nearly impossible through B2B alone. Back home, he noted that Vietnamese businesses have strong production capacity but lack direction in e-commerce. They dont know where to start or how, he said. To stand out among millions of listings, design is essential. Vietnams key competitor - China - has a dominant edge in product design. To compete, Vietnamese manufacturers must prioritize original design and proactive marketing, rather than passively waiting for OEM orders. With well-designed products, profit margins can increase two to three times over contract manufacturing. His company now has a team of 10 product designers and releases at least 30 new designs each year. Building design capacity and distribution networks Thang emphasized that relying solely on individual efforts will limit Vietnams wood sector. Domestic companies need access to international design experts to create trend-relevant products. HAWA Vice President Nguyen Chanh Phuong agreed, stating that strong branding and design are essential for e-commerce success. Copying designs or merely offering OEM services is no longer viable in the digital marketplace. He added that the industry must unite to build robust international distribution channels. In the future, specialized companies may emerge to handle e-commerce operations and supply chain management for domestic producers. Currently, only about 1015% of Vietnamese wood businesses have the capacity to develop their own designs. For years, international buyers have controlled design because they understand local consumer trends. For HAWA, the dream is to see Vietnamese producers supplied with designs from professional agencies, enabling them to manufacture trend-forward products, Phuong said. A new $8 billion export alliance On December 18, HAWA held its first congress after merging with the Binh Duong Furniture Association (BIFA). Phung Quoc Man, CEO of A&M Flooring, was elected as the new President. The merged association now represents nearly 1,000 member businesses with a combined annual export value exceeding $8 billion - almost half of Vietnams total wood and wood product exports. HAWA aims to hit $15 billion in exports by 2035, with 80% of products meeting green standards. Tran Chung More than a tribute to a proud military legacy, the event served as a bridge of friendship connecting Vietnam with the international community and local authorities. Military heritage on display A special highlight of the celebration was the exhibition of Vietnamese military history books, which drew great interest from international guests. Senior officers paused to flip through the pages, discovering the 81-year journey of Vietnams army. These books not only offered historical insight but also conveyed the resilience, spirit, and identity of Uncle Hos soldiers to the world. Warriors of steel and soul Vietnamese Engineering Unit introduces military traditions to local and UNISFA leadership. Photo: Van Quyet More than just builders of roads and bridges, Vietnams peacekeeping engineers in Abyei also brought along the sounds of bamboo flutes - gentle notes that resonated with poetry and peace. Their performance told a different story: that of a people not only brave in battle but also deeply romantic and full of life. The raw, natural sounds of bamboo became a universal language, connecting peacekeepers from diverse backgrounds in a shared emotional experience. Recognition from UN leadership The presence of the Head of the UNISFA Mission affirmed the growing prestige of Vietnamese blue berets. Lieutenant General Robert Yaw Affram, Force Commander of UNISFA, shared his heartfelt appreciation: Vietnams Engineering Unit Rotation 4 is more than a team of road builders. You are ambassadors of kindness and professionalism. Your extraordinary efforts have transformed the infrastructure at this mission and created better working and living conditions for all peacekeepers here. The high-level delegations attendance today is a living testament to the international recognition of Vietnams tireless contributions - through heat, rain, and hardship. Building bridges beyond concrete Photo by Van Quyet. UNISFA Force Commander and local officials attend the celebration. Photo: Van Quyet Head of UN mission joins Vietnamese troops at UNISFA anniversary. Photo: Van Quyet Young engineer performs bamboo flute music at the ceremony. Photo: Van Quyet December 16, 2025: The 1944 Battle of the Bulge was a major operation on the Western Front during World War II. It began On December 16 th and ended six weeks later on January 28, 1945. This was the last major German offensive on the Western Front and when it was defeated the Allies forces were able to move into Germany and end the war by My 8 th . The battle took place in the forested Ardennes area of Eastern Belgium and northern Luxemburg. The Germans called their offensive Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein. They concentrated 406,000 men and 1,200 tanks and assault guns for the attack. These were organized into 13 infantry divisions, 7 armored divisions and one armored brigade. The German objective was to seize the Belgian port of Antwerp and disrupt Allied supplies. The Germans could then defeat or disable the Allied armies and force the Allies to negotiate a peace. The Russian offensive would not stop and it is questionable if the German forces facing the Allies, now freed to face the Russians, would be enough to stop the Russians from occupying all of Germany. It would also mean that the American atomic bombs, which were originally created for use against Germany, would be used to eliminate Berlin and other major German cities. The British, when told of the Atomic bomb, could be convinced to break the peace treaty and allow the Americans to use British airbases and British fighter escorts, to deliver the bombs and end the war on Allied terms. The Russians would be intimidated by the use of this new weapon, and cooperate with the Allies. Russian spies in the United States had already alerted the Russians about the bomb. The American defenders in the Ardennes had 228,000 troops organized into six infantry divisions and two armored divisions. The U.S. forces that were attacked were in the area for rest and recuperation. Thats because Allied divisions chased the Germans across France after the allies broke out in August from their Normandy landing area. That breakout operation went on for over three months. The allies incurred 200,000 casualties while the retreating Germans suffered 300,000. The allied forces had outrun their supply lines and the divisions attacked in the Ardennes were exhausted and replenishing their supplies and waiting to fill out the depleted ranks of the divisions that were attacked by the Germans in December. By December 24 the Allies had 541,000 men organized into 15 infantry divisions, 6 armored divisions and one armored brigade. The Germans had 449,000 men organized into 16 infantry divisions, 8 armored divisions and three armored brigades. The Germans were now on the defensive and most of their advances had been eliminated by advancing allied forces. By January 2, 1945, the Allies had 705,000 troops organized into 22 infantry divisions, eight armored divisions and two armored brigades, versus 401,000 Germans organized into 15 infantry divisions 8 armored divisions and three armored brigades. By 16 January the allies had 700,000 troops organized into 22 infantry divisions, 8 armored divisions and 2 armored brigades versus 383.000 Germans organized into 16 infantry divisions, 8 armored divisions and 2 armored brigades. The Battle of the Bulge cost the Allies 82,000 casualties and 800 tanks. The Germans suffered nearly 100,000 casualties and 550 tanks, tank destroyers and assault guns. By late January the Germans were retreating rapidly and the allies were racing to get across the Rhine River, which they did on March 23rd. Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 8, 1945. Perspective World War II total ETO allied deaths in 1944-45 about 750,000 World War II total ETO German deaths in 1944-45 about 250,000 World War II total Russian Front Russian Deaths 10,000,000 World War II total Russian Front German Deaths 1,400,000 ETO/European Theater of Operations Immersion For more details go consult these board games on the battle, all can be accessed via the internet using these URLs or doing a Google or ChatGPT search of items without a URL. Games mentioned can be purchased at ebay.com. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge_(board_wargame) https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/20133/fab-the-bulge Battle of the Bulge 1965 Avalon Hill Bastogne 1970 Simulations Publications Incorporated/SPI Ardennes Offensive 1973 SPI Bulge 1979 SPI The Last Gamble 2025 Compass Games A view of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nguyen Hue The government has officially issued Decree No. 323/2025 establishing the International Financial Center (IFC) in Vietnam. The IFC will operate as a unified legal entity across two designated locations: Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Dual visions for two financial hubs The Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City is planned to become a full-spectrum financial ecosystem. It will offer both traditional and advanced financial services, capitalizing on synergies between different sectors of the financial industry. Meanwhile, the Vietnam International Financial Center in Da Nang is envisioned as a modern hub, tightly integrated with innovation ecosystems, digital technologies, and sustainable finance. It will serve as a controlled sandbox for emerging financial models, particularly in digital assets, electronic payments, and specialized trading platforms. Timeline and responsibilities Both HCMC and Da Nang Peoples Committees are required to establish and operationalize the centers between 2025 and 2026. This includes ensuring sufficient infrastructure, personnel, and resource allocation for the agencies and organizations involved. The cities must also complete key infrastructure projects to ensure seamless connectivity, providing the physical backbone of the financial zones. Starting in 2026, organizations operating within the IFC will coordinate with ministries and national agencies to propose breakthrough policies aimed at attracting investment, advanced technologies, high-quality human resources, and international financial institutions. HCMC financial center: 898 ha across urban core and Thu Thiem The HCMC International Financial Center will span approximately 898 hectares, covering administrative zones in Saigon Ward, Ben Thanh Ward, and the new Thu Thiem Urban Area in An Khanh Ward. Boundaries include: Vo Van Kiet Pho Duc Chinh Nguyen Cong Tru Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Le Duan Ton Duc Thang Nguyen Huu Canh Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe Canal Saigon River Lan Anh Villa Border Tran Bach Dang Tran Nao Northern and Northeastern borders of Thu Thiem New Urban Area Road No. 7 Ca Tre Canal Saigon River Vo Van Kiet Da Nang financial center: 300 ha including reclaimed coastal land The Da Nang International Financial Center will span around 300 hectares and include: An Hai Ward: 6.17 ha across plots A12 to A15 and A* Hai Chau Ward: 20-story IT building in Software Park No. 2 (0.12 ha); 9.7 ha near the western ramp of Thuan Phuoc Bridge; 1.98 ha along Nhu Nguyet Xuan Dieu Street Sea reclamation zone: approximately 282 ha planned along Nguyen Tat Thanh Boulevard The Peoples Committees of both cities are tasked with finalizing the precise boundaries, land allocation, and administrative delineations for the IFCs. They must publish this information on the IFCs e-Government system. Functional zones and strategic land use Each IFC will include specialized zones for financial trading, banking services, stock and commodity exchanges, office spaces, arbitration and judicial services, among others. Land use plans must align with existing regional and municipal zoning schemes. If not, authorities must amend or update the plans accordingly in the next review cycle to secure timely land allocation. The designated land must also meet key criteria: Sufficient size and usability Defined borders and natural suitability Infrastructure readiness and essential service availability Convenient transportation links and proximity to academic/research institutions Environmental safety and compliance with national defense and security regulations Governance structure for the IFC The Prime Minister has also signed a decision to establish the Governing Council of the Vietnam International Financial Center. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh will serve as Chair of the Council. The Council is responsible for issuing the IFCs development strategy, roadmap, and operational regulations tailored to the potential and needs of both cities. It will also create an Advisory Council, comprising renowned legal and financial experts from both Vietnam and abroad, tasked with consulting on IFC planning and implementation. Tran Thuong VNeID: From identity tool to ecosystem hub The proposal was presented this morning at the 3rd National Forum on Digital Economy and Digital Society Development, chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Under the theme Inclusive digital development for double-digit GDP growth from 2026 to 2030, the forum featured a keynote speech by Major General Nguyen Ngoc Cuong, Director of the National Data Center, titled From national population data to digital economy development. According to Cuong, data is now the primary driver of economic growth and national competitiveness in the digital age. It serves as a new form of production input - especially for foundational technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Without data, AI cannot exist. He emphasized that data also carries geopolitical implications, influencing national sovereignty, security, and positioning in global value chains. Data has limitless potential - it can accelerate development or help countries bypass traditional stages. This presents Vietnam with a unique opportunity to enhance its global standing, he said. Laying the groundwork, confronting bottlenecks Major General Nguyen Ngoc Cuong, Director of the National Data Center, delivers his presentation. Photo: Nhat Bac Cuong highlighted that Project 06, which underpins digital transformation in public administration, has already made historic progress. The National Population Database now includes 107 million citizen records, is connected to 15 ministries and 34 provinces, and has processed 2.1 billion verification requests. The VNeID app currently has 67 million verified digital accounts and integrates 50 digital utilities. The National Public Service Portal supports 4,700 procedures and handled 11.5 million online dossiers in 2025, generating estimated social cost savings of over 4 trillion VND (approx. 165 million USD). Through VNeID, the government has also disbursed 33 trillion VND (approx. 1.36 billion USD) in social security benefits to 675,000 recipients. However, Cuong noted that Vietnams data economy is still in its early foundational stage, and three major bottlenecks remain: First is the paradox of available data but lack of dynamic, real-time data that can support intelligent systems and services. Second is the mismatch between platforms and ecosystems. Despite its vast user base, VNeID hasnt evolved into a full super-platform. Citizens still rely on various separate apps for different services, and lack a unified, seamless experience. Third is the absence of a clear national data economy model. Strategic breakthroughs proposed To address these issues, the Ministry of Public Security outlined several strategic proposals aligned with Vietnams broader digital development goals. The first is drafting a Politburo Resolution on data economy development and building an open data ecosystem to support business innovation and digital entrepreneurship. Central to this plan is upgrading VNeID into a national digital super-platform - the core of Vietnams digital ecosystem. Cuong emphasized that this transformation would allow VNeID to act not only as a digital ID tool but also as a single unified access point for interactions among government, businesses, and the public. Building a digital citizenry Cuong also proposed implementing a national digital citizenship strategy, backed by breakthrough incentive mechanisms to address the digital workforce gap. The Ministry is currently drafting the first legal document in Vietnam to comprehensively regulate digital citizenship, establishing a robust framework for the rights and responsibilities of citizens in the digital age. Lastly, Cuong stressed the need for effective implementation of a national data architecture framework. This would allow ministries and provinces to build tailored frameworks based on national standards, and guide the formulation of a government decree governing the National Data Centers operations. Tran Thuong "Hot" majors are those for which the market has high human resource demand, attractive income, and suitability with the current development trends of society. However, career guidance experts warn that candidates and parents need to be aware of the risk and danger of "saturation." Associate Professor Dr Pham Manh Ha (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) noted that hot majors often attract a large number of students, leading to a situation where supply exceeds demand. "When a major is widely praised by the media for its high salary levels and career opportunities, many people will flock to study it. For example, the Information Technology (IT) sector in Vietnam has recently attracted attention following the success of tech startups and software outsourcing services, but not everyone among the thousands of graduates each year finds a quality job. In addition, universities and online courses also quickly expand training programs for hot majors to meet demand. The result is a surge in the number of applicants and graduates in these majors, while the number of jobs does not increase commensurately. In the US, the technology sector once boomed, but many companies are now cutting staff due to saturation," Ha said.. Ha added that the risk of saturation also comes from the labor market undergoing strong changes. Hot majors often depend on temporary factors such as economic booms or emerging technologies. When the cycle ends and demand drops, saturation appears, he explained. A major that is hot today may be cold tomorrow due to new technologies, economic downturns, or global shifts. For example, the oil and gas industry used to be hot but is now affected by renewable energy. Therefore, choosing a major just because it is hot may lead to unemployment or late career changes, Ha said. When students flock to attractive majors, they must also face harsher competition. This results in lower starting salaries and longer job searches. Tran Thanh Nam, Vice President of the University of Education, a member school of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, noted that saturation risk also stems from many training institutions racing to open hot majors without forecasting labor market capacity. Their promotional materials are attractive, confusing students, while lecturer quality and output standards vary greatly. Many institutions still equate passing courses with meeting output standards; even if studying a hot major, students lacking skills and competence still have to struggle to find jobs after graduation. Nam said a major may be hot now, but from the moment schools notice it to when programs are developed and students actually enroll, the delay is usually 510 years. By the time students graduate, the major may already be declining. He went on to say that in the context of the 4.0 technology revolution, the lifespan of occupations is shorter than before. Some tech fields may become outdated immediately when newer solutions appear, reminding young people to think carefully before choosing a career. Nguyen Phu Khanh, Deputy General Director of Phenikaa University, advises students not to rush into any major just because it is currently hot. I think students should not follow hot majors blindly. Before choosing a field, they need to answer to the questions: Do you like it? Do you have the ability for it? Does the field have long-term prospects? Is the tuition affordable? Is the expected admission score suitable? Khanh said. He added that a major today may not be hot in five years, so students must consider carefully. Ha believes that choosing careers based solely on popularity without genuine passion may lead to long-term issues. The first consequence is lack of motivation and easy burnout. If you do not love the job, it is hard to maintain everyday enthusiasm. Every job has pressure, challenges, and long working hours; without passion, you become discouraged, less productive, and may quit midway. If you do not like it, additional learning feels like a burden, leading to poor performance and weak competitiveness. On the other hand, choosing a field aligned with your interests helps you overcome difficulties and grow sustainably, Ha said. He emphasized that careers occupy much of a persons life. Choosing a major you do not enjoy can cause stress, harm mental health, and reduce quality of life. Ultimately, young people should select careers based on interests, personal skills, and life values instead of following trends. Thanh Hung December 13, 2025: Ukraine has once more made it legal for military age men to leave the country. In 2021 there were 20 million Ukrainians living outside Ukraine. Since 2022 that has been increasing each year, Current Ukrainian population is about 39 million and the government has been seeking ways to improve morale while also sustaining the fight against Russian invaders. One proposal that was implemented was establishing universal training for 18-22 year old men. For those still in school, mandatory training for male students is now conducted in universities and other post-high school institutions as a standalone subject. Training consists of 90 hours of theoretical instruction followed by 210 hours of practical training Subjects include basic methods of military service, first aid, and operational tactics before they move to hands-on exercises in specialized training centers. This approach is supposed to make the trainees more confident about military service and less likely to flee the country because they feared what might happen if they went to war. Ukrainians have been fighting the Russians for nearly four years and are seeking to institutionalize their military lessons learned. The Russians are now short of resources and still operate under economic sanctions. Ukraine believes that with improved training for all their personnel, they will reduce their own casualties while increasing those of the Russians. Vladimir Putin vowed to keep fighting for as long as it took. That will be an empty promise if Putin discovers that a major change in troop quality makes any Russian military efforts futile and very costly in terms of men and resources. Ukraine already has some units that adopted these improved methods before the war but never had time or resources to retrain everyone. Over the last year Ukrainians have been standardizing their troop training and using methods that combine all that has been learned so far. This is done by simply by adopting what did work, discarding what didnt and gradually retraining all units that were not using the most effective methods. All new recruits would be taught to use the new techniques, even if it lengthened the basic training. NATO nations add individual training for sergeants and officers, some of it delivered via videos, including interactive versions. European NATO members play a larger role in this retraining because they are close enough, often adjacent, to Ukraine to receive Ukrainian trainees and send them back quickly after training is complete. The Americans have been using the Center for Army Lessons Learned, of CALL, since the 1980s. CALL personnel have been compiling and organizing lessons learned in Ukraine for the Ukrainian. The CALL concept and implementing CALL results was one of the factors behind the revised training program. The reduced casualties encouraged more Ukrainian men to join and persuaded some military age men who fled the country to return. By 2023 the Ukrainian military had grown to 700,000 troops plus over a quarter million police, border guard and reserves available. By 2025 that grew to 900,000. About fifteen percent of these personnel were women, who, except for some snipers, handled support tasks. Several hundred thousand civilian workers also handled support tasks. This was a practice practiced by the Soviet Union military. When Ukraine became independent, as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, some Soviet military practices were retained. Unlike the Russians, who continue to send barely trained recruits into combat, Ukraine learned from NATO, particularly American, experience. Ukrainian soldiers received considerably more training than their Russian counterparts and were more lethal and less susceptible to combat losses. Debate over single Welsh police force reignited amid merger reports The prospect of merging Wales four police forces into a single mega-force has resurfaced, as politicians scrambled to respond to reports of an overhaul of policing in the new year. Adam Price raised reports that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is considering cutting the number of police forces in Wales and England from 43 to 12 through mergers. The former Plaid Cymru leader told Senedd members the reforms would represent the biggest upheaval of police forces since the 1960s. Warning the Welsh Government was not consulted on plans to scrap police and crime commissioners, he said: No change should happen a merger for example without full Senedd scrutiny and a Welsh democratic mandate. Mr Price suggested an all-Wales model merging the four police forces, similar to what happened in Scotland in 2013 could have benefits but said governance would be critical. Unconfirmed During Thursdays (December 17) topical questions, he argued a single police force would need to be accountable to the Senedd, with powers over policing devolved to Wales. The MP-turned-Senedd member urged the UK Government to rule out any cross-border mergers involving a Welsh force being absorbed into an English one. Responding for the Welsh Government, Jane Hutt described the widespread media reports as unhelpful, unconfirmed speculation. But she confirmed the UK Government is expected to publish a white paper in the new year. She committed to engaging with Sarah Jones, the UK policing minister, who was attending a meeting of the Welsh policing partnership board the next day (December 18). Ms Hutt told the Senedd she has been assured the UK Government recognises the differing governance arrangements between Wales and England. Dysfunctional Conservative Altaf Hussain urged the Welsh Government to take the opportunity to abandon calls for devolving powers over policing and justice to Wales. Dr Hussain said: There is merit in having a single unified police force for England and Wales if only to tackle dysfunctional forces like Gwent Police, who have allowed a culture of misogyny to persist amongst their officers and leaders. Ms Hutt suggested reforms would present a natural opportunity to consider the role of the Welsh Government and Senedd in terms of accountability for policing in Wales. She said the focus is on a phased approach, beginning with powers over youth justice and probation. Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats leader in Wales, called for a clear timetable for the devolution of youth justice and probation. We need more devolved powers, she said. Labours Alun Davies agreed, accusing UK ministers of putting Ms Hutt in an invidious position of responding to hearsay about a fundamental public service. He said: This is the second time in two months this simply isnt good enough. Groundhog day Mr Davies criticised Labour colleagues in the UK Government for clearly not recognising calls for policing to be devolved and biting the bullet. That needs to happen, he said, adding: It needs to happen as soon as possible. The former minister told the Senedd: We certainly dont want to see the nationalisation of policing thats just been proposed by the Conservatives. Weve never had a national police force in the UK we dont want one today. It was groundhog day for the Conservatives Mark Isherwood who reminded the chamber of the then-Assemblys review of policing in 2005 when mergers were floated previously. He said: To recognise the regional cultural and geographical differences that exist within Wales, all agreed that Wales must be policed in regions. But Rhys ab Owen, who sits as an independent, argued Wales four police forces make no sense at all with Police Scotland showing a unified force can flourish. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Wrexham schoolchildren receive special visit from Father Christmas! A group of Wrexham schoolchildren enjoyed a festive feast thanks to a visit from Father Christmas. The yuletide trip to Ysgol Bro Alun and Ysgol Penygelli was organised by Castell Howell Foods in partnership with the Wrexham School Meals Team. Castell Howell Foods is a Welsh supplier who sourced the turkey, vegetables, and traditional accompaniments served in Christmas school dinners across the county borough. The team at Castell Howell Foods have a direct line to the North Pole, and this year, they made a call to Father Christmas to ask if hed like to spread some joy in Wrexham with them. Hopping into their Christmas themed Santa truck loaded with their bounty of food, the team delivered some festive cheer by surprising the pupils at Ysgol Bro Alun and Ysgol Penygelli. Angharad Tuovinen, contracts manager at Castell Howell Foods said: It was really lovely to meet the pupils at Ysgol Bro Alun and Ysgol Penygelli. They certainly know how to spread Christmas joy in their community. It was a pleasure to provide them with their Christmas lunches this year and hope they all enjoyed them. Thank you very much to our jolly friend Santa for helping us make our delivery and for making time to meet all the children. Speaking on the news of the recent festive visit, Councillor Phil Wynn, Lead Member for Education said: It was delightful to hear of the recent visit from Father Christmas to two of our wonderful primary schools. We all know how busy he is this time of year so it just shows how good our pupils must be for him to manage to fit in a visit to them. A big, big thank you to his friends at Castell Howell Foods for helping arrange his visit and for providing the outstanding, high quality Christmas lunches to our young learners across the authority. What Removing the Two-Child Benefit Cap Means for Wrexham Residents Promotional feature... Now that the dust has settled on the 2025 Autumn Budget, Wrexham residents are starting to see the true shape of the governments fiscal plan for the year ahead. When the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, stood up in the House of Commons back in late November, the headlines were dominated by big numbers and talk of fixing the foundations. However, for those of us in North Wales, the real test of any Budget is how it translates to the local economy, from the footfall in Wrexham city centre to the job security of those working at the industrial estate. Andrew Ranger, Wrexhams MP, has been vocal in his support of the measures, framing them as a necessary step toward long-term stability. He described the approach as compassionate, honest and fair, highlighting that the choices made were intended to protect the most vulnerable while finally addressing the funding gaps in public services. It is a bold narrative, but as we move closer to the implementation of these changes in April, the focus is shifting toward the trade-offs. To fund local investment and ease the cost of living for families, the Treasury has had to look for revenue in some very specific places. Tangible Benefits for Wrexham Households The most immediate relief for many in our city comes in the form of the cost-of-living measures that were prioritised in the Chancellors statement. For Wrexhams older population, the 4.8% increase in the State Pension, set to kick in from April 2026, is a significant win. With around 700,000 pensioners across Wales feeling the cumulative impact of several tough winters, this adjustment to the Triple Lock offers a bit of breathing room. It ensures that those on fixed incomes arent left behind as the price of essentials continues to fluctuate. Closer to home for the working population, the extension of the fuel duty freeze until September 2026 is arguably the most practical win for the local economy. Wrexham is a city that moves on wheels; whether its commuting to the Wrexham Industrial Estate or travelling across the border for work, the cost at the pump directly dictates the monthly budget for thousands of households. When you pair this with the projected 150 reduction in average energy bills, there is a clear attempt to put money back into the pockets of local people. Perhaps the most discussed change, however, remains the lifting of the two-child benefit cap for those on Universal Credit. According to local data, this move alone is expected to support roughly 2,370 children in Wrexham. By removing what many campaigners called an arbitrary limit, the policy change aims to tackle child poverty at its root. For the families affected, this isnt about luxury; it is about meeting the rising costs of school uniforms, transport, and groceries, which in turn helps keep that money circulating within our local shops and services. Who is Footing the Bill? To pay for these measures, the Treasury has cast a wide net, ensuring the cost is distributed across different layers of society and industry. One of the most significant contributors is the average worker through fiscal drag. By extending the freeze on income tax and National Insurance thresholds until 2031, the Chancellor has ensured that as wages in Wrexham naturally rise, a larger portion of that income will eventually be subject to tax. This move is expected to bring millions of people into higher tax brackets over the next few years, effectively asking everyone on PAYE to make a long-term contribution. Wealthier property owners are also being asked to pay a larger share. A new annual surcharge, essentially a mansion tax, has been introduced for homes valued at 2 million or more. This levy, which can cost up to 7,500 a year, targets high-value assets to address wealth inequality. Similarly, taxes on property and dividend income have seen a 2% increase, ensuring that those with significant investment portfolios contribute more to the recovery of public services. Finally, the government has looked toward major corporations and specific digital sectors to bridge the gap. The Energy Profits Levy on oil and gas firms has been extended until 2030 to capture windfall gains from high energy prices. Alongside this, the duty on remote gambling products has been nearly doubled. This was heavily lobbied against by the gambling industry, due to concerns that someone who plays at a regulated online casinocould be driven to unregulated alternatives. By focusing on these thriving digital operators and energy giants, the Treasury expects to raise billions annually to help fund the local welfare and pension boosts mentioned by Andrew Ranger Protecting Local Interests While the digital sector is seeing a tighter squeeze, the Budget provided a green light for major physical investment in our region. The formal approval of the business case for the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone is the most significant development. Backed by 160 million in funding over the next decade, the zone is designed to attract up to 1 billion in private investment, specifically targeting advanced manufacturing. For Wrexham, this means a massive boost for the Industrial Estate, with the potential to create thousands of high-quality jobs for local people. There is also a clear focus on making the city itself a better place to live and work. The Welsh Governments Transforming Towns fund, which was bolstered in the Budget, is already making its mark on the city centre. From the refurbishment of the Butchers Market to the ongoing work to revitalise the high street, the aim is to increase footfall and support independent retailers. By combining these large-scale industrial incentives with targeted town centre regeneration, the government is betting that Wrexham can transition from a town with potential into a genuine economic powerhouse for North Wales. Ultimately, the 2025 Budget is a complex balancing act. While there is a clear move to provide a safety net for families and pensioners, it is being funded by a combination of personal tax freezes and significant new levies on wealth and corporate profits. As we move into the new financial year, Wrexham residents will be watching closely to see if the promised improvements to local infrastructure and the cost of living truly outweigh the price being paid. Saturday night wrapped up a series of paranormal experiences at the Mackay Mansion in Virginia City. A small business called "Vegas Afterlife" hosted four ticketed events at the historic house for its "Ghosts of Christmas Past" series. The company's founder, Danielle Nicole, said she's been involved with paranormal activity for quite some time. "I had my first paranormal experience at the age of eight," Nicole said. "I saw a shadow figure in a hallway during a sleepover at my house growing up, and ever since then, I have been intrigued by it." Nicole's parents owned a local community magazine, and she would write paranormal articles for the publication. She said a local paranormal group gave her the chance of a lifetime. "They asked if [my parents and I] wanted to go on a paranormal investigation," she said. "I went on my first paranormal investigation at the age of 12, and I just continued doing it." Now, Nicole hosts her own tours. 2 News Nevada tagged along for Vegas Afterlife's final night at the Mackay Mansion for the year on Saturday. Nicole said she made contact with a spirit in the lobby while we were there. She said the frequency of contact depends on who's in the group. "There are some people who come in as skeptics. Sometimes the spirits don't like to try to show activity when there are skeptics in the group," she said. Regardless of what activity is present on any given night, Nicole said it's all part of her dream. "If you were to ask me a year ago if I would be doing this for work, I would tell you you're probably really crazy." Vegas Afterlife's next scheduled event is at Whiskey Pete's Hotel and Casino in Primm on December 27 & 28 and select Saturdays after that. You can find tickets here. Nicole said they're also planning tours at Benson Grist Mill near Salt Lake City and Mount Wilson Ranch in Pioche, NV. December 15, 2025: The Cuban economy is in freefall along with infrastructure and living standards. Most Cubans try to survive on a monthly salary of about $15. Nearly 90 percent of families live in extreme poverty. Electrical power is shut down four hours a day in most areas and is completely absent in many rural regions. This means no running water, air conditioners, working toilets or sanitary food preparation. Public transportation has largely disappeared, as have a quarter of the population, most of them to the United States. These expatriates send money back to their families in Cuba, making these people relatively affluent. Exports and imports have shriveled. In the last six years the economy has contracted 11 percent. The real power in Cuba is the military organization called Grupo de Administracion Empresarial/Gaesa. This group considers itself Communist and most Cubans blame communism for all their current troubles. Unless the current government can somehow deal with the current disasters, the result will be a new government that Cubans believe will succeed. That would likely be a more democratic government that is willing to restore good relations with the United States. Thats an impossible dream to many Cubans, having lived under Communist rule for so long. Then again, impossible dreams often come true once all the other alternatives have been tried and failed. This all began at the end of the 1990s when Cuba sought new partners to replace the defunct Soviet state. The Russians were once a valued communist ally. That is now over, never to return. Rescue came in the form of Chinese intelligence officials looking for a suitable place to set up a surveillance system that would monitor the Americans. By 2023 Cuba was a base for secret Chinese espionage operations. China paid Cuban officials billions of dollars for this opportunity. This money was welcomed because Cuba, since the 1960s, had cheated foreign companies out of billions of dollars by preventing these firms from getting their money and other assets out of the country. Cuban government officials simply seized foreign assets. It wasnt always this bad. In the 1950s Cuba had the largest economy in the Caribbean. When the communist rebels took over in 1959, the economy fell apart. Russian advisors arrived to establish and operate an efficient police state. While the Soviet Union eventually collapsed because of economic failure, they left behind all the tools and assets needed to create a Cuban police state. Cuban officials now controlled employment and any misbehavior or threat to the state meant the offenders were out of work. The government could also jail anyone for any reason at any time. The only ones getting rich were the Cuban officials who controlled the jobs and judicial system. This is still how it works in Cuba Cuban dictator Fidel Castro died in 2016. There were concerns about what happened next. This was particularly the case with the Cuban military. The Cuban Army regularly displayed its elderly and obsolete Soviet tanks and other light armored vehicles. But the primary power was the large number of troops armed and trained as paramilitary forces. The Soviet tanks, trucks and other equipment were poorly maintained, if at all, and left to rot in ramshackle warehouses. Troops used bicycles to get around. Some active duty troops and forces and specialized units are capable. There are lots of rifles, pistols and other weapons in the country. About ten percent of the population is alleged to be still willing to fight in support of whoever came after Fidel. Practically, only some of the paramilitary forces might be still willing to try. Most communist dictatorships have been replaced by democracies since 1989, and all have prospered. North Korea and Cuba remain faithful to communist rule and their citizens are unhappy with this arrangement. At least Fidel Castro had the personality, and the popularity needed to placate the population. His less effective successor was his brother Raul, who fancied himself a dictator that was not to be questioned. Raul was aware of his shortcomings when thousands of Cubans fled the country for the United States. Raul announced that he sought to improve relations with the United States. That was different because Fidel Castro had exploited the testy relationship with the United States as part of an effort to stay in power. Fidel used the threat from the north angle since the 1960s to keep the impoverished and imprisoned Cuban people with him. He worked until he died in 2016. His brother Raul succeeded him and retired in 2021. The resulting Cuban unrest resonates in the United States, which is only 150 kilometers away. In Florida, a key state in national elections, the well-organized Cuban American minority is a political force to be reckoned with. And then there are also the problems that would accompany Cuban Americans getting actively involved in post-Fidel politics. Some Cuban American leaders have made no secret of their eagerness to do this. Trying to figure out what the current Cuban leader, Miguel Diaz-Cane, is up to is a pressing issue in the Pentagon, as it is back in Cuba. Meanwhile Cuba has become the central asset for the new Chinese signals intelligence/SIGINT site that gathers information on American military operations throughout the southeastern United States. China built the islands telecommunications infrastructure. Cubas sole internet provider is the Chinese Huawei firm. Cuba uses Huawei software to filter internet searches. By doing so, China created a system capable of surveillance and much more. This was obvious in mid-2021, when Cuban government officials shut down internet and telephone services, preventing Cuban protestors from communicating with anyone outside their island country. Cuba receives an undisclosed annual payment from China, most of it disappearing into the pockets or offshore bank accounts of a few Cuban leaders. The United States has 572 military personnel in the Guantanamo enclave in eastern Cuba. By analogy, it appears that many Americans may be suffering from a parasitic disease called Oikophobia (from the Greek oikos meaning home), that presents itself as a loathing of ones own culture. There is no treatment. Individuals suffering from this do not know they have it; symptoms obvious to observers are oblivious to the stricken. This disease may or may not be associated with Xenophiliaa preference for another culture over ones own. Advertisement Image created using AI. Advertisement Here is what the disease looks like in America from the outside: persons with supportive and loving families, living in lovely homes in safe and friendly neighborhoods, with all material and comforting goods needed or wanted, and plenty to eat, going berserk. They were given the money for college degrees by caring parents, have good jobs or excellent retirements, libraries close to home, and access to a myriad of cultural and environmental enrichments. And yet these persons, afflicted with Oikophobia, loathe the culture responsible for this existence. Out of their mouths comes such filth, such accusations against their country, such hyperbole regarding what one is owed them by society, that their physical appearances can become unrecognizable, as the parasite manipulates their behavior for its own purposes. When one sees middle-class persons with tight, merciless faces, weapons in hand, physically imposing their bodies in dangerous ways, or squinting in close shots in videotaped tirades of spittle and venom, the logical conclusion is that they suffer from this dangerous and ultimately fatal disease. Advertisement And the parasites purpose? It is not the demise of the individual that represents the parasites purpose. It is the demise of the culture itselfin the case of the United States, a culture that relies on the existence of God, Moral and Positive Law, a realistic view of what moves human behavior, a rich and full culture, an emphasis on industry and practicality, and a respect for intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. We are the child of Great Britain, yet Oikophobia is glaringly apparent there, as well. Once dutiful, somber, and glorious, Great Britain lies exhausted and flaccid; the anchor of Western Civilization has been unable to withstand the effects of this parasitic invasion. Parasites use hosts to effectuate their goals by manipulating the hosts behavior. The fluke worm manipulates the ant to climb to the top of the grass, so the cow eats the ant, and the parasite attacks the cows liver. So too, the education industry manipulates otherwise patriotic Americans to loathe their homeland. There is no treatment for this condition, unless the host undergoes some trauma or shock to the system that reveals what has happened. Understanding when and how Oikophobia entered the cultural bloodstream is essential in taking any steps possible to thwart its deadly purpose. The following are three entry points: Advertisement 1. 1913, when America abandoned her Founding governing system through ratified changes to the United States Constitution, and turned over the countrys monetary policy to international banking competitors with the establishment of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve cannot be audited by law, although that can be changed by Congress. Such an audit would provide the shock or trauma required to understand what this institution really represents and what it has done. Since 1913, the United States has been at continuous war and is struggling to regain her wealth and avert bankruptcy. 2. The passage of the Hart-Celler Act of 1965 that changed our immigration system from those likely to assimilate to those who would find it difficult. The United States, out of guilt over Civil Rights, decided that European America was not worthy and that change in the demographics of the nation through immigration and reproduction would be the price paid for racial discrimination. This concept was strengthened by the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980, aligning our nations immigration policies with those of a corrupt and anti-American United Nations. Rejecting this giant guilt trip might help us understand why, from the outset of our nation, each person wishing to enter the United States must be vetted. Advertisement 3. The wholesale promulgation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into our culture and law in 2020. There is nothing in the Founding legal or moral structure that warrants arbitrary diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are merit and moral-based, without an obligation to commit cultural suicide. Perhaps when the family unit is debauched sufficiently by social media and some public education, when a traditional Church becomes a haven to the Satanic, and when Jews and Christians cower at the hands of those who would destroy them, the ensuing shock and trauma will help Americans to realize that what happened in Australia awaits us. Artificial pluralism without individual merit inevitably creates a suicidal societal cell. Oikophobia is real. It has invaded our nation. It is useless to try to persuade those contaminated with the parasite to rid themselves of it. Logic, experience, and the empirical are useless against it. Only shock and trauma can wake people up; only a dramatic return to Founding principles can wake the culture up. Only prayer can cure. If one is not moved by a portion of Sir Walter Scotts powerful 1805 poem, one might have been infected. Advertisement Breathes there the man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! If such there breathe, go mark him well: For him no Minstrel raptures swell; High though his titles, proud his name, Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; The wretch, concentrated all in self, Living, shall forfeit fair renown, And, doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonourd, and unsung. The average IQ in Somalia is 68. People will be diagnosed with an intellectual disability if their IQ falls below 70. But the IQ test really measures only linguistic and reasoning intelligence. There are other types of intelligence, such as musical, bodily-kinesthetic (athletes, dancers, etc.), artistic, emotional, etc. Advertisement Now, its beginning to look as if the Somalis have their own other intelligence: getting unearned money. Thats why it wasnt surprising at all to learn that, when people donated to victims of the 2023 bowling alley shooting in Lewiston, Maine, some of that money apparently ended up funding NGOs with strong Somali ties, but no ties to the shooting. Advertisement Image created using AI. The Maine Wire presents the facts in detail. If youre interested in the whole sordid story, take the time to read it. For now, Ill give you just the skinny. Advertisement The shooting, carried out by a violent, brain-damaged man, left 18 dead and 13 wounded. Afterwards, Maines governor, Janet Mills (whom you remember for refusing to protect young women from mentally-ill men), encouraged people who wanted to donate to the victims to send their money to the Maine Community Foundation (MCF), which she promised was a trustworthy vehicle. The Chairman of the MCF Board of Directors is Adilah Muhammad. The steering committee also included the heads of four NGOS, whom Ill get to in a moment. People opened their hearts and their wallets, ultimately contributing $6.6 million to the MCF. They thought the money was earmarked for the shooting victims and their families. Instead, per the Maine Wire, Advertisement [T]he MCF distributed just $4.7 million to those individuals. The remaining $1.9 million went to NGOs, many of them politically connected, and many of them involved in the nebulous world of migrant services. Advertisement Most of those nonprofits have no connections to the victims families or the survivors. Few of them can point to anything done with the money for the benefit of the victims families or the survivors. Thats bad, but whats worse is this part: Advertisement However, several of the nonprofits had directors who were on the MCF steering committee the committee that allocated the donations. In other words, roughly one third of the money raised in the names of Lewiston shooting victims was under the control of NGOs that saw no conflict or ethical concern with steering that money into their own bank accounts. This approach violated the best practices for community foundations handling disaster funds. Those practices require that the funds go to the donors intended beneficiaries and that the foundation scrupulously avoids diverting funds and conflicts of interest. Transparency, of course, is the key to ensuring integrity. It gets even worse when you learn where some of those funds ended up. First, remember those four NGO heads I mentioned above? They received a bountiful largesse from the donor funds: According to the MCFs website, the steering committee included the following non-profit heads: Joleen Bedard, United Way of Androscoggin County, Nathan Davis, Gateway Community Services Maine, Muhidin Libah, Somali Bantu Community Association, and Julia Sleeper, Tree Street Youth. Bedard, Davis, Libah, and Sleepers NGOs all received $65,000 from the Lewiston shooting fundraising money far more than the majority of victims received, including Maine residents who were shot. These NGO heads also appear to have steered donation money into groups with which they have prior affiliations, share office space, or have partnered with for prior activities. (Emphasis in original.) When it took the $65,000, Gateway Community Services, run by Abdullahi Ali, a Somali-American, already possessed $5 million in government grants. Hes no longer in the US, though: Alis taxpayer-funded migrant services business has made national headlines in recent weeks, in part because he received millions of taxpayer dollars before fleeing to Africa to lead a militia against Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe. And then theres the Somali Bantu Community Association, another NGO with no ties to the shooting victims. Employees and recipients are family members. Most recently, writes the Maine Wire, the organization was awarded more than $31k to support Liberation Farms, a taxpayer-funded halal farm, and to recruit Maine residents to apply for EBT cards. The AK Collaborative, which seems to be another Somali organization connected to the Maine government but not the shooting, also got $65,000. So did Generational Noor, started by a Somali immigrant as a substance abuse charity, although it seemingly never did anything to help with substance abuse. Empowered Immigrant Women United, chaired by Choukri Mahamoud, also got $65,000. Of its $172,289 in total receipts in 2024, nearly all funds went to salaries. One of the problems with mass immigration is that you get a lot of chaff with the wheat. Yes, there are good, hard-working, honest people who are Somalis. But when a substantial cohort of the population is dedicated to financial crimes that rip off taxpayers and charitable donor, and when the community seems incapable of policing itself, you have to ask if the burden of the chaff outweighs any benefit from the wheat. Just the other day, President Donald Trump proudly held up a AMEX-like "Gold Card" that bore his likeness and the words, "Trump Gold Card." The card represented a new pay-to-stay pathway to receiving the coveted U.S. immigration "green eard" (the card that allows foreigners the right to live and work in the U.S.). Here's how it works Advertisement The Trump Gold Card offers expedited U.S. green card processing (EB-1/EB-2) in exchange for substantial, non-refundable financial contributions ($1 million for individuals, $2 million for corporate) to the U.S. government, plus fees. This expensive ticket to ride the immigration train first class is still subject to visa caps and foreign consulate processing, with a fast-track petition (I-140G) for vetting, requiring detailed background checks despite the donation. Advertisement Step 1. Application & Fees: Submit Form I-140G with a $15,000 processing fee to DHS for vetting. -- Step 2. After you've been vetted, you make a $1 million gift (or $2 million corporate) to the Department of Commerce, which is treated as evidence of substantial benefit. -- Step 3. The Department of Homeland Security processes the I-140G petition quickly, but visa issuance still relies on the Visa Bulletin and country-specific backlogs. -- Step 4. You must apply through a U.S. consulate abroad; no adjustment of status is given from within the U.S. The corporate card is similar but slightly different. It allows corporations to sponsor employees for U.S. permanent residency by making a substantial financial contribution to the U.S. government, and it offers the benefit of transferability between sponsored employees without requiring an additional full donation. Advertisement American residency has been "for sale" since 1990, when the Immigration Act of that year introduced the EB-5 Investor Visa to stimulate the U.S. economy by attracting foreign capital and creating jobs for U.S. workers. That was its intention. According to publicly available data, the EB-5 program helped attract approximately $20.6 billion in foreign investment into the U.S. economy between 2008 and 2015 (approximately $2.6 billion per year). Advertisement For the period 2016-2019, industry studies indicate that EB-5 capital stimulated $75 billion in private investment and supported 1.7 million jobs. The overall contribution to U.S. GDP is estimated at $184 billion, with $122 billion in wages. Source: IIUSA (Invest in the USA, the National Trade Association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program) which has also published an Economic Impact Report for 2025 on the results of the EB-5, citing multiple sources. The key takeaway from the EB-5 experience, though, is that it's a mixed bag. Advertisement While the EB-5 investor visa program has been successful in generating investment and economic activity and helping to create jobs in the U.S. that far outstrip its modest budgetary cost, it has also faced significant criticisms related to fraud risk, administrative complexity, and uneven uptake (many of the applications are from a handful of countries). These criticisms have fueled repeated calls for reform or, in some cases, replacement with other investor immigration pathways. It is too early to tell how the public will receive the new Trump Gold Card if, in fact, it is legalized by Congress, which sets immigration law. Advertisement But the White House feels it's on solid ground to launch the new Trump Gold Card. Back in September, the president signed an Executive Order (14351) to create the Gold Card. The White House was careful not to create a new visa category, which would be Congress's job. Instead, it has attempted to use existing statutory visa categories, such as EB-1 and EB-2, and reinterpret the criteria based on the donated amount, thereby obviating the need for Congressional approval. For more information, log on to the White House' website at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/the-gold-card/?utm_source=chatgpt.com The rich have always been able to end-run the system even the gallows Beginning in the 12th century, various European countries offered their wealthiest citizens a way to avoid capital punishment. In merry old England of yore, English monarchs regularly granted pardons in exchange for money, military service, or political loyalty. Pardons could be purchased directly or through intermediaries. A full pardon could erase the death sentence entirely, while a conditional pardon could commute hanging to transportation, branding, or service in the military. This practice was common well into the 18th century. In Scandinavia, before Norman rule, the practice of "Wergild" was popular. Many crimes, including some murders could be settled by paying Wergild, a price based on the victims social status. This wasnt bribery; it was the official legal system. After 1066 (the Norman Conquest), the system faded, and capital punishment became more common, although executions became less frequent. In the Norse system, every person had a specific Wergild price: a nobleman had a high Wergild. A freeman had a lower price and a slave paid to the owner. Wergild was not only used for homicide. Early Wergild had a price for every body part injured, like a broken arm, a missing finger, a lost eye, or a scar that disfigured the face. From the 15th to the 18th century, courts and sheriffs were notoriously corrupt. Bribes were commonplace. One could pay a bribe to escape from prison before trial; pay to have jurors instructed to convict on a lesser offense; pay sheriffs to lose paperwork or pay executioners to fake an execution (rare but documented). In the 17th and 18th centuries, criminals that were sentenced to death in England could have their sentence commuted if they agreed to be sent to America (until 1776) and Australia (after 1788). Families paid brokers to secure commutations. Merchants buying convict labor often paid the officials involved. We've come a long way from the gallows to the Gold Card, but the fact that the rich have always had an advantage has remained constant and will probably stay with us for a few more millennia. The problems of immigration will continue to dog us, especially in those countries that are wealthy, safe, and offer opportunities for self-improvement. America is one of those countries, but so are the European nations that are dealing with populations that refuse to integrate or contribute to their landlords' cultures. Millions of people want what we in the West have, and those who can pay up front for it now have another way to walk through the door to the Land of Plenty (or as 18th century German immigrants called it: "Land der Fulle or Land des Uberflusses) happily jumping the queue leaving those who've waited years, in their dust. Two important questions remain. The first is: Are we prepared to let a "pay to play (or stay)" scheme replace our compassion and sense of fairness? The second is: Are we comfortable with making the price of opportunity and admission to the American Dream contingent on who can pay the most? I hope that we as a nation do not become so cynical that we know the price of everything but the value of nothing. Stephen Helgesen is a retired American diplomat specializing in international trade. He has lived and worked in 30 countries over the course of 25 years under the Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and G.W. Bush administrations. He is the author of fourteen books, seven of them on American politics, and has written more than 1,500 articles on politics, economics, and social trends. He now lives in Denmark and is a frequent political commentator in Danish media. He can be reached at: [email protected] Image: Pexels // Pexels License Most movie fans have seen A Star Is Born in one iteration or another the 1937 original starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March; the Judy Garland episode of 1954; the Barbra Streisand version alongside Kris Kristofferson, which hit the theaters in 1976; or the latest, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, released in 2018. Unbeknownst to most, a brand-new star was born last night on Newsmax. That new star is North Carolina congressman Brad Knott. Advertisement As I often do at this time of year, I spent the evening watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my wife. After two movies last night (neither of which had anything new to offer), it was too late to start another. So before heading to bed, I flipped to Newsmax, which was carrying President Trumps speech live from North Carolina. As the president introduced various individuals in the crowd, he mentioned two N.C. congressmen in the audience and invited them to the microphone. One of them was unremarkable, though likely a good man if he was introduced by the president. The other, actually presented first, was a man in whom I see star power. As he began to speak, I thought, wow! This guy has it all: tall and good-looking, with a great speaking voice and manner. I think he looks a great deal like a young Donald Trump, although my wife disagrees. Advertisement What a pro-Trump, proNorth Carolina, pro-America message he delivered in just a minute or two. It reminded me a bit of the first time I saw John F. Kennedy speak. I thought he must be severely flawed in some way; maybe hes even on the Epstein list. But a bit of a dive into his history revealed him to be a man seemingly without any apparent flaw. Baylor undergrad and Wake Forest law graduate. Over seven years as a prosecuting U.S. attorney for Eastern North Carolina, married with two daughters. A man who ran for Congress because he got tired of seeing the corruption of the Biden years. Advertisement Knott will not (I dont mean to sound repetitive) be 40 until this coming April. I envision him as someone joining the ranks of J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio as major players on the Republican national stage. Just remember, you read it here first. I hope I live long enough to see him bloom on the national stage. Enjoy the video, and see what you think. Advertisement Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia. Advertisement Image: Brad Knott. Credit: House Creative Services, public domain. December 21, 2025: In the Imun gun, as the North Korean army is known locally, discipline is strict. This applies to all aspects of a soldier's life, including how long their hair is, how it is cut, where it is cut and who does the cutting. This bizarre situation was demonstrated earlier this year when officers banned their men from going to local towns and villages to have their hair cut by barbers. The troops had been doing this for some time and one particularly strict commander found out about this violation of hair maintenance discipline. Army rules mandate that soldiers have their hair cut on base by a senior soldier using clippers. These official haircuts leave the hair looking ragged and unsightly. The observant disciplinarian commander noticed his troops had neatly trimmed hair and knew that they had violated the hair maintenance regulations. That soldier and his squad sergeant were punished with ten consecutive days of guard duty. This crackdown was noticed by the local barbers, who saw their income drastically reduced. But they knew that after a few weeks the soldiers would return to the civilian barbers. Its not just the North Koreas who act like this. Twenty-four years ago, US Army Special Forces troops in Afghanistan were quietly allowed to go native, at least in appearance, once more. When Special Forces first entered Afghanistan in October 2001, they dressed like Afghans, including growing beards or moustaches. But in 2002, Army commanders in Afghanistan ordered the Special Forces to get in uniform and shave. Special Forces commanders complained that the civilian dress was often a matter of life and death, but it wasn't until a new Army Chief of Staff, a former SOCOM commander, came in and cut the Special Forces some slack. Chicago is located in Cook County, so it makes sense that the Cook County Circuit Court (where cases are tried) would be a bastion of leftist politics. Even knowing that, though, its shocking to read that the new rules for courtrooms in Cook County mandate that people pretend that so-called transgender people (that is, people who, because of sexual fetishes or mental illness, claim to be a person of the opposite sex or some made-up sex) are a real thing, and must be addressed as such. Advertisement Image created using AI. Advertisement Mandating civility in a courtroom is one thing; forcing attorneys, judges, and witnesses to voice words accepting biological and religious falsehoods is another thing entirely. The Chicago City Wire sums up whats happening in Chicago courtrooms: Advertisement Cook County judges will face consequences if they address ladies and gentlemen in their courtrooms, they can no longer refer to cross-dressing defendants by their birth names, and they must apologize to them if they do so. Thats according to a Best Practices Bench Card distributed last week to judges, produced by The LGBTQ+ Bar, which advocates for special court treatment of homosexuals and cross-dressers. Advertisement Sources tell Chicago City Wire that all circuit court judges, under the management of new Chief Judge Charles S. Beach, II, were told they are now expected to adhere to these new best practices. The bench card dictates what Cook County judges are now allowed to believe and say about homosexuality and cross-dressing, and how judges must use preferred language, including specific euphemisms, to refer to certain sexual behavior. Advertisement It also demands that Cook County judges side with children who cross-dress or believe they are homosexual when their parents disagree with such behavior. Heres a brief rundown of the new rules, many of which explicitly apply to lawyers as well as judges. I assume that witnesses must abide by these strictures as well. These new rules Advertisement force judges to identify themselves in the courtroom using pronouns mandate that judges minimize the use of peoples given, biologically appropriate names (aka dead names) require apologies if anyone in the court is forced to use those names admonish lawyers who dare to use those names banish the phrase ladies and gentlemen and the honorifics of Mr. and Mrs. end references to homosexuality as a lifestyle ensure juries dont hear salacious details about homosexual lifestyles (presumably even if relevant to a case) because thats prejudicial refer to any mutilating chemical and surgical interventions in the quixotic quest for gender affirmation as health care The above list is not exaggerated. The same article includes the full guidelines. All of this was probably inevitable from the moment in 2020 when Chicago voters elected to the court a man who claims that he is a woman. Some might have asked how a person so divorced from reality could be an effective judge in an institution dedicated to finding the truth in the crucible of rigorously tested evidence, but that clearly was not a primary concern to Chicago voters. The average Chicagoan will do just fine with the new rules, although lawyers and witnesses dedicated to biological truth, reality, and, if they are religious, Biblical truths, might struggle. It strikes me that theres a fantastic First Amendment case to be brought here, but I doubt any lawyer will bring it. After all, unless youre planning on leaving the practice of law or never winning a case again, only an idiot would sue a leftist court system over its leftist rules. Perhaps, though, Harmeet Dhillon can be made aware of whats going on there. The facts of the case were indisputable. Toward the end of April 2025, Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan had before her a Mexican illegal alien charged with three counts of particularly brutal battery and domestic violence. Learning ICE agents with an arrest warrant were waiting for her to finish the hearing so they could arrest and deport him, Dugan ended the hearing, leaving the victims stunned. Enlisting the help of another judge, she distracted the agents while an underling ushered the illegal out a private door. Fortunately, the agents were prepared and after a brief foot chase, arrested the illegal, who was eventually deported. Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Advertisement Dugan was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor and a felony for obstructing ICE and trying to help the illegal escape. She was temporarily removed from her position and the political and legal wrangling began. Democrats, national and local, attacked President Trump for so unfairly, and blatantly politically, arresting a noble and virtuous judge for resisting his evil regime. Judges active and retired, politicians and every anti-Trump revolutionary around made Dugan a cause. Trump had nothing at all to do with the case. The ICE agents were enforcing federal immigration law that went unenforced during the Biden years. Most of all, Dugan so clearly violated federal law against interfering with immigration enforcement, there was no doubt among ethical lawyers she was guilty. Advertisement Dugans case was randomly assigned to a retired, 85-year-old judge so notoriously leftist theyd been many times disciplined for unethical, political conduct. High-powered leftist lawyers took up her defense and administered a huge defense fund. For them, the question of guilt or innocence was irrelevant. The only issue that mattered was how best to foil Trump. Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Apparently relying on the Judges known radical leftism, Dugans lawyers argued for dismissal on the grounds that judges enjoy judicial immunity for any act, in or out of the courtroom, and related or unrelated to any case before them just because theyre judges. Unstated but implied, was if Trump is involved, every Democrat, particularly judges, is above the law. In fact, the law is what they say it is. Amazingly, that didnt work: Advertisement Ultimately, as the Supreme Court has stated, the official seeking absolute immunity bears the burden of showing that such immunity is justified for the function in question. I cannot say as a matter of law that the defendants alleged conduct falls within even this more limited version of immunityThere is no basis for granting immunity simply because some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could be considered part of a judges job. Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post The case went to trial last week. There was no defense. The evidence, video and testimonial, was overpowering and irrefutable. The Judge Dugan enlisted, Kristela Cervera, testified she confronted ICE agents in the hallway with Dugan, who insisted she wear her robes to help intimidate the agents. She testified the agents behaved respectfully as Dugan became increasingly angry. Graphic: Milwaukee County Video. Public Domain. Cervera also testified that she was shocked by Dugans later conduct and that judges should not be helping defendants evade arrest. She added, I was mortified. I thought that someone may think that I was part of some of what happened. Cervera said she was shocked by attorneys praising her for helping Flores-Ruiz escape. She described attorneys pumping their fists and telling her, You go, Judge, and saying, Judge, youre goated now. She said that she avoided Dugan but ran into her in an elevator. She noted that Dugan told her she was in the dog house with the Chief Judge for trying to help Flores-Ruiz. It took the jury only six hours to convict Dugan on the felony obstructing count, though they acquitted her on the misdemeanor concealing count. Dugan is facing up to five years in prison, though its unlikely shell get any jail time. The Wisconsin state bar is arguably leftist, but this case was so clear cut theyll have no choice but to permanently remove hera convicted felon--from the bench and disbar her. Dugans lawyers are promising an appeal, but appeals dont retry cases, they only look for reversible error. There appears to be none in this case. Its not impossible a leftist appeals court might issue a political reversal wrapped in pseudo-legalistic language, but for now, justice has truly been done. Its judges like Hannah Dugan who have badly damaged the reputation of our justice system. This verdict wont restore public trust, but its a good first step. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Chanukah is a magical festival of lights that reaffirms that G-d shows favor to the Jewish people. Theirs is an unbreakable bond. True believers do not question the covenant. They embrace it, accept it, and believe it. (See, at the end of this post, the lyrics to the Jewish version of Rock of Ages. This traditional Hanukkah hymn is believed to be from the 12th or 13th centuries, with music from the 15th century.) Advertisement Image created using AI. Advertisement We must remember this bond today, for Jews live in troubled times. It is doubtful there are more than 16-17 million Jews alive in the world today. The population of the United States is 348,114,726 as of December 15, 2025. In March 2025, the Jewish population in the United States was 7,698,840, according to the Jewish Electorate Institute. Jews make up only 2.2% of the total American population. (In 1950, they were 3.3% of the total population.) Advertisement Israel has a total population of 10,179,500, of which approximately 7,208,500 are Jews. The remainder of the population consists of Arabs (21%) and others (Druze, non-Arab Christians, etc.). There exist other major international Jewish population centers, but their numbers are small and dropping: Advertisement France: 440,000 Canada: 398,000 UK: 312,000 Argentina: 171,000 Russia: 142,000 Germany: 125,000 Austria: 117,200 And yet despite our minuscule numbers, we live in the heads of millions upon millions of deranged, hateful people who lust to kill Jews. Lots of Jews. Any Jews or a single Jew. Western Europe has abandoned the co-existence it achieved with the Jews after the genocide of WWII. This was foolish. It cannot successfully feed the Islamic beast and long survive. Yes, they will come for the Jews first. But how is that working out for those who follow that path? It is true that throughout the ages, Jews have been attacked and murdered, but some have always survived. That cannot be said for many civilizations that have tried to smite the Jews, only to have gone on to their own utter defeat. Advertisement What will occur in the UK is predictable. Islamists already politically control 1/3 of London. Many Jews will or should leave the UK for Israel and safety. Unless there is a British uprising, the UK will ultimately become Muslim. Increasingly, and incredibly, the same can also be said for Jews living in the United States. The golden age for Jews in the United States, that lasted from about 1950 through 1980 or 1990, is over. It is dead. Jews are hated and hunted, not only abroad but, tragically, here at home. Advertisement However, a fix in America is still doable. Republican and Democrat congresspeople can say: No more. Hunting Jews can no longer be a growing American pastime. Laws can be passed to stiffen the penalties for antisemitic attacks. Most importantly, immigrants who foster it will be deported, regardless of how long they have lived in the United States. Rock of Ages - Maoz Tzor Rock Of Ages let our song Praise your saving power Thou amidst the raging foes You were our sheltering tower Furious they assailed us But thine arm availed us And thy word broke their sword When our own strength failed us Children of the wanderers Whether free, whether free or fettered Wake the echoes, wake the echoes of the songs Where you may be scattered Yours the message cheering That, that the time is nearing Which will see all men free And tyrants disappearing. In what sane world would a governor who "lost" $18 billion to Somali pirates and other fraudsters across a multitude of social welfare programs be fit to stay in office, other than comfortably wokester Minnesota, led by shameless Tim Walz? Advertisement We know a CEO would have been out on his ear with that kind of record. But not Walz, who clings to power even as he faces a major federal funding cutoff. Advertisement One Trump administration cabinet member has called for it, according to Fox 9: What they're saying: Advertisement The letter sent to Gov. Walz states that his "careless lack of oversight" led to "fraudsters from around the world, especially from Somalia, to establish a beachhead of criminality in our country." Secretary McMahon then references "ghost students" that she says her department uncovered at the beginning of 2025, which are fraudsters that were not ID-verified, do not live in the United States or simply don't exist. The letter states that 1,834 "ghost students" were found in Minnesota and received about $12.5 million in taxpayer-funded grants and loans. Advertisement Other defrauded government programs were pointed out in the letter, including ones that provided housing, education, food assistance and small business assistance. Others, too: Advertisement "THEY SHOULD RESIGN IN DISGRACE" Minnesotas Fraud Could Exceed $9 Billion@MichaelH_MN: "The sickening thing here is that Tim Walz and Keith Ellison, for years, they did nothing... allowing it to grow to $9 billion. Now Minnesota's become a national embarrassment." pic.twitter.com/PMuyXuR9M5 The Will Cain Show (@WillCainShow) December 20, 2025 Federal investigators uncover nearly 2,000 fake ghost students siphoning millions in taxpayer funds, triggering explosive calls for Governor Tim Walz to resign immediately. pic.twitter.com/hHKouPWWga Robert Gouveia Esq. (@RobGouveiaEsq) December 18, 2025 That's a lot of fraud. Advertisement Among all kinds of other frauds: BREAKING: Tim Walz is PANICKED now that the FBI has just RAIDED a Somali "health services" building after billions in Medicaid fraud was exposed. It's only getting worse in Minnesota. Tim Walz and Minnesota Democrats are TO BLAME. Resign.pic.twitter.com/66gssNkKSh Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 18, 2025 If Walz had any honor, he would have resigned yesterday. But he doesn't, and there's a very specific reason for it, which comes back to us dating from the first revelations of the mega-scandal, as reported by the New York Times late last month: Kayseh Magan, a Somali American who formerly worked as a fraud investigator for the Minnesota attorney generals office, said elected officials in the state and particularly those who were part of the states Democratic-led administration were reluctant to take more assertive action in response to allegations in the Somali community. There is a perception that forcefully tackling this issue might cause political backlash among the Somali community, which is a core voting bloc for Democrats, said Mr. Magan, who is among the few prominent figures in the Somali community to speak about the fraud. Somalis were permitted to steal money from other taxpayers because they voted for Walz. Walz took a benefit from allowing massive fraud to go on, even as 400 Minnesota civil servants sounded the tocsin about the stealathon, and were harassed, ignored, and even penalized for saying something about what they saw. I wrote about that here. MASSIVE: It's gotten SO BAD in Minnesota that HUNDREDS of Tim Walz's own state employees are now turning on him. Walz THREATENED whistleblowers of massive fraud and enabled it. RESIGN, TIM! You FAILED your citizens. "This is a cascade of systemic failures leading up to Tim pic.twitter.com/LVEmjgDMrP Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 30, 2025 He ought to just get out, after proving himself the worst steward of America's money this side of Gavin Newsom, whose state's corruption is probably even worse. Crime is out of control in Minnesota, because Walz benefits from it. The state is swimming in red ink and projected to have a $3 billion deficit by 2028, once again, because Walz benefits from it. And worst of all, other taxpayers' money has been handed out to fourth-world pirates, again, because Walz benefits from it -- and the scope of the scandal keeps spreading. Sure, he says he's suddenly all in for catching the fraudsters, now wrapping himself in the flag. A manic Tim Walz declares he will fix the fraud in Minnesota...that he has presided over. You have my guarantee on this." He also attacks Trump while whining that the issue is being weaponized and sensationalized. This is what a complicit man looks and sounds like. pic.twitter.com/gE3m8jg8NL Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) December 20, 2025 It's smoke and mirrors because if he were, the fraud would not have spread through departments like metastatic cancer. He also has yet to catch any Somali thieves, let alone recover the stolen funds -- nor has he explained why his administration threatened the civil-servant whistleblowers. He's the kingpin of dereliction of duty, utterly unfit to serve as governor. He ought to be required to pay the federal government back for all the money he allowed to be stolen by his politically useful fraudsters. Since that's not going to happen, and he doesn't even have the decency to resign, he needs to get every last federal dollar cut off for his state and see it put into receivership. He can't be allowed to handle other people's money, he's got a toddler's understanding of money from an office of high power, and thought the stealing could go one forever so long as he benefited. Now he's not benefiting as word gets out about his stewardship of other people's money, so he's pretending to be against fraud. He's got to pay for this, and it's high time for the feds to make an example of him. Image: Screen shot from X video In 1985, when North and South premiered on television, the Civil War miniseries soap opera was ratings gold. It remains the seventh-highest rated miniseries in TV history thanks to the good looks of Patrick Swayze (Confederate) and James Read (Yankee). One year later, when Part Two premiered, its ratings were equally as successful. Advertisement My friends and I swooned over Swayze and Read and, in our best New York accents, imitated a southern drawl with, Were at war-uh! Advertisement Image created using AI. War is bloody hell, as most rational people know, and you want to avoid one at all costsunless you are the media, because, for them, war sells. And that is how President Trump was able to get the networks to give him 18 primetime minutes (supposed to be 15, but no one was going to interrupt our commander-in-chief) to talk about America declaring war on VenezuelaNOT! Advertisement Networks hate giving presidents of either party commercial-free airtime unless they think there will be breaking news. From the Associated Press: Network leaders notably rejected Obama in 2014 when he wanted to talk about immigration policy while Congress was at an impasse over the matter. Advertisement [] In 2022, Biden spoke at length on his concerns about American democracy but several networks did not carry his remarks from Philadelphia. By itself, the topic could be framed as a national concern above partisanship. Bidens effort, though, was complicated by the fact that he was talking about Trump and Trumps supporters who ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, at a time when they were being investigated and prosecuted. Advertisement Thanks to the mentally unstable Tucker Carlson (nicknamed Tucker Qatarlson by many because of his growing immense love for Qatar), the networks gave President Donald J. Trump prime time on December 17 to discuss warbut to their chagrin, it was how the Trump administration is winning the war on affordability. It all started on the morning of December 17, when Tucker Carlson was on Judge Andrew Napalitanos podcast. Carlson said that Trump is likely to announce WAR with Venezuela that night during his address to the nation. Advertisement Judge Andrew Napolitano: Is Trump going to start a war in Venezuela? [] Tucker Carlson: Heres what I know so far, which is that members of Congress were briefed yesterday [Tuesday] that a war is coming, and itll be announced in the address to the nation tonight at 9:00 by the president. [] A member of Congress told me that this morning. What network or cable news wants to miss a speech where an American president declares war? None! And thats why they all gave up premium time, believing that President Trump would be making a historic announcement. Some reporters quickly went to their sources to confirm what Carlson just said. Carlson, known for his frequent anti-Christian and anti-Jewish comments, had often claimed the United States would be starting World War III. Their sources said Carlson was wrong (as he usually is). However, by this time, the legacy and cable networks had already committed to and promoted President Trumps evening speech to the American people. All they could do was hope that President Trump, who often makes many unexpected comments, might declare war-uh on some nation. Maybe Venezuela. Or perhaps Greenland. Maybe all of Europe! Then it was time for the speech! Network executives and those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome waited and waited and waited through 18 minutes only to hear The Donald talk about the mess that President AutoPen left for him to clean up, listing many administration affordability successes to date with more to come in 2026. Michael Knowles put it best: He (Trump) pulled a war-in-Venezuela fake out to make the networks broadcast all his first-year wins in prime time, all in front of cozy Christmas decorations at the White House. Simply the best media manipulator ever to hold the office. Glad the United States is not at war-uh! Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She is the founder and editor of Patriot Neighbors, a free weekly national newsletter, and can be reached at [email protected]. A decision to hand over four independently run cafes in Hampstead Heath, including one regularly visited by actor Benedict Cumberbatch, to a group of Australian-inspired eateries has provoked outrage within the community, campaigners say. Daisy Green has been selected to run cafes at Queens Park, Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Lido and Parliament Hill Fields from spring 2026 by the City of London Corporation (CLC), which owns the land. The cafes at Parliament Hill Lido and Queens Park are run by Kentish Town couple Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, as well as one in Highgate Wood, which could also change hands. Emma Fernandez and Patrick Matthews, pictured with their children, have run the cafe at Hampstead Heath Lido for 10 years (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) The Italian cafe at Parliament Hill Fields has been run by the DAuria family for 45 years. On Friday, all current operators were told they would have to give up their cafes by the end of January. The CLC said Daisy Green will bring upgraded menus, improved facilities and welcoming spaces, and commit to affordability, sustainability and partnering with local suppliers. Ms Fernandez and Mr Matthews have run Parliament Hill Lido Cafe, whose customers include Cumberbatch and actor James McAvoy, for 10 years. Ms Fernandez, 49, said she is devastated by the news, adding: We created a real community hub. The City of London Corporation are just destroying this fabric which is holding together the community. She and her husband have used the cafe as a space to host community events, including a childrens puppet show, and to display the work of local artists, who exhibit and sell there for free. The couple are also concerned the takeover will put jobs at risk. Their three cafes employ around 50 members of staff during the summer and 30 over the winter. Ms Fernandez said: Honestly, I have no idea what Im going to do. Its the one thing that I love to do, that I know how to do, and I feel so rooted here. The Parliament Hill Lido Cafe, one of four cafes on Hampstead Heath which are due to be taken over by Daisy Green (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) Their children, Selene, 11, and Esmee, nine, are familiar faces at the cafe and enjoy helping out during the school holidays. Its horrible for them, Mrs Fernandez said. They were born here, they were brought up here. Its like a family here, they know the customers, they know the (lido) staff. When I ask them what they want to do later in life, they always say I want to work at the lido with you. Now its all shattered. She added: Were not here trying to make money. Were here because we love it and we work with our hearts. Mr Matthews, 72, added: I thought it was inconceivable that we wouldnt get the Lido Cafe. Its natural justice we took it from nothing, and we made something that wasnt there beforehand. We feel that weve created something and now someone else is going to enjoy whatever financial benefit there is from it. We took the risk, theyve got the reward. Lido regular Kate Orr, 56, from Camden, said: There are a lot of people who come here who are really struggling with their mental health or are lonely, or who dont quite fit in in the world, or who dont have much money. This is the most tolerant and inclusive place This is the strongest sense of community Ive had in my 56 years by a long way. The cafe is genuinely part of that community. You need a cafe thats affordable, said Imogen West, 56, from Hampstead Heath, you can get a really good meal for 10.50, where else can you get that? This area is a real mix of people who do have money and people who dont. This place serves all of those people. Its more than a job (for Mr Williams and Ms Fernandez) its a way of life. Journalist Stefan Simanowitz, 49, said he is outraged by the decision and will continue to fight it. He spearheaded a save our cafes campaign, which included a petition signed by more than 20,000 people and was supported by Cumberbatch, McAvoy and fellow actor Stephen Campbell Moore. In reaction to Fridays news, Cumberbatch said: We are deeply concerned by the decision to award a contract to a high-end chain. It is a massive oversight to forget the importance of family run cafes who are integral to the fabric of our community. We cannot let this happen. In 2016, a similar retendering process was attempted at Parliament Hill Cafe, but coffee chain Benugo dropped out of the takeover following protests backed by Sir Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, who is now Prime Minister. Mr Simanowitz said he hopes Daisy Green may make a similar decision. Prue Freeman, co-founder of Daisy Green, said the company is delighted to have been chosen. Ms Freeman said: As an independent London-based business, we are proud of our long-standing support of local suppliers and charities, providing family-friendly activities, and running environmentally responsible operations. We want these cafes to remain welcoming spaces where everyone feels included and connected to these very special spaces. Bowen Yang signs off from SNL with teary-eyed final sketch alongside Ariana Grande and Cher Bowen Yang signed off from his seven-year Saturday Night Live run with an emotional final sketch featuring his friend Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher. Yang played a Delta One Lounge employee working his last shift on Christmas Eve, in parallel to his own final outing on the show Saturday night (20 December). Seconds into the scene, Yang fought back tears as his character told Delta Lounge customers that he would be leaving his beloved festive egg-nog stand. The shows celebrity host, Ariana Grande, played his elderly wife who comes to visit him at work on his final day. Yang broke down in tears as he sang about his job while performing the 1960 song Please Come Home for Christmas by Charles Brown, as a duet with Grande. I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here, and I just wanted to enjoy it for a little bit longer, said Yang to Grande. Especially the people. I've loved every single person who works here, because they've done so much for me, especially my boss. Ariana Grande played the wife to Bowen Yangs Delta employee during his final sketch (NBC) Yang was comforted by the shows musical guest, Cher, during his last outing on SNL (NBC) Cher, who performed Christmas songs including Run Rudolph Run on the programme, then appeared onstage as Yang's boss, the CEO of Eggnog at Delta. Yang said to her, Before I go, do you have any feedback for me? to which Cher replied: Well, everyone thought you were a little bit too gay. But you know what? You're perfect for me. The trio embraced each other as they continued the song. Grande held back tears as she gripped Yangs hand. He finally said: This place will always be home, but ah, it's time to go, as he received a kiss from Grande. Yang joined SNL as a writer in 2018 before being promoted to the cast the following year. Some of his most memorable sketches have included him parodying the viral baby hippo Moo Deng, posing as an overzealous spin instructor and impersonating British pop star Charli XCX. In 2021, he became the first SNL featured player to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Yang said his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande gave him the dreamiest send-off (NBC) Ahead of his final show, Yang told fans in an Instagram post that working on the show taught him the value of showing up when many things in the world started to seem futile. Im grateful for every minute of my time there. I learned about myself (bad with wigs). I learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). I learned that human error can be nothing but correct. I learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that it will usually fail until it doesnt, which is the besssst. Yang also thanked his Wicked co-star, Grande, for being the host of his last episode as he wrote, thank you to ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way I could imagine. The comedian, who hosts the Las Culturistas podcast with Matt Rogers, has gained significant acclaim outside of SNL in recent years, appearing in Wicked and this years sequel Wicked: For Good. He also starred in the romantic comedy The Wedding Banquet. Yangs departure from SNL coming midway through a season is unusual but not unprecedented, with the likes of Cecily Strong, Molly Shannon, Dana Carvey and Eddie Murphy also leaving midseason in past years. Bowen Yang joined SNL in 2018 as a writer before being promoted to a cast member (Getty Images for Critics Choice) In an interview with People in September, Yang said he felt he had more to do at the show but also worried the audience was getting sick of him. The cast had a major shakeup before the new season began on October 4: cast members Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow departed from the programme. New additions to the cast included Ben Marshall, Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane and Kam Patterson. Charity Surviving Economic Abuse said abusers can withhold bank cards (picture posed by model/Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive) (PA Archive) A charity has claimed children and carers bereaved by domestic homicide have been left invisible in a new government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (Vawg). This week, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips set out a 1 billion-backed strategy which looks at ways to prevent violence, crack down on abusers and support victims. But families of domestic homicide victims said it is heartbreaking to see a lack of any clear plan to support children and carers left behind with the trauma. Diana Parkes set up The Joanna Simpson Foundation in honour of her daughter who was brutally killed by her estranged husband in 2010 at the age of 46, in the vicinity of her two young children. She said it is unacceptable that the governments strategy fails to recognise them in any meaningful way. "Having lost my daughter to domestic homicide, I know exactly how devastating the impact is on the children and carers left behind after such brutal acts, she said. "Families living with the consequences of domestic homicide cannot be treated as an afterthought. They should be not left invisible in a national strategy." A charity has claimed children and carers bereaved by domestic homicide have been left invisible in a new government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (PA Archive) As part of the plan, new laws will ban AI "nudification" tools that turn pictures of real people into fake nude pictures and video without their consent. Specialist rape and sexual offences investigators will also be introduced to every police force, better support will be given to survivors in the NHS, and a 19 million funding boost will be handed to councils to provide safe housing for domestic abuse survivors. But the government was condemned by the charity for failing to set out how it will implement Jade's Law in the strategy- where parental responsibility is automatically suspended in cases where an offender has killed a partner or ex-partner with whom they have children. Roann Court, daughter of Claire Marshall who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, found the strategy deeply disappointing. She said: After my mum was killed by domestic abuse, there was no support for me or for the family members who became my carers. "It reinforces the message that once a homicide occurs, families like mine are no longer seen. Without explicit inclusion, children and carers will continue to fall through the gaps, just as we did." Grandmother Linda Westcarr, mother of Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche who was killed by her boyfriend, said: "I know the devastating reality behind the headlines. Nothing prepares you for the pain, the fear, or the overwhelming responsibility of trying to rebuild a child's life after such violence. "Those of us who become carers carry not only our own grief but also the child's trauma, while shouldering the responsibility of keeping them safe, stable, and loved. "That is why it is heartbreaking and deeply frustrating to see the UK government publish this strategy without explaining when Jade's Law will be written into policy and put into practice so it can actually be used. "Families cannot survive on promises alone. The absence of any clear implementation plan sends a painful message that families like mine have once again been forgotten." The full moon rises above the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey - Anadolu/Anadolu Visitors to Turkey, if they talk to the right people, will be surprised to find that progressives often have similar views on Islam and Middle Eastern refugees as Tommy Robinson. I discovered this, incidentally, at an all-day feminist get-together I had unknowingly been brought along to in the middle of the hip Kadkoy district of Istanbul this summer. Here, a few dozen peppy and idealistic young women were being closely observed by the worlds least inconspicuous plainclothes policemen. While the girls sat in circles on the grass in Yogurtcu Park painting slogans on t-shirts and tote bags, groups of po-faced men in suit jackets, sensible shoes and walkie-talkie earpieces prowled around the edges. The state muscle was presumably deployed because the flyer for the event railed not just against the patriarchy and capitalism, but against Turkeys conservative Muslim president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sending in the secret police to keep tabs on an event comprising collage workshops, clothes swaps and a safe-sex discussion group may seem like overkill, but Erdogan is touchy about those that might challenge his authority. In July, he partially blocked Grok, Xs AI chatbot, after it appeared to insult him and his mother. On the surface, the gathering seemed a carbon copy of the kind of progressive meeting seen in Europe and America, with rainbow flags, free Palestine banners and brightly-coloured hair in abundance. Notable by their absence though were hijabs, which have become increasingly common in even liberal cities like Istanbul, especially since the ban on them in public institutions was lifted in 2013. Unlike their counterparts in the West, Turkeys liberals dont have much time for Islams illiberal tendencies, and theyre not shy about letting you know it. Most of this is down to Ataturk, the countrys modernist-nationalist founder, who brought Islam under the control of the new secular state a century ago. First-time visitors are often surprised by the fact that there is a really existing personality cult surrounding Ataturk, one genuinely comparable to that of Stalin. You cannot walk around Istanbul for more than five minutes without seeing his likeness on a portrait or poster somewhere. And, despite Erdogans Islamisation of the country, it remains illegal to insult him or his legacy. Some Western countries warn against this in their travel advisories. Most liberals or progressives will say they are Kemalists Kemalism being the ideology of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and talk about him with a somewhat offputting, wide-eyed glowing reverence. Though he introduced rights for women and European-style legal codes, Ataturk was ultimately an autocratic nationalist and thus can hardly be considered a progressive icon by Western standards. The fact that Turkish politics is essentially split between liberal modernist-nationalism and conservative Islamism is on occasion bemoaned by a largely irrelevant traditional Left. Pluto Press, a radical Left-wing British publisher, released an interesting book about this in 2018 called Why Turkey is Authoritarian. Anyway, what all this translates to is one 24-year-old attendee of the feminist get-together a progressive in any other sense telling me she was shocked to read that the most common boys name in Britain was now Muhammed. Determined to show me how worried she was about the rise of British Islam, she sent me a GB News clip in which presenters Tom Harwood and Emily Carver discussed the case of Sadeq Nikzad, a small boat migrant from Afghanistan jailed in June for nine years for raping a 15-year-old girl. I asked her if she knew much about GB News, to which she replied that she did not, other than that her Instagram algorithm was increasingly exposing her to it. She seemed surprised to learn that it was not normally considered a feminist outlet. If you spend some time on Turkish liberal social media, youll see similar displays of this kind of thing. It could be outrage at footage of a Deliveroo-type bicycle courier spitting on a portrait of Ataturk. It could be complaints about headscarfed women supposedly playing the victim card after not being welcomed in a cafe due to their hijabs. It could be incandescence at a report about a man being sent to prison in Indonesia for harassing a praying Muslim woman while other more pressing feminist issues such as rape are supposedly ignored. It could even be outright mocking of Islamic prayers, such as a video showing one woman performatively smacking her head on the floor, which triggers belly laughs from her friends. Under these videos youll often find comments from apparently conservative Muslim men railing against the Kemalists and saying that theyll get their comeuppance one day. All of this is somewhat strange for Western visitors, but its a reminder that our Left-Right split isnt universal, or particularly rational, and doesnt really map onto other cultures. Were tribal creatures really, and we just support our team. by Azra Raza In June 1976, an Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris was hijacked by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine along with two German radicals, diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, and received with open support from Idi Amin. There, the hijackers separated the passengersreleasing most non-Jewish travelers while holding Israelis and Jews hostageand demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners. As the deadline approached, Israeli commandos flew secretly to Entebbe, drove toward the terminal in a motorcade disguised as Idi Amins own and stormed the building. In ninety minutes, all hijackers and several Ugandan soldiers were killed, 102 hostages were freed, and three died in the crossfire. The only Israeli soldier lost was the mission commander, Yoni Netanyahu. Two years later, I traveled to Uganda myself to visit my parents, who were there while my father helped draft the nations new constitution for Idi Amins regime. I had no idea that this brief stop in Entebbe would return to haunt me decades laterwhen, in 2003, I was detained for over five hours at Ben Gurion Airport with my nine-year-old daughter, questioned endlessly about why I had ever set foot in Entebbe at all. While in Uganda, my siblings and I fell instantly in love with the countrythe sheer beauty of the land, the dark mystery of Bat Valley with tens of thousands of fruit bats rising in the evenings as a black cloud from the edge of the city near William Street, the riotous, ever-changing foliage that seemed to reinvent itself every few steps, and the magnificent wildlife we encountered in breathtaking abundance on our unforgettable safari. That trip remains one of the best trips of my life filled with the warmest memories of the country and the people. Years later, as I began to understand Uganda beyond my youthful impressions, the work of Mahmood Mamdani offered me a far deeper, more sobering lensrevealing the political currents and historical wounds beneath the beauty we had so casually admired. What makes Slow Poison instantly gripping is not merely Mamdanis brilliance as a scholar, but the far rarer gift he brings to this book: the authority of one who lived the history he recounts. When an acute observer and chronicler of politics turns the lens inwardallowing us to see events as he saw them, in the heat of their unfoldingthe narrative acquires a vitality no detached academic history can match. The same author who can produce impeccably sourced, rigorous scholarship becomes infinitely more interesting, readable, and persuasive when he writes from the quick of experience. Lived history breathes; it remembers smells, textures, fears, and moral confusions. It convinces not by footnotes, but by the pulse of a life that moved through the very storms it describes. Mamdanis anatomic dissection of manufactured narratives on both sides of historic events is indispensable precisely because he writes from within the storm rather than from its distant aftermath. He lived through the years when Asians in East Africa, insulated by their own social and economic separateness, suddenly found themselves expelled by Idi Amin. In the decades since, an entire industry has arisen to portray them purely as innocent victims of a deranged tyrantan interpretation that, while containing elements of truth, conveniently erases their own histories of isolation, hierarchy, and complicity within colonial structures. At the same time, an equally loud chorus has spent half a century chronicling Idi Amin as the ultimate African monster, a catalogue of barbarisms embodied in one man. What Mamdani offers instead is a refusal of these easy binaries. He asks the harder questions: What produced such divisions? What resentments accumulated over generations? And how do we account for the full context without reducing anyone to caricature? Just as revealing is Mamdanis examination of Amins transformation in the Western imaginationfrom a noble savage celebrated for liberating Uganda from Milton Obote, to a jovial giant, to a cannibalistic fiend who murdered his own wives and children. The speed and ease with which these narratives harden into history expose how thoroughly power shapes the stories we inherit. Mamdani, who witnessed these events not as an abstract theorist but as someone whose community was entangled in every twist of the crisis, brings a clarity that only lived experience allows. His dispassionate analysis is not detachedit is honed by proximity, by memory, by a refusal to forget the complexity that propaganda, scholarship, and media alike tend to flatten. This combination of intellectual rigor and autobiographical immediacy gives Slow Poison its rare force: it teaches us how essential it is to read history not just from the archives, but from the ground on which it was lived. If Mamdanis account of the Amin years offers a structure one can grasp, the Museveni eraspanning nearly four decadesresists such containment. It is a long, shape-shifting landscape of reforms and reversals, hopes raised and dashed, alliances forged and brokenrendered with admirable clarity in Slow Poison, yet still eluding any tidy synthesis from me. I do not feel competent to dissect this sprawling, ever-evolving chapter of Ugandan history; its very length and volatility defy the simplicity of a reviewers summary. Today, roughly 40,000 Ugandans of Asian descent call the country homemany of them descendants of families who arrived thinking Uganda would be just a brief stop on their way West. Instead, they settled into a life they had not fully planned, earning the nickname Rockets, a wry acknowledgment that their journey had only one direction. They had come without the provisions or even the imagination for a return trip, and so their roots deepened in a place meant only to be a waypoint. Mahmood Mamdani, the son of one such Asian family, built his stature not through inheritance or communal privilege, but through the fierce independence of his intellect and his unwavering moral imagination. Whatever reputation he enjoys today is the result of a lifetime spent interrogating power, insisting on justice, and refusing the easy comforts of belonging. Exiled, returning, exiled again, and returning yet againhis life traces a restless arc back to Uganda, a place that pulls him home even as he continually questions what home means and who he becomes within it. What is unmistakable is how profoundly this history, lived and interpreted by Mahmood Mamdani, has flowed into the next generation. It is no accident that Zohran Mamdani, now the mayor-elect of New York City, carries within him a political imagination sharpened by these entanglements of identity, power, and memory. His rise reflects not only a legacy of ideas, but a lived inheritance of how nations fracture and healand how courage, clarity, and solidarity can be practiced not just in scholarship, but in public life. For Mahmood, it was the classroom where he found the story that grounded him. When he finally became a university professor, teaching at Makerere, he encountered George, a student from a small village. After one trip home, Mahmood asked after Georges familyand about a neighbor who had been pregnant. She must have delivered. A boy or a girl? A girl. What did they name her? They named her after you. Really? So what did they call her? Professor! Whether at Makerere, Harvard, or Columbia, he remains the same: a teacher of rare clarity, coaxing us to see history not as a sealed archive but as a living forceshaping the present, troubling our certainties, and demanding that we read the world with nuance, courage, and unflinching honesty. Slow Poison reads like a suspense novel, yet it leaves the reader with something far more enduring: a shift in perception. It sharpened my sight, deepened my understanding, and reminded me how the familiar can suddenly turn strange when true insight arrives. Or, as Faiz writes: Baseerat mil gayi jub se meri chashm e tun aasan ko buhat jaani hoi surat bhi pehchaani naheen jati Since my weary eyes have been granted true insight, even the most familiar faces have become unrecognizable. Slow Poison does exactly thatit alters what we thought we knew and compels us to see anew. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. The US attorney general, Pam Bondi. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP (Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP) After Donald Trumps justice department failed on Friday to release all documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as required by law, multiple Congress members didnt only voice outrage they threatened legal action as well. Related: Removing photos from Epstein files release nothing to do with Trump, deputy AG says Several attorneys told the Guardian that those making the legal threats do have tools with which to try to follow through. But there is a major obstacle: those with legal authority in this case are the ones accused of failing to follow the law. Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who started West Coast Trial Lawyers, said Congress could in fact hold Trumps attorney general, Pam Bondi, or her deputy Todd Blanche in contempt. But the matter would be referred to the Department of Justice, which would not prosecute. Its theoretically possible, but practically its not going to happen, Rahmani said. Rahmani said it was more likely that Congress would file a lawsuit asking a federal judge to compel the justice department to produce the files in question. If the justice department refuses or fails to comply, then they can be held in contempt of court, Rahmani continued. But again, the [justice department] prosecutes judicial contempt. The judge could appoint a special prosecutor, but [that] almost never happens. The expectation is that the [justice department] enforces the law and that they therefore follow the law. Eric Faddis, founder of the Colorado law firm Varner Faddis and trial attorney who formerly worked as a prosecutor, echoed Rahmani. If justice department officials violated the act, they can be held in contempt of Congress, which would require a vote. The sergeant at arms, in turn, could detain them until they agree to comply, he said. If Congress subpoenaed records from Bondi or Blanche and they didnt comply, Congress could find them in contempt and refer that contempt to the DoJ for criminal prosecution, though that may present an inherent conflict for the DoJ, Faddis said. Moreover, Faddis added, if Congress investigated possible noncompliance by Bondi and Blanche, they may be subject to federal criminal prosecution for obstruction of Congress, concealment of records, or evidence tampering. Faddis said Congress could also try to hold Bondi and Blanche accountable by impeaching them though such a move would require a measure of political will that is easier said than done. John Day, a former prosecutor in New Mexico who now practices criminal defense, said there could be issues with meting out punishment due to the statute itself. There has been some talk by congressional supporters of releasing all the Epstein files of trying to impeach Bondi and Blanche for failing to release all files on time, and for the redactions, Day said. But Day does not see any enforcement mechanism for violations in the law requiring the release of the files by Friday. I think an actual prosecution would be unlikely because the law, as passed, did not contain any enforcement mechanism for violations, Day said. The remarks of Rahmani, Faddis and Day came after the US House member Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said that he and his Epstein Transparency Act co-author the Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie are exploring all options after Fridays deadline passed without a full release of files. Khanna confirmed those options included potentially impeaching justice department officials as well as possibly holding them in contempt of Congress. Khanna also suggested the possibility of referring for prosecution those who are obstructing justice. And Massie touted potential prosecutions, too, saying future justice department officials could convict the current AG and others because the Epstein Files Transparency Act is not like a congressional subpoena which expires at the end of each Congress. The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Appearing Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press, Blanche said Fridays partial release resulted from a need to protect victims from being identified in any new documents. Imagine if we had released tons of information around victims, Blanche said. That would be the true crime. That would be the true wrong. Trump has been dogged by the Epstein files controversy since the summer. While he promised to release those files while successfully running for a second presidency in 2024, his administration has yet to deliver since taking office in January. The lack of a full disclosure of those files has caused bipartisan uproar, including among a significant portion of his support base. Many far-right Trump supporters believe that Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, operated freely for years due to his powerful connections. Broad uproar of the Trump justice departments failure to produce files grew even more intense when the Associated Press revealed that at least 16 files had disappeared from the justice departments public website. These missing documents included an image of photos in a drawer, including a picture of Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, with Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell more recently was convicted of sex trafficking, having been found to procure teen girls for Epstein to abuse. She is fighting the conviction and the 20-year prison sentence it resulted in for her. Trump has denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and the president claimed that he had ended his friendship with Epstein years before the disgraced financiers crimes became public knowledge. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial several weeks after his arrest in 2019 during Trumps first presidency. Blanche on Sunday said it was laughable to suggest that the justice department had removed any photos after Fridays partial release solely to protect the president because his prior friendship with Epstein was already widely known. It has nothing to do with President Trump, Blanche contended. Later on Sunday, the justice department said it had reposted the image that had been taken down, after a review determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted. Family pay tribute to 16-year-old who died after an incident on the London Underground The family of a 16-year-old have paid tribute to their bright, beautiful, clever, and funny girl after she died following an incident at an Underground station. British Transport Police (BTP) were called to Loughton Underground station in Essex just after 2.30pm on Monday following reports of a casualty on the tracks. Daisy House was attended to by paramedics, but despite their best efforts the teenager passed away later at hospital. Daisys family paid tribute to her and said: "On Monday, our beautiful daughter Daisy lost her life. She was a bright, beautiful, clever, and funny girl who had just started Sixth Form and had her whole future ahead of her. Daisy House died in hospital on Monday following a railway incident (British Transport Police) "We would like to thank all of the emergency services and doctors who worked so hard to save her, especially the British Transport Police officer and paediatric nurses who treated us all with such kindness. "We thank everyone who has sent best wishes, kind messages, and floral tributes. We would now ask for our privacy to be respected while we come to terms with the loss of our Daisy and what life will be like without our daughter." Police have asked for the familys privacy to be respected. Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey globally, is shutting down bourbon production at one of its Kentucky distilleries for a year. The move comes amid President Donald Trumps trade war with Canada, which has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales after the country ushered in a boycott of American booze, and as more young adults are cutting back on drinking. Jim Beam, owned by Suntory Global Spirits, is one of Kentuckys biggest bourbon producers. The Bluegrass states $9 billion whiskey bourbon industry has been struggling to manage its abundant supply of liquor against the drop in demand. In a statement, the company said it was shutting down production at its Clermont distillery on January 1, 2026, though the visitors center on the site is to remain open, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey globally, is shutting down bourbon production at one of its Kentucky distilleries for a year (Getty) We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026, the statement said. Weve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our [Freddie Booker Noe] craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. There were nearly 1,500 employees at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Kentucky last year, according to the newspaper. The company said it was assessing how best to utilize our workforce during this transition in a statement to the outlet, and added it was in discussions with the union. In March, following sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump, many Canadians decided to boycott American liquor in protest. Industry group Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said that U.S. spirits exports plummeted 85 percent, falling below $10 million in the second quarter of 2025, which CEO Chris Swonger blamed on persistent trade tensions. President Donald Trumps trade war with Canada has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales (Getty) Swonger warned the figures signaled a shift away from our great American spirits brands and urged Trump to help facilitate a lasting return to tariff-free trade with our longstanding trading partners. Trump suspended trade talks with Canada in October after an ad shared by Ontario premier Doug Ford featured spliced clips from Ronald Reagans 1987 address, where the late president said tariffs caused trade wars and economic disaster. Canada and the U.S. have since agreed to launch formal discussions to review their trade agreement in mid-January, according to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The presidents tariffs are not the only headache for the U.S. liquor industry a drastic change in drinking habits is also having an impact on sales. A record high percentage of U.S. adults (53 percent) said moderate drinking is bad for their health, up from 28 percent in 2015, according to a Gallup poll published in August. The uptick in doubt about alcohols benefits is largely driven by young adults the age group that is most likely to believe drinking one or two drinks a day can cause health hazards. The survey found that 54 percent of U.S. adults said they drink alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer, which is lower than at any other point in the past three decades. US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel will deliver Channel 4s 2025 Alternative Christmas Message, saying it has been a great year from a fascism perspective. The late-night presenter was taken off the air and suspended indefinitely in September following comments he made on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, an ally of US President Donald Trump. Mr Trump later suggested that if any TV networks only give him bad press maybe their licence should be taken away. The suspension was met with criticism from the public, some of Hollywoods biggest stars and political figures towards the US administration for infringing on their freedom of speech and free press, leading to Kimmels return five days later. In his speech, an alternative to the monarchs annual televised address, the comedian will begin by saying: From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year. Kimmel will continue by reflecting on the events of the past year, sharing his own personal experiences and insights after being at the centre of one of the stories that shocked the US and its foundational democratic values. A Channel 4 spokesperson said: Donald Trumps return to the White House and wide-ranging impact on the world has been the story of 2025 and it would be hard to think of a better person to address it than Jimmy Kimmel, who has found himself on the front line of Americas battle over free speech. The channels annual broadcast, which first aired in 1993, aims to bring viewers a message about that years events. Kimmels address follows on from previous messages delivered by a wide range of presenters, including comedian Chris McCausland who addressed ableism last year after becoming the first blind person to win Strictly Come Dancing. Other presenters have included former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, actor and TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry, whistleblower Edward Snowden, former speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, and actor Danny Dyer. The Alternative Christmas Message will air on Channel 4 at 5.45pm on Christmas Day. US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel, who found himself in a battle over speech, will be delivering Channel 4s 2025 Alternative Christmas Message. The late-night presenter is set to focus his speech on what a great year it has been from a fascism perspective. His alternative message comes after he was taken off the air and suspended indefinitely in September following comments he made on ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, an ally of US president Donald Trump. Mr Trump later suggested that if any TV networks only give him bad press maybe their licence should be taken away. The suspension was met with criticism from the public. Some of Hollywood's biggest stars and political figures also criticised the US administration for infringing on their freedom of speech and free press, leading to Kimmels return five days later. Jimmy Kimmel, a US chat show host who was suspended, will be delivering Channel 4s 2025 Alternative Christmas Message (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) In his speech, the comedian will begin by saying: From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year. Kimmel will continue by reflecting on the events of the past year, sharing his own personal experiences and insights after being at the centre of one of the stories that shocked the US and its foundational democratic values. The show, which offers an alternative to the Kings annual televised Christmas message, was first aired in 1993 and aims to bring viewers a message about that years events. Kimmels address follows on from previous messages delivered by a wide range of presenters, including comedian Chris McCausland, who addressed ableism last year after becoming the first blind person to win Strictly Come Dancing. Other guests include the former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, actor and TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry, whistleblower Edward Snowden, former speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, and actor Danny Dyer. A Channel 4 spokesperson said: Donald Trumps return to the White House and wide-ranging impact on the world has been the story of 2025, and it would be hard to think of a better person to address it than Jimmy Kimmel, who has found himself on the front line of Americas battle over free speech. The Alternative Christmas Message will air on Channel 4 at 5.45pm on Christmas Day. Jean was just 16 when he was left outside the front door of the headquarters of UK Visas and Immigration in Croydon, south London alone, frightened and without any documents to prove who he was. He had arrived in Britain just hours before his first ever trip outside his central African country and the first time he had even travelled out of his hometown. The past few days had been a nightmare that had seen him witness a horrific attack on his family. He himself had been subjected to torture and, left without anyone else to turn to, he had managed to find help from a trusted friend of the family. She had brought him to the UK by plane, and Jean briefly thought he might have found safety with her, until he was taken to Croydons Lunar House and told he was now on his own. She said, I cant support you any more. All I remember is she said, Go into the building and tell them who you are. It was a bit of a fight to let her go. I was scared, I didnt want to go into that building. But she convinced me to go inside. I found out later that it was an immigration centre, Jean, a pseudonym used for safety reasons, told The Independent. I was feeling confusion and fear. The weather, the language... everything was new to me. I was just lost. Initially, I was scared seeing people in uniform because that brought me back to what I had witnessed at home. I was traumatised from what I had experienced. Thousands of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children seek help from the UK authorities each year, the majority of them aged 16 or 17. In the year ending March 2025, there were 3,707 asylum claims from lone children. For those aged 17 and under, social services must provide somewhere safe to live, as well as provide clothes, food and education, and help with an asylum claim. However, hundreds of children are wrongly assessed by Home Office officials as adults, meaning they do not get the help they are entitled to and are often put into dangerous situations. Data obtained by the Helen Bamber Foundation revealed that at least 678 children in 2024 were wrongly classified as adults after a human visual assessment at the border. David Bolt, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, found factors like lack of eye contact were used to make decisions, and said that children were being pressured into declaring they were over 18. From a sample of 55 cases that the inspector looked at where the Home Office had said the asylum seeker was significantly over 18, 76 per cent were in fact found to be children. A UK Immigration Enforcement officer escorts a child migrant, picked up at sea attempting to cross the English Channel, on arrival in Dover, on 10 January 2022 (AFP/Getty) Ministers now plan to replace human judgement with AI facial-recognition technology, in a move that charities and rights groups have said amounts to an experiment on migrants that will lead to serious, life-changing consequences. The Home Office is in the market for an algorithm that can accurately predict the age of a subject. A government contract notice, seen by The Independent, says that the technology will have multiple use cases for Home Office, an example could/ would be to assist in determining the age of those who are encountered without verifiable identity documentation. The three-year contract, which will start in February next year, is valued at 1.3m. Announcing the plans in July, the then Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said that the AI facial age-estimation technology would be the most cost-effective option. The aim is for facial age estimation to be fully integrated into the current age assessment system over the course of 2026, she said. It is not yet clear whether the AI age-estimation technology would be used on children as they arrive in the UK on small boats, or to inform final asylum claim decisions. The Home Office has said that the technology will be used to assist officials, and that no final decisions have been made about what stage of the process it will be integrated. If used on arrival, the algorithm would have to account for the ageing effect of traumatic journeys, past torture and abuse experiences that can often make young asylum seekers appear older. An RNLI lifeboat delivers migrants to Dover port after intercepting a small boat crossing on 17 December 2025 (Getty) Jean initially found help from social services when he arrived in the UK in 2012, and was housed in care with other children. However, Home Office officials later decided he wasnt a child after all, and his support was taken away. The decision was devastating. I was called to an interview at 4pm. They gave me a time when offices are about to close, thats my understanding now, but I didnt release it at the time, he said. I had to wait for them to receive me at 5pm. They said, You are not a child, saying, You are a liar. I told them, I am not a liar, I know who I am, I know my age. When someone is at a desk questioning your age, you feel like you are invisible. You have to fight for your identity, and it is not easy to fight for yourself. You feel like you have to isolate yourself to cope with what you have been through, constantly questioning, why, why, why? You feel like you want to end everything because they dont believe you, and I know for sure that many young people are in the same situation. He explained that the immigration officials told him he had to go to the offices of a charity, Refugee Council, and that he should find his own way there: They gave me a map, and it was a long journey to get there, especially as I was struggling with the language. I managed to get there but it was about to close, and I got sent to a hostel to sleep. By this stage a 17-year-old boy with little English, Jean was housed with adult asylum seekers in a hostel. He felt incredibly unsafe and thought it would be a good decision to leave, something he later viewed as a mistake. I was traumatised, anxious, and I just wanted to be on my own. That was the idea, he explained. This then led to around four years sleeping rough in London until a stranger who saw him begging for money at a train station directed him to Notre Dame charity in Leicester Square. He got a referral to migrant charity Freedom from Torture, which was able to support Jean in submitting a fresh asylum claim. A judges decision to grant him sanctuary in 2018, and a recognition that he should have been helped as a child refugee all those years ago, has meant Jean now has a roof over his head in council-provided accommodation. On the day of our interview, he heard that he is now a British citizen. However, he fears for others like him who arrive in the UK as children but who are told they are liars. Lunar House in Croydon, south London where Jean was left as a 16-year-old boy (PA) Speaking about the governments plans to use AI to help with decision-making, he said: Its a way of not treating people as human beings. They are treating us as a tool to train their AI. They are testing something, and its like we are not human. They are thinking, OK, lets use them. Making decisions based on a computer, we all know its not always accurate. They need to understand that a lot of young people are going through trauma, and they may look different at that moment when they really need help. Kamena Dorling, director of policy at the Helen Bamber Foundation, said the governments plans were concerning unless significant safeguards are put in place. She added: Existing evidence has found that AI can be even less accurate and more biased than human decision-making when judging a persons age, with similar patterns of errors. Crucially, AI cannot account for factors that can significantly alter a young persons appearance after fleeing conflict and persecution and making dangerous journeys, such as trauma, malnutrition and exhaustion. Anna Bacciarelli, senior AI researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: The UK governments plans to use facial age estimation are misguided at best, and should be scrapped immediately. In addition to subjecting vulnerable children and young people to a dehumanising process that could undermine their privacy, non-discrimination and other human rights, we dont actually know if the technology works. Theres no standardised industry benchmarks, and simply no ethical way to train and audit this technology on like-for-like populations. In the UK, its been used so far in shops and bars, not refugee processing centres. A Home Office spokesperson said: Robust age assessments are a vital tool in maintaining border security. We will start to modernise that process in the coming months through the testing of fast and effective AI age-estimation technology. We then intend to integrate facial age estimation into the current system, subject to the results of testing and assurance. The only person who can stop Nick Fuentes and exorcise his influence from the Republican party, some suggest, is JD Vance From their origins in the seedy underbelly of the internet, the white supremacist, anti-Semitic group known as the Groypers has emerged as a disturbing political force. Republican figures are wary, if not outright scared, of drawing the ire of an army of online trolls who have time to spare and take joy in savaging reputations. Fact can be hard to separate from fiction when it comes to the groups influence. But some estimate up to four in 10 young Republicans are Groypers, while Nick Fuentes, its leader, claims his group has sympathisers all over government. Nick Fuentes, said to be a Hitler-praising firebrand, claims his group has sympathisers all over government - Nicole Hester/Ann Arbor News via AP Much of the organisations ascendancy can be put down to Fuentes himself, a firebrand media personality who has praised Adolf Hitler, claims he wants a 16-year-old wife, and generally delights in saying the unsayable. Being banned from almost every mainstream platform seems only to have helped his rise, just as being part-Mexican hasnt stopped him from pushing white supremacist views. JD Vance, the vice-president, may be the only who can rid Fuentes influence from the Republican Party, it is suggested. Usha, his Indian-American wife, has often been the subject of racist trolling by Fuentes. JD Vance is the only person who can stop Nick Fuentes and exorcise his influence from the Republican Party, some suggest - Jon Cherry/AP Groyperism took root some time in the 2010s in the marshy recesses of the internet, and draws its name from Groyper, a racist version of a frog meme featuring a character called Pepe. It was in 2019, at the tail end of Donald Trumps first term in the White House, that the group started to filter into the political mainstream as it waged the so-called Groyper Wars. Members would pack events run by Charlie Kirks Turning Point USA groups, aggressively questioning figures they viewed as tracking too close to the political mainstream. Donald Trump Jr was heckled off the stage at an event promoting his new book. Brian Levin, an extremism expert at the Centre for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, noted Fuentes talent at tapping into the discontent felt by many young men. It just feels right for those males who feel theyve been stepped on for too long, he said, although he condemned the podcaster as a bigoted carnival barker and racist Wizard of Oz. Michelle Malkin is said to shown public support for Nick Fuentes - NurPhoto via Getty Many others would help build the Groypers into the force they later became, like Patrick Casey, the former leader of the white nationalist American Identity Movement (AIM), who connected Fuentes to the wider white nationalist movement, and Michelle Malkin, the Right-wing commentator who promoted him as a leader of the America First movement. Some, like Mr Casey, who accused Fuentes of fostering a cult-like atmosphere, eventually split from the group and denounced the Groyper leader in the process. But it is still his show: quite literally. America First with Nicholas J Fuentes gets hundreds of thousands of views per episode on Rumble, almost the only platform which will still host him, branding itself immune to cancel culture. Soft launch Not that he has anywhere really left to go. Fuentes has been banned from YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch and Spotify, along with payment services including PayPal, Venmo, Patreon and Stripe. So it was notable, last month, when the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson chose to interview him on his podcast. Many called it a soft launch: one of the biggest names in Maga conservatism sitting down for a convivial chat with someone whom much of the Right has kept at arms length Just over a week later, Fuentes popped up again on Piers Morgan Uncensored. The interview, in which Morgan mocked the 27-year-old self-proclaimed virgin, was less friendly, but it was another sign of Groyperism creeping into the fringes of the mainstream. Mr Trump defended Carlsons decision to host the racist podcaster. If he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I dont know much about him, but if he wants to do it, get the word out, the US president said. Thank you, Mr President! Fuentes responded on X, one of the rare platforms he can still use thanks to the intervention of its owner, Elon Musk. Potent political force The Groyper leader is beyond the pale for most of America, but there are some figures within the Republican Party who will stomach him. They are perhaps fearful of his influence or genuine sympathisers. Fuentes and his movement of like-minded young people are a potent political force, not because the views are popular in wider society but because theyve been able to garner sympathy and exert pressure on power players in the Republican Party, said Jared Holt, an expert in Groyperism. I am sceptical that his fanbase is actually growing at this moment, but he is successfully earning the attention of decision makers in Washington, who appear fearful of attracting the anger of his fans. Rod Dreher, the conservative writer and a friend of Mr Vance, suggests up to 40 per cent of Republican staffers under the age of 30 are Groypers, citing multiple accounts of DC insiders. Senator Ted Cruz is concerned with his own party for tolerating a Hitler fan - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Ted Cruz, the Texas senator, has sounded frustrated with his own party, warning those who say nothing to someone who says Adolf Hitler was very, very cool are complicit in that evil. Nick Fuentes hateful rhetoric is dangerous and has no place in our public discourse, Roz Rothstein, chief executive of the pro-Israel group StandWithUs, told The Telegraph. His shameful comments must be unequivocally rejected by all people of good faith, particularly those within his own party, because silence in the face of extremism only empowers it. And many fear senior figures in the party, wary of the Groypers bare-knuckle approach, will stand back and stand by as its influence among younger Republicans increasingly takes hold. Conservative writer Rod Dreher reckons only JD Vance can keep the Groypers from taking over the Right - Geoff Pugh Mr Dreher believes the vice-president, as the Republicans heir apparent, is the only figure in this country who can keep the racist, Nazi-positive Groyper movement from taking over the Right. Mr Vance needs to condemn them without dismissing the legitimacy of the despair that drives young men into their ranks, he argued. Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist, agrees with that tactic and suggests the move could only help Mr Vances presidential ambitions. It would be nothing but beneficial for JD Vance, he said. Groypers arent 50 losers in their basements, but theyre also not an organised political force in early nominating states like Iowa or New Hampshire, he said. I recognise the disagreements the party is having but I dont think Nick is a part of that national conversation, Mr Bartlett added. Total loser He compared Fuentes to Milo Yiannopoulos, the Right-wing provocateur, whose popularity among Republicans quickly fizzled out. Others put David Duke, the former KKK grand wizard, in that conversation too. Mr Vance has little love for Fuentes, who repeatedly mocks the vice-presidents weight and hurls racist attacks at his wife. But although he last year called the 27-year-old a total loser who has no place in the Maga movement, he has also suggested the best response is to ignore the Groypers. One Republican strategist, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals by the group, said the same. Nick Fuentes wants JD Vance to attack him, he said. Youre just going to feed into his business plan, which is creating chaos. Mr Vance also keeps a watchful eye on the youth vote and in October defended a leaked Young Republicans Telegram chat, in which users praised Hitler, cracked jokes about gas chambers and called black people monkeys. Kids do stupid things, he said of the group. Some of them were in their 30s and held posts in local, state and federal government. The offending members of the group chat have since left the Young Republicans movement. It may not be a fight Mr Vance is looking for as he navigates a perilous course towards the Republican presidential nomination and tries to hold together Mr Trumps Maga base. But Fuentes apparent dislike for the vice-president and relish for scorched earth tactics means its a fight hes likely to get anyway. For some, it wont come a moment too soon. Groyperism is a threat, but it is a manageable one at this point, Mr Dreher said. It wont be forever. Joseph McCabe has been handed a lifelong ban from the airline (PA Wire) A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting four cabin crew on a Jet2 flight to Tenerife. Joseph McCabe, 40, groped and slapped the buttocks of two air stewards before grabbing a third by the waist and trying to hug a fourth on the March 15 flight last year. McCabe made several sexual remarks to one woman regarding her tights and makeup, as well as asking her how old she was and where she lived. The former soldier also ripped up a written notice he had received for his drunken behaviour during the flight from Edinburgh, which took off at around 8.30 am. He threw his bank card at an employee of the airline, and when his behaviour forced the plane to be diverted, he started dancing in the aisle. The builder committed the offence on the flight to Tenerife in March last year (PA Archive) Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how Portuguese police boarded the aircraft to arrest McCabe at the island of Porto Santo in March last year, according to the Daily Record. McCabe served for five years as a private in the Royal Logistic Corps before he established a clothing business named B-Heard in memory of a friend who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic. McCabe, of Tollcross, Glasgow, now leads his own construction firm and co-owns a party boat business called The Drunken Anchor. Whilst appearing in the court last month, he pleaded guilty to the four sexual offences. He appeared in front of the same court for sentencing on Friday. Sheriff Alison Stirling heard that McCabe had received a lifelong ban from flying with Jet2 airlines since his arrest, and he had refused to pay the 5,000 fine given to him by the airline. Sheriff Stirling said the incident had involved "a high level of culpability and a high level of harm." The flight eventually landed in Tenerife two hours late (Getty Images) McCabe was handed a sentence of 46 weeks in custody and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. He has been hit with a non-harassment order, which bans him from contacting the victims indefinitely. Solicitor Anna Kocela, who represented McCabe, explained that he had been drinking heavily at the time of the offence as a result of a family bereavement. The court previously heard from prosecutor Miriam Farooq that the Tenerife-bound flight took off with 110 passengers, including families and children. After the offence, Ms Farooq said: "A decision was made to divert the aircraft and the captain was instructed by air traffic control to land at the airfield at Porto Santo. "After landing, the accused got out of his seat and began dancing in the aisle. Portuguese police boarded the flight and arrested him, and took him into custody." Victim Simon Whyte (Met Police) Police have named the victim of a fatal shooting in Brent as they hunt for his killer. Simon Whyte, 55, was gunned down in Stonebridge on Friday evening and died at the scene despite desperate efforts to save him. Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Team are now appealing for witnesses, information and dashcam footage as they work to piece together the final moments of his life. Officers are particularly keen to speak to a small group of people who were gathered nearby when the attack took place. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, said: "Firstly, our thoughts are with Simon's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. "Enquiries are well underway, and my team is working at pace to determine the circumstances that led to his tragic death. "There's no doubt this incident will cause concern in the local community and more widely, but we have increased patrols in the area. I'd like to reassure the public that our investigation remains a priority. "I would urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information, including dashcam footage, that will assist us with our enquiries to contact us at the earliest opportunity. "We also believe there was a large group of people congregated nearby at the time the incident happened, and we are keen to hear from them." Police were called at 9.35pm on Friday to reports of a shooting on West End Close in Stonebridge. Officers arrived and gave emergency first aid to Mr Whyte, who had been shot. Despite the best efforts of police and the London Ambulance Service, he died at the scene. No arrests have been made at this early stage of the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Met on 101, quoting CAD 8120/19DEC25. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Many of the items at the Africa Hub in Manchester Museum were traded, collected, looted or preserved during the British empire era. Photograph: Manchester Museum (Photograph: Manchester Museum) Its a rare thing for a museum to talk about what it doesnt know. But unanswered questions and archival silences are at the heart of the new Africa Hub at Manchester Museum, north-west England, which is inviting people around the world to help fill the gaps. The museum holds more than 40,000 items from across Africa, many of which were traded, collected, looted or preserved during the era of the British empire. As a result, the names of makers, the cultural significance of objects and the people to which they once belonged are largely unknown to curators in Manchester; in many cases, only the name of the donor or the collection from which an item came is recorded. The new Africa Hub will display beautifully crafted items that have been in storage for years, the museum says. It is inviting visitors to the collections on Oxford Road, in the citys university district, as well as those exploring the collections online, to share stories about the objects provenance. Curators say this could lead to the restitution of items, as well as new partnerships in the African diaspora. And community collaboration has already begun. A display at the heart of Africa Hub draws on the knowledge of Manchesters Igbo community, one of the oldest Nigerian diaspora communities in the UK. Lucy Edematie, the curator of African collections from colonial contexts at Manchester Museum, worked with the Igbo Community Greater Manchester (ICM) organisation to research objects and celebrate Igbo heritage. Sylvia Mgbeahurike, the vice-chair of ICM Women, said: Some of these objects were given, some were stolen, some were taken forcefully out of conquest. It is important that we start bringing them together again. It shows inclusiveness. It shows there is strength in diversity. It shows we are one people, irrespective of our colour or where we are from. Edematie said: Unlike most galleries or exhibitions, which represent the culmination of years of research and collaboration, Africa Hub is the beginning. It builds on work the museum has already been doing to engage with both diasporic communities and communities in Africa but provides an opportunity to extend this even further. It is a chance to do our thinking in public, with honesty and transparency, and to involve people in that process from the start. The museum says the Africa Hub will be an evolving space for reflection, dialogue and shared learning and its future direction will be shaped by public contribution. A spokesperson added: Were supposed to know everything there is to know about the collections we care for, ready to communicate the wisdom of the world through a series of carefully written object labels. Well, sometimes the reality is slightly different. And, on this occasion, we need your help, as visitors and communities, to uncover the stories that museum records cannot tell or have suppressed. Mostly, Africa Hub means being honest about what we dont know. Manchester Museum holds over 40,000 objects from across Africa, cultural heritage items, plants, animals and minerals much of their story remains untold. Were laying our lack of knowledge bare and extending an invitation to you, to come and view these collections, either in person or online, and share your own knowledge, experience and perspectives to create richer narratives. by Laurence Peterson If you have to argue, youve already lost. Unknown There is so much about the Trump regime that is troublingly peculiar: the base cruelty, the arrogant racism and sexism, the evangelistic ignorance, the fearless disregard for existing law, the super-conspicuous corruption; one can go on and on. What I want to focus on here today is how he, and his toadies and operatives in the administration, lie to all of us. As I shall try to explain below, the intention underlying the lies can vary somewhat depending on the part of the population being addressed at any given time, but one feature seems to stand out in almost all of the messaging: the content of the communication is not as important as the expression or implication of possible contempt for the recipients of that content. Just in the last few days, Trump has escalated the military buildup off Venezuela to such an outsized point that it is rather clear that an attempt is being fostered to instigate a commission of some kind of rash mistake (by either side, with only the slightest degree of plausible deniability) that will result in hostilities between Americans and Venezuelans (or Colombians), which would then result in a manufacture of consent amongst the American electorate to tolerate a more vigorous attempt at regime change than they seem to be willing to countenance right now. It is also evident that there are other forces in the administration pushing in other directions, and that Trump enjoys playing them off against each other, but commitment to the first component appears to be the dominant component of Venezuela policy. Whatever the outcome of the jockeying, the Trump stance has (until very recently) been consistently expressed as an attempt to combat the importation of illegal drugs into the United States, especially fentanyl and cocaine, despite the demonstrated fact that Venezuela plays at best a very minor role in the trafficking of either drug to the US. In the very midst of all this, Trump pardoned the ex-President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was convicted by a US court (and imprisoned there), of, you guessed it, trafficking 400 tons of cocaine into the US. Hernandez is even alleged to have said We are going to shove the drugs up the noses of the gringos, and they wont even know it. Also in the last few days, The Guardian reported that Trump owned two mortgages he claimed were primary dwellings, the very charge that Trump directed his Department of Justice to (unsuccessfully) indict former New York City prosecutor Letitia James on. James, it will be remembered, was the prosecutor who in 2022 filed a civil suit against Trump that resulted in penalties and a fine of four hundred million dollars (which was later voided as excessive; James plans to appeal this). I have chosen these incidents as illustrative of my contention because they are so obviously contradictory and involve actions so hypocritical that it is impossible, if one is paying any attention to them at all, to avoid a conclusion that Trump and his administration have absolutely no respect for the recipients of this information, or that they are at all concerned about any possible consequences of presenting such blatantly offensive duplicity as its modus operandi to innumerable multitudes of citizens. They are, in the most direct way, putting up the biggest of middle fingers to the very ones they took an oath to serve and protect. How is this possible? What does it mean that we have come to this absurd point? I believe there really is a kind of crude, perhaps, underlying mentality amongst many in what many refer to as Trumpworld which divides the population at large into three groups; we can call them the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good are Trumps wealthy supporters, celebrities, famous criminals and dictators he admires and his family (with extreme reservations, seemingly, at times). Or, to be more specific, those in these groups who appear to him to follow his will to the letter and, when required, pander to and even degrade themselves before him. The bad consist of liberals and Democrats (people holding more radical views, despite Trumps designation of the Democratic leadership as the radical left do not enter his consideration, most of the time; Trump couldnt tell a Marxist from a local Democrat civic club member) considered to be opposing his agenda or messaging, non-whites, immigrants without a whole lot of money or foreign leaders he considers, for a variety of reasons, weak or vulnerable. The ugly refers to Trumps stated and possible supporters who are not wealthy or famous, but support him, especially the most enthusiastic ones. Except for demanding and wallowing in their demonstrated support at rallies, Trump would not touch such supporters with a very large stick, and does not care about their concerns except when they coincide with his, cruelty towards immigrants perhaps being the best example of this. His indifference towards those millions in red states who lost Medicaid coverage a few weeks ago is also telling here, as well as the case of those who may be unable to afford their health insurance next month. Trumps messaging toward the good tends to take the form of outright insider dealing and bargaining. Communications with the rest of us about these parlays are shrouded in opacity, secrecy and, on occasion, a peculiarly shameless variety of spin. The few questions that make their way to Trump, or his minions, on these matters are disregarded almost as the expression of heresy or crass insubordination. When Trump lies to or about these people, money or power tends to be on the line, unless and until some kind of break with Trump occurs, as it sometimes does. It is only then that you get the nasty stuff. It is when the bad are addressed that the kind of contempt I am speaking of comes to the fore from the beginning. Trump feels he can lie to them in the most insulting way, and that they will either simply accept this or, which perhaps amounts to the same thing, show themselves abjectly unable to resist or simply respond in a significant or meaningful way. In this way, I think Trump and his people feel that the bad have proven themselves unworthyand not entitled toanything like truth. Not that anyone else particularly deserves something as plebeian as truth, of course; truth is always something that can be thrown over the railing. But the bad have somehow revealed a weakness that disqualifies them from truth altogether. As such, where they are concerned, the more potentially insulting the departure from truth, the better. The point becomes to emphasize how powerless the good are and how pointless their resistance even to the most offensive insults will certainly be. As for the ugly, these people are despised for falling for Trumps patent nonsense and even scams. They exist in the Trumpian mind merely to be abused and to show themselves thankful to the utmost for that. Occasionally, one of them will be celebrated, usually, it seems, for dying, but other than that, the sentiment flows in one direction only: towards Trump. I am absolutely convinced that Trump and his people ridicule their supporters outside the public eye frequently and in the most disrespectful way. These people are beneath even the contempt shown to the bad, because of their perceived one-dimensional and all-encompassing stupidity. But things are changing, even in this perverted world of elite mentalities. Back during the regime of George W. Bush, I began to think of the good, bad and ugly along the lines of what I have claimed the Trumpian mind has resurrected and expanded upon. But structural factors prove themselves more powerful than the wacky world-views of plutocrats. During Bush II, I would venture, the ugly were pretty much led by the nose by wealthy donors; their political power was dependent on the creation and maintenance of astroturf organizations and the like; now (for reasons I simply am not prepared to elucidate) this scheme seems to be reversed to a significant degree. I personally sense this has much to do with the sheer instability of the the Republican and even MAGA structures. But there is perhaps one further group I should speak of. I get the sense that a not inconsiderable amount of Trump supporters realize the otherworldly extent of the number and shamelessness of Trumps lies, and fail to resist precisely because, first of all, they think our politics are so degraded that the very notion of resistance itself is the greatest of all duplicities; and, secondly, they may feel that they are in with Trump on the secret that Trump is pursuing policies harmful to them, and lying about it, in order to do ultimate harm to the hapless, do-gooder bad, who are ones who really dont get it. Maybe, in this sense, they feel Trump would respect them, assuming Trump would ever deign to think about them at all. And what of Trumps lackeys in the administration? They, too, when all is said and done, occupy an extremely dicey territory; inasmuch as Trump demands demonstrations of loyalty that extend to extreme displays of self-abnegation, something he despises, Trumps loyal courtiers constantly invite contemptuous outbursts from the boss. But if they stand up for themselves, this will likely prove suspicions of disloyalty which could well turn into those of betrayal. Perhaps, after all, the good are the ones most to be pitied in this mad, mad world. Postscript (and shameless plug): to some readers, much of what I have spoken of here brings to mind discussions of the notion of bullshit. I have provided my own ideas on the matter in these pages here and here. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. What is the mysterious radiation fog blanketing California and is it dangerous? A massive fog bank that has been blanketing much of Californias Central Valley with low-lying clouds since Thanksgiving time has prompted fears online of a mysterious and harmful radiation fog, but scientists say this is a misunderstanding of basic scientific terms and common weather patterns in the region. Theres something in the fog that I cant explain, a California man said in a recent video as he wiped soot from his truck bumper, in a post by Wall Street Apes, a popular X account. There is indeed a radiation fog over the region, but that term refers to the general radiation of energy, not nuclear radiation. During radiation fog events, or tule fog as its known in California, named for a native marsh plant, fog forms when the moist ground cools rapidly at night, causing water vapor in the air to condense into thick fog. A rainy autumn and winter in California, as well as a late November high-pressure system over the state, has further exacerbated this effect, helping create a fog bank that often stretched 400 miles up the center of the state. Residents described the fog, which may actually be getting less common in the region compared to historical trends, as cold and eerie. Low-lying fog has blanketed central California for hundreds of miles between late November and December, an example of the regions regular radiation or tule fog (NASA) Its like going into a dream stage where you cant see anything around you, David Mas Masumoto, a peach farmer in the San Joaquin Valley, told The New York Times. You feel like youre in this twilight zone. Masumoto added that he cant remember another time with such thick fog in the last 50 years. As for the particles that some residents were seeing in the fog, theres a standard explanation for those too. Fog is highly susceptible to pollutants, Peter Weiss-Penzias, a fog researcher at UC Santa Cruz, told The Los Angeles Times. The air above Californias heavily agricultural Central Valley can mingle with fog and trap pollutants, which could explain the particles some residents are seeing in heavy fog in recent weeks (AFP via Getty Images) The Central Valley, home to the states key north-south highway and miles of agricultural land, is known for its poor air quality. It could be a whole alphabet soup of different things, Weiss-Penzias added. The fog, which continued through late this week, is expected to thin out as heavy rains disrupt weather patterns in the state. Peter Lloyd-Jones appeared on radio and television to talk about design and popular taste Photograph: none (Photograph: none) My father, Peter Lloyd-Jones, who has died aged 92, studied chemistry at university but was determined to become a painter, and his ability to combine science and art became the foundation of his career. After setting up a new department concerned with the technology of artists materials at Wimbledon School of Art in south-west London in the 1960s, in 1972 he was appointed head of the School of Three-Dimensional Design at Kingston Polytechnic (now University). Under his leadership, Kingston became one of the most prestigious centres for design education in the UK its work was featured in a 1984 exhibition at the V&A Museum. Ever the innovator, Peter then set up the first UK postgraduate course in design for film and television at Kingston. He was also a member of the advisory board of the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, and maintained a happy association with Finland for 14 years. Born in Farnham, Surrey, Peter was the son of Nellie (nee Daniels) and Howell Lloyd-Jones, who worked on the railways. At the outbreak of the second world war he and his younger sister, Margaret, were evacuated to Wadebridge in Cornwall. Howell died during the war, leaving Nellie to bring up the children by herself in London. Peter attended Battersea grammar school, followed by Imperial College London, where he studied chemistry. Science seemed to offer financial security, so a growing interest in art took second place for a time, and Peter went on to gain a doctorate at Kings College, Cambridge, in 1959. However, increasingly unhappy and conflicted, he enrolled at the Slade School of Art, funding his place through a research post at the Courtauld Institute of Art into the science of conservation of old master paintings. In 1960 he met Jenifer Lawson Barnes, a ceramicist. They married in 1963 and went on to have two daughters, Myfanwy and me. Throughout his career Peter continued to paint, with work included in several group exhibitions and three one-man shows, as well as decorative work for architectural design projects. He was an excellent communicator and in demand as a speaker and commentator. Between the 1960s and 1990s he appeared on radio and television in broadcasts on popular taste such as An Englishmans Home on BBC Radio 3 in 1977, and Design Matters on Channel 4 in 1990. His 1991 book, Taste Today, won the International Robert Maxwell Prize for New Writing on Design Thinking he later joked privately that he was one of the few men to have actually made money from Maxwell. On his retirement in 1993 he was appointed emeritus professor of Kingston University. Peter was a loyal friend and loved conversation and laughter around the dinner table. Having lost his father so young, his male friendships were perhaps especially valuable to him, and he had a close relationship with his father-in-law, Tony, with whom he enjoyed many happy sailing trips. After retiring to Cornwall, he continued to paint, but also began to write poetry, finding a different kind of freedom of expression in verse. Peter is survived by Jenifer, Myfanwy and me, and two grandchildren, Rhiannon and Benedict, and his sister, Margaret. A man shot dead in north-west London has been named as 55-year-old Simon Whyte. Police launched a murder investigation after a man died on Friday night at the scene on West End Close in Stonebridge, Brent, despite the efforts of police and paramedics to save his life. Detectives from the Metropolitan Polices Specialist Crime Team are now appealing for witnesses information and anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. They are particularly keen to hear from a small group who were congregated nearby when the incident happened. Simon Whyte, 55, named and pictured by police as man who was shot dead in Stonebridge (Metropolitan Police) Officers were called at 9.35pm on Friday night to the scene after reports of a shooting, with police administering emergency first aid and the London Ambulance Service attending. No arrests were made by Sunday afternoon. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John from the Mets Specialist Crime Team, who is leading the investigation, said: Firstly, our thoughts are with Simons family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. Enquiries are well underway, and my team is working at pace to determine the circumstances that led to his tragic death. Theres no doubt this incident will cause concern in the local community and more widely, but we have increased patrols in the area. Id like to reassure the public that our investigation remains a priority. I would urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information, including dashcam footage, that will assist us with our enquiries to contact us at the earliest opportunity. We also believe there was a large group of people congregated nearby at the time the incident happened, and we are keen to hear from them. Power has been restored for about 95,000 customers in San Francisco after a sizable part of the city was hit by an outage on Saturday. The blackout knocked out power to 130,000 homes and businesses in the California city of around 800,000 people, according to the city's main utility firm, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The power failure left a large swath of the northern part of the city in the dark, beginning with the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas around Golden Gate Park in the early afternoon and growing in size. PG&E did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the cause of the blackouts, which impacted roughly one-third of the utility company's customers in the city. Local media reported mass closures of restaurants and shops and darkened street lights, and Christmas decorations. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said on X that there were significant transit disruptions happening citywide and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel and treat down traffic signals as four-way stops. PG&E did not immediately respond to requests for comment (AP) "A large power outage is impacting San Francisco - only call 9-1-1 for life safety emergencies, avoid non-essential travel, treat down traffic signals as four-way stops, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and turn off major appliances to prevent surges," it said. The city's transportation agencies said they were bypassing some Muni bus and BART train stations because of the power outages. At least some of the blackouts were caused by a fire that broke out inside a PG&E substation at 8th and Mission streets, fire officials posted on X about 3.15pm. At 4pm, PG&E posted on X that it had stabilized the power grid and was not expecting additional customer outages. By 11pm, PG&E said crews had restored about 95,000 customers, with about 35,000 remaining without electric service, adding that there were no injuries to workers or members of the public. One of Stephen Lawrence's killers confronted the Manchester Arena bomb plotter in prison, calling him a terrorist during a heated row, a new report has revealed. David Norris, 49, threatened Hashem Abedi and swore at him during the clash at Belmarsh Prison in south-east London. The encounter emerged in documents released by the Parole Board after Norris was refused release last week on the grounds he remains a danger to the public. Norris was jailed for at least 14 years in 2012 for the unprovoked, racially motivated murder of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence in Eltham in April 1993. Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi (PA Media) Abedi, brother of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, was sentenced to life in 2020 over the murder of 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017. The report said Norris admitted shouting at Abedi, 28, when "life got too much one day" but denied using a racial slur. It states: "He said it was the 'Manchester bomber' and they 'all took umbrage with him'. He said he called the prisoner a terrorist and swore at him, but had not used a racial slur. He said it had been an offense based response, not a racial issue. "Mr Norris said he had been raising money for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing at the time. He accepted it was 'not his place to be dishing out justice' but he was stressed and 'terrorism has always riled me, going back to the IRA'." The report highlighted security concerns regarding Norris's racism and allegations of violence, some of which were against him. Abedi helped his brother plan the Manchester attack which killed 22 people as they left the concert. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 55 years. He was transferred from Belmarsh after he and two other prisoners attacked a guard. Abedi is set to face trial in 2026 after being accused of trying to murder three prison officers at HMP Frankland in County Durham in April, allegedly using hot cooking oil and makeshift weapons. He has since been moved back to Belmarsh. Norris was refused parole over concerns he only expressed remorse for the murder to secure his freedom. He took responsibility for his part in the racist attack for the first time in a public hearing earlier this yearbut his own offender manager admitted it was possible he only did this to improve his chances of release. Panel members denied his application after considering a series of racist incidents committed by Norris while in jail. He threw excrement at Muslim prisoners, who he referenced using a racial slur, used the N-word in 2022 and reportedly told his daughter he did not want black grandchildren. Norris was also abusive to prison staff, got a tattoo while in jail, was found with secret mobile phones and a screwdriver in his cell and failed drugs tests in 2023. The panel also found there was a "serious possibility" he had committed other knife attacksthe attempted murder of Stacey Benefield in 1993 of which he was acquitted, and another slashing attack for which he was never charged. Norris, who converted to Buddhism in 2019, admitted punching Stephen "two or three times" after the teenager was stabbed and had dropped to his knees in the street. Five men were initially arrested over the 1993 murder with Norris and Gary Dobson, both 16 at the time, only brought to justice after a belated forensic breakthrough. Both men were given life sentences in 2012 following a trial at which they denied anything to do with the murder that, in the words of the sentencing judge, "scarred the conscience of the nation". Londons home to world-class chefs and restaurateurs, and we have their insider tips for where they shop for food. But celebrities gotta eat too, and they have some star recommendations of their own. We take a look back at The Standards My London interviewees over the past year and sift through our archives to find the best places to do your food shopping in London this Christmas. Butchers One of the great truisms in life is that you can fall out with your wife, mistress and even your bank manager but never with your butcher AA Gill Michel Roux Jr: Moens the butcher, a family-run business thats been there for as long as I can remember, just off Clapham Common. Obviously they have great meat, but they also have a great cheese counter and do lots of stocks and sauces. Jamie Oliver: At the Ginger Pig butcher in Borough Market they all know their stuff. Fred Sirieix: William Rose Butchers in Dulwich for brilliant quality meat. Anya Hindmarch recommends M. Moen & Sons butchers Vick Hope: Im a big fan of the Hampstead Butcher & Providore for free range, organic meat. Elizabeth Hurley: Luigi's deli and Wyndham House, the butchers, both on Fulham Road. Jonathan Saunders: Hill & Szrok Master Butchers on Broadway Market. Its old-school, with great staff, and it turns into a no-reservations restaurant in the evening where you sit around the butchers bench. Joan Collins: Allens, my all-time favourite butcher on Mount Street in Mayfair. Kirstie Allsopp: Lidgate on Holland Park Avenue is the best butcher's. Tom Parker Bowles buys his meat from HG Walter (Dave Benett) Fish Lorraine Pascale: The Chelsea Fishmonger has the best fish in town; I go there a couple of times a week Michel Roux Jr: Moxons the fishmonger, which is on the other side of the common. Its restaurant-quality fish. You should see the queues out there on a Friday and Saturday, its unbelievable. Jamie Oliver: Golborne Fisheries in W10 it does a great job sourcing unusual fish. Dermot OLeary: La Petite Poissonnerie in Marylebone. I cook a lot so this place is a lifesaver and Nic who runs it is a legend. Vick Hope says La Petite Poissonnerie is such a gorgeous little fishmonger (Ian West/PA Wire) Emma Barnett: Harry Otto & Son for fish in Brixton market; day-boat fresh, great value for money and always delish. And speedy service with a smile and a twinkle in the eye. Mary Portas: I'd drive across London to get to Steve Hatt's fishmongers on Essex Road, it's the best in the country. Bread Yotam Ottolenghi: My favourite spots to pick up bread are Bread By Bike and Salvino (conveniently positioned on the way home from work). Angela Hartnett: The Little Bread Pedlar, which does wonderful breads, and then youve also got Steve the honey man. Paul Smith: Poilane bakery for the best bread. Kaya Scodelario says you will find the best sourdough of your life at Dunns bakery in Crouch End (Getty Images) Lauren Laverne: Dunns Bakery in Muswell Hill is an institution. Get the rosemary sourdough with salted crust, toast and butter it and watch your life change. Emma Barnett: Every Friday I hunt down a challah loaf, usually from Gails. Being Jewish in south London has its limitations. Cheese A Latvian woman, as she drove me down Regent Street, asked why young men were queueing outside Nike Town. I explained it was because some new trainers had arrived. She said nothing for about a minute and then, with great seriousness: I have queued for cheese. Frank Skinner on the best thing a cabbie has ever said to him La Fromagerie, with its shops in Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Highbury, is the chefs choice, described by Jamie Oliver as heaven for anyone who loves good food. Yotam Ottolenghi: La Fromagerie in Highbury is essential for properly aged comte their ageing room is a temple to proper cheese. Labour and Wait on Redchurch Street for beautiful, functional kitchen tools that make cooking much more pleasurable. Longdan is where I go for Asian ingredients I can lose hours in their aisles. And Phoenicia, in Kentish Town, is my go-to for everything Middle Eastern. Jamie Oliver: Go to La Fromagerie and say, I want to have a little cheese tasting to take on a picnic. Dont tell them anything. Theyll choose it for you. Believe in the cheese. The power of cheese is profound. Sophie Dahl shops for cheese at La Fromagerie (Dave Benett) Angela Hartnett: I love La Fromagerie in Marylebone. Patricia Michelsons produce is incredible; she gets the best of the best. Shes been doing it for more than 20 years now, so she really knows her stuff. Michel Roux Jr: I get superb British cheeses from Neals Yard. It has something new every time I walk in. Poppy Delevingne: For food, my favourite is Daylesford. I swear every cheese there has won some kind of award. If its a cheddar and its won multiple awards, Im getting it, do you know what I mean? Joanna Lumley: The Rippon Cheese Shop in Pimlico does an amazing Emmental and a strong British cheddar. Best grocery shops in London And for everything else, whether its for your kitchen staples or specialist delis, our My London interviewees have their own go-to places. Grace Dent: If Im passing Fortnum & Mason, downstairs they have an incredible honey section. Waitrose in Beckenham has a really good kosher section; I dont know why particularly in Beckenham. I go to Yardarm in Leyton, which is a deli and a wine shop I did my WSET course there to learn how to taste wine. And I swear by the spice place in Borough Market, although I find it a bit overwhelming on a Saturday. Loyd Grossman: Emilia's Deli on the New Kings Road is a superlative Italian delicatessen. I could spend all my time eating through the stock - it's exceptional. Harrods has the greatest food hall in the world, says Piers Morgan (Harrods) Andi Oliver: Palm2 is a beautiful little Clapton deli. Ralph Fiennes: Leilas Shop. I would be lost without this small shop on Calvert Avenue for my grocery essentials. Skye McAlpine: Natoora for fresh fruit, veg and Italian cheeses. Lina Stores for panettone, fresh pasta and pistachio butter. Lewis Goodall: This sounds so bourgeois but theres a really lovely delicatessen a few minutes from me, Davids Deli in Streatham Common. The shop I use most is Lidl. Lidl is great! Kaya Scodelario: For groceries, I go to the Brazilian Centre in Stamford Hill I am half-Brazilian and cook Brazilian food three or four nights a week at home, so Im there very often. Mary Portas: I've got a really good local deli called Soloman, which sells bundles of mint and parsley, olives and dates at a great price. Jackson Boxer buys his food from the Italo Deli (Dave Benett) Angela Hartnett: Down at Spa Terminus in Bermondsey youve got brilliant shops theres The Ham & Cheese Co, which does lovely charcuterie. Alicia Vikander: The Grocery Post, up in Highgate, is where I go and get my food. Vick Hope: I go back to Ridley Road market, in Dalston, for ingredients whenever Im cooking Nigerian food, particularly if my mums visiting. You can get everything you need the selection of African and Asian produce is amazing. Polly Morgan: In Camberwell I was reliant on TFC for all the Ottolenghi ingredients Id never heard of. Monica Bellucci: Bottega Del San Lorenzo on Beauchamp Place for my Italian groceries. Paapa Essiedu: Ive got to shout out Arsenal Supermarket on Blackstock Road because theyre open every day of the year. On Christmas Day, from early till late and theyve got everything and anything you need: light bulbs, batteries, booze. Everything, its beautiful. Matt Vickers, the deputy Tory chairman, told Trevor Phillips it was possible his party would work with Reform - Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips/Sky News A senior Conservative MP has opened the door to a coalition with Reform UK before the next election. Matt Vickers, the deputy Tory chairman, told a presenter to come back and ask about a pact before the general election in 2029 if his partys fortunes had not improved. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has ruled out an outright coalition with Nigel Farages party, but many Tory MPs expect either an unofficial pact before polling day or a formal joint ticket. Mr Vickers was asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday whether he would consider a pact to unite the Right, given the Tories poor performance in the polls for the past 18 months. No, were gonna be out there delivering, he said. Were going to be out there putting the pitch to the British people. Some Tory MPs expect an informal pact with Reform despite Kemi Badenoch ruling out an outright coalition - Jordan Pettitt/PA Media However, asked again whether he would lumber the nation with another five years of Starmer because of a refusal to swallow your pride and work with Reform, Mr Vickers suggested the position could change closer to polling day. Well, if Im wrong and were stuck in that situation, you can come back and ask me then, but Im going to concentrate on delivering that Conservative majority. Earlier this week Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative chairman, suggested he would be willing to do a deal with Reform if the Tories were left with no other choice after an election. I am no Lib Dem and Kemi Badenoch is no Lib Dem, he told The Daily T podcast. If that was my only choice, of course I would choose Reform. Although many Tory MPs and commentators privately think a deal with Mr Farage is likely, the party has avoided officially endorsing that position and is preparing to campaign against Reform in Mays local elections. Mr Farage is expected to perform especially well in Wales and Scotland, where Reform has picked up votes from both former Conservatives and 2024 Labour voters. Reform has said the party will not enter into a coalition with the Tories, and argues that it will probably win more votes than Mrs Badenochs party. The latest polls show Reform polling at 29.5 per cent of the vote, compared to Labour on 17.9 per cent and the Tories on 18.6 per cent. Separately, Anna Turley, Labours chairman, was asked whether the Government could rule out any delay to a general election, which is required by law to be held by 2029. She refused three times to rule out a delay, after the Government delayed a string of local elections in 63 councils across England because of ongoing reform to local government. Mr Farage accused Labour of running a banana republic by allowing elected councillors to decide whether they should face re-election. Phillips asked Ms Turley three times whether ongoing reform of the House of Lords could be used to justify delaying a general election beyond 2029, which would require a change in the law. She said: Of course, the general election will come. The House of Lords arent elected, so Im bit, sort of, confused as to why House of Lords reform would impact on a general election. So, theres no change to a plan for a general election. Alicia Kearns, a senior Tory MP, said: Either there is a terrifying reality where theyve discussed delaying it or Turley is terrified she wont take the right line and be punished which is everything the public hates. This was simple. There was only one answer: of course we wont delay the next general election. And they better not. The Department of Homeland Security recently released a holiday ad relaying a familiar message with a tinge of festive nostalgia. Accompanied by crooner Perry Comos Christmas classic, Home for the Holidays, a black-and-white montage showed people grabbing what appeared to be gifts for loved ones stuffed animals and playing cards before they stepped onto planes. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of home with the CBP Home app, read the ads caption. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and implemented his mass deportation agenda the CBP Home app has been touted by administration officials as a dignified way for immigrants to self-deport. Immigrants without criminal convictions are eligible to use the app in exchange for a $1,000 stipend, free airfare, and avoiding encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to DHS. An immigrant from Venezuela tries to access CBP Home App. The government spends less on self-deportations compared to involuntary deportations. But for migrants, the reality of leaving voluntarily is not risk-free (Getty Images) Once a user downloads the CBP Home app, they choose the language they want to use, and then can select on one of two choices: Im Ready to Leave the U.S. or Verify I Left the U.S. The user then fills out their personal information, takes a selfie, and then submits that information. The app then asks users if they want to add others to their group. At the end of the prompts, a message pops up saying someone will reach out to you soon and that the user will receive an email about next steps. The app also touts the $1,000 exit bonus. But immigration law experts warn that many migrants are being directed towards the app without a full understanding that self-deportation is not risk-free. Desires to avoid horrific conditions at detention centers, uncertain outcomes in lengthy immigration cases, and unpredictable, frightening ICE raids appear to be fueling self-deportations, but using the app may still result in immigrants being detained by federal agents and separated from family members for long periods, legal experts say. In some cases, immigrants may never be allowed to return to the U.S. The government has spent more than $200 million to advertise CBP Home and nearly 38,000 people have used the app to leave the U.S. from March, when the self-deportation feature launched, up to November 25, according to internal DHS data seen by The Independent. Self-deportation is a safe and dignified way for lawbreakers who are here illegally to leave, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. Not only do self-deportations boost Trumps numbers he has said he wants 1 million immigrants out of the country each year but the administration has argued that the strategy is saving taxpayers money. The government spends $3,500 per individual self-deportation, the DHS spokesperson said. That marks 80 percent savings on the $17,000 that the government spends on arresting, detaining and removing a person, the official added. But critics argue there are other prices attached, both financial and personal, that the administrations cost analysis doesnt appear to take into account. For one, immigrants are thought to contribute nearly $580 billion per year in taxes. Researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that Trumps mass deportation plan could significantly impact the U.S. economy, reducing the employment rate by as much as 7 percent and lowering GDP by as much as 7.4 percent by 2028. The researchers noted that these deportations would not only result in losing workers, but also losing consumers. In addition to the moral issue of rounding up millions of people, and disrupting their families, workplaces, and livelihoods, Trumps America first proposal for mass deportations would raise prices, cost jobs, and harm the US economy, the researchers said. Shackled immigrants board a plane to be removed from the U.S. The Trump administration has branded self-deportations as a dignified way to leave the U.S., compared to law enforcement action (REUTERS) Since Trump took office, 2.5 million immigrants have left the U.S., DHS said. Some 605,000 people were involuntarily deported while 1.9 million have voluntarily self-deported. It is unclear whether that figure includes self-deportations through the CBP Home app as well as voluntary departures a court-approved process that allows immigrants to leave the U.S. at their own expense to avoid a deportation order, making it easier to return. The Independent has asked DHS for more information. So far this year, judges have granted more than 28,000 voluntary departure applications, according to data from nonprofit TRAC. Over the Biden administrations four years, just over 29,000 people left the U.S. via voluntary departures. Experts say immigrants using the app to self-deport potentially face another, more personal cost. In May, Homeland Security announced the $1,000 stipend for travel assistance which the American Immigration Lawyers Association described as deceptive. The association labeled the governments self-deportation offer as a deeply misleading and unethical trick. [It] gives people the impression there are no consequences, such as being barred from returning in the future. No one should accept this without first obtaining good legal advice from an immigration attorney or other qualified representative, the American Immigration Lawyers Association said in a statement at the time. The National Immigration Project, a nonprofit that provides legal representation and support to immigrants, warned that in order to be able to return to the U.S. after self-deporting, one must have a basis for returning, like a spouse or parent who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. For many people, there may be no basis for returning to the United States on a permanent basis; even for those who do have a qualifying relative, the backlogs for these visas are very long for some countries and family relationships, the group warned. Once leaving the country, undocumented immigrants face 3-year or 10-year bars from entering the U.S. depending on how long they lived in there. Protesters clash with federal immigration agents in Chicago (REUTERS) Others including those who have returned to the U.S. without permission after being deported face a permanent bar, according to the nonprofit. Advocacy groups have also warned that immigrants with ongoing cases could still be given a deportation order even if they opt to self-deport, making it more difficult to return to the U.S. Even if you use the CBP Home app to tell DHS that you are leaving, you are at risk of receiving a deportation order from immigration court in your absence after you have left that will bar you from returning to the United States. Leaving the country will mean immigration applications you have submitted will be considered abandoned and will make it harder for you to gain future immigration benefits, nonprofit Refugees International said on its website. There are also reportedly instances in which immigrants, who have used the CBP Home app to self-deport, were still detained by federal immigration agents. We've heard of a couple cases of people using the app to try to facilitate their return to their home country, but they still end up getting detained, either while they're waiting for their flight out of the country or while they are physically trying to leave the country, Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told Wired. In Chicago, one Venezuelan asylum seeker said they had struggled to leave the U.S. after opting to self-deport using the app, fearing the worst from the increasingly aggressive ICE raids in the city. The migrant, a 25-year-old mother of two, told ProPublica that she was told by someone working at the CBP Home app program that if she used the app she could be on a flight to Venezuela the following month. When her departure date passed, she made several calls to the program, with one program worker eventually telling her there could be a delay obtaining her travel documents. Waiting with packed bags, she said she registered on the app twice more. She said she still hadnt been given any flight information. I feel so scared, always looking around in every direction, she told ProPublica. I was trying to leave voluntarily, like the president said. Zelenskyy said Ukraine stood for proposals that would leave the frontline where it is without Ukraine having to give up territory it still controls in the industrial region of Donbas in eastern Ukraine. For me, the fair version is we stand where we are now standing, he said. US negotiators met Russian officials in Florida on Saturday, following on from US talks on Friday with Ukrainian and European officials. It was suggested the talks would continue on Sunday. Sam Jump, pictured with Wunda's pioneering Rapid Response underfloor heating system, is the grandson of the entrepreneurial founders. When entrepreneurs Charles and Josephine Pugh rented a property with "uncomfortable and uncontrollable" underfloor heating (UFH), it sparked a move away from the made-to-order furniture world they had been invested in since the late 1970s. The couple, who had founded British retailer Multiyork in 1978, set up Wunda Group in 2006 at the height of the 'green homes revolution' when barn conversions and self-builds were de rigueur. The Pughs home heating issue had centred on underfloor screed a level layer of concrete where piping has traditionally been embedded into with pipe centres too far apart. With no controls, there was a slow response time to heat and the floor became too hot. The Pughs thought the existing systems were "slow and antiquated". Read More: 'Our women's hiking trousers saved our business we've sold over 50,000' Monmouthshire-based Wunda now designs and supplies energy-efficient UFH systems and has cut through to the DIY consumer at a time of rising energy bills. The company employs 90 staff and says it has booked over 10m in sales this year. The heating firm is also a family affair. With Charles as CEO and Josephine CFO, their daughter Josephine is managing director, while grandson Sam Jump is currently head of business development. The business took off in 2008 when Wunda reorientated as installers looked for kits and components after the self-build market collapsed. Wunda Group founders Charles and Josephine Pugh, left, with daughter Josephine and grandson Sam. In 2010, their former base near Chepstow was in an old chicken farm shed renovated to offices. The Pughs still visited trade shows and had come across one American exhibitors chip board panel with grooves, which was employed as a last fix in the build. They pioneered an aluminium version with high-compressed polystyrene and put a sample down in the chicken shed, with a heat pump which moved outside thermal energy internally. The closer piping also meant it could be run at lower temperatures. Jump, who was working in the warehouse at the time and previously led a team of outreachers offering membership, recalled: Everyone was walking around in T-shirts during winter and the response rate was unreal, the heat pump was operating at the optimum flow temperature with a co-efficient performance. British underfloor heating firm Wunda has seen its sales boosted thanks to DIYers. However, their product was initially met with scepticism from installers unwilling to test new products. Where most people think of UFH as this uncomfortable system, we now have a rapid response system and it warms up as fast as radiators, if not quicker. A booming DIY industry, renovating homes or building extensions instead of moving, has helped boost Wundas profits. In 2024, it ran an experiment with a DIY TikTok creator who installed a UFH system. Wunda claims it saw enquiries from consumers increase 1,000% year-on-year, with a typical installation of 50m sq costing up to 2,500. Read More: I was an antiques dealer before Gen Z helped grow our stationery sales to $50m I had no idea how big the renovating space is on TikTok, said Jump. It is more relevant now as people are thinking more pinch than ever. Jump says that consumers putting the pipe and panels down on the floor themselves saves two-thirds of the cost until the final hook up by a professional. It is also generally accepted that UFH is 25% more efficient than radiators. The late Sir Bobby Robson, the Newcastle United manager, at the opening of a Multiyork showroom in Gosforth. Founder Charles Pugh sold his family stake in 1993. (North News and Pictures, North News and Pictures) However, in a YouGov study commissioned this year by Wunda, only 14% of 2,000 UK homeowners realised that underfloor heating, which includes adding on top of an existing floor, can reduce their energy bills. More than two in five homeowners said underfloor heatings space-saving attribute was a major benefit over the traditional radiator. When you look at UFH, it becomes a bit of a no-brainer. It takes so long for people to adopt as we have all grown up with radiators, said Jump. Read More: 'We started with a second-hand minivan our group tour travel firm is now a 30m business' Our obstacle is education and to help people understand that this solution is affordable and more accessible. Thats our goal. As one of the founders legacy remits, Wunda has now brought manufacturing back to the UK and Jump, who has a seat at the boardroom table, says the entrepreneurial spirit still runs through the firm. We do have to constantly stay on our toes, he added. Because we are always trying to introduce something new, we also have something of a day one attitude. Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android It is fair to say that Keir Starmer has not had the best time in the media since he became prime minister on 4 July 2024. So bad have his first 19 months as prime minister been that he is now on his fourth director of communications in Downing Street. His decision to try to scrap winter fuel payments for pensioners, briefings from Downing Street against cabinet ministers, botched attempts to reduce the welfare bill, non-stop pre-Budget leaks, and so much more have played into a picture of a man who is simply not up to the job. Starmer has not enjoyed media scrutiny (Getty) However, it seems that Sir Keir has decided not to take a long, hard look at himself and his media operation. Instead of the failure to develop a coherent narrative in government, come up with good news stories or even do the job properly, the prime minister has apparently decided that the problem is that he has had too much media scrutiny. So just as parliament was clearing out for the Christmas recess, his latest director of communications, Tim Allan, dropped a bombshell. He told the lobby (the collective name for journalists in parliament) that the government was cancelling a large part of its daily media scrutiny. What are they doing? Allan, who was a support act during the Tony Blair era, was appointed in September to rescue the dire communications strategy in Starmers government. His letter to the lobby laid out his grand vision of improving the prime ministers media profile. Top item was to cancel what is called afternoon lobby. This is a briefing of journalists based in parliament where they get to ask a Downing Street spokesperson for updates from the day and about stories affecting the government. Tim Allan, Downing Street director of communications (Tim Allan) In addition, Allan said that morning lobby the even more important morning version of this briefing will not now happen every day and will sometimes be replaced by an increased number of press conferences with ministers. Why is this a problem? This is not just a technical issue within parliament; it is a serious one that waters down the democratic accountability of the government. Essentially, what the government is doing is massively reducing the level of scrutiny it receives. Lobby briefings do not have a fixed time limit, as those of us who have sat through particularly long ones can attest, and are always on the record. Even Alastair Campbell did not cancel lobby briefings during the Blair administration (PA Archive) Added to that, every journalist present from whatever publication can get to ask questions on pretty much any topic. So, to more than halve the number of briefings seriously reduces the ability of the media to hold the government to account. For years, Downing Street and governments in general have hated the process but always put up with it. Why do governments prefer press conferences? Some may say that increased press conferences are a good replacement. They are not. Press conferences mean only a few chosen journalists will get a question. Added to that, we saw a new divide-and-rule policy initiated around the Budget when the government only invited a select small group of media organisations to its press conference with the chancellor, and tried to exclude others. Is this an attack on free speech? It is worth noting, though, that while previous governments have tried to limit scrutiny from lobby journalists, none has ever gone this far before. Even Alastair Campbell, Blairs director of communications, or Lee Cain, under Boris Johnson, never tried to cancel lobby briefings despite having a testy relationship with journalists. Critics of this current Labour government have often tried to frame it as authoritarian and anti-free speech in nature. While much of this criticism is exaggerated, the cancellation of media scrutiny in parliament will feed into an unfortunate but well-established image Starmers government already has. Taken alongside the twin announcements in the last month that this government plans to cancel the 800-year-old right to a jury trial for many offences and is cancelling next years planned local elections it would have lost, the allegation that this is an authoritarian government becomes much harder to dispute. Never mind the rows over people being arrested for tweets and the tense issue of the Online Safety Act, both of which have soured Britains relationship with the US. On a number of occasions, Starmer has pushed back on allegations over free speech being attacked in the UK, saying that it is alive and well, not least in the presence of Donald Trump. But if he genuinely believes that, he will reverse this ham-fisted attempt to limit press scrutiny and instead welcome it as an essential part of British democracy. Obese Scots are being prescribed a popular weight-loss drug in record numbers after the NHS bill for the drug more than doubled in a single year. Semaglutide, the drug known under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, was dispensed 168,486 times in 2024/25 compared to 79,182 prescriptions the previous year. The 112.8 per cent rise was by far the largest for any drug prescribed by Scotlands NHS last year, The Telegraph can disclose. Dr Iain Morrison, chair of the British Medical Associations GP committee in Scotland, said that amid Scotlands growing obesity crisis, weight loss drugs are increasingly being used and prescribed as part of a solution. About two-thirds of Scottish adults are overweight and a third are deemed to be obese, which is defined as having a body mass index of 30kg per sq metre. These figures are disproportionately higher than other UK nations and among the largest compared to EU member states, a recent assessment found. Public Health Scotland (PHS) figures said the cost of the drug to the public purse had risen from 8.7m in 2023/24 to nearly 18.7 million. Each prescription cost the Scottish NHS an average of more than 110, with the SNPs free prescriptions policy meaning nothing was paid by the recipient. The figures also disclosed that spending on tirzepatide, which is known under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound, has risen from zero to more than 2m in only two years. This was based on 18,332 prescriptions last year. That is in addition to more than 300,000 people in Scotland, the equivalent of nearly 5 per cent of the population, who are estimated to be paying privately for weight-loss drugs. b' How semaglutide works ' Prof Michael Lean, clinical research fellow at the University of Glasgows School of Medicine, said health boards had previously advised GPs that semaglutide should be given only to patients with diabetes and that request should not be disregarded. But he said Scottish Government guidance to boards issued last year said weight loss drugs could be prioritised for a much wider range of obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease. He argued that this reflects a greater understanding of the multiple serious health impacts of severe obesity than in England, where even stricter prescription guidance applies. Prof Lean predicted the bill for semaglutide and similar medications will continue to rise as more GPs prescribe it. However, he argued there was quite big potential for NHS cost savings in the longer term by preventing serious disease. Obesity is estimated to cost Scotland 5.3bn a year. It is estimated that 67 per cent of adults in Scotland are overweight compared to 64 per cent in England and Northern Ireland and 61 per cent in Wales. PHS warned in October that without urgent and sustained intervention the number of adults who are overweight or living with obesity is set to rise significantly. The agency estimated there will be 3.3m Scots who are overweight by 2040 more than half the population and warned this would pile more pressure on the countrys struggling NHS. Prof Lean said the previous years figures for prescribing semaglutide were probably mostly to treat diabetes, although he acknowledged it was difficult to disentangle other serious consequences of obesity. But he said an increasing number of GPs were prescribing it if the patient concerned had a serious medical condition which could be improved by losing weight. Many Scottish GPs have been willing, under specialist advice, to give patients a trial of semaglutide or tirzepatide for these conditions, and the results have often been life-changing, he said. Although semaglutide was very, very expensive, he said it was an absolute revelation for those whose conditions would otherwise deteriorate. The PHS figures disclosed that the number of Ozempic prescriptions has more than quadrupled in only three years, with the total rising from 41,873 in 2021/22 to 168,486 in 2024/25. Over the same period, the cost to the NHS of prescribing the drug rose from just under 4.4m to nearly 18.7m. Stephen Kerr, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: As take-up increases and it will have to increase rapidly the cost to the taxpayer will rise exponentially. That is where serious concern is warranted. A Scottish Government spokesman said: We have a clear route for licenced medicines, including obesity medicines, to be appraised for their routine use in the NHS in Scotland through the Scottish Medicines Consortium. This is based on clinical and cost-effectiveness, ensuring value for both patients and the NHS. Prescribing data published by Public Health Scotland does not account for any confidential price reduction agreement for the NHS that may be in place. Alfonso Sibley, known as Alfie, was stabbed to death in Ewell on Dec 9 - Surrey Police Police have released a picture of a man found stabbed to death in an alleyway next to a pub in Surrey. Alfonso Sibley, 23, known as Alfie, was found in an alley next to The Wheatsheaf pub on Kingston Road in Ewell, near Epsom on Dec 9. Police were called at around 3.30pm following reports that a man with injuries consistent with a stabbing had been found nearby. Despite the efforts of police, paramedics and members of the public, Alfie was pronounced dead at the scene. Alfonso Sibley was treated by an ambulance crew at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later - UKNIP A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with murder. Surrey Police said he was remanded and appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Dec 15. He is due to appear again at the court on Dec 22. A second 15-year-old boy, a 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were also arrested on suspicion of murder and have since been released on police bail while inquiries continue. Surrey Police, which is appealing for witnesses to the incident, said the family has requested privacy to come to terms with their loss. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly used this Spitting Image puppet of him to grope Virginia Giuffre - Getty Images A photo of a Spitting Image puppet of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor that he allegedly used to grope Virginia Giuffre has been published in the Epstein Files. The latex foam doll can be seen propped up on a sofa in the background of a photograph that shows Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker, posing in Jeffrey Epsteins New York mansion. Maxwell was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for helping the paedophile to abuse young girls, and is seen wearing a flight suit in the newly released photo. On Friday, the US department of justice released more than 13,000 files concerning Epstein. The documents contained images and papers alluding to the depravity of the former financier, some of which revealed that he demanded ID checks to ensure his victims were under the age of 18. The foam latex puppet can be seen in the background of this photo of Ghislaine Maxwell - Getty Images It is alleged that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his British royal titles this year, used the puppet of himself from the satirical 1980s show Spitting Image to grope Ms Giuffre, then 17, as well as Johanna Sjoberg, then 21, in the study of Epsteins Manhattan home. Giuffre has claimed she was forced to have sex with Mr Mountbatten-Windsor on three occasions. In her book titled Nobodys Girl she wrote that when Andrew cupped my breast with a doll made in his image, I only giggled away. She alleged that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor guessed correctly that I was 17 years old when Maxwell asked the duke how old he thought she was. Ms Sjoberg, another former victim of Epstein, testified to the alleged incident in a 2016 legal deposition, where she described how Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Ms Giuffre were sitting on a couch with the puppet. And so then I sat on Andrews lap and I believe on my own volition and they took the puppets hands and put it on Virginias breast, and so Andrew put his on mine, she said. The controversy surrounding the former princes association with Epstein led to him being stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has strenuously and repeatedly denied having sex with Giuffre and any other wrongdoing. In this 2001 photo, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor poses with Virginia Giuffre as Ghislaine Maxwell looks on - Getty Images A separate photograph of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor shows him sprawled across the laps of five women as Jeffrey Epsteins girlfriend Maxwell looks on. Taken in the saloon room of Sandringham, the King and Queens country retreat in Norfolk, it is one of a series of images exposing the unparalleled access to British high society and power that the former prince granted the paedophile. The photograph shows Maxwell smiling at Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who is wearing a black suit and bow tie and smiling with his face close to the bare legs of one of the women, whose identities have all been obscured. A friend of the former prince tried to play down the reaction to the photograph, saying: We dont see what the problem is. Its just hi-jinks at a party. Hes fully clothed. The released files also include a photograph of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor with Epstein and Maxwell shooting on the heathlands of Balmoral. Another picture captures the pair with the former prince in the Royal Box at Ascot, probably on a well-documented visit to Ladies Day in June 2000, when both Elizabeth II and the late Queen Mother were in attendance. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has since described Epstein as his plus one, and in no way a guest of the Royal family. Yvette Cooper, right, and Ed Balls, centre, were among the luminaries at the party Yvette Cooper, Gary Lineker and Myleene Klass were among the celebrities who partied with Kevin Spacey at a Christmas event hosted by Piers Morgan. The Foreign Secretary was pictured with her husband, the former Cabinet minister and podcaster Ed Balls, at the Scarsdale Tavern in Kensington with Mr Morgan and his television crew on Friday. The party was also attended by an eclectic bunch of broadcasters including Jeremy Vine, Nick Ferrari and Susanna Reid, plus Ronan Keating. Kevin Spacey, pictured at the party, has spoken of his legal difficulties on Piers Morgan Uncensored Reid wrote on the Instagram post shared by Morgan that it was the best party of the year, and Vine said there were brilliant people all over the room. Morgan said: I grew up in a pub, so what better way to celebrate Christmas than with a pub party in my local. There were movie stars, Cabinet ministers, sporting legends, media luminaries, pop superstars, family miscreants, my magnificent Piers Morgan Uncensored team, and we all had a wonderful time. Gary Lineker, the podcast mogul, was among the guests Myleene Klass, the broadcaster and former HearSay singer - Can Nguyen/Shutterstock Piers Morgan Uncensored has previously featured Kevin Spacey as a guest, where he broke down in tears as he described the legal ordeal of the cases against him, which have so far been unsuccessful. Spacey, who was acquitted of nine sexual offence charges against four accusers in 2023, has said he has since been exiled from Hollywood and moves between rented accommodation. He will face new sexual assault claims from three men in a High Court civil trial in 2026. He denies the claims. Spacey told The Telegraph in November that his financial position was not great. He said: Im living in hotels, Im living in Airbnbs, Im going where the work is. I literally have no home, thats what Im attempting to explain. After fans believed that he was living on the streets, he later clarified it was disingenuous to allow you to believe I am indeed homeless in the colloquial sense and that he was moving between rented properties. A second atmospheric river will force copious amounts of Pacific moisture into California this week. Heavy rain with incidents of flooding, washouts and mudslides will expand over much of the state, leading to a significant risk to lives and property, as well as major travel disruptions. The Sierra Nevada will receive many feet of snow as freezing levels lower through the week. The storm and its problems are hitting at a busy time, with many traveling short and long distances, running errands and planning outdoor activities. The first atmospheric river focused on Northern California from Sunday to Monday. This first round resulted in one fatality and multiple water rescues in Redding, California, located in the northern part of the state. During the 48-hour period ending Monday morning, some areas had received an excess of 6 inches of rain. AccuWeather.com The zone of heavy rain with the first round will lift northward and dissipate Tuesday, leaving behind areas of drenching showers. However, a second atmospheric river is forecast to develop and concentrate on much of California, including southern and central areas that were missed by the first round. The heaviest rain from this new plume of downpours will ramp up Tuesday night and continue Wednesday before easing Wednesday night and Christmas Day. But even beyond Christmas, lingering moisture will lead to additional rounds of showers and mountain snow, according to AccuWeather. From Tuesday night to Friday, much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay region will receive 2-4 inches of rain with locally higher amounts. This will be on top of the rain that falls into Tuesday. The anticipated rainfall for San Francisco in the stormy pattern into this weekend will bring from one to two times the historical average for December. AccuWeather.com On the west- and southwest-facing mountainsides of the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada, with the new barrage, 4-12 inches of rain will pour down with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 16 inches. At times, multiple inches of rain can fall in a matter of hours, overwhelming storm drains and causing small streams and short rivers to quickly overflow their banks. As the ground becomes saturated, the risk of debris flows, road washouts and hillside collapses will increase substantially. From Tuesday night to early Friday, the second atmospheric river will spray rain of varying intensity throughout Southern California. AccuWeather.com A general 4-8 inches of rain is forecast to fall on the Los Angeles basin. Downtown L.A. had seven times its historical average monthly rainfall for November with 5.53 inches. While no rain has fallen in L.A. so far this month, a stormy pattern from Tuesday to Saturday may bring two to four times the average rainfall of 2.48 inches for December. On the southwest-facing hillsides of the Transverse Ranges, 6-12 inches will pour down with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 16 inches. Even in many desert areas of southeastern California, between 0.25 of an inch and 1 inch of rain is expected to fall. AccuWeather.com Just as with the first atmospheric river that was largely confined to Northern California, rain will be drenching, leading to rapid urban flooding and flooding of small streams and short-run rivers, along with life-threatening mudslides, washouts and the potential for hillside slides in Southern California. The combination of both atmospheric rivers and the showers that follow from Friday to Saturday may lead to 2 feet of rain in the wettest areas of the northern parts of the state. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts with Premium+ As the rounds of heavy rain and gusty winds affect San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and dozens of secondary airports, expect airline delays and flight cancellations, which can have ripple effects on the airline industry nationwide as crews and aircraft are displaced, forcing rescheduling. AccuWeather.com Storm may rapidly strengthen; strong winds are upcoming "The storm providing the atmospheric rivers has the potential to become a bomb cyclone off the California coast," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. "Regardless of whether the storm rapidly strengthens and experiences the required 24 millibars of pressure drop in 24 hours (0.71 of an inch of mercury), the storm will intensify enough to create strong winds along the coast of Northern and Central California." Along with wind gusts frequenting 50-70 mph with higher gusts and an AccuWeather StormMax of 130 mph over the ridges and gaps in the mountains, heavy wave action will buffet the California coast. Overwash is possible along the Southern California beaches from the storm. AccuWeather.com Winds this strong will lead to sporadic to regional power outages. Loose items around the property, such as Christmas decorations, could become dangerous projectiles or become damaged. The potential for high-profile vehicle rollovers increases in the presence of crosswinds. Feet of snow may close roads in Sierra Nevada Over the course of the week, the atmosphere will cool down to the point where snow levels will dip enough in the Sierra Nevada and the Siskiyous to allow heavy snow to fall at and below pass levels. While up to a couple of inches of snow will fall at Donner Pass, California, along Interstate 80 through Tuesday as some warm air brings rounds of rain, rounds of heavy snow from Wednesday to Friday will bring 2-4 feet of snow, which can bring travel to a standstill. AccuWeather.com "We're probably looking at at least 10 feet of snow this week over the ridges and peaks of the Sierra Nevada, which is what they need from an upcoming summer water demand standpoint," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. Ski resorts want plenty of natural snow on their slopes, especially during the industry's busy holiday season. However, so much snow may pile up that it could block roads to access the resorts located in the higher elevations. Showers of rain, mountain snow to follow atmospheric rivers Late this week and into the weekend between Christmas and New Year's, the rich supply of moisture will dwindle with the storm. However, enough will remain to produce rounds of showers throughout much of the state. With colder air in place during that time, snow showers will continue to cause additional accumulations in the Sierra Nevada. Snow will also fall and accumulate over the mountains in Southern California, which could create slippery conditions on the passes along I-5 and I-15. AccuWeather.com The same stormy pattern will continue to send periodic rain and mountain snow into Oregon and Washington, which have experienced heavy amounts of both in recent weeks. The ongoing moisture can aggravate small-stream river flooding problems at the local level. The same pattern will also direct some moisture in the form of valley rain and mountain snow across the Intermountain West this weekend. Both have been lean thus far this season. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. 8 different Bob Evans store-bought side dishes in tubs. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Bob Evans holds a special place in my heart. Not only was the restaurant chain born in my home state of Ohio, but it was also my very first place of employment. I have fond memories of serving homestyle meals and all-day breakfast platters to chatty customers positive memories that outweigh the not-so-glamorous moments, like my uncanny ability to spill maple syrup straight into my apron pocket. You can't even imagine the sticky mess. Syrup mishaps aside, the atmosphere has remained cozy and inviting, even through a more recent rebranding. But the real draw has always been the farm-fresh food a tradition Bob Evans has upheld for 75 years. Naturally, this commitment to quality carries over into its booming retail business as well, where it sells its fresh sausage, hash browns, and a stacked lineup of side dishes to grocers nationwide. Perhaps you've seen the latter in the store, decorated with badges claiming them to be America's No. 1 refrigerated side dishes. They very well might be, although I think I will be the judge of that. Who better to taste and evaluate some of Bob Evans' store-bought dishes than an Ohio local and a former waitress? I was eager to get a glimpse into the other side of the company's operations and determine which of these famous store-bought sides was worth a purchase, and conversely, which were not. I rounded up a collection of sides (the majority of which were some variation of mashed potatoes) and got to tasting. Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss Buy: Glazed Apples Bob Evans glazed apples in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Unlike the mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, glazed apples are not a side dish Bob Evans serves in-restaurant. It didn't offer them years ago during my waitressing years, and it doesn't have them listed on its menu now. It's a real shame, too, because they're a big treat for your taste buds. If you've been to Cracker Barrel and had the chain's Southern fried apples, then you already know what to expect. This version from Bob's has a very similar taste. The real sliced apples are coated with a sweet film of butter and glazed apple seasoning, complete with hints of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It turns out just like goopy apple pie filling more of a dessert than a side if you ask me but I'm not complaining. I would serve the tender apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce for an indulgent treat. If you do want to add them to the dinner table, they would also pair with a thick-cut pork chop or pork tenderloin for a sweet and savory combo. I will note, the fried apples come in a much smaller container compared to the other side dishes. It's about half the size, yet the same price (apples cost more than potatoes, go figure). So just be aware of that when you're purchasing, and double up if you need to in order to feed a larger family or a crowd. Skip: Original Mashed Potatoes Bob Evans original mashed potatoes in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Bob Evans was built on country-style sausage. It was the company's original offering, and it continues to be its most iconic. But its original mashed potatoes are an undeniably close second. They arrived in stores in 1997, alongside macaroni and cheese, and simply never left. As a Midwesterner, I come across them all the time at nearly every grocery store I visit. They don't have a small presence either. I often find many of the white and blue containers ripe for the picking and even more seem to materialize right around the holidays. Clearly, people are buying and enjoying these taters. But after giving them a try, I couldn't help but think they were more of a convenience thing than a flavor thing, because I found them to be just alright. Even though they do have a homemade essence to them clearly made from real, fresh potatoes they come off bland and dry. It tastes as though someone quickly and haphazardly mashed up potatoes and slid them into a plastic tub, even though a dairy blend of milk and butter, as well as salt and pepper, is thrown in. I was tempted to whip out my mixer to fluff them up and then break into my spice cabinet to give them a much-needed flavor nudge. The original mashed potatoes aren't necessarily distasteful. They simply seem more like a base than a finished product. So for that reason, I would say to avoid them in favor of one of the chain's many other potato flavors. Buy: Loaded Mashed Potatoes Bob Evans loaded mashed potatoes in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table If given a choice between a loaded potato and an unloaded one, why would anyone choose the latter? In the same way you'd instinctively answer yes to the question, "Would you like fries with that?", you'd just as quickly agree to anything being served loaded. It's practically a reflex. After all, additions like sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits can only make something better, and that's certainly the case with Bob Evans' mashed potatoes. As I microwaved this tub, which held three to four servings of loaded mashed potatoes, the unmistakable aroma of bacon wafted through the air. The bacon bits presented the strongest flavor on the palate as well. Their smokiness (enhanced by smoke flavoring) permeated every bite of smooth and velvety sour cream-laced taters. Of course, they were also joined by tangs of onion, chives, and the rare sun-dried tomato. This ingredient diversity and spot-on texture helped this batch outshine the original mashed potatoes by a mile. The only downside is that I was expecting the cheesiness to be more front and center. Both cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses are stirred into the recipe, though you don't get a lot of those sharp or buttery flavors. I really only noticed a tiny, tiny bit of spice that nipped at the back of my throat, which I attributed to the jalapeno peppers hiding in the pepper Jack. If I could have had a bit more of that upfront and another handful of cheddar, this tub would have been golden. Skip: Mashed Sweet Potatoes Bob Evans mashed sweet potatoes in tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Hiding among the flurry of classic white mashed potatoes, I also found tubs of mashed sweet potatoes plastered with the Bob Evans logo. You may be tempted to pick it up and pass it off as your own recipe at a holiday dinner or a work luncheon. With only a five-minute prep time in the microwave or a quick heating session on the stove, it would make for the easiest side dish ever and with next to no cleanup. However, I'm warning you now that you may not want to do that. There's something just a bit off about these potatoes. They are made with fresh sweet potatoes with no artificial flavors, yet they scream unnatural to me. Each spoonful is inedible like it's a substance that I'm not supposed to be eating. I think the add-ins are to blame, since I can tell that the whipped potatoes have a natural sweetness to them, but it's masked by a taste that's less appealing. They're flavored with skim milk, brown sugar, butter, salt, and a touch of spice. The cardboard sleeve does not specify exactly which spices are involved. I would venture to guess cinnamon and nutmeg are at play. Whatever the spice combo is, though, it makes the potatoes taste more like a scented fall candle than a scrumptious side dish. I would recommend sticking to what Bob Evans does best: classic mashed potatoes. Take the time to make your mashed sweet potatoes from scratch, or better yet, pass off that responsibility to someone else. Buy: Garlic Mashed Potatoes Bob Evans garlic mashed potatoes in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Garlic is a magic ingredient. It's one of the special ones that draws people out from every corner of your house just to see what you have cooking. Paired with mashed potatoes, it should be an absolute knockout of a dish. Bob Evans' version is pretty good certainly worthy of a buy, though one small tweak could have made it so much better. While the packaging touts the use of real garlic, in addition to no artificial colors or flavors, the only mention of it on the ingredient list comes in the form of garlic powder. Womp womp. It's not wrong. Garlic powder is, in fact, real garlic. But it offers a more one-dimensional taste that leans into just the pungency. I would have preferred Bob Evans to go the extra mile and include oven-roasted garlic instead. It would have elevated the entire tub with a deeper, richer, and slightly sweeter taste. Aside from these garlic woes, it's not a bad batch of mashed potatoes. Although they looked extra soupy straight out of the microwave, a quick stir put them into creamy territory, with just a few potato chunks here and there (which I personally like it makes them feel more homestyle and nostalgic). They also have a good amount of saltiness not too much, not too little. So, they're far from a lost cause and are certainly worthy of a spot at your dinner table. Skip: Buttermilk Red Skin Mashed Potatoes Bob Evans buttermilk red skin potatoes in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table Bob Evans' director of manufacturing operations, Chris Avery, has noted in interviews that the company's ready-to-eat mashed potatoes are made predominantly with the russet variety, even though a few yellow and red potatoes tend to sneak in as well. But the company also ventures away from the norm to offer a product that specifically celebrates red skin spuds. It comes in a container just like all the others, which notes that it serves four people. I couldn't wait to dig into this one. One of my all-time favorite quick dishes to make is a batch of petite red potatoes, sauteed with plenty of garlic and then tossed with coarse salt and chopped parsley. The subtle sweetness of red-skinned potatoes makes them perfect for cooking. Plus, this Bob Evans tub folds in buttermilk, which we all know is the ultimate recipe enhancer. So, my taste buds were primed for something tasty, and unfortunately, the mash didn't deliver. Fresh from the microwave, the texture turned out a smidgeon crumbly, and the taste was nearly nonexistent. That is, aside from an earthiness that was somehow stronger here than in any of the russet-based blends. I was disappointed, to say the least. As was the case with the original mashed potatoes, I felt the need to doctor these up and get more flavor out of the purchase. But putting in that much effort kind of defeats the purpose of a "ready-to-eat" product, don't you think? Buy: Sour Cream and Chives Mashed Potatoes Bob Evans sour cream and chives mashed potatoes in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table These are Bob Evans mashed potatoes at their best. All the pieces come together here to create a side dish that will make you want to go back for seconds maybe even thirds. They begin yet again with humble, fresh potatoes. Presumably, they're mostly russet again; both the taste and coloring would back up that assumption. As the name implies, sour cream and chives are the main ingredient add-ins, though a dairy blend of milk and butter and a pinch of salt are thrown in as well. Like the garlic potatoes, they seemed runny at first, but then they settled into a soft and fluffy texture. The sour cream makes them extra luscious, and this is the first time I really noticed any kind of buttery notes in Bob Evans' potatoes. Overall, the pristine consistency is paired with a subtle yet satisfying taste. Then, the chives really help to seal the deal. Just as they do in a bag of salty chips, they add a freshness and gentle pungency to the recipe. This entire tub is understated yet full-flavored, and I appreciate its versatility as well. I could see them saddling up nicely to a plate of kielbasa. They would pair seamlessly with a pot roast or more elevated prime rib. Or you could really play into Bob Evans' comfort food roots with a fried chicken, buttery gravy, and a sour cream and chive mashed potatoes feast. Skip: Macaroni and Cheese Bob Evans macaroni and cheese in a tub. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table In addition to potatoes of any kind, macaroni and cheese is a core food group here in the Midwest. So, one might say that the Bob Evans retail line has all its bases covered. It knows its audience and plays to its strengths as an Ohio-based farm beaming with hospitality. The macaroni and cheese comes in a tub that feeds two to three people. It also touts its use of 100% real cheese, real milk, and no artificial preservatives. The pasta of choice is classic elbow noodles, and they emerge from the microwave with that kind of gummy, cheesy look to them. It's a standard bowl of mac and cheese that I wouldn't turn down if it were placed in front of me. But it's not the kind of cheesy mac that would be the star of the potluck, nor is it one I would seek out again. The noodles cook to the right tender texture. It's the cheese that drops the ball. It's a blend of both an American-based processed cheese spread and cheddar club cheese (another type of processed cheese spread). It ends up tasting like a mild-tasting cross between American cheese and Cheez Whiz. I hate to betray a local Ohio company, but I think I prefer the famed Stouffer's frozen macaroni and cheese to this even if it does take longer to make from frozen. Methodology 8 different Bob Evans side dishes in tubs. - Megan Hageman/Tasting Table In Columbus, Ohio, near where Bob Evans is based, there is a strong brand presence in all of my local grocery stores. So I was able to round up all of these selections with just one stop at my nearest Giant Eagle. To keep things consistent, I prepared each item in the microwave, though stovetop instructions are also provided on the packaging. Each side dish took roughly five to six minutes to heat through, with a pause about halfway to stir. As they cooked, I paid close attention to the aromas released, followed by the texture that emerged once they were fully heated. For the mashed potatoes (both traditional and sweet), I was looking for a soft, fluffy consistency rather than anything gummy or dry. For the macaroni and cheese, I wanted something extra cheesy with tender noodles, and for the apples, they needed to have a soft bite that wasn't slimy or mushy. Lastly, I moved on to the taste. I looked for products that matched their description to a tee, had a nice, cohesive flavor, and functioned as a versatile side dish that could easily pair with a wide range of meals. Based on all of the above, I made a decision on whether or not it was a Bob Evans side that should be skipped or celebrated. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Taiwan National Police Agency/Anadolu via Getty Police gather at a station in Taipei, Taiwan, following a stabbing attack on Dec. 20 NEED TO KNOW At least four people have died following a mass knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, on Friday, Dec. 19 The suspect allegedly detonated smoke bombs in the main metro station before continuing his rampage at another station in a busy shopping district According to reports, the 27-year-old suspect is among those dead as he fell from a multi-storey building while being chased by police At least four people are dead and multiple others are injured after a mass knife attack in Taiwan. On Friday, Dec. 19, smoke bombs were set off at the main metro station in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei amid a "random knife attack" that was then continued at Zhongshan Station. Four people were killed during the rampage, including the attacker, Reuters reported. Nine others were also injured during the incident, according to the National Police Agency (NPA). The injured victims suffered stab wounds and blunt forehead trauma and were hospitalized, Premier Cho Jung-tai confirmed. The suspect wore a mask and deliberately threw away multiple petrol bombs and smoke bombs, and then randomly attacked people causing many injuries, said Jung-tai said in a translated Facebook post. Taiwan National Police Agency/Anadolu via Getty Police on standby after a stabbing attack in Taipei, Taiwan, on Dec. 20 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The attacks at both stations are believed to have been carried out by one suspect, 27-year-old Chang Wen, who is now deceased, per Reuters. Wen allegedly damaged multiple vehicles and set fire to where he lived before the stabbing spree, ABC News reported, citing Chang Jung-Hsin, director-general of the National Police Agency. The suspect planned an indiscriminate attack. He acted according to his plan, said Jung-Hsin, per the outlet. The suspect then jumped to his death during the police pursuit, the citys mayor, Jiang Wan'an, confirmed on Facebook. Local police have implemented preventive and response measures following the attacks in the area, including tightened security and increased police visibility, according to the NPA. The motive for the attacks is unknown at this time. Jung-tai has urged the police to maintain a high level of alert across the country, particularly at stations that could be potential targets for future attacks. The government will fully support the families of the victims, the injured, and the volunteers for compensation, compensation and follow-up care, he said in a translated Facebook post. Taiwan National Police Agency/Anadolu via Getty Stabbing attack in Taipei, Taiwan, on Dec. 20 President Lai Ching-te said in a statement on Instagram, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the people who lost their lives in last night's horrific, violent attack, my condolences to the families, and my thanks to the medical team for their efforts to rescue the injured. ...I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and respect to all those who stood up during the incident to stop the perpetrator from hurting others further, he continued. "I have requested that the relevant units of the prosecution, police, and investigation departments conduct a comprehensive, in-depth, and thorough investigation into the perpetrator's background, motives, whether there were accomplices, and whether anyone instigated the attack, to ensure that the truth is revealed to the public," Ching-te concluded. PEOPLE has contacted the NPA for further comment amid their investigation. Read the original article on People Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Photo: Greg Bishop / The Center Square (The Center Square) The Chicago City Council has approved a $16.7 billion budget for 2026 and sent it to Mayor Brandon Johnson. Aldermen rejected the mayors corporate head tax and passed a spending plan Saturday with higher taxes on cloud computing, liquor and plastic bags. The alternative budget also includes a roughly $1 billion sweep of tax-increment-financing dollars to Chicago Public Schools. Alderman Anthony Beale voted in favor of the budget, despite concerns about another potential credit downgrade for the city. Beale said Johnsons administration promised the 2025 budget would not lead to a credit downgrade, but it came almost immediately after the budget passed. The downgrade is because we did not pay the full pension payment. The downgrade is because, once again, were bailing out CPS with a $1 billion TIF sweep, Beale said. Alderman Jim Gardiner echoed other city council members when he said the budget was not perfect, but he still supported it. Gardiner addressed aldermen who had concerns about the budget including video gambling to generate revenue. The gamble that got us here today is the gamble that we made on migrants, Gardiner said, as shouting was heard in the council chambers. Gardiner said he wasnt hating on immigrants and didnt blame them for coming. We invited them with free food, free clothing, free rent, free education. Thats why were here today, the alderman said. Gardiner said the city gave migrants more than $1 billion to come to Chicago. We gambled on the migrants and we lost, Gardiner said, adding that city officials pushed them to come here. Gardiner addressed the mayor and said he knew a bad gambler when he saw one. Mayor Johnson, youre a bad gambler. I cannot go with you at all, Gardiner said. The budget includes a provision to sell city debt to collectors. Alderman Desmon Yancy supported the measure and said deadbeat developers and city workers owe millions of dollars. To be paid by the city and ignoring your debts to the city is insane. Many of these employees are able to pay their debts to the city but dont feel compelled to pay and thats not ok, Yancy said. Yancy said attacks from the Chicago Teachers Union, the Johnson administration and some aldermen, along with a lack of goodwill, made the current situation inevitable. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the budget includes $535 million in tax increases. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is considering a run for mayor in 2027. Mendoza opposed Johnsons head tax but said aldermen needed to start with a lower budget rate and see what was absolutely necessary. And whatever is not, you tighten your belt and you re-right this ship. Its the only way the city will get back on a better, stronger financial path, which is absolutely necessary to be able to build our city and make it a city that is much more affordable for all Chicagoans, Mendoza told The Center Square. The Better Government Association released a statement shortly after the budget passed Saturday. The process marked a sea change in Chicagos legislative norms, with the mayor making an initial proposal and a majority of the city council rejecting substantial parts of it and introducing their own counterproposal, the BGA statement said. The group said 2025 was a far cry from many years when mayors proposals sailed through nearly uncontested. Chicagos legislature is really starting to legislate, the BGA added. Johnson said Friday he had not decided whether he would veto the budget if it passed. Thirty aldermen voted in favor of the spending plan Saturday. The city council would need 34 votes to override a veto. The council had meetings scheduled Dec. 23 and 24 but changed the schedule after Saturdays vote to hold meetings Dec. 29 and Jan. 21. A composite image of arrested Afghan migrants Jaan Shah Safi, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, and Mohammad Dawood Alokozay Just one of a trio of Afghan migrants arrested in recent high-profile cases was on the governments classified terror watchlist of 18,000 people, an intelligence source tells The Post suggesting two of them were radicalized here in the US as the nations spies race to identify potential threats. National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent jolted House lawmakers at a Dec. 11 hearing when he revealed his agency had identified around 18,000 known and suspected terrorists that the Biden administration let come into our country over a four-year period. Since then, US officials alarmed by last months shooting of National Guard troops in DC have been combing through the list to identify potential threats, while analyzing how people recently charged with serious crimes made it into the country in the first place. A source with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Jaan Shah Safi was the only one of three recently arrested Afghans who was on a watchlist of 18,000 people with suspected terror ties. Obtained by the NY Post Among those who got through was Jaan Shah Safi, who came to the US in 2021 under the Biden Administrations Operation Allies Welcome and who is accused of shipping guns to ISIS forces in his home country. He is one of nearly 2,000 Afghans that have ties to known or suspected terrorists, according to an official in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbards office. NCTC sent intelligence about Jaan Shah Saffi over to DHS/ICE and will continue to flag individuals with known or suspected terrorist ties to law enforcement agencies, the official said. While NCTC has identified thousands of individuals with terrorist ties, other Afghans (including National Guard attacker Lakanwal) are radicalized here in the U.S., the official told The Post. The feds say 2,000 people from Afghanistan are on the list. National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal was not among them, suggesting he was radicalized after coming to the US. US Attorney's Office/AFP via Getty Images Rahmanullah Lakanwal, accused of ambushing two National Guard members in Washington DC, killing one and leaving the second critically wounded, was not on the list, the DNI official said. He is now charged with first-degree murder. Neither was another Afghan man, Mohammad Dawood Alokozay of Texas, who faces federal and state charges for allegedly threatening during a group chat to carry out a suicide attack. All three arrests drew national attention after Lakanwal allegedly opened fire in downtown DC, killing West Virginia National Guard troop Sarah Beckstrom and severely wounding Andrew Wolfe, who in the weeks since has been experiencing a miraculous recovery. National Guard member Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was fatally shot at her post in DC near the White House. AP Safis presence on the list indicates the US Government had information that he posed a threat. It wasnt immediately clear when he was put on the list. The Department of Homeland Security announced his arrest in Virginia on Dec. 3 and said he had provided support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and also and provided weapons to his father who is a commander of a militia group in Afghanistan. Safi is an illegal alien terrorist who entered the U.S. on September 8, 2021, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under the Biden administrations Operation Allies Welcome. He applied for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) but his application was terminated once Secretary Noem ended TPS for Afghans. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told The Post. Safi, 48, previously held a high-level national security position in Afghanistan. Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan national is accused of threatening on TikTok to build a bomb with an intended target of the Fort Worth area. Texas Department of Public Safety Before coming to the US, he served as the deputy director of the National Directorate of Security, the former Afghan governments version of the CIA, in the province of Nangarhar. However some top former Afghan security officials have questioned his arrest and pointed to his efforts to fight extremists opposed to the former U.S.-backed Afghan government. The 18,000 people with suspected terror ties are included in the Intelligence Communitys terror database, called TIDE for Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment. It catalogues all information the U.S. government possesses related to the identities of individuals known or suspected of terror activities, according to a DNI fact sheet. Officials are examining the watch list after the shocking ambush of two West Virginia National Guard troops in DC before Thanksgiving. Anthony Rowland/CBS News Gabbard told Fox News Saturday in America on Dec. 13 that whistleblowers have come forward with claims officials cut corners of the vetting process during the press to evacuate Afghan allies. More than 100,000 came here during the operation. They [whistleblowers] were told, Hurry up, dont do the thorough vetting that you normally do because we have to hurry up and get these people into the United States, Gabbard said. I am for more scrutiny on the people who came at the time, Senate Homeland Security Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told The Post. And really many of these people would have been better off staying in Afghanistan and founding their country, he said, reaching for a US historical analogy. Its always tough when a country gets started. Just to say, Its tough, Im going to leave and give up my country and go somewhere else. In 1812, the British were still attacking us. We didnt go to France. We stuck it out and fought for our country, he said. There's something primal about the sound of a muscle car at full throttle: that deep, rumbling growl that announces its presence three blocks away. Between 1964 and the early 1970s, Detroits automakers were locked in an arms race of horsepower and decibels, creating horsepower-hungry muscle cars that weren't afraid to let out their aggression quite loudly. These were mechanical beasts that turned suburban streets into drag strips and made ear protection a legitimate concern for bystanders. The loudness wasn't accidental. Engineers deliberately designed exhaust systems with minimal restriction, allowing those big-block V8s to breathe freely and sing their aggressive song. Combined with aggressive cam profiles that created that distinctive lumpy idle, headers that amplified the sound, and often questionable muffler choices, these machines were built to intimidate. "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?" Definitely, because I'd hear you roaring out of the driveway - and the subsequent ringing in my ears for days to come. 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda 440 Six Pack Image Credit:Shutterstock. The 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda with the 440 Six Pack engine was essentially a street-legal race car that happened to have license plates. That massive 440 cubic inch V8, topped with three two-barrel carburetors, didn't just make 390 horsepower: it made a sound that could wake the dead. The factory exhaust system was surprisingly aggressive for a street car, and most owners quickly swapped it for headers and straight pipes, turning an already loud machine into something that registered on seismic equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What made the 'Cuda particularly ear-splitting was Plymouth's decision to prioritize performance over noise control. The car came with minimal sound deadening, minimal sound deadening and a resonant unibody structure, and an exhaust note that had a distinctive raspy quality thanks to that triple-carburetor setup. When you mashed the throttle, those six barrels would open in sequence, creating a crescendo of mechanical mayhem that announced to everyone within a half-mile radius that serious business was about to happen. 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 Magnum Image Credit:Sicnag - 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Hardtop, CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons. The '70 Charger R/T was Hollywood loud. A Dodge Charger R/T chased Steve McQueen through San Francisco in Bullittbut the film cars were 1968 models, not a 1970 Charger, and every frame of that chase scene captured the Charger's menacing exhaust note. The 440 V8 produced a deep, authoritative rumble that seemed to emanate from the earth itself, while The Chargers big-block rumble carried loudly under acceleration, and its long body made it hard to missvisually or audibly. Dodge engineers seemed to understand that intimidation was part of the package. The R/T came with a performance exhaust system that was surprisingly free-flowing for a factory setup, and the car's long hood and short deck proportions created an acoustic chamber that amplified every pop and rumble. Add in the aggressive cam timing that made the engine lope at idle like a caged predator, and you had a machine that sounded as dangerous as it looked. Many owners reported that highway patrol officers could identify a Charger R/T by sound alone, even from several cars away. 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Image Credit: Tony Savino/Shutterstock. The 1970 Chevelle SS with the LS6 454 engine was Chevrolet's answer to the horsepower wars, and at 450 horsepower, At 450 hp (gross), it was one of GMs highest factory-rated production engines of the era. But the LS6 wasn't just about power: it was about making sure everyone knew exactly how much power you had under the hood. The combination of that massive displacement, aggressive cam timing, and a relatively free-flowing exhaust system created a sound that was equal parts beautiful and terrifying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What set the LS6 apart was its ability to go from a menacing idle to an absolute roar in milliseconds. The engine's solid lifter cam created that distinctive "chop" at idle, while the big-block's long stroke produced exhaust pulses with incredible authority. Chevy's performance exhaust option made it even louder, and most serious street racers immediately went to headers and side pipes, creating a combination that could literally be heard from miles away. The car's relatively lightweight construction meant every explosion in those cylinders was transmitted directly to your ears - and everyone else's. 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Image Credit: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA - 1969 Pontiac GTO The Judge Convertible, CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GTO Judge was a statement piece, complete with wild graphicsand when equipped with the rare Ram Air IV option that sounded like it was perpetually angry about something. Pontiac's 400 cubic inch V8 in Ram Air IV trim was one of the most aggressive-sounding engines of the era, with a cam profile that made the car sound like it was constantly clearing its throat at stoplights. The Judge's exhaust system was tuned for maximum intimidation factor, creating a sound that was part race car, part street fighter. Pontiac engineers understood that the GTO's image was built on attitude, and they made sure the Judge sounded the part. The Ram Air system not only fed the engine cold air but also created additional induction noise that mixed with the exhaust note to create a truly menacing soundtrack. The car's relatively short wheelbase and stiff suspension transmitted every mechanical noise directly to the cabin and the outside world. When you added the popular dealer-installed headers and performance exhaust options, the Judge became a rolling amplifier that announced your arrival long before you came into view. 1967 Shelby GT500 Image Credit: JoshBryan / Shutterstock. Carroll Shelby took Ford's already potent Mustang fastback and turned it into something that sounded like it belonged on a racetrack rather than public roads. The 1967 GT500 used the 428 Police Interceptor; the 428 Cobra Jet was introduced during 1968 and became the signature engine of the GT500KR, but everyone knew the real number was much higher, and the exhaust note suggested even more. Shelby's team designed an exhaust system that prioritized sound over silence, creating a deep, authoritative rumble that had a distinctly different character from its Detroit competitors. The GT500's sound was all about controlled aggression. Unlike some muscle cars that were just loud, the Shelby had a sophisticated exhaust note that changed character with engine speed from a menacing idle growl to a high-rpm scream that suggested serious racing pedigree. The car's performance-oriented suspension and minimal sound deadening meant that every mechanical noise was amplified, from intake and valvetrain noise to the big-blocks deep exhaust note to the distinctive sound of the solid lifter cam. Many owners described the GT500 as sounding "European" more refined than a typical American muscle car, but no less intimidating. 1967 Camaro Z/28 Image Credit:Nathan Bittinger from Rochester, NY, USA - 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 (Sunoco), CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons. The first-generation Z/28 was Chevrolet's attempt to build a Trans Am racer that you could drive to work, and it sounded exactly like what it was: a barely civilized race car. The 302 cubic inch V8 was a high-revving screamer that made its power at the top of the tach, and the sound it made getting there was absolutely intoxicating. Unlike the big-block muscle cars with their deep, rumbling exhaust notes, the Z/28 had a higher-pitched wail that suggested serious rpm capability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What made the Z/28 particularly loud was its racing-derived cam timing and the relatively free-flowing exhaust system that Chevy designed to help the small-block breathe at high rpm. The car's lightweight construction and minimal sound deadening meant that every mechanical noise was transmitted directly to your ears. The Z/28's exhaust note had a distinctive crackling quality on deceleration, a sound that became the signature of serious street racers. Most owners quickly discovered that removing the air cleaner revealed even more induction noise, turning the car into a symphony of mechanical aggression that was music to enthusiasts' ears. 1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 Image Credit: Ken Morris/Shutterstock. Buick might have had a reputation for building cars for your grandmother, but the GSX Stage 1 was anything but quiet and refined. The 455 cubic inch V8 in Stage 1 trim was one of the torquiest engines ever built, and it announced its presence with an exhaust note that was somehow both sophisticated and intimidating. Buick engineers created a sound that was distinctly different from other GM divisions deeper and more authoritative than a Chevelle, smoother than a GTO, but no less aggressive. The GSX's loudness came from its massive displacement and aggressive cam timing, combined with an exhaust system that Buick designed to complement the engine's torque curve. The car's relatively heavy construction actually helped create a different kind of sound instead of the tinny resonance of lighter cars, the GSX produced a deep, rumbling bass note that seemed to come from somewhere deep in the earth. The Stage 1's reputation for being a sleeper was somewhat undermined by its exhaust note, which made it impossible to mistake for a regular Skylark. Many owners reported that the car's idle was so aggressive that owners often remarked on the aggressive idle and deep exhaust note. Can You Hear Me Now? Image Credit: Tadekptaku Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons. Advertisement Advertisement These machines represent the pinnacle of Detroit's golden age of muscle cars: an era when horsepower was king and subtlety was for imports. Each one created its own distinctive soundtrack, from the raspy aggression of the 'Cuda's Six Pack to the sophisticated rumble of the Buick GSX. They were loud, not by accident, but by design, built during a time when making noise was part of making a statement. Today, these cars represent an obnoxiously loud and aggressive-sounding part of automotive history that reminds us of an era when cars had personality and character. Sure, modern performance cars are faster, more efficient, and definitely quieter, but they'll never replicate the visceral thrill of hearing one of these classics fire up and idle with that distinctive muscle car lope. In an age of electric vehicles and noise regulations, these loud, proud machines from Detroit's golden era remind us that sometimes, the journey really is more important than the destination especially when the journey sounds this good. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday that he wishes for a Russia-Ukraine war peace deal that would prevent a third invasion, likely referencing the 2014 and 2022 Russian incursions on Ukrainian territory. Listen, weve made great progress between Ukraine, Europe and the United States to come up with a proposal that would end the war. Were not going to evict every Russian out of Ukraine, I understand that, but I want a deal that would prevent a third invasion, Graham told NBC Newss Kristen Welker on Meet the Press. I want European troops on the ground to make sure theres no third invasion. I want us to give security guarantees to Ukraine to make sure theres no third invasion. I think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is going to continue to take the Donbas by force until we increase pressure, he added. Since the beginning of his second term, President Trump and his administration have heavily pushed to end the war in Ukraine, without much success. In the last few months, the president has met separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin in the U.S. On Friday, Putin touted Russian military advances in Ukraine and shot down all compromise with his neighbor to the west prior to Miami meetings with the U.S. During a recent press conference, the Russian president blamed the Ukrainians for the war and brought up again his position that root causes need to be addressed for the war to come to an end. We do not consider ourselves responsible for the loss of life, because it was not us who started this war, Putin said, responding to NBC News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The riverfront overlooking the Tigris River in Mosul, north of Iraq, on November 20, 2025. - Zaid Al-Obeidi/AFP/Getty Images Iraq, the historic land between two rivers, faces a crisis striking at its identity as the Tigris and Euphrates shrink dramatically amid severe drought and the increasing toll of upstream dams, helping create the countrys worst water shortages for decades. Once symbols of abundance, the two rivers, which both originate in Turkey, have become the focus of a struggle forcing Iraq to use its most lucrative asset oil to secure its water. The country of more than 46 million people, is experiencing a sharp decline in water supply due to a tangle of factors, including the construction of upstream dams in Turkey, Iran and Syria; broken and outdated water infrastructure after decades of war, sanctions and instability; and government mismanagement. Adding pressure is a severe, climate change-fueled drought, Iraqs worst in nearly a century. At the same time, demand is increasing due to growing urban populations and a thirsty agricultural sector, which consumes more than 80% of Iraqs water resources. Heavy rain and flash floods hit Iraq for several days this month, killing at least six people, according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency. However, Iraqs dams still face a large water shortage after years of low rainfall, the countrys water resources ministry said in a statement Monday. Traditional wooden fishing boats lie abandoned in dried-up marshes in Iraq's southern Basra province on September 4, 2025. - Hussein Faleh/AFP/Getty Images Approximately 60% of Iraqs water comes from sources in neighboring Turkey, yet the country is currently receiving less water compared to previous years, said Mukhtar Khamis, environmental expert and head of the Iraqi Green Climate Organization. Upstream dams on the two rivers, particularly those built by Turkey, are significantly restricting the flow of water to Iraq, he told CNN, resulting in a substantial reduction in water availability and worsening the countrys ongoing water scarcity crisis. Years of corruption and mismanagement have also left Iraq in a vulnerable negotiating position when it comes to water-sharing agreements, experts said. As its water crisis escalates, Iraq has entered a controversial cooperation deal with Turkey. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani shake hands in Baghdad on April 22, 2024. - Thaier Al-Sudani/POOL/AFP/Getty Images In November, the two countries formalized the multi-billion-dollar Water Cooperation Framework Agreement, under which Turkish firms will build new infrastructure to improve Iraqs water efficiency and storage. The projects will be financed with Iraqi oil revenues, effectively an attempt to convert the countrys crude oil exports into water security. Under the deal, Iraq will sell an agreed number of barrels of oil each day, with the proceeds deposited into a fund to pay Turkish companies for work on water infrastructure projects, said Torhan al-Mufti, water affairs adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. Initial projects will include water harvesting dams and land reclamation initiatives, according to a Reuters report. Ankara framed the initiative as mutually beneficial for regional stability and economic cooperation. We in Turkey are keen to support Iraqs security, development, and safety, and our support is absolute for this, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in Baghdad during the signing ceremony. Iraqs Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein praised the deal as essential for protecting water security, food production, and economic stability. Baghdad had long been left vulnerable by the lack of formal treaties governing water from the Tigris and Euphrates, he said at the signing ceremony. For the first time, there is a clear and binding mechanism for water sustainability in the Tigris and Euphrates, which commits both sides to maintaining continuous water flow based on Iraqs actual needs in agriculture, industry, and human consumption, government water adviser al-Mufti told CNN. The agreement, however, has drawn skepticism and concern from some Iraqi politicians and water experts. An aerial picture shows Sinbad island and the Khaled bridge on the Shatt al-Arab waterway, formed at the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in Iraq's southern city of Basra on December 4, 2024. - Hussein Faleh/AFP/Getty Images Shurook Alabayachi, a water policy expert and politician based in Baghdad, said water is a human right and should not be a commodity tied to oil revenues. She warned the deal with Turkey departs from internationally recognized principles of water diplomacy. It is not a solution to Iraqs water crisis, she said, calling instead for a long-term, sovereign, professional, and internationally aligned water policy, including reforming the countrys agriculture sector. Some fear the deal could weaken Iraqs long-term control over its natural resources. Natasha Hall, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, warned that if Iraq becomes overly dependent on bilateral arrangements, its sovereignty could be jeopardized. She said the country will need more than an agreement with Turkey to deal with its water crisis but it could be a step in the right direction. However, she told CNN that some people worry that Turkey could have a very firm hold on its southern neighbor for the foreseeable future. Some have suggested the agreement is weighted in Turkeys favor. It grants it critical leverage over Iraqs most vital resource at a moment of vulnerability, said Gonul Tol, founding director of the Middle East Institutes Turkey Program. Iraqi officials have pushed back on these criticisms. Water management will remain entirely under Iraqi sovereignty, al-Mufti told CNN. Nevertheless, experts point to key advantages for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Tol said he sees the agreement as useful to shore up his domestic position including remaining in power after the 2028 elections as well as for regional diplomacy and energy security. The deal fits Erdogans goal of expanding Turkeys influence across the Middle East and could also help with energy security, Tol added, noting that US President Donald Trump has urged Erdogan to stop buying Russian oil. Iraqi oil, which is comparable in quality to Russian oil, has become a natural substitute, she said. The Turkish government did not respond to CNNs request for comment. Lives upended by drought For most Iraqis, the water crisis is not a policy debate or diplomatic tool but a daily struggle for survival. More than 168,000 people have been displaced by climate and environmental pressures, including drought, according to a recent report from the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency. In recent years, thousands of farmers have taken temporary jobs or abandoned agriculture altogether as water shortages worsen, according to the Iraqi Federation of Agricultural Associations. Residents of drought-affected villages fill their water containers at a distribution point in the town of al-Khudariyah, in Iraq's central Babel province, on September 15, 2025. - Karrar Jabbar/AFP/Getty Images Ahmed al-Jashami, a former farmer from Iraqs central Babel province, recalls watching his father die heartbroken as dwindling water supplies caused their orchard to wither and turn barren. We are farmers, generation after generation, I never imagined a day when we would see our farms and orchards die, he said. Al-Jashami now works in a small shop selling construction materials. Hussam Anizan, who comes from the outskirts of Fallujah, a city west of Baghdad, shares a similar story. His five-acre farm once produced dozens of crates of oranges every year, but the water crisis left him struggling financially, and he was forced to sell. Irrigation became impossible, he told CNN. I needed to provide for my children. He now drives a taxi, while his former farmland has become a residential neighborhood. Its very painful to see my land turned into houses. I was heartbroken when I sold my farm, he said. Both men blame years of government mismanagement and corruption for deepening the crisis. They say farmers across Iraq have been pushed into new lives they never wanted. Yet Anizan holds cautious optimism about the oil-for-water agreement. Lets see how this deal goes. Maybe well be able to see the sun of hope again, he said. CNNs Aqeel Najim and Nechirvan Mando contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Individual wanted for questioning by Providence Police, Image 2 shows Security camera footage of Claudio Neves Valente walking on a sidewalk, Image 3 shows Security camera footage with red circles highlighting the suspect and another individual The homeless hero who police credited for cracking the Brown University shooting and connecting it to the murder of an MIT professor is being taken care of by the feds, The Post has learned. The tipster, whose real name has not been made public and who has been referred to only as John, was reportedly living in the basement of a University engineering building before he encountered mass shooter Claudio Neves Valente and warned authorities about his bizarre interaction with the attacker, helping them crack the case. John could be in line for a $50,000 award, but for now hes off the streets, a source confirmed. He is being taken care of at the federal level in a hotel, being fed, the source said. He is the reason they caught the guy, a homeless man who goes by Frank and said he knows the tipster, told The Post. Frank spoke at the church service at Burnside Park in downtown Providence Saturday. They should betaking care of him, he said, adding, I hope he gets that money. Providence mayor Brett Smiley urged FBI Director Kash Patel to give John the entirety of the $50,000 reward that had been promised to help crack the Brown case. FBI released this photo of the encounter hoping it would lead to a break in the case. FBI John is no less than a hero. His bravery, selflessness and stewardship on behalf of his community went far beyond what anyone could ever hope from a tip, he wrote. I believe that our community is breathing easier today because of the extraordinary assistance John provided to our law enforcement agencies. I am writing to you today to request that the entirety of the $50,000 reward be issued to this incredible Providence neighbor, the mayor said. This went far beyond what youd expect from a normal tipster, said Josh Estrella, director of communications for Smiley. John has been hailed as a hero for blowing the case right open. Providence Police We received hundreds of tips and out of all of them, Johns was far and above the one that helped the most in solving this case. Until Johns tip came through, investigators had been scrambling to ID the gunman who killed two Brown students and then gunned down a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor just two days later. He blew this case right open, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said at a Thursday evening press conference as he praised the tipster. Valente had been scoping the engineering building and the Brown University area for weeks before the shooting. FBI His encounter first came to light when he started posting on Reddit that he recognized the images of the perp that had been blasted out by authorities in the wake of Saturdays bloodshed. Im being dead serious, his Reddit post said. The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental. That was the car he was driving. He used his key fob to open the car, approached it and then something prompted him to back away. When he backed away, he relocked the car. I found that odd so when he circled the block, I approached the car and that is when I saw the Florida plates, he wrote. For days after the Brown shooting, law enforcement was no closer to catching the suspect. AP When he sat down with police, John said he encountered Valente in the bathroom of Browns engineering building just hours before the attack and noted the suspects clothing was inappropriate and inadequate for the weather. He later bumped into Valente outside the building and yelled out, Your car is back there, why are you circling the block? Smiley, middle, has urged the FBI to give the entirety of the reward to John. REUTERS At one point, John says he yelled out, Your car is back there, why are you circling the block? The suspect responded, I dont know you from nobody, then repeatedly asked, Why are you harassing me? the affidavit states. Agence France Presse/Getty; VANINA LUCCHESI/AFP via Getty Edmond Safra ; Ted Maher NEED TO KNOW Edmond Safra was a bank tycoon who died at age 67 from smoke inhalation in December 1999 Safra had hired Ted Maher as part of his nursing staff, who lived with him in Monaco The Netflix documentary Murder in Monaco revisits Safra's sudden death in a fire and Maher's involvement Edmond Safra was one of the wealthiest private bankers in the world, but in December 1999, his life came to an untimely end at the hands of one of his trusted employees. The story of Safras death is chronicled in the Netflix documentary Murder in Monaco, which recounts what authorities described as an attempt by the billionaires nurse, Ted Maher, to falsify a thwarted home invasion to emerge as a hero. A jury found that his scheme ultimately took the life of his employer, as well as another staff member, Vivian Torrente. At the time of his death, Safra had spent the past five decades as a powerhouse in the financial industry. The 67-year-old Lebanese-Brazilian businessman had amassed a billion-dollar fortune working with the worlds richest people, and he tried to maintain his privacy. Surrounded by highly skilled bodyguards, Safra had created a haven in Monaco in the form of an impenetrable penthouse apartment, equipped with state-of-the-art security systems. Still, he fell victim to an act of betrayal from within. Maher, a former Green Beret and NICU nurse, had been working for Safra for only a matter of months when he staged a fake intrusion at the penthouse, authorities said, according to NBCs Dateline. Maher had allegedly hoped that by saving the day, he could win favor with Safra and secure his position on the staff. It didnt take long for the plan to go awry, and Safra became trapped in a safe room as the rest of the apartment went up in flames. It took authorities hours to coordinate and break through the security system and by that point, Safra was dead. So what happened to Edmond Safra? Heres everything to know about his death and Ted Maher's involvement. Who was Edmond Safra? Agence France Presse/Getty Portrait of Lebanese-born Brazilian banker and financier Edmond Safra Before his death, Safra was considered one of the worlds wealthiest and most influential private bankers. In 1932, he was born in Beirut, Lebanon, into a banking dynasty founded by his father, Jacob Safra. The elder Safra was at the helm of the financial institution Banque Jacob E. Safra, now known as Banque de Credit National S.A.L. By the time he was a teenager, Safra was already working for his fathers company. Amidst political and social unrest in Lebanon, a 15-years-old Safra was sent by his father to live in Milan in 1947, where he established a gold trading and foreign exchange operation, as described in A Bankers Journey by historian Daniel Gross. Safra eventually found success in the precious metals industry as he continued to build the family business into an empire. When other relatives branched out across the world, he decided to join them. In 1954, he headed to South America, where he made his mark on the Latin American financial industry alongside his father. Safra later returned to Europe, where he became a financial powerhouse in his own right, settling in Geneva. Over the course of a decade, he founded the Trade Development Bank and the Republic National Bank of New York, serving wealthy clients worldwide and developing businesses worth billions of dollars, per The New York Times. With his growing fortune, Safra also founded a bank holding company and became a joint venture partner in a major hedge fund. By the time he was in his 60s, he was widely recognized as having significantly shaped international finance. His reach also extended to advising governments and institutions. But in the final years of his life, Safras health had declined as he dealt with Parkinsons disease and received care from a team of private nurses, according to Vanity Fair. With his faltering health, he appeared to be ready to step away from the world of finance. Unfortunately, his life was unexpectedly cut short on Dec. 3, 1999. Who is Ted Maher? PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Ted Maher in a Monaco court on Nov. 28, 2002 Before Maher found himself the prime suspect in the death of a billionaire, he lived an ordinary life, worlds away from Safras luxurious life in Monaco. Born in 1958, Maher spent much of his adolescence in upstate New York. From a working-class background, Maher couldnt afford college, so he enlisted in the Army to pay tuition, according to Dateline. He succeeded in the military and ultimately served with the Special Forces, where he was a medic, and later became part of the Green Berets. After leaving the Army, he enrolled in school to become a nurse, where he met his wife Heidi. Already a father from a previous relationship, the pair married and went on to welcome two more children. They settled in New York, and Maher began working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. It was an unlikely scenario at that hospital that ended up connecting Maher and Safra. Looking back on Dateline, Maher explained that while on shift, he found a lost camera belonging to a couple who had just welcomed twins. As theyd already been discharged, he mailed it back to them with a congratulatory note. The infants godmother happened to be Adriana Elia, the daughter of Safras wife Lily Safra. When the Safras heard of Mahers good deed and learned that he had both a background in nursing and the military, they offered him a position on the billionaires private medical team. He would earn over $200,000 a year, per Dateline, but was required to split his time between New York and Safras residences in Monaco. Although he would be separated from his family for long periods, he said that the pay was too good to refuse. In the summer of 1999, Maher jetted to the south of France to begin his new career. I felt blessed. I mean, it wasnt a matter of being lucky. It was almost like a blessing, Maher told Dateline. Every place that I ever visited, his banks, his offices, were beyond your wildest dreams. ... It was beyond any description. So lavish, so beautiful. Just months later, Safra would be dead and Maher would be at the center of the mystery surrounding his death. Related: https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf What happened on the night of Edmond Safras death? AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau Firefighters putting out a fire at the apartment building of banker Edmond Safra in Monte Carlo, Monaco on Dec. 3, 1999 On the night of Safras death, the financier was spending time in his sprawling penthouse apartment that covered the top two floors of Monacos Belle Epoque building. Safras Monaco residence had state-of-the-art security as well as bulletproof glass and steel shutters on every window, according to Dateline. He was also guarded by a staff of bodyguards trained by an Israeli intelligence agency. Still, Safra and his wife felt so safe there that their team of security guards was often permitted to sleep at their other estate, 10 miles away. But the sense of safety changed in the early hours of Dec. 3. It had been several months since Maher had joined the nursing staff, and he was planning for his family to join him in Monaco soon. That evening, Maher and another nurse, Torrente, were tasked with administering medication and sitting by Safras bedside while he slept. What exactly transpired over the next several hours is still unknown and has been highly debated. But according to Mahers account, he was sitting at his desk at the nursing station when two masked men attacked him. After being hit on the head, Maher tried to fight back but was stabbed several times. The second man pulled out a knife. And they grabbed a hold of my leg, pulling me towards them as I was trying to get away from them. And they took the knife, and I was cut on my left calf," Maher told Dateline. "I turned, and I was cut on my right side with this knife. And then I turned again, trying to get away, and I was stabbed in the middle. And at that point, I went unconscious." AP Photo The charred penthouse of banker Edmond Safra on Dec. 3, 1999 in Monte Carlo, Monaco When he came to several minutes later, the masked men were gone, and Maher rushed to Safras room. He directed Safra and Torrente to retreat to the bathroom, which doubled as a panic room, and gave them his cell phone to call for help. Meanwhile, Maher lit a tissue on fire in a trash can to set off a smoke alarm and alert authorities to the trouble. He then headed to the buildings lobby to inform security about the break-in and seek help for his injuries. As Maher was transported to Princess Grace Hospital, he believed police were coming to the aid of Safra and his other nurse. But that was not the case. The fire in the trash can had quickly spread. Flames burned as Safra and Torrente were trapped in the bathroom with no one coming to their aid, despite their phone calls pleading for help. It was later revealed that, due to a series of miscommunications and difficulties in penetrating the highly secure apartment, several hours elapsed between Maher being taken to the hospital and authorities reaching Safra and Torrente. While Safra's chief of security attempted to intervene and charge up to the apartment, he was arrested by police who believed he was a part of the plot. By the time help reached them, Safra and Torrente had died from smoke inhalation. Was Ted Maher charged for his involvement in Edmond Safras death? PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Michael Griffith and Ted Maher in Monaco on Nov. 28, 2002 In the weeks following Safras death, a theory emerged as to how the fire was started. According to Monaco authorities, there were no intruders or break-in attempts Maher was entirely at fault for the whole incident. Per Dateline, police alleged that Maher, to keep his job, had staged an invasion and fire with self-inflicted wounds, so that he could emerge as a hero who saved Safra. Unfortunately, things didnt go according to plan for Maher. He was arrested and taken to jail, where he signed a confession stating that his scheme had gone awry, ultimately leading to Safras death. He even walked through the charred apartment with authorities, taking them through his actions step-by-step. Maher spent three years behind bars in pretrial detention in Monaco before the case went to trial in 2002, where he admitted the entire incident was a terrible accident. His lawyer, an American named Michael Griffith, who volunteered to take the case, did not deny that Maher had lied about being attacked and was at fault for starting the fire, but he argued that Maher never meant to harm Safra or Torrente. It was a stupid, most insane thing a human being could do, Griffith said, per CBS News. He did not intend to kill Mr. Safra. He just wanted Mr. Safra to appreciate him more. He loved Mr. Safra. This was the best job of his life. In the end, Maher was convicted of arson causing death and sentenced to 10 years in prison, CNN reported. Shortly after the trial concluded, he tried to escape but was caught. Why did Ted Maher recant his confession? VANINA LUCCHESI/AFP via Getty Ted Maher going to a Monaco court for his trial on Dec. 2, 2002 While the case may have appeared straightforward, Maher has since claimed that there were missteps. After serving eight years in prison, Maher was released in 2007, per the New York Post, and recanted his confession given to the police. Since then, he has spent years attempting to clear his name. In his interview with Dateline, Maher said that authorities coerced him into confessing to the crime while he was still recovering in the hospital. He claimed that he was forced to sign the document under duress, which was written entirely in French, all while police threatened to harm his wife. They said you did this, you killed Vivian Torrente, you have killed Mr. Safra, and I said no, I havent, and they continued to grill me. You know, making accusations about me that I was a murderer, an assassin. That I had ulterior motives, Maher said. He continued, The French police came up and said, You will sign this or your wife will not leave the country. ... I did not even know what I was signing. I did not know what this document was until after it was translated. Maher claimed that he stuck with the story in court because lawyers advised him that he would receive a lesser prison sentence if he appeared cooperative. He also disputed the reported motives for the alleged crime. I already have everything that I wanted in life, could possibly want in life. And I want to kill my employer? Or show myself as a hero? What's the purpose? I didnt have [a motive]. It doesnt make any sense. There is no reason. Theres no rationale for it, Maher said to Dateline. Meanwhile, Monaco authorities told Dateline that Maher did have access to a translator before signing his confession, and his legal team has maintained that they never suggested he should lie in court. Where is Ted Maher now? Netflix Ted Maher in 'Murder in Monaco' After Maher was released from prison, he returned to the United States. While his wife Heidi had supported him during the trial, she eventually divorced him in 2006 and took custody of their children. Despite still having his nursing license, Maher struggled to find work, telling the New York Post in 2008 that after employers learned of his jail time, they often rejected his application. He eventually got a job working at an elder care facility in Connecticut and held several other positions before the Texas Board of Nursing revoked his license in 2013. He later changed his name to Jon Green. While working as a long-haul trucker, he met a physician named Kim Lark when he was in the process of being diagnosed with melanoma, she told the Post. The pair began dating and eventually married in 2020. Lark later shared that she did know of Mahers past but initially believed his story that intruders attacked him. Three years into their relationship, Lark said to the Post that things started to fall apart as Maher allegedly began exhibiting erratic behavior. She got a temporary restraining order against him, she told NBC News, but she claims Maher continued to harass her. In 2022, according to a criminal complaint cited in reports, he broke into her office and stole an iPad, $600 in cash, a handgun and a checkbook. He was caught when he attempted to cash a $44,000 check at a local bank, but fled from police at the scene, the complaint reportedly said. Less than a month later, Maher stole Larks Ford Explorer as well as her two beloved dogs. He was eventually arrested at a VA hospital in Texas, and the pets were recovered. In 2023, he was found guilty of two counts of forgery and was sent to jail. Honestly, I think everything out of his mouth is a lie, Lark told the New York Post in 2024. Hes a con artist. He can be whatever he needed to be." While behind bars, Maher was accused of attempting to pay a fellow prisoner to kill Lark by way of fentanyl poisoning. Lark was tipped off thanks to one of Mahers cellmates, according to the Carlsbad Current-Argus, and he was taken to court, where he was found guilty of murder for hire. He was sentenced to nine years in jail in July 2025, per the Carlsbad Current-Argus. Maher is currently being held at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility under his new name, where he was last reported to be dealing with late-stage throat cancer, according to Lark. Read the original article on People saiko3p/Getty Images A train in the Lauterbrunnen Valley of Switzerland. Key Points Florence to Rome was the most popular Eurail route for American travelers in 2025, followed closely by scenic routes in Switzerland. Lesser-known stations in Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg saw a rise in U.S. visitors, indicating growing interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations. With major rail expansions planned for 2026, Americans may soon have more reason to explore beyond Western Europes major cities. It's no secret that one of the best things about traveling in Europe is the trains. But with hundreds of thousands of miles of steel tracks, some routes are undoubtedly more popular than others. Travel + Leisure recently received stats from the European rail pass network, Eurail, about all the places where American travelers visited by train this yearhere's what you need to know. Where American Travelers Actually Went jimfeng/Getty Images Piazza dei Cinquecento at the Roma Termini train station in Rome, Italy. Two countries dominated the Eurail rankings this year: Switzerland and Italy. Florence to Rome (Santa Maria Novella to Roma Termini) was the most popular journey of 2025. Switzerland's Interlaken Ost-Lauterbrunnen line and the Visp-Zermatt connection followedwith mountain villages, waterfalls, and alpine views, both routes are stunning. Paris to London via Eurostar came in fourth, and Milan to Florence rounded out the top five. Since most American travelers have limited time in Europe, it makes sense that these buzzy routes between vibrant cultural hubs are the most popular rail options. The Fastest-growing Destinations valilung/Getty Images The train station platform in Bischofshofen, a town in the Austrian Alps. Some train stations saw significant increases in American visitors, which could indicate a rise in those destinations' popularity. Amsterdam Zuid (a major hub for those heading into the Dutch capital or for passengers continuing onto other Dutch cities) topped the list of stations that saw the largest growth in American travelers. However, other stations in this category are much smaller and lesser-knownthey include Rheine in Germany; Bischofshofen in the Austrian Alps; Bettembourg in Luxembourg; and Muhldorf in the German state of Bavaria. But what does it all mean? The increase in interest in smaller destinations indicates that Americans may be venturing beyond Europe's most well-known cities for more authentic experiences in off-the-beaten-path places. Here's what's coming in 2026. chain45154/Getty Images The cityscape of Zagreb, Croatia. Some parts of the Eurail network seemed to be almost entirely off of most U.S. travelers' radarsnamely, the Balkan Peninsula, Eastern Turkey, and the Baltic states. Though Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are trending with European travelers (many are drawn by cultural sites that have fewer crowds than those in Western Europe), they haven't yet gained as much traction with Americans. However, this may change in 2026, with soon-to-come Eurail infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe. The new Koralm Railway will connect Vienna with smaller Austrian and Slovenian cities, including Graz and Ljubljana, as well as the Italian port city of Trieste. Direct trains are returning between Munich and Vienna (cities Americans already visit) and Zagreb, Croatia. Berlin and Leipzig will get new connections to Krakow, Poland, and Przemysl, near the Ukrainian border. Poland-Lithuania routes will expand from one daily train to three, making it easier to travel between Krakow, Warsaw, and Vilnius. For now, American Eurail travelers in 2025 favored Switzerland's stunning mountain scenery and Italy's art citiesnext year's expanded network will test whether U.S. travelers are ready to go farther east. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure World War II Navy veteran Ira Ike Schab, one of the dwindling number of survivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died. He was 105. Daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs told The Associated Press that Schab died at home early Saturday in the presence of her and her husband. With his passing, there remain only about a dozen survivors of the surprise attack, which killed just over 2,400 troops and propelled the United States into the war. Pearl Harbor survivor Ira Schab, right, is saluted by various members of the armed forces as he leaves the 75th Anniversary National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration on Kilo Pier at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Honolulu. AP Schab was a sailor of just 21 at the time of the attack, and for decades he rarely spoke about the experience. But in recent years, aware that the corps of survivors was dwindling, the centenarian made a point of traveling from his home in Beaverton, Oregon, to the annual observance at the Hawaii military base. To pay honor to the guys that didnt make it, he said in 2023. For last years commemoration, Schab spent weeks building up the strength to be able to stand and salute. An attendee asks Pearl Harbor survivor Ira Ike Schab, 103, to sign an U.S. flag during the 82nd Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. AP But this year he did not feel well enough to attend, and less than three weeks later, he passed away. Born on Independence Day in 1920 in Chicago, Schab was the eldest of three brothers. He joined the Navy at 18, following in the footsteps of his father, he said in a February interview for Pacific Historic Parks. Schab joined the Navy at 18 to follow his fathers foosteps. On what began as a peaceful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, Schab, who played the tuba in the USS Dobbins band, was expecting a visit from his brother, a fellow service member assigned to a nearby naval radio station. Schab had just showered and donned a clean uniform when he heard a call for fire rescue. He went topside and saw another ship, the USS Utah, capsizing. Japanese planes roared through the air. We were pretty startled. Startled and scared to death, Schab recalled in 2023. We didnt know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it. From left to right, Pearl Harbor survivors Harry Chandler, Ken Stevens, Herb Elfring and Ira Ike Schab sit during the 82nd Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony Dec. 7, 2023, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. AP He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun above. His ship lost three sailors, according to Navy records. One was killed in action, and two died later of fragment wounds from a bomb that struck the stern. All had been manning an anti-aircraft gun. Schab spent most of the war with the Navy in the Pacific, going to the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, and then the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan. Pearl Harbor survivor Ira Ike Schab, 104, from Beaverton, Ore., looks at a photo presented by an attendee after the 83rd Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Honolulu. AP After the war he studied aerospace engineering and worked on the Apollo spaceflight program as an electrical engineer for General Dynamics, helping send astronauts to the moon. Schabs son also joined the Navy and is a retired commander. Speaking at a 2022 ceremony, Schab asked people to honor those who served at Pearl Harbor. Remember what theyre here for. Remember and honor those that are left. They did a hell of a job, he said. Those who are still here, dead or alive. When Ronald Reagan was president, he occasionally joked, Sometimes in our administration, the right hand doesnt know what the far-right hand is doing. That quip comes to mind when surveying President Trumps disjointed approach to China. One of his hands is determined to crack down on the Chinese government, given its stated determination to compete with the United States for global leadership. But President Trumps other hand is looking to dole out favors to Beijing. The latter doesnt sit well with some congressional Republicans. While they have given President Trump a very long leash on foreign affairs letting him stake out a variety of positions that have deviated from GOP orthodoxy, on issues ranging from Russia to trade they are now seeking to make that leash shorter. This month, Republicans in both the House and the Senate sponsored legislation that would prevent the Trump administration from liberalizing existing regulations that limit Chinas access to advanced computer chips made by Nvidia. As a former Democratic member of Congress who got her career in politics by narrowly defeating a long-serving Republican in a red California district, I understand their frustration and wholly support the sentiment behind their bill. The chips President Trump is attempting to provide China easier access to can be used to supercharge Chinas AI industry, and thats not something the U.S. can afford. Today, U.S. companies cannot sell advanced computer chips to China, which reflects the legitimate fear that China would use these chips to surpass the United States in the AI arms race. Everyone knows that there are far-reaching implications, involving economic security and national security, connected to AI supremacy. And China is a fierce competitor. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a U.S.-based research group, points out that, China is the global leader in AI research publications and is neck and neck with the United States on generative AI. Yet President Trump has floated the idea of allowing Nvidia to sell to China its high-octane H200 AI chip, which surpasses the power of the chips Nvidia can legally sell to Chinese companies. This liberalization could have devastating consequences. Unfettered access to the H200 would allow China to build frontier-scale AI supercomputers to develop the most powerful AI systems, just at a moderately higher cost relative to cutting-edge Blackwell chips, a former White House and Commerce Department official told the Financial Times recently. It would also arm Chinese cloud providers to compete globally with US hyperscalers. This follows a Trump administration announcement in July that it would allow Nvidia to sell its H20 chips to China reversing a prohibition on the sale of these chips to China. A few weeks later, it was revealed that Nvidia would give 15 percent of its revenue from these sales to the U.S. government. These moves have been a catalyst for the Republican legislation. Its a mystery why President Trump wants to give China the ammunition it needs to surpass the United States on AI. It could be a convoluted attempt to challenge Huawei, which announced in September that it will be unveiling its own chips, and seeks to double compute capabilities with releases over the next few years. But Huaweis announcements are not to be trusted, given the companys record of malfeasance. In 2020, the U.S. Justice Department indicted Huawei and four of its subsidiaries for trying to steal trade secrets from U.S. companies. Huawei is already the worlds largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment and the Trump administration has, thankfully, already taken steps to counter its influence in the networking sector. For example, its Justice Department approved a merger between two American companies that compete with Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprises and Juniper Networks. The U.S. intelligence community asked the Department of Justice to move the deal forward knowing that it would help chip away at Chinas global telecommunications dominance. This Trump administration decision came out of the understanding that the United States is on a collision course with China, just as it was with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In that struggle, the U.S. policy of restricting the technology that could be exported to the Soviet Union helped win the Cold War. All of this is true. But why isnt the Trump administrating taking the same approach when it comes to chips? President Reagan was the visionary behind that strategy and there was never any question about which hand right, left, or far-right was developing the strategy. President Trump should be equally resolute in his policy toward China. Loretta Sanchez served as a Member of Congress from 1997 to 2017. She served on the Committee on Armed Services, including as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and on the Subcommittee on Emergency Threats and Capabilities Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Vladimir Putin Over 200 Indian nationals were recruited to fight in Russias bloody war against Ukraine, the Indian Foreign Ministry said as it tries to secure the release of its countrymen. Through Moscows recruitment efforts, it is believed that 202 Indian nationals joined the Russian armed forces, according to the foreign ministry, which says it successfully secured the early discharge of 119 of them. 26 are reported to have lost their lives and 7 are reported missing by the Russian side, the foreign ministry admitted in a statement. Vladimir Putin recruited over 200 Indians to fight in the Ukraine War. AP Meanwhile, there is an ongoing effort to get 50 Indian nationals discharged from the Russian military, while the ministry also tries to recover the remains of 10 who were killed in battle. The Government of India remains continuously engaged with the Russian side to ensure the safety, well-being, and early discharge of all Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces, the statement continued. This matter is discussed at various levels, including during interactions between leaders, ministers, and officials of the two sides. 26 of the troops are believed to have been killed fighting under the Russian flag. AP DNA samples of 18 Indians who have been reported dead or missing have been shared with Russian authorities, the Indian Foreign Ministry said. It is unclear when New Delhi learned its citizens had been recruited by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin or what recruitment tactics Moscow used. Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, he has ramped up recruitment efforts to 128 countries to help carry out his war. There have been an estimated more than 1 million killed in the deadliest war since World Ward II, with Moscow suffering over 790,000 dead or wounded and nearly 85,000 missing, according to Russia Matters. Putin has only managed to conquer 12% of Ukraine, and controls nearly 20% of the country, including previously seized territories such as Crimea, according to Russia Matters, a project launched by the Harvard Kennedy Center School. Big in America, Not So in Japan Calling the Camry a hit in the US would be a massive understatement. It was instrumental in making Toyota an even bigger household name, and it remains, by far, America's favorite midsize sedan. It's a totally different story in Japan, though. In its home market, it's not exactly a spectacular seller. Sales of the previous-generation Camry weren't particularly great in Japan, leading to its discontinuation two years ago. At the same time, the Crown has been a longtime staple over there, and more buyers opted for that or stuck with the Corolla. The current model isn't offered in Japan anymore, but it will be until next year. Toyota (Toyota) Staging a Comeback For Appeasement Now, the company has confirmed that the Camry will be back in Japanese showrooms in 2026. The Japan-market Camrys will be sourced from Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky plant, as the company does not have production allocation in its own backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the reason it's coming back to Japan isn't because of demand per se. Remember, Toyota stopped selling it in its home turf in 2023. Instead, it's the company's move to soften the blow of trade deficits and appease the current administration. The Camry will be one of three American-made Toyotas sold in Japan. The other two are the Highlander and, of all things, the Tundra...in the land of the kei car. The Highlander was actually sold in Japan at one point as the Kluger. It lasted just one generation from 2001 to 2007 and Toyota has not offered a similar vehicle there since then. The JDM-spec Highlanders will be sourced from the company's plant in Princeton, Indiana. As for the Tundra, it's never been officially for sale there. Toyota (Toyota) Potential Challenges On paper, it sounds like a good plan to boost production in the US, but there's also the matter of logistics and the profitability of these cars once they reach Japanese showrooms. For starters, shipping from America to Japan won't be cheap, and American labor costs could also drive up the price. Building these vehicles for Japanese specifications will be a factor, too. The plant has to accommodate production for right-hand drive, and some adjustments have to be made to suit the regulations abroad. That said, the Highlander might have it a little easier as the Indiana plant already makes a version for Australia which is also right-hand drive and have been doing so since 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From a logical standpoint, it would be more cost-effective and logistically efficient to import the Camry from nearby Thailand or China if Japan really wanted the Camry back. The same goes for the Highlander, which is also manufactured over in China. Nikkei Asia pointed out that the success of this plan will depend on Japan's transport ministry's willingness to simplify the approval process for imported vehicles. ToyotaToyot (ToyotaToyot) "Reverse Importing" From the US Isn't New The whole concept of a Japanese car made in America, then being sold in Japan, isn't new. Honda did that in the late '80s and through the mid-'90s with the Accord. The coupe and wagon were built in Ohio. Interestingly, the parts came from Japan, were assembled in the US, and then returned to Japan. Speaking of which, Honda is also considering doing that all over again. Like Toyota, it's for appeasement. We previously reported that the Pilot and Ridgeline are likely candidates to be exported from Alabama. That said, Honda isn't exactly shy about the fact that some of its JDM models are made elsewhere. For instance, the Japanese-market Accord and CR-V are sourced from Thailand, the Odyssey hails from China, and the WR-V mini-SUV is shipped from India. Toyota (Toyota) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story was originally published by Autoblog on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here. AP "This document is a roadmap to ensure that America remains the greatest and most successful nation in human history, and the home of freedom on earth." So proclaims President Donald Trump in a short letter to "My fellow Americans" introducing the "National Security Strategy of the United States of America," or, as commonly known in Washington, the NSS. Statutorily mandated and released in November, President Trumps 2025 NSS pleased Trump world. The brief 29-page document enraged Europeans. And it baffled observers on the right and left who - along with Trumps 2017 NSS, written under the supervision of then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster - regard the Chinese Communist Party as the greatest and most comprehensive threat to U.S. national security. Trumps 2025 NSS boasts of exemplifying strategic thinkings major virtues: "President Trumps foreign policy is pragmatic without being pragmatist, realistic without being realist, principled without being idealistic, muscular without being hawkish, and restrained without being dovish." In parts, the document exhibits the excellent qualities it claims as its own. In other parts, however, the NSS displays impracticality, naivete, and ideological blindness. Traditional conservative priorities, shrewd observations, and apt policy shifts commingle in the NSS with fanciful claims, glaring omissions, and jaw-dropping leaps of logic. The document gives voice to multifarious moral impulses and priorities characteristic of contending personalities and camps within Trump world without reconciling or even acknowledging the inner tensions. In this way, the 2025 NSS mirrors Trump-administration foreign policy. The NSSs opening observations concerning Americas errors about itself and other nations vulgarize recent U.S. foreign policy and skew the NSSs reshaping of American diplomacy. Echoing hard-left and postliberal detractors of the United States, the NSS levels the scurrilous accusation that "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." Previous administrations may have gone overboard in their enthusiasm for free trade, a rules-based international order, and promoting freedom and democracy abroad. But to portray such enthusiasm as a quest for world domination smears America and plays into the hands of freedoms enemies at home and abroad. It also obscures American prosperitys dependence on free trade, albeit more effectively based on fair and reciprocal conduct from Americas trading partners. It ignores the advantages that America derives from an international order that favors freedom and democracy, although less in thrall to international organizations with anti-American agendas and more reliant on responsibility-sharing U.S. friends and partners. And it overlooks Americas interest in promoting freedom and democracy, provided that interest is pursued in a manner more consistent with American resources and capabilities and more focused on using economic assistance, technical training, educational exchanges, and the bully pulpit to assist peoples and nations seeking greater freedom and democracy. The NSS aims to reflect President Trumps reorientation of U.S. foreign policy around "the continued survival and safety of the United States as an independent, sovereign republic whose government secures the God-given natural rights of its citizens and prioritizes their well-being and interests." To accomplish these desirable goals, states the NSS, the United States must maintain the worlds most powerful military and must cultivate effective alliances; control the nations borders; reinforce national infrastructure; and bolster the worlds strongest economy by fortifying the nations industrial base, energy sector, and expertise and entrepreneurship in science and technology. America must also define the national interest concretely, respect the nation-state as "the fundamental political unit," pursue peace through strength, and preserve favorable balances of power around the world. And the nation must maintain its edge in "soft power" based on belief "in our countrys inherent greatness and decency," and must undertake "the restoration and reinvigoration of American spiritual and cultural health, without which long-term security is impossible." The NSS undercuts its sober statement of priorities with a flamboyant exaggeration of the presidents diplomatic achievements. According to the NSS, President Trump "negotiated peace between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the DRC and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and ended the war in Gaza with all living hostages returned to their families." Yet only in the case of Armenia and Azerbaijan has the Trump administration brokered a substantial peace agreement; meanwhile several of the ceasefires for which it deserves credit are at best barely holding. Claiming full credit for major diplomatic breakthroughs where at most partial credit is due erodes the very soft power and spiritual and cultural health that the NSS emphasizes are crucial to American national security. The Trump NSS elaborates core national interests across five geopolitical regions. Reaffirming the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, the NSS promises "to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere" by ensuring reasonably good governance there that will assist in countering mass migration, cartels, other transnational criminal organizations, and hostile foreign actions. In Asia, the United States will build alliances and strengthen foreign partnerships to correct trade imbalances and inequities, especially with China, and deter war in the Indo-Pacific while maintaining Americas longstanding strategic ambiguity concerning Beijings determination to seize Taiwan. Despite its well-known aversion to nation building, the Trump administration seeks to foster "European greatness" by reversing European "economic decline" and, more ambitiously, averting "civilizational erasure" stemming from European policies that undercut liberty and encourage mass migration to the region of groups that refuse to assimilate. In the Middle East, the Trump administration will secure oil and gas reserves, encourage the inflow of international investment, and help friends and partners to deradicalize their populations without demanding democratic reform from the regions autocracies. In its final three paragraphs, devoted to a continent home to more than 1.5 billion people, the NSS limits itself to rebuking the United States for having promoted "liberal ideology" in Africa and promising instead to concentrate on reducing conflict there and enhancing commerce and trade. The NSS calls attention to much that is vital. It also downplays or omits much that is vital. For example: Notwithstanding the administrations reaffirmation of the Monroe Doctrine, the NSS does little to clarify the U.S. stance toward several top-priority transnational threats, starting with great-power adversaries hypersonic missiles; nuclear weapons; and aerospace, cyber, and AI capabilities. Contrary to the NSSs suggestion that "there is today less to" Middle East conflict "than headlines might lead one to believe," the region remains considerably more unstable than headlines or the Trump administration acknowledges. Despite President Trumps touting of his Gaza peace plan, which called on Iran-backed Hamas to relinquish its "military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities," Hamas never agreed to disarm and insists that it wont. Iran-backed Hezbollah is rebuilding its military. And the Islamic Republic of Iran endeavors to replenish its ballistic-missiles stockpiles and reconstitute its nuclear program. The NSS overlooks the ideological dimensions of the China challenge. You would never know from the document that the Chinese Communist Party governs China, that a combination of Marxist-Leninist and Chinese-nationalist commitments shape the CCPs repressive one-party dictatorship at home and schemes of economic coercion and cooptation abroad, and that the CCP aims to position Beijing at the center of a revised world order that favors authoritarian governance. Although stressing the civilization that America shares with Europe, the NSS downplays human rights, a pillar of the Wests precious inheritance. The closest the NSS comes to addressing the foreign-policy implications of Americas foundation in unalienable rights is to assert that the natural rights invoked in the Declaration of Independence establish "a clear preference for non-interventionism in the affairs of other nations." Thats half true. The Declaration indicates that nations that respect basic rights and fundamental freedoms deserve to organize government as they see fit. At the same time, intervention comes in many forms and degrees as the NSSs praise of soft power elsewhere implies, and "the Laws of Nature and of Natures God" condemn "absolute despotism" as unjust and illegitimate. Accordingly, the Declarations natural-rights teaching also supplies grounds for intervening, particularly when rulers who systematically violate their citizens inalienable rights threaten Americas core national interests. And the NSS fails to connect preservation of American soft power and renewal of the nations spiritual and cultural health to reform of American education. The most brilliant foreign policy will prove futile without an informed citizenry to furnish democratic legitimacy and knowledgeable and competent diplomats to execute it. Yet American K-12 education often omits the essentials of American history. Colleges and universities frequently neglect to require or even offer basic courses in American ideas and institutions while routinely featuring classes that vilify the United States. And American policy analysts and diplomats lack knowledge of the history, language, and culture of the nation-states with which the United States must cooperate, compete, and sometimes do battle. Regarding these vital national-security matters, the NSS says nothing. For America to remain, as President Trump wants to ensure, "the greatest and most successful nation in human history, and the home of freedom on earth," administration officials must keep in mind that bluster betrays weakness, political cohesiveness at home is indispensable to accomplishing U.S. goals abroad, and Americas dedication to basic rights and fundamental freedoms must reverberate throughout the nations conduct. Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. From 2019 to 2021, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. His writings are posted at PeterBerkowitz.com and he can be followed on X @BerkowitzPeter. His new book is "Explaining Israel: The Jewish State, the Middle East, and America." Handout image from South Korea's Navy of the Jang Yeongsil submarine that launched on October 22, 2025 in Geoje, South Korea. - South Korea Navy South Korea wants to join the undersea naval elite and has received the blessing of US President Donald Trump to do just that. Having Seoul become the seventh country in the world operating nuclear-powered submarines joining the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and India could be a win-win. South Korea could more effectively counter North Korean or Chinese moves in the waters around the Korean Peninsula; and that would free up the US Navys nuclear-powered attack subs to concentrate on patrols in hot spots like the South China Sea and the waters around Taiwan. On both sides of the Pacific, building the vessels could mean thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs, helping the US and South Korean economies. For South Korea, this would be a game-changer countering North Koreas undersea threat, said Yu Jihoon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and former South Korean submarine officer. Nuclear-powered subs could transform South Koreas role within the alliance to be a more capable security provider, so the strategic implications for the South Korea-US alliance are even more significant, he added. But, as is often the case in naval shipbuilding, the devil is in the details. Nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) come with many advantages. They can stay submerged for long periods of time essentially for years, if they can carry enough provisions for the crew whereas most conventionally powered subs must surface for air to run diesel engines, which in turn charge their batteries for running at depth. They are also generally faster than conventionally powered subs and are in many cases quieter. Acquiring them has been a decades-long wish of the South Korean government. But Seoul has faced a key roadblock: under a decades-old nuclear agreement with the US, it is not allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, despite having the technology to do so. Korean officials have discussed the issue with previous US administrations, but always behind closed doors. So, when South Korean President Lee Jae Myung mentioned his governments decades-long wish for the US to lift the ban, during his open talks with Trump in late October, many were surprised. US President Donald Trump is presented with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa and the Silla gold crown by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the Gyeongju National Museum on October 29. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Then the day after Lees request, Trump appeared to approve it. I have given them approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine, rather than the old fashioned, and far less nimble, diesel powered Submarines that they have now, he wrote on Truth Social. In his open request to Trump, Lee said that he wanted to better track submarines in the seas near North Korea and China. He said the shorter submergence time of diesel-powered subs limits how long Seouls subs can track those of China, which has nuclear-powered attack subs, and North Korea, which is pursuing them. Lee told Trump this plan, if approved, could help Washington as it would significantly reduce the burden on US forces around the Korean Peninsula. The US Navy could certainly use help beneath the waves. Speaking at a US House subcommittee hearing in 2019, the then head of US Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Philip Davidson, gave a stark assessment of the challenges Washington faced. There are four-hundred foreign submarines in the world, of which roughly 75% reside in the Indo-Pacific region. One hundred and sixty of these submarines belong to China, Russia, and North Korea, Davidson told the panel. A nuclear-powered Type 094A Jin-class ballistic missile submarine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy navigates during a military display in the South China Sea. - Reuters While these three countries increase their capacity, the United States retires attack submarines (SSNs) faster than they are replaced, Davidson said. As of July 1, 2025, a US Navy website shows it had 49 attack subs in its fleet, which must cover all the worlds oceans. About two-thirds of that fleet is available to surge in an emergency, the acting chief of naval operations said last April, but fewer subs are out on patrol during routine operations. Many in South Korea say its capable of building the SSNs. The nations Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back told a parliamentary audit on October 30 that South Korea has already secured various conditions needed to build nuclear-powered submarines. Choi Il, a retired South Korean Navy submarine captain who now runs a private research institute, agrees with Ahn. South Korea already possesses the capability to build submarines of 3,000 tons or larger, he said. Choi further noted that South Koreas existing Jangbogo-III submarines, with diesel-electric propulsion, are structurally designed to allow a nuclear propulsion system. But South Korean Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil told the October audit that it could take more than 10 years to convert the Jangbogo to nuclear propulsion. Experts say the hinge of any deal will be location: where is the best, most-efficient place to build South Korean, nuclear-powered submarines? In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that the SSNs would be built at the Philadelphia Shipyard, recently acquired by South Korean shipbuilding and defense conglomerate Hanwha. Workers construct a grand block of the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Five (NSMV V), a training platform for state maritime academies, in the grand block shop at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. - Hannah Beier/Bloomberg/Getty Images Later, when the fact sheet between the US and South Korea was released, South Koreas national security adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters that the discussions on the submarines had been conducted on the premise that they would be built in South Korea, though the fact sheet had no specific mention of the production location. The core issue in Trumps post was the mention of the Philly shipyard, said Kim Dong-yeob, South Korean military expert and a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungman University. What we wanted was not simply to possess nuclear-powered submarines but to secure related technologies and achieve industrial effects through domestic construction, Kim told CNN. Building at the Philly shipyard means losing technology transfer. It is essentially no different from buying weapons built in the US. Hanwha Ocean, part owner of the Philly shipyard, disagreed with the concern and welcomed the decision. In a statement, the company said that it is ready to provide support with its state-of-the art shipbuilding technology, and added investments and partnerships in facilities such as the Philly shipyard will contribute to the prosperity and shared security of both nations. A shipbuilding industry official who is familiar with the matter told CNN that Hanwha Ocean plans to introduce advanced workforce training programs at the Philly shipyard. Hanwha Oceans technical capabilities designing and building five of the six existing 3,000-ton diesel submarines (Jangbogo-III class) would mean thered be no issue building nuclear-powered submarines at the Philly shipyard. But no one doubts that such work would require a long time. Even if the plan clears congressional hurdles without delay, experts still project at least 10 years until South Korea could acquire a nuclear-powered submarine. The Philly shipyard is being modernized by Hanwha Ocean, yet it is geared for commercial shipbuilding. Building subs would require additional investments for a roof-covered facility and dry dock. Considering the lack of infrastructure, especially for sourcing the onboard nuclear reactor, US shipping expert Sal Mercogliano said the Philly yard would most likely only handle part of the build. We may see large modules and sections come across from Korea over to the US and then its really the nuclear power plant and the associated propulsion systems that are going to be done domestically here in the US because the US has a track record for the nuclear plants, Mercogliano, a professor at Campbell University in North Carolina, said. Former US President Barack Obama looks at the bow sections of the USS John Warner before speaking at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters US Navy submarines are built at two shipyards: General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut, and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Both yards have full construction schedules as the US modernizes its own submarine fleet, so fitting new South Korean construction into those facilities seems problematic. Meanwhile, the US congressional approval and US Defense Department technical review for actual implementation could also take time. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said his department will work closely with the departments of State and Energy to fulfil the presidents commitment, as he visited Seoul days after Trump. However, whether the scope of US permission will be limited to fuel supply or include nuclear propulsion technology transfer remains unclear. While South Korea does not have a nuclear-powered submarine, in October it launched the 3,600-ton Jang Yeongsil, the worlds best diesel submarine, according to the countrys Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Designed and built in South Korea, it was made by Hanwha Ocean. Although it is a conventional submarine, the Jang Yeongsil is equipped with lithium-ion batteries, which enable it to stay submerged and sustain maximum-speed maneuverability longer than others with traditional lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion batteries, in general, compared to lead-acid batteries can be charged much faster the other thing is that the lithium-ion batteries can contain a lot more energy for the same weight or same volume, Thomas Shugart, a retired US Navy captain and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told CNN. So, maybe a submarine that before could only keep submerged for three or four days, now maybe its more like 10 or 12 days. If South Korea can domestically build such an advanced sub, why does it still want a nuclear-powered one? South Korea's first 3,600-ton-class naval submarine is unveiled during a ceremony held at the Hanwha Ocean dockyard, in Geoje, South Korea. - Yonhap/EPA/Shutterstock Retired South Korean Adm. Kim Duk-ki believes that owning a nuclear-powered submarine would allow South Korea to more efficiently contain Chinese and Russian submarines and surface ships in case of a war on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea needs to operate across long distances to block Chinese submarines that would come to Korean waters to support North Korea in case of war, and there could be limitations to doing that only with conventional submarines, Kim told CNN, emphasizing the fast speed of nuclear-powered submarines. Shugart, however, questions South Koreas wish: It doesnt make a lot of sense to me from an operational perspective. The primary benefit to nuclear-powered (submarines) is mainly speed, being able to go fast for a long period of time and cross long distances at a rapid clip, Shugart said. But South Korea and Japan are right there where the action is likely to be, he continued, adding that SSNs could make sense if Seouls intention was to carry out aggressive anti-submarine warfare. A potential South Korean nuclear-powered sub could also exacerbate an arms race in the region. North Korea called South Koreas pursuit of SSNs a strategic move for its own nuclear weaponization, despite Seoul clarifying that the submarine would not carry nuclear weapons. This is bound to cause a nuclear domino phenomenon in the region and spark a hot arms race, North Korean state media KCNA said. Earlier this year, Pyongyang revealed its own nuclear-powered submarine. Its under construction with the aim to finish it by the end of 2025, in accordance with the five-year weapons development plan Kim Jong Un announced in 2021. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un visits a shipyard, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 8, 2025. - KCNA/Reuters For Chinas part, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged caution and restraint. China hopes that both South Korea and the United States will earnestly fulfil their nuclear non-proliferation obligations and do things that promote regional peace and stability, not the opposite, Guo said. Geopolitical repercussions, including Beijings backlash, are among the most concerning factors according to professor Kim of Kyungman University. It is essentially declaring that South Korea would participate as the frontline spear and shield in the US-led China containment strategy, Kim added. Whether we can withstand the potential economic retaliation from China needs to be analyzed. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows People preparing a large drone in dim red light, Image 2 shows Thermal image showing an explosion with targeting crosshairs The scramble for battlefield drone experience has become a global phenomenon. While I was embedded with Colombian soldiers fighting on Ukraines front lines, several told me theyd battled cartels and insurgents but sought something new: the chance to learn drone warfare. Eastern Europe is where the action is. Ukrainian drones struck a Russian shadow-fleet oil tanker Friday in what Kyiv described as an unprecedented special operation carried out more than 1,200 miles from the country. It was the first time aerial drones, rather than naval drones, were used to disable a shadow-fleet tanker. Ukraine also recently hit a Russian submarine with an underwater drone. Since Russias 2022 full-scale invasion, both Kyiv and, especially, Moscow have relied heavily on foreign fighters as casualties have risen. Russia has sourced personnel from the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Asia, including more than 15,000 North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk front. Those North Korean soldiers suffered heavy early losses due to poor preparation, but Ukraines intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov warned they are adapting quickly, learning small-unit tactics, first-person-view drone use and counter-drone measures. This unprecedented exposure is being fed back into Pyongyangs 1.3-million-strong army. Ukrainian defense intelligence deputy head Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitskyi said in October that North Korea has begun mass-producing FPV and larger attack drones, directly informed by Russian battlefield methods. Indeed, the battlefield learning loop extends far beyond Asia. In Moscow, military propagandists and lawmakers are openly calling for Venezuela to receive large numbers of Russian strike drones. Russia has quietly dispatched a rotational drone-training and advisory mission to Caracas, according to Budanov, with more than 120 Russian troops led by Col Gen. Oleg Makarevich. Part of Moscows long-standing Equator Task Force, the group is training Venezuelan forces in areas such as unmanned-aerial-vehicle operations and believed to include expertise from elite Russian drone units. In Haiti, explosive and kamikaze drones have struck gang-controlled slums in Port-au-Prince, killing civilians, as drone warfare spills into fragile states. Ukrainian drones struck a Russian shadow-fleet oil tanker Friday in what Kyiv described as an unprecedented special operation Ukrainian Defence Ukrainian units have also exported their expertise abroad. Special forces trained Sudanese troops in 2023 in drone operations used against Russian-backed forces, including Wagner mercenaries. Reporting suggests Kyiv may have provided drone training to Mali rebels seeking to target Russian forces there, and it helped train rebels in Syria who fought the Russia-backed Assad regime. A recent Kyiv Independent investigation highlighted Brazilian volunteers serving in Ukraine reporting South American criminal groups are using the war to acquire military skills, including basic FPV-drone tactics. The case of Philippe Marques Pinto, identified by Rio de Janeiro police as a Comando Vermelho member, illustrates the difficulty. Despite a criminal record for drug trafficking, he was able to join Ukraines ranks, move between units and even record a video in uniform pledging loyalty to the gang. His fellow Brazilians say he was less interested in defending Ukraine than in gaining experience to use at home. Ukrainian drone operators load anti-tank mines onto a heavy bomber drone. David Kirichenko Colombian soldiers describe a similar trend. One volunteer, Lufan, told me hed heard of Colombians who served in Ukraine and then traveled to Mexico to join cartel groups for roughly $2,000 a month. Robinson, known by his call sign Maverick, said both the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel have recruited ex-Colombian soldiers. These soldiers skills have become even more attractive to cartels and mercenary outfits now that some Colombians have gained experience in Ukraines technologically driven war a conflict far removed from Colombias low-tech insurgency environment, Robinson said. Cutting-edge warfare techniques previously remained largely within state militaries or filtered slowly through defense contractors. Now a fighter can gain advanced drone-warfare experience in Ukraine and deploy those skills anywhere within months, bypassing traditional military-to-military transfer channels. The Mexican army has confirmed drug cartels are increasingly using bomb-dropping drones against security forces. Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said more than 260 such incidents were recorded in 2023, and in August the authorities acknowledged two soldiers were killed by explosives dropped from a drone in Michoacan. One 2024 drone strike was followed by what resembled an infantry-style assault on a remote community. This October, a trio of explosive-laden drones packed with nails, metal shards and BBs struck the anti-kidnapping unit of the Tijuana state prosecutors office near the US border. American officials are seeing a similar trend: Homeland Security has detected more than 60,000 cartel drone flights near the southern border in six months, with an average of 328 drones coming within 500 meters of the United States every day. Bryan Pickens, a former US Army Green Beret with two decades of experience whos fought alongside Ukrainian special forces, warned America is falling behind. Cartels are already using Chinese and Russian technology to move drugs across the US border, he said. Ukraine can train US operators in interception, surveillance, strike integration and counter-electronic warfare. We need Ukraine to help professionalize Western warfighters, to teach how these systems are used and how to defend against them. Pickens pointed to a recent conversation with his younger brothers Coast Guard unit in Long Beach as a stark example of the vulnerability. The vessel was on heightened alert due to cartel threats but had no drone defenses. No jammers. No shotguns. No spectrum analyzers, he said. Across the water were civilian houses. Anyone with a $300 drone could have sunk that boat. Thats not just a Coast Guard problem, thats military-wide. And it shows how much the West still has to learn from Ukraine. Xen, a former US special-forces operator whos worked with a Ukrainian special-forces regiment, said his message from the battlefield to Western partners is: You are not learning fast enough from Ukraine, and you need to support Ukraine so those lessons dont disappear through attrition. The question is no longer whether drone warfare will spread to nonstate actors it already has. And the lessons from Ukraines battlefields are circulating globally. In my view, cheap, mass-produced autonomous drones pose a strategic threat to carrier strike groups and even the US homeland, said Xen. US naval radar systems can track roughly 200 targets simultaneously. A state actor could launch tens of thousands of drones in a single day. Ukraines rapid innovation in drone tactics and electronic warfare makes its combat veterans valuable commodities on global markets and increasingly to Americas defense. Its front line has become a testing ground not just for European security but for the future of asymmetric warfare worldwide. U.S. President Donald Trump Tax advisors say wealthy Americans should consider ramping up charitable donations before the end of 2025 to take advantage of tax benefits that will shrink once new rules from Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" take effect in 2026. Must Read The bill aims to limit the tax benefits of charitable giving for high-income Americans. The new floor and a ceiling on deductions could reduce the overall tax break for large gifts. If youre thinking about making a big gift, or you know you have a charity that you want to be supportive of over the next couple years, and you got the cash right now, this is the time make a big gift, Dan Griffith, director of wealth strategy at Huntington Private Bank, told CNBC [1]. Financial advisors expect a year-end rush of donations as high earners look to lock in current benefits before the new restrictions take hold. How will this change impact top earners? Starting in 2026, donors who itemize their returns will only be able to deduct charitable contributions that exceed 0.5% of their adjusted gross income (AGI). Griffith explained that a household with an AGI of $400,000 that makes $10,000 of charitable donations in 2026 will not be able to deduct the first $2,000 in giving. "Smaller donations may no longer reduce your tax bill unless they clear this new threshold. For example, if your AGI is $200,000, only gifts above $1,000 would be deductible," said DAFgiving360 [2]. On top of that, taxpayers in the top 37% bracket (those earning $609,351 and up in 2024) will see a second hit: their deduction will be reduced by 2/37ths of its value, lowering the effective tax benefit to 35%. Read More: Many Americans overpay for these 5 must-have items how many are on your list? While the changes may sound modest, they add up quickly for major donors. These new limits could be particularly challenging for entrepreneurs who often donate after selling a business to offset a high-income year. We have a lot of our clients [with] liquidity events. I think in every case, the year they had the liquidity event, they made charitable contributions, said Todd Kesterson, who leads the private client business at Kaufman Rossin, to CNBC. But now its kind of the worst year to make them because of the first half percent is not deductible. Here's what to do if you're impacted by the changes Advisors are urging wealthy donors to frontload or bunch their giving in 2025, meaning it may make more sense to donate several years worth of planned gifts now instead of spreading them out. Kesterson told CNBC that top earners should consider bunching their donations, such as giving $500,000 now rather than contributing $100,000 annually over five years. Doing so allows them to claim the full deduction before the new limits apply. Even if a donor cant make a contribution before the deadline, a single large gift in one year will still be better than smaller, repeated donations spread out over several years that trigger the 0.5% floor multiple times, said Griffith. For older donors, theres another workaround: those aged 73 or older can use their required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts for charitable giving. Its, in effect, a 100% deduction, because its reducing their income, dollar for dollar, Kesterson said. While the coming tax rules wont end charitable giving among the wealthy, they do make timing more important. For high earners, planning ahead could mean the difference between maximizing a deduction and losing out on thousands in potential savings. High-earners who act strategically can ensure their generosity benefits both their favorite charitiesand their bottom line. What To Read Next Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines. CNBC (1); DAFgiving360 (2) This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. US-POLITICS-TURNING POINT-KIRK (Photo by Olivier Touron / AFP via Getty Images) Erika Kirk welcomed rapper Nicki Minaj as the surprise guest for a Q&A Sunday at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest. Minaj previously joined Donald Trump at the White House in November, speaking at the United Nations to raise awareness about persecution against Christians in Nigeria. Rumors swirled around a possible AmericaFest appearance, but no official announcement was made. The rapper saluted as she took the stage, saying, Im honored to be here. Im honored to be here. Trinidadian-US rapper Nicki Minaj speaks during the panel discussion Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York City, on November 18, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Minaj praised both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, saying they are politicians who have an uncanny ability to relate to the American people. I love both of them, she said. The love was reciprocated when Minaj called JD Vance an assassin then slowly walked back her words, realizing the sensitivity surrounding the term. Erika Kirk leaned in to the conversation assuring Minaj that she loved and supported her as the crowd cheered on. NEW YORK, NEW YORK DECEMBER 08: Erika Kirk discusses the newly released book Stop, In The Name of God: Why Honoring The Sabbath Will Transform Your Life on Hannity at Fox News Channel Studios on December 08, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) Minaj used her platform to take aim at Gavin Newsom. She laced into the Governor of California in a moment that instantly ignited the room. Dear Newscum, we dont have a problem cleaning up the scum if we have to, she said. Slowly annunciating she issued a warning to Newsom that was clear and concise, Please tread lightly. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY SEPTEMBER 12: Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV) Thats what I would say to GavyPoo, Minaj said as Kirk laughed at her brazen attack. (RELATED: Erika Kirk Admits She Prayed She Was Carrying Charlie Kirks Child When He Was Murdered) Minaj previously supported Democrats like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton but has since become a staunch supporter of the Trump administration. Author Lou Cannon, left, and veteran journalist Sander Vanocur lend their support to Santa Barbara News-Press employees locked in a battle to unionize Sept. 5, 2006. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press) For the record: 2:49 p.m. Dec. 20, 2025: An earlier version of this story included a photo caption that identified journalist Sander Vanocur as Lou Cannon. Journalist and author Lou Cannon, who was widely considered the nation's leading authority on the life and career of President Reagan, died Friday in a Santa Barbara hospice. He was 92. His death was caused by complications from a stroke, his son Carl M. Cannon told the Washington Post, where his father served for years as a White House correspondent. The elder Cannon covered Reagan's two-term presidency in the 1980s, but his relationship with the enigmatic Republican leader went back to the 1960s, when Reagan moved from acting to politics. Cannon interviewed Reagan more than 50 times and wrote five books about him, but still struggled to understand what made Reagan who he was. The more I wrote, Cannon told the Reno Gazette-Journal in 2001, the more I felt I didnt know. Cannon was born in New York City and raised in Reno, Nev., where he attended the University of Nevada in Reno and later San Francisco State College. After service in the U.S. Army, he became a reporter covering Reagans first years as governor of California for the San Jose Mercury News. In 1972, Cannon began working for the Washington Post as a political reporter. Cannon recalled first encountering Reagan in 1965 while assigned to cover a lunch event for reporters and lobbyists and being surprised by Reagan's command of the room when he spoke. Reagan was beginning his campaign for governor by proving he could answer questions and "was not just an actor reading a script." At the time, the word actor was "a synonym for airhead. Well, Reagan was no airhead," Cannon said in a 2008 interview at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum. To Cannon's surprise, the reporters and lobbyists mobbed Reagan after the event was over to get his autograph. Cannon introduced himself. "I remember those steely eyes of his. I thought he had this great face, but his eyes are tough," Cannon said. "His eyes are really something." On the phone later, Cannon's editor asked him what he thought of Reagan. He replied, "I don't know anything, but if I were running this thing, why would anybody want to run against somebody that everybody knows and everybody likes? Why would you want him to be your opponent? "I predicted that Reagan was going to be president, but I didn't have any idea he was going to be governor," Cannon said. "I was just so struck by the fact that he impacted on people as, not like he was a politician, but like he was this celebrity, force of nature that people wanted to rub up against. It was like seeing Kennedy again. They wanted the aura, the sun." In 1966, Reagan was elected governor by a margin of nearly 1 million votes and Cannon found himself "writing about Ronald Reagan every day." Reagan's political opponents in California and Washington consistently underestimated him, assuming the former actor could be easily beaten at the ballot box, Cannon said. Reagan ran for president unsuccessfully twice, but had the will to keep trying until he won twice. "Reagan was tough, and he was determined, and you couldn't talk him out of doing what he wanted to do," Cannon said. "Nancy couldn't talk him out of what he wanted to do, for god's sakes. And certainly no advisor could or no other candidate. Ronald Reagan wanted to be president of the United States." Cannon's first book on the president, "Reagan," was published in 1982. In 1991 he published "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime," which is regarded as a comprehensive biography of the 40th president. Cannon also authored a book about the LAPD and the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, in addition to chronicling a range of tales over the years, including the federal bust of a 1970s heroin kingpin in Las Vegas. Mr. Cannons first marriage, to Virginia Oprian, who helped him research his early books, ended in divorce. In 1985, he wed Mary Shinkwin, the Washington Post said. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The current issue of The American Scholar includes a long piece of mine suggesting a possible new direction for contemporary classical music versus the makeshift music that deluges our concert halls. I make reference to John Luther Adams, Charles Ives, Jean Sibelius, and Ferruccio Busoni. To read the whole piece, click here. To sample it, read on: The American arts are receding and blurring. Cultural memorya prerequisiteis fast disappearing. American orchestras, espousing the new, privilege a surfeit of makeshift eclectic music dangerously eschewing lineage. American opera companies flaunt new American operas that are here today and gone tomorrow. What is needed is an informed quest for orientation, for future direction. The Italian-born composer-pianist Ferruccio Busoni was a clairvoyant who will never cease to magnetize a coterie of adherents. In his Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music (1907), Busoni proposed the notion of Ur-Musik. It is an elemental realm of absolute music in which composers have approached the true nature of music by discarding traditional templates. Sonata form, since the times of Haydn and Mozart a basic organizing principle governed by goal-directed harmonies, would be no more. Half a century ago, Ur-Musik could be written off as a faint footnote to twin seminal 20th-century currents: Igor Stravinskys neoclassicism and Arnold Schoenbergs serial rigor. But no longer. John Luther Adams, among the most esteemed present-day American composers for orchestra, embraces something like it. And his forebears include composers of renewed consequence: Jean Sibelius in his primordial tone poem Tapiola (1926) and Charles Ives in his unfinished Universe Symphony (begun in 1915). Around the same time, before locking on his 12-tone rows, Schoenberg experimented with an unmoored nontonal style. He was concurrently corresponding with Busoni, who also conferred with Sibelius. In an email exchange, I learned from Adams that, while composing his Pulitzer Prizewinning Become Ocean (2013), the only music I was listening to was Tapiola. I brought up Ivess Universe Symphony and suggested that Adams was post-Ivesian. He readily agreed. So there are dotsbig onesto connect. Might there not be lineage here? For much more on Busoni, click here. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 21 December 2025 16:56 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijans agricultural sector, particularly fruit and vegetable production, has demonstrated remarkable progress in recent years. This branch of the economy is steadily increasing its importance within the countrys nonoil exports, reflecting both rising production capacity and growing competitiveness in international markets. According to official data from the State Customs Committee, between January and November 2025 Azerbaijan exported 762,300 tons of fruits and vegetables. The total value of these exports reached 807.5 million US dollars. Compared with the same period of 2024, this represents a 25 percent increase in volume and a 28.6 percent rise in value. For reference, in the first eleven months of 2024, exports amounted to 610,000 tons worth 628 million dollars. Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. The automaker is looking to bring its USA-made full-size pickup to Japan for the first time since the models introduction. While Toyota is a Japanese company, trucks like the Tacoma and the Tundra are as American as they come. Designed and built in the U.S. for buyers in the U.S., theyre consequently imposing in size and loaded with equipment. Like many vehicles developed for the American market, then, Toyota doesnt really sell the trucks anywhere else in the world (apart from some exceptions like Canada). Instead, the more rugged and utilitarian Hilux acts as the global equivalent. The Tacoma is a uniquely American pickup truck, as the Hilux is its global sibling. - Credit: Toyota However, as part of a radical new plan, Toyota has announced that it will begin bringing U.S.-made cars to its home market. Its an uncharacteristic reversal of strategy thatll see the brands most American truck land on the streets of Japan. Japan is getting USA-made cars Following Toyotas announcement last month that it will be investing $10 billion in U.S. operations over the next five years, the automaker has now confirmed that it will begin introducing three models produced in the U.S. to Japan from 2026. Its a move that follows other manufacturers like Honda. Toyota will begin importing American-made Camrys as part of its new trade agreement. - Credit: Toyota In practice, this means that, along with the Camry sedan built in Kentucky and the three-row Highlander SUV built in Indiana, Toyota will also be bringing the Texas-built Tundra truck to its home market. The pickup is a vehicle it describes as the very embodiment of American culture. Advertisement Advertisement Per the automaker, the decision will allow it to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of customers, while also helping to improve JapanU.S. trade relations. The three-row Highlander is another model that will be introduced to Japan, though it previously left the market in 2007. - Credit: Toyota Advertisement Advertisement While theres no denying that its a move that will give Japanese buyers some added variety, its nevertheless one that seems to be motivated more by politics than it is by practicality. Bringing the Tundra home After all, though Toyota has previously offered the Highlander and the Camry in its home market they were discontinued in 2007 and 2023, respectively the Tundra has yet to be sold in Japan since first going on sale in 2000. The Towering Tundra will make for an interesting experiment on the tight streets of Japan. - Credit: Toyota Being designed for the American market, its a truck thats really far too large for the roads in Toyotas home country. If you have any doubt, check out this gem offered up by Reddit showing a second-generation import squeezed into a Japanese parking space. In any case, as part of its efforts to introduce these three models to Japan, Toyota has stated that it will be making use of a system being considered by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism that would allow for U.S.-built cars to be sold without additional testing. Toyota wont be required to test American-made cars once theyve arrived in Japan. - Credit: Toyota Though its obvious that this should help navigate logistical hurdles especially with the cost of manufacturing and shipping from North America the decision doesnt seem to be without drawbacks. Advertisement Advertisement Between safety standards, manufacturing tolerances and even mere road culture, there are some differences separating drivers in Japan from those in the United States. As surprising as President Trumps fascination with kei cars seems, then, in some ways, Toyotas decision to import a truck as big as the Tundra is arguably more shocking. Between kei cars and big trucks, the United States and Japan are sharing (or considering sharing) some radically different vehicles. - Credit: Toyota Outside of the United States, Australia is the only other country to field the full-size pickup as a regular factory offering. Thats a new development, too, as Toyota only started doing so just last year. About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When hes not chasing the latest industry news, hes probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers. Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When hes not chasing the latest industry news, hes probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers. Advertisement Advertisement Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results. 21 December 2025 21:15 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The crash of a Russian-made Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone in Turkiyes Kocaeli province has raised serious questions that go far beyond a technical malfunction. Coming shortly after an unidentified UAV was intercepted by Turkish F-16s on a NATO/national mission, the incident has triggered speculation over whether these events are isolated accidentsor part of a broader, calculated test of Turkiyes airspace, defenses, and strategic posture, particularly amid growing tensions around the Black Sea. Speaking to Azernews, military expert Abdullah Aghar offered a detailed assessment of what these developments could signify. "One unidentified UAV entered Turkish airspace and was shot down by our F-16 on a NATO/national mission. Lets say that was a coincidence. But what about the Russian Orlan-10 UAV that crashed in Izmit? The possibility of this being a coincidence is weaker. I am thinking: could someone be testing the balance between Turkish air defense capabilities, capacity, and rhetoric? Could someone be trying to move the war to the Black Sea? Due to attacks by warring parties, system errors, or technical malfunctions, UAVs can go out of control and lose their way. This is a normal wartime situation, as seen both during the Garabagh War and frequently in the Ukraine war. But the question remains: is someone sending a message of infiltration into Turkish airspace? Or is someone trying to create asymmetry to heat up the Black Sea? Or are we facing a real-time side effect of the S-400 process? The simultaneous entry of two UAVs into Turkish airspace, in my opinion, is a multi-layered situation that pushes the boundaries of coincidence, but should not yet be attributed to a single cause. I would interpret this as multiple signalsa low-intensity strategic probe. Lets go step by step. One of our F-16s shooting down a UAV: this event alone shows that the rules of engagement were applied, airspace violation was detected, tracking was conducted, and a reflexive response followed. An F-16 strike during a NATO/national mission sends a clear message: I detect, I decide, I shoot. This is the correct and expected outcome in terms of defensive reflexes. However, the immediate discovery of a Russian Orlan-10 in Izmit changes the picture. The Orlan-10 is not an ordinary platform. It is used for electronic warfare, signal intelligence, air defense and radar surveillance, data link operations, and frequency mapping. Its locationIzmit, very close to Istanbulis critical. This is an area with a high concentration of industry, transportation, logistics, and both military and civilian infrastructure. This weakens the thesis that it simply drifted accidentally, especially after the first UAV was shot down. Let us weigh the scenarios one by one. First: It went out of control and lost its way. Theoretically possible, but the Orlan-10s profile, its crash location, and the timing significantly weaken this explanation. I consider this a low-probability scenario. Second: An infiltration or surveillance message. This is, in my view, the strongest possibility. What does this mean? Turkiyes radar coverage, reaction time, engagement thresholds, and NATO-versus-national reflexes are being tested in real time. The main task of these UAVs is to determine how deep they can penetrate without being hit. This is not an actual attack, but a strategic pulse check. I see this as a high-probability scenario. Third: Heating up the Black Sea through asymmetric provocation. This is a very serious possibility. Why? Because the war in Ukraine is stuck on land, Russia, NATO, and the UK all focus heavily on maritime domains, and the Montreux Convention is firmly in Turkiyes hands. If tension increases in the Black Sea, Turkiye may be forced to choose sides, and Montreux will come under pressure. UAVs are ideal tools for generating low-intensity, deniable tension. Similar dynamics occurred around Blue Stream and TurkStream. I see this as a medium-to-high probability. Fourth: A real-time side effect of the S-400 process. This should not be overlooked. The issue here is not the S-400 system itself, but the hybridization of Turkiyes air defense architectureold NATO systems, national radar and command structures, new domestic air defense assets, and familiarity with Russian-made platforms. Someone may be measuring how integrated Turkiyes air picture is, where the gaps are, and where divergences exist. This could be both a technical test and a political message. I consider this a medium-probability scenario. Now, the bigger picture: what is happening? I do not see a direct attack against Turkiye. But Turkiyes decision-making algorithmits will, capacity, and reflexesare being read in the field. When does it strike? What does it tolerate? Does the NATO label prevail, or does the national reflex dominate? Does Ankara remain silent or make a statement? This is a discoursecapacity balance test. That is why I ask: could our air defense capabilities and our discourse be under examination? The most dangerous possibility is this: if these incidents become a pattern rather than isolated eventsone day Russian, one day of unknown origin, one day from the sea, one day near civilian airspacethen we may be facing a major geopolitical trap. Similar asymmetric events have occurred before, such as the Blue StreamNord Stream incidents or the mines that struck the straits at the beginning of the war. Here, I deliberately leave the question of who open. Because the real issue is not the perpetrator, but the direction of the push and the axis being forced. This process follows a chain of developments: the Russian shadow fleet being hit by Ukraine near Turkiyes coast, Russian attacks on Turkish ships in Ukrainian ports, the escalation of the S-400/F-35 issue, our C-130 being shot down in the Caucasus, and Turkiye finding itself at the intersection of multiple conflictsGarabagh, Ukraine, Gaza, and IranUS/Israelwhile unresolved dynamics persist in Syria. But one thing must be remembered clearly: the Ukraine war is not Turkiyes war. Its root cause lies in the failure of the collapsing USSR to keep its promises. What we must see now is an attempt to prevent the war from spreading to Central Europe and the Baltics, and instead to push it toward the Black Seausing Turkiye as a proxy. What you are witnessing is not a coincidence, but it is also not the beginning of a war. It is an operation designed to subtly touch Turkiyes nerve endings. Every reflex given to these touches will determine the direction of the next phase. The real issue is not the threat itself, but how Turkiyes response is recorded in strategic memory." 21 December 2025 13:18 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 22 December 2025 01:19 (UTC+04:00) On December 21, the presentation of the documentary film Harmony, which reflects the traditions of coexistence and tolerance among representatives of different religions in Azerbaijan, took place at the Nizami Cinema Centre. The film is a joint project of the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Work with Religious Organisations, the Fund for the Promotion of Moral Values, and the Baku Media Centre. Azernews reports via Azertag that Arzu Aliyeva, Head of the Baku Media Centre, attended the presentation of the film. The film was screened first, followed by remarks from Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations, who shared his views on the production. He noted that through the example of three close friends representing different religions, the film demonstrates the attitude of the Azerbaijani people towards diverse faiths and nations. He said that for centuries and millennia, the Azerbaijani people living in this region have preserved multicultural values, mutual respect, living side by side, and the tradition of passing these principles on to future generations. Today, representatives of different religions live, work, and create together in Azerbaijan, which he described as one of the clearest examples of the wisdom of the Azerbaijani people. The committee chairman also emphasised that as a result of the policy pursued by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, multicultural values did not remain merely a tradition of the Azerbaijani people. He further highlighted that in the territories liberated from occupation, all places of worship have been restored through the joint efforts of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva. Fuad Mammadzade, the director of the film and one of its scriptwriters, said that through the characters of Nigar, Jamila, and Sofia, who are the main protagonists of the film, they sought to convey a reality that is natural for Azerbaijan. He stated that Azerbaijan is one of the rare countries in the world where Muslims, Jews, and Christians live together as one family. Through the stories of these women, the filmmakers aimed to deliver the message that such coexistence is truly possible. It should be noted that the documentary film produced by the Baku Media Centre was created to highlight the opportunities established in Azerbaijan for the coexistence of followers of different religions and to promote harmony among faiths. The films chief producer is Arzu Aliyeva, the producer is Orman Aliyev, the director is Fuad Mammadzade, the scriptwriters are Fuad Mammadzade and Ramil Alakbarov, the cinematographer is Ziya Babayev, and the composer is Hafiz Ibrahimli. Filming took place at religious places of worship in various regions of Azerbaijan, as well as at the festival Colours of Difference, held in Baku on 5 November, which aimed to promote and encourage the exemplary environment of tolerance, multiculturalism, harmony among religions, solidarity, cultural diversity, and values of coexistence that have developed in the country. The film highlights the tolerant environment in Azerbaijan through the daily lives and interpersonal relationships of three friends belonging to different religions. Against the backdrop of their lifestyles, family relations, religious practices, and friendships, the film conveys to the audience the atmosphere of mutual understanding, trust, and cultural diversity prevailing in Azerbaijan. The family lives, religious practices, and long standing relationships of the protagonists demonstrate how they live in conditions of cultural diversity and peace. Through this documentary, the promotion of tolerance, mutual respect, and multicultural values in society is emphasised, along with the essence of the state policy implemented by Azerbaijan to preserve and develop harmony among religions. Preserving the history of Azerbaijan and conveying the truth as it is has been a priority for the Baku Media Centre since its establishment. During this period, the centre has produced a number of films that have attracted wide public interest, including Target is Baku, Heritage, Taghiyev, The Final Meeting, Eternal Assignment, We, and Shusha, You Are Free. Following the documentary Under One Sun, Harmony is another production that reflects the manifestations of Azerbaijans tradition of multiculturalism in everyday life through real human stories. 21 December 2025 16:16 (UTC+04:00) by Mazahir Afandiyev, Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan In 2020, following the wise decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the Great Leader, President Ilham Aliyeva decision grounded in international law and principlesAzerbaijan liberated its territories that had been under occupation by neighboring Armenia since the early 1990s as a result of the Second Garabagh (Patriotic) War. Thus, by single-handedly enforcing the well-known four resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council, our country put an end to an injustice that had lasted for 30 years. Naturally, after the magnificent Victory we achieved, almost all influential international organizations, including the United Nations and states around the world, justified Azerbaijans fair struggle and welcomed the full restoration of our countrys territorial integrity. However, alongside this, certain forces began to cast a shadow over Azerbaijans just cause in various ways and started playing very dirty games in an attempt to refuse acceptance of the outcomes of this war. Despite the fact that the Azerbaijani government is carrying out extensive efforts to ensure sustainable peace and security in the region, forces that cannot tolerate these consistent measures continue their insidious actions, abusing their international influence, displaying a biased attitude toward our country, and attempting to undermine the peace process in the South Caucasus. The next anti-Azerbaijan resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 18 December 2025 is a clear example of this biased activity. Contrary to these developments, Azerbaijan is pursuing multi-vector efforts to achieve lasting peace, participating in existing bilateral and multilateral meetings, declaring its readiness for cooperation, and calling on all interested parties to create the necessary conditions in the South Caucasus for the well-being of peoples. What we see today is that the entire world now recognizes Azerbaijan as the rightful side, and international organizations highly appreciate our countrys calls for peace. In particular, as a result of the trilateral Washington Declaration signed in the United States on 8 August 2025, the initialing of the provisions of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia went down in history as an important political event confirming that the phase of conflict that had lasted for many years in the South Caucasus has effectively come to an end. This agreement, achieved through the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump, established a new political and legal framework for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region. It is precisely in this context that the consistent and constructive peace-oriented position of the Republic of Azerbaijan once again comes into the focus of the international community. Azerbaijan, which emerged victorious in the war, is at the same time acting as the side that dictates peace. This is the logical outcome of the multi-vector and future-oriented foreign policy implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. In the post-conflict period, Azerbaijan demonstrates through concrete steps that it prioritizes regional integration, the opening of transport and communication routes, and economic cooperation rather than revanchism. The peace document initialed after the Washington Declaration also creates a basis for expanding new logistical opportunities in the region. The Zangezur Corridor, the Middle Corridor, and the EastWest and NorthSouth transport routes, through Azerbaijans initiative and active participation, are becoming an important link in the global trade chain. Azerbaijan is no longer only an energy exporter but is also strengthening its position as a reliable logistics and transit hub in the Eurasian space. This is of strategic importance not only for the countries of the region but also for European and Asian markets. Azerbaijans role in ensuring Europes energy security, in particular, is undeniable. The Southern Gas Corridor, TANAP, and TAP projects have diversified Europes energy map and reduced the energy dependence of a number of countries. Azerbaijan has proven itself for many years to be a reliable partner in this field. Nevertheless, the European Parliaments regular adoption of biased and one-sided resolutions against our country raises serious questions. This approach not only contradicts Europes real interests but also represents a clear example of political hypocrisy. The global political architecture is currently being reshaped on the basis of new challenges. Changes in the global balance of power and the growing role of regional actors demonstrate the failure of outdated political mechanisms. Under these conditions, attempts by a group of remnants of the old systemforces that have lost their geopolitical influenceto cast a shadow over the peace process in our region are not surprising. The European Parliaments latest resolution is yet another manifestation of the activities of these circles. The adoption of such documents, built on false information and fabricated claims, constitutes a direct blow to the peace process in the South Caucasus and at the same time casts a shadow over AzerbaijanEU relations. In this regard, the statement adopted by the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan in response to the European Parliaments resolution is an expression of our countrys principled position. Azerbaijan will not fall under the influence of any biased political document and will continue to uphold its position as the main initiator and guarantor of peace in the region. Azerbaijan has clearly defined its path, and this path is one of peace, sustainable development, and international cooperation. The South Caucasus is moving toward becoming a space of cooperation rather than confrontation. At the center of this process stands Azerbaijanas a strong state, a reliable partner, and a responsible international actor. The views and opinions expressed by guest columnists in their articles may differ from those of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect its views. 21 December 2025 11:03 (UTC+04:00) Azernews reports that the video was presented with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Defense. The footage highlights operational updates, military exercises, and other defense-related activities carried out during the reporting period, providing a visual overview of the work undertaken by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan has released a summary video reflecting key developments and activities based on the information shared over the past week. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 21 December 2025 12:45 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The 12th meeting of the TurkiyeAzerbaijan Joint Intergovernmental Commission (JIC), dedicated to economic and trade cooperation between Turkiye and Azerbaijan, will be held in Baku on December 2223, 2025, Azernews reports. The meeting will be co-chaired by Turkiyes Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov. During one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, the sides will discuss steps toward achieving the bilateral trade volume target set by the presidents of both countries, as well as issues related to trade facilitation. The program will also include the 2nd TurkiyeAzerbaijan Investment Forum aimed at deepening economic ties and developing joint investment opportunities. The forum will be attended by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Minister of Trade Omer Bolat, Prime Minister Ali Asadov, and Minister of Economy Mikayil Chabbarov. Business representatives from both countries are expected to meet within the framework of MUSIAD. As part of the visit, Cevdet Yilmaz will also meet with the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova. Turkiye is one of Azerbaijans key trade partners. In 2024, Turkiyes exports to Azerbaijan amounted to $3.1 billion, while imports reached $4.8 billion. Turkiyes investments in Azerbaijan are estimated at around $18 billion, while Azerbaijans investments in Turkiye stand at approximately $21 billion. Around 7,000 companies with Turkish partners operate in Azerbaijan, and about 3,100 companies with Azerbaijani partners operate in Turkiye. Turkish construction companies have completed 558 projects in Azerbaijan with a total value of $21.1 billion. The protocol and action plan to be signed at the 12th JIC meeting are expected to define the roadmap for TurkiyeAzerbaijan economic and trade relations across trade, energy, transport, healthcare, education, and culture. The investment forum is also expected to contribute to stronger business interaction and broader regional economic cooperation. 21 December 2025 21:40 (UTC+04:00) The US has seized an oil tanker that had recently left Venezuela, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers coming in or out of Venezuela, Azernews reports. The oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela was seized by US forces on Saturday. It is the second time in less than two weeks that US forces have taken such actions, as US President Donald Trump puts increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Days before, Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country. A first tanker was seized off the coast of the South American country on 10 December by US forces. In a social media post on X, Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary, confirmed that "the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War" stopped the oil tanker last docked in Venezuela. Noem shared a video under her message of a US helicopter dropping personnel onto a vessel named Centuries. According to MarineTraffic, a project that uses publicly available data to track ships around the world, a crude oil tanker sailing under a Panamanian flag and operating under that name was recently tracked near the Venezuelan coast. However, it is not known if the vessel was under US sanctions. US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the boarding of the vessel was "consented," as the tanker stopped voluntarily and allowed US forces to board. 21 December 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to holding talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Kremlin has said. Azernews reports that the statement was made by Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian President. According to him, any potential dialogue should aim at a mutual understanding of each sides positions. Putin is always ready to explain his positions, to have a detailed, sincere and consistent dialogue with his interlocutors, Peskov emphasized. The comments come after French President Emmanuel Macron said on December 19 that resuming dialogue with Vladimir Putin could be beneficial for Europe. Macron made the remarks following an agreement by EU countries to allocate 90 billion in support of Ukraine, noting that European states should, in the coming weeks, explore ways and formats to restore a full-fledged dialogue with Russia. 21 December 2025 15:18 (UTC+04:00) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, Zelensky wrote on his official Telegram channel, Azernews reports. I am grateful to Norway for both putting pressure on Russia and helping with the reconstruction after its attacks. Norway will also help us with energy sustainability. Thank you, Jonas! the Ukrainian leader said. According to Zelensky, the sides also discussed in detail recent diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the RussiaUkraine war. He stressed the importance of continued coordination with European partners following meetings held by the Ukrainian negotiating team in the United States. We are moving quite quickly, and our team in Florida worked with the American side. European representatives were also invited. It is important that these talks are constructive, and much depends on whether Russia really feels the need to end the war, Zelensky noted. At the same time, he pointed out that the signals coming from Russia remain negative, adding that attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure continue. 21 December 2025 19:24 (UTC+04:00) Tech mogul and billionaire Elon Musk agreed with United States Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's view that the "deep state" is seeking to sabotage efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Azernews reports. In a post on her X page, Gabbard wrote that the "deep state warmongers and their Propaganda Media" are falsely claiming the US intelligence community agrees with the European Union and NATO's assessment "that Russia's aim is to invade/conquer Europe." Gabbard denied such conclusions, stressing that the US intelligence "assesses that Russia does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine." Musk had previously called for the abolition of the EU and also expressed doubt about the US participation in NATO. Toyota has announced a safety recall for around 55,000 hybrid models, including certain 2025-2026 Camrys and 2026 Corolla Cross Hybridsthe current Camry generation is powered exclusively by a hybrid powertrain. A loss of motive power and even a fire are the potential problems owners could encounter, due to a bolt inside the inverter in the hybrid powertrain becoming loose. This is the first recall for the 2026 Corolla Cross and the second one for the 2026 Camry. Possible Power Loss At High Speeds 2025 Toyota Camry (Toyota) View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Detailed information isnt available yet, as the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet published a recall for these vehicles. That should happen soon, but Toyota has confirmed that the loss of motive power could occur at high speed, an especially risky time for a vehicle to lose power. The fire risk is the other major potential risk if the issue isnt remedied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toyota says that customers are expected to be notified by mid-February 2026 when information about a repair remedy is available. Whatever the solution, the fix will be covered free of charge. Its not known yet if any actual fires, crashes, or injuries have occurred as a result of the loose inverter bolt. 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross HybridToyota (Toyota) Toyota sells a great deal of hybrids. Across the first three quarters of this year, 24,594 Corolla Cross Hybrids were sold in the United States, along with a whopping 234,369 Camrys. These two cars dont share exactly the same hybrid powertrainsthe Camrys 2.5L four-cylinder hybrid makes up to 232 horsepower, while the Corolla Crosss 2.0L four-cylinder hybrid gets 196 hp. While the 2026 Corolla Cross hasnt been recalled until now, the 2026 Camry was part of an earlier Toyota recall this year for a faulty rearview camera image. Related: Toyota Recalls More Than A Million Cars For A Safety Defect Not Toyotas Biggest Powertrain Recall This Year 2022 Toyota Tundra V6Toyota (Toyota) Toyota has had to deal with another powertrain-related recall this year. The non-hybrid V6 turbocharged engine in the Tundra, Lexus LX, and Lexus GX has experienced issues like rough running, a loss of motive power, and engine knocking. Models with this engine have been implicated in more than one recall, including one last month that affected another 127,000 units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toyota says machining debris left in the engine following the production process is to blame for the ongoing V6 nightmare, which has been so bad that the company has had to replace the engines in thousands of models. Toyota will be hoping that the Camry and Corolla Cross Hybrid recall is resolved more quicklyand at a lower cost to the company. Related: Engine Teardown Exposes What's Really Wrong With Toyota's Problematic V6 This story was originally published by Autoblog on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Advertisement Advertisement 21 December 2025 18:56 (UTC+04:00) EU leaders had long debated providing cash-strapped Kiev a so-called reparations loan backed by Russian Central Bank assets immobilized in the West, most of which are held in Europe, Azernews reports via The Economist. However, bloc members failed to reach agreement for the plan on Friday, instead opting to raise common debt to fund Ukraine to the tune of 90 billion over the next two years which is expected to cost EU taxpayers 3 billion a year starting in 2028. The EUs failure to pull off the reparations loan after endless talks will be taken in Washington as extra evidence that the bloc is an impotent force whose discordant views can safely be ignored, the Economist wrote. US President Donald Trump has expressed similar views in the past, telling Politico last week that they are weak and a decaying group of nations unable to control migration. According to Politico, the Trump administration recently went over Brussels head to backchannel with some member nations, leading to Italy, Bulgaria, Malta, and the Czech Republic standing against the EU asset grab scheme at Fridays summit. Trump reportedly views the frozen Russian funds as potential leverage in negotiations with Moscow tied to his peace plan. According to an early draft seen by the media, one clause in the plan proposes that the assets be unfrozen and invested in US-led reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, as well as joint projects with Russia, with Washington taking 50% of the profits. Moscow has repeatedly warned that it would regard any attempt to seize its funds as outright robbery. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Brussels would ultimately be made to return any funds it steals. No matter what they steal, sooner or later they will have to give it back, he said in his year-end conference on Friday, warning of legal retribution and reputational damage for Western financial institutions. 21 December 2025 19:56 (UTC+04:00) Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday that the Israeli government approved 19 new settlements in the West Bank, Azernews reports. He added that Israel authorized the construction of 69 new settlements in three years, calling it an "unprecedented record." "The people of Israel are returning to their land, building it and strengthening their hold on it. This is simple, correct and moral Zionism. We are stopping the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state in the field," Smotrich said on social media, insisting that Israel will continue to expand its settlements, which are illegal under international law. 21 December 2025 22:22 (UTC+04:00) Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening trade, communication, and bilateral relations, emphasizing their readiness to continue close cooperation to ensure regional peace, stability, and development. According to the press service of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, the ministers reviewed issues of bilateral cooperation across various sectors and exchanged views on regional developments. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! Claire Byrne on leaving RTE: It felt like the organisation was wagging its finger at me, saying youve been a bad person - you need to have a pay cap to stop your gallop Belfast man given probation order after attempting to meet who he thought was a teenage boy The Newry Road crossroads at Longstone Hill and Barnmeen Road outside Rathfriland. Patrick Joseph Brady passed away at the scene of the Newry Road crossroads at Longstone Hill and Barnmeen Road outside Rathfriland. A pensioner has died following a serious crash outside Rathfriland, police have confirmed. The PSNI said 93-year-old Patrick Joseph Brady also known as Patsy passed away at the scene of the crash on the Newry Road. They said the incident happened at around 10.45pm and involved a silver Toyota Avensis and a pedestrian. PSNI Chief Inspector Simpson of the Police Service of Northern Irelands Collision Investigation Unit said: Our officers attended alongside emergency service partners, however the pedestrian was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene. He was 93-year-old Patrick Joseph Brady (Patsy), from the Barnmeen area. 93-year-old Patrick Joseph Brady (Patsy), from the Barnmeen area. At this time, we dont believe that the driver of the Toyota has sustained serious injury. The Newry Road was closed overnight but has since re-opened. Our enquiries are continuing, and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have digital footage which could assist with our investigation, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 1587 20/12/25. It comes after the Ormeau Road in Belfast was closed for over three hours at Stranmillis Embankment on Saturday evening. The Ormeau Road is closed at its junction with the Stranmillis Embankment It was then reopened shortly before 10pm, with the incident not believed to be as serious as first feared. Patrick Joseph Brady passed away at the scene of the Newry Road crossroads at Longstone Hill and Barnmeen Road outside Rathfriland. Half crowns, oranges, and togetherness: How Belfasts elderly remember Christmas It is anticipated that police, who attended the scene, will release a statement in due course. Tyrone girl Clodagh Rafferty shopping for Christmas gifts in Belfast for her sister and boyfriend. City and town centres across Northern Ireland saw one of their busiest shopping days of the year today as people tried to complete Christmas purchases in the final days before December 25. The Saturday before Christmas is traditionally one of the most important trading periods of the year for businesses, with many customers leaving purchases until late December. Among those out shopping in a particularly busy Belfast city centre was Jemma Knox, pictured with her children Elliot, eight, Constance, three, and Austin, eight months, as they bought Christmas gifts in Belfast before heading on to W5. Elsewhere in the city centre, Kayden Gallagher from Mayo was seen carrying a life-size Santa through the streets while shopping with his grandmother Collette Hyland and her partner Ray Noble. Elves, Jemma Knox with her children Elliot 8, Constance 3 and Austin 8 months out shopping for Christmas gifts in Belfast before heading to W5. Kayden Gallagher from Mayo carrying a life-size Santa through Belfast with his grandmother Collette Hyland and her partner Ray Noble, while on a shopping trip to Belfast. Christmas shoppers in Belfast. Parents and families were a common sight, including Kieran Barrett, who was shopping with his son Miles for gifts for grandparents and cousins. Groups of friends were also among the crowds, with Vera Hooks pictured alongside her daughter Sarah Hooks, Natalia Whitla with her mother Beverly Whitla, Kirsty Spiers and Catherine Peszel during a Christmas day out in the city. Vera Hooks, with her daughter Sarah Hooks, Natalia Whitla with her mummy Beverly Whitla, Kirsty Spiers and Catherine Peszel on a Christmas girls day out in Belfast. Tyrone girl Clodagh Rafferty shopping for Christmas gifts in Belfast for her sister and boyfriend. Taylor Kirkpatrick and Anna ONeill, who travelled from Kilrea, were among those picking up secret Santa presents, while Tyrone woman Clodagh Rafferty was shopping for gifts for her sister and boyfriend. Kevin Lonican, from Westmeath, was also among those visiting Belfast to complete Christmas shopping. Christmas shoppers in Belfast. West Meath man Kevin Lonican shopping for Christmas gifts in Belfast. Busy scenes were reported along Donegall Place, Royal Avenue and in major shopping centres like CastleCourt and Victoria Square, where queues formed at tills throughout the day. Supermarkets also experienced increased demand as shoppers finalised food purchases for Christmas meals and family gatherings. Public transport services into the city were heavily used, with buses and trains carrying shoppers from across Northern Ireland and beyond. Car parks in and around the city centre reached capacity at various points, while traffic was slow on several routes during peak periods. Christmas shoppers in Belfast. Belfast History Explained: Who was Mary Ann McCracken? Retailers expect footfall to remain high in the coming days as shoppers continue to make last-minute purchases ahead of Christmas. The PSNI have said the public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area Police at the scene of an incident in north Belfast Police are treating shots fired at a home in north Belfast as linked to a number of other shooting incidents in recent days in the area. The latest shooting saw a house targeted in the Ainsworth Street area of the city at around 7.45pm on Saturday. The PSNI said young children were in the property at the time when shots were fired through the front window. As part of their response to the shootings, the PSNI have also confirmed they plan to step up patrols in the local area over the next number of days. It marks the second night in a row of shootings in that part of the city after loyalist paramilitaries were blamed for an attack on a home on Woodvale Avenue late on Friday night. In that shooting incident, people were also inside the property but escaped injury after four shots were fired at the house. DUP MLA Brian Kingston slammed those responsible as utterly irresponsible and reckless and said the local community has been left deeply upset as a result of a number of incidents. I appeal for no further such attacks which are causing fear and putting residents at risk, he added. He also encouraged local residents to assist the PSNIs investigation into the incidents and said he hopes arrests will follow soon and that any firearms used are seized. Also condemning the latest shooting, local TUV councillor and the partys deputy leader Ron McDowell said: This is the second attack in a number of days and it must be unequivocally condemned by everyone. There should be no place in our community for those who have the means and intent to bring guns onto our streets. I grew up in the area and my parents still live on Ainsworth Street. But for the grace of God, we could be mourning the death of a child this morning. The police must be allowed the space to do their job, and I would appeal for full cooperation from the public. PSNI Detective Inspector McAnee said: "We received a report that a number of shots were fired at a residential property in the Ainsworth Street area at around 7:45pm. Shots fired through the front window of a property on Ainsworth Street. 21st December 2025 (Belfast Telegraph) "The shots were fired through a window at the front of the property. Damage was caused but thankfully those present in the property at the time, including young children, werent injured. "This is the second night in a row that shots have been fired at an occupied residential property in the area. We are currently treating these incidents as linked and detectives are actively pursuing a number of lines of enquiry. Those responsible have demonstrated an astonishing level of recklessness and a complete disregard for human life, it is only by sheer luck that no one was injured or killed. Police on Ainsworth Street were shots were fired through the front window of a property. 21st December 2025 (Belfast Telegraph) "We are treating these incidents with the utmost seriousness and the public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area over the coming days as enquiries continue. "We are asking anyone who may have information, or relevant dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with our enquiries, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 1318 19/12/25." Belfast pizza parlour pervert keeps job despite sex attack on teen staff member Manager forcibly kissed trainee after offering to become her sugar daddy Daniel Murray Jnr outside court at an earlier hearing John Toner Sun 21 Dec 2025 at 08:00 A pizza parlour manager has kept his job despite being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage staff member and offering to be her sugar daddy while throwing a 10 note at her. Tesla FSD vs Waymo It was as big as it gets for me in terms of sporting icons: Jamie Dornan more starstruck by Irish rugby heroes than Hollywood A-listers If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. After a law was passed in preventing rent control in 1994, there have been no protections against rent hikes in Massachusetts. This has resulted in tenants having to leave apartments they've stayed in for decades, but lawmakers say there might be a change coming. Fortis acquires People Tree Hospital in Bengaluru for Rs 430 Cr December 21, 2025 | Sunday | News Deal complements Fortis' cluster focused growth strategy in Bengaluru image credit- freepik Fortis Healthcare Limited (FHL) has announced signing of definitive agreements for the acquisition of the 125-bedded People Tree Hospital in Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru (PTHY) by way of a 100% acquisition of TMI Healthcare Private Limited, the entity under which the PTHY business operations reside. The said acquisition would be undertaken by FHLs wholly-owned subsidiary International Hospital Limited (IHL). As part of the composite transaction, along with the acquisition of TMI Healthcare, IHL would also acquire the hospital building and the underlying land of PTHY from the promoters of TMI Healthcare and an adjacent land parcel from an independent third party; for a cumulative transaction value of Rs 430 crore (including debt residing with TMI Healthcare). The transaction shall be subject to customary closing adjustments as agreed in the definitive agreements. The acquisition of the adjacent land parcel of ~0.8 acres provides the company a potential to expand bed capacity to 300+ beds. An additional investment of Rs 410 crore is planned over the next 3 years in the facility to further augment bed infrastructure, medical equipment and clinical programmes including Radiation Oncology. Basis the current hospital revenues of approx. Rs 74 crore (FY 25), the company believes it has an opportunity to strengthen existing operations; enhance revenues and profitability and simultaneously progress with the planned investment. The transaction is expected to be consummated by end of January 2026, subject to the completion of certain conditions precedent as stipulated in the definitive agreements. PM Modi launches Ayush Mark, setting global quality benchmarks for Indias traditional medicine December 19, 2025 | Friday | News To accelerate Indias leadership in the global traditional medicine market image credit- pib In a historic and visionary move that marks a defining moment for Indias traditional medicine ecosystem, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi launched the Ayush Mark in New Delhi, establishing a globally aligned quality certification framework for Ayush products and services. The launch, held on the national stage, reinforces Indias resolve to position its ancient systems of medicineAyurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathyas trusted, science-backed, and internationally credible healthcare solutions. Industry leaders across the country hailed the Ayush Mark as a transformational reform that will reshape the future of the Ayush sector, strengthen global trust, and unlock new export opportunities. The Ayush Mark has been conceptualised as a gold standard of quality, safety, and compliance, aligned with global regulatory benchmarks and WHO-recommended practices. With two levels of certification, the Ayush Standard Mark for domestic assurance and the Ayush Premium Mark for international markets, the initiative addresses long-standing challenges of quality perception, regulatory acceptance, and consumer confidence. Experts believe this move will significantly accelerate Indias leadership in the global traditional medicine market, where demand for certified, natural, and holistic healthcare solutions is rising sharply. From the governments perspective, the Ayush Mark is being viewed as a strategic instrument to enhance Indias global credibility. Officials from the Ministry noted that the Ayush Mark complements several other reforms, including digital certification platforms, international cooperation agreements, and research-driven validation of traditional therapies. Together, these initiatives are expected to drive export growth, create employment, and strengthen Indias soft power in global healthcare diplomacy. Industry analysts believe the launch of the Ayush Mark comes at a critical juncture, as global consumers increasingly seek natural, preventive, and holistic healthcare options backed by scientific validation. With structured quality certification now in place, Indian Ayush products are expected to gain smoother regulatory access and stronger market acceptance in regions such as Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. A man who died after his car went off the road and into a river in Co Cork as he made his way home from work in heavy rain on Friday had become a second-time father just four months ago. Joice Thomas (34) from Kambammettu, Kerala in India, lived in Ballynoe in Co Cork with his wife Ruby Kuriakose, their two-year-old daughter and infant son. The family moved to Ireland last year. Ms Kuriakose is employed as a nurse. Mr Thomas died when his car went in to the water close to the Conna Road R628. It is understood he was on his way home from work at a nursing home in Leamlara, Co Cork when the incident occurred some time after 10pm on Friday. His worried loved ones and friends had shared social media posts in a bid to obtain information as to his whereabouts. Advertisement A member of the public raised the alarm shortly before 10am on Saturday when they spotted a car in the River Bride near the Conna Road in Co Cork. Gardai and the emergency services attended at the scene. Mr Thomas was the sole occupant of the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Friends of the deceased have set up a GoFundMe page to assist his widow Ruby and their young children as well as to pay for the repatriation of the body back to India for burial. Over 6,000 was raised within three hours of the page being posted online. The GoFundMe page states that Mr Thomas began work as a kitchen assistant at Ballincurrig Care Centre in Leamlara, Co Cork, just two months ago. Tragically, on the night of 19/12/2025, while returning home from work during heavy rainfall, Joice met with a fatal accident. The car he was driving skidded off the road, entered a river, and became submerged in the water. "When he did not reach home, his friends immediately alerted the authorities. The gardai, along with friends and local volunteers, initiated an extensive search operation. "After nearly 14 hours of searching, on 20/12/2025, his car was located in the river with the support of the local community. Sadly, Joice passed away in this tragic incident, leaving behind his grieving wife, young children, family, and friends who are devastated by this sudden and heartbreaking loss. "We are initiating this fundraising campaign to support Joices family during this extremely difficult time. The funds raised will help cover the repatriation of his body, funeral expenses, and provide financial support for the future and well-being of his children. Advertisement "As we know, kindness goes a long way. We humbly request your generous support and prayers for the family during this time of profound sorrow. Meanwhile, Conna Community Council posted a statement on social media offering their condolences to the family of the deceased on behalf of the local community. We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of a local man following a car accident. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with his family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. Ballynoe Community Facebook page also extended its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mr Thomas whilst appealing to witnesses to the accident to come forward. The body of the deceased was transferred to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem examination. A technical examination was carried out at the scene by Garda Forensic Collision investigators. Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any road users, who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were traveling on the Conna Road R628 between 10pm on Friday and 10am on Saturday are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station on 025 82100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Donations can be made to the GoFundMe page here. A Longford pharmacist and business owner, who allowed an unsupervised student pharmacist to dispense prescription-only medicines to customers, has been suspended from practising for a period of two months. The sanction followed three findings of professional misconduct and poor professional performance made by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland against Gareth Johnston, a qualified pharmacist from Lanesboro, Co Longford, and owner of a chain of three pharmacies in Longford and Galway. An inquiry by the PSIs Professional Conduct Committee also found that Mr Johnstons actions constituted breaches of the Code of Conduct for Pharmacists as well as contraventions of the Pharmacy Act 2007. Mr Johnston was accused of allowing prescription-only and pharmacy-only medications to be given out to customers at Johnstons Pharmacy in Lanesboro, Co Longford on April 7th, 2021, without them being personally supervised by a registered pharmacist. Advertisement On the same date, it was also claimed that he had failed to keep an accurate, ongoing, contemporaneous and retrievable record of pharmacists on duty at the outlet, contrary to the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Business Regulations. Mr Johnston also faced similar allegations in relation to the record of any pharmacist on duty in relation to the Allcare Pharmacy, Barrack Street, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, and Johnstons Allcare Pharmacy, Teffia Park, Longford Town, on May 13th-14th, 2021. At the outset of the inquiry, counsel for Mr Johnston, Conor Cahill BL, made admissions to the fact of the allegations on behalf of his client and accepted they amounted to both professional misconduct and poor professional performance. The inquiry arose following an anonymous complaint to the PSI that a pharmacy student was being left alone at the pharmacy in Lanesboro to dispense prescription medications to customers. An authorised officer of the PSI, Shane McGlynn, subsequently visited the pharmacy on April 7th, 2021, to make a test purchase at 12:53pm. The sale of the pharmacy-only medication, Motilium, was facilitated by a pharmacy intern and an over-the-counter assistant. The pharmacy student confirmed to Mr McGlynn that he had been working on his own in the pharmacy since 9:30am that morning, during which time he had sold 21 items of medication. Mr Johnston subsequently told the PSI official that he had been in his Lanesboro pharmacy when he had been called away to provide cover in another branch because of an urgent medical matter. The inquiry heard that Mr McGlynn also examined the pharmacys duty register, which indicated a large number of gaps in the record of professional cover between January and April 2021. Advertisement Counsel for the PSI Registrar, Caoimhe Daly BL, said this had raised concerns as to who was working in which pharmacy on a given date. She told the inquiry that it had resulted in further investigations into the duty registers in other pharmacies owned by Mr Johnston. Ms Daly said there were approximately 57 dates for which there were no entries in the records. She said the investigation ultimately found that there were at least three dates in both the Lanesboro and Castlerea pharmacies where there was no record of a registered pharmacist at the premises and at least two dates in relation to the outlet in Teffia Park, Longford Town. The inquiry heard that there had been a related criminal prosecution at District Court level over the sale and supply of medicinal products in the absence of a registered pharmacist. Ms Daly said seven convictions had been secured with fines of 3,500 imposed as well as an award of costs to the PSI of 4,920. Mr Cahill told the inquiry that significant measures had been introduced following the PSI inspections of Mr Johnstons pharmacies. He pointed out that Mr Johnston had produced work rotas in significant advance of the actual dates and had assumed that the trainee pharmacist in the Lanesboro outlet would have been fully registered by the date on which it was subject to the PSI inspection. On sanction, Ms Daly said the PSI Registrar believed a suspension period of two to three months was appropriate. She told the three-person inquiry committee that it was a serious matter and it was important from a public safety perspective to know who was in charge of a pharmacy. Advertisement She pointed out it was a systematic issue that did not relate to just one pharmacy on an isolated day. Ms Daly argued a short period of suspension was necessary to mark the seriousness of Mr Johnstons conduct as well as a period of conditional registration thereafter to assist the pharmacist in returning to as safe practice and to protect public safety. However, Mr Cahill claimed the sanction recommended by Ms Daly was disproportionate in severity and would be penal. He reminded the inquiry that Mr Johnston had consented to censure, together with a regime of audits across his five pharmacies. Mr Cahill said his client fully accepted he had made a serious error and misjudgement in opening the pharmacy on the day in question but that he had taken steps to contact customers afterwards. The inquiry heard that the pharmacist was also very remorseful about the situation in which he had placed his trainee and had also accepted that the maintenance of his duty registers was shambolic in certain respects. Pleading for leniency, Mr Cahill claimed there would be serious consequences for Mr Johnston and his pharmacies if he was suspended as well as the damage to his professional and personal reputation in addition to significant financial implications. The PSI Council, on foot of a report by the inquiry committee, directed that the pharmacist should be suspended for two months with effect from December 16th, 2025. It ordered that Mr Johnston should not act as either a supervising or superintendent pharmacist at any outlet and to appoint others in those roles for the period of suspension. Advertisement Mr Johnston was also directed to engage an independent expert pharmacist to conduct an audit every six months of each pharmacy within his group for a period of 18 months. The inquiry chairperson, Dermott Jewell, said Mr Johnston had shown a blatant disregard for some of his clear obligations and responsibilities. Mr Jewell said the committee decided that a period of suspension was necessary to maintain public confidence in the profession. The PSI also censured the company which operates Johnstons Pharmacy in Lanesboro in a separate but related finding. Earlier this summer, Mr Johnston closed two outlets the pharmacy in Castlerea as well as another on New Street, Longford Town. A White House envoy said he held productive and constructive talks in Florida with Ukrainian and European representatives to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. Posting on social media on Sunday, Steve Witkoff said the talks aimed at aligning on a shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the US and Europe. Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraines recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity, US President Donald Trumps envoy said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses a media conference during a EU Summit in Brussels (Omar Havana/AP) Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future. The talks are part of the Trump administrations months-long push for peace. Advertisement Mr Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently signalled he is digging in on his maximalist demands on Ukraine, as Moscows troops inch forward on the battlefield despite huge losses. Mr Witkoffs assessment comes as negotiations have been proceeding with Russia as well. A Kremlin envoy said on Saturday that the talks were pressing on constructively in Florida. They (the talks) began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow, Kirill Dmitriev told reporters in Miami on Saturday. There were no immediate updates on the talks with Russia on Sunday. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council summit in St. Petersburg, Russia (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Mr Dmitriev met with Mr Witkoff and Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Russian state news agency Ria Novosti reported. For Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram Sunday that diplomatic efforts were moving forward quite quickly, and our team in Florida has been working with the American side. The Kremlin denied on Sunday that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US were under discussion, after Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that Washington had proposed the idea of three-way discussions. At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge it is not being prepared, Mr Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said, according to Russian state news agencies. Advertisement In Ukraine, the countrys human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets on Sunday accused Russian forces of forcibly removing about 50 Ukrainian civilians from the Ukrainian Sumy border region to Russian territory. Writing on Telegram, he said that Russian forces illegally detained the residents in the village of Hrabovske on Thursday, before moving them to Russia on Saturday. Mr Lubinets said he contacted Russias human rights commissioner, requesting information on the civilians whereabouts and conditions, and demanding their immediate return to Ukraine. The French presidency on Sunday welcomed Mr Putins willingness to speak with President Emmanuel Macron, saying it would decide how to proceed in the coming days. As soon as the prospect of a ceasefire and peace negotiations becomes clearer, it becomes useful again to speak with Putin, Mr Macrons office said in a statement. It is welcome that the Kremlin publicly agrees to this approach. The statement came after reports that Mr Putin was open to holding talks with the French president if there was mutual political will. European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide 90 billion euros (78 billion) to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, although they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. Instead, they were borrowed from capital markets. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed by an angry crowd gathered at the famous Bondi Beach on Sunday to honour the victims of a gun attack a week earlier that targeted a seaside Jewish Hanukkah festival event. The nation marked a day of reflection on Sunday to honour the 15 people killed and the dozens wounded in the attack by two gunmen. With security tight and flags at half-staff on government buildings, a minute of silence was held at 6:47pm (7:47am Irish time), the time the attack began. Television and radio networks paused for a minutes silence. Tens of thousands, including Albanese and other leaders, attended the memorial that was guarded by a heavy police presence, including snipers on rooftops and police boats in the waters. Albanese was booed by the crowd on arrival, and later when the speaker mentioned his name during the memorial. He sat on the front row wearing a kippah, the traditional Jewish cap. Advertisement Albanese, under pressure from critics who say his centre-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since the start of the war in Gaza, was not scheduled to speak at the event. The government has said it has consistently denounced antisemitism over the last two years and passed legislation to criminalise hate speech. It expelled the Iranian ambassador earlier this year after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks. "We have lost our innocence....last week took our innocence," David Ossip, the president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies said in a speech to start the proceedings at Bondi. "Like the grass here at Bondi was stained with blood, so, too, has our nation been stained. We have landed up in a dark place. But friends, Hanukkah teaches us that light can illuminate even the bleakest of places. "A single act of courage, a single flame of hope, can give us direction and point the path forward." Also present at the memorial was the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed as the 'Bondi Hero' for wrestling a gun from one of the attackers. Authorities invited Australians to light a candle at home on Sunday night, the start of the eighth and final day of the Jewish festival of lights. Speaking at the memorial, 14-year-old surivior Chaya Dadon said: "We are getting stronger as a nation. We are growing. Sometimes growing hurts....life is going to move on and why not make the best of it." Advertisement Reclaiming Bondi New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who was cheered and praised at the memorial, said the attack was an attempt to marginalise, scatter, intimidate and cause fear. "You have reclaimed Bondi Beach for us," he said. Albanese announced a review of the country's law enforcement and intelligence agencies earlier on Sunday. He said the review, to be led by a former chief of Australia's spy agency, would probe whether federal police and intelligence agencies have the "right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe". The attack exposed gaps in gun-license assessments and information-sharing between agencies that policymakers have said they want to plug. Albanese has announced a nationwide gun buyback, while gun safety experts say the nation's gun laws, among the world's toughest, are riddled with loopholes. Authorities are investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism targeting Jews. Patrols and policing across the country have been ramped up to prevent further antisemitic violence. Authorities believe the gunmen were inspired by militant Sunni Muslim group Islamic State. "The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond," Albanese said in a statement, adding that the review would conclude by the end of April. The Bondi Beach attack was the most serious of a string of antisemitic incidents in Australia, which have included attacks on synagogues, buildings and cars, since Israel launched the war in October 2023, in response to an attack by Hamas. Albanese condemned anti-immigration rallies being held in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday. Only about 200 people were at the Sydney rally. Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was also shot by police and emerged from a coma on Tuesday, has been charged with 59 offences, including murder and terrorism, according to police. He remains in custody in hospital. US forces on Saturday stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The pre-dawn operation comes days after Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of the South American country and follows the December 10 seizure by American forces of an oil tanker off Venezuelas coast. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the US coastguard with help from the defence department stopped the oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund pic.twitter.com/nSZ4mi6axc Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) December 20, 2025 She also posted on social media an unclassified video of a US helicopter landing personnel on a vessel called Centuries. A crude oil tanker flying under the flag of Panama operates under the name and was recently spotted near the Venezuelan coast, according to MarineTraffic, a project that tracks the movement of vessels around the globe using publicly available data. Advertisement It was not immediately clear if the vessel was under US sanctions. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region, Ms Noem wrote on X. We will find you, and we will stop you. The action was a consented boarding, with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing US forces to board it, according to a US official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The reasoning for the seizure of the Centuries is far less clear than it was with the first tanker, the Skipper, which was known to be part of a shadow fleet of tankers that operates on the fringes of the law to move sanctioned cargo and was not even flying a nations flag when it was seized by the US Coast Guard. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly claimed in an online post on Saturday that the Centuries was a similarly falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil and that the oil it was carrying was sanctioned. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (Ariana Cubillos/AP) However, Dr Salvatore Mercogliano, a maritime historian and merchant shipping expert at Campbell University, said that according to several shipping industry databases, the Centuries appeared to be operating legally. Everything indicates that she is a properly registered vessel, Dr Mercogliano said, though he did note that it is almost certain that the Centuries took on a load of sanctioned oil. Advertisement To Dr Mercogliano, even despite the fact that the Centuries was carrying oil that was subject to sanctions, the seizure is a big escalation. This one is meant to scare other tankers away, he added. Venezuelas government in a statement on Saturday characterised the US forces actions as criminal and vowed to not let them go unpunished by pursuing various legal avenues, including by filing complaints with the United Nations Security Council. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically denounces and rejects the theft and hijacking of another private vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, as well as the enforced disappearance of its crew, perpetrated by United States military personnel in international waters, the statement said. Following the first tanker seizure, of a vessel named the Skipper, Mr Trump vowed that the US would carry out a blockade of Venezuela. It all comes as Mr Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric towards Mr Maduro and warned that the long-time Venezuelan leaders days in power are numbered. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Save this video for later Add videos to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it PM returns to Bondi amid investigation pledge Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned to Bondi for the first time since Monday, as he announced a review into multiple agencies after the terror attack. Advertisement Exclusive NationalVictoriaFood Restaurant empires debts to super fund blow out as celebrity chef eyes new backer Sarah Danckert December 21, 2025 3:57pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share A A A Debts owed by Melbourne chef Scott Picketts restaurant empire to a collapsed superannuation fund have blown out to more than $18 million, as he readies to bring in a new backer for four venues. A fuller picture of the borrowings from the First Guardian superannuation fund by Picketts Rogue Traders business has emerged ahead of a key meeting this week, when more details of the mystery partner could be revealed. Hotshot chef Scott Pickett is working to bring in a new financial backer to four of his restaurants following the collapse of a superannuation fund. Scott Pickett Group Pickett appointed administrators to Rogue Traders in late September to assist with restructuring the business, which is majority owned by the now-collapsed First Guardian superannuation fund. Rogue Traders owns four of Picketts noted restaurants Matilda 159, Smith St Bistrot, Longrain and Chancery Lane. All the venues are open for trade and remain hugely popular. Advertisement Advertisement It was previously thought that Picketts business had only borrowed $12 million from the fund. Most of the money has never been repaid after First Guardians manager and Anderson waived the payments. Anderson, who has denied any wrongdoing and has long claimed ASIC does not understand his business model, resigned as a director of Rogue Traders in February this year. Celebrity chef Scott Pickett (second from left) has regularly appeared on TV cooking shows including MasterChef. Channel 10 A new report from liquidators to the First Guardian Master Fund released this month reveals Rogue Traders appears to have received $17.63 million from the fund to acquire real estate and to build Picketts restaurant group. The tracing shows the money was received between June 2020 and August 2024. Another Pickett business, a catering enterprise, borrowed $530,000 from the fund, according to the report. Advertisement Pickett went on a buying spree during 2020 and 2021, while most of Melbournes restaurateurs struggled with COVID-19 restrictions including rolling lockdowns. Related Article Exclusive Investigations The quiet partnership behind a $1 billion superannuation collapse In mid-2020, Pickett picked up the shuttered Longrain and its upstairs bar, Longsong, as well as the site off Little Collins Street that he opened later that year as Chancery Lane, a plush bistro fitted out with green marble, chandeliers and stone archways. In 2021, he opened several venues at The Continental Sorrento, including fine-diner Audreys. In February 2022, he unveiled Smith St Bistrot, featuring red leather booths, marble-topped tables and a mezzanine reached via wrought-iron spiral stairs. According to the liquidators to the First Guardian fund, some of the money advanced to Rogue Traders was also used to help buy two properties an apartment in Fitzroy and the Little Collins Street venue for Chancery Lane. Advertisement Both of those properties are in the process of being sold by receivers appointed by Commonwealth Bank, which had loaned Rogue Traders $10 million before its collapse. Pickett has been left scrambling for a new business partner after First Guardian collapsed, but has continued to trade his popular eateries. A spokesperson for the noted chef confirmed the business would soon announce a new partner. We continue to work with a potential strategic partner with the goal of ensuring the long-term future of our business, the spokesperson said. Whilst this process continues, our restaurants remain full, all bookings have been fulfilled, all gift vouchers have been honoured and we continue to plan events with our customers on their needs for 2026 and beyond. Our key priorities are to our loyal customers, our staff and our suppliers. All restaurants continue to trade, all staff entitlements are up to date, and we remain an integral part of Melbournes vibrant and exciting dining scene. Advertisement Rogue Traders new partner will act more like a backer than a co-owner or manager of the business, according to a source familiar with the discussions not permitted to speak publicly. Whilst this process continues, our restaurants remain full, all bookings have been fulfilled, all gift vouchers have been honoured and we continue to plan events with our customers on their needs for 2026 and beyond. Spokesperson for Scott Picketts Rogue Traders Group The new partner will also have capacity to assist Rogue Traders in its financial management and also participate in new ventures by Pickett in the future. Administrators to Rogue Traders said in a new report in December that the funding arrangement for Picketts business that was being brokered would not clear out CBAs debt, which is around $12 million, and there would be little left for other creditors including First Guardian. Administrators have previously revealed that the Pickett venues owned by Rogue Traders owed large sums of cash to their parent entity and the books had not been properly done since 2022. Advertisement At the time of the administration, Matilda in Domain Road, South Yarra, owed Rogue Traders $5.6 million, and Chancery Lane in the CBD owed $5.8 million. Collingwood fine-diner Smith St Bistrot was due to pay $3.7 million, while hotspot Longrain owes $2.1 million, and his food preparation business owes a further $1.8 million. Smith St Bistrot in Collingwood is one of Picketts popular eateries owned by his Rogue Traders Group. Alex Squadrito Despite First Guardian being owed massive amounts, liquidators to the collapsed superannuation fund have warned that any recoveries will be minimal. Liquidators to First Guardian revealed in their report that another Pickett business that received money from the fund Pickett Commercial appointed liquidators in November after receiving a statutory demand from the First Guardian fund in September. Advertisement The report noted that liquidators had received no substantive engagement nor payment of accrued but unpaid interest in response to their inquiries. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Ken Foxe The Department of Justice anticipated it would need a 15 million war chest to fight legal challenges next year from failed asylum seekers and those facing deportation. In internal discussions, the International Protection Office (IPO) said exceptionally high levels of litigation could be expected as they dramatically speed up the time it takes to deal with applications for refugee status. The IPO said the higher number of negative decisions and deportations would inevitably lead to a surge in judicial reviews. As part of pre-budget submissions, the office said removing failed asylum seekers from the State more quickly was critical because it would stop people from accumulating more rights. It claimed this would make their deportation easier, reduce accommodation costs, and discourage people from coming to Ireland in the first place. The submission said: The faster that final decisions can be made on an individual international protection application, the easier it is for a removal to take place. Additionally, the perception of lengthy processing times in the system may attract additional applications. The pre-budget papers said the expected increase in refusals would have a domino effect across the entire asylum system, including the appeals body IPAT and in the courts. In an email, Richard Dixon the Chief International Protection Officer told colleagues a failure to adequately fund the asylum system would reduce their ability to manage applications. He said it would lead to increased costs in the delivery of accommodation, social welfare, and other entitlements for asylum seekers. Mr Dixon warned as well of increased risk regarding judicial reviews and other legal costs. His email concluded: Any reduction in capacity runs the risk of reducing public confidence in the integrity of the immigration system. In later correspondence, he issued a stark warning that a reduction in the IPO budget would compromise their ability to make decisions. Mr Dixon wrote: There will be fewer decisions, fewer deportation orders and fewer removals from the state. He warned also of any slowdown in plans for modernising the application system, saying this would increase the cost per processed application. A detailed pre-budget submission said the number of decisions being made had more than doubled over the past three years. It said this required scaling up of all other parts of the asylum system, including deportation operations, appeals, and legal services. The submission explained how a 5.8 million cash boost for the IPO in 2023 to deal with unprecedented demand had not been repeated. These core funds have not been re-instated and should be re-instated as requested for 2025 and 2026, it read. The document explained how the EU Migration Pact would set strict timeframes for dealing with requests, meaning new staff would be needed to clear existing backlogs. The submission warned: Not investing in staff, technology, process and infrastructure has financial and reputational consequences for the state. Asked about the discussions, a Department of Justice spokesman said: It is a priority to have recommendations made on all international protection applications as soon as possible. This gives status to those who are entitled to international protection to rebuild their lives here, while also ensuring faster decision making in respect of those who do not meet the criteria. The spokesman said the EU Migration Pact would be fully implemented next year, with a budget increase of 50 per cent to accelerate processing and 7.5 million for voluntary returns and deportations. He added that substantial increases in pay funding would allow for recruitment of extra staff to help streamline the system. News / National by Staff reporter The Supreme Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling ordering bus supplier Jayesh Shah to compensate former Zupco board chairperson Charles Nherera with US$130,000 for unjustly causing his arrest and detention. The court dismissed Shah's appeal against the High Court's decision, which found him liable for damages.Nherera had initiated legal action against Shah, claiming damages for malicious prosecution and arrest and detention. He argued that Shah falsely accused him of soliciting a bribe in connection with the purchase of buses for Zupco, leading to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment.The High Court ruled in Nherera's favor, finding Shah's actions malicious and awarding damages. However, it reduced the amount of damages, considering Nherera's failure to provide sufficient evidence for the claimed sums.Ultimately, the Supreme Court affirmed the High Court's decision, ordering Shah to pay Nherera US$30,000 for malicious prosecution and US$100,000 for malicious arrest and detention, totaling US$130,000. John and Melissa Goins recently donated two original Francis Patterson paintings of the Etowah Depot to the Etowah Historical Commission (EHC). Jim Caldwell, EHC chair, said, We appreciate John and Melissa for purchasing the paintings at an art auction for the sole purpose of donating them to the Historical Commission. The artist painted the Etowah Depot multiple times. One is held in the Tennessee State Museums Collection, one is in private ownership, and the EHC owns three, including the two donated by the Goins family. The third one, also in the EHC Collection, was donated by a man who found it while tearing down a building in Sweetwater. It needs restoration. Those five are the only ones the EHC is aware of, although there is speculation there might be others. Mr. Caldwell added, We would love to learn more about Francis Patterson. We hope people with knowledge about this unique artist will contact EHC to share what they know about her and her life Martha Francis Patterson was born in 1874 at Sweetwater. Later records show her name as Fannie or Fanny. The 1900 Census shows a young Francis living with her parents in Monroe County. Around 1908 she married Charles Shadden Harris, also a resident of Monroe County. The 1910 Census shows Martha Francis and Charles living in a boarding house on Tennessee Avenue in Etowah, where Charles was working as a liveryman. Ten years later, the census records show the couple living on South Ohio Avenue in Etowah with their son, Minas, who was nine years old. By 1930, Minas had turned 20 years of age and was working as a clerk for the L&N Railroad in Etowah and Charles was the proprietor of a livery stable. Historical records show Minas in later years working for the L&N Railroad in Kentucky. The 1940 Census lists Francis as a widow living at 900 Ohio Ave. and working at a hotel as a chamber maid. She died in Sweetwater on Feb. 19, 1970, and is buried in Greenhill Cemetery in Etowah. Several questions surround Francis Patterson and her paintings. No one seems to know when Francis began to paint, or why she painted the Etowah Depot so many times. The other question concerns her signature on the paintings. They are all signed Francis Patterson, not Francis Harris. Mr. Caldwell said, We are very grateful to John and Melissa Goins for their generous gift to the Depot Museum, as well as their understanding of the need to preserve and honor local artists who lived and created here. Former state Rep. Robin Smith is asking Federal Court to extend the time she is due to report to federal prison while awaiting a decision by Judge Eli Richardson on a request that she avoid any prison time. Attorneys for Ms. Smith said since President Donald Trump pardoned her co-defendants, former House Speaker Glen Casada and his top aide Cade Cothren, she also should be spared any prison time. Nashville prosecutors agreed, filing an earlier recommendation that Ms. Smith not go to prison for her conviction in the fraud case in which she pleaded guilty early and was a star witness for the government. Prosecutors Robert E. McGuire and Taylor Phillips said, "The undersigned has not identified another federal case in which a testifying conspirator reported to prison after an equally culpable conspirator was pardoned. Accordingly, in these narrow circumstances, the government believes that the appropriate sentence for Defendant is one year of probation with no special conditions and no fine." The new filing by attorneys for Ms. Smith "moves this Court to extend her report date to federal prison from the current date of January 5, 2026, by at least thirty (30) days. As support, Ms. Smith states as follows: Following the pardoning of Ms. Smiths co-conspirators by the President, Ms. Smith filed a Motion for Reconsideration on November 19, 2025. (D.E. Nos. 48, 49.) The government filed its response to that motion (D.E. No. 53), and it made an additional filing under seal on December 5, 2025. (D.E. Nos. 53, 57.) "Ms. Smith filed a Reply, noting that in the event this Court had not ruled on these outstanding motions by a date near her current report date, she might seek a formal extension. (D.E. No. 58.) The government did not oppose this request. (Id.) Ms. Smith makes this formal extension request now, based upon the upcoming Christmas and New Years holidays, the fact that this Court has not yet ruled on the outstanding motions, and because this Courts rulings may result in a modification of her sentence, if Ms. Smith is not pardoned beforehand. Ms. Smiths understanding is that the government also does not oppose this formal extension request." Home News SWAT teams carry out mass arrests of Christians in China: report More than 1,000 police, SWAT and paramilitary units carried out a crackdown on Christian churches across at least 12 congregations for days in Yayang Town, Zhejiang province, detaining hundreds, according to a watchdog report. Residents say that officers from several districts in Zhejiang, including Hangzhou and Pingyang, were deployed to Yayang Town, with the first wave of detentions taking place before dawn on Monday, according to the U.S.-based advocacy organization ChinaAid, led by veteran rights activists Bob Fu. Several hundred people were detained within the first two days, and at least four more were taken into custody by Dec. 17, residents said SWAT forces sealed off roads around the church and barred Christians from entering. Items belonging to those targeted were confiscated, and police presence remained heavy throughout the area during the five-day operation. Authorities issued no public statement during or after the arrests. Multiple residents said information about the crackdown was swiftly removed from online platforms and communication was heavily restricted. On the night of Dec. 15, a fireworks display costing over 1 million yuan (about $142,000) was staged in the town square. There was no official celebration on the calendar, and residents said the timing was meant to distract from the raids. The fireworks videos were widely circulated alongside posts from state-linked accounts repeating slogans such as Listen to the Party, follow the Party," according to ChinaAid. When questioned, these accounts described the fireworks as a public celebration of a crackdown on crime. Users claiming to be locals wrote that the fireworks coincided with raids on Christian homes and churches, but their comments were deleted. Two of the individuals named as primary targets were 58-year-old Lin Enzhao and 54-year-old Lin Enci. Both were described as key figures in the local church and were listed on wanted notices as leaders of a criminal organization, with a reward offered for information. The listed offense was picking quarrels and provoking trouble, a common charge used in political cases. No further evidence has been released publicly. Local residents said the men had long been involved in church affairs and were previously targeted for opposing the removal of crosses from church buildings. Officials reportedly labeled them gang-related, but church members viewed them as defenders of religious space. Their resistance to the forced installation of national flags at churches was cited as one source of tension. A previous incident in June reportedly involved the mayor of Yayang leading a group that dismantled church gates and walls to raise the Chinese national flag on the property. Church members said this encroached on religious space and violated their rights. Under the national Five Entries and Five Transformations policy, religious institutions are required to display the Constitution, national laws and party slogans, and to adapt religious practice to political directives. In several areas, these requirements have led to confrontation between local churches and officials. Since 2014, when Zhejiang province launched a campaign to remove crosses from churches, Christian groups in Yayang Town have pushed back against surveillance and demolition. In 2017, clashes broke out after local believers refused to allow the installation of cameras. Multiple injuries were reported. Following the latest operation, a rally was held in Yayang on Dec. 18 titled Elimination of Six Evils. Police vehicles, SWAT units and riot officers were displayed in public to reinforce the anti-crime narrative. Residents claim officers stationed near Christian homes had asked them to accuse the detained leaders of wrongdoing. Posters and statements framed the community as part of a cult or criminal group, ChinaAid noted. The exact number of people formally detained across Yayangs churches remains unknown. Initial counts suggest more than 20 individuals may have been charged. In September, at least 70 Christians were arrested during a separate wave of raids targeting unregistered churches, with accusations ranging from fraud to illegal assembly, according to Open Doors, which monitors anti-Christian activity across the world. Some of those arrested were accused of mishandling church funds, even though no complaints had been filed from within the church. A local contact told the organization that over 80 church groups stopped meeting due to the crackdown, leaving only a small number of congregations active. Home News Travel: Beyond the campus in Lubbock LUBBOCK, Texas In northwest Texas, the geography and climate of the High Plains have always imposed discipline. Early settlement on this flat, dry and exposed tableland known as the Llano Estacado depended on ranching practices that conserved scarce water and crops suited to an unforgiving climate. Lubbock developed within those constraints and continues to reflect them. The clearest articulation of this history is the National Ranching Heritage Center. Covering 27 acres, the center is an open-air museum composed of more than 50 original structures arranged chronologically. Together, the buildings document nearly two centuries of Texas ranching history. Exhibits focus on fencing technology, windmill engineering, herd management and land tenure. The narrative is economic and environmental rather than nostalgic. Cotton once dominated the surrounding landscape. Over time, much of that acreage has given way to viticulture. So much so that Lubbock (population 257,141 souls) can rightfully claim the title of Texass wine capital. The surrounding appellation, the Texas High Plains AVA, produces more than 80% of the grapes used in Texas wine production. Vineyards here sit at approximately 3,000 feet above sea level. The climate, marked by roughly 277 days of sunshine, cool nights and low humidity, is well-suited to grape growing. Riesling, particularly in a dry style, has emerged as one of the regions most reliable white wines. Among reds, growers lean towards tempranillo, mourvedre and sangiovese, though better-known cabernet sauvignon is widely planted. While Texas wine is very much a thing, details do matter. If a label doesnt list the High Plains or the Hill Country another AVA-recognized Texas appellation its worth moving on to something else. Some producers sell American wine, a designation that allows grapes to be sourced from anywhere in the country. Underpinning everything is Texas Tech University. Founded in 1923, the campus is notable for its consistent architectural language, which draws inspiration from the Plateresque Spanish Renaissance style. Pale masonry, tiled roofs and decorative reliefs adapted from 16th-century Spanish precedents give the sprawling campus a coherent identity, loosely referencing the Spanish chapter of Texas history rather than borrowing from Eastern collegiate models. One of Lubbocks most celebrated figures remains Buddy Holly, though his role today is that of a historical figure rather than living memory. Born Charles Hardin Holley in 1936, he grew up in a Baptist household where hymns and gospel music formed an early musical foundation. His success was brief. At 22, Holly was killed in a plane crash alongside two other musicians, an event later memorialized by Don McLean as the day the music died in the song American Pie. Downtown, a former railway depot houses the Buddy Holly Center. The buildings Spanish-influenced architecture echoes that of the Texas Tech campus. Inside are instruments, recordings, and personal artefacts that place Holly within the cultural and religious environment that shaped him. If you go Lubbocks airport is served daily by Southwest, American and United. By car, the drive from Dallas or Oklahoma City takes about five hours; Colorado Springs is roughly seven hours away. English Newsom Cellars and Llano Estacado Winery are among the regions most prominent producers. Both operate tasting rooms a short drive from the city. At English Newsom, try the light-bodied picardan. This little-planted grape was historically a blending grape in the south of France. The National Ranching Heritage Center is open daily, except on holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. The Museum of Texas Tech University is modest in size but notable for its planetarium and collections in anthropology, natural science and art. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Theres no charge to visit. The Buddy Holly Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A modest admission fee is charged. For lodging, consider the Cotton Court Hotel, a boutique-style property under the Valencia brand. The 165-room hotel near the Texas Tech campus sits across the street from the cathedral-like First United Methodist Church and within walking distance of Episcopal, Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ and Roman Catholic churches. For a more typical hotel experience, the Overton Hotel is effectively a local version of a Hilton or Marriott. Dennis Lennox writes a travel columnfor The Christian Post. Home Opinion Top story of 2025: Persecution in Nigeria One of the top Christian worldview stories of 2025 is the ongoing, worsening situation for Christians in the nation of Nigeria. At the end of October, President Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern. He also called on members of Congress to offer recommendations on combating the persecution. This led the State Department to put Nigeria back on a persecution watchlist. Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened Nigerian officials with financial penalties, visa bans, and aid cuts if steps are not taken to curb anti-Christian violence and meet U.S. counter-terrorism standards. All of this, which happened at the end of the worst year on record for Christian persecution, came as an answer to prayers and action. For example, I joined 32 faith leaders earlier this year to sign a letter to the president, which called for the special designation. President Trump even threatened intervention in a post on social media. I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! The question is whether the Nigerian government will now take meaningful steps to rein in the radical Islamic groups responsible for the increasing violence. Since 2014, according to Open Doors USA, Nigeria has been the most dangerous nation in the world to be a Christian, and 2025 has been, by far, the worst year on record. Over 7,000 Nigerian Christians were killed in just the first seven months of 2025, a number twice that reported by Open Doors for 2024, and which accounts for a staggering 80% of faith-related murders. The violence in Nigeria is driven by jihadists from radical Islamic groups Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and, since 2009, militant Fulani herdsmen. Christians have been explicitly targeted with violence, including beheadings and church bombings. Millions have fled sub-Saharan Africa as religious refugees. The violence has led Open Doors to warn of an impending Islamization of the nation. The Nigerian government has blamed the violence on land disputes between herdsmen and farmers. The Biden Administration blamed the land dispute on climate change. These ridiculous explanations ignore the common elements of the conflict, namely that the persecutors are always Muslim, and the victims are always Christian. While Western media has largely ignored one of the most significant human rights crises of our day, other voices have been loud and clear. In a speech before the UN General Assembly on September 23, President Trump said to world leaders, Let us protect religious liberty, including for the most persecuted religion on the planet today its called Christianity. Dr. Anthony Bradley asked in an X post earlier this year, Where is the Free Nigeria Campaign and why are the free Palestine protestors also not passionately protesting Muslims in Nigeria? Even avowed atheist and liberal Bill Maher recently questioned the lack of global interest on his show Real Time: This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country! [The corporate media isnt covering it] because the Jews arent involved. Thats why. Fourteen years ago, in his book The Next Christendom, Phillip Jenkins predicted that the center of global Christianity would move from the West to the global South, particularly Africa and Asia. He specifically identified Nigeria as a likely epicenter of the next Christendom, due to the size of its Christian population. It is not coincidental that Nigeria is now at the epicenter of Muslim resistance and violence. Christians around the world must continue to appeal to Heaven on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Nigeria. We must pray that God would strengthen them, and that the Gospel would go forward, even impacting the hearts of those who are persecuting believers for their faith in Jesus Christ. We must also continue to ask our government leaders to increase the pressure on Nigerian government officials and demand accountability. The excuses and inaction have enabled militants to operate with impunity, and the rest of the world to ignore these atrocities for too long. Originally published at BreakPoint. News / National by Staff reporter The Government has confirmed that farmers who bought land at the advent of independence will not be excluded from the ongoing national title deeds programme, saying the initiative is meant to empower all qualifying farmers without discrimination.The clarification follows complaints by a small-scale farmer from Jena/Gota Farm in Guruve, who said he had sought to benefit from the programme but was told there were no plans to issue title deeds to farmers who purchased land at independence, commonly referred to as Matenganyika farmers. The farmer said he had fulfilled all requirements, including undertaking the costly surveying process and paying for final printing more than five months ago, yet continued to be told that there was no programme to issue title deeds to his category.Several Matenganyika farms across the country include Zviyambe, Chitomborwizi, Chesa, Chitowa, Nyakapupu, Gota, Karuyana, Nyazvidzi, Nyanyadzi, Makoholi, Nyamuzizi and Marirangwe.However, chairperson of the stakeholder subcommittee on land tenure, Mr Happison Muchechetere, dismissed claims of exclusion, saying Matenganyika or self-contained farmers are an integral part of the title deeds programme. He said such settlements, which typically include farmland, homesteads and grazing areas, are treated in the same manner as A1 and A2 farms."They are a central part of this initiative, and the facts are that Matenganyika settlements are treated the same as A1 and A2 farmers. No one is being left behind," said Mr Muchechetere.He explained that the Land Tenure Implementation Committee (LTIC) is responsible for overseeing the issuance of title deeds for all agricultural and urban land, and assured farmers that the programme is inclusive. Mr Muchechetere acknowledged that delays had been experienced in some cases but said these should not be interpreted as exclusion."We would like to assure all concerned farmers that the programme aims to include everyone, and the LTIC is working flat out to rectify issues causing delays. While some title deed processes have been delayed for various reasons, this is not exclusion. The programme is now progressing at full speed after overcoming some initial internal hurdles," he said.Farmers seeking title deeds have been encouraged to visit the Government's one-stop centre for processing. Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka recently said the LTIC had established a one-stop centre at the Makombe Complex to streamline and speed up the process.The centre operates seven workstations covering verification of tenure documents, clearance of land disputes by the Zimbabwe Land Commission, confirmation of survey status by the Surveyor-General, receipting of processing fees and purchase prices, completion of title deed data forms, determination of purchase prices and conveyancing, which includes preparation and signing of agreements.Dr Masuka said small-scale commercial farmers who were allocated State land many years ago, initially on offer letters and later on short-term or 99-year leases with an option to purchase, are also benefiting from the programme. He added that indigenous farmers whose land had been acquired by the State but not resettled, or only partially resettled, are also being accommodated. In such cases, endorsements are being lifted where no settlement exists, while farmers with partially settled land will receive deeds of transfer for the remaining portions.The Government has adopted a new land tenure regime in line with Section 292 of the Constitution, read together with Sections 289, 293 and 294, which obligate the State to provide security of tenure to all persons holding land for value addition and development. The programme is being coordinated by the Office of the President and Cabinet, with oversight from the Cabinet Oversight Committee and the LTIC.President Mnangagwa officially launched the issuance of title deeds on December 20, 2024, in Kwekwe, where 10 farmers received their deeds. A further 1 000 A1 farmers were subsequently issued with title deeds in Mazowe.Under the programme, beneficiaries receive deeds of transfer that confer private ownership and full land rights. All land reform beneficiaries with valid tenure documents qualify, with an estimated 24 000 A2 farmers and 360 000 A1 farmers expected to benefit. To accelerate implementation, Government has engaged the private sector to assist with surveying and has adopted modern technology to speed up the process. Words, actions, and time matter in combat. I lived this when my Special Forces team chanced upon a politically connected Iraqi militia leader. The highest-level U.S. command in Iraq hastily approved the capture. Their words approved me to act. Simultaneously, the nearest Special Forces team launched with their Iraqi commandos. If the commander said theyd be there in two hours, I knew my team had to hold out for two hours. In that volatile situation, words, actions, and time mattered. Now, zoom out. President Donald Trumps words and actions have exponentially more profound consequences, and Congress is running out of time to stop Trumps threat to America. A presidents words should explain his actions. Likewise, his actions should not contradict each other. President Trump has said a lot about protecting America from drugs. Hes acted, too. Hes destroyed drug boats and staged the military against the narco-state Venezuela. So, why did Trump pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez? Hernandez helped move 400 tons of cocaine into America. A jury found him guilty. Is Trump a hypocrite or a sucker for rich guys in jail stroking his ego? Words from influential people prompt actions. Trumps words influenced people to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He used other words to claim he bore no responsibility, and his supporters bought it. Did Trump not learn his words can incite violence? Or, did Trump learn he can get away with inciting violence? After all, the Congress that Trumps followers attacked absolved him of responsibility. Now, after their Dont Give Up the Ship video on resisting illegal orders, Trump threatened violence against the U.S. representatives and senators who made it. Trump couldve brushed off the video as stating the obvious: Military members should only follow lawful orders. Instead, Trump lashed out with punishable by death. He then used other words to claim he only called for justice. To Trumps followers, storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 was justice, and he pardoned those convicted of crimes that day. So, what actions could Trumps words condemning the Dont Give Up the Ship video prompt? What actions does Trump want his words to prompt? And why the foot-dragging in Congress? The longer U.S. forces face off against Venezuela and drug boats, and now, oil tankers, the higher the probability of a conflict. The U.S. military will obliterate Venezuela. Despite the pitfalls of an occupation, Trump would use this win to whip up patriotic fervor from supporters who have conveniently forgotten Candidate Trumps words about keeping the U.S. out of foreign conflicts. Vince Kaster, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer from 2000 to 2021, lives in rural Ohio and works in agriculture. Pamela Kaster More importantly, Venezuela masks Trumps real threat. In 2020 Trump failed to retain power through his fake elector coup and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. While Republicans didnt hold Trump accountable, Trumps hand was revealed -- so now he needs a different ploy to stay in power. Therefore, Trump is subtly building toward a military coup, and time benefits Trump. As a Special Forces officer, the Army trained me to fight occupying powers. Therefore, I understand coups. I see Trump preparing to threaten and, if needed, conduct a military coup. The genius is: 1) Most Americans think a military coup is unrealistic. 2) Trumps buildup is so subtle he can deny hes fomenting a coup. While his actions during the buildup (drug boat strikes, the military in U.S. cities) have been controversial, they dont yet amount to a coup, and 3) If all goes perfectly, just the perception of Trumps grip on power will prompt enough Americans to give up on democracy. Thus, Trump could become dictator without a military coup. So what words condemning Trump, and what actions resisting Trump will Republicans take now? Vince Kaster was a U.S. Army Special Forces officer from 2000 to 2021. He lives in rural Ohio and works in agriculture. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Sad female worker carrying her belongings while leaving the office after being fired Layoffs have been a defining feature of the job market in 2025, with several major companies announcing thousands of job cuts driven by artificial intelligence. In fact, AI was responsible for almost 55,000 layoffs in the U.S. this year, according to consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. There were in total 1.17 million job cuts through 2025, the highest level since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when there were 2.2 million layoffs announced by the end of the year. In October, U.S. employers announced 153,000 job cuts, and there were over 71,000 job cuts in November, with AI being cited for over 6,000 for the month, per Challenger. At a time when inflation bites, tariffs are adding to expenses, and firms are looking to carry out cost-cutting measures, AI has presented an attractive, short-term solution to the problem. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology released a study in November showing that AI can already do the job of 11.7% of the U.S. labor market and save as much as $1.2 trillion in wages across finance, healthcare, and other professional services. Not everyone is convinced that AI is the real reason behind the dramatic job cuts, as Fabian Stephany, assistant professor of AI and work at the Oxford Internet Institute, previously told CNBC, that it might be an excuse. Stephany said many companies that performed well during the pandemic "significantly overhired" and the recent layoffs might just be a "market clearance." "It's to some extent firing people that for whom there had not been a sustainable long term perspective and instead of saying 'we miscalculated this two, three years ago, they can now come to the scapegoating, and that is saying 'it's because of AI though,'" he added. Here are the top firms that cited AI as part of their layoff and restructuring strategy in 2025. In this article SNOW PYPL META Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Vladimir Godnik | Fstop | Getty Images For years, Braden Wallake has posted everything from business lessons to animal pictures on his LinkedIn page. A fateful midweek post on a late-summer day stopped the marketing executive in his tracks. Wallake shared a teary-eyed selfie with a message about his feelings after laying off staff. Just like that, he was the "Crying CEO." "I woke up the next day, texted my marketing person and said, 'I think I went viral last night,'" said Wallake, whose post has raked in more than 57,000 reactions and 10,000 comments. Users blasted the HyperSocial CEO as being "manipulative" and displaying "self indulgence." The photo "would make a great dart board," another wrote. Get Morning Squawk directly to your inbox The Morning Squawk newsletter by Alex Harring is your rundown of five things to know before the stock market opens. Subscribe here to get access today. Corporate executives and founders like Wallake were sold on the idea that a vibrant social media presence can boost their personal and firm-wide brand awareness. But the reality is less picture-perfect than it's made out to be. In many cases, these leaders come off not as relatable but as cringey. And they're learning the hard way that their digital footprints can even have material business implications. "There can be real benefits from CEOs being online, but there can also be great risks," said Ann Mooney Murphy, a Stevens Institute of Technology professor who has studied how company leaders gain social media celebrity status. "One needs to tread carefully." The online executive The pitfalls of social media usage for business leaders are becoming increasingly clear as more executives take to the platforms. Nearly three-fourths of Fortune 500 chief executives had at least one social media account last year, up from roughly half in 2019, data from Influential Executive showed. More than seven out of 10 Fortune 100 CEOs with social platforms posted at least once a month in 2024, a 32% increase from the year prior, according to an analysis from communications firm H/Advisors Abernathy released this week. CEOs have flocked in particular to the work-focused social site LinkedIn, where they post three times a month on average. An active social media presence can help build brand recognition and drive attention from mainstream news outlets, Murphy said. It can also allow executives to develop para-social relationships directly with consumers something that was once reserved for more-traditional celebrities like actors or athletes, she said. While company news was king in these posts, H/Advisors Abernathy found executives devoting more social real estate to sharing personal happenings. This softer style of content examples of which include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg sharing pictures from Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour and Goldman Sachs ' David Solomon posting details for his DJ sets can help keep followers engaged, Murphy said. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon performs at Schimanski night club in Brooklyn, New York. Trevor Hunnicutt | Reuters A subsector has sprouted up around executives' social media habits, with several businesses offering training programs or consulting services focused on best practices. PayPal made waves in marketing circles earlier this year when it posted a "Head of CEO Content" role, which paid upwards of $300,000 in part to lead social media communications strategy. Promise and peril But in recent years, a growing list of anecdotes like Wallake's "Crying CEO" experience show how posting through life can go awry. Jason Yanowitz boasted on X in October that Blockworks, the crypto company he co-founded, saw "massive growth" and hit "record revenues" in 2025. He also said the company was shuttering its news division and recommended staffers to anyone hiring journalists covering digital currencies. One user suggested that Yanowitz forgo smiley faces and strike a tone with less "triumphancy" in a post announcing job cuts. Someone else replied that "before jumping into what's next," he should "address the real people who were impacted." Yanowitz, who declined CNBC's interview request, later wrote on X that he "should not have mentioned revenue" in the original post. Around the same time as Yanowitz's tweet, a social media video featuring Snowflake revenue chief Mike Gannon offered a case study on how these incidents can evolve into real-world crises. In an Instagram clip viewed millions of times, Gannon told a street interviewer that the data storage firm was slated to rake in $10 billion "in a couple of years." Shortly after, Snowflake said in a regulatory filing that statements made in the interview were not authorized and that investors "should not rely upon" them. The company declined to make Gannon available for an interview. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has shared visions for his business ventures on social media in between musings about politics and cultural issues. Two years ago, Musk found himself in court defending comments related to business plans made on X, his social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Alex Spiro, attorney to Elon Musk, center, departs court in San Francisco, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. Benjamin Fanjoy | Bloomberg | Getty Images In several instances, readers have responded directly to executives whose content they find problematic or cringe-inducing. Some, like Ryan Benson, have also mocked the broader trend of business leaders' attempting to connect directly via social media. "It's just disingenuous," said Benson, 28. "They're not trying to speak with people the way that maybe an influencer has success in. They're trying to talk at people to make them think something about their position." Executives' missteps on social media can catalyze discontent from investors, consumers or employees, according to Murphy of the Stevens Institute of Technology. In some situations, she said social media statements could lead to increased regulatory or legal risk for the companies they represent. Is all attention good? Remember Nvidia? I want to do the unthinkable: give you the rap on Nvidia spouted by the myriad short sellers who seem to want to break this company's stock and its intellectual property abilities. It's daunting and, to some degree, beleaguering even for me, its principal supporter in the media. It's a brutal parade of horrors, so steel yourself, and spoiler alert I don't believe any of these will derail the story of the company that is now valued at $4.4 trillion. The list includes a narrative that is negative, malevolent, anti-Jensen Huang, and, for the selfish purposes of yours truly, oppositional to the trust's portfolio. Seatbelts on, please. Here are five critiques loved by the Nvidia bears and short sellers, and why I believe they are wrong. Bear case No. 1: Nvidia is no longer the king of AI chips. There are now several better challengers to Nvidia's chips. Advanced Micro Devices claims that its most powerful chip, the MI450, is quite simply better and cheaper than Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin. That's why OpenAI announced its monster deal with AMD two weeks after Nvidia's $100 billion deal, which is regarded as a lazy Susan deal Nvidia gives OpenAI the money, and OpenAI gets the chips it needs. If Nvidia's deal were so hot, the AMD hookup wouldn't have been required. Plus, the AMD deal was done at the highest level by CFO Sarah Friar, and until she made her "backstop" comments about the federal government taking care of deals, she was the golden, grown-up executive in the process. The press has been brutal about this AMD deal, and it has spread much fear among the devoted. Amazon has developed its own chip, which it keeps improving to wean itself off Nvidia even as it proclaims itself a good friend and customer. Google has a chip that is so good that others are clamoring for it, including arch-enemy Meta, which is tired of paying Nvidia so much for its chips. Google's chips are so good that they will force Nvidia to cut prices and destroy its margins, which is why its stock trades at about 25 times next year's earnings. Google's chips are a death star for Nvidia and Google, which can do no wrong in anyone's eyes, to the point that we are going to have to engage with it (and perhaps Johnson & Johnson, but that's for another column). Why it's wrong: Analysts estimate that Nvidia controls between 70% and 95% of the AI chip market for training and deploying models like OpenAI's GPT. That's a pretty competitive moat. And for good reason: CEO Jensen Huang is the best there is, a true genius who puts out platforms filled with chips and software that dazzle and take AI and accelerated computing to a next level that can help you write software that can make everything faster and more accurate. Vera Rubin, Nvidia's next-generation AI superchip platform, will help you "reason" much better than anything available, including the AMD chips. None of these competitive threats can measure up to Vera Rubin, and while not Tinkertoys, they can only be considered substitutes for dumber tasks. Bear case No. 2: Jensen is a cerebral good guy, not deeply enmeshed with the U.S. government. While Huang has been advocating for his company to be allowed to sell good, but not great, chips to China to prevent our rival from developing its own architecture, China went ahead and created a better product and no longer needs Nvidia. Why it's wrong: Huang has been telling the same story since early last year, when the Trump Administration tightened Biden-era rules: Locking Nvidia out of the Chinese AI market on national security grounds will actually undermine U.S. tech leadership. That reasoning resonated with Trump, who began allowing sales of less-advanced chips to China over the summer and, this month, said Nvidia can ship its more advanced H200 AI chips to "approved customers" in China and elsewhere, so long as the U.S. gets a 25% cut. As I've said all along, Jensen is not just an engineer and architect he's also an incredible salesman and statesman. He knows how to tell the story. Bear case No. 3: Vera Rubin won't be ready in time. Despite stories that indicate otherwise, this line refuses to go away. The idea is that if Vera Rubin isn't on time the company has said it will be by the second half of 2026 customers will have to go elsewhere. The Vera Rubin platform, named for the famous astronomer who studied dark matter, will succeed Blackwell. Why it's wrong: Jensen has a 20-year game plan that he thinks back from, not two years that he thinks forward to, so we should stop doubting and stay long. We have to stay long because, while there are plenty of threats to Nvidia's dominance, they have never measured up: Nvidia designs and TSMC make better chips. Better chips equal better sales and better margins. The company's dominance has constantly been threatened, which is how it became the largest company in the world. Bear case No. 4. Nvidia's chips burn too hot and cannot be afforded. The chips require way too much power, power that can't be had without multiyear build-outs that are impossible because the real source of power, the GE Vernova turbines, won't be available til 2030. Quantum computing is right around the corner, which will allow other chips to sneak in and still be faster and cheaper. Why it's wrong: The Information reported last year that Nvidia's AI Blackwell chips overheat when connected to custom servers, and it had asked suppliers to change server rack designs several times. At the time, I said the subsequent drop in the stock price was a buying opportunity . CEO Jensen Huang has previously stated on CNBC that demand for the chips is "insane." Despite so many errors, The Information is now the paper of record on the ills of Nvidia. There are no corrections of consequence in this new world, so a simple short-selling conjecture is too good to check out. So what if it is wrong? Bear case No. 5: OpenAI won't get the money it needs. The maker of ChatGPT needs at least $100 billion fast, or Nvidia's chips will sit in a warehouse and ding the company's earnings. Why it's wrong: If OpenAI gets the trillion-dollar valuation and the $100 billion it needs to give Oracle to get the data centers done, they will be filled with Nvidia chips, with some from AMD. It can be done. On Friday, I explained how the data center sector can regain its footing on the market once this happens. There is a mad scramble to get the Vera Rubin, while being tantalized by the Richard Feynman, an even further iteration scheduled for release in 2028. Oh yeah, no one has anything near that next-generation chip. NVDA YTD mountain Nvidia Year-to-date The only thing I left out is the threat of China exerting control over Taiwan, denying Nvidia access to the foundry TSMC , which it needs to produce chips. These stories are fed to the Street and gobbled up by the financial media. Beleaguered like I am? Why not just sell the stock and buy Alphabet? Just own that you are on the wrong horse, that it is sentimentality and ignorance that keep you in it. You would sell if you really knew what was going on, and your faith in Jensen stems from believing he's a great man, but that's in the past. You are a hack to stick with the man, or you don't want to get him angry, and you are cut off. I know that my rationale seems fanciful. As I like to say, the long knives are out for Jensen and Nvidia, have been ever since the stock crossed the $2 trillion barrier and left behind other, so-called better, chips. In writing "How to Make Money in Any Market," I talk about finding Nvidia when others didn't know it. I now write about Nvidia even as others choose to believe reports from rivals that claim Nvidia has been beaten. When I first chose to believe in Nvidia, I was laughed at by everyone, including my colleagues. I now read the obituaries about Nvidia the same way I heard the prophecies of destruction when I talked about Nvidia as the best of the semis. The best of tech. The best of all companies on Earth. To which I say I am prepared to be wrong again. But I am not selling because I could have been wrong before. I chose to do nothing because I know Jensen and I know Nvidia, and I am not blinded by love; I am conscious of empirical data and excellent information. I guess you could say I am blinded by the facts. I willingly accept that form of blindness. And happily. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Photo from the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department shows photos with prominent people including a Pope, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. Image was redacted by CNBC. The Department of Justice on Sunday restored online a photo from the Jeffrey Epstein files that contained images showing President Donald Trump after backlash over its removal. The photo, which contained two separate images showing Trump, had been removed by the DOJ from public view after being published on the department's website on Friday. The photo showed an array of items on and in Epstein's desk or credenza One of the photos showed Trump with a group of women, while the other was a well-known image showing him with his wife, Melania, Epstein and Epstein's now-convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. "The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims," the DOJ said in a post on the social media site X. "Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction." The DOJ did not say what it meant by the Southern District of New York. The SDNY can refer both to the federal judicial district that includes Manhattan and the U.S. Attorney's Office in that district, which prosecutes federal criminal cases. On Saturday, congressional Democrats questioned the removal of the photo. "This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release," Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said in a post on X. "@AGPamBondi is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public." In this article NVDA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images Chip giant Nvidia (NVDA) is considered to be one of the key beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence boom, thanks to robust demand for its advanced graphics processing units (GPUs). The stock has been under pressure recently due to concerns about valuations of AI plays and growing competition in the AI chip space from rivals like Broadcom (AVGO), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Alphabet-owned Google's tensor processing units (TPUs). Nvidia is also facing uncertainty related to chip exports to China amid geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing. Despite ongoing pressures, several top analysts remain bullish on Nvidia for several reasons, including its solid track record, strong execution, continued innovation and dominant position in the AI GPU market. TipRanks' AI Analyst also has an "outperform" rating on NVDA stock with a price target of $205. Let's look at the views of three such Wall Street pros who are bullish on Nvidia's growth potential. Vivek Arya Bank of America Following a virtual meeting with Nvidia's vice president of investor relations, Toshiya Hari, Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya reiterated a buy rating on NVDA stock with a price forecast of $275, saying that he continues to view it as a top pick. Among the key takeaways, Arya mentioned that while Nvidia agrees that Gemini 3 is a top large language model (LLM) that is trained on Google's in-house TPU, the company contends that it is too early to declare a clear winner. Specifically, the company emphasized that the existing GPU-based LLMs available were all trained on old Hopper (2022) architecture and cannot be compared with the upcoming LLMs that are trained on NVDA's Blackwell (2024) GPUs. Arya highlighted that management is confident about the expected launch of the Blackwell-backed LLMs in early 2026, which would prove that "they are at least a full generation ahead of competition." In fact, external benchmarks like MLPerf and InferenceMAX view Blackwell as the clear leader in both training and inference, with Nvidia standing out in terms of key metrics like tokens per watt and revenue per token. The five-star analyst added that Nvidia continues to have demand and supply visibility into at least $500 billion of revenue opportunity for Blackwell, Rubin and networking for calendar years 2025 to 2026. Interestingly, the recent deals with ChatGPT maker OpenAI and Anthropic/Microsoft are incremental to this $500 billion outlook (as they are letter of intents) and represent potential upside. Overall, the meeting reinforced Arya's bullish thesis, with the analyst finding NVDA stock's valuation attractive. Specifically, its price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples of 25x and 19x of 2026 and 2027 earnings, respectively, imply only a 0.5x PEG ratio. That's compared to the average of 2x for the Magnificent Seven stocks and growth competitors. Arya ranks No. 270 among more than 10,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 58% of the time, delivering an average return of 17.7%. Stacy Rasgon Bernstein Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon is also upbeat about Nvidia's prospects and has a buy rating on the semiconductor stock with a price target of $275. In his latest note to investors, the analyst discussed some interesting takeaways from his virtual investor meeting with Stewart Stecker, senior director of investor relations at Nvidia. Rasgon noted that the $500 billion outlook announced in October for cumulative Blackwell, Rubin and networking sales for calendar years 2025 and 2026 will likely see an upside, as it doesn't include new deals such as that with Anthropic, the OpenAI 10 GW collaboration, and partnerships in the Middle East. On concerns about competition from Google's in-house chips, Rasgon noted that while Nvidia acknowledges the progress that Google has made in more than 10 years, the company believes that it is about two years ahead of the search engine giant's TPU program. Nvidia argues that, given the evolving AI market, it will be challenging for Google to persuade cloud service providers to deploy TPUs as they are meant for specific model structures. "But they believe NVIDIA's programmable platform solutions remain the best hardware for cloud AI infrastructure," said Rasgon. Regarding President Donald Trump's recent post about allowing Nvidia to ship H200 AI chips to China, subject to a 25% cut that goes to the U.S., Rasgon noted that Nvidia is still waiting to secure licenses to ship H200s, after which it intends to look into demand requests and commence manufacturing. Moreover, Nvidia has not yet obtained any details about the 25% revenue sharing with the U.S. government and is currently unclear about how this fee will be accounted for. Rasgon ranks No. 144 among more than 10,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 67% of the time, delivering an average return of 27.3%. Blayne Curtis Jefferies Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks, as he visits the command post of the Russian forces "West" grouping in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in unidentified location, in this still image taken from video released Nov. 20, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that changes made by the Europeans and Ukraine to U.S. proposals for an end to the war in Ukraine did not improve prospects for peace. The U.S.-drafted proposals for an end to the nearly four-year-old war, leaked to the media last month, raised European and Ukrainian concerns that they were tilted too far in Russia's favour and that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration could push Kyiv into conceding too much. Since then, European and Ukrainian negotiators have met with Trump envoys in an attempt to add their own proposals into the U.S. drafts, though the exact contents of the current proposal have not been disclosed. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow that the European and Ukrainian changes would not improve the chances of peace. "This is not a forecast," Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, though he said he had not seen the exact proposals on paper yet. "I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace." A Singapore national was taken into custody on December 20 for allegedly recording videos inside the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple using camera-embedded smart glasses, police said.The accused, identified as 49-year-old Thiruneepanar, a resident of North Shore Drive, Singapore, and of Sri Lankan origin, was visiting Kerala as a tourist. According to the police, Thiruneepanar entered the temple premises at around 9.25 am, where videography is strictly prohibited, wearing smart glasses that contained a concealed camera.He allegedly recorded footage inside the temple, including visuals of the northern side and the Thulabharam mandapam, the police said in the FIR.Temple security personnel noticed the camera-equipped glasses and promptly intercepted him.Thiruneepanar was later handed over to the Fort Police, who registered a case under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for disobedience of a lawful order.Police stated that the tourist was released after being served a notice to appear for further investigation on Sunday morning.This is not the first such incident; a similar case was reported in July this year when a tourist from Gujarat was caught attempting to record videos inside the temple, police added. News / National by Staff reporter Historians have revealed that the once-thriving Mutapa State, located in present-day Zimbabwe, developed a sophisticated and well-structured economic system that India relied on heavily for trade, while at the same time harbouring fears of possible invasion from the influential African power.The revelation emerged during engagements involving historians who are part of Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga's delegation, whose visit is aimed at challenging long-standing historical narratives that portray Zimbabwe and Africa as uncivilised prior to colonisation. The visit focuses on highlighting the significant role played by Mutapa State princes in spreading Christianity and civilisation beyond Africa well before the advent of colonial rule.National Archives of Zimbabwe director Ms Brenda Mamvura said evidence from Indian records confirms that the Mutapa State was a formidable and globally connected society. She noted that the records show the African state was a key economic player on the world stage, to the extent that India once feared a possible invasion from the Mutapa State."It is possible that we have contributed even more to the world beyond this narrow perspective that only colonialism enlightened us," said Ms Mamvura, adding that the findings further validate the sophistication of pre-colonial African civilisations.Vice President Chiwenga acknowledged the importance of the revelation, describing it as both affirming and sobering for modern-day Zimbabweans and Africans. He said it was remarkable to learn that India had once feared an invasion from the African power known as the Monomotapa Empire."It brings joy that this is how we used to be; this is how serious and highly regarded we used to be," said VP Chiwenga. "But it also comes with mixed feelings when we reflect on where we are today."He said narratives about Africa being civilised, organised and wealthy before colonisation now often sound like fairytales to many, yet they are rooted in historical fact. VP Chiwenga stressed that Zimbabwe and Africa must draw inspiration from that trailblazing past to drive present-day economic development.The Vice President added that when the British occupied Zimbabwe in the 19th century, the country was already spreading civilisation beyond its borders. He noted that the Mutapa State had established a presence in India before the British arrived there and had also reached China earlier."This is now history, but these truths must be made clear for this generation and those to come," he said. "It should be known that we have never been a dark continent'."VP Chiwenga emphasised that Zimbabwe now stands as an equal partner on the global stage and should not be treated as a second-class player. He said the country seeks collaborative growth and mutual prosperity with the West based on equality and respect.He further highlighted that the name Great Zimbabwe was not accidental, explaining that the Mutapa State collaborated with the Portuguese as trading partners rather than as a colony. Using gold and ivory, the state traded for weapons, rifles and clothing, underscoring its economic and political strength."We were quite a formidable society, which is how we ended up establishing connections with Portugal in areas like India," said VP Chiwenga, reinforcing the view that Zimbabwe's pre-colonial history reflects a powerful, organised and globally engaged civilisation. Sonam Tashi refuses to let his son inherit the same fear. Once active in the Free Tibet movement in Kathmandu, he found himself silenced. Unable to secure identity papers for his son, he left for the Tibetan capital in exile in India this year where his son will begin an education he can't have at home. There he joined a rare protest in a city so reminiscent of what Kathmandu once was where monks walk freely and the Dalai Lamas portrait is not a risk. An investigation by The Associated Press found that much of the Chinese technology used to surveil Tibetans in Nepal originally came from American companies. Despite warnings that Chinese firms were copying or outright stealing their designs, these firms built, customised, and expanded Chinas surveillance apparatus over the past quarter-century. Born in Nepal to Tibetan refugees, Tashi spent years on the frontlines of protest, a regular presence outside the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu. In the early days, arrests were brief just a day or two but by 2015, police were holding protesters for weeks. The crowds thinned. Eventually, Tashi was one of the last still showing up. Also Read: How the next Dalai Lama will be chosen and where India stands Surveillance trailed them beyond the protests. Police began showing up hours before any gathering could start, demanding answers to questions they shouldnt have known to ask: What are you doing tomorrow? Where are you going? Cameras multiplied around Tibetan settlements, in temples, even near private homes. In Boudha, the comfort of lingering beneath the stupas all-seeing eyes curdled. Now 49, Tashi is focused on his 10-year-old son. Once an organizer, hes now just a father trying to get his son out before the net pulls tighter. On a winding bus ride toward the Indian border, Sonam stared out the window as terraced hills gave way to forest, thinking about what comes next. There are cameras everywhere, he said. There is no future. This surveillance has helped silence Nepals once-vibrant Free Tibet movement. Thousands of Tibetans once fled to Nepal every year, but last year, the number was down to the single digits, according to Tibetan officials in Nepal. Across the world, in Washington, DC, Namkyis eyes hold the loneliness that haunts Tibetans in exile. Arrested at 15 and sentenced to three years in prison for protesting Chinese rule, Namkyi traveled to the US to recount her story of what it means a lose a home. Dressed in black, with two small pins Tibetan and American on her coat, she recounts how under withering surveillance, silence has become survival for Nepal's dwindling Tibetan community. They know they are being watched, she said. Her eyes shine, not with certainty, but with the fragile hope that being heard might one day matter. News / National by Staff reporter A 39-year-old Zimbabwean national has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sibasa Regional Court for raping his 13-year-old daughter while they were living in Phiphidi village, outside Thohoyandou.The rapist's identity is withheld to protect the child. The court also ordered that his name be added to the National Sexual Offenders Register.According to Mashudu Malabi, the regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo, the man brought his daughter from Zimbabwe on 1 August 2020 to spend the school holidays with him in South Africa."On their arrival in the Limpopo province at Phiphidi Village, the accused began to have sexual intercourse with the victim without her consent. He further instructed her to remain silent and threatened to leave her in South Africa if she told anyone. The accused would not allow the victim to play with other children," said Malabi."The neighbour with whom they were staying at their rental place noticed the child's unusual behaviour. She then informed the police. After thorough police investigations, the accused was arrested, and the minor victim was referred to Tshilidzini Thuthuzela Care Centre."During trial, in aggravation of the sentence, the state advocate, Rabelani Makhera, presented the Victim Impact Report compiled by state official Mulondo Ganuku. The report detailed the impact of the incident on the minor victim, particularly because the accused is her biological father.The state further emphasised the gravity of the offence, the vulnerability of the rape victim, and the betrayal of trust by the accused, who abused his position of authority and the principle of Ubuntu. The state concluded by submitting that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.The NPA in Limpopo has welcomed the ruling.Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga, stated that the expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network now comprising 64 centres nationwide continues to strengthen the fight against sexual violence.Thenga further commended "the good work" done by advocate Makhera and other stakeholders who ensure that victims of gender-based violence receive justice. Watching the King speaking on TV about his cancer treatment, urging the rest of us to get checked, was a moving experience. In the past, we were taught to look to the Royal Family as if they were perfect. When their imperfections began to show, we were upset and that, perhaps, explains why so many of us over the years have been critical of Charles, whose imperfections are many. But the Channel 4 broadcast earlier this month was magnificent. In the past, the royals never mentioned their illnesses. Royals did not have illnesses until they were actually dead. And here was an old man, with great sweetness and honesty and humility, talking about his own vulnerability. I realised we now have a relationship with the Royal Family that is quite different from the one we used to have. Whereas we once looked at them, or tried to, as an ideal, as an emblem of perfection, it is now in their frailty and imperfection that they hold up a mirror to the nation. Part of our Christmas national ritual is being aware that the Royal Family have all been at Sandringham together and walked over from the house to the church. We do not exactly watch this ritual, as we might watch the Monarchs broadcast, but it is probably flickering away on the telly in the background while our own family Christmas is taking place. Only obsessives would watch it. Nevertheless, the newspapers usually have a picture next day, noting on the Princess Royals choice of coat, or whether Prince Louis is making funny faces at the poor old paparazzi who crouch there in the frost for the perfect shot as they walk pass. Nowadays we also notice the absences no Harry, no Meghan, and now no Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, even though he will soon be living just over the field, perhaps himself ruefully watching his relations attending Morning Prayer, and wishing, yet again, that he had never met Jeffrey Epstein. The King is anxious to keep the Sandringham traditions alive. So the walk to church is still performed. (He goes to church twice on Christmas Day, privately to an early Communion, and later on parade for Morning Prayer.) He clings to the inner circle of the family whom he trusts Princess Margarets children, Lord Snowdon, Danny and Sarah Chatto, Princess Anne. After the broadcast, Eugenie and Beatrice will go at once perhaps back to see their father having his final Christmas at Royal Lodge. Camilla goes back to the Parker-Bowleses in Gloucestershire. And Charles goes to his study to work which is what he likes doing best. Being Royal. What is a Royal Family for, exactly? David Dimblebys recent five-part BBC documentary asked the same thing of the Monarchy but the Royal Family is a separate invention of Prince Albert. He and Queen Victoria developed a mania for photography and Albert realised what a golden opportunity this new invention offered them. At a time when there was a strong republican movement in Britain (much larger than today) he would feed the public with images of himself, his wife and children, usually at Osborne House, their holiday villa on the Isle of Wight. He would make them an Ideal Family. They would not be seen, like the upper classes, with guns under their arms, dressed for shooting. They would be posed as if they were middle class. They were a family that everyone could identify with. We could all make them our role model and society, based on monogamous, loyal, heterosexual marriage, would thereby be strengthened. Poor Prince Albert! His invention was well intentioned, but he was storing up troubles for his family, who had to spend the decades after his early death (aged 42) busily covering up the fact that, like all families, they were the very reverse of ideal. The Prince of Wales was a sex addict, well known in the Paris brothels and almost certainly gave his beautiful Danish wife Alexandra syphilis. Princess Louise, a clever, bored sculptress, was forced into marriage with a gay Scottish lord, and had a love affair with her sculptor friend Joseph Edgar Boehm. (She probably also slept with her brother-in-law, Henry of Battenberg). This year, it has been argued that their mother, Queen Victoria, probably had a baby with the Highland Ghillie, John Brown. Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's links to Jeffrey Epstein and wider behaviour have helped to significantly alter the public's perception of the Royal Family The family feud between Princes Harry and William has also contributed to the soap opera In other words, the Royal Family, far from being a Holy Icon to which grateful members of the Empire gazed adoringly, was a big mess. Like us. The difference between the past and now, in this area, is that there used to be a convention that the Press published only flattering stories about the family. The public were kept in the dark until a couple of days before the Abdication, in 1936, of King Edward VIII, who quit the job in order to marry an American divorcee. The squabbles, the love affairs, the Royal Familys defects of character were known only to themselves, and their intimates. The public were shown ideal versions of the story the Little Princesses playing with corgis, the wholesome grown-ups, reassuringly tweedy, seen only when opening hospitals or attending religious services. But it is all changed now. Malcolm Muggeridge, one of the best journalists of his era, was banned for years from appearing on the BBC for the crime of describing, in the early 1950s, the Royal Family as a soap opera. It was deemed by Lord Reith to be demeaning to mention the Royals and soap opera in the same sentence. What would Reith have made of Meghan, who before her role in the current Royal Soap, was a starlet in one called Suits? Muggeridge was right, though, and the Royal Family is a soap opera, in good senses, as well as in bad. Why are people addicted to EastEnders or Coronation Street? It is not because all the characters are people we want to be. No. It is because we half recognise ourselves and our own messy lives in the plot lines, as the characters fall out of love, have complicated liaisons, marital rows, face illness. Ever since the 1950s, the Press began to change its attitudes to the Royal Family, the royal story has become more like a soap. It began when we the Press printed stories about Princess Margarets wish to marry a divorced man, Captain Peter Townsend. By the time Prince Charles and his siblings had grown up, it was open season, and we, the Press, felt free to recognise that the Royals were human like the rest of us. And, boy oh boy what a soap opera they all provided. Having decided to sack Edward VIII for marrying a divorcee, the Royal Family and the Church, of which the Queen was Supreme Governor, watched marriage after marriage tear apart. Margaret and Tony Snowdon had long been a feast for the gossip columnists and they eventually split. Charles married his fairy princess and the rest is utterly tragic history. Join the debate Has the Royal Familys public flaws made you feel more connectedor more disillusioned with them? The strange gang of people who have been dragooned into attending Morning Prayer at Sandringham this Christmas are, like us, flawed and frail and mortal, AN Wilson writes Those journalists who criticised him for continuing to maintain relations with Mrs Parker Bowles, as she was then, while being married to Diana, were only reflecting what the great majority of people in Britain and in the world were feeling. Why? Because we all thought we were better than Charles and Camilla? Of course, not. But because, by continuing to keep their relationship alive, they were destroying the illusion of his fairy-tale romance with the beautiful young princess. The other royal marriages fell like ninepins. Princess Anne, always the most sensible and no-nonsense of the royals, lived it down by telling the Press to naff off, and by pursuing an exemplary life of service to charities, notably the Save The Children Fund. Andrew and Fergie were another story. The downfall of the former Yorks began with this papers 2011 publication of the infamous photo of the then-Duke with his armed snaked around the teenage waist of Virginia Roberts. The Mail on Sunday has unearthed a string of revelations since about the sordid affair and Andrew and Fergies poisonous association with Epstein had it not, perhaps they would still be living at your expense in Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park. It was also in these pages that Andrew Lownies biography of the pair was serialised in the summer. We learned from that book what the guilty pair and the rest of the family consider themselves entitled to have at our expense. Without which, no one would have questioned whether it was right for Charles to have bought Highgrove out of funds from the Duchy of Cornwall, and no one would have minded (because they are so boring) about Sophie and Edward living on a peppercorn rent, again at your expense, at Bagshot Park. Meanwhile, very sadly, the Press has also broken the old convention that you were not supposed to mention that the Royal Family had bodily functions and illnesses. After all, George Vs life was said to be passing peacefully to its close when he had actually been finished off (a mercy killing by the royal doctor) several hours before. His son George VIs advanced lung cancer was kept a complete secret more or less until his death. Now, brave Kate Middleton comes before the camera to share the agony of what a young parent tells her children about this terrifying condition. King Charles, visibly frail, thanks cancer charities and makes a broadcast, admitting his own cancer. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, poor old Thomas Markle has his leg amputated, and the world waits in wonder to see whether the soap-opera star, Meghan, will stage a sob-stuff deathbed reconciliation. At the time of writing, we are on the edge of our seats to see. As the catalogue of mishaps, tragedies and scandals in the previous paragraphs makes clear, there is something on the edge of ridiculous about the Royal Soap Opera. None of them would have chosen this to happen. Andrew and Fergie, guzzling and fornicating and spending other peoples money, would much prefer not have been unmasked. William and Kate would undoubtedly have much preferred it if Harry and Meghan had not been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey to claim that the royals (or one of them) were racist. They would have preferred it if Harrys self-pitying memoir Spare had never been published, and that we did not know that the two brothers had, on at least one occasion, come to blows. But its all out now, and nothing that we read about this profoundly dysfunctional family could possibly surprise us. This is the precise opposite of what Prince Albert intended when he invented the idea of a squeaky-clean Ideal Family all enjoying the calm harmony of Osborne. The paradox is that, though none of them would have wanted the kind of publicity they have received in recent years, the fact of their enacting a soap opera before our eyes has given a new depth to their function. No one really believed, when they saw Cecil Beatons photographs of the dear old Queen Mother that she was the graceful, parasol-carrying, fairy-tale of the photographers imagining. We just wanted to believe in magic. Now, our disbelief goes in an opposite direction. Having never quite believed that a Royal Family could be as good as the propaganda suggested, now we cant quite believe that anyone could be as greedy as Fergie, as preposterously exhibitionistic as Meghan, as unaware of himself as Andrew. Likewise, in the matter of ill health. It makes us admire the King and Catherine more, not less, that they continue to do their duties while suffering from cancer. And although we look forward with some misgivings to the future, we think sympathetically of Princes William and Harry for all they have been through. I do, anyway. The strange gang of people who have been dragooned into attending Morning Prayer at Sandringham this Christmas are, some of them, much more hard-working, much braver and much nicer than some of us. But they are also, like us, flawed and frail and mortal. Far from finding that disillusioning, I find it moving. The great classical dramas of the French theatre strictly divided tragedy and comedy. Moliere gave you the laughs, Racine took you to the serious heights. But our great dramatist, Shakespeare, reminded us that comedy and tragedy, disgrace and redemption, all exist side by side. Spare a thought for Romy Reiner this festive season. Her legendary filmmaker dad Rob Reiner and producer mom Michele lie stone cold; her addict brother Nick, now clad in an anti-suicide vest, has been charged with their murders. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Yes, it's fair to say the holidays are canceled. As a reminder, it was Romy, the youngest of the couple's three children who discovered her parents in their blood-soaked bed in their $13 million Brentwood mansion last Sunday. Their throats were slashed and rigor mortis had reportedly already set in an image that will doubtless play on repeat in her nightmares. Just how does anyone ever really recover from that? They don't. The 27-year-old aspiring actress and writer will surely be forever changed by this Hollywood tragedy - the alleged culmination of a messy family dynamic that seemed firmly skewed towards Nick, 32, and his hardcore addictions. As a family friend told the Daily Mail this week: 'The other siblings resented him because who got the most attention? Nick. Who took all their energy? Nick. And who did they baby the most? Nick.' Nick Reiner (left with Romy, center, and Jake, right) has been charged with the murders of his parents 'The other siblings resented him because who got the most attention? Nick. Who took all their energy? Nick. And who did they baby the most? Nick,' a family friend told the Daily Mail We all know how it plays out the 'problem' child who acts ups and sucks up every bit of attention and energy rendering their compliant siblings ever more invisible. The mission to 'fix' the errant black sheep becomes all-consuming for everyone as they try and coax and cajole them into playing ball. Siblings become quasi-parents trying to keep the peace, their dreams put on hold, freedoms smothered. Perhaps it's why for a well-connected 'nepo baby' born into the privilege of her dad's estimated $200 million fortune, Romy's own life appears surprisingly small and tethered to the domestic dramas back at the ranch. She lives directly opposite the family home, where Nick resided in the guesthouse between rehab stints. Her inner circle seems tight and is said to include a 'close male companion,' Alex Silberberg. Romy is also close to her 34-year-old actor brother Jake. Meanwhile, recollections of Romy and Nick's relationship vary. One source told the Daily Mail that she had been scared of her brother's temper and outbursts since their childhood, even before his addictions kicked in. Others say she loved him dearly and never stopped worrying about him. In truth, it was probably a bit of both. The line between protectiveness and rejection can be a fine one when love and loyalty are pushed to the limits. Romy's inner circle seems tight and is said to include a 'close male companion,' Alex Silberberg (right) Rob Reiner (left, with Romy) and his wife Michele were found dead in their home earlier this month But we know she appeared in a skit on her brother's indulgent 'comedy' YouTube channel, playing along with his unfunny and often crude ramblings. The pair were also often see together visiting a gas station near their home for supplies. 'He was just a weirdo,' the gas station owner said. 'Romy would come in, always friendly and sweet to my employees, and she would try hard to always involve him in their conversations. But he would never really respond, just short answers or even a grunt.' Yes, while 78-year-old Rob Reiner pushed the notion that his son was a misunderstood victim, most outside the family bubble can see it all for what it really was: That at 32 years old, Nick Reiner needed to grow up and address his excesses once and for all. He wouldn't be the first Hollywood-dwelling 'son of' to go off the rails, but in truth it seems he was just too cushioned by the family coffers; the ultimate spoiled, rich kid cliche taken to its most extreme. Directionless and destructive, he remained an overgrown teen despite the best efforts of everyone around him. Notably, the indulgence even spilled into the professional sphere. Is it any real surprise that while Romy's modest career remained independent from her family connections, Nick got the hands-on support from Dad during his own brief foray into the film business? Yes, the man behind classics including A Few Good Men and When Harry Met Sally was in the director's chair for the 2015 film, Being Charlie, based on his son's screenplay about addiction. Drawing on their experience as a family, it may have been well-intentioned, but ultimately smacked of a vanity project that, once again, was all about Nick. Interestingly, during promotional interviews, underlying tensions were visible between the father-son duo. While Rob is an enthusiastic raconteur, warm, confident, passionate and quick to defend his son, the then-22-year-old Nick seemed more like a sulky child, adding very little other than firing the odd diss in his father's direction. Apparently, the pair often argued during the filming process. Pictured: Michele and Romy Reiner Romy lives directly opposite the family home, where Nick resided in the guesthouse between rehab stints Tough love is always the biggest challenge for a parent or sibling, but it was desperately needed here. If he is convicted, the saddest take away from this sorry story might be that, in trying to save Nick from himself, the Reiners forgot they also needed to save themselves. For Romy, while her brother's addictions and aggression no doubt cast a permanent dark shadow, even she probably never expected the unthinkable ending that is alleged to have occurred. Along with the raw pain of grief may be niggling questions and regrets playing on a loop. Could and should this have all been handled differently? As the holiday season gets underway, Americans are beginning to note recipes for festive cocktails and choose the best wines for the dinner table. But experts are raising the alarm about potentially deadly interactions between alcohol and certain medications. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down the functioning of the central nervous system, impacting brain activity, reaction time, speech and a person's mental well-being. Adding certain medications on top of consuming alcohol - such as anti-anxiety drugs, drugs for insomnia, blood thinners and antidepressants - compounds these effects. The deadly combination can destabilize the heart's rhythm and blood pressure. And, because both the medications and the alcohol independently suppresses brainstem activity, which controls automatic functions, the combination reduces the brain's drive to breathe. But more innocuous medications do not play well with alcohol, either. That group includes over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, which can contribute to liver and gastrointestinal damage. Combining ibuprofen and alcohol raises the risk of bleeding in the stomach and small intestine, which can result in vomiting blood. Dr Barbara Sparacino, an adult and geriatric psychiatrist, told the Daily Mail that a practical rule of thumb is to avoid mixing alcohol with any medication that helps you sleep, relax or relieve pain. The holiday season often means festive drinks and special wines, but experts warn that mixing alcohol with common medications can pose serious risks that are easily avoided (stock image) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin already increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Adding just one alcoholic drink can raise that risk by approximately 37 percent Your browser does not support iframes. For stronger sedatives, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, complete abstinence from alcohol is safest. And if you do decide to drink, you should avoid drinking heavily and never drive after. By one estimate, roughly 40 percent of Americans take a medication that interacts dangerously with alcohol. In addition to dangerous side effects, the medicine might lose its efficacy when it comes in contact with alcohol and speed its clearance from the body without working as intended. A medication can also influence the absorption of alcohol, potentially resulting in higher blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and other adverse effects like shallow breathing and overdose. Alcohol can also heighten the effects of a medication and increase the amount of it in a person's body. After speaking with several doctors, the Daily Mail can reveal which over-the-counter and prescription medications you should not mix with alcohol - along with the experts' reasons why. Over-the-counter pain relievers Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (sold under the brand names Advil and Motrin), naproxen (sold as Aleve and Naprosyn) and aspirin are associated with a higher risk of GI bleeds on their own. But, when combined with just one drink, that risk climbs by about 37 percent. It's likely fine to take an occasional dose of ibuprofen if you've consumed a small quantity of alcohol, roughly one or two drinks. The combination becomes more dangerous if you take ibuprofen regularly and tend to drink heavily. Acetaminophen (sold as Tylenol) is the most popular pain reliever in the US, but it interacts in a unique - and potentially deadly - way with alcohol. Taking too much acetaminophen accounts for almost half of all cases of acute liver failure in North America and approximately 20 percent of liver transplant cases in the US. Mixing acetaminophen with alcohol compounds the risk of deadly liver damage. The liver of a person who drinks heavily and often produces more of a specific enzyme called CYP2E1 to break down the alcohol. This same enzyme also processes acetaminophen. The problem is that this process creates a toxic byproduct called NAPQI. Taking acetaminophen preemptively or after heavy drinking causes the overactive enzyme system to produce dangerously high levels of NAPQI, which can overwhelm and destroy the liver. Because of this, the FDA has mandated that every bottle of acetaminophen products have a label stating that 'severe liver damage may occur if an adult has three or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product.' The main ingredient in common cold and flu medicines is a central nervous system depressant, like alcohol. Combined, they make a person feel dizzier and more impaired than they would by taking either one alone Over-the-counter cold and flu medicines Cold and flu remedies should never mix with alcohol. A bad flu is dehydrating, and adding alcohol dehydrates the body further as alcohol triggers a diuretic effect. All of the efforts to hydrate, from bottles of water to a bowl of soup, are then eliminated. Dehydration can exacerbate flu symptoms like headache, fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness, and ultimately prolong recovery. Alcohol also exacerbates the side effects of popular cough medicines like Theraflu cough syrups, Dayquil, Nyquil and Tylenol Severe Cold and Flu. Like alcohol, their main ingredient, dextromethorphan (DXM), is a central nervous system depressant. Combining the two increases side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, impaired coordination and difficulty concentrating. People who combine the two are at higher risk of light stumbles turning to dangerous falls and other injuries. Taking DXM with alcohol can also cause breathing to slow or stop entirely, feelings of dissociation, brain lesions, epilepsy or permanent psychosis. It is best to avoid alcohol until the drug has left your body, about 24 to 48 hours after your last dose. Alcohol exacerbates the effects of allergy medications, such as drowsiness and loss of coordination, putting someone at risk of injury Allergy medicines Alcohol heightens the side effects of popular allergy medicines, including Mucinex, Allegra, Claritin and Zyrtec, leaving you feeling more drowsy, dizzy or impaired than you would from the medication alone. Many antihistamines - the main ingredients in allergy medicines - are central nervous system depressants just like alcohol. Combining them can have an additive effect, slowing down brain activity more than either substance would by itself. Benadryl, the oldest generation of current allergy medications, has a stronger sedative effect than others, and that effect is amplified further when combined with a drink. Sudafed, a common nasal decongestant, is a stimulant that can mask the sedating effects of alcohol and make someone feel less intoxicated than they actually are. This can cause a person to drink more than they intended, raising the risk of alcohol poisoning. Both Sudafed and alcohol can raise heart rate and blood pressure individually. Combining them can heighten this effect, which is especially dangerous for individuals with preexisting heart conditions or hypertension. For safety, it is generally recommended to avoid alcohol when taking these medications, especially if you need to drive or operate machinery. Both alcohol and many antibiotics such as azithromycin are metabolized by the liver. Drinking while on medication forces the liver to work harder, placing significant strain on the organ Antibiotics Combining alcohol with antibiotics can interfere with your body's healing process in several key ways. First, alcohol can impair the immune system's efficiency, making it harder for the body to fight the very infection the antibiotic is meant to treat. This can potentially prolong illness and delay recovery. More directly, both alcohol and many antibiotics are metabolized by the liver. Consuming them together places a significant strain on this vital organ, as it must work overtime to process both substances. This can exacerbate common antibiotic side effects like nausea, dizziness and drowsiness, making a person feel significantly worse. In the case of certain antibiotics, like metronidazole, the interaction is severe and deliberate, causing a chemical reaction that leads to intensely unpleasant symptoms such as severe vomiting, rapid heart rate and headache. Beyond the immediate discomfort, mixing alcohol and antibiotics can compromise the medication's effectiveness. Alcohol can disrupt the absorption and metabolism of the drug, potentially lowering its concentration in the bloodstream to a level that is insufficient to eradicate bacteria. This not only risks treatment failure, but contributes to a larger public health crisis: antibiotic resistance. When antibiotics are not allowed to work at full strength, it creates an environment where stronger, more resistant bacteria can survive and multiply. Therefore, abstaining from all alcohol for the full duration of the prescription is critical. Dr Barbara Sparacino, a psychiatrist, advises never mixing alcohol with sleep, relaxation, or pain medications. With strong sedatives like opioids or benzodiazepines, total avoidance of alcohol is essential, especially for older adults or those on multiple sedating drugs Antidepressants Combining antidepressant medications with alcohol has a similar effect on the respiratory system as benzodiazepines. While drinking may provide temporary relief from depression symptoms and aid in dealing with social anxiety, alcohol blocks the ability of antidepressants to do their job. SSRIs like Zoloft and Prozac, and SNRIs like Effexor work over time to regulate and stabilize key neurotransmitter systems (serotonin and norepinephrine) to improve mood, sleep and anxiety in a sustained way. Alcohol is a chemical disruptor. It initially causes a brief, artificial release of serotonin and dopamine, creating a mood boost, but a rapid depletion of those neurotransmitters follows. In the short term, this leads to mood swings. With regular use, it can create or worsen a chemical imbalance that promotes depression and anxiety. The combination impairs reaction time, judgement, and decision-making more than either substance on its own, and, due to the depletion of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, has a higher likelihood of causing suicidal ideations. Drinking while taking antidepressants also reduces the odds that the medicine will work as intended. There's no universally safe limit for drinking alcohol while taking antidepressants, because even a small amount can interact poorly with the medications and make depression or anxiety worse. Many doctors advise avoiding alcohol altogether or sticking to one to two moderate drinks - a 12-ounce beer, a five-ounce glass of wine or a one-ounce shot of liquor, regardless of gender. Alcohol plays a role in about 20 percent of all benzodiazepine overdoses, making it one of the most lethal drug interactions. Both substances severely depress the central nervous system, specifically slowing the body's ability to breathe, which can lead to fatal respiratory failure Benzodiazepines Alcohol is implicated in approximately 20 percent of all benzodiazepine overdoses, constituting one of the most dangerous drug interactions. People taking benzodiazepines should avoid alcohol entirely. The danger primarily stems from how both substances profoundly suppress the central nervous system, specifically targeting the body's capacity to breathe. When combined, they dramatically increase the risk of severe and potentially fatal respiratory depression. This life-threatening consequence occurs because both alcohol and benzodiazepines, along with many antidepressants, amplify the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA is responsible for calming neural activity, and its excessive enhancement leads to extreme sedation of the body's vital functions, resulting not only in respiratory failure but also in cardiovascular collapse. Beyond the acute physical dangers, the mixture of benzodiazepines and alcohol can induce severe psychological and behavioral problems. Users may experience complete anterograde amnesia, in which they cannot form new memories properly, losing all memory for hours while conscious and active. This blackout state is associated with high-risk behaviors, including unsafe sexual practices, impulsive aggression or severe self harm. Individuals may experience intense suicidal thoughts and act on them, with no subsequent recollection of their actions, creating a uniquely hazardous situation for both the individual and those around them. 'This combination is a major contributor to ER visits and accidental overdoses, even at doses people think are "normal,"' Sparacino said. The risk of severe interactions are even higher among older people. 'So a drink that felt "mild" at 40 can feel like three drinks at 75, especially when layered on top of sedating meds,' she added. 'That's part of why we see more falls, confusion and ER visits in older adults mixing alcohol with prescriptions.' Alcohol and blood thinners each independently slow the blood's clotting ability. When used together, their effects are dangerously amplified, making it significantly harder to stop bleeding Blood thinners Just as risky are prescription blood thinners, common among older people with blood clotting disorders that increase the risks of heart attack and stroke. The danger comes as alcohol can significantly raise someone's risk for dangerous bleeding. Both alcohol and blood thinners independently inhibit the blood's ability to clot. Together, their effects can be more than additive, creating a powerful synergy that makes bleeding much harder to stop. For example, a simple scrape or nick that would normally stop bleeding within minutes could bleed for much longer. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining, and any kind of perforation due to an ulcer can cause internal bleeding in the GI tract. Other popular blood thinners significantly alter alcohol metabolism. This means that a person who drinks a modest amount but is on a blood thinner might actually have a much higher BAC than a person who drinks the same amount of alcohol but is not taking the medication. Alcohol can also cause dangerously low blood pressure, causing dizziness and fainting. To prevent the negative effects, doctors recommend that patients limit their alcohol intake to one to two standard drinks at a time, alternating with water. Sometimes taken in addition to blood thinners are cholesterol medications known as statins. These come with their own risks when paired with alcohol, Dr Raul Santos, a board-certified cardiovascular specialist, told the Daily Mail. 'Excessive alcohol consumption or binge drinking in individuals using statins may increase the risk of muscle problems, muscle aches and, very rarely, muscle inflammation or even destruction of muscle cells [Rhabdomyolysis],' Santos said. Muscle aches in randomized controlled trials occur in one to three percent of the population, while in real life, numerous confounding factors affect ten to 20 percent of people. 'Rhabdomyolysis is extremely rare, occurring in 0.01 percent of patients taking statins. Excess alcohol can harm the muscles, and statins may exacerbate this effect.' The US is battling a concerning early surge of a new 'super flu,' with cases rapidly rising, schools closing and hospitals enforcing mask mandates. But the annual winter virus isn't the only deadly disease 'skyrocketing,' health officials warn. Cases of the measles, the world's most infectious disease that had been declared eliminated in the US in 2000, continue to grow, following a deadly outbreak in Texas earlier this year amongst a largely unvaccinated group in a religious community. Measles has now infected 1,958 Americans and killed three people this year. It's the largest outbreak since 2,126 cases were reported in 1992. Last week, public health officials in Connecticut reported the state's first measles case since 2021. In South Carolina, 27 new measles cases were recorded from just Friday to Tuesday, bringing the state's total to 142 cases this year. There was one case in 2024. Additionally, more than 250 people are being quarantined in the state due to the ongoing outbreak. Dr Renee Dua, medical advisor to TenDollarTelehealth, told Daily Mail: 'The current measles outbreaks in the US are a direct consequence of falling childhood vaccination rates. Measles requires about 95 percent community immunity to prevent spread, and many regions are now below that threshold.' But it isn't just the measles that vaccine hesitancy and misinformation is fueling. Dua added: 'Vaccine misinformation is a major driver of declining uptake, not only for MMR and varicella, but increasingly for routine vaccines like the flu shot. This erosion of trust has accelerated since the Covid era.' Measles is an infectious, but preventable, disease caused by a virus that leads to flu-like symptoms, a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Dua continued: 'We are seeing real consequences: preventable outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths from diseases that were previously well controlled. These are measurable public-health failures. 'Vaccines remain among the safest and most effective tools in medicine. Rebuilding trust through clear, evidence-based communication is now as critical as vaccine access itself.' Measles, mumps and rubella are prevented via the MMR vaccine. The nationwide MMR vaccination rate is 92.5 percent. The MMR is 97 percent effective in preventing infection for those who receive both doses, according to the CDC. One dose is 93 percent effective. 'And for this reason, we're urging those who are not vaccinated to consider getting that protection now.' In the Connecticut case, officials said they were conducting contact tracing to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus. Health officials said in a press release that the patient was a child from Fairfield County under the age of 10. They are unvaccinated and had recently traveled internationally. Across the country in Utah, cases have grown to 122 this year, with 26 new cases in the past three weeks. In the state, there were no cases in 2024 and one in 2023. In just the past two months, 111 people have been sickened. In Arizona, which saw five measles cases in 2024, a surge has led to 182 this year. South Carolina epidemiologist Linda Bell said at a news briefing last week: 'Accelerating is an accurate term. That is a spike in cases we are concerned about." In a separate statement from October, Bell said: 'We actually anticipate that more cases may occur. The measles virus won't be contained within schools, within school districts or by county lines, but the MMR vaccine, by providing lifelong immunity to the majority of those vaccinated, will contain the virus.' Measles is considered the world's most infectious disease because people who are not vaccinated have a 90 percent chance of getting sick if they are exposed, even from sharing the same air, briefly or hours later, with someone who has measles. Your browser does not support iframes. Three in 1,000 people who contract measles will die. Of the current cases, 500 are in Americans under 5 years old; 786 are in 5- to 19-year-olds; 613 are among Americans 20 and older; and 13 cases are in people of unknown age. According to the CDC, 93 percent of cases are in people unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccine status. Three percent have received one dose of the MMR vaccine and four percent have received both doses. Of those sickened in the US, 222, 11 percent, are hospitalized, with the majority of those, 20 percent, being children under 5. Measles is an infectious, but preventable, disease caused by a virus that leads to flu-like symptoms, a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, and, in severe cases, pneumonia, seizures, brain inflammation, permanent brain damage, and death. The virus is spread through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air. Patients with a measles infection are contagious from four days before the rash through four days after the rash appears. Deaths typically occur from acute encephalitis, or brain swelling, when the virus travels to the central nervous system, or pneumonia if it migrates to the lungs. Before the current two-dose childhood vaccines approval in 1968, there were up to 500 US deaths each year from measles, 48,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 cases of brain swelling. Roughly three million to four million people were infected every year. A simple test can reveal whether someone unknowingly lives with a hidden disability known as aphantasia a condition that leaves people unable to form mental images in their mind. Often undiagnosed and poorly understood, aphantasia affects the brain's ability to visualise pictures, scenes or faces, even though eyesight itself is completely normal. Although estimates suggest between two and five per cent of people have aphantasia, the vast majority are never formally diagnosed. Because the condition is invisible and not routinely tested for, experts believe millions are unaware they have it and only discover it later in life by chance. People with the condition cannot picture a loved one's face, imagine a sunset, or visualise an object when their eyes are closed something most people assume everyone can do. Because it does not affect intelligence, language or outward functioning, aphantasia is largely invisible and many people only realise they have it in adulthood, after discovering that others experience vivid mental imagery that they do not. Now, Australian researchers say they have developed the first objective biological test to identify the condition. Scientists at the University of New South Wales found aphantasia can be detected by monitoring pupillary response the way the pupils expand and contract in response to light according to findings published in 2022 in the journal eLife. A simple test could reveal if you have a little-known condition that sees people unable to visualise imagery in their mind The researchers monitored pupil size in participants with and without aphantasia while they were shown bright and dark shapes against a grey background. Both groups 42 people without aphantasia and 18 who reported having it showed a normal pupil response when actually viewing the images, demonstrating that their eyes and visual pathways were functioning normally. However, when both groups were then asked to visualise the same light and dark shapes in their mind, a clear difference emerged. Participants without aphantasia showed the expected pupil response, with their pupils changing size depending on whether they were imagining light or dark objects. By contrast, the pupils of those with aphantasia did not change at all when they attempted to visualise the images. 'Our results show an exciting new objective method to measure visual imagery, and the first physiological evidence of aphantasia,' said senior author Dr Joel Pearson, a neuroscientist, in a blog published by the university. He described it as the first test of its kind for the condition. 'This really is the first biological, objective test for imagery vividness,' Dr Pearson said. Crucially, the findings also counter the idea that people with aphantasia are simply not trying to imagine images. Although their pupils did not respond to imagined brightness or darkness, they did dilate when participants were asked to imagine four objects rather than one a sign of increased mental effort. 'Our pupils are known to get larger when we are doing a more difficult task,' said Lachlan Kay, a PhD candidate in the Future Minds Lab at the university. 'Imagining four objects simultaneously is more difficult than imagining just one. 'The pupils of those with aphantasia dilated when they imagined four shapes compared to one but did not change based on whether the shapes were bright or dark. 'This indicated that the participants with aphantasia were indeed trying to imagine in this experiment, just not in a visual way.' Professor Pearson described the finding as 'very exciting', saying it was the first time researchers had shown that people with aphantasia actively attempt mental imagery. He said it 'puts to rest claims that they may simply not be attempting to create a mental image'. It is estimated that around two to five per cent of the population have aphantasia equivalent to millions of people worldwide according to the British Psychological Society. Rather than thinking in pictures, people with the condition tend to process information through facts, concepts and abstract knowledge, says the Aphantasia Network, a global online community for those affected. The term comes from ancient Greece, where the philosopher Aristotle described 'phantasia' as the mind's ability to form images. There is no single presentation of the condition. Some people are born with it known as congenital aphantasia while others acquire it later in life due to brain injury, trauma or medical conditions. Aphantasia can also be complete or partial. Some people experience no mental imagery at all, while others report dim, fleeting or fragmented images. While visual aphantasia is the most common form, researchers say the condition can also affect the ability to imagine sounds, touch, smells, tastes and movement. By all metrics, NHS dentistry is in crisis. Last week, a major report found that a lack of Health Service dentists meant patients were resorting to pulling out their own teeth. Others, according to Healthwatch England, were travelling more than 100 miles to find a practitioner while many were calling the NHS 111 helpline out of desperation. The nationwide shortage of dentists is due to a long-running contract dispute between practitioners and the Government, which means that, in recent years, a growing number of them have just stopped offering NHS-funded work. As a result, millions of Britons have been left without an NHS dentist. Health Service dentistry is not free, but the cost of treatment is subsidised by the Government, making it markedly cheaper than private dental care. Now, with the crisis set to rumble on for years, experts are urging patients to consider turning to private services, which, they claim, are often cheaper than people think. Around four in ten Britons have not seen a dentist in more than two years, according to research, largely due to worries about the cost of going private. And there has been a clear knock-on effect. Four in ten Britons now have rotten teeth, studies show, while around two-thirds have decay in at least one tooth. Six in ten NHS patients say they would now consider paying for private dental care, but are often put off due to the cost. But experts say that patients who choose to go private do not necessarily need to pay through the nose. In fact, a growing number of monthly subscription plans mean patients can have some form of care for as little as 10 a month. But which of these plans are right for you? And how can you avoid getting ripped off? Here, The Mail on Sunday has teamed up with some of the UKs dental experts to create the ultimate guide to getting cheap private dental treatment. Millions of Britons are being left without an NHS dentist due to a shortage of practitioners Join the debate Should dental care be free for all, or is it fair to expect people to pay for private treatment? Surprisingly low monthly payments Anyone considering turning to private dental care should consider a monthly payment plan. These subscription schemes have grown increasingly popular in recent years, with some costing as little as 10 a month. The most popular are Denplan and Bupa Smiles. Other firms that offer them include Optima Dental Care and DentalSavers. Denplans cheapest monthly scheme, which costs 13, affords patients one check-up with a dentist and one visit to the hygienist every year. This also includes any X-rays that are required. The firms most expensive offering, at about 30 a month, will buy two check-ups and as many as four hygienist appointments every year. Bupa Smile has similarly priced schemes. Even the cheapest of these schemes are still more expensive than NHS care. In England, Health Service patients pay 27.40 for a yearly check-up that involves scale and polish (if needed), along with any X-rays. However, the plans are substantially cheaper than paying out of pocket for these services. Patients who go private in England would foot 40 to 75 for the check-up, another 90 to 130 for a scale and polish and 10 to 20 for each X-ray potentially running up a bill of 225. Denplans cheapest monthly scheme costs around 156 a year. Usually you need to get a check-up once every 18 months, says Dr Jaavad Mirza, of Pear Tree Dental Centre in Nottingham. So while an extra few visits for only a tenner more a month might sound like a good deal, its usually unnecessary. The only exception would be if you have a history of tooth problems, so might require closer observation. Dr Mirza adds that it is worth checking whether local dentists run independent payment plans, which can often be cheaper than those being offered by the big firms. Companies like Denplan and Bupa Smiles act as a middle-man between the patient and dentist, he says. More and more dental practices are setting up their own payment plans, which cuts out these firms and means they can offer competitive prices. Avoiding unnecessary treatments It's important to note that most monthly plans will not cover the cost of invasive procedures. For this reason, experts say its crucial that patients are certain they need the treatment being offered to them. The most common dental procedures performed in the UK are fillings, where a small hole in the tooth is filled in, root canals, where an infected tooth is treated, and crowns, where a cap is placed on top of a weak or cracked tooth. These procedures would cost NHS patients in England about 70. But in the private sector, a filling costs about 150, a root canal averages 320 and crowns can cost upwards of 600 each. Monthly payment plans tend to offer discounts on these treatments, but they are unlikely to markedly lower the price. For example, for 24.50 a month, Bupa Smiles provides a 10 per cent discount on standard procedures. The exception to this is Denplans Care scheme its premium plan, which will pay for restorative treatments, such as crowns and fillings. However, the cost of this plan depends on the health of the patients teeth. For example, those with no previous dental issues can pay as little as 23 a month. But those who have had dental treatment in the past may have to pay between 33 and 75 per month. Experts say that, for those who do have to pay out of pocket, its worth taking steps to ensure that the procedure is necessary. Unfortunately, some dentists can try to up-sell, particularly on smaller procedures like fillings, says Dr Mirza. If a patient is told they need a filling, I would always recommend that they ask to see a picture of the damaged tooth and an X-ray. A picture should show visible decay and a hole, while the X-ray should reveal dark spots against the white of the bone. If you cant see these, its worth asking whether its really needed. Experts say there are also steps to lower the cost of certain dental procedures. Metal crowns, which tend to cost between 300 and 600 per tooth, are substantially cheaper than the more modern ceramic versions which can cost as much as 1,200. Most people would prefer a ceramic crown as it is tooth-coloured, meaning that its less obvious, says Dr Mirza. Metal crowns are just as effective and much cheaper, its just that they are more noticeable. Insurance is rarely worth the cost Most patients wont require dental insurance, but for those who do it can be costly. Insurance plans are designed to cover the cost of expensive restorative treatments such as root canals and crowns. However, experts say that patients who attend regular check-ups and hygiene appointments are unlikely to suffer these issues. Dental issues very rarely happen out of nowhere, says Dr Adam Thorne, a dentist at Harley Street Dental Studio in London. If you see a dentist once a year and they dont have any concerns, its unlikely you will need any restorative treatment. Dr Matthew Nolan, head dental officer at Denplan For patients who sign up for its monthly plan, Denplan offers an insurance scheme that costs just 7.20 a year. However, this only covers dental emergencies that occur abroad or at least 40 miles away from the patients registered dental practice. For more comprehensive coverage, there are a number of choices. The leading dental insurance providers in the UK include Bupa, AXA, Dencover and WPA. Experts say the price of these policies vary typically between 15 and 50 a month depending on how much dental work patients have needed in the past. For this reason, insurance schemes are unlikely to save patients substantial amounts of money. The attraction of insurance plans is that you know how much is coming out of your account every month, says Dr Matthew Nolan, head dental officer at Denplan. As opposed to getting hit suddenly with a very big bill. However, experts say there are ways to get insurance costs down. If you havent been to a dentist in a while, your premium might be higher or the insurance firm might not cover you at all, says Dr Thorne. So its worth getting a check-up and seeing a hygienist before applying for insurance. It's worth travelling overseas for these... Avoid travelling abroad for all but the most routine dental procedures, experts warn. Every year, thousands of Britons go overseas for cosmetic dentistry such as veneers, custom-made shells that cover teeth, giving the impression of a perfect, white smile. However, a growing number are now visiting other countries for restorative treatment. Last year, a report by the General Dental Council found that nearly a tenth of British dental patients had received overseas treatment in the previous 12 months. Two of the most popular locations for dental tourism are Turkey and Hungary, largely due to the significant difference in price for dental care. A ceramic crown that costs 1,000 in the UK may cost around 170 in Turkey, according to latest figures. And while most clinics in these countries are safe and effective, experts say it pays to be careful. Going abroad can be very appealing, says Dr Thorne. But if things go wrong, or it takes longer to recover than expected, you want to be somewhere where you know youll receive the right support. Thats not always the case overseas. However, getting a crown done or a filling abroad are fairly low risk. Procedures dental experts consider complex and, as such, advise against travelling abroad to undergo include wisdom teeth removal or a dental implant, which involves replacing a missing tooth using a small metal screw drilled into the jawbone. Experts say its important to check whether the dentist speaks good English and to also make sure they have the right accreditation. In Turkey, for example, clinics should have a dental tourism certificate from the Turkish Ministry of Health, which is granted only after they have been evaluated and have practiced for five years. Dentists often use terminology that patients struggle to understand, so in a foreign country that can be even more pronounced, says Dr Nolan. If youre planning to travel abroad, its worth spending the money to get a second opinion in the UK on whether you need the work or not. My dentist left the NHS - so I followed Martin Stanford had been with the same NHS dentist for eight years and had always been happy with his care. But last year, the 77-year-old former law worker found out that his practitioner had decided to stop working for the Health Service like thousands of other dentists in recent years. Martin, from The Wirral, says he had not considered going private until then but wanted to stick with the same dentist. He began seeing his dentist privately, and recently switched to seeing Dr Tom Liu, at Wallasey Village Dental Practice. Due to a history of teeth problems, Martin decided to sign up for a monthly payment plan. The 32-a-month scheme entitles him to two check-ups including X-rays if required and four visits to the hygienist per year, a discount on vital treatment and covers the cost of most emergency procedures. Martin says it is worth the cost. I see my dentist and hygienist much more regularly than I used to, he says. Its helpful because they can spot any issues coming down the line, and tell me what I need to do to prevent them. Last month I went back to Boots in Notting Hill, close to where I live, to get my second shingles vaccine. I wasnt much looking forward to it: not only was it going to cost me another 230, but the first jab, which Id received six weeks earlier, had wiped me out for a whole day with a pounding headache. Yet there was no way I was going to skip that second shot. Getting vaccinated mattered to me though not for the reason you might expect. Shingrix the name of the jab is available on the NHS to protect older people against shingles, a painful condition caused by the reactivation of the childhood chickenpox virus. Its a miserable disease but thats not why I was prepared to pay almost 500. Compelling observational research suggests that shingles vaccines may also cut the risk of dementia by up to 20 per cent within seven years, and by as much as 50 per cent for vascular dementia, one of the most common types. During the Covid pandemic, I served as a government health minister and saw first-hand, through the vaccine roll-out, the extraordinary power of public health interventions. I believe dementia now poses an even greater threat to our national health. More than 200,000 people in Britain are diagnosed each year and around 75,000 die from it numbers that will only climb as the population ages. Which begs the question: why isnt the NHS making the shingles vaccine a cornerstone of its dementia-prevention strategy? Lord Bethell was happy to pay for the vaccine to reduce his dementia risk Like many people, this is a disease Ive long worried about shaped by seeing the cruelty of degenerative brain conditions up close. My father, the politician Lord (Nicholas) Bethell, developed Parkinsons disease at 56, younger than I am now. The condition is similar to dementia: it can impact movement and memory and it robbed him of so much. Yet he faced it with immense courage and little complaint. He died in 2007, aged 69, from a heart attack linked to the condition. As a result, Ive done everything I can to avoid a similar fate. The encouraging news is that many brain diseases are, at least in part, preventable. Studies suggest that up to half of dementia cases could be avoided through lifestyle changes several of which were highlighted earlier this month when The Mail on Sunday and Daily Mail launched their Defeating Dementia campaign with Alzheimers Society. These include controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, exercising regularly, cutting back on smoking and excess alcohol, staying socially engaged and even using hearing aids or glasses when needed. I take these measures seriously. To keep my blood pressure down, for example, I stay lean, run 25 to 30 miles a week and fast one day a week. In recent years, however, excitement around the shingles vaccine has been steadily growing. In 2023, academics at Stanford University analysed health data from around 280,000 people in Wales and found that those who had received a shingles vaccine were significantly less likely to go on to be diagnosed with dementia. The leading theory is that as we age, the dormant chickenpox virus, varicella-zoster, can also travel to the brain, where it may damage delicate neural tissue. Preventing that reactivation, the thinking goes, could help protect the brain. Earlier this year, the drug giant GSK, which manufactures Shingrix, launched a ground-breaking study using data from up to 1.4 million NHS patients. Its aim is to investigate whether Shingrix can reduce the risk of dementia and, if so, by how much. I should stress that I have no financial interest in GSK or any vaccine manufacturer. If the findings are positive, the implications would be profound. Millions of older adults could benefit from protection offered by a vaccine that is already widely used by the NHS. But, given the huge amount of data, there is no compelling reason for health officials not to start the process of expanding access. We already know the vaccine is safe, and we already know it is highly effective at preventing shingles. Yet the NHS makes it maddeningly difficult to get it. People turning 65 or 70 can receive it, and it is offered up to the age of 80, but, confusingly, many in their late 60s fall into a gap and must wait. Anyone over 80 is not currently eligible. At present, anyone who like me wants to take the initiative and lower their risk of dementia by getting the shingles vaccine, has to pay for it privately. Yet if the jab were offered on a mass-scale on the NHS, it would cost no more than 200 per course, making it hugely cost-effective when set against the staggering financial and human costs of dementia care. Lowering the age of eligibility to somewhere between 50 and 60 could potentially prevent tens of thousands of dementia cases. That is why I am taking action. Earlier this month I wrote to officials at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the body that decides which conditions the NHS vaccinates against to ask what progress is being made towards approving vaccines like Shingrix as a dementia-prevention tool. There is no time to waste. Within a decade, there will be 1.4million people living with dementia in the UK making it the single biggest health challenge of our generation. The shingles vaccine could prove a genuine breakthrough, helping more of us to enjoy longer lives in good health. Dr Richard Oakley, Alzheimers Societys Associate Director of Research and Innovation, said: While several studies have shown a connection, currently we do not have the evidence needed to show for sure that the shingles vaccine prevents dementia. More research is needed to understand the link. There are steps people can take today to reduce their risk of dementia, such as exercising, not smoking and managing long-term health conditions like blood pressure and diabetes. We know a holistic approach to good health is the best way to lower your risk of dementia. Interior design experts has been weighing in on the home decor choices that are 'tasteless' - after a TikTok content creator caused a firestorm online. In the video, which has so far racked up over 17 million views, user Ellie Barker decided to start the conversation about certain design decisions. 'What's a home decor choice that screams, "I don't have taste?"' Barker asked her audience. In the comments section, tons of people weighed in with their own opinions of what they found to be tacky. 'Beach decor when the house isn't at the beach,' one person wrote. Someone else typed, 'Empty liquor bottles as decor.' 'Crushed velvet, I'm sorry but it gives me a headache looking at it,' another person chimed in. A user seconded, 'Hanging pictures so high they almost touch the ceiling.' In the comments section, tons of people weighed in with their own opinions of what they found to be tacky, including beach-themed decor when the house isn't at the beach (stock image) Some users even shared gripes about having crushed velvet furniture in the home (stock image) 'Any wall sticker, I'm sorry,' another shared. Others even posted photos to describe their gripes, which included artwork with designer brands drawn on it, like Chanel, or signs that read, 'Live, laugh, love.' And while many people may have their own views on what is 'tasteful' or not, an interior decorator has now weighed in on the matter, settling the debate. Jared Hughes, of Jared Hughes Design, revealed to Daily Mail a few of his least favorite decor items. 'We have to start by saying that the definition of "taste" can be different for everyone,' he prefaced. 'What I may find tasteful might not be what most everyone else would agree is tasteful,' he continued. 'For instance, when I see one of the "H" Hermes blankets thrown on top of a beautiful primary bed this screams "no taste."' Hughes also admitted that he finds matching furniture sets and 'excessive amounts' of overhead lighting to be off-putting, too. 'For instance, when I see one of the "H" Hermes blankets thrown on top of a beautiful primary bed this screams "no taste,"' Hughes told Daily Mail The interior decorator also gave his insight into home decor trends, as he revealed some of the items he believes are no longer 'in.' This included having an 'overuse of technology in the home,' as well as the cloud sofa and its knockoffs. Hughes also mentioned decorating with Pampas grass and dried florals as trends that seems to be past its prime. 'The goal is to make the space feel lively, dead flowers don't do that,' Hughes told Daily Mail. But all hope is not lost for your home decor. On the bright side, there is one thing that Hughes believes everyone should have in their home - and that's a piece of original art. 'It can be an antique piece like an oil landscape you love or an example of architecture in print, maybe from somewhere you have visited,' Hughes said. 'It could also be a modern piece and you're really attracted to the color or the feeling it gives you,' he said. 'Just do not buy generic, fake art,' Hughes warned. So, your partner is heading off on a girls' trip to Bali? What could go wrong? Well, apparently, quite a lot. As it seems, Bali has slowly made a name for itself as 'Infidelity Island', a place where women - and men - go to let off some steam while their partners sit blissfully unaware at home. The tropical paradise is just a stone's throw away from Australia and its affordable luxurious accommodation and world famous beaches have now made it a hotspot for Europeans and Americans too. But many have begun to wonder if the Indonesian island is 'cursed' following confessions of cheating among both men and women alike. Just ask Melissa Zahorujko, who has spent the last two months in Bali and witnessed the debauchery of many who are supposedly in committed relationships. Speaking to Daily Mail, the socialite is known among the Sydney influencing scene, flocking from one event to another and is hardly ever home on a weeknight. 'There's such a mix of expats and international travellers in Bali. Everyone is in holiday mode, in a good mood and open to chatting, the weather is warm 24/7 - it's a paradise,' Mel, 31, said. Melissa Zahorujko (pictured) has been in Bali for the last two months. The 31-year-old from Sydney has revealed she saw countless women and men cheat on their partners who are back home 'There's such a mix of expats and international travellers in Bali. Everyone is in holiday mode, in a good mood and open to chatting, the weather is warm 24/7 - it's a paradise,' Mel said At bars she's often hit on by flirtatious married men and knows of women who have cheated on their partners who are waiting back home Down Under. It's the sole reason why you should think twice before your partner travels to Bali alone - and why it's a bad idea to plan your bachelorette party there. For the last few years, Mel has remained single by choice - but has had her fair share of 'situationships' with men not willing to commit. From finance bros to 'Peter Pan' men who don't want to grow up, Mel says the Australian dating pool is a 'practical joke' for men and women alike. So she packed her bags and looked for love abroad. She's had a string of romances around the world including in London, Turkey and Dubai, yet has never been lucky in Indonesia, which she doesn't think is a coincidence. 'I've had so many successful holiday romances in the past, but never in Bali,' Mel said. 'While I've been single for the last few years, I've seen people cheat on their partners or they've told me of their affairs - nearly all have happened in Bali.' From girls trips gone wrong to situationships ending in flames, Mel revealed the 'curse' of Bali Mel shared stories of attending beachclubs and private soirees where travellers and friends revealed their shameful secrets. 'Women are a lot more secretive than men because they're normally judged more by others. They don't want other people to think badly of them whereas men don't care,' she said. On one occasion, Mel was at a villa with friends and was chatting to one woman who she knew had been sleeping with a handsome man she'd met in Bali that week. 'She goes, "Oh yeah.. I have someone back home and I feel bad about what I've done.. And he's flying over to see me today",' Mel recalled. A few hours later, the boyfriend arrived and introduced himself to the group while everyone kept quiet about what his girlfriend had been up to in his absence. The pair adored each other yet the young woman still found herself in someone else's bed. Mel doesn't know if they are still together or not. On a previous week-long trip, the holiday slowly descended into chaos following a hen's night. Mel said one of the women who had a fiance back in Australia went 'too far' with the stripper On a previous week-long trip, Mel heard how a friend's holiday slowly descended into chaos following a hen's night. The group hired out a villa so they could all stay in one place. The bridesmaids ordered a stripper, balloons, and the other usual checklist items for a bachelorette party. 'My friend told me everyone was having a fun time, drinking champagne and celebrating our friend just the girls,' she said. But one of the women who had a fiance back in Australia went 'too far' with the stripper. 'They were all drunk by the end of the night and the stripper stayed a bit longer to party with us. One of the girls got a bit frisky with him. They went into the bedroom together and didn't come back for an hour,' Mel said. 'While I've been single for the last few years, I've seen people cheat on their partners or they've told me of their affairs - nearly all have happened in Bali,' Mel said Over the last eight weeks and on previous trips, she's noticed a common denominator: people run to Bali to escape their reality back home 'I couldn't believe it. Apparently her relationship ended when she returned to Australia.' Over the last eight weeks and on previous trips, Mel has noticed a common denominator: people run to Bali to escape their reality back home. When Mel first arrived in mid-July and met a man at a bar, he asked how long she was planning on being in the tropical paradise for. Then the conversation took a deeper turn and he asked, 'What are you running away from?' 'Bali is a form of escapism for so many people,' she explained. 'I've been approached by married men who come to Bali to figure out what they want out of life - most of them are unsure about either their relationship or career. 'One guy I met had recently had a baby with his wife and their relationship has never been the same. 'So many people I've met have all the things society tells you to strive for - a partner, kids and career back home - yet those sometimes aren't enough.' While Mel's trip will be coming to an end later this month, she hopes to return to Bali soon - yet doesn't plan to find her Prince Charming there THE BALI 'BREAKUP CURSE' Unmarried travellers are warned to stay away from Bali due to the 'breakup curse'. The Bali 'curse' is rooted in Balinese folklore and Hindu mythology, detailing a love story gone horribly wrong. As the tale goes, a Brahmin Prince and Brahmin Princess came to Bali from Java and visited the Tanah Lot Temple, which is best known for its stunning scenery. The engaged couple had pre-marital sex but the following morning the prince refused to marry the princess. In her heartbroken state, it's believed the princess placed a curse on the island dooming any unmarried couple who visits. When Mel first heard of the curse, she found it difficult to believe. However, having had her own bad experiences with men on the island, and with one situationship ending particularly badly, she's now convinced. During her travels, Mel met a cute man named Jared* who seemed like a 'perfect gentleman' but things quickly unravelled during a trip to the islands. Mel thinks Bali is a place for people unhappy in their relationships to escape 'We were talking about this curse on our first date and were determined for this not to end badly for us. He was quite spiritual himself and truly believed in the "curse",' she said. 'We were really hitting it off, everything was going great and we planned to travel the island together. He'd open doors for me and was really sweet.' One afternoon, Jared went back to his hotel extremely fatigued and wanted to stay in for the night, however Mel didn't want to 'put her holiday on hold'. 'I told him I'm going to go out and he can meet me later if he's up for it. I ended up on this pub crawl, met all these other amazing people and didn't hear from Jared,' she said. 'I was talking to a group of really hot Canadian guys later that night then all of a sudden Jared popped up out of nowhere and was really annoyed I was talking to other men. 'I greeted him but he was really cold towards me and then didn't want to come home with me. 'We had an argument, both stormed off from each other and haven't spoken since.' While Mel's trip will be coming to an end later this month, she hopes to return to Bali soon - but she's not counting on meeting her Prince Charming. Instead she's found formed 'strong platonic friendships and community' in Bali and looks forward to returning for that reason - not for men. *Name has been changed News / National by Staff reporter The Government is set to commission a study aimed at supporting evidence-based policymaking for the resuscitation of Bulawayo's industrial base and the operationalisation of special economic zones (SEZs), Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has announced.The planned study comes as momentum builds around the proposed Bulawayo Industrial Park, a flagship initiative expected to reposition the city as a springboard for industrialisation, attract significant investment inflows, create employment across multiple sectors and stimulate wider regional economic transformation. The project aligns with the broader industrialisation agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and is intended to contribute meaningfully to socio-economic growth, particularly in Bulawayo and surrounding areas.Industrial parks are purpose-built zones designed specifically for industrial activity, typically featuring subdivided industrial plots supported by essential infrastructure such as road networks, transport links and public utilities. In some cases, they also offer shared facilities that encourage collaboration, efficiency and innovation among manufacturers. By concentrating industrial activity in one location, such parks help lower logistical costs, improve the ease of doing business and create an enabling environment for enterprises to grow.In Bulawayo, the Umvumila Zone has been identified as a starting point for the industrial park initiative. The city's industrial sector has experienced a prolonged decline over the years, marked by company closures and relocations to Harare, resulting in widespread job losses. However, under the Second Republic, the introduction of ease-of-doing-business reforms has helped some firms recover from distress and improve capacity utilisation.The rebuilding of a strong domestic industrial base was a central pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which laid the groundwork for achieving Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 of becoming an upper middle-income economy.Speaking to journalists after the 2026 Post-Budget engagement in Bulawayo on Monday, Prof Ncube said industrial revival remains a pressing concern in the city. He noted that the issue of resuscitating closed industries continues to dominate discussions in Bulawayo, unlike in other major urban centres such as Harare."What I found interesting is that in Bulawayo, the topical issue is still the resuscitation of the closed industries. That is an issue for Bulawayo; we are not hearing as much of that from Harare or other cities," said Prof Ncube.He said he had directed the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and Treasury officials to jointly produce a research paper on strategies to revive closed industries and idle factories, as well as on how to establish an export processing zone or special economic zone in Bulawayo. Prof Ncube added that similar strategies could later be extended to other cities facing comparable challenges, such as Gweru and Mutare.During the engagement, the minister also proposed repurposing some of Bulawayo's vacant factories into hubs for global call centres and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) operations, supported by attractive tax incentives. He said the Government has formally extended SEZ incentives to the sector, placing it on par with traditional export-oriented industries."There is a paragraph in the main Budget document which talks about business process outsourcing organisations. These are call centres and knowledge-based processing organisations, which mainly focus on the ICT sector," Prof Ncube said.He explained that the sector has been granted SEZ status incentives, meaning companies servicing offshore clients would qualify for the same benefits as those operating in export processing zones."We really want to drive this sector. I am looking forward to some of these factories in Bulawayo being occupied by BPOs and KPOs going forward," he said.Bulawayo-based economist and academic Mr Stevenson Dlamini welcomed the proposed study, saying it was essential to ensure policies are grounded in evidence. He said the research would help identify the key cost barriers and structural constraints hindering the growth of the manufacturing sector, which is largely concentrated in Bulawayo."The study aims to determine all the cost barriers and any obstacles that are impeding the growth or the reindustrialisation of Bulawayo," said Mr Dlamini. "Its successful completion will help shape reforms that are tailored to the needs of industry and unlock value that is currently trapped in former industrial giants."Industrialist Mr Busisa Moyo, managing director of United Refineries Limited and chairperson of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency and the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company, said Bulawayo has vast, largely vacant industrial spaces that could be easily converted into call centres."We have well-situated factories in Bulawayo and there is an opportunity to rekindle industrialisation in the city," said Mr Moyo. "About 80 percent of factory spaces in Bulawayo have a rail siding, and this is a significant endowment. Some of those spaces could be effectively utilised for call centres." Silly season is here - a time of happiness and laughter. But for the 'other woman', it's anything but the most wonderful time of the year. Trust me. I would know. I've spent several years of my life being a part-time lover - a secondary partner who fades into the background when December rolls around. I quietly watch from the sidelines and will barely have any contact with my man over the next few weeks while he spends time with his wife and family. Before you judge me, just know I never meant to become someone's dirty little secret on purpose. I first became the other woman in my early 20s while living in London. On a Friday night out with a few girlfriends, I met an attractive man at a Soho bar. Oliver* was a smooth talker and I was completely taken in as we flirted over martinis. Over the following weeks, I felt like I was living a dream. Endless romantic texts, perfect dates, mind-blowing sex... Before you judge me, just know I never meant to become someone's dirty little secret on purpose, writes our pseudonymous author (stock image posed by models) Many will remember the iconic scene in Love Actually where Emma Thompson's character (left) discovers a necklace in her marital bedroom, believing it's a Christmas gift from her husband. Later, she finds out it is a present for another, younger woman (right) Of course, I didn't know he was married - he didn't tell me, nor did I see a ring. Oliver only told me the truth when he was caught out. We'd been dating for a few months when we went out for dinner, then back to his for a bottle of wine. As we clinked glasses and snuggled up together on the lounge, something across the room caught my eye. A baby blue highchair in the corner. 'Are you married?' I asked, my voice shaking. Oliver's face dropped. Then he finally told me the truth. He told me he'd been married for five years and his wife was at their second home with their toddler. He told me they never had sex anymore, that becoming parents had changed things between them. I knew I should've turned my back on him and walked away. But I didn't. The truth is, I was head over heels in love by then - in way too deep to leave. The first Christmas we spent apart - him with his wife and children, me alone in my tiny apartment - was incredibly painful (stock image posed by model) For six years, we did this dance. I had partners during this period, of course, some of them even quite serious - but they never had a clue about my married lover on the side. Special occasions - particularly Christmas - were the hardest. Because no married man abandons his wife and children over the holidays. Throughout the year, I'd been whisked away on expensive trips and showered with attention and gifts. But come every December, it was like I didn't exist. Oliver and I eventually parted ways in 2019. I was 29 by then and decided to move to Sydney for a fresh start. I convinced myself I would never date a married man again - boy, was I wrong. I met Jack* at a mutual friend's dinner party in north Sydney. We sipped champagne and talked as the sun set over the city. The chemistry between us was undeniable. Fast forward a few weeks and we were dating. Jack brought out a side of me I never even knew existed - my feelings for him ran even deeper than my feelings for Oliver. I'll admit I was quite naive. I believed him when he told me he was divorced, that his wife was a 'horrible' person. I also listened to him talk about his love for his children. I became open to the idea of becoming a stepmother - but whenever I asked if he'd be open to me meeting them, he told me it was 'too soon'. I should've listened to my mother's wise words: 'If he doesn't say nice things about his ex-wife, he's not a good person.' About six months in, I learned the truth after spying a notification on his phone. He wasn't divorced. He and his wife were very much together. Once again, I knew I should've ended things then and there, but I couldn't. I was so in love with Jack and couldn't imagine never seeing him again. So we continued our relationship. The first Christmas we spent apart - him with his wife and children, me alone in my tiny apartment - was incredibly painful. While Jack spent money on me when we were together - expensive trips, lavish dinners - he never really bought me physical gifts. Sitting by myself at home, I wondered what he'd got his wife for Christmas. I tortured myself, imagining her unwrapping a beautiful necklace or a sparkling ring, a token of his love she'd keep forever. How long would my memories of sun-soaked holiday sex sustain me? They were hardly likely to outlast diamonds. I barely looked at my phone that week because I knew what the inevitable text message would say. I can't call tonight. She's here. It was heartbreaking. Many people will remember the famous scene from Christmas rom-com Love Actually where Emma Thompson's character, Karen, discovers a gold necklace in her husband Harry's coat pocket, believing it's a Christmas gift bought for her. When she instead receives a Joni Mitchell CD, she cries quietly in the bedroom, realising the necklace was for another woman. Meanwhile, across town, her husband's younger obsession, Mia, tries on her new piece of jewellery. In the Hollywood movie, the other woman wins Christmas. But it's not like that - not for me, anyway. The wife gets the day. She gets the gift. I am alone, waiting for it all to be over. My relationship goes on ice until January. My friends ask me why I don't just leave. But the thought of losing someone I love and starting a new life is just too much to bear. I used to adore Christmas when I was a child. My younger sister would wake me up then we'd run downstairs and open presents under the tree. Now, as an adult, loneliness takes on a particular edge in the final month of the year - arriving dressed in fairy lights and carols, as gifts are wrapped and placed beneath the tree. But for me, it's really as hollow as an unopened present, all shimmer and promise with nothing inside. The truth is that the other woman never comes first. I sit in my flat with Christmas lights I put up for myself, pretending they're enough. I buy my own gifts and wrap them anyway, because the ritual feels like proof I exist. I tell friends I'm 'keeping it low-key this year', which is easier than saying no one is coming. The world slows down at Christmas, but my thoughts don't. They get louder. Each empty hour asks the same question: If I matter, why am I always alone when it matters most? I know what people would say if they knew - that I chose this and deserve the loneliness. A lot of people think I'm a shameful person, but I'm still human. I don't want to ruin anyone's Christmas. I just want one where I'm not hidden. I want one season where love doesn't feel like something I borrow and have to give back before nightfall. So yes, Christmas is the loneliest time of year for me. Not because I am alone. But because for a few bright, unbearable days, everyone else gets to be seen and I am reminded that I never am. As told to Carina Stathis. Marlenya Jones is a pseudonym. *Name has been changed If you haven't heard of her, chances are your younger relatives have. Alia Marie Shelesh, better known as SSSniperwolf, is one of the internet's biggest stars, boasting more than 35million subscribers on YouTube and tens of millions more across social media. The 33-year-old rose to fame after launching her channel in 2013 with videos of herself playing first-person shooter games, before evolving into a reaction-video juggernaut. At the height of her career during the Covid pandemic, she was estimated to be earning as much as $30million a year and paid nearly $7million in cash for a 2.25 acre, vacant single-family lot in her home state of Arizona the most expensive sale of its kind in the state up to that point. Her popularity reached a new level earlier this year when rap superstar Drake publicly admitted he had slid into her direct messages, only for Shelesh to rebuff his advances because she 'had a man'. But for all her success, with more than 26 billion views on YouTube and more than 50 million followers across social media, Shelesh's online empire has begun to unravel. Old videos have resurfaced allegedly showing inappropriate interactions with minors, a bitter divorce laid bare the chaos behind her channel and explosive feuds with rival creators have dragged her reputation through the mud. SSSniperwolf's monthly YouTube views have plunged by nearly two-thirds since June last year, according to analytics firm vidIQ, and she claims to be paying half of her YouTube channel's income to her estranged husband. Alia Marie Shelesh, better known as SSSniperwolf, is one of the most popular online influencers, with more than 35million subscribers on YouTube But for all her success, with more than 26 billion views on YouTubeand more than 50 million followers across social media, Shelesh's online empire has begun to unravel Tyler Chou, Founder & CEO of Tyler Chou Law for Creators and CreatorArq M&A Advisory, told the Daily Mail: 'She's in what we call 'zombie mode.' She's only grown a million [subscribers] in the last two years. She used to grow eight million per year.' Chou's familiarity with the situation resulted from legal counsel she gave to another YouTuber that SSSniperwolf had high-profile drama with. For most of Shelesh's career, she was in a relationship with Evan Young, known as 'Sausage' online. The couple, who began dating in 2014, were also business partnersa partnership that would later turn bitter. Many say Shelesh's troubling behavior coincided with the breakdown of their marriage. They quietly married sometime after 2016 and shared an Arizona home worth about $700,000. In the early days, the pair appeared together on SSSniperwolf's channel, sharing playful glimpses of their relationship. But by 2022, cracks were impossible to ignore. Viral tweets alleging that Young had cheated on Shelesh circulated widely, though neither addressed the rumors. The internet star was also hit with tragedy that year when her brother, Bakir Shelesh, drowned at the age of 28 after losing his board while surfing in Hawaii. Join the debate Do YOU think reaction content helped build her fame or ruin her reputation? For most of Shelesh's career, she was in a relationship with Evan Young, known as Sausage online The relationship began to unravel around 2022. That year, viral tweets claiming that Sausage had cheated on Shelesh began swirling, although neither ever addressed the rumors Shelesh was also hit with tragedy in 2022 when her brother, Bakir Shelesh (right), drowned at the age of 28 after losing his board while surfing in Hawaii. Shelesh is pictured here with all her siblings, of which she is the oldest In an online post after her brother's drowning, Shelesh wrote: 'Life is precious and can be taken away suddenly. Please cherish and love everyone around you while you still can,' and added that she would likely take a break from uploading videos. Friends say tension in Shelesh and Young's household that year escalated into constant arguments, clashing over creative control, money and recognition for the channel's success. Young eventually stopped appearing in videos, yet court records indicate he believes he was the brains behind the operation. In 2023, a tweet featuring the couple, captioned 'I still don't know how he pulled her,' went viral with more than 20 million views. Shelesh responded: 'Well after 9 years things didn't work out lol.' The dry acknowledgment hinted at their bitterness. Since the split, the aftermath of their marriage has weighed heavily on Shelesh's career. Videos that once drew millions now attract only hundreds of thousands of views. Divorce filings suggest Young is demanding not just half of her assets, but also a claim to future earnings a battle that has reportedly turned negotiations into years of high-stakes conflict. Although Shelesh began as a gaming YouTuber, she pivoted toward reaction content around 2017, which pushed her past five million subscribers that year. SSSniperwolf's dry acknowledgment of this tweet hinted at the bitterness between her and her estranged husband Shelesh and Young shared this $700,000 Arizona home when they were together. Neither of them live there anymore Tyler Chou, an IP attorney who also runs a YouTube channel, gave legal counsel to YouTuber Jacksfilms when his beef with SSSniperwolf came to a head Reaction videos - compiling clips from smaller creators and adding commentary - can perform extremely well, but they are also controversial. 'SSSniperwolf is known for reaction content, which I'm actually really not a big fan of, because I'm an IP attorney,' said Chou. 'She would take these TikToks of small creators and then take their handles off. I mean, that's not cool. Ok fine, go ahead and use their content, but at least give them credit, so people know who they are and they can go find them.' The approach caught the attention of fellow YouTuber Jack Douglass, better known as Jacksfilms, who criticized Shelesh for making millions of dollars off of low-effort reactions to others' content. In October 2022, Douglass mocked SSSniperwolf by announcing he would create his own reaction channel, JJJacksilms, to demonstrate how easy it was to become successful off the back of others' content. Jacksfilms 'basically decided to take a stance against her,' said Chou, who took Douglass on as a client when the beef came to a head. 'He felt like all the small underdogs couldn't do it, but he was big enough of a YouTuber. 'He would basically replay her videos and give the creators their credit and their handles. So he sort of went after her almost like Robin Hood,' Chou explained. 'He really got a lot of attention and people really were so grateful to him that he would stand up for the little creators... I think that created a backlash against SSSniperwolf where people were like, 'huh, maybe she's not that good of a person.'' In a video following the doxxing incident, Douglass said that he and his wife no longer felt safe in their home SSSniperwolf's reaction videos eventually caught the attention of fellow popular YouTuber Jack Douglass, better known as Jacksfilms Fans rallied behind Douglass, and Shelesh fired back online, claiming Douglass was jealous because she was female. The JJJacksfilms channel now has more than 680,000 subscribers and focuses on calling out content theft by creators across the platform. Amid her divorce from Young, Shelesh and Jacksfilms' feud took a dangerous turn when she posted footage of his home online, revealing its location to her five million followers and potentially putting his family in danger. 'Come out to talk to me,' she said in the video, which she deleted hours later. 'There's video of this, because Jack was on a livestream at the time, and people on his stream were saying 'hey, she's in front of your house,'' Chou said. 'You could tell how terrified he was.' Amid the drama, Shelesh lost more than 100,000 subscribers in a single day. YouTube temporarily suspended her monetization under Creator Responsibility policies. The suspension lasted roughly a week, Chou said, adding that 'the punishment sort of didn't fit the crime.' SSSniperwolf appears to have resumed earning from her videos. Shelesh later apologized, describing her actions as inexcusable. But the controversy also cost her at least one seven-figure brand deal, according to Chou. About a year after Jacksfilms made his first video going after Shelesh, she posted this to her Instagram story asking fans if she should go to his house She then went outside of his home, recorded the front of the property from the street and posted it to her five million followers at the time Douglass posted these tweets calling out SSSniperwolf's behavior after the doxxing incident SSSniperwolf issued this apology for her actions on X and described them as inexcusable While the feud unfolded, viewers began digging through older content, resurfacing videos from 2016 to 2019 allegedly showing inappropriate behavior with minors on Omegle, a website that allowed strangers to connect through video calls. Some clips reportedly show Shelesh offering to show her breasts in exchange for sexualized interactions. In one example, she misled a 16-year-old girl about her age, joked about her breasts and Hooters, and laughed about boob jobs before disconnecting. Other videos allegedly show her offering nudity to boys appearing under 18 in exchange for them twerking. Internet sleuths compiled a public Google Document recording more than a dozen videos in which the internet star allegedly acted inappropriately with minors, sometimes on multiple occasions in a single video. Even her friends say the controversies have affected them. Chris Nex, a YouTuber who goes by the name DigitalNex and often makes videos with Shelesh, told the Mail: 'I always get positive comments. The only type of negativity I get is if I defend [SSSniperwolf] in anything.' Videos resurfaced from the 2010s when SSSniperwolf was accused of inappropriately manipulating children on Omegle and monetizing the interactions Chris Nex, a friend of Shelesh and fellow YouTuber who goes by the name DigitalNex, has been supportive of SSSniperwolf despite her controversies DigitalNex said 'I haven't even asked her about it,' when asked about accusations that SSSniperwolf acted inappropriately with minors on Omegle But he is still defending her. 'I saw the stuff. I haven't really delved too much into it... In all honesty, I haven't even asked her about it,' said DigitalNex when pressed about the Omegle accusations against his friend. YouTube has never addressed SSSniperwolf's behavior with minors. The Daily Mail has reached out to the platform for comment, as well as SSSniperwolf. Amid the controversies, Shelesh was stuck battling an ongoing lawsuit with her estranged husband, who claims entitlement to more than half of her channel's assets and future income. On a livestream with Kai Cenat, she said, 'He wants all my social media accounts, and he wants my new channel I just made.' Young alleges he contributed substantially to the channel, from scripting to recording and editing gameplay footage. 'I really don't care about my main channel anymore. It's hard just giving half of every paycheck to somebody who does nothing. It just sucks,' Shelesh said. Chou suggested the bitter divorce and lawsuit likely fueled her erratic behavior. 'Jacksfilms became like this hero, and then SSSniperwolf became like this villain,' she said. 'And I think her audience started kind of calling her out and saying 'hey, that's not cool.'' Young estimates that Shelesh has made $1.2million since their split, which he wants half of Young claims that in the early years of SSSniperwolf's channel, he would record his gameplay and have her read a script that he wrote while she pretended to be the one playing That pressure, combined with the ugly divorce and tense lawsuit over the rights to the SSSniperwolf channel, made it so 'she felt like she was in a fight for her life,' Chou said. Young also claims that after the split, Shelesh locked him out of business operations despite agreeing to remain partners. Chou added: 'He could ask for 50 percent of the channel. He could ask to be bought out now, or she might be letting him stay on as a silent partner.' Young estimates that Shelesh has made $1.2million since their split, which he wants half of. 'I really don't care about my main channel anymore. It's hard just giving half of every paycheck to somebody who does nothing. It just sucks,' Shelesh said on the livestream with Kai Cenat. Even with her massive following, SSSniperwolf's empire shows cracks. The combination of declining views, resurfaced controversial content, public feuds, and an ongoing legal battle paints the picture of a star who rose fast but whose personal and professional entanglements now threaten her status as one of the internet's most influential creators. Over the years, Ive toned down my approach to investing. Im now less gung-ho and more considered. A Steady Eddie rather than an investor version of Lando Norris. Maybe, its an age thing Im now in my 60s and Ive become slightly more risk-averse. Maybe a recent costly divorce, resulting in the loss of my much-loved self-invested personal pension, has caused a rethink. But Im not sure these are the main reasons why Im now a more conservative investor. I think its because I have finally found my investment comfort zone in a pool of investments which tick all my boxes. This pool comprises investment funds and stock market-listed investment trusts vehicles run by professional managers with the underlying assets across numerous holdings. There are other common characteristics. They are all invested in equities, so there is no exposure to bonds, infrastructure or green energy projects. More importantly, they all deliver a stream of income, in some cases a drip-feed of growing income. For me, income is the elixir that makes long-term investing so worthwhile. Its your reward for patience and sticking with investments when markets cut up rough. Of course, you dont have to take the income: you can reinvest it as most people do, especially if they are building a portfolio with retirement in mind. But whatever ticks your box, income is a vital ingredient in the mix. These eight funds should give investors solid havens for their money There are plenty of strong options from around the world offering decent returns With all this in mind, Im sharing with you the portfolio of eight investment funds that I have put together which embrace all the characteristics Ive just mentioned. Its equity-based, broadly invested, and each fund has a commitment to paying investors a regular income. Bar one, they are funds Ive invested in at various stages in my journey. I would be comfortable recommending them to my sons as super investments to include in Junior Isas (Jisas) for their children and to the increasing number of people running investment portfolios well into retirement. The eight are meant to fit like a jigsaw, giving investors broad exposure to both UK and overseas stock markets. But you can pick and mix: the choice is yours. They are ideal to hold in an Isa, a self-invested personal pension or a Jisa because of the tax-wrapper these three products all provide investors with. These wrappers will become increasingly important as Labour continues to increase taxes on dividends earned outside of a pension or Isa (they ratchet up next April), and imposes higher taxes on capital gains. The portfolio will work for you irrespective of whether you can only afford to invest a modest amount every month regular investing makes great sense. The key and this is crucial is to view it as a long-term investment. That means staying with it for at least ten years, preferably longer. And not being shaken when markets correct, as they do from time to time. UK Law Debenture What this 1.4billion trust offers is exposure to the UK stock market with a twist and a delectable rising income on top. The twist is provided by around a fifth of its assets being invested in an unlisted business, Independent Professional Services. This provider of trustee services to companies and pensions generates a big slice of the trusts revenue which is used to pay investors their dividends. The remaining 80 per cent of assets are invested in UK equities by James Henderson and Laura Foll, fund managers at Janus Henderson with the emphasis on identifying the quality companies that the market is currently undervaluing. This hybrid trust is unique, but in terms of investor outcomes, it delivers in spades. On the income front, it has grown its dividend (paid quarterly) for 15 years while either growing or maintaining it for 46. In July this year, the trusts chief executive Denis Jackson said that a focus on providing a regular and reliable income remained a priority. Fifteen and 46 will become 16 and 47 in the new year, when the trust declares its final quarterly divi for the financial year ending December 31. So far this year, it has paid divis totalling 25.125p a share compared with 24p over the same period in 2024. The annual dividend yield is around 3.2 per cent. In terms of total return, it has outperformed the FTSE All-Share Index over the past three, five and ten years. For example, respective five-year returns are 95 and 72 per cent. Total annual charges are competitive at 0.54 per cent and the shares are currently trading at around 10.50. The FTSE 250-listed trust has a stock market ticker of LWDB and an identification code of 3142921. Temple Bar There's no reason Temple Bar will not be able to go from strength to strength This 1billion investment trust has enjoyed a renaissance since new managers took over in October 2020 and there is nothing to suggest it cant continue. Ian Lance and Nick Purves of investment house Redwheel, the trusts joint managers, are bargain hunters. They look to identify UK stocks that are chronically undervalued but there is every chance that at some stage their shares will be re-rated. Its an investment approach they honed at Schroders in the early 2000s, and it has worked a treat at Temple Bar. Over the past five years, the trust has delivered shareholders a 139 per cent return: more than double that of the average UK equity income trust (58 per cent) and in excess of the FTSE All-Share Index (72 per cent). For investors, the fund offers an attractive stream of dividend income, paid quarterly. In the current financial year (to the end of December), it has already declared 11.25p a share in dividends. This is the same amount that was paid last year, but with one more quarterly divi to be paid in the new year. To put these dividend sums into context, Temples shares trade at around 3.77, resulting in an annual dividend yield of 3 per cent. There is nothing complex about this trust. Its holdings are familiar names the likes of BP, BT, Marks & Spencer, NatWest and Shell. But as the managers say in their latest market commentary: 'UK equities are priced to offer relatively attractive returns into the future. A quarter of the assets are invested overseas. Total annual fund charges are reasonable, at 0.61 per cent. The trust is part of the FTSE 250. The market ticker is TMPL and identification code BMV92D6. GLOBAL F&C FTSE 100-listed investment trust F&C has been around since 1868 and its relevance as a core investor holding is strong as ever. Its reliable and a provider of rising income to shareholders. Managed by Paul Niven of global investment house Columbia Threadneedle Investments, the 5.8billion fund has racked up 54 years of annual dividend growth, and is determined to extend the run. In the current financial year, it has announced three quarterly dividends totalling 11.4p a share. This compares to equivalent payments of 10.8p in the previous year, suggesting 54 will become 55 early next year. The annual dividend yield is modest at 1.3 per cent, but its a growing income that most investors crave. Niven is more of a portfolio overseer than a hands-on investment manager, parcelling out assets to various investment teams to run (most Columbia Threadneedle, some external). The result is a broad investment vehicle embracing everything from US equities (60 per cent) to private equity (11 per cent). Although its top seven holdings comprise six of the Magnificent Seven (Tesla being the absentee), they only account for 16 per cent of the trusts assets. Five-year returns of 72 per cent compare favourably against the average for its global trust peer group of 28 per cent. Annual charges are keenly priced at 0.45 per cent. Its market ticker is FCIT and identification code 346607. M&G Global Dividend This fund is an unsung income star. Since launch in July 2008, it has increased its dividends (paid quarterly) every year. Quite remarkable for a fund that, unlike a stock market-listed investment trust, must promptly pay out the income it receives from its holdings rather than cling on to some of it to pay out to investors when dividends may be hard to find. For investors, its appeal lies in its international diversification, providing the opportunity for them to receive returns (capital and income) from dividend-friendly companies in the United States, Canada and other overseas markets. Just 12 per cent of the assets are in UK companies. The funds success can be judged by the near 2.5billion of assets under its wing (its popular). Its all down to investment manager Stuart Rhodes, who has been at the helm from the word go and isnt going anywhere else in a hurry (hes committed to the fund). Over the past five years, it has generated returns of 75 per cent. To put this into perspective, the average global equity income fund has registered a 59 per cent return. Its portfolio is eclectic, including Magnificent Seven stocks Microsoft and Meta and more traditional income stocks such as UK tobacco giant Imperial Brands. M&G's portfolio includes stocks in the 'Magnificent Seven' But the common characteristic is that all the funds holdings pay a dividend: if a company stops doing so, it is removed from the portfolio. The annual dividend yield is a shade above 2 per cent and the annual charges total 0.66 per cent. UNITED STATES The North American Income Trust What I like about this off-the-radar US investment trust (5 per cent is invested in Canada) is that it eschews the Magnificent Seven stocks in favour of companies that have a history of dividend growth. Among its top ten holdings are companies such as energy giant Chevron, healthcare company Johnson & Johnson and consumer goods business Philip Morris International, which have grown their respective dividends for 38, 63 and 16 years. Although the 419million trust has only been managed by Janus Henderson since summer of last year, the commitment to growing the dividend seems to be rock solid. It has notched up 17 years of dividend growth, and the managers are keen to keep the record going. Last financial years dividend, paid quarterly, totalled 12.2p a share and with one payment outstanding for the current year is on course to beat that amount. The shares trade at around 3.67. Total returns over five years of 80 per cent compare with its peer group average of 81 per cent. Annual fund charges total 0.77 per cent, the market ticker is NAIT, and the identification code is BJ00Z30. EUROPE Fidelity European This 2.1billion stock market-listed investment trust may not have income in its title, but its preferred investments are companies which can consistently grow their dividends. This income focus has resulted in the trust increasing its dividends (paid bi-annually) for 14 years on the trot. Last years dividends totalled 9.1p a share and it looks like the current financial year will deliver shareholders a bigger payment with the first divi of 3.9p being 8 per cent up on last year. The shares currently trade at 4.21. Fund scrutineer Fund Calibre describes Fidelity European as a very solid core fund run by managers with bags of experience: Sam Morse and Marcel Stotzel. The performance numbers look good, with five-year returns of 69 per cent (the average for its peer group is 44 per cent). Annual fund charges are 0.68 per cent, the market ticker is FEV and the funds identification code is BK1PKQ9. JAPAN Zennor Japan Equity Income Zennor is a newcomer on the scene, but already making a favourable impression Although this fund is a newbie launched in April 2023 it is already on the radar of fund-rating companies such as Fund Calibre. Its a fund I looked at in January and, like Fund Calibre, I was impressed: a boutique investment house (Zennor Asset Management), which was founded five years ago by two fund managers James Salter and David Mitchinson who know the Japanese stock market inside out. This is one of two Japanese funds they manage (the other is Zennor Japan) and it has 229million under its belt. Its a conservative fund, in that capital preservation is a high priority, but its launch could not have been better timed, with Japan plc undergoing something of a corporate governance makeover, resulting in many companies becoming more dividend-friendly. The managers believe this backdrop provides a powerful tailwind for dividends and should have a positive impact on share prices. The fund has certainly got off to a flying start. To date, it has generated returns of 58 per cent compared to a peer group average of 37 per cent. Dividends are paid bi-annually and the yield is 2.1 per cent. Total annual charges are 0.92 per cent. As Fund Calibre says, the fund should provide meaningful downside protection and steady compounding potential for long-term investors. EMERGING MARKETS Utilico Emerging Markets What I love about this investment trust is its focus on income. Its a characteristic that stands it apart from other emerging markets funds. Since launch in July 2015, the fund, now valued at 485million, has grown its dividend every year. No other emerging markets fund has a longer streak of rising dividend income. Managed by investment house ICM, the fund provides this income by investing in businesses which are integral to the development of emerging economies: port operators, utility providers and waste management companies. Such businesses tend to be cash-generative, resulting in dividend payouts. In the last financial year, Utilico paid 9.13p a share in dividends (8.6p in the previous year) and its first two quarterly payments for the year ending March 31 are up on the respective dividends paid out 12 months earlier. This indicates that the dividend growth story will continue. The dividend yield is 3.4 per cent and the shares stand at around 2.70. Its five-year returns of 64 per cent are below those for the average emerging markets trust (77 per cent), but its the income-friendliness of Utilico that stands it apart from its rivals. The FTSE 250 stock has a market ticker of UEM, and its identification code is BD45S96. Annual charges are 1.5 per cent. All prices correct at the time of writing. This time of year is always schizophrenic. It is a shopping frenzy in which many businesses aim to make their biggest profits, yet also a few days when we are invited to step back from the hurly-burly and reflect on the true values of life: the non-commercial ones. Scrooge, the embodiment of the anti-festive spirit, is the archetypal heartless, soulless businessman, a merchant and money-lender. Yet Britain has a far richer and more positive tradition. The Victorian era produced remarkable enlightened capitalists whose legacy still shapes our society today. Over Christmas we will still be eating Cadbury chocolates, now US-owned, but founded by a Quaker family. Many of us using our Barclaycards for festive shopping may be unaware the bank was also founded by Quakers. In Dickens' and John Cadbury's day, society was in upheaval, with rapid technological advance alongside sharp inequality. Plus ca change. Those enlightened capitalists believed it was their responsibility to lead social reform, to care for their workers' welfare and to articulate a moral vision of how business should serve society. They saw that the performance of their companies depended on a strong community. Bah humbug: Scrooge, the embodiment of the anti-festive spirit, is the archetypal heartless, soulless businessman Unlike some contemporary versions of ESG (environmental, social and governance) this was not virtue-signalling or incidental do-gooding. It was integral to the business itself, running through its veins. Today's business leaders and the politicians who shape the environment in which companies operate face ethical questions just as urgent, particularly around their responsibilities to workers. The coming year is likely to be pivotal for AI, not merely in terms of whether shares in the sector are in bubble territory, but because adoption is racing ahead of regulation and any settled ethical framework. AI poses profound questions about the future of work and workers, as it seems likely to replace many jobs currently done by humans. In the past, technological change has ultimately created more employment, not less, but the transition can be brutal. How business and society manage that transition is one of the great questions of our time. The fact that nearly one million young people are now classed as NEETs not in education, employment or training is a serious moral challenge for employers and politicians alike. Alan Milburn, leading an independent investigation into the issue, should be seeking out practical, proven approaches from business leaders who have already been tackling NEETs successfully off their own bat. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is, on the one hand, expressing grave concern about the number of NEETs, while on the other hand making it more expensive and risky to hire young people. Any measures to raise direct or indirect employment taxes should in future be explicitly screened for their impact on under-25s. Government should also introduce skills tax relief to incentivise employers to take on apprentices. The future of work is up for debate and the social contract between employers and employees is being renegotiated. Yet this government risks giving the impression it thinks in simplistic binaries slurring individuals and firms as 'undeserving' to justify tax raids to fund welfare and public-sector pay rises. The world is not so simple. It is not saintly NHS workers versus evil profit-seekers, as the resident doctors' strike, cynically staged over Christmas, makes painfully clear. Christmas is meant to be a season of moral reckoning. We don't need crude socialism but enlightened capitalism. Without that, we will get neither prosperity nor social justice just more Scrooges, and fewer Cadburys. You're excited to hit the road and drive home to see your friends and family for Christmas. But while the end destination provides merriment, the journey itself can be a taxing annual slog because the roads are busy, services are crammed, and the miles are often long. This Christmas, more people than ever before will be taking on this yearly task in electric cars, with an estimated 1.7million EVs on our roads. And for many, it'll be the first time they make the festive pilgrimage in a car powered by electricity. Yet, even for seasoned pros this particular time of year is still a worry. A poll of 2,253 drives by Auto Express has found that more than a third of EV drivers are worried about range as they plan their Christmas journeys. Fifty-five per cent of EV drivers are taking a trip of 100 miles or more, and while many don't have range anxiety, two in five admitted they have some apprehension about making it to their destination. So, here are our top tips to make sure you have the smoothest journey possible and can charge easily and quickly - whether you're new to electric driving or a dab hand. This Christmas more people than ever will be driving home in an electric car as there an estimated 1.7million EVs on our roads Will there to be queues for charging stations at Christmas? The RAC is predicting a record 37.5million journeys home for Christmas in the week running up to the big day. Saturday was expected to be the busiest getaway of any year since the RAC first started recording drivers' festive plans. And with more EVs than before - up to 400,000 new EVs were registered in 2025 - on our roads, no one wants the kind of charging chaos that saw three-hour queues for Tesla Superchargers in 2022. But fear not because that is unlikely to happen this year - as it also hasn't in the last two Christmas periods. And this is largely due to the growth of the UK's charging network, which is bigger than ever. Between October 2024 and 2025, Britain's public charging infrastructure grew by 23 per cent with 15,000 additional chargers installed. Today there are over 86,000 EV devices across the UK, with a charger being added every 33 minutes on average. In particular for speedy Christmas getaways and long distance EV range top ups, 17,356 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers have been added to the network, with the fastest growth in regions outside of London. New EV ultra-rapid charging superhubs like the new InstaVolt Winchester Superhub - the largest EV charging forecourt in the UK - have opened this year making Christmas getaways much easier There are new superhubs to visit - the UK's ultra-rapid charging network has grown 2025 has seen a bit of a ultra-rapid superhub boom, with many lightning fast EV charging sites popping up that don't just charge your car extremely quickly but provide great, secure facilities while you wait. The most obvious new superhub to note is the UK's largest electric car charging forecourt - InstaVolt's Winchester Superhub. It opened this year and was an immediate hit with customers. Located on a junction by the M3/A34 near Winchester. it's perfectly located to break up the journey down south to Devon or Cornwall and to make sure you get there with range to spare. Powered entirely by renewable energy sourced from an on-site solar farm, its 160kW devices can charge an EV's battery to 80 per cent in 20 minutes. The 44 ultra-rapid chargers are all contactless pay compatible - just tap and go - and the 0.89p/kWh flat rate is reduced to 60p/kWh between 8pm to 7am for all InstaVolt app users. The site is open 24/7 with around-the-clock toilet facilities; there's also a children's play park, a dog-walking area and a Starbucks Cafe (open 6am for the early risers and until 7pm for the evening caffeine hit). There are also larger drive-through bays for big vehicles - great for those towing over the Christmas break - or disabled drivers and passengers who need more space. The 44 ultra-rapid chargers are all contactless pay compatible - just tap and go - and the 0.89p/kWh flat rate is reduced to 60p/kWh between 8pm to 7am for all InstaVolt app users The site is open 24/7 with around-the-clock toilet facilities, there's also a children's play park, a dog-walking area, and a Starbucks Cafe (open 6am for the early risers and until 7pm for the evening caffeine hit) EV drivers journeying through Northern Ireland this festive season will find charging easier thanks to Fastned opening a state-of-the-art charging hub at The Junction Retail & Leisure Park in Antrim, making it an ideal stop for drivers travelling to and from Belfast and the surrounding areas. The Antrim station features three 400kW ultra-rapid chargers and provides six charging spots as of today. It offers drivers up to 100 miles of range in just five minutes and uses 100 per cent renewable energy. Thanks to it being situated within the Junction One Shopping Complex, drivers can make the most of their charging time by enjoying nearby restaurants and facilities. And those heading up to Scotland, or down from Scotland to England, can stop off at E.On's first ultra-rapid hub in Scotland at Wellington Circle, Aberdeen. It features 12 ultra-rapid charging bays, including four designed to provide additional accessibility for disabled users. Which are the worst times to rapid charge at service stations? Days and hours to avoid around Christmas Christmas 2025 predictions aren't yet known but last year EV charging provider Gridserve found that on average, across its Electric Highway, the busiest time to charge is between 11am and 1pm. By comparison, ultra-rapid charging at 9am or 3pm will be around 20 per cent quieter. Therefore, Gridserve recommends switching your lunchtime sandwich stop for a morning coffee break or mid-afternoon snack pull over. Top up your electric car battery before 8am or after 6pm if you can, as EV charging demand drops dramatically at these times. These times are likely reflective of the whole rapid and ultra-rapid network so it's worth making a note. The M25 (London Orbital Motorway): It's the busiest motorway in the UK and the M25 frequently experiences congestion. It could be one to try and avoid near Christmas Which motorways are predicted to be the worst? Based on past trends and predictions from 2024, there are some major roads to avoid if you don't want to get stuck in grid-locked traffic. The M25 (London Orbital Motorway): It's the busiest motorway in the UK and the M25 frequently experiences congestion, particularly around major junctions like Heathrow Airport and the Dartford Crossing. The M6 (Midlands to North-West): Runs through Birmingham and connects the Midlands to the North-West. It's a road millions of cars journey on and so the M6 is a key route thats likely to see bottlenecks, especially between junctions 10-12. A303 (Stonehenge Section): Who hasn't got stuck in Stonehenge traffic? Travellers heading towards the South-West pile onto this road. The A303 is a crunch point for ongoing roadworks and thousands of sightseers. If you travel in the darker hours you'll at least avoid those stopping to take photos. The Tesla Supercharger network is the best 'large' rapid/ultra-rapid charging provider in the UK according to EV drivers. If you're planning a motorway stop, a Supercharger will be cheaper than most and reliable Best ultra-rapid charging networks of 2025 (and the ones to avoid) Every year, leading charge point mapping and data service Zapmap announces the results of its annual satisfaction rankings for rapid and ultra-rapid charging public networks in the UK. It's worth having this list in mind before your Christmas getaway so you get the best and easiest rapid charge possible. You can read the full rankings here but we'll sum them up quickly for you as well. The Tesla Supercharger network has been voted the best large charging network with a star rating of 4.8 out of five, up from 4.7 last year when it also clinched the title. Tesla continues to offer significantly lower prices than most rapid/ultra-rapid providers, with drivers also appreciating its reliability. It's been open to non-Tesla owners since last year. In second place is MFG EV Power for the large category, with a star rating of 3.9. Drivers say they particularly appreciate MFG EV Power's reliability, ease of use and wide range of ways to pay. Ionity and Osprey share third place. Both providers were awarded 3.8 in the star rating, with Ionity getting the seal of approval from drivers due to its reliability, ease of use and wide range of ways to pay. Osprey got its 3.8 rating because of its excellent customer service - joint highest alongside Tesla - and ease of use and reliability. Sainsbury's Smart Charge network is the best medium-sized EV charging provider and is the perfect way to charge your car up while you do the Christmas food shop And supermarket shoppers should know that Sainsbury's charging network Smart Charge came home with gold in the medium category, with a star rating of 4.4. Only launched in January 2024, it has grown 40 per cent since and now has 335 rapid/ultra-rapid devices across 84 locations. Also receiving an 'Up-and-coming network' award in last year's ranking, Smart Charge is loved for its competitive pricing with partner offers that leverage the Nectar card rewards scheme. It's also liked for its reliability and ease of use. What is the correct EV charging etiquette? Rule one: Never jump the queue. Even when you've planned ahead there can be a line of people waiting, especially during peak time, so be patient and and polite - i.e. treat your charging neighbour as you'd want to be treated. This is especially the case as there's no real queuing system. Rule two: don't hog bays Once your EV is charged move it as soon as possible, or even better be there as it reaches full charge so you can take it off as soon as it's done. Check your app so you keep an eye on it and if you're leaving it for a while you can always leave a note. Charging speed slows after 80 per cent so if there's a big queue or someone waiting consider pushing on and topping up again if you need rather than going to 100 per cent. Plan your charging stops and check live availability on charging apps Almost all new electric cars have satnavs that will plan your journey with charging stops en route. But it's worth having an alternative in mind or a manually planned stop or two in the bag just in case. Crucially don't forget to use either your EV's onboard system to give you live updates or apps like Zapmap that show you in real time whether a charger is in use or not - that way you can see before you pull in and adjust accordingly. Ignore the 80% charge limit: For your festive getaway it's fine to set your charge limit to 100% to make sure you can get as many miles out of your EV as possible Charge your battery to 100% before leaving Its well drilled into EV drivers to only charge to 80 per cent usually to extend battery life, but on this occasion its worth ditching that rule and charging to 100 per cent ahead of your Christmas journey. To get as much range as possible out of your car, and to avoid having to stop and charge during the busy period, then its worth it to charge all the way and have a full battery. One or two trips with 100 per cent wont be enough to hurt battery health but will give you that extra piece of mind. But if you do need to stop to charge en route, revert to the 80 per cent rule. With the charging speed curve dropping off dramatically between 80 and 100 per cent, all you'll do is block others from accessing a charger for longer. Pre-condition your EV's cabin while it finishes charging to save range This is one of the easiest ways to save charge. Many electric cars have pre-conditioning modes which allow you to set the cabin temperature of your EV while it finishes charging and whack on the heated seats or steering wheel so it's as toasty as possible before you unplug and set off. You can also defrost the windows in this way. Follow these simple steps and you won't have any charging nightmares. But we still can't guarantee you won't get stuck 'top to toe in tailbacks'. Nationwide Building Society has been fined 44million by the Financial Conduct Authority for 'failing to get a grip on' financial crime risks lurking within its customer base' over a four year period. The FCA found Nationwide lacked suitable systems for keeping up-to-date due diligence and risk assessments for all its personal current account customers and for monitoring their transactions. The failings occurred between October 2016 and July 2021. Britain's biggest building society was aware at the time some customers were using their personal accounts for business activity, in breach of its terms, the FCA found. Nationwide did not offer business current accounts, so did not have the right processes in place to manage the financial crime risks from business account activity. This meant Nationwide was unable to identify and keep track of money laundering risks among its personal current account customers, the FCA says. It also meant Nationwide did not have an accurate picture of its customers who has a higher risk of financial crime. Nationwide has been slapped with a 44m fine for failing to control financial crime within its customer base Nationwide said it identified the issues itself and voluntarily brought them to the attention of the FCA. In one case, Nationwide missed opportunities to identify a customer using personal current accounts to receive fraudulent Covid furlough payments. The customer received 24 payments totalling 27.3million over a period of 13 months, with 26.01million of this deposited over eight days. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recovered 26.5million, but approximately 800,000 remains unrecovered. Therese Chambers, of the FCA, said: 'Nationwide failed to get a proper grip of the financial crime risks lurking within its customer base. 'It took too long to address its flawed systems and weak controls, meaning red flags were missed with serious consequences. 'Building societies and banks have a key role in the fight against financial crime. Firms must remain vigilant in this fight.' Nationwide would have faced a fine of 62.9million but it agreed to resolve the issues and so qualified for a 30 per cent discount under the FCA's processes. The total fine is 44million. A Nationwide Building Society spokesman says: 'Nationwide identified these issues, which relate to controls in place before July 2021, through its own reviews, and voluntarily brought them to the attention of the FCA. 'The Society cooperated fully with the FCA investigation, and we are sorry that our controls during the period fell below the high standards we expect. 'Since 2021, Nationwide has invested significantly in all aspects of its economic crime control framework in order to ensure our systems are robust. 'We do not believe that these controls issues caused financial loss to any of our customers and remain committed to preventing economic crime and protecting our customers and the wider UK economy from fraud.' The owner of Ben & Jerry's has said it will not sell the ice cream brand back to its founder. Magnum, whose stable of brands also includes Cornetto and Walls, was spun off from consumer giant Unilever this week with a primary listing on the Euronext stock market in Amsterdam, and secondary listings in New York and London. But Ben Cohen, who co-founded Ben & Jerrys in 1978 alongside Jerry Greenfield, has criticised its owners for suppressing the brands attempts to make political statements. Ben wants to have it back but I am sorry Ben, it is not for sale, Magnum chief executive, Peter Ter Kulve told the BBC on Friday. He said the brand had an outstanding management team and that Ben is not running the business. Ter Kulve added: They [the management team] are perfectly able to manage the inherent tension of the three part mission, the social campaigning, the economic needs of the business, the product. It is the latest update in a bitter row between the owners of Ben & Jerry's and its founders The brand was bought for 251million in 2000, with the agreement that it would be managed by an independent board. Cohen has accused Unilever and Magnum of trying to block the ice cream company from expressing its support for Gaza and criticism of Israel amid the war in the Middle East. When asked about Cohens claims that Ben & Jerrys owners had blocked an ice cream flavour that expressed 'solidarity with Palestine, Ter Kulve said this was spin in an attempt to buy back the brand. And Ben & Jerrys is now an integral part of my business, it is fully integrated, supply chain, IT systems, sales, Ter Kulve added. You might have a little bit of critical mass in the US but in the rest of the world, it is one. There are no two businesses, it is one business with a beautiful brand with a fantastic social mission. We are very proud to have it. We are all in on social activism, that is not a problem, he insisted. Ben & Jerry's is now owned by Magnum Ice Cream Company after Unilever spun off its ice cream brands It is the latest saga in a bitter row between the two parties and has overshadowed Magnums 7billion listing this week. Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerrys, said: I am standing with socially aligned investors who want to buy Ben & Jerrys back and who understand that what makes the brand truly valuable is our social mission. When Ben & Jerrys was bought by Unilever in 2000, we had bids from multiple companies who understood how valuable an acquisition the brand was. This value stems directly from the success of the social mission, which is not currently being upheld by Magnum. Cohen said on Monday: Ben & Jerrys social mission has always been inseparable from the brand itself, no matter how much Unilever [and] Magnum have tried to distance the two. In October, Ben & Jerry's other co-founder Jerry Greenfield after almost half a century at the firm, claiming the brand had been silenced by Unilever. Ter Kulve was also asked about the impact of weight loss drugs including Ozempic on the business. When people are on drugs, they consume a little bit less, he said, but there was a relatively low impact on market share because ice-cream is a special occasion treat. BRC chief Helen Dickinson: Latest labour market data is 'alarming' Helen Dickinson is chief executive of the British Retail Consortium Employment is one of the clearest tests of whether an economy is moving in the right direction. When the economy is growing, demand is rising, and businesses have the confidence to invest - businesses will take on more people, wages will rise, and communities feel the benefit. Conversely, when jobs start to fall, it is often a sign that employers are under pressure, costs are biting and the economy is not performing to its full potential. That's why the latest ONS labour market data should set alarm bells ringing. Unemployment has risen to a four-month high of 5.1 per cent, underlining the growing strain facing businesses. With growth high on the Government's agenda, these figures underline the need for government and business to work together to unlock investment, boost employment and drive growth. Across the economy, employers are grappling with rising costs, uncertainty and an increasingly complex policy environment. Nowhere is that more visible than in retail - an industry found in every city, town and village, and the UK's largest private sector employer. Retail sits at the heart of everyday life in Britain. Around one in twelve jobs are in retail, almost three million in total. It anchors our high streets and forms part of the fabric of communities. For millions of people, retail is a first job, a route back into work, or a flexible opportunity that can work around life's other commitments. Yet the longer-term picture for the sector is worrying. Latest ONS data shows that on a four-quarter average, retail employment stood at 2.82million in September 2025, 74,000 lower than a year earlier. This is not an anomaly, but part of a sustained decline. There are now 355,000 fewer jobs in retail than there were a decade ago. That is 355,000 fewer opportunities for flexible, local jobs that are open to all and available everywhere. Retail has long provided accessible employment and economic stability across the country, but the opportunities available are slowly melting away. Retail operates on exceptionally tight margins and is particularly exposed to rising costs. Businesses are still absorbing recent increases in employer National Insurance Contributions and the National Living Wage, which has reduced the headroom to hire, invest and grow with confidence. Carnaby Street in central London - one of the busiest shopping areas of Britain Those pressures show up quickly. Higher costs feed directly into hiring decisions, hours offered and investment plans, and over time translate into fewer jobs, fewer opportunities for working people and weaker high streets - particularly in towns where retail remains one of the main sources of local employment. If government is serious about growth, it must start treating business as a genuine partner in delivering it. This means making policy with businesses, not foisting it on them. Take the Employment Rights Bill, which has just passed through the Lords. Business supports the ambition to improve job quality and fairness at work, but those goals must be matched by policies that work in practice. While many parts of the Bill can play an important role in strengthening worker protections and cracking down on bad employment practices, it also risks punishing responsible employers, landing them with additional constraints that will do little to help workers. Those parts of the Bill that reduce flexibility, add complexity or increase costs without reflecting how businesses actually operate, will mean at the end of the day there are fewer jobs, not better ones. This is why the Office for Budget Responsibility has warned that the Employment Rights Bill could have a 'negative' impact on employment. Good employment policy should give employers the confidence to hire, retain and train people. Retail relies on a diverse workforce and flexible contracts to meet changing customer demand. Undermining that flexibility risks pricing people out of work, particularly students, parents and older workers for whom retail provides an important route into employment. Skills policy is another vital part of the growth equation. Retail is evolving rapidly, with growing demand for digital skills, logistics expertise and strong leadership. Yet the current Apprenticeship Levy remains too rigid to meet those needs. Despite significant contributions from retailers, around half of the retail industry's 250 million annual apprenticeship levy contribution goes unspent, even as businesses face an urgent need to upskill their workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. Reforming the levy to allow greater flexibility would help retailers - and businesses more widely - invest in a broader range of high-quality training, support progression at all stages of a career and boost productivity. That kind of reform would not only benefit workers, but strengthen the wider economy. The risk now is that poorly aligned policies undermine job creation across the economy. But there is a better option. With the right approach, government and business can work together to unlock investment, employment and growth. Retail, and business more widely, stand ready to play their part - working hand in hand with government to deliver the growth the UK urgently needs. The workers' rights Bill is set to result in 'fewer jobs, not better ones' as the retail industry reels from higher taxes, bosses have warned. In a desperate plea as the crucial Christmas shopping season reaches its climax, the boss of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that 'poorly aligned policies undermine job creation across the economy'. The remarks come as the High Street faces a double whammy of both red tape in the workers' rights Bill and higher costs, including from the Chancellor's botched business rates reforms. Fears over a growing jobs crisis intensified last week when data showed that the rate of unemployment has risen to 5.1 per cent. Concern: Fears over a growing jobs crisis intensified when data showed that the rate of unemployment has risen to 5.1 per cent Retail chiefs, including Next boss Simon Wolfson, have already argued that the new rules which will see workers offered a certain number of guaranteed hours are not fit for industries reliant on seasonal and temporary work. In an opinion piece for the Daily Mail today, BRC chief Helen Dickinson said: 'Good employment policy should give employers the confidence to hire, retain and train people. Retail relies on a diverse workforce and flexible contracts to meet changing customer demand. 'Undermining that flexibility risks pricing people out of work, particularly students, parents and older workers for whom retail provides an important route into employment.' A clampdown on flexibility in the Bill 'will mean at the end of the day there are fewer jobs, not better ones', she said. Dickinson, whose group represents more than 200 companies, warned that higher costs 'over time translate into fewer jobs, fewer opportunities for working people and weaker high streets'. Her comments echo those of the boss of Currys, who last week warned that the employment rights Bill would make some jobs in the retail industry 'unviable'. Alex Baldock said: 'The harder, riskier and more expensive you make it to employ people, the fewer people will be employed.' Many firms have already struggled with the introduction of higher National Insurance contributions and wages earlier this year. And Chancellor Rachel Reeves' business rates reforms are set to hike the bills of thousands of smaller retailers, despite her insisting her changes would help the High Street. Defence giant Leonardo has warned that the future of its UK helicopter factory could be at risk over frustration with a delayed contract decision. It is waiting for the Ministry of Defence to approve a 1billion contract to make a medium helicopter to replace Britain's ageing Puma fleet even though it is the sole bidder after rivals pulled out in 2024. In a private letter to Defence Secretary John Healey, Leonardo chief executive Roberto Cingolani even warned that the Italian group could scrap all investment in Britain, it was reported. Awaiting takeoff: Leonardo has warned that the future of its UK helicopter factory could be at risk over frustration with a delayed contract decision Cingolani reportedly told Mr Healey that the deal was a 'cornerstone' of its UK strategy. Leonardo, which has 3,000 staff at its factory in Yeovil, Somerset, declined to comment. The Ministry of Defence said a final procurement decision would be made 'in due course'. News / National by Gideon Madzikatidze HARARE - ZANUPF has begun recruiting touts, public transport operators and rank marshals to counter what it calls rogue elements threatening national peace, with calls for the programme to be expanded countrywide gaining momentum. The recruits, drawn from affiliate groups operating under various economic development (ED) banners, are said to command influence over aggressive youths who have pledged to defend what the party describes as the gains of the Second Republic under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.Speaking during a meeting of the Inspectors for Economic Development and the Harare Youths Transporters Association (HAYTA), ZANUPF Harare provincial youth chairperson Emmanuel Mahachi urged affiliates to be ready to defend the party within and beyond maximum limits.We have our youths already in various spots to defend the President within and beyond maximum limits. They are deployed to make sure the gains of the Second Republic under President Emmerson Mnangagwa wont be distorted by any rogue elements, including protests, Mahachi said.In various hotspots, we have ensured that our affiliate membership is represented to defend the President. We will descend heavily on all mechanisms that seek to destabilise the current peace. I am happy that several youths from your affiliates have heeded the call to defend our revolutionary party, even during periods when it seems unfashionable to do so. We will be doing it for our President and defending the 2030 agenda, he added.Inspectors for Economic Development chairperson Felix Mpofu appealed to both the party and Parliament to craft laws empowering rank marshals and inspectors to complement security forces during tense situations.We kindly request the party and possibly Parliament to craft laws that empower our rank marshals and inspectors to complement the tireless efforts of our security forces in defending and instilling peace. We need to beef up security during situations that prove tense, Mpofu said.He also called for youths from affiliate groups to be enrolled at the Chitepo School of Ideology for political orientation.If possible, we need to enrol some of our youths with the Chitepo School of Ideology so they get basic orientation in understanding the essence of defending the country before, during and after electoral processes, or whenever there is a possibility of protests, he said.HAYTA chairperson Edmore Gwengwe said public transporters were not violent but needed ideological training to improve professionalism and coordination with authorities.As public transport associations, we know our members are not violent, but we need to formalise our operations, especially in our interactions with authorities such as City Council officials during revenue collection. Let us coordinate our businesses with moral decency and without violating rights and freedoms enshrined in the national constitution, Gwengwe said.He added that some bus ranks had become hubs for drug trafficking and needed closer cooperation with inspectors to restore order.The meeting attended by touts, rank marshals and ZANUPF affiliate leaders endorsed calls for expanded ideological training at the Chitepo School of Ideology.The school, which promotes Zimbabwes foundational philosophies and socialist ideology, has drawn criticism from analysts who argue it is being used as a tool for ZANUPF political indoctrination. It has already trained civil servants, traditional leaders and various affiliate groups, raising concerns about partisan influence in state institutions. For a man who handed Joe Biden $5million for his 2020 election run, it might seem an impossible ask. But with an appeal against his 25-year prison term off to a shaky start, Sam Bankman-Fried's current language is a message he's ready to bend the knee to Biden's successor for a presidential pardon. The mop-haired crypto crook, who also dished out another $40million to Democratic candidates in the 2022 mid-terms, has always been a gambler. Even so, few who watched his spectacular downfall that year amid the $8billion collapse of his FTX crypto exchange might have predicted his latest spin on the roulette wheel of fate as he languishes in prison. Despite reportedly once considering 'paying' Donald Trump to drop out of 2024 contention, it seems the prospect of another 23 years in prison and a flurry of presidential pardons has changed his tune. In particular, after former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez was given one earlier this month, Bankman-Fried declared the politician had been 'framed' by 'Biden's DEA' over drug-trafficking and weapons charges. The 33-year-old heralded the pardon on his X account, which became active again earlier this year, saying of the ex-president's new-found freedom: 'I can't think of a single man more deserving than him.' SBF, as he loved to be known in his heyday consorting with world figures such as Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, revealed he spent 18 months getting to know Hernandez in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. Sam Bankman-Fried's (SBF) desperate bid to appeal his 25-year sentence is off to a shaky start and it appears his posts on X hint that he's ready to bend the knee to President Trump for a presidential pardon SBF was once a Biden megadonor, dishing out $5million for his 2020 campaign and shelling out another $40million to Democrats that had some calling him the next George Soros, but his recent praise of the president implies he may be having a change of heart Now his own Trump get-out-of-jail card is apparently something else he'd like to have in common. Bankman-Fried, sentenced in 2023 on seven counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, has said he also donated $40million to Republican causes through 'dark channels' to avoid publicity. But there was no mention of contributing to Trump. Yet he got more personal this month by hammering home his Trump-boosting, anti-Biden rhetoric in his eulogy on X to Hernandez, who was given 45 years in Manhattan in 2024 accused of importing cocaine into the United States. 'Remember all those narco traffickers President Hernandez had extradited to the US? They faced decades in prison,' he wrote. 'By the time Hernandez was arrested, they were 'cooperating' with the DEA to implicate Hernandez in order to save themselves. 'Biden's DEA wanted to land a 'big fish'; since Hernandez had already arrested the actual narcos, that left Hernandez himself as the target. But he didn't have any evidence against him.' Bankman-Fried, who has a friend manage his account as he is not allowed access to the internet, continued: 'The narcos knew who the feds wanted so they inserted JOH at random places in their stories of their crimes and the DEA convinced itself the stories were true. 'Biden's DEA was chasing its own tail.' One of SBF's jail mates, Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, was given a presidential pardon earlier this month after he was convicted of drug trafficking related charges in 2022 In a post on December 4, the fallen crypto king praised Trump's decision to pardon the former Honduran president, calling him the 'most innocent prisoner I've met' SBF even claimed is jail friend was 'framed,' echoing Trump's take on the pardon and insisting he was 'set up' by the Biden administration Trump has said Hernandez was 'set-up' by the Biden administration and 'treated very harshly and unfairly'. However, Honduras issued an arrest warrant for its former president days after his release, accusing him of money laundering and fraud. Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried is also aligning himself with Trump stalwarts. He wrote '100', meaning 100 percent, as a comment on an X post by Roger Stone which said: 'Trump pardoned the former President of Honduras because he was FRAMED by the Biden DOJ solely on the testimony of convicted drug traffickers who got out of jail in return for their LIES.' Bankman-Fried followed up his original laudatory words with another X post days later, echoing the presidents grievances against his predecessor with the words: President Trump knows that, when you weaponize the DOJ, you start putting innocent people in prison.' The fallen tycoon's words are doubly revealing in light of increased momentum by his parents to spring him from relatively cushy Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island in San Pedro, California where he was moved to in April. Barbara Fried and Joseph Bankman, both Stanford University law professors, have reportedly laid some groundwork to soften obstacles in a pathway to Trump for any potential petition. The long-term Democrats reportedly consulted Arizona lawyer Kory Langhofer, who worked on Trump's 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. She filed a lawsuit challenging the vote counting in the state after Trump lost it. As well as establishing some kind of connection to the president, the parents picked an advocate involved in trying to challenge a perceived legal wrong echoing Trump's own grievances. Certainly Bankman-Fried's appeal against conviction at the 2nd Circuit US Court of Appeals in Manhattan is based on the way his trial was conducted, something that would chime with the president. SBF's parents, Barbara Fried and Joseph Bankman, have also been ingratiating themselves with the MAGA camp, consulting Arizona lawyer Kory Langhofer, who worked on Trump's 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns New York's Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn house several famous inmates including Diddy, SBF and accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione His legal team claim it was 'fundamentally unfair' and he should get a new one, alleging the judge was biassed and made rulings preventing a full defense. However, attorney Alexandra Shapiro was repeatedly interrupted by the three-judge panel at the one-day November hearing as she tried to make her case amid their apparent scorn. The lawyer said trial Judge Lewis Kaplan 'allowed the prosecution to present this morally compelling tale but prevented the defense from showing that the story wasn't true. The defense was cut off at the knees by the judge's rulings.' She said she understood that 98 percent of FTX creditors had received 120 percent of their investments plus interest. Additionally, she said the FTX estate had paid $8billion to creditors, with another $8billion left to cover $2billion in remaining claims. As Bankman-Fried's parents looked on from the gallery, appeals court judge Barrington Parker shot Shapiro down, saying: 'From my reading of the record (there was) very substantial evidence of guilt. 'Are you seriously suggesting to us that if your client had been able to testify about the role that attorneys played in preparing these various documents, the non-guilty verdicts would have rolled in?' The judges said victims getting their money back in fraud cases is generally not a defense. They have yet to issue a decision. However, the criticism of trial judge Lewis Kaplan could also ring bells with President Trump if any pardon was considered. SBF's appeal at the 2nd Circuit US Court of Appeals in Manhattan focuses on his trial, with his legal team arguing it was 'fundamentally unfair,' overseen by a biased judge and marked by rulings that blocked a full defense He co-founded FTX in 2019 in Hong Kong. By 2022, after relocating operations to the Bahamas, the company was valued at $32billion before crashing spectacularly It was Kaplan who presided over the defamation cases brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll, who was eventually awarded a total of $88.3million. Clashes between the judge and Trump were a feature of the courtroom tension. At one point in the 2024 trial, Kaplan threatened to remove the president from the court with the words: 'You just can't control yourself.' Trump has appealed both verdicts. Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried's mother is upping the pressure in other ways. She has published a 65-page onslaught on internet platform Substack, arguing the FTX collapse was down to a 'run on the bank' and not fraud. Her mishap-not-crime message also comes as the Trump administration is deregulating the crypto currency sector. The president's family now has a significant crypto business centered around World Liberty Finance, which has sons Donald Jr and Eric listed as partners. If Bankman-Fried does win freedom through whatever route, it will have been an astonishing ride in the span of only a few years. He co-founded FTX in 2019 in Hong Kong. By 2022, with the operation moved to The Bahamas, it had acquired a value of $32billion before crashing spectacularly. The mogul, who suffers from attention deficit disorder, lived a bizarre lifestyle mixing frugality and hedonism in a $40million penthouse at billionaires' enclave The Albany, about 30 miles from Nassau. His 11,500sq ft apartment overlooking the Atlantic had a private pool surrounded by magnificent archways and a huge living area containing a full-size grand piano. Trump may resonate with SBF's legal team's claim that he had an unfair trial, particularly since Judge Lewis Kaplan presided over both the crypto mogul's case and the defamation suits brought against the president by writer E. Jean Carroll, who was ultimately awarded $88.3million A map shows some of the known Bahamas properties once tied to FTX, SBF and others in his inner circle. Attorneys for FTX said that the company spent $300 million buying properties in the Bahamas Bankman-Fried seen meeting Katy Perry, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, at the Crypto Bahamas event organized by FTX in 2022 Up to nine other FTX senior staff lived with him in what appeared an upmarket commune, including his one-time girlfriend Caroline Ellison, who ran his Alameda Research hedge fund. The poster boy of crypto quickly drew world attention, with major players vying to be part of his orbit. His Crypto Bahamas event in 2022 attracted Clinton, Blair, and the now split couples of Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen and Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom. Such was the company's runaway success, FTX splashed more than $300million on property in The Bahamas. Bankman-Fried's parents acquired a $16.4million 'vacation home' in the exclusive gated community of Old Fort Bay. But in November of that year a spike in withdrawals from the FTX exchange exposed an $8billion hole in the accounts, forcing its bankruptcy. Investigators later said FTX had secretly funneled billions of dollars of customer deposits to Alameda Research. When Alameda's risky bets with that money failed, it was unable to repay FTX. Bankman-Fried was arrested in his luxurious bolt hole on December 12 and carted off to notorious Fox Hill prison before being extradited to the United States for his New York trial. The true scale of President Donald Trump's ambitions to turn the U.K. into a potential nuclear launchpad has been revealed. A massive $264 million plan to overhaul a Royal Air Force base in the English countryside includes knocking down at least half a dozen existing buildings, setting up secure intelligence facilities, protecting the surrounding area against enemy electronic pulse attacks, and sending over 200 American personnel, according to Pentagon funding proposals. It represents confirmation that American nuclear weapons will return to Britain for the first time since President Barack Obama withdrew them 17 years ago. However, despite widespread speculation that U.S. nuclear weapons have already arrived in the U.K, the documents indicate it will not happen for several years. The idea that they had already been sent gained steam on July 17 when a massive U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III arrived at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. The aircraft had been tracked by flight data sites traveling 10 hours from Kirtland Air Force base in New Mexico, where America stores its nuclear arsenal. Experts speculated that it may have been carrying B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs, each with a potential power bigger than the weapon dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Lakenheath is home to the U.S Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing, known as Liberty Wing, which flies F-35A aircraft capable of being fitted with B61-12s. However, detailed Pentagon assessments of Lakenheath's suitability as a nuclear base, reviewed by the Daily Mail, make clear that it is far from ready. Bizarrely, one of the reasons given was that some of those involved in the U.S. nuclear operation would not have quick access to a toilet during an Armageddon-style scenario. A U.S. Airforce Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic transport plane would be involved in transporting nuclear weapons Budget documents reveal the full scale of the plan to store U.S tactical nuclear weapons in the U.K. The existing building that would be used as the primary command post is in 'adequate condition but beyond its useful life,' the documents said. It said controllers within the 'Emergency Action Cell' would 'not have direct, restricted access to a restroom' in the current facility. In addition, 'cooling and air filtration' was not good enough to support a SCIF - a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility - which is a high-security room used by the U.S. government and military to discuss extremely sensitive classified intelligence. The Lakenheath operation is described as a 'Surety' mission, which is a term the Pentagon uses when discussing the security and safety of nuclear weapons and associated facilities. The Air Force's budget estimates for the 2026 financial year suggests $104 million will be needed for a 'Surety command post.' It would house facilities including a control center for Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications. The money was also needed to protect the base and surrounding area from 'High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse' attacks. 'Specific hardening measures capabilities will be required to support strategic national missions and provide protection against the collateral effects,' the proposal says. 'If this project is not provided, Royal Air Force Lakenheath will not be able to accommodate the Surety Beddown mission. Without a properly sized and located Primary Command Post, Command staff will not be able to implement the minimum command and control requirements at Royal Air Force Lakenheath. President Donald Trump advocates 'peace through strength' 'This limitation will impede mission capability, readiness, and contingency support to ongoing and future operations within the European area of responsibility.' Funding figures were set out in detailed military construction program budget estimates for the 2026 fiscal year and submitted by the Air Force to Congress in June. The U.S., rather than NATO, is expected to pay for developments at Lakenheath because it is 'necessary to complete the project in the timeframe required by United States military commanders.' Construction of the command post is expected to start in August 2027 and be completed by July 2031. A separate operations compound is priced at $149 million and will involve demolishing half a dozen existing buildings and creating an armory with massively thick concrete walls, and possible storage for anti-tank weapons. 'This project is required to provide enhanced security capabilities supporting the potential stationing of specialized weapons at Royal Air Force Lakenheath,' the project outline said. 'Specialized weapons surety includes materiel, personnel, and procedures, contributing to the safeguarding and reliability of specialized weapons, and to the assurance that there will be no specialized weapon accidents, incidents, unauthorized weapon detonation, or degradation in performance at the target.' An United States Airforce F-35A jet in an 'unrestricted climb' at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk The budget also details the addition of over 200 U.S. security personnel at the base. A current building to be used by the first security personnel is said to be in 'deteriorated condition.' It 'cannot accommodate the additional weapons, ammunition, and equipment associated with the increase in manpower required for the potential Surety Beddown mission.' The problems include asbestos, lead based paint, poor ventilation, and 'improper sanitary sewer drainage.' Improvements are needed to 'accommodate the potential Surety mission beddown' and without them, security forces personnel would not be able to implement the minimum response times, safeguarding, and assurance procedures required for specialized weapons.' Construction of the second compound is not expected to start until 2028 and finish in 2031. An aerial view of RAF Lakenheath which will undergo large scale renovations to accommodate the U.S. nuclear mission Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump met in Alaska in August An earlier budget document described how there was 'no permanent and comprehensive security system' surrounding Lakenheath's 58 aircraft shelters. It detailed how there was no dedicated lighting, surveillance, or alarm systems installed 'Collectively, Royal Air Force Lakenheath lacks the physical security measures needed to protect Surety assets within the Protective Aircraft Shelters from unauthorized access, theft, damage, sabotage, or unauthorized use,' it said. According to the funding documents a protective barrier system will be built around 22 shelters. However, military planners emphasized that there were 'high cost uncertainties in the UK construction industry' due to 'Brexit, COVID, and Ukraine.' Construction of the barrier system to protect the weapons storage areas was only expected to start next year and be completed in October 2029. However, recent satellite images show building of fencing ion some of the area has already begun. Funding documents show an additional $11 million is expected to be spent on electronic security systems, bringing the total for the nuclear mission at Lakenheath to $264 million. B61-12 nuclear bombs, which are 12ft long and weight about 800 pounds - are a staple of the U.S. arsenal. They are unguided 'gravity bombs' dropped over targets and are equipped with four fins to increase accuracy to within 30 meters of the target. They are 'tactical' nuclear weapons intended for use against specific military targets, such as wiping out battlefield units or bases, rather than for leveling cities. However, their power can still be three times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The warhead used in B61-12s has a variety of options for how much explosive power it can yield with the minimum being 0.3 kilotons and the maximum 50 kilotons The bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945 hade a yield of roughly 15 kilotons. B61-13 nuclear weapons, similar to those the U.S. is sending to Britain Sir Keir Starmer said the U.K, will buy nuclear capable jets from the U.S. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed this month that the U.K. is set to buy 12 F-35A fighter jets from the U.S. The U.K. will receive its jets at the end of this decade and it will be the first time it has had an air-launched tactical nuclear weapon since 1998. While it will own the jets, the U.S. will retain ownership of the nuclear weapons they come with. It means the U.K. will not be able to deliver a nuclear strike with those bombs without explicit approval from Washington. Britain's current nuclear deterrent is entirely reliant on the sea-based Trident program. A submarine stocked with strategic nuclear missiles is always at sea and ready to launch. Exiled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is said to spend his days playing video games and brushing up on his ophthalmology skills in his luxury Moscow flat and country villa after being granted asylum by Vladimir Putin. The deposed ruler, branded the 'Butcher' for killing his own people, has found a new life in a plush 1000ft tower after fleeing Syria when he was toppled in December, bringing an end to 24 years of brutal dictatorship. The 60-year-old is believed to live in three apartments in a luxury high-rise with a mall downstairs in the Moscow City district, a glittering business centre in the heart of the Russian capital. The skyscraper penthouse is 'lavishly decorated cream-coloured wardrobes with gold trim, crystal chandeliers, and wide sofas reminiscent of Middle Eastern palaces'. The ostentatious complex, where his family owns around 20 apartments worth more than 30million across three floors, is attached to a shopping mall, which he sometimes visits. The brutal dictator fled to Russia after a lightning offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in December brought a 13-year civil war to an end, as well as six decades of the Assad family's autocratic rule. Since then, he has resumed his training as an eye doctor to treat the elite of Moscow, the city he now calls home following his deposal, a source close to the family has claimed. A friend of his family told the Guardian: 'Hes studying Russian and brushing up on his ophthalmology again. Bashar Al-Assad (pictured) was known as the 'Butcher' of his nation for the brutality of his treatment of his people Assad now lives with his cancer-stricken British wife Asma Al-Assad, sons Hafez and Karim, aged 24 and 21, and 22-year-old daughter Zein Exiled Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad reportedly spends his days playing video games in his luxury Moscow flat 'Its a passion of his, he obviously doesnt need the money. Even before the war in Syria began, he used to regularly practice his ophthalmology in Damascus'. He trained in ophthalmology in London in the early 1990s, but was recalled back to his home nation following the unexpected death of his brother in a car crash in 1994. Shortly after, he entered military academy and took over as the heir apparent to the regime. Now he spends much of his time playing online video games, despite being freely allowed to move around Moscow and his country villa outside of the Russian capital. He has been provided with bodyguards from a private security firm paid by the Russian government. The friend said he now lives 'a very quiet life', adding: 'He has very little, if any, contact with the outside world. Hes only in touch with a couple of people who were in his palace, like Mansour Azzam [former Syrian minister of presidency affairs] and Yassar Ibrahim [Assads top economic crony].' Part of this comes from Putin's apparent dismissal of al-Assad following the fall of the regime in Syria. A source close to the Kremlin told the newspaper: 'Putin has little patience for leaders who lose their grip on power, and Assad is no longer seen as a figure of influence or even an interesting guest to invite to dinner'. Images of Assad wearing speedos has generated ridicule on social media following the fall of his regime One picture found following the regime's fall shows Assad in nothing but white pants and a vest, clearly posing for the camera A picture believed to be showing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wearing only speedos is taken by Rebels following the capture of his palace in Aleppo Pictures of apartments in the complex show luxury fittings and high-end furnishings, as well as panoramic views of Moscow (illustrative picture shows an apartment in the building) Join the debate Should exiled dictators like Assad be allowed to live in luxury while their people suffer? Assad now lives with his cancer-stricken British wife Asma Al-Assad, sons Hafez and Karim, aged 24 and 21, and 22-year-old daughter Zein. Asma, who was born in London and married into the brutal autocratic dynasty in 2000, is described as being in a 'serious' condition from her leukaemia. She has become accustomed to a life of luxury, with reports that she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on home furnishings and clothes during her husband's reign of terror. Their plush Moscow pad provides similar opulence, with a 20-metre-high lobby flooded with light and decorated with modern art. There are sofas, partitions, and a welcome drink for visitors. They have a huge heated bath in front of a 13ft window in a 990ft skyscraper which enjoys one of the finest views in Moscow. The bathroom is made entirely of Carrara marble. 'On Victory Day on May 9, you can watch the fireworks from the bathtub with a glass of champagne,' Natasha, who sells penthouses in the same tower in the Moscow City district, told De Zeit. The Assads 'are in a good place and are enjoying the money they stole. The Syrian people mean nothing to them,' the German newspaper, citing Syrian sources, reported. Assad's younger brother Maher reportedly stays at the Four Seasons Hotel in Moscow and spends his time drinking and smoking hookah. Revelations of the family's luxury life in Moscow emerged as the Putin regime was forced to deny that Assad had been poisoned in an assassination attempt. One image shows him in a khaki hunter costume with a gun and fur accessory, standing alongside friends who are also in costume These photos appear to show the 59-year-old as a young man in the 80s and 90s The fall of the Assad regime in Syria was widely seen as being a major embarrassment for Putin, who offered him refuge A general view shows hundreds of people gathered in Al-Assi Square during celebrations marking one year since the city's liberation, in Hama, Syria, December 5, 2025 Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that the former Damascus despot 'has no problems living in our capital'. Rumours of a food poisoning which led to Assad being hospitalised spread in late September. But Lavrov said the following month: 'There have been no poisonings, and if such rumours appear, I leave them on the conscience of those who spread them.' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed citing a 'private source' that Assad had been hospitalised on the outskirts of Moscow. The source claimed that Assad 'had been poisoned' and that the motive behind the assassination operation was 'to embarrass the Russian government and accuse it of being complicit' in his death. The report said Assad's condition was 'stable' after hospitalisation. Lavrov also sought to justify Putin rescuing Assad from the revolution engulfing Syria and giving him a safe haven. 'Bashar Assad is here for humanitarian reasons. He and his family were facing physical destruction,' he said. 'We all remember the fate of [Libyan leader] Muammar Gaddafi, which so delighted Hillary Clinton, who watched his physical destruction live on television and applauded. 'And we, for purely humanitarian reasons, have granted asylum to Bashar Assad and his family. He has no problems living in our capital. His wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 which was considered cured until the cancer returned as leukaemia in 2024. She was already in Moscow undergoing treatment when her husband's regime was toppled. Their son Hafez, 23, who studied in Moscow, has told of the family's escape from Damascus after Putin's military pulled them just before they were engulfed by the revolution. He admitted the downfall of the regime had come as a shock. 'There was never a plan - not even a backup - to leave Damascus, let alone Syria,' he admitted in a video, now deleted. A Syrian rebel fires a weapon into the air to celebrate the rebel takeover of Damascus, in Homs, Syria, early December 8, 2024 Smoke rises after Syrian rebels took over Damascus, Syria, December 8, 2024 'After consulting with Moscow, base command informed us that our transfer to Russia had been requested. 'Some time later, we boarded a Russian military plane bound for Moscow, where we landed that same night.' Assad remains a wanted man by the new government in Syria, which issued an arrest warrant on charges of premeditated murder, torture, and incitement to civil war. The warrant issued a precise description of him as '1.89 metres tall, oval face, prominent forehead, long nose. Eye color: Blue. Hair color: Brown.' A South Carolina woman who was kidnapped from a hospital as a newborn by a fake nurse and raised by the woman for 18 years has revealed another twist in her story. Kamiyah Mobley, 27, of Walterboro, gained notoriety in 2017 when she discovered the woman she had called mom for 18 years, Gloria Williams, had actually abducted her from a Florida hospital on July 10, 1998. Williams raised Mobley under a different name but her daughter became suspicious when the mother refused to hand over her birth certificate and social security number when she wanted to apply for a job. Williams then broke down and confessed to the abduction. According to court documents, investigators arrested Williams in January 2017 based on two tip offs: a friend who said Williams confessed to them, and an individual who claimed to have heard it from Mobley. In June 2018 Williams was sentenced to 18 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping and interference with custody. Mobley has now been served another blow as the man who raised her believing he was her biological father, Charles Jamie Manigo, 53, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison. Manigo found himself in trouble after he loaned a former coworker $40 in 2018. After months of no repayment, he took matters into his own hands and robbed him at gunpoint. 'So both of my South Carolina parents are doing prison time. Boy, what a life?' Mobley wrote on Facebook Monday. 'And they will both get out at the same time.' Charles Jamie Manigo, the man who raised Kamiyah Mobley (pictured together) has been imprisoned for 10 years after threatening a former coworker over a $40 debt Mobley grew up believing Manigo and Gloria Williams (pictured with Mobley) were her birth parents In January 2019, Manigo encountered the former coworker at a stoplight in Beaufort.The unnamed victim sped away after noticing Manigo had a gun on his lap, the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office said. He then chased after his coworker for several miles until the other driver pulled over. Manigo brandished the gun at him and demanded the money before shooting a bullet into the air and taking off with $200 of the victim's cash. Part of the crime was caught on video by the victim's nephew, who was in the car at the time of the crime. Manigo was sentenced to a decade in prison for armed robbery and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime. 'This was a dangerous and brazen crime that put multiple people at risk,' solicitor JB Bryant said in a statement. 'The defendant chose to escalate a minor dispute into an armed robbery, and the 10-year sentence reflects the seriousness of that conduct and the threat it posed to the community.' 'So both of my South Carolina parents are doing prison time. Boy, what a life?' Mobley wrote on Facebook Manigo had loaned his former coworker money in late 2018 and chased him for several miles before approaching his car with a gun in January 2019 During Williams sentencing, Manigo had cried on the witness stand and told the press she had lied to him about Mobley's origins. Manigo told ABC News the couple had named the girl Alexis Kelly Manigo after Williams led him to believe she had given birth to her while he was away. He claimed that they even shared custody of her when they split in 2003. Despite Manigo's claim that he had been there for Mobley, she previously complained that he was an absent father in a Facebook rant about prom. Mobley said her experience was quite the opposite to how he saw it. 'He didn't even help with nothing [sic] that was done for that prom,' she wrote. 'He was the reason I didn't go to my senior prom, he was not there when I moved to Georgia, never saw him. 'I can count on my fingers how many times I've spent the night at your house.' Williams is thought to have suffered a miscarriage about a week before she drove the three hours from South Carolina to Florida and abducted Mobley in 1998. Williams took Mobley from her biological mother Shanara Mobley (pictured with her daughter) while posing as a nurse at the University Medical Center in Jacksonville She was prowling the corridors of the University Medical Center in Jacksonville dressed in blue scrubs to disguise herself as a nurse. Williams entered the cubicle where Mobley's birth mom, then-16-year-old Shanara Mobley, was holding her newborn baby girl. The two women spoke, with Shanara believing she was talking to a medical professional, until Williams scooped the child up in her arms and left the hospital. Williams then passed off Mobley as her own daughter to family and friends, who said they never suspected a thing. Despite being reunited with her biological family, Mobley still considers Williams her mother and that she has two families. Shanara issued a heartbreaking ultimatum to Mobley during an interview with the Daily Mail in June 2018, saying she had to choose which mother she wanted in her life. 'I shouldn't have to compete with a kidnapper - she has to pick one of us,' Shanara said. Mobley still considers Williams her mother and considers herself a member of two families 'Nobody acknowledges my pain. I feel like I'm being robbed all over again every time she [Williams] reaches out to my daughter,' she added. 'Every phone call they share, every Mother's Day card Kamiyah sends her, it just makes the pain worse. 'I'm being rejected for a kidnapper, how do you think that feels?' The Daily Mail has contacted Mobley for comment. Sadly, for members of Britain's Jewish community, the sight of armed officers outside schools, synagogues and celebrations is nothing new. But after the horrifying scenes on Bondi Beach last week and the attack outside a Manchester synagogue in October, many now feel Britain is no longer safe for Jews. The leafy north London suburb of Golders Green, is undoubtedly Britain's Jewish capital. It feels like a small village where office workers, Lulu-Lemon clad yummy mummies and ultra-Orthodox Jews often stop each other to ask overbearing questions about various family members or complain about the rising cost of smoked salmon. It is a community bound by their mutual traditions and belief that there is safety in numbers. However, any semblance of safety has been ripped up by the attacks, now people are torn between staying put or fleeing abroad. CST volunteers are patrolling the streets, schools have ramped up security and parents are looking over their shoulders. 'Do I feel safe? No. With what is happening around the world and what happened in Manchester why would I?' Peyman Hakimi, who owns a traditional Kosher bakery in Temple Fortune told the Daily Mail. Pictured: Pita, a restaurant in Golders Green which was smashed up in October 2024 Pictured: A bus stop in Stamford Hill covered in graffiti showing a Star of David with a cross spray-painted over the top Pictured: A giant menorah outside Golders Green station to mark Chanukah, the Jewish festival of light 'Everybody is on the edge they're all feeling tension, everybody is trying to plan to get out of the UK. 'Everybody says they want to move I don't know anybody that says they want to stay here they say there's no future for Jews in London anymore.' Antisemitism in the UK has reached an all time high. In the first six months of 2025 there were 84 cases of damage and desecration of Jewish property, 96 incidents of direct threats, 21 incidents of mass-produced Antisemitic Literature and 1,236 incidents of abusive behaviour. As a result, the three biggest Jewish schools in the UK and subsequent outward Jewish areas have seen a larger security presence patrolling the streets, a sight that is considered standard among the community. A parent, who chose to remain anonymous said she sees no future for her children in the UK. She said: 'Since October 7 we've been in a state of heightened security and so strangely I've got used to the concept of my children having to undergo terrorism training but obviously there's a concern every time something like this happens that their anxiety levels are rising or am I putting my fear on them. 'We're no longer in a position as Jewish parents to hide from our children how we feel and it has become more of a conversation in our house whether we feel there will be Jews in this country in 20 years time. 'If we continue on the trajectory that we've been on I don't see myself here, my family have been here for four generations but it's not the same country that my grandparents came to or that my parents grew up in. 'If we see an exodus of Jews in Britain then I will be going with them. But my roots are British my family are British. Pictured: Community Security Trust (CST) protecting the Jewish community at a public gathering Pictured: CST patrolling Temple Fortune, a predominately Jewish neighbourhood 'I thought we reached a point where we are integrated, our generation is about being kind to everyone but that doesn't spread to Jews and it's because the makeup of the country is changing. 'Much like the Jewish people had to move from Poland I see us doing that again, moving somewhere else and transplanting ourselves there will be a time where Britain mourns that they don't have a thriving Jewish community.' Most recently, Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed outside Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on Yom Kippur - the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. And with Jews making up just 0.4 per cent of the population it is no wonder they're scared. Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'The attack in Sydney was the most barbaric start to Chanukah than we could have imagined, I think for Jews in Britain we were immediately taken back to the attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur. 'Its now become an unfortunately familiar feeling for Jews all over the world that every time there's a festival we see breaking news alerts and our screens filled with the most barbaric footage. 'We in Britain were taken straight back to the attack in Manchester, and I think for many there's a feeling that it could have been here it could have been us. 'There are people on trial in the UK right now who are accused of acquiring assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition to perpetrate a mass shooting of Jews. There were two people arrested by the Met in London with being charged with being members of Hezbollah and preparing a terrorist attack. Pictured: A traditional Jewish bakery in the heart of Temple Fortune Pictured: Aryeh Gavzey, a local butcher, who said: 'I feel as safe as I've ever been but that's always been a little unsafe.' 'So for Jews all over the UK this felt like the inevitable next step that has followed years of incitement.' Last Sunday, 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl were killed in a terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, targeting a Jewish holiday celebration. Two heavily armed men opened fire at the popular spot today, using military-grade weapons to cut down innocents celebrating Chanukah, the festival of light. Despite the massacre happening on the other side of the world, those living in Golders Green have mourned for members of their community living in Australia, with people openly crying on the side of the street. Asmahan who works in a Kosher cafe said: 'Just yesterday I had a customer who started talking to me about what happened in Australia she said she kept having nightmares and I think a lot of people in the community feel the same, they're really affected and scared 'At the moment it's a bit tricky especially after what happened in Australia, we can imagine something like that happening in Golders Green, I hear a noise and I get scared. 'Because of everything that's happened if people want to use the toilet we say no because you never know their intentions. 'But you notice people get scared to go out immediately after an attack. The week of the Manchester attack very few people came in, it was empty. Pictured: Carmelli, a traditional Kosher bagel shop in Golders Green Pictured: One of the many Kosher delis that can be found in the north London suburb Pictured: Keren Zion, who works in a bagel shop. She explained that the community are extremely reliant on the work that CST do 'It's all fine it's safe here but you never know because people know it's a Jewish area it's a target.' The Jewish community in Golders Green and the surrounding areas are proud of their heritage. Step out onto the high street and it's obvious that cultural markers like bagel shops and butchers have woven themselves between typical staples like a Gail's and Pret. People feel they can openly express their religious identity because it is 'normal' in the area. Louise Toeman, who owns a Kosher fishmonger in Temple Fortune said: 'The shop has been here since 1947 my grandfather started it, and I got involved six or seven years ago it's a family business. 'My customers are acutely aware of Antisemitism I don't think people are scared we've got such an incredible community that I think if something untoward happened the community would rally around completely. 'I think we're such a close knit community that we all look after each other we don't experience it in the community because we're the majority.' Aryeh Gavzey, a local butcher added: 'In general, I feel as safe as I've ever been but that's always been a little unsafe. Pictured: The parents of 10-year-old Matilda, who was killed in the Bondi Beach attack, at a memorial at Bondi Pavilion Pictured: Mourners at a vigil for the victims of the Bondi Beach attack 'Being here in the Jewish areas I feel the safest. There's always things happening but being in this environment and going through the Jewish areas I feel safer because it's more normalised and there's less prejudice. 'On the street I see other Jews and everyone knows each other, they stop to say hi, when you're living in a community it is safer. 'But everyone is mourning what happened in Australia at the moment, it's all my customers are talking about.' One of the bodies that makes Jewish people feel safer is the Community Security Trust (CST). CST provide security advice and equipment to Jewish schools, organisations and synagogues across the UK. They also work with the police to ensure there is a security presence in certain areas and several members of the community volunteer to help alongside them. Dr Dave Rich, CST Director of Policy said: 'In some ways nothing is new, Antisemitism is sometimes called the oldest hatred and a lot of the ideas and the hateful stereotypes about Jews have been around for centuries in some cases. 'But what's new in the last couple of years is that it is starting to really affect people's day-to-day lives. Pictured: Members of Manchester's Jewish community at a vigil after the attack outside Heaton Park in October Pictured: Members of the Jewish community comforting each other near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue after the attack in October 'Antisemitism has always been there but normally at the fringes and most of the time you could ignore it. 'But now it feels like as a Jewish person in Britain or anywhere in the world, you can't ignore it and you can't escape it, it's a danger wherever you are. 'CST provide and advise on physically security across the Jewish community, that's at synagogues, at Jewish schools, at Jewish community events, other buildings and that's been at a very heightened level for the last two years anyway. And after the attack in Manchester it increased more and it will probably increase further again because there is such a heightened threat to Jewish people now. 'There are more support from the number of police protecting Jewish communities, extra money from Government to pay for private security guards so that extra support is there, but also its not enough to just do more security more policing. 'We need to find ways to turn off the tap of extremism to cut off this supply of hate and that's about working with police and Government to get better enforcement of the laws, to see what new laws might be helpful, to get more education about Antisemitism and really to demand that institutions across society whether its a University or a hospital trust or a government regulator that they know what Antisemitism is. 'We need to re-establish this basic standard that anti-Jewish hate will not be acceptable anywhere because it has become far too acceptable in far too many places.' Keren Zion, who works in a bagel shop explained that the community are extremely reliant on the work that CST do. She said: 'In London I don't feel safe, there is a good amount of security in Golders Green but I don't feel safe here. 'Around these areas there is way more security and after what happened in Australia CST have been here every day walking up down and there have been police officers they're helpful and we have a Whatsapp group so anything that need to be looked at they respond everyday. 'The rise of attacks it's scary nothings every happened here we come to work when you work here you don't feel it but there's always that fear that something could happen here and in London as a whole.' In 2016, the Government formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of Antisemitism. It states: 'Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.' Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green said: 'I grew up in this pocket of North London. It is an honour to represent a place where Jewish life flourishes amongst a diverse community. Take a walk down Temple Fortune Parade on a Friday morning and you can feel the warmth and respect people have for one another both within the Jewish community and with different faiths and none. 'But, Antisemitism threatens that way of life. It has threatened to divide communities, it creates higher walls and colder looks. Ambient antisemitism is peppered with flashpoints, moments the community will not forget. But as a proud British Jew, I'll be damned if antisemites cause us to feel less safe and less welcome in our home. 'As Jewish tradition teaches, we must fight against injustice 'if not now, when?'. This has guided my approach to tackling antisemitism. I have fought for better security at synagogues, schools and more recently at Chanukiah lighting ceremonies in the wake of the Bondi and Heaton Park attacks. 'But local change is not enough. I welcome the Government's action on the issue. From cracking down on hate preachers and making it easier to expel antisemitic doctors to support for antisemitism training at university and 10 million for the Community Security Trust - the Government understands that at every level support must be stepped up. But we know there's still a long way to go and I will carry on relaying the concerns from the coal face of the community in places like Golders Green to the highest level of Government.' The unique walk that inspired the controversial Salt Path book series could be in jeopardy if a luxury hotel is allowed to re-route the path to stop ramblers mixing with guests, campaigners have warned. More than nine million people a year walk the South West Coast Path which hugs the coastline for 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset via Devon and Cornwall. It was the route Raynor Winn and her husband Moth walked after their dream home in Wales was repossessed following a business deal gone wrong according to her bestselling memoir. The Salt Path, which was made into a film starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson, became a publishing phenomenon and earned its author a multi-million pound fortune. But an investigation by the Observer newspaper earlier this year cast doubts over the accuracy of her account and claimed the couple - real names Sally and Tim Walker - lost their home after stealing 64,000 from her employer. Now a row has broken out on one part of the route St Austell, Cornwall, which has locals fearing they will lose access to that stretch of the path altogether. A small group of residents are fighting against proposals from the owners of the Carlyon Bay Hotel near St Austell to move the path away from the hotel along a hedge line that would mean the potential loss of three access points onto the path and an obscured sea view. More than 400 locals have joined the Save West Crinnis Field Facebook campaign with some telling the Daily Mail if the hotel gets the go ahead dozens of other luxury holiday sites could follow suit, effectively restricting some of Britain's most stunning views to only the super wealthy. The South West Coast Path as it approaches Doyden Point and Port Quin. The unique walk inspired the controversial Salt Path book series, but is now at risk of being lost to the public Author Raynor Winn, real name Sally Walker, with her husband Tim at a screening of The Salt Path film Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Teacher Martin Pallett, 64, said: 'People have used this path for more than 100 years and the fear is it's going to be lost forever. 'The hotel doesn't like that it runs through their field so they are pursuing this. In time they are going to totally restrict access to this area. 'This is precious green space that we cannot afford to lose. 'The ease of access to the path for elderly and disabled people is really important but these proposals are going to make it more difficult for people to use. 'My fear is next they will put a fence along the narrow strip to segregate the path altogether. A fence would make it a very different experience.' The hotel, which is 100 years old, owns the land but has leased it to the local parish council for use by the public. An earlier bid by the four-star hotel to alter public rights of way across the field was met with a public outcry but just two months later they resubmitted a strikingly similar proposal. Graphic designer and local resident Mike Stone, 60, walks his dogs along the stretch several times per day. He said: 'It's pretty obvious they want to restrict access to the field. Owners of the he Carlyon Bay Hotel (pictured) near St Austell are seeking to move the path away from the hotel along a hedge line Martin Pallet (left) and Mike Stone, who are campaigning against the proposals Mike and Martin stand at the entrance to the West Crinnis Field, which the hotel is seeking permission to restrict access to 'The fact the second proposal is two months after the first shows the hotel aren't amenable to disputes. 'If this succeeds it could set a precedent for other hotels elsewhere on the coast to reroute the path to suit them. 'I don't have anything against the hotel although I know some people have stopped using the facilities over this. I'd just like them to talk with the community more.' Since the second proposal went public, posters have also been placed in the area warning 'we won the first battle but it isn't over'. Residents say they are concerned about the hotel's vague language about the 'Coastguard Gate' which provides open flat access onto the notoriously steep and rocky path. Julie Aylward, 74, a retired broadcast journalist said: 'Everybody uses it, people have picnics in the field in the summer and walk their dogs 'The main concern is whether we will have access to the gate because it's the only flast access to the field for people with limited mobility. The other access is steep and uneven and muddy.' Her husband Robert Malcolm, 82, who has mobility issues added: 'I use it virtually every day and we never see the field empty but if that gate was closed I wouldn't be able to use it at all. If they get what they want it will ruin our daily life.' The Brend hotel group which owns the Carlyon Bay Hotel has been contacted for comment The proposed diversion would affect the West Crinnis Fields and would supposedly annexe the land to the hotel, making it inaccessible to the public Residents have set up a protest group - Save West Crinnis Field - to attempt to curtail the plans Last weekend Winn was forced to deny new claims from relatives that she took money from her mother and elderly in-laws. The best-selling writer has hit back at accusations that she typed a confessional letter in which she pleaded: 'Please don't look any further for the money. I've taken it. All of it.' In an emphatic statement published on her website, Winn strenuously denied she was the author of the bombshell note claimed to have been written a decade ago. 'I did not steal from family, as others can confirm. Nor have I confessed to doing so and I did not write the letter suggesting I did,' she said. The author's niece, who did not wish to be named, has claimed that a typed and handwritten letters were given to her last year by her mother - Winn's sister - while she was on her deathbed. She died of cancer in November 2024. The details of the letters were revealed on Sunday by The Observer. The notes were claimed to have been written by Winn in an attempt to stop her sibling from reporting her to the police. In one, it is alleged Winn confessed to forging cheques to steal from her property surveyor and estate agent boss Martin Hemming as 'it became an addiction'. She is also said to have confessed to stealing 25,000 from her husband Moth's elderly parents while in a 'mad panic' that left them almost penniless and living in a barn for the winter. Mike Stone (left) and Martin Pallet stand at the entrance to West Crinnis Fields. If the hotel's plans go ahead, the entrance will no longer be a public right of way West Crinnis Field - the field at the centre of the dispute - has long been used by punters walking the South West Coast Path The alleged theft took place when Winn was facing eviction from her home in Wales, which is chronicled in her best-seller The Salt Path. It is claimed in one letter that Winn admitted to taking money from her own mother and 'any statements she has had over the last 18 months are fake. I forged them'. One relative told The Observer that Winn's mother had said all of her money had been taken, but 'never in a million years did she think that her daughter had it'. She reportedly apologised and promised to pay the money back before writing: 'It's of no consolation to you but this morning, writing this, I feel better than I have for years because I know it's over.' Winn and Moth's families told the newspaper that, as far as they are aware, the money has not been paid back. Winn vehemently denied the claims and said 'The Observer and documentary makers continue to spread a false narrative about my life'. With its filthy cells, rampant drug use and a 'pervasive sense of despair', HMP Swaleside exemplifies many of the problems afflicting modern British prisons. But the Kent jail is also typical of another trend: the growth of Muslim prison gangs, whose control over the Category B facility has been described as 'unchecked'. This phenomenon has been widely observed across the prison estate, with groups claiming loyalty to Islam exercising significant influence in some of the country's most secure jails, including Frankland and Belmarsh. The results are grim, with those who defy the gangs or refuse to join them facing the threat of brutal violence. Among those to speak out about the issue is Jonathan Hall KC, the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, who described it as 'a deep-seated phenomenon'. He was echoed by Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), who has previously described the gangs as a 'real problem' that shows no signs of going away. So where did these groups come from, and how were they able to become so powerful? Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo is one of the extremists housed at HMP Frankland in County Durham An isolation unit for dangerous Islamist prisoners at HMP Frankland in County Durham While gangs have always been a feature of prison life, their nature has changed in recent years due to shifts in the nature of the jail population. Most notable has been a steep rise in terrorist offenders since the early 2000s, particularly following the wave of radicalisation - and subsequent increase in police action - following attacks such as September 11 and the 7/7 London bombings. Among the first to warn about the threat posed by these terrorist inmates was Ian Acheson, whose government-commissioned review in 2016 called for the creation of 'separation centres' in three jails to house the most charismatic and dangerous extremists. But in a darkly ironic twist, one prison - Frankland in County Durham - is now said to be so overrun by Islamist gangs that inmates who refuse to join them are being housed in the prison's separation centre for their own protection. Tony Wyatt, a criminal defence barrister who regularly visits the jail, told earlier this year how some prisoners are being forced to serve their sentences in 'total lockdown' due to the breakdown in order. 'There are so many who are members of Muslim gangs in prison, you just can't contain the problem,' he told The Times. While many inmates are forced to join the gangs or do so out of a sense of religious affiliation, others of all faiths and none join for protection or perceived benefits, such as getting more time out of cells for meetings and prayers. And with the groups now becoming so powerful in certain British prisons, there have been claims that governors avoid cracking down on them in the belief that their existence supports order. In his 2022 report, Mr Hall said that prison authorities have a 'tendency to view Islamist group behaviour' as providing 'a degree of calm and stability which means it is not necessarily perceived as a problem'. He added that there was a 'reluctance to focus on Islamist group behaviour' and prison officers would sometimes appeal to the 'wing emir' to maintain order. But the threat extremist groups pose to other inmates and staff is very real and seemingly growing. Join the debate How should prisons handle the rise of powerful gangs that intimidate both inmates and staff? Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi stands accused of attacking three prison officers. He is seen on a prison video link surrounded by five officers in protective gear Brusthom Ziamani and Muslim convert Baz Hockton (right), who was radicalised in jail, screamed 'Allahu Akbar' and wore hoax bomb vests as they set upon Prison Officer Neil Trundle with a shank at HMP Whitemoor in 2020 During research for his report, Mr Acheson said officers at Frankland 'spoke matter-of-factly about being taken hostage to be beheaded'. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the former prison governor official failings for making this threat more potent than ever. 'I know from my time in Northern Irish jails that terrorist prisoners who do not accept the authority of the state regard prison staff as legitimate targets on and off duty,' he said. 'Officers talked matter-of-factly about being taken hostage to be beheaded. There seemed no real attempt by authorities to understand let alone react to their risk.' While they attract far less attention than outrages taking place on the streets, terror attacks have long been a problem behind bars. Brusthom Ziamani and Baz Hockton screamed 'Allahu Akbar' and wore hoax suicide vests as they attacked Neil Trundle with makeshift blades after luring him into a cupboard at HMP Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire. They were convicted of attempted murder in October 2020. Meanwhile, Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi stands accused of attacking three prison officers with homemade weapons and hot cooking oil, although he has denied attempted murder. HMP Swaleside in Kent is said to have become overrun by Muslim gangs At HMP Swaledale, prisoners and staff are said to feel 'powerless' in the face of Muslim gangs. The concerning situation at the jail was revealed in two reports, one by Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, and the second by its Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). Mr Taylor said the prison was 'filthy', rife with drugs and had a 'pervasive sense of despair', leading him to give it the 'worst scores of any jail in my five years as chief inspector'. Meanwhile, the IMB previously raised concerns about 'religious gangs' at the facility, where a third of inmates are Muslim. 'A recurring theme is the perception of widespread violence, including bullying by both prisoners and staff, as well as unchecked gang control, particularly by religious gangs, which many prisoners report feeling powerless and unsafe against,' it said. The report noted that there was evidence of rival gangs fighting over drugs, racist comments and discrimination against Jewish prisoners. Prisons minister Lord Timpson said of Mr Taylor's inspection of Swaleside: 'This is a deeply concerning report and I'm disappointed we have failed to achieve the required standard. 'Work is underway to rapidly reduce violence, improve safety and drive up standards. We will publish an action plan in the coming weeks to support them in these efforts.' A 19-year-old in New Mexico was charged after he arranged his parents' murder believing their death would make him rich. On Monday, Darren Munoz and his friend Julio Zamora, 18, were arrested after the pair allegedly pulled off the killing of Munoz's dad and step-mom. According to the arrest affidavit obtained by ABC7, Munoz planned to have Oscar and Dina Munoz killed for 'several weeks or months' with the help of two friends. Munoz had planned the murder to 'take over the parents' belongings/finances,' per the affidavit. He reportedly believed that his father owned the Allsups franchise, a brand of convenience stores in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. The plan was for Zamora to come in through the garage and shoot Munoz's parents as they slept, per the report. Another friend had agreed to carry out the shooting if Zamora couldn't. Around 4.50am on December 15, police responded to a call reporting a suspected burglary from the couple's Clovis home, more than 200 miles east of Albuquerque. When Clovis police arrived, Munoz was standing outside the opened garage and told officials that everything was fine. Darren Munoz, 19, was arrested after reportedly arranging his parents' death for his inheritance Oscar and Dina Munoz were each shot in the head as they slept in their beds on December 15 Police insisted on checking on Oscar, 58, and Dina, 71, but Munoz told them not to go inside because 'his parents slept naked.' Munoz led the responding officer into the home anyway and had him wait while he went into his parent's bedroom. Per the affidavit, Munoz emerged with his hands 'covered in blood.' The couple had each been shot in the head. Police found Dina Munoz already dead from the gunshot wound. Oscar was taken to Lubbock hospital where he died from critical injuries. When they took him in for questioning, Munoz told police that the security alarm on the garage door woke him up. He denied hearing any gunshots. Munoz enlisted the help of his friend Julio Zamora, who reportedly carried out the shooting in exchange for some money 'It made no sense that Munoz would hear the garage door alarm go off but not hear gunshots down the hall from him,' countered police in the arrest affidavit. Nothing was missing from the home and there was no sign of forced entry. Munoz's girlfriend spoke to police about the incident. She said that Munoz had planned to trade an AR rifle for a ghost Glock or pistol. He was seen in surveillance footage putting a 9mm Glock in his waistband just 12 hours before his parents were killed. His girlfriend also told police that she was with Munoz and Zamora when they bought 9mm ammunition. According to police, Darren reported a suspected break in at their New Mexico home and met them outside the open garage Police arrested Zamora outside of his home with the 9mm Glock, which he confirmed was the murder weapon. He admitted that Munoz had asked him to kill his parents. Munoz was charged with two counts of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, and solicitation to commit first degree murder. Zamora was charged with two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. According to Oscar Munoz's LinkedIn, he was a supervisor at an Allsups store for almost 24 years. The Allsups brand is owned by the convenience store operator Yesway, which is operated by the private equity firm Brookwood Financial Partners, LLC. The Daily Mail contacted the Clovis police department for more information. A Michigan senate candidate came under fire after a clip resurfaced of her saying 'there would be beers thrown' if she came across conservative justices. Mallory McMorrow was addressing questions from supporters at an event last month when one person asked if there was 'any sense' in dealing with the Supreme Court. 'I blame them for a lot,' the female supporter added. The Senate primary candidate told her audience that she graduated from Notre Dame University, the same school as Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. 'Amy Coney Barrett coming out of my university makes me very sad. Just on a personal level,' McMorrow said. 'I talked to somebody yesterday who said they saw her with Brett Kavanaugh at a tailgate last weekend. 'And I was like I would not be able to control myself. It would be bad. There would be beers thrown in people's faces.' Her resurfaced November 12 remarks angered the conservative right. Many have classified her as a 'violent' democrat and piled on the critiques. Michigan Senate Candidate Mallory McMorrow is receiving backlash online for saying 'it would be bad' if she came across Supreme Court Justices McMorrow said if she were at a tailgate with Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh she 'would not be able to control' herself Former right-wing Indiana congressman David M. McIntosh reposted the video. 'It's impossible for a Democrat candidate to not be a crazed and violent radical,' he wrote on social media. Mollie Hemingway, a conservative journalist and commentator, claimed that McMorrow's comments spoke to violence encouraged by the Democratic party. 'Pattern of Democrat politicians up to and including Chuck Schumer openly encouraging violence against Supreme Court justices,' she wrote on X. In 2020, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer was criticized for saying Justice Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch would 'pay the price' for advocating to revoke abortion rights. 'You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,' he said at a pro-choice rally. 'You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions' New York Post Columnist Kirsten Fleming said on social media that she'd rather share a beer with someone she disagreed with than throw it at them 'What a waste of good suds,' Fleming wrote. 'This woman looks pretty pathetic here.' McMorrow went as far as to say 'there would be beers thrown in people's faces Conservative writer AG Hamilton wrote: 'Sounds like she should seek professional help and consider therapy instead of a Senate run.' 'This young lady does not seem to have matured enough to have the temperament to serve in the United States Senate,' added the American Association of Retired Republicans. According to Fox Digital, McMorrow was previously slammed for headlining a 'unity dinner' in October at which there was a sign that read 'MAGA=NAZI.' Local democrats had also displayed the numbers '86 47,' which commonly refer to 'throwing out' the 47th president, Donald Trump. McMorrow's campaign website described her as a 'Democrat with a backbone.' She served on Michigan State Senate from 2019 to 2023 and wrote a book called 'Hate Won't Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better than You Found It.' Even voters chimed in to criticize the 39-year-old Senate candidate for her views. 'Leftists are angry and violent,' added one commenter. 'She is unstable and unfit for office,' said another. McMorrow previously came under fire for headlining a dinner with an '86 47' sign 'Every Democrat has become the most vile, vicious and dangerous individual in the world. Every single one,' a third chimed in. 'This means your family, your friends, your coworkers. Beware.' An analysis published by The Conversation determined that 'most domestic terrorists in the U.S. are politically on the right.' It also concluded that right-wing extremist violence has been 'deadlier' than left-wing violence. Left-wing extremists have reportedly only been responsible for about 10 percent of politically motivated violence since 2001. The Daily Mail contacted McMorrow for comment. Lara Trump has revealed that when it comes to buying a Christmas present for Donald Trump, the family sticks to one gift they know he truly cherishes. The president's daughter-in-law told the New York Post that buying for the leader of the free world can prove tricky. However, she shared that she has managed to find a fail safe which he enjoys each year in the form of framed family photos. 'Every year he gets basically framed photos of us with him. But he likes them. And a lot of them go on the desk behind him in the Oval Office,' Lara told the New York Post. 'He already knows this is coming. This is the standard for him for Christmas and his birthday.' Lara is married to Eric, the youngest child between Trump and Ivana's three children The mother-of-two admitted that despite the simplicity of the gift, finding something worthy of the president is still a yearly challenge. 'I feel bad because as the president of the United States, he's giving so much to us as a country, we want to be able to give something great back to him. The truth is, for all of us, we're like, 'What do we get him?'' Lara Trump revealed the Trump family gives President Donald Trump framed family photos every year for Christmas Lara Trump, Republican National Committee co-chair and daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, speaks at a town hall-style campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on October 4, 2024 When it comes to buying presents for Trump's grandchildren, Lara suggested the task is largely handled by the first lady. One holiday tradition the grandchildren especially enjoy is being allowed to dash into their grandfather's office and help themselves to his candy stash. Trump is known to keep his desk at Mar-a-Lago, often dubbed the 'winter White House,' stocked with sweets, including Starburst, fun-size Snickers and M&Ms. On occasion, the treats are even more extravagant, with king-size candy bars making an appearance, much to the children's delight. The Trump family is expected to come together in full force for the holidays, with much of the extended clan attending Christmas Eve mass at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, the Episcopal church where Donald and Melania were married. Lara said nearly the entire family plans to be in attendance, noting the growing number of children and grandchildren around the table, which she described as a welcome and festive sight. The celebrations are set to extend well beyond immediate relatives. Lara predicted that roughly 500 Mar-a-Lago members would also take part in the holiday festivities, with celebrity guests once again likely to stop by, as they have in years past. At home, Lara and Eric, who were married at Mar-a-Lago in 2014 and now live nearby in Jupiter, Florida, embrace the holiday spirit with a Christmas tree decorated with a mix of sentimental and patriotic touches. Join the debate Is it meaningful for powerful families to stick to sentimental gifts, or does it feel out of touch? President Donald Trump and first lady Melania walk past Christmas decorations at the White House on December 5, 2025, in Washington, DC The tree features handmade ornaments their children have brought home from school over the years, alongside official White House ornaments gifted during Trump's first term, some of which were personally sent by Donald and Melania. Topping it all off is a distinctly Trump-style flourish. The couple traditionally crowns their tree with a MAGA hat, and this year, they took it a step further by placing two at the top. News / National by Staff reporter Zanu PF candidate Freedom Murechu has won the Nkulumane constituency by-election in Bulawayo, a result that has renewed debate over the state of Zimbabwe's opposition politics and underscored the ruling party's growing electoral dominance.Murechu secured 3 416 votes in the poll held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant by the death of Nkulumane MP Desire Moyo, who was killed in a road accident on October 10. Independent candidate Rodney Jele came a distant second with 745 votes, while Auxikia Zitha garnered 325 votes.Other candidates trailed far behind, with Mothusi "Madlela" Ndlovu of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) polling 320 votes. Fuzwayo Mbuso, also an independent, received 121 votes, Alson Moyo of the Economic Freedom Fighters 65, Vivian Siziba of Zapu 110, Ethel Sibanda of MDC-T 23, Nompilo Malaba Ncube of ZANC 18, and Ester Zitha, another independent, 325.The outcome has been widely interpreted by analysts as further evidence of the deep crisis engulfing Zimbabwe's opposition movement, which has been weakened by a combination of sustained state repression, internal divisions, leadership disputes and allegations of infiltration and co-option.The CCC, once the country's main opposition force, has been particularly affected. The party plunged into turmoil after its leader Nelson Chamisa abruptly resigned in January 2024, arguing that the movement had been "hijacked" and infiltrated by elements aligned to Zanu PF. His departure left the party without a clear leadership structure or strategic direction, triggering infighting and organisational paralysis.This followed a series of controversial court rulings and the recall of elected opposition officials, actions linked to claims by Sengezo Tshabangu that he was acting as CCC's interim secretary-general. Critics argued that the recalls and judicial endorsements were part of a broader strategy to weaken and fragment the opposition.Political analysts say the cumulative effect has been the effective neutralisation of the CCC, with some of its remaining structures now described as a "loyal opposition" sustained through repression, patronage and access to resources. They argue that this has further eroded public trust, with sections of the opposition support base feeling betrayed after years of political mobilisation and sacrifice.Zimbabwe's prolonged economic crisis has also compounded opposition weakness, undermining grassroots mobilisation while increasing the vulnerability of opposition figures to co-option through financial incentives and patronage networks.Since stepping away from the CCC, Chamisa has repeatedly hinted at launching a new, "citizen-centric" political movement, framing it as a reset of the opposition project. However, after nearly two years of such signals without concrete action, scepticism and disillusionment have grown among former supporters.Despite the opposition's decline, civil society groups and remaining opposition voices continue to criticise Zanu PF's record in government. The ruling party itself is not immune to internal tensions, with renewed succession battles and factional disputes emerging ahead of the end of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's second term in 2028. Proposals by some party figures to amend the constitution to extend Mnangagwa's rule have further deepened divisions.Even so, analysts say Zanu PF's political hegemony remains largely unchallenged in the face of a fragmented and weakened opposition, a reality starkly illustrated by the Nkulumane by-election result. Scotlands growing numbers of public inquiries are too expensive, poorly defined and are damaging front-line services, a scathing new report has found. Since the country first gained the legal powers to hold public inquiries in 2007, the cost to taxpayers has reached a staggering 258 million. Several of the probes, including investigations into the Edinburgh trams fiasco and the death of Sheku Bayoh, have been widely criticised for dragging on for years. Now a Holyrood committee has recommended that ministers fix budgets to stop costs spiralling and also set definite timetables. MSPs on the finance and public administration committee said inquiries are a valuable tool for holding public bodies to account, reviewing past wrongs, identifying solutions and recommending changes to policy. But they concluded that the system is overstretched and poorly defined, with some inquiries lacking a core objective. Sheku Bayoh and his partner Collette Bell. The inquiry into his death has been criticised for the length of time it has taken Despite so far costing 26.2 million, the inquiry into Mr Bayoh's death faces an uncertain future after its chairman Lord Bracadale resigned in October Their report also warns that, in some cases, participation in long-running inquiries is preventing judges and police officers from doing their core jobs. In October, The Scottish Mail on Sunday revealed that Police Scotland had warned the MSPs preparing the report that sending so many officers to take part in inquiries was hampering the forces efforts to fight crime. Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said: 'Scotland is being governed by an SNP administration that is simply not up to the job. '258 million has been blown on public inquiries because ministers cant set clear objectives, control costs or take responsibility. 'This is a secondrate government in action endless drift, no grip, and a taxpayerfunded gravy train thats draining money away from frontline services.' Committee convener Kenneth Gibson, a Nationalist MSP, said: There is currently limited ability for ministers to control expenditure and stop costs spiralling or to stop an inquiry dragging on for years. We are also concerned at the impact on existing public services if resources are redirected to inquiries that may last for years. The committee concluded other countries use systems that provide better alternatives for cost effectiveness and effective delivery. Mr Gibson added: For example, Sweden normally requires its public inquiries to conclude within two years and within a set budget. The first public inquiry of the Holyrood era examined the 2004 ICL Stockline tragedy in which nine people died when a plastics factory in Glasgow exploded. It published its report in 2009, exposing a series of failings and made recommendations for improving industry safety all for the relatively modest cost of 1.9 million. Other completed probes include the Campbell Inquiry into a police fingerprinting scandal, costing 4.8 million, the Vale of Leven Inquiry into hospital-acquired infections, costing 10.7 million and the 12.1 million Penrose Inquiry into the tainted blood scandal that saw NHS patients infected with hepatitis C and HIV. The inquiry into delays and costs during the construction of Edinburghs tram system was itself years late and massively over budget finally producing a report in 2023 at a cost of 13.1 million. The probe into the death of Sheku Bayoh a 31-year-old who died in Kirkcaldy, Fife, while being restrained by police in 2015 has been running for five years. Despite so far costing 26.2 million, it faces an uncertain future after its chairman Lord Bracadale resigned in October amid claims he had not remained impartial. The Holyrood report found the cost of inquiries overall was 258.8 million since 2007 including 30 million this year alone. Six public inquiries are ongoing. Two have only just started investigating rogue surgeon Sam Eljamel and the death of sex worker Emma Caldwell while four others, looking into Covid, child abuse, Scottish hospitals and the death of Mr Bayoh, have been running for more than four years. The most expensive is the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which started in 2014 and has so far cost more than 102 million. The report concluded that some inquiries drag on because ministers were too vague in spelling out what they hoped to achieve. Last night the Scottish Government said the chair of an inquiry is already legally obliged to avoid unnecessary costs but also said ministers would consider the reports recommendations. A spokesman added: We welcome this report. The proposals will be responded to in due course. Inquiries operate independently of government and are set up when no other avenue is deemed sufficient. CCTV footage of the moment 'gunmen' fled in a blue Jaguar after shooting a father in the head in a case of mistaken identity has been released by police, months after the incident. Mahad Abdi Mohammed, 27, died after being shot in the head in Tottenham in March in what officers believe was a case of mistaken identity. Emergency services were called to the scene on Waverley Road at 8:45pm on Thursday, 20 March following reports that two men had been shot. Mr Mohammed had taken a bullet to the head, while another man, aged 26, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. The two men were having breakfast outside when a stolen Mitsubishi Outlander approached them. The suspects got out of the vehicle and opened fire on the two men, before escaping from the scene. The car was found burnt-out in Runcorn Close the following morning. Detectives have now released a clip of a stolen blue Jaguar, which they believe was used to transport the suspects to and from the Mitsubishi. Mahad Abdi Mohammed, 27, died after being shot in the head in Tottenham in March Police have released images of the stolen blue jaguar they believe was part of the incident Police have released footage and images of one of the suspects The newly released footage is part of more than 6,000 hours of CCTV which has been gathered by police. Four men were arrested on suspicion of murder in March and April. They were questioned and released on bail pending further investigations. It comes as detectives are offering a 20,000 reward for information from independent charity Crimestoppers, eight months to the day of Mr Mohammed's death, in a bid to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible. Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Woodsford, leading the Met's investigation, said: 'Tottenham's tightknit community has experienced the heartbreaking impact of gun crime. The loss of Mahad weighs heavy every day, but it will be particularly difficult for his loved-ones to carry throughout their first festive season without him. 'A time where loved-ones traditionally come together will be marked by an empty seat at the table. 'There is someone out there who knows what happened that night and we are urging those individuals to find it in their heart to come forward. No matter how small you think the information is, please speak to us. It could be exactly what we need to locate those responsible. 'Myself and my team understand how daunting the information sharing process can be, but there are lots of ways to give evidence to the police. We can protect witnesses or request their evidence is anonymous and ensure you will receive special support every step of the way.' Appealing for information, Mr Mohammed's youngest sister added: 'To stay silent is to be complicit. To stay silent is to let a grieving mother suffer in confusion. To stay silent is to let a little boy grow up not knowing what happened to his father. Detectives have released a picture of one of the suspects they believe was involved An image released by Met Police of one of the suspects detectives believe was involved Police believe the car was used to transport the the suspects to and from another vehicle Mr Mohammed's family have urged the public to come forward with information 'If you know something and you haven't come forward, please think about that. 'Think about a family that cannot begin to heal because the truth is still hiding in the shadows. 'My brother deserves better. He deserves justice'. The reward is being offered for any information received by Crimestoppers which leads to the conviction of those responsible for Mr Mohammed's death. It is available for three months, and will expire on March 20, 2026. Alexa Loukas, Regional Manager for London of Crimestoppers, said: 'Crimestoppers is appealing to anyone with information about this tragic incident to come forward anonymously. Mahad's loved ones deserve answers and justice for the murder of Mahad. 'Our charity's reward offer of 20,000, we hope, may encourage someone who has key details about his murder to come forward and speak up, with the assurance they will remain completely anonymous. 'At Crimestoppers, you can share what you know without ever having to reveal your identify, you will never have to speak to the police or give a witness statement. Please, if you have even the smallest detail, come forward. Your courage could make all the difference.' Anyone who can help should call police on 101, quoting 7426/20MAR or visit the Major Incident Police Portal. People can also go through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via its website. Any information given to Crimestoppers will be completely anonymised before it is passed onto police and will remain so. The five black-and-white images are grotesque. A young Asian woman is pictured in a variety of sexual poses, sometimes naked, sometimes in cheap lace lingerie. In one, she is performing oral sex on a man whose face you cannot see. It's pixellated but there is no mistaking what's happening. 'Welcome to visit me!' says a caption in fractured English. Another box boasts her bust, waist and hip measurements. It's clearly advertising her services as a prostitute. Today, the 30-year-old woman in the photos is sitting directly opposite me, looking very different. She's warmly wrapped against the December chill, fluffy Ugg boots on her feet and a sad, defensive look on her face. She is Carmen Lau, a pro-democracy activist who fled Hong Kong seeking sanctuary in the UK four years ago. She had expected to find refuge here. Instead, the state-sanctioned Chinese persecution that forced her from her home has crossed continents and arrived in Berkshire. The pictures are fakes generated by artificial intelligence. They were created to besmirch her reputation and compromise her personal safety, and were mailed directly to Carmen's neighbours from the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau. 'No one should be targeted with such sexual violence,' she says. 'I feel angry, I feel betrayed, I feel terrified. People who know me, they understand it isn't me in those pictures, but what about all the people who don't? And who knows how widespread these images are now, how far they have been shared online.' Carmen was in Berlin at a political event when her MP Joshua Reynolds telephoned to say half a dozen constituents had reported receiving pornographic images of her. 'He said, 'Before I send them over, I do need to warn you...' so I was prepared. But when I opened the file, I was still shocked because they looked so real. The thing that angers me most is that I have no idea how to hold these people accountable for what they've done, how to find justice.' Carmen Lau (pictured) is a pro-democracy activist who fled Hong Kong seeking sanctuary in the UK four years ago UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The British PM is rumoured to be heading to China for a diplomatic visit next month Sadly, last month's attack is just the latest salvo in a Chinese campaign of transnational harassment against Carmen and other UK-based dissidents, which the British police and No 10 have been unable to stop. Earlier this year 'Wanted' posters offering Britons a reward of one million Hong Kong dollars (about 95,000) for information about Carmen or for dragging her to the Chinese Embassy in London were also mailed directly to her neighbours. She also suspects she has been followed and watched while working in the UK. And her 'crime'? Carmen stands accused of 'incitement to secession, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security', from her time working as an elected councillor in Hong Kong charges she doesn't even deign to deny, since they are 'manufactured and unjust'. The campaign of harassment against her raises two serious questions for Britain. First, how can Sir Keir Starmer befriend Beijing when, as expected, he visits China next month? And second, why is the government set to allow China to build a mega-embassy in London, with its associated threat of increased spying and sabotage on British soil? In person, Carmen Lau couldn't look less like an enemy of the state. She's small and slight in faded denim, dark hair framing her face. She speaks quietly and earnestly, without hyperbole or a scrap of self-pity, despite being effectively trapped in a country that might be familiar, but isn't home. Heartbreakingly, she has no clue when or if she will be able to return to Hong Kong where she worked as an aide to a pro-democracy politician and then successfully ran for local election herself. Since Hong Kong has only one layer of administration below its legislature, becoming a councillor put her in a position of genuine power. This victory enraged Beijing, which has been clamping down on democracy in the former British colony since 2019. Soon Carmen found that her office in Kowloon was being watched, and colleagues and visitors photographed. In early 2021 a Beijing-run newspaper published a front-page story accusing her of conspiring against the Chinese government. Rumours began to circulate that councillors like her were on a hit list for arrests, while 20,000 of public funding, the cost of running her office, was withheld. Carmen stands accused of 'incitement to secession, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' When a white Toyota SUV the kind favoured by China's security services trailed her home in Hong Kong with an agent filming from behind its blacked-out windows, Carmen understood her family was being targeted, too. 'By then we were all living in fear,' she says. 'They were taking people from their beds at 5am, at their most vulnerable. 'The sight of that Toyota made me paranoid that I could be snatched off the street. I knew my work had consequences, that I might be arrested, but this was the first time they'd made me scared for my parents.' Fearing for her safety, and also believing she could do more to help Hong Kong as a free exile, in July that year Carmen fled, buying a return ticket to London to avoid arousing suspicion at the border. 'I didn't say goodbye to anyone,' she recalls. By September, she publicly announced she had settled in the UK, triggering a barrage of online harassment from Beijing's bots and trolls. 'There were death threats, rape threats, I was called the C-word, told I was serving white men, or the CIA.' She shows some screen shots: 'A bitch like you will be raped and killed by anti-China [sic] in the west once you are no longer useful,' reads one. As a result, Carmen takes stringent security measures with CCTV outside her temporary accommodation and motion sensors inside it. She has upgraded her electronic security following official warnings from Google about repeated state-sanctioned hacking attacks. She uses fake names for online services such as Amazon and Uber, has burner phones and a permanent VPN software that hides a user's origins and bypasses geographic restrictions on websites. Carmen takes stringent security measures with CCTV outside her temporary accommodation and motion sensors inside it Travelling abroad, she takes pains not to fly through Chinese air space or touch down in a country that has an extradition agreement with Beijing. But China has been undeterred, repeatedly harassing her in blatant defiance of diplomatic convention, British sovereignty and the rule of UK law. The attacks escalated in December last year when Hong Kong police issued a warrant for Carmen's arrest, along with the one million Hong Kong dollar bounty. It was March when the 'Wanted' posters were mailed to the UK and then last month came that devastating fake porn attack. It's little wonder then that she is angry at the prospect of the British government thawing relations with President Xi Jinping and Beijing, and deeply alarmed at No 10's naivety in relation to China's new mega embassy, which looks set to receive planning permission next year. 'This prioritising of economic interests [over human rights], this cosying up to China, it signals to whoever's out there that they can act freely in the UK,' she said. 'Such friendship between Keir Starmer's government and Beijing will allow new ways for repression to grow on British soil. 'It's an illusion, seeing China as an economic partner. Starmer's government might think they're really good at navigating a relationship with China, naming it as a threat to the UK, while at the same time shaking hands with it for trade deals, but that's not how it works because, with China, you will never get the win. Starmer is deluded.' As for the new embassy planned in the old Royal Mint Court next to the Tower of London, she's equally appalled. 'Every step of the decision is wrong: it's diplomatically wrong, historically wrong and wrong for security. The UK is a democracy while China is not. Why would you allow an autocracy to have this outpost, especially on an historic site? 'It's a fortress, the footprint of a rival state in the British capital not to mention the fact the Chinese have blurred out their plans for some of the rooms. You can see from the history of terror regimes that they are very good at torture and interrogation.' Carmen doesn't need to spell out that, for someone considered a hostile actor by China, a suite of secret basement rooms in the country's London embassy is a terrifying prospect. And sadly she has limited faith in the British police's ability to protect her. Until the distribution of the pornographic pictures, Thames Valley Police's response had been to ask her to stop provoking China by speaking out. It's little wonder then that Carmen is angry at the prospect of the British government thawing relations with President Xi Jinping (pictured) 'They gave me a Memorandum of Understanding,' says Carmen. 'They said signing it acknowledged that continuing [to campaign] was my own choice. 'I asked for physical protection but they said my risk wasn't high enough to warrant extra resources.' But the most recent harassment has made police sit up although their door-to-door inquiries and a forensic examination of the letters have yet to yield a lead. 'Things have improved now,' she acknowledges, 'because gender-based harassment is something they prioritise. 'And,' she sighs, 'I have set the bar of my expectations lower.' Carmen grew up in a cosmopolitan Hong Kong family. Her globe-trotting father ran a jewellery business while her mother was the daughter of a fishing family on Lantau, the largest of Hong Kong's islands where her relatives still live in a traditional house on stilts over the water. She misses her home, and her family and friends, sometimes walking around the City of London looking at its skyscrapers and thinking of the iconic Asian skyline she loves. 'What keeps pushing me forward is the people of Hong Kong. It's not about the place itself and it's certainly not about power,' she says. 'It's about our people. Sometimes I think I will never be able to go back and I feel very small as a person out in the world. But anything that happens to me here is nothing compared to those who have already sacrificed their freedom.' What a tragedy that Britain, with its historic responsibility for Hong Kongers and its ancient tradition of liberal democracy, cannot do more to protect Carmen so that she, in turn, can protect those left behind. Authorities are probing whether two Australian men were linked to the alleged Bondi Beach terrorists during their four-week stay in the Philippines. Philippines National Police (PNP) officers are investigating if the two men from Sydney crossed paths with accused gunmen Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24. Sajid was shot dead and Naveed taken into custody after last Sunday's horrific Hanukkah Bondi Beach attack left 15 dead and dozens more injured. It was revealed the Akrams spent a month staying at a budget $24 a night hotel in Davao City prior to the December 14 shootings. Philippines police are also probing what happened during a meeting the Akrams had with a Muslim cleric, which was captured on CCTV, The Daily Telegraph reported. It's been reported the two Sydney men were in Davao City at a time which 'overlapped with the Akrams stay'. The alleged killers and the two other men did not visit any tourist spots during their stays, which is only a ten-hour drive from an Islamic State-linked terror training ground. One of the additional men, believed to be in his 50s, flew from Sydney to Manila before travelling to Davao City on November 8. Bondi Beach terror suspect Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 15 counts of murder Sajid Akram, 50 (pictured), was gunned down following the Bondi Beach attack last Sunday That man returned to Australia on November 25. A younger man, believed to be in his 20s, arrived on the day the older man flew out of the Philippines three days before the Akrams left. He returned to Sydney on December 3. It's understood the Akrams spent most of their time inside their room at the budget GV Hotel. According to sources, PNP investigators are scouring CCTV throughout the city as they investigate if the Akrams knew or met the other Sydney men during their stay. 'That is the question, (what was) the purpose,' a police source said. 'That is what we want to know. They did not go to any tourist destinations.' '[The Akrams] possibly met with two other men while they were here. They were not tourists.' The GV Hotel in Davao City Philippines where the Akrams stayed for a month before the Bondi Beach attack Flowers laid outside Bondi Pavilion as mourners gathered on Saturday Local detectives also say there is CCTV footage of Sajid talking to a cleric at a mosque within walking distance of the GV Hotel. GV Hotel staff are baffled as to why the Akrams stayed at the budget hotel for 28 days before allegedly committing the Bondi Beach massacre. On Thursday, Davao City police interviewed GV Hotel reception manager Jenelyn Sayson in the hotel lobby. 'We have no idea why they were here. They were normal guests,' Ms Sayson said. Witnesses claimed the Akrams gorged on fast food including orders from the fried chicken outlet Jollibee. The alleged terrorists ate the food in their room despite having access to a restaurant at the base of the hotel. 'They just asked about McDonalds and Jollibee. (I) didnt think it was unusual as it was their first time here,' Ms Sayson said. 'They were always together when they go out or into their room... Naveed would go out for longer periods of time while his dad would stay here. They looked like normal people.' Inside a room at the GV Hotel where the Akrams stayed a month before the Bondi attack GV Hotel CCTV footage has since been handed to police. The Akrams booked their accommodation for a one week stay before extending it further. The alleged terrorists did not interact with staff or other guests except to ask for directions. In the meantime ASIO and the Australian Federal Police have been investigating why the alleged Bondi terrorists travelled to the Philippines in November. Davao City, which has a population of 1.85million, is not a popular holiday destination for Australian tourists as guards in army fatigues man corners of the citys streets armed with military-grade assault rifles. It's believed the heavy security is to reassure the city is safe after a backpack filled with a mortar shell and fitted with a remote detonator exploded at the Roxas Night Market, killing 15 and injuring 70 in 2016. Backpacks remain banned from the outdoor market in the centre of Davao City. Philippines president Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has since denied the suspected Bondi terrorists received 'military style training' in his country. Davao City (above) is not a usual tourist destination However, the southern Philippines island of Mindanao has been a terrorist haven for a decade. Islamic State East Asia and its predecessor 'Abu Sayyaf' have utilised the mountainous and isolated regions of the island for training and organising terror attacks across the world. On Wednesday, Naveed was charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder. The attack occurred just before 7pm on Sunday, when Naveed and Sajid allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more. Akram - who allegedly shot at a crowd of hundreds alongside his father Sajid - was charged after he spent two days in a coma after being shot by police. The charges against him include one count of committing a terrorist act, one count of discharging a firearm in public, one count of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist symbol, one count of placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm, and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder. 'Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,' NSW Police said in a statement. 'Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.' His father, Sajid, was fatally shot by police during the nine-minute attack. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said no others were expected to be charged. 'There is no evidence to suggest other individuals were involved in this attack, however, we caution that this could change given it is early in our investigation,' she said. With a dash of his characteristic bluster and arrogance, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor famously shrugged off the party he hosted at Sandringham Estate as 'a straightforward shooting weekend'. But an extraordinary picture, released as part of a damning trove of 300,000 documents from the so-called Epstein Files, has this weekend raised new questions about exactly what took place at one of the Royal Family 's most cherished residences. The black-and-white image shows Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last month, sprawling across the laps of five elegantly dressed women. Neither the date nor location of the picture was released but The Mail on Sunday can reveal it captures a raucous scene from a party hosted by Andrew for paedophile Jeffrey Epsteinand his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwellat Sandringham in early December 2000, to mark Maxwell's 39th birthday. And, in contrast to Andrew's description of the gathering, allegations have emerged of a debauched event at Queen Elizabeth's beloved private home in Norfolk. Lubricants, condoms and drugs to enhance sexual experiences were all found after the party, according to a bombshell book. Although not pictured, depraved financier Epstein, accused of abusing 1,200 women and girls, is understood to have attended the party. The Windsor Legacy by Robert Jobson claims that bathrooms were littered with the paraphernalia, including sex drugs called poppers. Citing a 'palace source', Mr Jobson writes: 'Staff were stunned to discover the bathrooms were stocked not only with toiletries, but poppers, lube and condoms.' Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last month, is seen sprawling across the laps of five elegantly dressed women, while Ghislaine Maxwell lurks in the background Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor rides in the rain in Windsor Park earlier this week, having missed out on an invite to the King's annual pre-Christmas bash for the extended family The photograph shows Andrew grinning for the camera in a bow tie and dinner jacket with his face close to the naked legs of one of the women, all of whom have had their identities protected by US Government lawyers. Maxwell, serving a 20-year jail term for helping Epstein abuse young girls, hovers in the background, alongside another woman whose identity is also protected. The picture was taken in Sandringham's opulent saloon, which is used as a sitting room when the Royal Family is in residence. The family traditionally gathers in the room for afternoon tea on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Day to watch the King's Speech. Royal author Andrew Lownie last night said the photograph of Andrew's party in the heart of the 237-room Sandringham House would 'horrify his family'. 'It is one of their private inner sanctums and they will be appalled that Andrew treated it as just another place to have fun and show off to his friends.' It is just one in a series of extraordinary images exposing the access to high society the former prince granted Epstein and Maxwell. In one photo, released on Friday by the US Department of Justice, Epstein and Maxwell are seen with Andrew in the Royal Box at Ascot. They were personal guests of Andrew on June 22, 2000, at Ladies' Day, which Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother also attended. Andrew later described Epstein as his 'plus one' and not a guest of the Royal Family. The released files also include a photograph of Epstein and Maxwell shooting on moorland at Balmoral. The former prince reportedly invited the couple to stay at the Scottish estate in 1999. Join the debate What should happen to public figures who host or enable guests with such disturbing reputations? Epstein and Maxwell were part of the group which Andrew hosted at Sandringham Estate in 2000 in what the former prince described as 'a straightforward shooting weekend' An undated photo released by the US Department of Justice shows Epstein and Maxwell together Andrew has been dogged by allegations that he sexually assaulted then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein. He has repeatedly and vehemently denied all accusations. As well as losing his titles, he will move out of Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, and instead live in a property in a remote corner of the Sandringham estate early in the New Year. Other photos in the files show Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, with a woman on a sofa and with another in the street. Both women's identities have been redacted. In September, the MoS revealed an email Ms Ferguson sent Epstein just weeks after publicly disowning him, calling him a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend'. Maxwell, 63, is shown in one picture posing in a supercar wearing a bath robe which she has purposely allowed to 'fall open' to reveal her private parts. She is also pictured outside No10 and with former President Bill Clinton and actor Kevin Spacey inside Winston Churchill's war rooms in London. It is believed the visit took place in October 2002 when Mr Clinton gave a speech to the Labour Party conference. The vast tranche of images and documents which includes FBI files and new Grand Jury testimony released last night contains digital albums of Epstein with world leaders and royalty, as well as hundreds of pictures of nude girls. One album is labelled: 'Clinton, Morocco King Wedding, St Tropez, Nudes.' There are scores of photographs taken inside Epstein's 60million Manhattan home, including a lavish massage room which had a giant portrait of a naked woman on one wall with shelves containing lubricants, oil and towels. A photograph of Ghislaine Maxwell outside Number 10 Downing Street features in the trove of images released this week Sarah Ferguson sits on a sofa in an undated photograph released by the US Department of Justice FBI files reveal that one girl, who was 14 when Epstein raped her at the New York mansion, said the house looked like 'something from out of Beauty And The Beast'. There are also pictures of sex toys, fancy dress 'nurse uniforms' and a sexually-explicit 'soap on a rope'. Books including 'Massage for Dummies' are placed on tables next to framed pictures of Epstein with his powerful friends. A mannequin dressed in a wedding gown 'hangs' from the foyer ceiling. In another photo, Epstein is wearing just a towel. A small foot, which appears to belong to a child as young as four or five, pokes into the frame. Newly released FBI testimony reveals the paedophile abused girls as young as 12. One FBI note told how Epstein would check the ages of his victims to make sure they were underage. An officer wrote: '[Redacted name] witnessed him asking for ID to girl. Wanted to make sure under 18 [because] he wasn't believing them [because redacted name] messed up by bringing more older girls.' Other images show young girls naked on Epstein's private Caribbean island, dubbed 'Paedo Island', and schoolgirls dressed in cheerleader outfits on his birthday. A lawyer for one of the victims said: 'How can anyone who hung out with Epstein still say they didn't know what was going on? He made no attempt to hide his depravity.' An Aussie has shared an urgent warning after she was slugged with a fee for breaking her carry-on baggage weight limit. Catherine Cervasio said she was made to pay $75 on the spot during a recent flight from Melbourne to Sydney because her bag was over the seven-kilogram limit. Ms Cervasio booked her flight through Qantas before discovering at the airport her ticket was actually for a Jetstar flight. Jetstar has gained a reputation among travellers for having one of the strictest weight limit enforcements. Staff routinely stand at the boarding gate with weight scales to ensure all passengers keep within their allotted baggage limits. Anyone attempting to board with bags exceeding the complimentary seven-kilogram limit is automatically hit with hefty charges that must be paid immediately. For those who are unable to pay, their only option is to leave their heaviest items at the airport before boarding the plane. Catherine Cervasio was hit with a $75 fee at the airport because her bags were too heavy As Ms Cervasio was travelling for work she had to bring heavy electronics which easily pushed her beyong the allotted limit. 'I booked through Qantas, but it was a Jetstar flight, so I didn't realise the baggage was so low,' she told Yahoo. 'It's seven kilos combined carry-on and my laptop's five kilos. 'I was so frustrated, but I knew that it was just bad luck for me and everybody else as well.' The self-employed skin care CEO said this was not the only time she had been made to either pay up or leave her belongings with airport staff. On numerous occasions, Ms Cervasio was left with no choice discard sample products from her company in order to comply with the weight limit. Some of these products were sample jars of her moisturisers which themselves cost up to $40. Any items left at the baggage terminal are officially surrendered to the airport, which cannot retain them, so all forfeited luggage is thrown away. Jetstar staff weighed Ms Cervasio's bags and discovered they exceeded the permitted seven kilogram limit for carry-on luggage Ms Cervasio said she was not the only passenger made to pay an excess fee and that multiple other people on her flight faced the same issue. Around 41 per cent of Australians reported needing to repack their bags or throw away personal items at airports, according to research from luggage delivery service Send My Bag. Another 37 per cent said they had paid up to $200 in excess baggage fees on a single trip. Of all respondents, 31 per cent said they were forced to leave gifts behind in order to keep their baggage weights down. Send My Bag CEO Adam Ewart said excess baggage fees were now a 'major profit driver' for airlines. 'What should be a simple itinerary can quickly turn into a maze of extra fees, stress, and unwelcome surprises at check-in,' he said. Travellers have been urged to weigh their bags at home if they want to avoid paying the same charges so many others have incurred. An Aussie woman has shared an urgent warning about fake Uber drivers after she unknowingly fell for a scam and forked out nearly twice as much money for her trip. Zanya Fletcher, 18, had been celebrating Schoolies on the Gold Coast when she arrived back at Melbourne Airport at 12pm on November 23. Ms Fletcher revealed she had not slept since the day before and made her way to the Uber bay when she began to order a ride on the app. A man then drove past her and asked if she needed a lift, insisting that he was an Uber driver despite not having any logos or stickers on his car. Ms Fletcher hopped into the vehicle for the 30-minute journey back to her house. Only after arriving at her destination did Ms Fletcher realise the mistake, when the driver increased the price of the ride. The Uber app had quoted the price at $60, however the driver said it would cost her $110. I just wanted to say, be careful when you're getting Ubers from Melbourne Airport - and just any airport in general,' Ms Fletcher said. Zanya Fletcher was trying to get home after returning from Schoolies when she was scammed by a fake Uber on November 23 'There's currently a scam going on regarding Ubers.' During the ride, Ms Fletcher checked her phone to monitor their route, making sure she was being taken to her destination. Her bags had been put in the boot of the car so she had no easy way to get out of the vehicle with her belongings if things went wrong. She sat in the back seat. Ms Fletcher said the driver adjusted his rear-view mirror so he could look at her. Ms Fletcher said things began to feel 'off' after the man began asking what her parents did for work and complimenting her on being such a 'nice' girl. When they arrived at her house, the driver whipped out an EFTPOS machine and told Ms Fletcher how much the ride would cost. The driver said he had added $10 since they went through a toll road, which Ms Fletcher disputed as she had been watching the trip on her maps. 'I told him that we didn't take the toll road and he said "oh did we not?" so then he pulled $10 from my payment but somehow it still ended up costing $110,' she said. Join the debate How can airports and ride apps better protect travelers from fake drivers and costly scams? A driver claiming to be an Uber picked her up from Melbourne airport and ended up increasing the cost of her trip from $60 to $110 after taking her home (stock image) After that dispute, Ms Fletcher said the driver became rude and did not help remove her 24 kg luggage from the boot before he took off. Social media users thanked Ms Fletcher for sharing her experience and urged her to be more cautious in future. 'That is super sketch but you're doing the world a favour helping others. Also most importantly that you're safe,' one said. 'I'm a Uber driver. NEVER do that!! Always book,' another warned. 'That scam is everywhere,' a third added. Others recalled their own stories of encountering Uber scams at the airport. 'I had that happen last Christmas,' one said. 'The guy I had said he'd canceled my fare as DiDi wasn't working so I needed to pay ID. I did pay ID and he charged me on the app still so paid twice.' 'This happened to me the first day I moved here, I was on my way to the taxi rank at Melbourne Airport and I had a guy come up to me asking if I needed a taxi and I was like "yeah",' a second wrote. 'I was looking at prices and figured it would probably be about $90-$100 to get me where I needed to be but when he arrived at my address, the total came to over $230.' Donald Trump launched a 'massive' air strike against 70 Islamic State targets in Syria and the US vowed to continue attacks on the terror group. Among the sites hit were IS fighter compounds, weapon dumps and other infrastructure, with Jordanian fighter jets supporting what was dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike on Friday. It came after an attack by a suspected IS member killed two US troops and an American civilian interpreter last week. Speaking at a rally in North Carolina after the operation, Mr Trump told his supporters he'd 'ordered a massive strike on the terrorists that killed our three great patriots'. The US President added: 'We hit the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) thugs. It was very successful. We hit every site flawlessly and we are restoring peace through strength all over the world.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later posted on social media: 'This is not the beginning of a war it is a declaration of vengeance. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue. As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.' Two National Guard members and an interpreter were killed in an attack on December 13 on a convoy in the town of Palmyra. Three American soldiers were also wounded. Syria's interior ministry said the killer was a member of its own security forces. IS said the convoy attack was a decisive moment that was intended to dispel doubt among its supporters. The US launched the air strike after two soldiers were killed in the IS attack. They have been identified as Sgt Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, and Sgt William Nathaniel Howard, 29 (handout image) Donald Trump launched a 'massive' air strike against 70 Islamic State targets in Syria and the US vowed to continue attacks on the terror group Military analysts say the Palmyra killings have forced the Syrian government to increase co-operation with its partners. That includes, not just the US, but neighbouring Jordan and Kurdish-led Syrian fighters. Syria's government is led by rebels who toppled Bashar al-Assad last year after a 13-year civil war. It includes members of Al-Qaeda who oppose IS. New president Ahmed al Sharaa was designated a 'terrorist' as recently as last month. But ahead of talks with Mr Trump at the White House, the US Department of the Treasury deleted him from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list. As Operation Hawkeye Strike got underway, Mr Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: 'Because of ISIS's vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible.' He added: 'We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated.' Jordan has its own reasons for joining the attack. In 2015, one of its Air Force pilots was executed in public and King Abdullah II pledged that 'his blood will not be shed in vain'. Security sources say the US operation was conducted over central and north-eastern areas of Syria's vast Badia desert while the Jordanians hit southern areas. The Syrian government was not directly involved, but officials said the attack had its full support. A statement from the foreign ministry reiterated its 'steadfast commitment to fighting IS and ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory'. About 1,000 US troops are stationed in Syria as part of a long-running operation to remove IS. The group has controlled no territory in the country since 2018 but carries out sporadic attacks. The Eastenders actress Jacqueline Jossa has been left 'shaken' after she was sent death threats on social media. Ms Jossa reported the 'terrifying' messages to her EastEnders bosses at Elstree Studios, in Hertfordshire, who promptly called the police. Hertfordshire Police have now launched an investigation into the 'malicious communication and have provided safeguarding advice to the 33-year-old actress. And Ms Jossa has reportedly been left 'a bit shaken' but she is 'putting on a brave face and continuing her work commitments'. Despite her ordeal, the former I'm a Celeb winner was seen enjoying herself at the Soap's Christmas party this week. The death threats come after her husband, former Towie star Dan Osborne, revealed that he had been targeted by a female stalker who harassed him daily. Mr Osborne, who shares two children with Ms Jossa, said the stalker once created nine social media accounts in a day to shadow him. A source close to Ms Jossa said that she was grateful for all the support bosses at the BBC had provided her. The Eastenders actress Jacqueline Jossa has been left 'shaken' after she was sent death threats on social media prompting a police probe Ms Jossa has starred as Lauren Branning in Eastenders since 2010. During her tenure living on Albert Square, Lauren has become one of the most popular characters in the soap Ms Jossa with her husband former Towie star Dan Osborne. The death threats come after her husband revealed that he had been targeted by a female stalker who harassed him daily They told The Sun: 'The upsetting messages were terrifying and a bit of a shock, and Jacqueline wanted to make bosses aware of what was going on. 'They were sent via social media, but sinister enough to raise the alarm and take action. 'She's been left a bit shaken, but is a tough cookie.' Ms Jossa has starred as Lauren Branning in Eastenders since 2010 - having briefly departed the show between 2018 and 2024. During her tenure living on Albert Square, Lauren has become one of the most popular characters in the soap. The scene where she and sister Abi Branning fell from the roof of The Queen Vic pub was awarded Scene of the Year at the 2018 British Soap Awards. Hertfordshire Police said: 'We received a report on Tuesday 16 December of threats received via social media to a woman in Borehamwood. 'Detectives from Hertsmere CID are investigating the report as a suspected malicious communication. Safeguarding advice has been provided to the victim. 'The investigation is in its early stages so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.' The Daily Mail have approached representatives of Ms Jossa for a comment. An Aussie has called for tougher immigration laws, suggesting new arrivals sign a 'code of conduct' that forces them to respect the 'way of life' of the country. Chanel demanded the strict change in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack that left 15 innocent people dead and more than 40 injured last Sunday. Gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was originally from the city of Hyderabad, in India, before moving to Australia in 1998, while his alleged accomplice and son Naveed, 24, was born in Australia and the subject of an ASIO probe in 2019. 'I strongly believe that when people immigrate into this country there should be rules that they have to sign, like a code of conduct of being an Australian,' Chanel said. 'And when you sign it, you agree you will obey the Australian way of life. 'You will live like an Aussie, you will be an Aussie, you will love the country, you will appreciate the country, you will obey the rules.' Currently, new Australian citizens can volunteer to deliver the Australian citizenship pledge at their citizenship ceremony, making a public commitment to the country. Chanel's call for the introduction of a 'code of conduct' comes as anti-immigration protesters prepare to rally in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday. Chanel demanded the strict change in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack that left 15 innocent people dead and more than 40 injured last Sunday 'Australia used to be a time a very peaceful country where it was peace and love. You know, every religion got along, every race got along, it was great,' Chanel said. 'But now it's like kids can't go out because, you know, parents are scared. Apparently you can't even go to the beach now.' Chanel referred to the Lindt Cafe siege in 2014, which saw the death of two hostages after gunman Man Haron Monis held 18 people hostage. 'If you break the law, I dunno whether you guys want to give them one or two strikes, or whatever, if you break the rule, send them back. Send them back,' Chanel said. 'And don't send them back on the Australian taxpayer's money. Build them a dingy boat, send them back in a tinnie for all we care. 'If you don't want to listen to the rules of the country, why the should we sponsor you to go back to where you're from? 'Figure it out the same way you figured out how to not to live the Australian way. 'Use that same brain, figure out how to get back to wherever you came from. That's your problem.' Gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was originally from the city of Hyderabad, in India, before he moved to Australia in 1998, while his alleged accomplice and son Naveed, 24 (pictured), was born in Australia and the subject of an ASIO probe in 2019 Chanel's video has been viewed more than 140,000 times with commenters backing her call. 'If you ever ran for prime minister, youre definitely getting my vote,' one wrote. 'So spot on! I agree with everything you are saying,' a second added. 'Cant assimilate to the Australian way then you dont belong here cos you're right, far too many problems.' Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder. The attack occurred just before 7pm on December 14, when Naveed and his father Sajid Akram, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring more than 40 others. The charges against Naveed include one count of committing a terrorist act, one count of discharging a firearm in public, one count of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist symbol, one count of placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm, and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder. 'Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,' NSW Police said in a statement. Fifteen innocent people were killed last Sunday with the youngest victim identified as 10-year-old Matilda Chanel said that Australia used to be a peaceful and harmonious country (stock image) 'Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.' Sajid was fatally shot by police during the nine-minute attack. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said no others were expected to be charged. 'There is no evidence to suggest other individuals were involved in this attack. However, we caution that this could change given it is early in our investigation,' she said. News / National by Staff reporter Deputy President Paul Mashatile has drawn a firm line on the unresolved land question, declaring that the government will not be intimidated into silence as it pressed ahead with land expropriation to redress centuries of dispossession, transform the economy and reduce deepening inequality.Speaking at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) gala dinner at the Rustenburg Civic Centre in North West on Friday, Mashatile framed land reform as a moral, constitutional and economic imperative, rooted in the country's painful history.He said the government acknowledged "the painful history of land dispossession and the ongoing struggles many South Africans face," stressing that silence was no longer an option."As a church, we cannot remain silent while these injustices persist. We should not allow the false narrative about our efforts to create balance to deter us from achieving our objectives," Mashatile said.His remarks come amid heightened political tensions over land reform, following lobbying trips to the US by AfriForum and the Solidarity Movement.The organisations have claimed that the South African government is targeting minority communities, particularly white farmers - assertions repeatedly rejected by the state as misleading and harmful.This led to the US not attending the G20 summit in Johannesburg last month and to tariffs being increased.It is unclear whether South Africa will attend the G20 summit in the US next year."We should be the voice to the world about the unity of black and white South Africans and reject repeated assertions that white South Africans face systematic persecution," Mashatile said.At the centre of the renewed push is the Expropriation Act of January 2025, which allows for expropriation without compensation in defined circumstances, such as unused land or land acquired unjustly.This was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa into law.Mashatile said the law was not designed to punish but to restore."This is not punitive; it is restorative, fulfilling the constitutional vision that South Africa belongs to all who live in it," he said, adding that the reform reflects Nelson Mandela's belief that land rights are essential to genuine freedom.The land question remains one of the most emotive and unresolved issues in the country.According to Mashatile, colonial conquest and apartheid-era laws stripped Black South Africans of nearly 87% of the land, leaving them confined to just 13%.The 1913 Natives Land Act and the 1923 Urban Areas Act entrenched exclusion, forced labour, and overcrowding - effects that still shape economic inequality to date, he said."Since 1994, roughly 19.3 million hectares have been redistributed or restored. Still, whites own 72% of private farmland, according to the 2017 Land Audit."Mashatile acknowledged delays caused by legal disputes and resistance to expropriation without compensation, but said land reform remained central to economic transformation and poverty reduction."Land reform is not just about property; it is about opportunity, dignity, and responsibility. The soil beneath our feet must become a bridge to justice and a legacy for future generations," he said.He also emphasised productivity, warning that land ownership alone would not change lives.Agriculture, he said, remained vital for food security and growth, with government support programmes aimed at ensuring beneficiaries actively cultivate the land.Quoting Mandela, Mashatile reminded the audience of the promise made at the dawn of democracy: "With freedom and democracy came restoration of the right to land At last, we can look our ancestors in the face and say: Your sacrifices were not in vain." Anthony Albanese has slammed anti-immigration protesters for attending several rallies across the country in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack. Put Australia First organised two rallies to take place at Prince Alfred Park, in Sydney, and outside Victoria's Parliament House, in Melbourne, at 2pm on Sunday. Both rallies drew a small turnout, with heavy rain driving away demonstrators in Melbourne and crowds appearing not to be much bigger in Sydney. The Prime Minister delivered a blistering statement before the planned rallies, calling on demonstrators to stay home, saying today was a 'National Day of Reflection'. 'There are organised rallies seeking to sow division in the aftermath of last Sundays antisemitic terrorist attack, and they have no place in Australia,' he said. 'They should not go ahead and people should not attend them.' NSW Premier Chris Minns has requested organisers to abandon their events, arguing the protests had the potential to deepen the pain felt by communities as victims continue to grieve over the dozens of dead and wounded. The Bondi Beach attack occurred just before 7pm last Sunday, when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more. Sajid was shot dead and Naveed taken into custody and charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder. Anthony Albanesehas slammed anti-immigration protesters as they prepare to attend several rallies across the country in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack Thousands of protesters are expected to storm the streets in the wake of last weekend's deadly Bondi Beach terror attack One Nation's MP Barnaby Joyce and Senator Sean Bell will also give speeches at the Sydney rally. Minns warned anyone who plans on attending the rally: 'Don't do it. Don't go ahead with it.' The Premier stressed it was not an appropriate time to demonstrate while victims are still 'burying their dead'. 'Right now, people are burying their dead. They're coming together as a community,' he said. 'The Jewish community are coming together to mourn the loss of so many people in their family.' Minns said Australians should hold back and that the temperature needed to be lowered 'in what is undeniably a combustible situation'. No application for the city's protest has been received or accepted by NSW Police. Officers have warned that while protesters can gather in the park, road blockades would be unlawful and result in police intervention. The Bondi Beach attack occurred just before 7pm on Sunday, when Naveed Akram, 24 (pictured), and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more No permit was ever filed for the Sydney protest and Minns has warned that while protesters can gather in Prince Alfred Park any road blockages will be met by police All flags flown on Commonwealth government buildings in NSW will be at half-mast to honour the day of mourning. The premier has arranged for Sydney's buildings to be lit up in honour of the victims. 'Buildings will be lit up in yellow for the evening. Lights will beam into the sky from Bondi Pavilion,' he said. 'The NSW government will support Jewish leaders to hold a community memorial event, and a shareable candle image will be used on social media. 'It's a day of reflection and a pause for the terrible events, the shocking crimes that occurred last Sunday and a show of national respect for those that have lost their lives.' Melbourne's planned protest has also garnered criticism from Jewish leaders as well as Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan. The demonstration will take place on the steps of state parliament and leaders of Put Australia First have said they will stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. They have described the Bondi Beach attack as an affront 'against liberal values, peace and harmony and therefore, all Australians'. Victoria's planned demonstration has been met with condemnation by the state's Jewish community who have called its timing deeply offensive Sajid (pictured) was shot dead and Naveed taken into custody and charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder Jewish leaders have said the timing of the protest is deeply offensive. Elyse Schachna, who is the president of Zionism Victoria, said the community's day of reflection was 'not an appropriate day for rallies or protest'. 'This should be a moment of reckoning, for Australians to reflect on whether they stayed silent, looked away, or helped normalise extremism, and to consider what each of us must do to ensure the environment that led to Bondi is never allowed to take hold again,' she told the Herald Sun. Allan also slammed the event and echoed Minns' warning the event could worsen division and grief. Despite these criticisms, Put Australia First organisers have refused to postpone or cancel the event. Some notable politicians will be speaking at the event including Libertarian MP David Limbrick and Freedom Party founder Morgan Jonas. Organisers have insisted they have the support of 'many' inside the Jewish community. 'Speakers will call for unity, respect and highlight the fact that radical Islam is totally against Australian values and everything we stand for,' they said in a statement. Sunday had already been designated a day of reflection as Aussies continue to grieve Despite calls for the events to be postponed or cancelled none of the protests organisers have yielded and the events will go ahead as originally planned The group's previous events have descended into violence and counter-protests. Allan said any hateful rhetoric would not be tolerated at the protest. 'It would be deeply inappropriate for any kind of event or activity that only serves to drive division and hate and grief to take place,' she said. A Victorian Police spokesperson said officers would be attending Sunday's protest and that their 'top priority will be ensuring the safety of those attending and the broader community.' A Spitting Image puppet of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor that was allegedly used to 'grope' Virginia Giuffre features in the newly released Epstein Files. The infamous latex puppet can be seen propped up on a sofa in the background of a photograph showing convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell posing in the New York mansion of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for helping Epstein abuse young girls, and wears a flight suit in the newly released photo. The picture is part of a trove of 300,000 documents released on Friday, which also includes depraved scenes from the vile tycoon's mansions and countless images of naked young women. It is alleged that Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles this year, used the puppet to grope Ms Giuffre, then aged 17, as well as Johanna Sjoberg, then 21, in the study of Epstein's 60million Manhattan home. Ms Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, wrote in her book that 'when Andrew cupped my breast with a doll made in his image, I only giggled away'. The infamous latex puppet can be seen propped up on a sofa in the background of a photograph showing convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell The picture is part of a trove of 300,000 documents released on Friday Ms Sjoberg, another former victim of Epstein, testified to the alleged incident in a 2016 legal deposition, where she described how Andrew and Ms Giuffre were sitting on a couch with the puppet. 'And so then I sat on Andrew's lap - and I believe on my own volition - and they took the puppet's hands and put it on Virginia's breast, and so Andrew put his on mine,' she said. Andrew has strenuously and repeatedly denied having sex with Ms Giuffre and any other wrongdoing. A migrant drug dealer allowed to stay in the UK for being a 'star pupil' at school has admitted sexually assaulting two women - the day after he was granted his appeal. Muhammed Izhan, 22, was spared deportation after winning an appeal on the grounds of mental health against his removal to Pakistan on November 11. But a day later, Izhan pleaded guilty via video link from jail to sexually assaulting two women in a busy Norwich high street in broad daylight in June. He was fined 200 for the offence. Izhan had been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a 'sophisticated' drugs ring, where he dealt class A and B drugs, and had his deportation signed off in May 2024. But the immigration tribunal ruled that Izhan could stay in the UK because a deportation to Pakistan would 'have a negative impact on his mental health' and there was a risk that he would use drugs if removed to his home country. The Upper Tribunal Judge Luke Bulpitt refused the Home Office's request to deport him, noting that he was a 'star pupil' at school and had mental health diagnoses including ADHD. Judge Bulpitt said: 'There is a high likelihood of significant deterioration in his mental health and engagement in drug-related behaviour that will further have a negative impact on his mental health.' He added that Izhan represented his school by playing rugby and earned awards for his sporting achievements. Muhammed Izhan, 22 (pictured) admitted sexually assaulting two women the day after he was granted the right to stay in the UK Izhan had come to the UK aged seven with his mother and brothers in 2010, moving in with his father in East Anglia. While he was also disruptive, having been suspended in 2015 and eventually expelled from the school, the judge had concluded that his ADHD, PTSD and general vulnerability meant he would struggle if he was deported to Pakistan. It was also decided that Izhan had a right to family life in Britain. However, now that it has emerged that Izhan pleaded guilty to groping two women, officials said another bid would soon be made to deport the 22-year-old from Cringleford, Norfolk. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Sun: 'Our system is a sick joke on the British people. 'The only solution is to deport this individual.' Fans of Charlie Kirk have been posing for selfies at what appears to be a recreation of the Utah Valley University site where the conservative activist was murdered. The tent and photo setup is at AmFest, the annual youth conference for the organization Kirk founded, Turning Point USA. More than 30,000 attendees gathered for the hectic opening night of the four-day event. Liberal network MS Now was reporting from the event in Phoenix when they noticed some young people paying an unconventional tribute to Kirk, who was murdered by an assassin's bullet while debating on September 10. 'You can see from behind me, this is a recreation of the tent where Charlie Kirk lost his life at Utah [Valley] University in September, and people are taking selfies with it,' reporter Brandy Zadrozny said. The display bears a striking resemblance to the scene where Kirk's killing took place. Many are seen posing next to a framed mural of Kirk inside of a tent labeled with the famous 'prove me wrong' catchphrase that often launched his debates. 'You can see all around people are saying, like, 'For Charlie.' They're wearing replicas of the shirt that Charlie Kirk was wearing when he was killed. So there's that moment.' The site caused significant outrage, including among supporters of Kirk and Donald Trump's MAGA movement. Fans of Charlie Kirk have been posing for selfies at what appears to be a recreation of the Utah Valley University site where the conservative activist was murdered The tent and photo setup is at AmFest, the annual youth conference for the organization Kirk founded, Turning Point USA Project Constitution, a pro-Trump account with over 232,000 followers, called the display 'SICK BEYOND WORDS.' 'This isn't healing this is straight-up psyop tactics: Reenact the trauma to lock in the narrative, tug heartstrings, and milk emotions for control & donations. Charlie deserved real respect, not this deranged, exploitative circus,' they wrote. Conservative activist Michael Flynn Jr also dismissed the display, asking: 'Does anyone else find this disturbing? 'Nothing says peak current year like recreating the tent where a guy was murdered for people to take selfies in,' wrote another X account. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet denied they were doing anything of the sort. 'It was not the tent where Charlie was assassinated. We made many of them for the tour and this was an entirely different tent,' he told The Daily Mail. 'We put up the tent as a tribute to Charlie, who lost his life fighting for free speech and debate. One of the themes of the conference is to "Be courageous and pick up your own microphone." This is a shameless attack against young people who were inspired by Charlie's life and courage.' The display appears to be yet another story showing AmFest as a platform for a schism within the conservative movement in the wake of Kirk's death. Erika Kirk - Turning Points new chief executive - tried to keep the peace by taking the stage first while pleading for unity Thursday night. Two of the night's headliners, however, quickly sent the event into chaos. Liberal network MS Now was reporting from the event in Phoenix when they noticed some young people paying an unconventional tribute to Kirk, who was murdered by an assassin's bullet while debating on September 10 Many are seen posing next to a framed mural of Kirk inside of a tent labeled with the famous 'prove me wrong' catchphrase that often launched his debates Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson both took shots at each other during their respective speeches, battling over conspiracy theories that have swirled since Kirk's death. Shapiro kicked things off by criticizing Carlson for hosting far-right commentator Nick Fuentes on his show in October. He also collectively slammed Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly and Steve Bannon as 'frauds' and 'grifters.' Kelly and Bannon - as well as several other prominent conservatives - are set to take the same stage later this week. Shapiro warned 'the conservative movement is in serious danger' thanks to these conservative 'charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty.' Owens, who was not present, was criticized for her repeated suggestions that Israel may have played a part in Kirks death, which, at least at first, cast a somber tone over the occasion in Phoenix, Arizona. But Shapiro was first to send things off the rails. He urged the audience: 'We have an obligation to clarity and to honesty. This means that we actually have to be clear in the language that we use. We should not traffic in generality. We should not say things like, "They shot Charlie without specifying whom we mean by they."' 'The person who allegedly shot Charlie Kirk and whom all the evidence points at all of it is a gay trans-loving furry,' he went on, referring to the 22-year-old suspect in the Kirk assassination, Tyler Robinson. An attendee poses for portraits under a Prove me Wrong tent in the Exhibitor hall at Turning Point's annual AmericaFest conference, Charlie Kirk arrives at Utah Valley University, greeted by supporters and security personnel It was Carlson, though, who received the harshest treatment, as Shapiro continued to slam Owens, who has spearheaded some of the most viral and incendiary content about Kirk's death, including claims that staff at Turning Point USA 'betrayed' their boss. Shapiro said: 'The people who refused to condemn Candaces truly vicious attacks - and some of them are speaking here tonight - are guilty of cowardice. Yes, cowardice. 'The fact that they have said nothing while Candace has been vomiting all sorts of hideous and conspiratorial nonsense into the public square for years is just as cowardly.' Referring to Carlson, he said: 'If you host a Hitler apologist, Nazi-loving, anti-American piece of refuse like Nick Fuentes The person who said that Charlie Kirk was a, quote, "idiot"... you ought to own it.' 'There is a reason that Charlie Kirk despised Nick Fuentes and indeed even chided Dinesh D'Souza for debating him.' Carlson responded with his own barbs from the same stage. 'That guy is pompous,' Carlson began, panning Shapiro's serious tone. He said he laughed while watching snippets of Shapiros speech backstage. The display appears to be yet another story showing AmFest as a platform for a schism within the conservative movement in the wake of Kirk's death, as Ben Shapiro slammed several conservative favorites on Thursday night Carlson responded with some barbs of his own, sending the event off the rails 'Calls to deplatform at a Charlie Kirk event? Thats hilarious.' Carlson also assured the crowd that he was not antisemitic after hosting Fuentes. 'Antisemitism is not just naughty, its immoral,' he announced. He also complained about cancel culture, saying, 'I have a right to question your motives. Actually, why can't you answer the question? Why do you have to imply that some college kid is like some kind of Hitler-ite or something because he's asking about an event? Like what?'. Carlson asserted: 'It is okay to ask questions. And I thought that was, like, the whole reason we were against the left. They're not going to force you to get up there and make ritual denunciations. 'Because this isn't my religion. It's politics.' The tone of the summit was a far cry from that of last year's, where both Shapiro and Carlson asserted the US was entering its 'golden age' in the wake of Trump's electoral victory. Bondi Beach hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed is out of bed and sitting upright for the first time since he was seriously wounded during the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack. Mr Al-Ahmed, 42, was photographed on Sunday sitting in a chair next to his hospital bed, where he had previously been confined during his recovery. He was shot after Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24, allegedly opened fire on a crowd celebrating Hanukkah, killing 15 innocent people and injuring more than 40 others. Mr Al-Ahmed told federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley he has already had three operations and expects to require more in the future. Ley later said Mr Al-Ahmed showed the 'very best of the Australian character'. 'In a moment of terror, he showed extraordinary courage, wrestling a gun from a man intent on harm and helping to save lives,' she said. 'His actions speak to calm under pressure, decency under threat, and the very best of the Australian character. 'I also want to honour everyone who ran toward danger at Bondi to protect others. Bondi Beach hero Ahmed Al Ahmed was visited in hospital by opposition leader Sussan Ley Mr Al Ahmed tackles gunman Sajid Akram 'The police officers and first responders who placed themselves in harms way and the ordinary Australians who stepped forward to help strangers when it mattered most. Some paid the highest price. We will never forget them. 'In the shadow of a terrible tragedy, their bravery and selflessness remind us who we are as a nation. We owe them our deepest thanks and enduring respect.' Footage of Mr Al-Ahmed leaping from behind a car to disarm Sajid Akram was circulated around the world and garnered him $2.5million in donations. Many described the Sydney tobacco store owner as the 'hero of Bondi'. Mr Al-Ahmed's immigration lawyer said his client's condition was precarious and it was feared he might lose an arm. The promising image of Mr Al Ahmed sitting upright comes after he was this week handed a cheque of more than $2.5million for his actions. Mr Al Ahmed appeared in a video where he thanked the more than 43,000 donors. When asked what he would say to the people who donated, Mr Al-Ahmed said: 'To stand with each other, all human beings. And forget everything bad ... and keep going to save life.' Mr Al Ahmed appeared in a video where he thanked the more than 43,000 donors who raised $2,533,585 after his heroics 'When I do save the people, I do it from the heart. Because it was a nice day everyone enjoying, celebrating with their kid, woman, man, teenager, everyone was happy and they deserve to enjoy and it's their right. 'This country (is the) best country in the world, best country in the world, but we're not going to stand and keep watching enough is enough. 'God protect Australia. Aussie, Aussie Aussie.' The tobacco store owner did not say what he planned to do with the money. American billionaire Bill Ackman contributed the maximum allowed, $99,000, to Mr Al-Ahmed's mammoth crowdfunding campaign. 'In a moment of chaos and danger, Ahmed Al Ahmed stepped forward without hesitation,' the GoFundMe page reads. 'His actions were selfless, instinctive, and undeniably heroic, taken without regard for his own safety. 'Early reports indicate he was shot twice in the process while protecting others. This GoFundMe has been created to show our gratitude and support for someone who demonstrated incredible courage when it mattered most.' Gunman Naveed Akram is in police custody Mr Al-Ahmed, who is from war-torn Syria, first arrived in Australia in 2006 and is the owner of Cigara, a tobacco shop in the Sydney suburb of Sutherland. He also said he 'appreciated the efforts of everyone' while speaking in Arabic from his hospital bed. 'May Allah reward you and grant wellbeing,' he said in Arabic. 'Through Allah, I went through a very difficult phase, only Allah knows it. I ask my mother, the apple of my eye, to pray for me.' Retailers are gearing up today for the busiest Sunday of the festive season as last minute shoppers continue to hit the High Street. After yesterday's 'super Saturday' when an estimated 26.5 million visited UK town centres and shopping malls, similar numbers are expected today. It is all part of a last burst of shopping as cautious consumers held on to their money after a late hard-hitting Budget, a muted Black Friday and disappointing early December sales figures. Retail giant John Lewis sounded a note of optimism for sales, saying it was 'expecting one of our busiest weekends yet'. A spokeswoman said: 'As the last shopping weekend ahead of the big day, we expect customers will be picking up their final gifts and making preparations for the arrival of friends and family.' And as many shun high tech gifts and return to some favourites of yesteryear, some old classics were flying off the shelves at the retailer's 36 stores. 'Among the hottest gifts have been some nostalgic favourites such as Polaroid cameras, Roberts radios, record players and vinyl. 'They are making a huge comeback as a new generation discovers the joy of analogue,' she added. Meanwhile in the battle of the supermarkets, Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK said the cut-price retailer was expecting its 'biggest Christmas ever with record sales'. After yesterday's 'super Saturday' when an estimated 26.5 million visited UK town centres and shopping malls, similar numbers are expected today Retailers are gearing up today for the busiest Sunday of the festive season The supermarket claims that it can feed a family of six for as little as 1.55 a person with last minute deals including 2.45 a kilo for British small fresh turkeys in stores from today until Christmas Eve. It follows similar price cutting deals from rivals Lidl and Tesco. Ms Ashfield said Aldi had experienced 'strong and sustained demand in the lead-up to Christmas as customers look to make their budgets go further without compromising on quality'. She forecast Aldi would sell over 49 million mince pies, almost 46 million pigs in blankets and the equivalent of 17 million glasses of Prosecco in December alone, alongside 145 million Brussels sprouts. Meanwhile latest retail data figures from GlobalData suggested UK households would splash out 3.4 billion this weekend, up more than 12% on the same weekend in 2024. The research for Vouchercodes.co.uk anticipated physical retailers would benefit from a much-needed last minute splurge which should continue into next week. The UK's independent retailers are hoping that they will also benefit after 'very disappointing' indications. Andrew Goodacre from the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) said 'indie retailers are hoping for a bounce back'. It has been forecast that Aldi would sell over 49 million mince pies, almost 46 million pigs in blankets and the equivalent of 17 million glasses of Prosecco in December alone, alongside 145 million Brussels sprouts Mr Goodacre told the Mail on Sunday that members were 'hoping that next week really does get busy with that last minute buying'. 'The timing of the Budget disrupted the shopping patterns,' he said. 'The last thing our sector needs is a poor Christmas given the increase in costs we will see next year but currently customers seem very down-hearted, footfall is lower and sales are down on last year. These are very worrying times for indie retail.' Meanwhile clothing retailers including Primark and H & M have already cut prices to tempt shoppers while toy store The Entertainer has slashed prices on hundreds of items. Neil Bellamy at consumer intelligence analysts GfK said: 'Sadly, consumers resemble a family on a festive winter hike, crossing a boggy field - plodding along stoically, getting stuck in the mud and hoping that easier conditions are not far off.' Lord Ashcroft has called on Angela Rayner to use her planned autobiography to set the record straight over her complicated housing arrangments. The former deputy Prime Minister confirmed last week that she has signed a deal to write an authentic book about her rise from working class roots to the Cabinet - and then her resignation amid the scandal over her underpayment of stamp duty on her 800,000 seaside home in Hove. The ghostwritten memoir, which could earn her a six-figure advance, comes amid intense speculation over Sir Keir Starmers political future and her own leadership ambitions. Lord Ashcroft, the former Conservative deputy chairman, revealed in a biography of Ms Rayner last year that she made a 48,500 profit on an ex-council house she bought in 2007 thanks to the right-to-buy policy she now wants to reform. She became known as Two Homes Rayner last year after The Mail On Sunday then revealed that she had shuttled between the hosue and another right-to-buy council properties early in her marriage, with neighbours claiming that she rented out her house while living in her then husbands property. A police investigation concluded that no criminal offences had occurred, but Lord Ashcroft said yesterday that questions remained. Lord Ashcroft has called on Angela Rayner to use her planned autobiography to set the record straight over her complicated housing arrangments Ms Rayner resigned as deputy prime minister amid the scandal over her underpayment of stamp duty on her 800,000 seaside home in Hove He told the MoS: Angela Rayner failed to answer straightforward questions concerning apparently conflicting pieces of information listed on public documents. 'And instead of responding, a Labour spokesman acting on her behalf used a statement to launch a personal attack on me while falsely accusing me of smearing her. He added: I would like to take this opportunity to say that I, for one, look forward to reading in Angela Rayners forthcoming autobiography a full account of her living arrangements and property interests going back to 2007. 'I would also like to remind Rayners ghostwriter that my book stuck solely to the facts detailed on public documents in this regard. No accusations or smears were made. Legitimate questions were asked, but satisfactory answers were not supplied. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a major review into the performance of ASIO and other authorities in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack. Albanese said on Sunday former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead the review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The review will examine the performance of intelligence agencies including ASIO in the lead-up to last Sundays Bondi Beach terrorist attack. The review will be made publicly available when it is finalised in April 2026. 'The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,' Albanese said. 'The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. 'Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.' The intelligence review announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese backed a 'state-based royal commission' after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the 'powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead-up to the events of last Sunday'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a major review into the performance of ASIO Federal MPs including Sydney MP Allegra Spender have led calls for a Royal Commission, but government ministers played down the need for a such an investigation, saying it 'would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement'. Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said a federal investigation 'should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community' but have 'broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission'. Albanese's announcement comes off the back of other federal government plans announced in the week since the attack. The government responses include the biggest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, strict limits on how many guns a person can own and a plan to combat antisemitism. Richardson has served as secretary of both the Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade departments as well as Australias ambassador to the United States. The national security committee of cabinet has also continued to meet over this weekend, while federal cabinet will reconvene on Monday. Albanese plans to attend a commemoration event at Bondi Beach later this afternoon. Suspected gunman Naveed Akram, 24 was charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder. Director-General of Security ASIO Mike Burgess at a press conference following the Bondi Beach attack Hundreds of flowers have been laid at Bondi since the horrific attack last Sunday The attack occurred just before 7pm on Sunday, when Naveed and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more. The charges against Naveed include one count of committing a terrorist act, one count of discharging a firearm in public, one count of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist symbol, one count of placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm, and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder. 'Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,' NSW Police said in a statement. 'Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.' His father, Sajid, was fatally shot by police during the nine-minute attack. Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff have developed a $112.1billion plan to reinvent the Gaza strip into a luxury destination. The president has promised that Gaza will be rebuilt after brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas following the war in October and has previously suggested it could be turned into 'the Riviera of the Middle East.' Kushner and Witkoff appear to have a plan to put that idea into practice with 'Project Sunrise,' a draft proposal developed over the last six weeks to completely revamp the area. It pitches expensive ideas like beachside hotel property, high-speed rail and AI-optimized electricity grids, according to WSJ. Kushner - a veteran of the real estate industry - and Witkoff worked with fellow senior White House aide Josh Greenbaum and consulted with Israeli officials and private contractors. The draft pitches a $112.1billion cost for the project over the span of a decade, with the US supporting about half of that in grants and debt guarantees. In turn, the debt pushed on Gaza would be repaid via the profits made from the revamp. If approved, the plan could begin in two months, according to officials. However, they would first need to clear some 10,000 bodies under 68 million tons of rubble, while detoxifying the ground and removing unexploded bombs. Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (pictured left) and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (pictured right) have developed a $112.1billion plan to reinvent the Gaza strip into a luxury destination Hamas, which remains entrenched in Gaza, must also 'demilitarize and decommission all weapons and tunnels.' However, once it were to begin, the four-phase plan would feature temporary shelter, field hospitals and mobile clinics for those injured. The basics would begin by building paved roads, new power lines and planting crops - before getting into the more futuristics aspects of the project. While the US has shown its plan to Turkey and Egypt among other Gulf nations, the plan does not specify where the other half of the funding would come from for the project. The plan also does not say whether the two million Palestinians who would be displaced by the construction would go, beyond the temporary shelter. Officials have doubts that the project could be put in place, however, especially skeptical about Hamas disarming long enough to put the plan into action. 'The Trump administration will continue to work diligently with our partners to sustain a lasting peace and lay the groundwork for a peaceful and prosperous Gaza,' a White House spokesperson said in a statement. Back in October, Trump claimed the Israel and Hamas peace deal would bring an everlasting peace to the Middle East, where residents have been dancing in the streets celebrating the anticipated end to the war. Join the debate Should Gaza's future focus on luxury resorts or rebuilding homes and lives for its people first? Back in October, Trump claimed the Israel and Hamas peace deal would bring an everlasting peace to the Middle East, where residents have been dancing in the streets celebrating the anticipated end to the war The president also asserted not only that Gaza would be rebuilt, but also 'the entire Middle East' as part of the process - and claimed the rehabilitation of the war zone would be paid for by investments from neighboring Middle Eastern states. Trump told his cabinet: 'The whole world has come together for this. People who didn't like each other, neighboring countries. This is a moment in time. 'We reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza. An everlasting peace.' He added: 'It's really peace in the Middle East. You remember October 7 was terrible, but from the Hamas standpoint, they've probably lost 70,000 people. That's big retribution. At some point, that whole thing has to stop.' Trump pledged Hamas disarmament as part of the second phase, with hardline Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to topple Benjamin Netanyahu's government unless the promise is followed through. Under the plan, a transitional committee of Palestinians and international experts would run the territory, overseen by a new Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump. Hamas and other militant groups would be banned from any role in government, and all weapons, tunnels, and military infrastructure would be dismantled under independent supervision. However Hamas has vowed to keep its weapons despite Israel insisting on full demilitarization, the question of who will control the region remains unanswered. He was moved on by cops without incident Tense scenes unfolded at Bondi Beach on the National Day of Reflection after a pro-Palestine supporter was escorted away by cops. The man, who wore a keffiyeh, was heckled by locals as he visited the area in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Sunday. 'Why are you here?' one person said to him. 'You're not welcome,' another said. NSW Police officers approached the man and spoke with him. The man was reportedly heard asking officers: 'Why should I take this off?' 'I came here on a day of reflection to reflect.' NSW Police confirmed the man was issued a move-on direction and that he complied with it. A pro-Palestine supporter wearing a keffiyeh was heckled by mourners at Bondi Beach Police questioned the man before he was escorted away from Bondi Beach The incident happened as Aussies around the country participate in a National Day of Reflection. Huge crowds are expected to arrive at Bondi Beach in the evening. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said heavily-armed police will be patrolling Bondi and the surrounding areas. 'This afternoon and into the evening, there will be a heightened police presence in Bondi and the surrounding areas under Operation Shelter,' he said. 'I want to reassure the community that this does not reflect a heightened security alert. 'We know how deeply this tragedy has impacted Jewish families, friends, and the wider community who stand with them.' Commissioner Lanyon said the priority for police is 'ensuring that everyone can come together to honour the victims and support one another without fear'. 'You will see more officers than usual, including some carrying long-arm firearms. While our priority is keeping the community safe, it is equally about helping people feel safe as they come together to grieve,' he said. Police ordered the man to move on after he was heckled by locals Bondi Beach will be the epicentre of the Australia-wide National Day of Reflection tribute Among the victims was 10-year-old girl Matilda who was farewelled at a burial service this week 'Tonight is about standing with the community, safeguarding the space for a respectful vigil, and ensuring everyone feels supported during this incredibly difficult time.' The Bondi Beach attack occurred just before 7pm last Sunday, when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more. Among the victims was 10-year-old girl Matilda who was farewelled at a burial service this week. Sajid was shot dead and Naveed taken into custody and charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Sunday a major review into the performance of ASIO and other authorities. Albanese said former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead the review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The review will examine the performance of intelligence agencies including ASIO in the lead-up to last Sundays Bondi Beach terrorist attack. The review will be made publicly available when it is finalised in April 2026. 'The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,' Albanese said. 'The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. 'Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.' Content warning: Discussions of abuse and sexual assault. Over the past year, I've asked both former inmates and people who've worked in corrections to share aspects of prison life that most people don't realize, or might never understand unless they experienced it firsthand. Because so many people who've worked in prisons also weighed in, it seemed only right to compile some of their experiences and shed light on what working in a prison day in and day out actually entails. Here's what they had to say: 1. "I worked in a state prison for 26 years. What I've learned is that 1) Respect works both ways. 2) Listening is more important than talking. 3) You have to treat each inmate as an individual; you can't lump them together as one. Remember, we work there, that's their home, so be mindful of that." South_agency / Getty Images "When I was promoted to sergeant, I was assigned to the worst living unit in the state. Fights and assaults happened daily, including staff getting assaulted. After two years with the right staff, we were able to change the culture of the unit. When I retired, we had gone five years without any incident occurring in the unit. Leadership is very important because we, as staff, set the tone for the living units and the institution as a whole, whether it be county, state, or federal." Anonymous 2. "I worked in a state prison for two years, and I loved my job. What I didn't like was what I saw, such as how some officers treated the inmates. I never had any problems with 'my guys' as I called them, and I like to believe it was because I always treated them as human beings. My motto was and still is: 'If you treat them like animals, they will behave as such.'" "I noticed the employees who had worked there forever were just stuck in their ways, never seeing things from the inmates' side. Bringing up ideas for improvement to create a better environment was never listened to. They thought that it was unnecessary to send inmates to reintegration halfway houses (so they wouldn't get completely thrown out into a world they wouldn't recognize anymore). Sometimes I look for these inmates on the state website, and most of them have ended up back in prison shortly after being released. That's pretty sad." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous Related: 25 Deathtraps Um, I Mean Super Dangerous Designs That Someone Should've Been Fired For Making 3. "I was a corrections officer at a state prison for about 18 months. It was a tough existence for everyone. The 'police' were all the enemy, regardless of how they treated inmates. The physical situation was difficult. Officers are severely outnumbered. In my unit, there were two officers for 128 inmates on two tiers. At any given time, things could pop off. I've had urine and feces thrown at me. Been hit and had my life threatened." Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection "I've seen inmates get beaten because they did something that brought attention to their gang. And yes, our prison had gangs. They didn't wear colors, but they had distinctive tattoos. Female staff at a male prison had to be extra vigilant; male inmates could be especially cunning and manipulative. If the money was right, I may consider doing it again, but I certainly would not want to be on the other side of the cell door." Anonymous 4. "Prison staff here. We have a lot of control over jobs inmates receive, privileges, and even how long or short they stay. The best way to make it is to be chill, have a sense of humor, and use every program to your advantage. Also, be friendly to staff we did not put you there, we are just trying to support you during your time. Do your time, don't let time do you." Anonymous 5. "I worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 23 years. Some of the staff members can and are worse to deal with than the inmates. I've watched many young staff members over the years get 'turned' by manipulation from inmates. I've seen staff members dismissed and arrested for bringing in all types of contraband. Working in a prison environment is not for the weak or for those who have no moral compass. I've been retired for nine years now. I couldn't imagine the environment now with younger staff members and younger inmates." Anonymous 6. "I worked as a corrections officer for almost 11 years. Most of the corrections officers and people I worked with were often equally as bad as the inmates. The inmates, for the most part, just wanted to serve their time and return to their lives. But there were enough dirty guards who wanted to profit. It was super easy to tell who walks among you. COVID changed things for the worse. Less staff and no one wanted to work long overtime hours." Motortion / Getty Images/iStockphoto "The sexual harassment as a female officer sucks. You don't eat the food if you're smart. In a facility that takes inmates from the streets, there's always a ton of drug users who want to continue handling fentanyl. The inmates were getting worse with the crap getting smuggled in. There were bad fights among gangs. It was not worth it. I never had any issues with any inmates once they were released. They were always polite and thankful for the fair treatment that they received. My mom was right to say, 'Treat others how you want to be treated.' Inmates aren't the only ones doing time, especially when you work in a prison. All the overtime that is required is really wild." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous 7. "Some people are very power hungry. They're just someone outside of work, but inside, they're there to determine how miserable certain inmates can be. It's shitty. ALSO how many people are dumb enough to sleep with inmates and think they won't get caught with a rape charge?" itssnaggletooth 8. "I worked in a women's prison. I always said, 'Going to work was like going to the theatre and not knowing what the featured film would be for the day (comedy, rom-com, suspenseful, dramatic, etc).' Get my point. Never a dull moment." JoJo Whilden / Netflix / Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection Anonymous Related: Crime Scene Investigators Are Revealing Their Most Bone-Chilling Cases, And I'm Genuinely Afraid To Sleep Tonight 9. "I consulted with women inmates at our state penitentiary. 1) The lifers wanted peace and quiet. They would descend on any fresh meat that caused disturbances because they didn't want guards cracking down on them, too. 2) They go 'gay for the stay.' It's more about affinity than actual sex. 3) Some women take testosterone, lift weights, grow beards, and tape their breasts. They apparently are in demand." "4) Actual fights/substantial injuries are rare, but slap fights and rolling around on the ground are more common. 5) They snitch on each other constantly with guards. And they definitely have sex with guards. 6) Mostly, it's like being back in high school with cliques." MidwestAmMan 10. "I worked at a state prison back in the '90s, where prisoners worked the fields when it was a plantation. Most inmates were there for life, and the majority of the inmates were Black. It was honestly like getting into a time machine every time you came through the front gate. When I was working there, there were approximately 5,500 inmates and 350 guards." WIN-Initiative/Neleman / Getty Images "There were good guards and bad ones, along with good inmates and bad ones as well. It all comes down to mutual human respect. Treat people the way you want to be treated, and you will do just fine, whether you are an employee or an inmate. As a guard, you learn to leave your own problems at home. Soon, you understand that these inmates can't do that. Everybody has good days and bad days. Keep the respect you would give any other human being." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous 11. "I work at a maximum security prison [as a therapist]. It'sokay. Depends on what you like in your job and your personality. You have to be extremely assertive. Lots of punitive punishment (obvi) but even the therapists have to either write negatives or tickets You can't build too close a relationship. If you value connection in a therapeutic relationship, this isn't the place for you. You have to keep your patient as distant as possible." "You're not allowed to disclose a single personal thing about yourself. Not an opinion, not an experience, nothing. I highly value the ability to be my authentic self, and I can't be my authentic self there. I feel like I'm a robot. It's definitely not for me personally, but I won't s*** on it because a lot of people are successful in that environment and really like it. Just for me personally, I'm a very flamboyant, goofy dork, and I like to always be my authentic, flamboyant, goofy dork self." Character-Spot8893 12. "I used to work at a juvenile detention center a couple of years ago, but I was a case manager at the time. The for-profit system and lazy, crooked administration made it awful, as well as burnt-out and severely underpaid staff. However, I did like working with the kids. There were absolutely a few who just seemed unreachable, despite best efforts, but there were also a lot more who were just lost kids struggling." DragonImages / Getty Images "They were interesting to talk to, and felt amazing to help. It was hard, hard work; it often felt like two steps forward and one back at the best of times, but I do miss the kids. Some could be violent, destructive, and scary, though, when things didn't go their way. With some kids, it felt like it was just at the drop of a hat. A lot of trauma, usually. Tough gig, but when things work, it's pretty awesome. About four out of five times, though, they end up reoffending, or worse. Also, you can NOT reveal pretty much any private information, and have to be very careful." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wikeni Related: "She Died Fing Terrified She Was Going To Hell" 24 Of The Hands-Down Worst-Ever Things People Have Said When Someone Was Struggling 13. "I worked in a jail in mental health, and it was a challenge, especially feeling sometimes like you're standing between the deputies/corrections officers and the incarcerated people. I've seen plenty of naked people, have stood in pee doing suicide assessments, and have watched mentally unwell people eat and play with poop. The list goes on and on. And yet, there are plenty of days I miss it." "I've heard prison work is better than jail because the people have been sentenced and generally there for a chunk of time. In my opinion, jail mental health was about teaching grounding skills, listening, apologizing that the nurse practitioner hadn't adjusted their meds, and forwarding those requests on again. Hard work to say the least." Pineapplecheeks5 14. "It's a dating pool for the married and unmarried corrections officers. I could not count how many times someone started having an affair with a coworker." itssnaggletooth 15. "I worked in a prison substance abuse disorder treatment program for three years. I grew a lot as a clinician and met some really great clients. I wouldn't go back to working inside a facility like that, though. The lack of sunlight, vicarious trauma, long commute, and unrealistic job demands made me quit. It's hard to bring in a trauma-informed program to an environment that is not trauma-informed by design." Mindful Media / Getty Images [deleted] 16. "I've worked in many prisons across two states in Australia as a psychologist. I have a different opinion, clearly based on my country and experiences, but I have seen prison be a very rehabilitative experience for so many." "To remove people from their antisocial peers and environments, remove drugs (or as much/many as possible), and provide routine, structure, and good food, safety (for lots), and work on top of education and rehabilitation/treatment programs, means that they often are given the pause they need to reflect on their lives. Our prisons aren't perfect, and many come back, but overall, they're pretty good and can provide the opportunity to change lives." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement brainwise 17. "I was a correctional officer in Canada. I've worked in places with both male and female inmates, and I've worked in both maximum and low-medium security areas. For the inmates where I worked, the food wasn't the worst. Three meals a day with access in between meals to water, instant coffee, and any snacks they bought from the commissary. They had access to toiletries, pads, and tampons when they needed them for free and had access to buy brand-name stuff (toothpaste, lotions, shampoo/conditioner, etc) through the commissary." P_Wei / Getty Images "They could make phone calls through an approved list of family/friends. There were also spiritual care workers who tried to visit every unit once a week to spend time with the inmates in group settings and one-on-one. There were jobs available, and they were encouraged to get one, especially if they did not have family to send them any money (which most of them did not). Visits were allowed, but strip searches were required before returning to their unit." (Cont'd) "As a CO...it's not an easy job, and you learn fast that everyone has strong opinions on what you do without having any idea what it's actually like. I stopped telling family/friends/partners about my day because people either didn't understand, didn't want to understand, or tried to turn everything into some sort of debate. I can't speak for everyone, of course, but I've seen this happen to many others as well. Almost everyone I worked with started out on the job somewhat hopeful and wanting to make a difference." "You see a lot of shit that you can never unsee, and it's not long before the optimism fades. I've been called heartless before for cracking some jokes. But at work, we all did it; it's part of how you cope. COs don't get the support they need, and it is an incredibly thankless job. It's a revolving door of employees coming and going because many new staff members don't last more than a couple of years. I was there for about five or six years myself before moving on to do something else, still in a similar field, but I wanted more opportunities to move up in my career." jewelrider 18. "One of my very first jobs within my company was supply chain efficiencies at our state's maximum security prison, so I spent about 2.5 days a week working inside. So, I'm far from a guard or resident, but what struck me is how crazy regimented everything was from both sides, and how difficult it was just to get into the little conference room where they set me up." "I had to park, walk probably a quarter mile, get a badge, get wanded, then a metal detector, a quick interview to see if I had contraband or had close associates either as prisoners or guards, my work bag was inspected, then I had to wait for an escort. And once I was in the conference room, I couldn't just get up and go to the bathroom; I had to buzz someone and tell them that I was moving. What also got to me was how sterile everything was; it was metal, cinderblock, and paint." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement madisonpreggers Related: Travellers Are Dropping Their Most Unhinged "WTF" Flight Experiences, And Honestly, I'll Never Look At Planes The Same Way Again And lastly: 19. "Prison is dehumanizing and traumatic, no matter how many modern conveniences are available. I've worked in a juvenile correctional setting for the last five years. I've learned that the differences between right and wrong, good and evil are not as stark as we would like to believe. That good people can do bad things. That bad people can do good things. People are far more complicated than I ever could have imagined." Twenty47studio / Getty Images canquilt "I am so glad you said this. I am a juvenile probation officer, and it is SO complex. We do our hardest to keep kids OUT of the system, which nobody seems to ever believe. Detention and correction facilities are our LAST resort, but sometimes you just have to use them (at least that's our agency's philosophy). There isn't really a black-and-white answer to most things. As weird as it sounds, that's probably why I love my job. It's so challenging even if you see so much negativityit's worth the one positive you get every once in a while." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ChunLeah Have you ever been incarcerated or worked in a prison? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments or at this anonymous form If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here. The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-800-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy. Also in Internet Finds: "Mama, Please Answer. I'm Using A Construction Workers Phone...": 15 Terrifying Voicemails That Stopped People's Hearts And Changed Their Lives Forever Also in Internet Finds: Absolutely No One Born Before 2010 Will Know What These Gen Alpha Slang Words Mean Also in Internet Finds: "I Have Never Left Anywhere Faster": People Are Sharing The Moment They Realized They Were In Danger, And It's Absolutely Terrifying Read it on BuzzFeed.com The homeless man who cracked the Brown University shooter case is no longer living on the streets and 'being taken care of' by the feds, it has emerged. The vagrant tipster, known under the pseudonym John, was sleeping in the basement of a campus building when he helped police find gunman Claudio Neves Valente after a botched five-day manhunt. Federal officials are housing John in a hotel and making sure he is provided meals, a source told the New York Post. The insider added that John could possibly receive the $50,000 award that the FBI had offered for information that led to a break in the case. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has also urged the agency's director Kash Patel to give John the award for his work to help solve the crime. 'John is no less than a hero,' Smiley wrote in a letter to Patel. 'His bravery, selflessness and stewardship on behalf of his community went far beyond what anyone could ever hope from a tip.' John's encounter with the shooting suspect went viral when he shared details on Reddit. Now, strangers have invited John to Christmas dinner and suggested he get a 'key to the city and free coffee and doughnuts for life,' according to fellow contributors to Reddit's Providence forum. The homeless man who cracked the Brown University shooter case, known under the pseudonym John, (pictured) is no longer living on the streets and 'being taken care of' by the feds, a source has claimed Claudio Neves Valente, 48, (pictured) a former Brown University student and Portuguese national, was found dead Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police believe he is responsible for the Brown shooting and murder of MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro Brown University students Ella Cook (left) and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov (right) were killed in the mass shooting last weekend John's tip is also credited with helping police identify Neves Valente as the person responsible for gunning down Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro. The mayor's office highlighted how authorities received hundreds of tips pertaining to the case but 'John's was far and above the one that helped the most.' Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told the press last week that John 'blew this case right open.' John, who previously attended Brown University, had been regularly sleeping in the basement of the Barus and Holley building on campus. He encountered the gunman in the bathroom of Brown's engineering building just hours before the deadly attack, according to the police affidavit. He also noticed Neves Valente's clothing was 'inappropriate and inadequate for the weather.' John later bumped into the shooter outside, mere blocks from the building. He 'suddenly' turned around from the Nissan when he saw John, the tipster said. The two then faced off in a 'game of cat and mouse,' according to John's testimony, where the two exchanged words before Neves Valente fled. Join the debate Should tipsters like John get more than money for risking their safety to solve major crimes? Investigators believe Neves Valente killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro (pictured) in his Massachusetts home two days after he carried out the Brown University mass shooting At one point, John says he yelled out 'Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?' Neves Valente responded 'I don't know you from nobody' and then repeatedly asked John, 'Why are you harassing me?' according to the affidavit. John told police he eventually saw Neves Valente approach the Nissan sedan once more and decided to walk away. As police shared images of the person of interest in the shooting - now identified as Neves Valente - John began posting on the social media forum Reddit that he recognized the suspect. He theorized that police should look into 'possibly a rental' gray Nissan. Reddit users urged him to tell the FBI, and John said he did. 'I'm being dead serious,' John's Reddit post said. 'The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental.' 'I know because he used his key fob to open the car, approached it and then something prompted him to back away,' he wrote. 'When he backed away, he relocked the car. I found that odd so when he circled the block, I approached the car that is when I saw the Florida plates.' This is John, the homeless Reddit user who led police to the Brown University shooter Claudio Neves Valente. John had several encounters with Neves Valente before Saturday's attack The FBI released this photograph showing Neves Valente (left) and a man - later identified as John (right) - who was 'in proximity' of the gunman on the day of the shooting Police learned about the tip on December 16, three days after the shooting and a day after the tip line was created, the affidavit said. Up until that point, the police affidavit says officials had not connected a vehicle to the possible shooter. That detail led them to get more video of a Nissan Sentra sedan with Florida plates and enabled Providence police officers to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety. Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national, was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators believe he is responsible for fatally shooting two students and wounding nine other people in a Brown University lecture hall last Saturday. He then killed Loureiro, who was also Portuguese, two days later at his Brookline, Massachusetts home, nearly 50 miles from Providence. As far as investigators know, Neves Valente acted alone. This is John's Reddit post, which police said led to the break in the case Neves Valente was enrolled at Brown University as a graduate student studying physics from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001. He currently has no affiliation with the university,' university president Christina Paxson said. Neves Valente and Loureiro - who is also Portuguese - previously attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000. Loureiro graduated from the physics program at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal's premier engineering school, in 2000, according to his MIT faculty page. The same year, Neves Valente was let go from a position at the Lisbon university, according to an archive of a termination notice from the school's then-president in February 2000. Neves Valente studied at Brown on a student visa. He eventually obtained legal permanent residence status in September 2017. It was not immediately clear where he was between taking a leave of absence from the school in 2001 and getting the visa in 2017. His last known residence was in Miami. After officials revealed the suspect's identity, President Donald Trump suspended the green card lottery program that allowed Neves Valente to stay in the United States. A SpaceX test flight that was 'destroyed' less than ten minutes after its launch in January put multiple passenger jets in serious danger while in flight over the Caribbean. The seventh un-crewed Starship test flight was CEO Elon Musk's latest attempt to make life on Mars a reality and took place days before he launched the Department of Government Efficiency in President Donald Trump's White House. Federal Aviation Administration documents now show the collateral peril the explosion put three flights in that evening, including a JetBlue trip to San Juan whose crew was told their onward journey could only be made 'at your own risk.' Those risks included possible scattering of debris from the sky across the Caribbean for almost an hour. A controller needed to intervene after two planes flew too close to one another following the explosion. The three planes were carrying a total of 450 people and were fortunately able to land safely after declaring fuel emergencies and traveling through a temporary no-fly zone, WSJ reported. When an air controller told one of the aircrafts' pilots they would have to declare an emergency to land at San Juan, the response came: 'In that case we declare emergency: Mayday. Mayday. Mayday.' After the rocket explosion Musk posted on X 'Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed'. A January SpaceX test flight that was 'destroyed' less than ten minutes after its launch put three passenger jets flying over the Caribbean in danger The seventh uncrewed Starship test flight was CEO Elon Musk's latest attempt to make life on Mars a reality Furthermore, the FAA claimed that SpaceX failed to immediately call an official hotline required for any failures to inform air traffic controllers. In Miami, controllers only heard about the debris from the explosion from the pilots having to navigate through it. The FAA began to investigate how to better deal with potential debris from explosions in February and became more determined after a SpaceX test vehicle exploded again in March. However, the review was ended in March, with the FAA claiming it was because their recommendations had already been implemented and needed to go outside the US to consult other experts. 'The FAA will not hesitate to act if additional safety measures are required,' they said in a statement. They will need to be active, as the agency has said it wants to run 200 to 400 rocket launches a year going forward, many of which could be run by Musk's SpaceX Starship, a 400-foot tall rocket described as the most powerful ever developed. SpaceX declined comment, while a spokesperson for JetBlue said the airline was certain the flights avoided any areas where debris was seen. The new-generation ship launched from Texas in January and successfully flew for around eight minutes, with the teams' second breathtaking booster catch, before contact was lost. Officials confirmed that the spacecraft was destroyed. 'Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause,' SpaceX posted on X. 'Every Starship launch is one more step closer towards Mars,' Musk said before liftoff, as he hopes his ships will be the first to launch humanity into life on Mars The new-generation ship launched from Texas in January and successfully flew for around eight minutes, with the teams' second breathtaking booster catch, before contact was lost A Federal Aviation Administration now shows the collateral peril the explosion put three flights in that evening, including a JetBlue trip to San Juan whose crew was told could only be made 'at your own risk.' 'With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and todays flight will help us improve Starships reliability.' Debris, with unclear relations to the spacecraft, was captured on camera flying across the Caribbean just minutes after the flight test. 'Every Starship launch is one more step closer towards Mars,' Musk said before liftoff, as he hopes his ships will be the first to launch humanity into life on Mars. SpaceX posted on X that the test flight featured 'significant upgrades.' The new Starship was rolled out taller - now standing at 403 feet - and with about 300 more tons of propellant than the last test flight ship, with added upgrades for 'reliability and performance.' SpaceX announced there would be 'hardware upgrades to the launch and catch tower to increase reliability for booster catch,' including enhancements to sensor protections on the chopsticks damaged during the last launch. As well as a redesigned upper-stage propulsion system that can carry 25 percent more propellant, along with slimmer, repositioned forward flaps to reduce exposure to heat during reentry. The company also added ten dummy satellites, the same size as SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites, for release in space. They were due to follow the same flight path as the spacecraft, ending up destroyed upon entry. The post added that the flight 'set out to attempt Starship's first payload deployment test, fly multiple reentry experiments geared towards ship catch and reuse, and launch and return the Super Heavy booster.' 'Todays flight test will launch a new generation ship with significant upgrades, attempt Starships first payload deployment test, fly multiple reentry experiments geared towards ship catch and reuse, and launch and return the Super Heavy booster.' SpaceX's last successful launch happened in October on its fifth flight test. The sixth, which was witnessed by President-elect Trump in November, made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg has lashed out at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's intelligence review - declaring it 'bulls**t' - and called for the government to launch a royal commission. Frydenberg has been an outspoken member of the Jewish Australian community since the terror attack at Bondi Beach claimed 15 innocent lives on December 14. He has repeatedly requested a royal commission into the attack, which saw alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid, target a Jewish festival. Albanese on Sunday announced a major review into the performance of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and other authorities. Intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead the investigation into how the agencies acted in the lead-up to the Bondi shooting. The review will be made publicly available when it is finalised in April, 2026. Frydenberg responded to the announcement in a social media post and claimed it wouldn't go to 'the heart of the issues', particularly antisemitism. 'To use an Australian colloquialism its bulls**t,' Frydenberg wrote Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's intelligence review and repeated the calls for a federal royal commission into the Bondi attack Two alleged gunmen took the lives of 15 innocent people attending a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach on December 14 'It's weak, it's wrong, it's an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect all Australian citizens after the deadliest terrorist attack on Australian soil at Bondi Beach. 'Your departmental review will not go to the heart of the issues and the radicalisation within our country, which has been allowed to explode on your watch.' The former treasurer asked Albanese, 'What are you afraid a Commonwealth Royal Commission will uncover?' and pointed to NSW Premier Chris Minns who already endorsed a royal commission. 'No one could think that the extremist threat is limited to NSW. These are federal offences, federal responsibilities and failures at the federal level. The threat is national,' Frydenberg wrote. 'You yourself (Albanese) have said that this terrorist attack was inspired by the Islamic State. You cannot legitimately conclude that this is a matter to be covered by a state based Royal Commission. 'Anti-Jew intimidation, harassment and violence has metastasised in our country and must not be allowed to go one day longer. 'The tsunami of hate is not just an attack on Jewish Australians, it's a threat to every Australian. Prime Minister, enough is enough!' In his announcement on Sunday, Albanese promised the review would examine if intelligence agencies needed more power to prevent terrorism. Albanese (right) on Sunday announced intelligence authorities would conduct an internal review of their performance in the lead up to the terrorist attack Frydenberg told Albanese of the review: 'It's weak, it's wrong, it's an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect all Australian citizens' (pictured, a woman visiting the memorial at Bondi Beach on Saturday) 'The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,' he said. 'The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. 'Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.' The intelligence review announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese backed a 'state-based royal commission' after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the 'powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead-up to the events of last Sunday'. Federal MPs, including Sydney MP Allegra Spender, have led calls for a royal commission, but government ministers played down the need for such an investigation, saying it 'would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement'. Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said a federal investigation 'should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community' but have 'broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission'. Albanese's announcement comes off the back of other federal government plans announced in the week since the attack. The government responses include the biggest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, strict limits on how many guns a person can own and a plan to combat antisemitism. A massive outage has knocked out power to 130,000 homes and businesses across San Francisco, leaving at least one-third of the city in darkness. The power failure left a large swath of the northern part of the city in the dark on Saturday, beginning with the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas around Golden Gate Park. Social media posts and local media reported mass closures of restaurants and shops and darkened street lights and Christmas decorations. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said on X there were 'significant transit disruptions' happening citywide and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel and treat down traffic signals as four-way stops. The city's transportation agencies said they were bypassing some Muni bus and BART train stations because of the power outages. At least some of the blackouts were caused by a fire that broke out inside a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) substation at 8th and Mission streets. A massive outage has knocked out power to 130,000 homes and businesses across San Francisco, leaving at least a third of the city in darkness The power failure left a large swath of the northern part of the city in the dark on Saturday, beginning with the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas around Golden Gate Park A Waymo vehicle sits idling at an intersection with no operating traffic lights due to power outages, in San Francisco, California on Saturday Ryan Sicat, store manager of Industry of All Nations, stands outside the store amid the major power outage impacting 30 percent of San Francisco The outage represents roughly one-third of the PG&E's customers in the city The outage represents roughly one-third of the PG&E's customers in the city. PG&E posted on X around 4pm that it had stabilized the power grid and was not expecting additional customer outages. The company said it was unable to confirm when power would be restored. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie urged people to stay off the roads in a post on social media. 'We are still not clear when power will be restored to over 130,000 customers,' Lurie wrote. 'So what I am going to ask all of you to do is, if you do not need to go out tonight, stay home, be safe.' PG&E did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the cause of the blackouts. A view of traffic from above as more than 130,000 PG&E customers are without power in San Francisco A pedestrian crosses an intersection lit with headlights amid the San Francisco power outage A Waymo driverless car is unable to detect traffic lights after a major power outage in San Francisco, California on Saturday Pedestrians walk in the dark on Hayes Street after a major power outage in San Francisco San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie urged people to stay off the roads amid the power outage Fog and power outages darken the skyline as traffic moves in dark San Francisco Vehicles move slowly in traffic as power outages darken the San Francisco streets Traffic at a standstill in all directions as traffic lights are out amid a San Francisco power outage Officials are still not clear when power will be restored to over 130,000 customers A pedestrian uses a flash light while crossing an intersection as outages darken the streets A cyclist drives past head lights from an oncoming vehicle during the San Francisco power outage on Saturday A trio sits on a bench in the darkness as they celebrate a birthday amid the major power outage in San Francisco The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said on X there were 'significant transit disruptions' happening citywide and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel and treat down traffic signals as four-way stops The city's transportation agencies said they were bypassing some Muni bus and BART train stations because of the power outages The taillights from a vehicle are shown as power outages darken the streets in San Francisco Miles Barrett, assistant designer at Industry of All Nations, reads Red Rising by Pierce Brown by candlelight during a power outage in San Francisco Police snipers have been positioned on top of apartment buildings around Bondi Beach ahead of a vigil to mark a week since the mass shooting that claimed 15 lives. Police riot squad members, officers in camouflage and balaclavas and mounted police are overseeing the Bondi vigil which will be held at 6.47pm tonight the time the shootings occurred last Sunday. Health nurses will also be on hand to help anyone struggling with the emotional occasion. Tonight's vigil at Bondi Beach also marks the final night of Hanukkah. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon warned there would be officers carrying long arm guns as an extra security measure. 'I want to reassure the community that this does not reflect a heightened security alert,' Commissioner Lanyon said. 'We know how deeply this tragedy has impacted Jewish families, friends, and the wider community who stand with them. 'Our priority is ensuring that everyone can come together to honour the victims and support one another without fear. Police snipers are in place ahead of tonight's 6.47pm vigil at Bondi Police snipers are on top of Hotel Bondi After comforting hundreds at Bondi Pavilion in the days since the public shooting, Rabbi Eli Feldman urged the nation to embrace the tenets of Hanukkah to honour those killed during celebrations for the Jewish festival. His synagogue in inner-city Sydney was one of several around the country targeted in January by an arsonist attempting to start a fire and graffiti. 'Last Sunday night, messages of darkness descended here on the beach, to try to extinguish the light for the Jewish people trying to kindle the Hanukkah lights,' he told ABC TV on Sunday. 'The way that we're going to combat that a week later here at the beach ... (is) all are invited to come and light the eighth candle here and show that light will always overcome darkness.' Governor-General Sam Mostyn said the day of reflection on Sunday should mark the beginning of a 'national project' of healing through 'a million acts of kindness.' 'The rest of the world knows that we are a shining light of peace, where everyone belongs. It's on all of us,' she told a National Council of Jewish Women Australia-organised event at Bondi. One week to the minute since two gunmen opened fire, Australians were called on to remember the victims as flags were placed at half mast and monuments lit yellow in tribute. Those killed included 10-year-old Matilda, elderly Holocaust survivors Alexander Kleytman and Marika Pogany, and rabbis Yaakov Levitan and Eli Schlanger. Police snipers are patrolling the Bondi area tonight NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the extra security measures did not reflect a heightened security alert Thousands of flowers and tributes have been laid at Bondi Pavilion since the nearby shootings, although the local council will begin removing the material on Monday. People were asked to light a candle and place it in their front window before observing a minute's silence at 6.47pm AEDT. '(It's) 60 seconds carved out from the noise of daily life, dedicated to the 15 Australians who should be with us today,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. He will visit the pavilion for the first time since the day after the massacre amid backlash from the Jewish community for his government's perceived lack of action over antisemitic incidents before the attack. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the prime minister was doing the right thing by attending the vigil but could expect a mixed response. NSW Premier Chris Minns earlier defended criticisms that hate speech laws set to be rushed through the state parliament before Christmas were draconian in their scope. The laws will ban slogans such as 'globalise the intifada', which Mr Minns argued planted seeds of hate that graduated online and then into acts of violence. The phrase has been associated with pro-Palestine protests during Israel's two-year assault on Gaza. 'In many cases, when you see violent imagery and hateful slogans and chants ... it is unleashing forces that the organisers of the protests can't control,' Minns said. The proposed laws were strongly condemned by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils as exploiting 'moments of grief... to justify authoritarian overreach'. Minns on Monday will also move to ban hate symbols, including flags of al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic State (IS), from being displayed in the streets or at home. Police said they found home-made IS flags in a vehicle belonging to one of the gunmen who opened fire on the crowd of Jewish faithful. NSW has also announced a royal commission into the massacre, but the state's federal Labor counterparts have resisted calls for a similar, national inquiry. One of Stephen Lawrence's racist killers has clashed with Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi in prison, a new report has revealed. David Norris, 49, threatened the killer, called him a terrorist and swore at him during a heated exchange at Belmarsh Prison in South East London. The encounter was revealed by the Parole Board after Norris's bid for freedom was rejected last week on the basis he was still a danger to the public. Norris was jailed for at least 14 years in 2012 for the unprovoked, racially motivated murder of teenager Mr Lawrence in Eltham, South East London, in April 1993. Abedi, brother of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, was sentenced for life in 2020 over the murder of 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017. The report said Norris admitted he had shouted at Abedi, 28, when 'life got too much one day', but denied using a racial slur. The report said: 'He said it was the "Manchester bomber" and they "all took umbrage with him". He said he called the prisoner a terrorist and swore at him, but had not used a racial slur. He said it had been an offense based response, not a racial issue. 'Mr Norris said he had been raising money for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing at the time,' the report added. 'He accepted it was "not his place to be dishing out justice" but he was stressed and "terrorism has always riled me, going back to the IRA". David Norris was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months in January 2012, a term that expired in December 2024 Abedi was jailed for life in August 2020 for assisting his brother, Salman Abedi, in killing 22 people by detonating a homemade rucksack device at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 The report said there were security concerns regarding Norris's racism and allegations of violence, some of which were against him. Abedi helped his brother plan the Manchester attack, which took the lives of 22 people as they left the concert. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 55 years in jail. He was transferred from Belmarsh after he and two other prisoners attacked a guard working there. Abedi is set to face trial in 2026, after being accused of trying to murder three prison officers in April at HMP Frankland, County Durham, using hot cooking oil and makeshift weapons. He was since been transferred back to Belmarsh. Norris was refused parole over concerns he only expressed remorse for his part in the murder to secure his freedom. He took responsibility for his part in the racist attack for the first time in a public hearing earlier this year - but his own offender manager admitted it was possible he only did this to improve his chances. Members of the panel said they denied release after considering a series of racist offences committed by the prisoner while in jail. Norris threw excrement at Muslim prisoners, who he referenced using a racial slur, used the N-word in 2022 and reportedly told his daughter he did not want black grandchildren. In addition to these incidents, Norris was abusive to prison staff, got a tattoo while in jail, was found with secret mobile phones and a screwdriver in his cell and failed drugs tests in 2023. The panel also found that there was a 'serious possibility' he had committed other knife attacks - the attempted murder of Stacey Benefield in 1993 of which he was acquitted, and another slashing attack for which he was never charged. Norris, who converted to Buddhism in 2019, admitted punching Stephen 'two or three times' after the teenager was stabbed and had dropped to his knees in the street. Five men were initially arrested over the 1993 murder with Norris and Gary Dobson, both 16 at the time, only brought to justice after a belated forensic breakthrough. Both men were given life sentences in 2012 following a trial at which they both denied anything to do with the murder that, in the words of the sentencing judge, 'scarred the conscience of the nation'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been heckled while attending the Bondi Beach memorial ahead of a nationwide Day of Reflection to mark a week since the horrific mass shooting. A man was spotted running towards Albanese while yelling 'blood on your hands' as he arrived with a large security team and new wife, Jodie, by his side. The man was obstructed by police after jumping off a brick retaining wall and ordered to leave the area. No arrest was made. An estimated 15,000 people have arrived at the memorial near Bondi Pavilion ahead of a vigil planned for 6.47pm, the moment police started receiving reports of a shooting last Sunday. On that day, alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, opened fire on a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. During the alleged terror attack, 15 innocent lives were lost and dozens more were rushed to hospital - where 13 remain. Albanese on Friday asked everyone around Australia to observe a minute's silence at 6.47pm on Sunday in honour of the victims. However, the Prime Minister wasn't popular among attendees of the vigil at Bondi Beach, where the alleged shooting unfolded, and arrived to a booing crowd. A man was told to leave Bondi Beach after running towards Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and screaming 'blood on your hands' Albanese (centre) was booed as he arrived at Bondi Beach for the memorial on Sunday Albanese's heckler (pictured) was asked to leave the memorial site People around Australia were asked to observe a minute of silence at 6.47pm on Sunday, December 21, to mark the moment police began receiving calls of a shooting at Bondi a week earlier, on December 14 (pictured, bee balloons at the memorial in honour of the shooting's youngest victim, Matilda) An estimated 15,000 people have arrived at the memorial near Bondi Pavilion for the vigil A total of 15 innocent lives were lost during the attack Chris Minns (pictured) received a standing ovation from the crowd David Campbell performed a moving rendition of Waltzing Matilda (pictured, the parents of victim, Matilda, dancing to the performance) Several snipers also attended the vigil to keep watch over the large crowd. The Australian Jewish Association shared a video of the snipers, writing: 'Anthony Albanese - what have you done to Australia?' Earlier, the association warned Albanese he wouldn't receive a warm welcome at the event. 'There's a wild debate in the Jewish community now about how to react when the Prime Minister shows his face at the Bondi memorial tonight,' it said. 'The debate is between booing him or everyone turning their back on him. 'Which do you support? What trick will he pull to avoid the community's reaction?' Michelle Goldman, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, lit the first candle for the vigil at Bondi Beach and started the minute's silence. The silence was broken by Australian Jewish musician Ben Adler who performed the national anthem. NSW Premier Chris Minns (pictured) received a warm welcome to the vigil after attending the funeral of every victim Albanese (pictured with wife, Jodie) was booed as he entered the event and when being officially welcomed Former prime minister John Howard (pictured) had a kind reception at the event at Bondi Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley (pictured) attended the event on Sunday The welcome shown to Minns (pictured) was in stark contrast to that offered to Albanese Governor General Sam Mostyn (pictured) also attended the event at Bondi Beach As the music continued with several musicians - including a moving rendition of Waltzing Matilda by David Campbell, a montage showed images of the 15 victims and the thousands of flowers left at the scene of the massacre. Those victims were Boris and Sofia Gurman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Edith Brutman, Adam Smyth, Boris Tetleroyd, Marika Pogany, 10-year-old Matilda, Peter Meagher, Dan Elkayam, Reuven Morrison, Tibor Weitzen, Alexander Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, and Tania Tretiak. The massive crowd stood as prayers were read, in Hebrew and English. NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip thanked the crowd for attending 'in solidarity with the NSW Jewish community' and welcomed several political leaders by name. Albanese's name elicited boos from the crowd while NSW Premier Chris Minns received a standing ovation. Mr Ossip added the state leader hadn't missed the funeral of a single victim. NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane received similar applause as Mr Ossip noted she had rushed to Bondi Beach on the night of the attack to help victims. Others who were greeted kindly included former prime minister John Howard, Governor General Sam Mostyn, and Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. TV and radio networks also took part in the minute's silence, which Albanese described as 'sixty seconds carved out from the noise of daily life, dedicated to 15 Australians who should be with us today'. 'The National Day of Reflection will be observed on the final day of Chanukah, a time traditionally associated with light, faith and resilience, making the loss felt by the Jewish community even more profound,' he said. 'The Commonwealth and state government will also work closely with the Jewish community on arrangements for a National Day of Mourning to be held in the New Year. 'This will allow families the time and space to lay their loved ones to rest and to support those still recovering.' A photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor sprawled across the laps of five women as a smiling Ghislaine Maxwell looks on has been dismissed by a friend of the former prince as 'hi-jinks'. The black and white image was taken at the Royal Family's Sandringham country retreat and was recently released as part of a damning trove of 300,000 documents from the so-called Epstein Files. A friend of Andrew has made light of the photo, and told The Telegraph: 'We don't see what the problem is. It's just hi-jinks at a party. He's fully clothed.' Neither the date nor location of the picture was released but The Mail on Sunday revealed today it captures a raucous scene from a party hosted by Andrew for paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell at Sandringham in early December 2000, to mark Maxwell's 39th birthday. And, in contrast to Andrew's description of the gathering, allegations have emerged of a debauched event at Queen Elizabeth's beloved private home in Norfolk. Lubricants, condoms and drugs to enhance sexual experiences were all found after the party, according to a bombshell book. Although not pictured, depraved financier Epstein, accused of abusing 1,200 women and girls, is understood to have attended the party. The Windsor Legacy by Robert Jobson claims that bathrooms were littered with the paraphernalia, including sex drugs called poppers. Citing a 'palace source', Mr Jobson writes: 'Staff were stunned to discover the bathrooms were stocked not only with toiletries, but poppers, lube and condoms.' Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last month, is seen sprawling across the laps of five elegantly dressed women, while Ghislaine Maxwell lurks in the background Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor rides in the rain in Windsor Park earlier this week, having missed out on an invite to the King's annual pre-Christmas bash for the extended family The photograph shows Andrew grinning for the camera in a bow tie and dinner jacket with his face close to the naked legs of one of the women, all of whom have had their identities protected by US Government lawyers. Maxwell, serving a 20-year jail term for helping Epstein abuse young girls, hovers in the background, alongside another woman whose identity is also protected. The picture was taken in Sandringham's opulent saloon, which is used as a sitting room when the Royal Family is in residence. The family traditionally gathers in the room for afternoon tea on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Day to watch the King's Speech. Royal author Andrew Lownie last night said the photograph of Andrew's party in the heart of the 237-room Sandringham House would 'horrify his family'. 'It is one of their private inner sanctums and they will be appalled that Andrew treated it as just another place to have fun and show off to his friends.' It is just one in a series of extraordinary images exposing the access to high society the former prince granted Epstein and Maxwell. In one photo, released on Friday by the US Department of Justice, Epstein and Maxwell are seen with Andrew in the Royal Box at Ascot. They were personal guests of Andrew on June 22, 2000, at Ladies' Day, which Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother also attended. Andrew later described Epstein as his 'plus one' and not a guest of the Royal Family. The released files also include a photograph of Epstein and Maxwell shooting on moorland at Balmoral. The former prince reportedly invited the couple to stay at the Scottish estate in 1999. Join the debate What should happen to public figures who host or enable guests with such disturbing reputations? Epstein and Maxwell were part of the group which Andrew hosted at Sandringham Estate in 2000 in what the former prince described as 'a straightforward shooting weekend' An undated photo released by the US Department of Justice shows Epstein and Maxwell together Andrew has been dogged by allegations that he sexually assaulted then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein. He has repeatedly and vehemently denied all accusations. As well as losing his titles, he will move out of Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, and instead live in a property in a remote corner of the Sandringham estate early in the New Year. Other photos in the files show Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, with a woman on a sofa and with another in the street. Both women's identities have been redacted. In September, the MoS revealed an email Ms Ferguson sent Epstein just weeks after publicly disowning him, calling him a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend'. Maxwell, 63, is shown in one picture posing in a supercar wearing a bath robe which she has purposely allowed to 'fall open' to reveal her private parts. She is also pictured outside No10 and with former President Bill Clinton and actor Kevin Spacey inside Winston Churchill's war rooms in London. It is believed the visit took place in October 2002 when Mr Clinton gave a speech to the Labour Party conference. The vast tranche of images and documents which includes FBI files and new Grand Jury testimony released last night contains digital albums of Epstein with world leaders and royalty, as well as hundreds of pictures of nude girls. One album is labelled: 'Clinton, Morocco King Wedding, St Tropez, Nudes.' There are scores of photographs taken inside Epstein's 60million Manhattan home, including a lavish massage room which had a giant portrait of a naked woman on one wall with shelves containing lubricants, oil and towels. A photograph of Ghislaine Maxwell outside Number 10 Downing Street features in the trove of images released this week Sarah Ferguson sits on a sofa in an undated photograph released by the US Department of Justice FBI files reveal that one girl, who was 14 when Epstein raped her at the New York mansion, said the house looked like 'something from out of Beauty And The Beast'. There are also pictures of sex toys, fancy dress 'nurse uniforms' and a sexually-explicit 'soap on a rope'. Books including 'Massage for Dummies' are placed on tables next to framed pictures of Epstein with his powerful friends. A mannequin dressed in a wedding gown 'hangs' from the foyer ceiling. In another photo, Epstein is wearing just a towel. A small foot, which appears to belong to a child as young as four or five, pokes into the frame. Newly released FBI testimony reveals the paedophile abused girls as young as 12. One FBI note told how Epstein would check the ages of his victims to make sure they were underage. An officer wrote: '[Redacted name] witnessed him asking for ID to girl. Wanted to make sure under 18 [because] he wasn't believing them [because redacted name] messed up by bringing more older girls.' Other images show young girls naked on Epstein's private Caribbean island, dubbed 'Paedo Island', and schoolgirls dressed in cheerleader outfits on his birthday. A lawyer for one of the victims said: 'How can anyone who hung out with Epstein still say they didn't know what was going on? He made no attempt to hide his depravity.' A statue of Queen Victoria has been defaced with graffiti that appears to support the pro-Palestine hunger strikers. Photos of the statue of the former monarch in Endcliffe Park, west Sheffield, show a huge quantity of red paint splattered across it, with the words 'END THE HUNGER' written on its base in green. The statue is located near the park's main entrance, just off the Hunter's Bar roundabout. These colours are associated with the Palestinian flag, while the phrase appears to suggest that the perpetrator did this in support of the six Palestine Action activists on hunger strike as they await their trials for alleged criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder at a factory for Elbit Systems and in relation to a break-in at RAF Brize Norton. While it is not known exactly when the vandalism took place, photos of the damage first appeared on social media on Saturday morning. One local man wrote: 'Very bad vandalism in Endcliffe park. Do not know when it happened. Worst I have ever seen upon Victoria. FREE THE HUNGER slogan. I hope they do not harm the war memorial too.' But it comes amid warnings that the six people on hunger strikes may die in custody. Kamran Ahmed, one of the six, told the Times: 'Every day Im scared that potentially I might die. 'Ive been getting chest pains regularly There have been times where I felt like Im getting tasered my bodys vibrating or shaking. Ill basically lose control of my feelings. 'Ive been scared since the seventh day when my blood sugars dropped. The nurse said, "Im scared youre not going to wake up [when you go to sleep]. Please eat something."' Photos of the statue of the former monarch in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, show a huge quantity of red paint splattered across it, with the words 'END THE HUNGER' written on its base in green A statue of Queen Victoriahas been defaced with graffiti that appears to support the pro-Palestine hunger strikers Protesters in Liverpool pictured holding banners in support of the hunger strikers earlier this month Earlier this month, Imran Khan & Partners, representing the prisoners, requested to meet with Justice Secretary David Lammy to discuss the situation. In a letter, the firm wrote: 'We note with genuine and significant concern the immediate and real risk that their deeply held conviction, in tandem with their deteriorating health, poses to their lives. 'We are concerned that, should this situation be allowed to continue without resolution, there is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence.' Four of the protesters on hunger strike, thought to be the biggest in the UK since 1981, are accused of being involved in the raid on a UK branch of Israel's Elbit Systems Horizon near Bristol in August 2024. A prison officer was allegedly left with a fractured spine after the incident, a court heard. The other strikers allegedly broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes. In the aftermath of the incident, Palestine Action said two of its activists infiltrated Britain's largest RAF base and sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft before escaping without being caught. Lawyers claim the activists are also being hit with heavy restrictions on visits, calls and mail and this could amount to enforced disappearance, citing claims from UN special rapporteurs. The Daily Mail has contacted South Yorkshire Police for comment. A simple speech welcoming notable politicians to the vigil in honour of the Bondi Beach massacre victims has revealed the raw feelings of many Aussies a week after the tragic event. NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip welcomed politicians to the event near Bondi Pavilion on Sunday night. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had declared Sunday a Day of Reflection for Australians to remember the 15 innocent people who died at a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on December 14. A minute's silence was held at 6.47pm, the time police first began receiving reports of a shooting at Bondi Beach last Sunday. Mr Ossip had welcomed the politicians in attendance with the crowd responding with a range of emotions, from anger to appreciation. Albanese by far had the most hostile reception. He was flanked by a large group of security guards as he walked into the event, only to immediately be booed. One man even began running at the Prime Minister while yelling 'blood on your hands'. Anthony Albanese (pictured) was repeatedly booed while attending a vigil for the Bondi Beach massacre victims Chris Minns (pictured) received a standing ovation at the same event Anger towards Albanese stems from an apparent lack of action in response to growing antisemitism prior to the attack and his refusal to call a federal royal commission (pictured, an attendee at the vigil on Sunday) Just minutes later, former prime minister John Howard took the same path into the event and was cheered by the crowd. Albanese was booed, again, by the crowd of 15,000 when Mr Ossip thanked him for attending the event. Mr Ossip attempted to quiet the crowd, but the negative response continued. The crowd's anger was likely the result of division over how the federal government's approach to anti-semitism in the lead-up to the attack, and its response thereafter. Naveed Akram is accused of being responsible for a massacre at the Jewish festival alongside his father, Sajid, on December 14. A total of 15 people died in the alleged attack and dozens more were injured. Naveed has been charged with 59 offences. Sajid was fatally shot by police. In the days following the alleged terrorist attack, several members of the Jewish community called for a federal royal commission to investigate why intelligence authorities didn't intervene. Minns has attended every funeral held for Bondi victims so far, unlike Albanese Minns has acknowledged his state government's shortcomings several times since the attack on December 14 Both the general public and other high-profile guests warmly welcomed Minns on Sunday Albanese responded to the calls on Sunday with the announcement of an internal investigation to be undertaken by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the nation's peak spy agency. Mr Ossip also addressed the situation during his speech at the vigil by throwing his support behind a royal commission, much to the delight of the audience. The Jewish leader also thanked NSW Premier Chris Minns for attending the vigil, resulting in a standing ovation. Minns has been widely praised for his response to the attack. He has attended the funerals of every victim - unlike Albanese, who will not attend the funerals unless invited - and backed calls for a federal royal commission. However, maybe the biggest reason for the differing perception of Minns and Albanese has been accountability for the attack. Since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an incursion on Israel on October 7, 2023, Australia has seen a massive increase in antisemitism. Pro-Palestine protests calling for Israel to stop its massive siege on Gaza have been frequent across Australian cities for the past two years. The difference in attitude towards Albanese and Minns was clear when NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip thanked them for attending the event When Albanese entered the vigil, he was booed and one man ran at him while yelling 'blood on your hands' Albanese was booed again when Mr Ossip thanked him for attending the vigil However, extremist groups have infiltrated those demonstrations several times. The first instance came on October 9, 2023, when a planned march calling for Israel to stop its airstrikes on Palestine was overrun by a group of antisemites who called for violence against all Jews. The situation continued to devolve and resulted in a group of neo-Nazis rallying outside the NSW Parliament on November 9, 2025, and demanding the government 'abolish the Jewish lobby'. Within 24 hours of the massacre, Minns fronted ABC's 7.30 to admit his government could have done more to prevent the Bondi attack, which was aimed at the Jewish population. 'I'm sure if we had our time again, we would have responded differently,' he said. Albanese has been less direct in addressing his government's shortcomings and on Thursday simply told reporters he was 'not perfect'. 'I have done my best to respond anyone in this position would regret not doing more, and any inadequacies which are there,' Albanese said. That same night, Minns received a standing ovation as he expressed remorse to the Central Synagogue. The crowd stood and applauded when Mr Ossip thanked Minns for attending the vigil Albanese on Sunday announced an internal review of intelligence agencies, ignoring calls for a federal royal commission 'The first duty of any state is to protect its citizens. The sad reality for me and our state is we didn't do that. I bear a deep responsibility for that as premier,' he said. Mr Ossip concluded his address to Sunday's vigil with a message of hope. He said Australian Jews had 'landed up in a dark place' but 'light can eliminate even the bleakest of places'. 'Until two years ago, Australia was always the lucky country for Jews. But, sadly, no more. We have lost our innocence. Last week took our innocence. And, like the grass here at Bondi was stained with blood, so, too, has our nation been stained,' he said. 'A single act of courage, a single flame of hope, can give us direction and point the path forward And that's what we have seen this week. Despite the incalculable tragedy which has befallen us, we have seen incredible manifestations of light.' 'I should just say that if you have not realised it yet - the terrorist picked the wrong community to mess with because we, the Jewish people, are unbreakable. 'Resilience is in our veins.' Historical Roots: Assyrian Rights to Their Ancestral Lands (AINA) -- In contemporary political discourse, the rights of indigenous peoples are too often reduced to numbers--population size, electoral weight, or demographic dominance. For the Assyrian people, this reduction is not only unjust; it is historically illiterate. The Assyrian right to their ancestral land in Mesopotamia does not derive from being a numerical majority today, but from an unbroken historical, cultural, linguistic, and spiritual presence that predates all modern states and borders. Rights rooted in history cannot be nullified by demographic engineering, forced displacement, or the passage of time. Assyrians are not newcomers to the land they inhabit; they are its original civilizational architects. From ancient Ashur and Nineveh to the villages of the Nineveh Plain, Hakkari, Tur Abdin, and Urmia, Assyrian presence is documented in cuneiform tablets, classical sources, church records, and living oral traditions. Long before the emergence of modern ethnic or national identities in the region, Assyrians cultivated the land, built cities, developed laws, and transmitted knowledge that shaped human civilization itself. No ethical or legal framework can credibly argue that such a people lose their inherent rights because they were later made a minority through violence and expulsion. International law and moral philosophy are clear on this point. Indigenous rights are based on historical continuity and cultural connection to land--not on present-day numerical strength. If numbers alone determined legitimacy, then genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced migration would become effective tools for erasing rights. The Assyrian case tragically illustrates this danger: massacres, deportations, and systematic marginalization reduced their numbers, but none of these crimes extinguished their historical claim. On the contrary, they reinforce it. To argue that Assyrians must "earn" their rights by demographic weight is to reward injustice and normalize historical crime. No people should be asked to justify their existence on their own land simply because they survived catastrophe. Assyrians did not abandon their homeland by choice; they were driven from it. Those who remain continue to safeguard its churches, language, and memory, often at great personal risk. Their attachment to the land is not symbolic--it is lived, inherited, and ongoing. The future stability and moral credibility of the region depend on acknowledging this truth. Recognizing Assyrian rights based on historical roots is not a threat to others; it is a corrective to injustice and a foundation for coexistence. A land that honors its oldest peoples strengthens its legitimacy and pluralism. For Assyrians, the demand is neither dominance nor exclusion--it is dignity, protection, and the recognition that history, not headcounts, is the true measure of belonging. An oil and chemical tanker sanctioned by the United States has entered Venezuelan waters, ship tracking data showed, despite US President Donald Trump declaring a total and complete blockade of such vessels transiting the country. The Gambia-flagged ship, named the Hyperion, was seen near a refinery off Venezuelas Amuay Bay on Friday after sailing through the Caribbean, according to ship tracking data. The ship had been sanctioned by the US on January 10, 2025, as part of efforts to reduce Russian revenues from energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN has reached out to the US State Department for comment. Venezuela slammed the blockade earlier this week, calling it a reckless and serious threat. It said it would continue to defend its sovereignty and national interests. Trump ordered the blockade after the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuelas coast last week. Blockades are considered an act of war under some international treaties. Last week, the US announced sanctions on shipping companies and vessels it says help move Venezuelan oil. Three nephews of President Nicolas Maduros wife, Cilia Flores, as well as another Maduro-affiliated businessman were also named in the sanctions list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US imposed additional sanctions Friday on other Maduro family members, including his sister-in-law. The sanctions are part of a monthslong pressure campaign against the Venezuelan government. The US has carried out deadly military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific and mounted economic pressure against Caracas as part of what it has described as a war against drug trafficking. Maduro has said that the US is seeking regime change along with ownership of Venezuelas territory and resources. The US has resisted that characterization, accusing Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker. CNNs Avery Schmitz contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The parents of the youngest victim of the Bondi massacre were seen dancing during a musical tribute to their daughter in a heartbreaking moment at Sunday night's vigil. Matilda, 10, had been at a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah near Bondi Beach Pavilion on December 14. She had just had her face painted and was playing with farm animals at a petting zoo with her six-year-old sister when the shooting began. Alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, are accused of killing 15 people at the family event and injuring dozens more. Matilda was shot in front of her little sister. She was rushed to hospital but couldn't be saved. On Sunday night, Australia held a minute's silence to mark the moment police first started receiving calls of the shooting at 6.47pm a week earlier. Matilda's parents were among the crowd at Bondi Beach during a memorial service, estimated to be 15,000-strong. In honour of his lost daughter, Matilda's father wore a kippah decorated with bee stripes - a tribute to his daughter's middle name. The parents of Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi massacre, attended a vigil on Sunday Matilda (pictured) was fatally shot while at a petting zoo with her little sister, celebrating the first night of Hanukkah Matilda's parents danced and held each other during a performance of Waltzing Matilda One of the most touching moments of the ceremony near Bondi Pavilion came during David Campbell's performance of Waltzing Matilda. Matilda's parents danced to the song bearing their daughter's name while thousands around them grieved the shooting that took 15 innocent lives. On top of the thousands applauding in-person, dozens of Aussies took to social media to praise Campbell's emotional performance. 'Very touching tribute by David Campbell singing Waltzing Matilda in honour of little Matilda, who unfortunately lost her life in the Bondi tragedy,' one person wrote. 'Geez, I love David Campbell,' another said. 'Bravo David Campbell for that Waltzing Matilda. Chills,' another person wrote. The candlelight vigil was part of a national Day of Reflection. Michelle Goldman, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, lit the first candle for the vigil at Bondi and started the minute's silence. An estimated 15,000 people turned up to the vigil in support of the victims and their loved ones, like Matilda's parents Matilda's father wore a kippah decorated with bee stripes - a tribute to his daughter's middle name David Campbell (pictured) gave the touching Waltzing Matilda performance on Sunday night The silence was broken by Australian Jewish musician Ben Adler who performed the national anthem. As the music was played by several musicians, including David Campbell, a montage showed images of the 15 victims and the thousands of flowers left at the scene of the massacre. Those victims were Boris and Sofia Gurman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Edith Brutman, Adam Smyth, Boris Tetleroyd, Marika Pogany, 10-year-old Matilda, Peter Meagher, Dan Elkayam, Reuven Morrison, Tibor Weitzen, Alexander Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, and Tania Tretiak. The number of migrants arriving in Britain on small boats this year has surpassed 41,000, casting further doubt on Labour's promise to 'smash the gangs'. The latest Home Office figures showed some 803 people made the dangerous journey across the English Channel in 13 dinghies from northern France, starting overnight on Friday and into Saturday. The total number of Channel crossings for 2025 now stands at 41,455 people. The annual record stands at 45,755, recorded at the end of 2022. Saturday's crossings are the largest number of people to have made the journey since October 8, when 1,075 crossed in a day. It also appeared to be a record number of crossings for a day in December in seven years, when compared with data stretching back to 2018. It is not, however, the largest total across the month of December compared with previous years. December is traditionally one of the quietest months for Channel crossings, with a combination of low temperatures, poor visibility, less daylight and stormy weather making the journey particularly difficult. The most arrivals recorded in the month of December is 3,254, in 2024. Some 2,163 people have arrived across the month so far this year. Your browser does not support iframes. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, from a RNLI Lifeboat on Saturday, December 20, 2025 The number of migrants arriving in Britain on small boats this year has surpassed 41,000, casting further doubt on Labour's promise to 'smash the gangs' On Saturday morning, a Border Force vessel could be seen bringing people thought to be migrants into Dover after an incident in the Channel. This followed a busy night, in which a large number of boats were witnessed leaving the shores of France. A video emerged yesterday of French police throwing tear gas at migrants as they tried to launch a small boat in the town of Grand-Fort-Philippe, near Calais. Fisherman Matthew Coker said earlier this month it was 'farcical' to claim Labour was getting on top of the problem. The lull in crossings in November, he said, was simply due to a prolonged period of strong winds and waves in the Channel this month. 'I've only had three [fishing] trips in the last 28 days and they were quite rough,' he said. 'There has been no weather at all where a migrant boat would have managed to cross in the last 28 days. When the weather has allowed, there's been massive numbers [of migrants crossing]. 'It's just as well we didn't have a fine end of the year, like we did last year, otherwise they would have been in real trouble with their numbers.' The Government, meanwhile, continues efforts to grasp the so-called 'upstream' causes of the migration crisis, including through work with neighbouring countries. Just this week, Germany passed a new law which could see people smugglers face up to 10 years in prison for trying to bring migrants to the UK. The law change, which will come into force before the end of the year, aims to give more powers to law enforcement and prosecutors, and boost information sharing between the UK and Germany. Join the debate What should Britain do to tackle the rising number of migrants crossing the Channel? Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. French police clashed with migrants on Saturday morning as they attempted to launch a dinghy in the small town of Grand-Fort-Philippe Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'This major change in German law is the result of our close partnership working to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime. 'We will continue to ramp up our international co-operation to strengthen our own border security.' France has meanwhile recently indicated it plans to halt small boats at sea before they pick people up heading for the UK. A Home Office spokesman said: 'The number of small boat crossings are shameful and the British people deserve better. 'This Government is taking action. We have removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally, and our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back. 'The Home Secretary has announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in decades, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here.' Nine people have been killed and at least 10 others were wounded in a mass shooting at a pub near Johannesburg in South Africa. The incident occurred just before 1am local time outside the Kwanoxolo bar in Bekkersdal, a township 28 miles outside the country's largest city. It is the second mass shooting to happen in South Africa in three weeks. About 12 unknown suspects in a white minibus and a silver car opened fire at pub patrons at the bar, in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police. 'Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,' the police said of the incident that left nine people dead and 10 in hospital. Provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC television that one of the deceased was a driver from an online car-hailing service who had been outside the pub. He also told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the perpetrators, armed with pistols and one AK-47, were 'unprovoked'. 'The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot,' he said. Nine people have been killed and at least 10 others were wounded in a mass shootingat a pub near Johannesburg in South Africa About 12 unknown suspects in a white minibus and a silver car opened fire at pub patrons at the bar, in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police Two of the victims were shot outside the tavern as they tired to flee and a third was a taxi driver who had dropped off a passenger nearby The incident occurred just before 1am local time outside the Kwanoxolo bar in Bekkersdal, a township 28 miles outside the country's largest city Two of the victims were shot outside the tavern as they tired to flee and a third was a taxi driver who had dropped off a passenger nearby, Maj-Gen Kekana added. Also speaking to Newzroom Afrika, one resident explained how gunfire had become a normal thing at night in the area. 'Criminals, they do as they please here,' the unnamed man said. 'These guns, they sound each and every evening... as soon as it's dusk we know that gunshots are about to sound and they will sound severely. 'It is terrorising our communities.' A manhunt for the suspects has now been initiated by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit. There have been several mass shootings at bars - sometimes called shebeens or taverns in South Africa - in recent years, including a mass shooting carried out by multiple suspects in an unlicensed bar near the South African capital that left at least 12 people dead and 13 injured earlier this month. Another shooting killed 16 people in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022. On the same day, four people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in another province. With almost 26,000 homicides in 2024, or more than 70 per day on average, South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides. Although the nation of 62 million has comparatively stringent gun control laws, officials say many murders are carried out using illegal firearms. Drivers are talking their way out of bans by telling the courts their cars are provided through the controversial Motability scheme, according to reports. The programme allows disability benefit claimants to swap their mobility allowance for a lease on a new car, which are also exempt from VAT and insurance premium tax. The Government recently announced a crackdown on the scheme amid criticism that claimants with minor conditions were driving luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes at taxpayers' expense. Now it has emerged that a string of drivers hauled before the courts for motoring offences have escaped disqualification by arguing they needed their Motability car to travel. More than a dozen drivers avoided bans in the past six months by bringing up their involvement in the scheme, an analysis of court cases by The Sun revealed. Among them was reported to be the case of Thomas Alcock, 18, who was caught doing 107mph in a 70mph zone - but escaped with a fine and five penalty points. The Government recently announced a crackdown on Motability amid that claimants with minor conditions were driving luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes at taxpayers' expense He was said to have told Lincoln Magistrates Court that his Seat Ibiza was a Motability car. Court records seen by the newspaper said: 'Imposed less penalty points as exceptional circumstances as clean driving record and disability. Magistrates took into account the Motability vehicle.' In another case, defendant Billie-Jo Morris, 28, faced court action after being caught speeding in a 50,000 Mercedes on the M6 toll road in Staffordshire. But after telling magistrates she was the main driver of her uncle's Motability car, the court reportedly accepted she faced 'exceptional hardship' and imposed a mere 40 fine and three points. Court records also showed driver Eshrat Katiraie, 56, escaped a six-month ban despite already having 12 points on her licence after she was caught using her mobile phone at the wheel. She told magistrates she was required to use her taxpayer-funded Toyota to regularly attend medical appointments in Nottingham, The Sun reported. Among the cases included Thomas Alcock, 18, who was caught driving at 107mph in a 70mph zone - but escaped with a fine and five penalty points after he told courts his Seat Ibiza was a Motability car Lord Man criticised the findings, telling the newspaper: 'There should be no preferential treatment to any driver, and that includes Motability. Any abuses undermine it.' Currently, 85 per cent of Motability claimants make additional payments to get better models. But out of the 300,000 vehicles currently leased through the scheme each year, only 10 per cent are wheelchair adapted - raising concern the scheme has become easily exploitable. In November, luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi were removed from the scheme after Rachel Reeves said it was 'unfair' for benefits claimants to receive such flash cars. The Chancellor said Motability was offering 'a premium motoring experience subsidised by the taxpayer' that was out of reach to many working families. Figures show nearly ten per cent of people in parts of the UK are entitled to lease a vehicle through the initiative. Among those eligible for the initiative are people receiving an enhanced rate of the mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is intended to help with the extra costs of living with a disability or health condition. There are growing concerns that the scheme is also propping up Britain's car market, with Motability vehicles more than one in five new cars sold last year. Last year, the cost of the scheme to the taxpayer increased by almost 10 percent to a staggering billion. Motability Operations said in a statement: 'We have no involvement in legal proceedings. We expect all users to drive in accordance with the law.' Wes Streeting has suggested Sir Keir Starmer must go further to undo Brexit - after refusing to rule out that he may run for leadership. The Health Secretary, 42, previously indicated that the UK could return to the EU customs union and has now piled even more pressure on the Prime Minister. In recent weeks, the Government said it would remain outside the customs union and single market, with no return to freedom of movement. Sir Keir has moved closer to the EU already, striking a fresh trade deal with the bloc in May this year that included concessions on red tape and fishing. But he is still facing more pressure from members of his party, with Mr Streeting suggesting the UK should rejoin the customs union. The Health Secretary told The Observer: 'The reason why leaving the EU hit us so hard as a country is because of the enormous economic benefits that came with being in the single market and the customs union. 'This is a country and a government that wants a closer trading relationship with Europe. The challenge is any economic partnership we have can't lead to a return to freedom of movement.' He added: 'We've taken a massive economic hit leaving the European Union. I'm really uncomfortable with the level of taxation in this country.' Wes Streeting (pictured) has suggested Sir Keir Starmer must go further to undo Brexit Sir Keir has already moved closer to the EU, striking a fresh trade deal with the bloc in May that included concessions on red tape and fishing Mr Streeting added that the Government has made a 'good start' with the revised deal but he would like to see things go further. He has refused to rule out that he may one day run for rulership, despite last month denying that he was plotting to oust the Prime Minister. He had been touted as a potential replacement to Sir Keir alongside Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is seen as a rising star in the Labour Party. Asked whether he was planning a leadership challenge, Wes Streeting previously told Sky News: 'No, and I think whoever's been briefing this has been watching too much Celebrity Traitors, and this is just about the worst attack on a faithful I've seen since Joe Marler was kicked out and banished in the final. 'It's totally self defeating briefing, not least because it's not true and I don't understand how anyone thinks it's helpful to the Prime Minister either.' Sir Keir is aware of the growing threat to his position and is 'already fighting the leadership election' by reaching out to Labour backbenchers, according to The Times. Angela Rayner has 'done a deal' to be Andy Burnham's running mate if he launches a leadership bid against the Prime Minister, sources claimed this week. Labour MPs backing Mr Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, said Ms Rayner has agreed to support his bid in return for her old job as Deputy Prime Minister, plus an unspecified senior Cabinet position. Mr Burnham has been searching for a safe Labour seat in the North to allow him to enter the Commons and challenge Sir Keir. Angela Rayner has 'done a deal' to be Andy Burnham's running mate if he launches a leadership bid against the Prime Minister, sources claimed this week Last week, The Mail on Sunday reported his Commons allies as saying they have found a seat which is 'likely to come free' in the coming months and which polling suggests that the so-called King Of The North should win. The seat was not identified, but sources say Mr Burnham has been talking to MPs in safe seats in Liverpool who might be prepared to stand aside, and been keeping a close eye on the Manchester seat held by Andrew Gwynne, who has been suspended from the Labour Party for sending racist and sexist messages. Mr Gwynne has said he does not plan to stand down. This newspaper has been told Mr Burnham held discussions with Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden over his seat, which he holds with a 20,245 majority. But sources said yesterday that the talks 'just didn't go anywhere'. Ms Rayner's backing would be a boost for Mr Burnham as the former Deputy PM who has not ruled out her own leadership bid enjoys strong support from Labour members who would vote in the contest. A Labour MP backing Mr Burnham said: 'My understanding is that the deal has been done. Angie would go back to being deputy and get a plum Cabinet job.' The son of a British woman detained alongside her husband in Iran has called on the UK Government to 'come out and defend them' as they prepare to spend Christmas inside Tehran's notorious Evin prison. Lindsay and Craig Foreman were taken into custody in January during a motorcycle tour around the world and were later charged with espionage. The couple, of East Sussex, deny the allegations. Mrs Foreman's son, Joe Bennett, told Sky News his family is being supported by the Foreign Office and has met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, but feels 'frustrated' by the Government's handling of the incident. He said: 'There is this policy, it seems, to sit and wait and allow this judicial process which is, in my eyes, a complete circus, to play out. 'We were told almost two months ago, when they last were in court, that a sentence would be passed in a couple weeks. We're now two months down the line and nothing has happened. 'I keep saying that we need to be being more accountable as a Government and speaking out. They are accused of espionage, spying for the British state, and yet that same UK Government won't come out and defend them and say that they completely deny the allegations.' Mr Bennett added the Foreign Office has indicated the Government does not want to be seen as interfering with the judicial process unfolding in Iran, but he believes enough time has passed. Lindsay and Craig Foreman (pictured), both 52, were arrested in Kerman, southern Iran, on January 3, as they embarked on a motorcycle trip around the world to Australia Joe Bennett has been forefront in campaigning for his mother and step-father's release He said: 'They're not being accused of something like shoplifting, or a petty crime, they are being accused of espionage. This is a state level charge of crime, and they need to be backing their UK citizens. 'That's what I believe needs to be done - taking a stand and saying: 'This isn't right, we do not agree with it, and we want our citizens home as soon as possible.'' He added: 'It feels like they're waiting for something. We're at a bit of a stalemate right now - Iran are waiting for the UK to move, the UK are waiting for Iran to move, and stuck in the middle are my parents and us.' Mr Bennett said his mother is 'suffering a lot with her skin and weight' owing to a lack of ventilation and poor conditions in the prison. He said: 'It is extremely dirty. She's cooking, the kitchen's filled with rats. It is dire, to be honest with you, for them both. 'They've lost a lot of weight because there isn't enough nourishment. They're eating rice and gristle every day. They can't really exercise. It's overcrowded and cramped.' As Mr Bennett and his family prepare to celebrate Christmas without Mr and Mrs Foreman, he said he feels 'a sense of guilt' while his mother is 'stuck in a cell', unable to celebrate. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns all British and British-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran because of a 'significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention'. The couple, from east Sussex, had intended to travel from Armenia to Pakistan via Iran when they were intercepted by authorities and later charged with espionage In a statement in October, a spokesman for the FCDO said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports that Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been charged with espionage in Iran. 'We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'The FCDO are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.' A Labour-run council faced a backlash after advising shoppers to 'sack off' the pre-Christmas rush on the High Street and shop online inside. The post on social media, which has since been taken down, comes as bricks and mortar shops, along with cafes and pubs, have been clobbered by the government in successive budgets. Rises in National Insurance, National Minimum Wage and the business rate revaluation have all hit shops and hospitality. The tongue in cheek message, written using slang, read: If you've still got Christmas shopping to do, and you're planning to go to town or elsewhere, sack it off and do it online instead, it's gonna be hammered now. In response, one furious local in Salford, Greater Manchester, said the council should be supporting local businesses not encouraging locals to avoid them. And Bob Clarke, leader of Salford City Councils Conservative group, told the BBC: We should be supporting our local shops as best as possible, and probably think things through before pressing the send button. It is slightly inappropriate, especially with the problems businesses are having with the current government with business rates and consumer confidence. According to the British Retail Consortium, December is among the most significant trading months for retailers, with Christmas shopping playing an important role in lifting sales volumes. The social media post by Salford City Council advising shoppers to 'sack off' the High Street Christmas shopping (see crowds on Oxford Street, central London, above) is viewed as one of the most significant trading periods for retailers A Salford City Council spokesperson said: Unfortunately, on this occasion, the tongue-in-cheek tone was slightly off. It was not intended to cause concern, but we responded quickly and removed the post. The council added that it has worked on a range of initiatives to help small businesses in the area. Its spokesperson added: Just two weeks ago we featured shopping local on our social media accounts, with a range of posts linked to the Small Business Saturday initiative and the free parking we offer at council car parks on Saturdays in the run up to Christmas. This work follows on from our award-winning Home is on your High Street campaign which we ran in 2022, which was aimed at encouraging people to return to local high streets after the Covid pandemic. Criminal migrants are avoiding justice by being smuggled out of the UK in lorries. A Daily Mail investigation found an Albanian, who should be behind bars himself, running a network helping crooks flee for 2,500. The mastermind brazenly operates his Returns from England business on social media, offering a stress-free express service for migrant fugitives, with passage 100 per cent secured. He boasted his team of corrupt drivers had trafficked at least 50 people to France after they commit crimes and want to go fast. Our shocking expose comes amid growing concerns about the number of newly arrived small-boat migrants accused of serious offences. This month, two Afghan teenagers were jailed for the rape of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Leamington Spa soon after crossing the Channel. And an audit found 11 others were recently convicted for attacking women in Britain. There are more than 1,000 foreign criminals including rapists, killers and terrorists at large in the UK, according to the latest figures. On Saturday, 800 migrants arrived in the country on small boats the biggest December day on record. The ruthless mastermind boasted his team of corrupt lorry drivers had already trafficked at least 50 people to France after they 'commit crimes and want to go fast' The kingpin brazenly operates his 'Returns from England' business - previously advertised on a now deleted TikTok account - offering a 'stress-free' express service for migrant fugitives with 'passage 100 per cent secured' An undercover reporter, acting as a middleman, made contact with the smuggler, who gave his name as Alfons and said one man he was helping to escape was facing 16 years in jail if caught. He added that he was happy to help murderers flee justice. Criminals awaiting sentence or suspects anticipating charges run the risk of being captured if they try to flee by booking a flight or ferry. But, unlike lorries coming into the UK, there are no checks on those leaving, Alfons claimed, and none of those he had smuggled had been intercepted. Now seemingly based in Belgium, he started his operation after cutting off his ankle tag and fleeing the UK to avoid jail over a cannabis factory. The Returns from England TikTok account used a video from an Albanian influencer with tens of thousands of followers. In it, the influencer known as Bandit says: Hey, contact our countryman and youre out by paying just 2,000. Contact our patriot for people who commit crimes and want to go fast, fast, before entering the mouse hole [prison]. Alfons, who raised the price to 2,500 for our reporter, said: I left on a lorry. If I had stayed, I was going to be in prison for one year. They arrested me inside a cannabis house. I had a fight with people who came to rob the house. The neighbours alerted the police. Asked why he wasnt held on remand ahead of the trial, he said: Prison was full. There wasnt any space, so they put an ankle tag on me. I cut it off. He boasted: I have taken 50 people out so far. No one has been caught yet. The fugitive would be hidden in a dedicated place in the back of the lorry. Giving his name as Alfons, he explained that one man he was helping to escape was facing 16 years in jail if caught - and was happy to help wanted murderers flee justice Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'It looks like the government can't control who comes in or who leaves this country. This criminal gang is making a mockery of our border laws and allowing dangerous criminals to escape' Do not worry. He will not be found, the smuggler said. There are no dogs or controls. Its not like when lorries are getting into the UK. We have a journey every week and not one will be found. Alfons, who was unconcerned when told by our reporter that the man planning to escape was a wanted murderer, said he used four drivers, all Kosovan-Albanians. He later sent our reporter a link to the meeting spot on the Maidstone M20 Services, in Kent, the last refuel and rest stop before the Eurotunnel terminal connecting to the Continent. The drop-off point was set to be Aire de Saint-Hilaire-Cottes, 40 minutes inland from Calais. When the reporter was uncertain about what day he could leave, the smuggler bluntly told him: We do not have journeys on demand, like taxis. There arent journeys every day. Asked about the trustworthiness of the drivers, he replied: Are you provoking me? Do you know who I am? On the planned journey date, he rang frantically, with the lorry driver on another line, as he tried to direct our reporter to the waiting driver. Our reporter did not go ahead with the journey. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: It looks like the Government cant control who comes in or who leaves this country. This criminal gang is making a mockery of our border laws and allowing dangerous criminals to escape. This man needs to be jailed. Foreign criminals need to be prosecuted and once theyve served time in prison, deported permanently. We cannot allow dangerous criminals to avoid justice. Last week it emerged that another gang had smuggled more than 240 migrants to France from the UK. Alfons account was removed before the Daily Mail approached TikTok for comment. The Home Office said: We apply targeted checks to outbound vehicles, and our work with law-enforcement partners has already led to arrests and convictions for hundreds of offences this year. Terrifying body camera footage captured the moment a brazen shoplifter tried to shoot a police officer at point-blank range inside an Ohio Walmart. Police said that the culprit was only stopped from carrying out the heinous shooting because his weapon appeared to malfunction. Trouble arose when Shane Newman, 21, and Katarina Jeffrey, 23, were allegedly caught trying to steal from a Walmart located in Canton on Thursday afternoon. Walmart's security called the police on the culprits as they tried to leave the premises with the items that they allegedly did not pay for. When the responding cop arrived, Newman and Jeffrey were taken to the stores loss prevention office - where the situation took a heart-stopping turn. According to the video from the shocking ordeal, the encounter began calmly. When a cop asked Newman if he had anything on him that law enforcement should know about, the alleged attempted shooter said he only had a cellphone. Newman then voluntarily handed over a container of illegal drugs, Fox 8 reported. As captured by the body camera, which had been placed on a table inside the office, Jeffrey asked if they were going to go to jail. Shane Newman was allegedly captured on body camera footage pulling out a gun - which apparently malfunctioned - as Katarina Jeffrey sat beside him on Thursday Shane Newman had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the incident and was considered 'armed and dangerous' Katarina Jeffrey was also arrested because police allegedly found roads of ammunition on her 'Not unless something crazy happens,' the officer replied. Newman and Jeffrey were seen sitting on a couch, with Newman telling an employee: 'I told her not to steal.' 'You did it too,' a woman off camera snapped back. 'She watched you walk over and put an item in the bag off the shelf.' After a few quiet moments, Newman slowly reached into his backpack before abruptly pulling out a gun and pointing it at the police officer, who was standing just steps away. 'No, no, no, no, no ,no!' Jeffrey screamed as the chaos erupted. As the cop yelled, 'Hey!' the store security guard lunged at Newman, managing to pry the weapon from his hands as the police officer flashed a gun of his own at the firearm-wielding suspect. Jeffrey appeared to run to the other side of the office as the police officer and store workers tackled Newman to put him in cuffs. Fortunately, no bullets were fired - although the cop said Newman had tried. Retelling the event to his commanding officer, the cop said that Newman 'pulls the gun out, points it at my head and pulls the trigger. It doesnt go off.' He later told Walmart supervisors that just moments before the deadly weapon was drawn, he discovered that Newman had an active warrant for his arrest and was considered 'armed and dangerous,' as per Fox 8. The responding deputy said that he would have fired his own weapon, but was afraid he would strike the Walmart employee in doing so. He also admitted that he completely missed the gun when he searched Newman. Newman faces charges including attempted murder, felonious assault on a peace officer, robbery and aggravated possession of drugs. A heroic store security guard jumped into action to disarm Newman as the police office pulled out his gun The terrifying ordeal occurred at a Walmart in Canton, Ohio Authorities said that due to his previous criminal history, he is also charged with having weapons under disability. He is being held in the Stark County jail on a $1 million bond. Jeffrey allegedly had two 9mm rounds on her, according to police. She was charged with complicity to commit robbery and having weapons under disability for possession of the ammunition. 'This incident is a reminder of the ever-present threat of violence against police officers and the gracious provision of Gods protection,' Canton Police Chief John Gabbard said in a statement on Friday. 'Thank you to all of you who regularly pray with me for our officers and our community.' A Walmart spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Daily Mail: 'The safety and security of our customers and associates is always a top priority. 'Were proud of the brave action our asset protection associate took to maintain the safety of everyone in our store. We'll continue to work with police as they investigate.' The Daily Mail has reached out to the Canton Police Department for comment and more information on Newman's criminal history. An elderly woman has been found dead beside a bloodied skateboard in her New York City apartment, with police treating the case as a homicide. The New York Police Department (NYPD) told the Daily Mail that Zhu Hou, 76, was found dead on Monroe Street in Manhattan's Chinatown on Friday. Officers found Hou dead in her apartment in Knickerbocker Village with 'trauma to the head and body' just before 8pm, a spokesperson for the NYPD said. Her cause of death has not been formally confirmed. The case is being investigated as a murder, and no arrests have yet been made. The New York Post reported that Hou was found beside a 'bloodied skateboard' and police believe her son may be the killer. Her son, who has not been named, was the person who dialed 911 on Friday night. He has a history of mental illness, according to the Post. Neighbors said they heard shouting coming from Hou's home the day before she died, which continued through the night into Friday morning. 'I'm not scared,' an anonymous neighbor told the Post. 'They'll catch them. There are cameras all over the buildings.' An elderly woman has been found dead beside a bloodied skateboard in her New York Cityapartment and police are treating the case as a homicide The New York Police Department (NYPD) told the Daily Mail on Sunday that Zhu Hou, 76, was found dead at her apartment on Monroe Street in Manhattan's Chinatown on Friday Officers and paramedics found Hou dead in her apartment in Knickerbocker Village with 'trauma to the head and body' just before 8pm, a spokesperson for the NYPD said They added that Hou's son was strange. 'He was always off. But I didn't think he was dangerous until Friday,' they said. Photographs show police officers searching the Knickerbocker Village apartment complex on Friday night. Officers were seen removing bags of evidence from the scene. Paramedics also moved a stretcher from the home with what appeared to be a body bag on top. Knickerbocker Village is a government-subsidized housing complex which borders Chinatown and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It comes after Pulp Fiction actor Peter Greene was also found dead inside his apartment in the Lower East Side. Greene - known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and The Mask - died at the age of 60 on December 12. Police said that Greene's body was found unresponsive inside his residence at 'around 3.25pm'. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Edwards, who was his manager for over 10 years, told the publication that Greene - who was known for playing iconic villains - 'was a terrific guy'. Peter Greene - known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and The Mask - has died Authorities said the medical examiner is still working to determine the cause and manner of death, and it remains unclear whether Greene died as a result of homicide, suicide, drugs, or another cause. Sources also told TMZ that police were contacted after neighbors reported loud music coming from inside Greene's apartment for several days. Officers then conducted a welfare check, used a locksmith to enter the unit, and one neighbor claimed Greene was found face down on the floor, with a handwritten note also discovered inside the apartment. The neighbor told the New York Daily News: 'Peter was lying on the floor, facedown, facial injury, blood everywhere' The note reportedly said 'I'm still a Westie,' which appears to be a reference to the Irish-American gang who had operated out of Hell's Kitchen from 1970. An illegal migrant from Guatemala has been accused of strangling a beloved cab driver to death following a dispute about a fare in a sleepy upstate New York town. Santos Paulino Vasquez-Ramirez has been pictured beaming from ear to ear after he was charged with murdering father-of-four Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez on December 1. Police issued a missing persons alert for the victim, legal Ecuadorian migrant Zhunio-Orbez, 66, on December 6, saying he was last seen in Brewster. But the search ended in tragedy when a fisherman found his body floating in the Croton Falls Reservoir the next day, around 3.5 miles away from the town. The Department for Homeland Security (DHS) said 27-year-old 'criminal illegal alien' Vasquez-Ramirez strangled the driver before dumping his body in the water. The alleged killer then stole Zhunio-Orbez's black Toyota Sierra and fled the scene. Photographs released by the DHS show him smirking in prison scrubs as he was escorted to a detention facility by two government officials. An image obtained by the New York Post also shows Vasquez-Ramirez grinning widely as he looked out at the camera from the backseat of a police cruiser. Santos Paulino Vasquez-Ramirez, 27, an illegal migrant from Guatemala, has been accused of strangling a cab driver to death following a dispute about a cab fare in Brewster, New York Police issued a missing persons alert for the victim, legal Ecuadorian migrant and father-of-four Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez (pictured), 66, on December 6, saying he was last seen in Brewster The DHS said Vasquez-Ramirez illegally entered the US in October 2013, and they blamed the Obama administration for allegedly 'releasing him into the community'. 'Santos Vasquez Ramirez should've never been in our country in the first place and provided the opportunity to gruesomely take the life of Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez,' Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'Open border policies have deadly consequences. 'ICE lodged an arrest detainer with local authorities to ensure this criminal illegal alien is never allowed back into American neighborhoods. 'Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is targeting the worst of the worst.' An immigration judge also issued Vasquez-Ramirez with a removal order on January 22, 2016, during Trump's first term in the White House. It's unclear how he managed to remain in the country for nine more years. People who knew Zhunio-Orbez said the alleged killer, who lived in Pawling, New York, had taken the cab several times before, and they had recently been arguing about a fare. Sometime after 11am on December 1, Vasquez-Ramirez escalated the feud and killed the driver in his car, before dragging his body to the woods close to Croton Falls Reservoir, police said. He then stole the taxi and abandoned it close to Purdy's MetroNorth station, police said. Zhunio-Orbez's body was found a week later by a horrified fisherman. The alleged killer stole the cab driver's Toyota Sierra (pictured) and fled the scene Zhunio-Orbez was remembered for being a 'loving father' who 'had a great love for animals' Zhunio-Orbez was from Azuay, Ecuador, and he had been working as a taxi driver in New York for the past four years, according to his obituary. He leaves behind a wife and four children Zhunio-Orbez was from Azuay, Ecuador, and he had been working as a taxi driver for Orbe's Taxi Service for the past four years, according to his obituary. 'He was dedicated and responsible in his work,' reads the obituary, which is translated from Spanish. 'He enjoyed cooking for his family, watching Western movies, playing volleyball, and spending time with his dog, Pecas. 'He loved the church and served as a missionary leader. 'He listened to country music, always had a positive attitude, and his favorite expression was "Holy Mother" when he was surprised or happy. 'He was very considerate and helpful to others.' Zhunio-Orbez leaves behind four children, and his wife Irene Fernandez. A fundraiser has launched to support his heartbroken family remembered him as a 'loving father' who 'had a great love for animals'. The victim of a fatal shooting in northwest London has been named and pictured for the first time as police continue to search for his killer. Simon Whyte, 55, was killed in a gun attack on West End Close in Stonebridge on Friday night. Officers rushed to the scene at 9.35pm, where despite the best efforts of police and paramedics, the victim died at the scene. Mr Whyte's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers, the Metropolitan Police said. Currently no arrests have been made and no other injuries were reported. Police are now appealing for information from members of the public. Officers are asking for anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward to assist their investigation into Mr Whyte's death. They said they are particularly keen to hear from a small group of people who were nearby when the shooting happened. Simon Whyte, 55, died after he was shot on West End Close in Stonebridge on Friday night Detective Chief Inspector Neil John from the Met's specialist crime team said: 'There's no doubt this incident will cause concern in the local community and more widely, but we have increased patrols in the area. 'I'd like to reassure the public that our investigation remains a priority. 'I would urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information, including dashcam footage, that will assist us with our enquiries to contact us at the earliest opportunity. 'We also believe there was a large group of people congregated nearby at the time the incident happened, and we are keen to hear from them.' Anyone with information is urged to contact the Met Police. The suspect who allegedly killed two Brown University students and an MIT physicist in a multi-day shooting spree harbored a decades-old grudge over his own failed scientific career, investigators believe. Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, was known in his youth in Portugal as a brilliant yet egotistical physicist who won national science competitions and dazzled with his intellect. But after graduating from Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST), Portugal's top scientific university, friends said Valente struggled when he moved to the US in 2000 for a new challenge, and found his studies at Brown University underwhelming. Those who knew Valente said he was an ego-maniac who believed the Ivy League college was beneath him, and dropped out after several months because he felt the classes were too easy. Scott Watson, a physics professor at Syracuse University who befriended Valente at Brown, told the Boston Globe that he remembered the alleged killer as a complicated, unhappy student. 'He could be kind and gentle, though he often became frustrated sometimes angry about courses, professors, and living conditions,' Watson recalled. Another former associate at Brown, Kamran Diba, a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, told the outlet Valente was a spiteful student, and said it was 'sad and upsetting the hate this person kept for so many years.' Valente is believed to have crossed paths with one of his alleged victims, acclaimed MIT physicist Nuno F.G. Loureiro, while studying at IST in their native Portugal over 20 years before he allegedly shot Loureiro in his Boston home on Monday. Two days before allegedly shooting Loureiro, Valente is also accused of opening fire on a classroom at Brown University, killing two students and injuring nine others. Valente was found dead by self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thursday night inside a storage container in New Hampshire. Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, who allegedly killed two Brown University students and an MIT physicist in a multi-day shooting spree, harbored a decades-old grudge over his own failed scientific career, investigators believe Valente, seen on surveillance cameras during the five-day manhunt to catch him, was remembered as a spiteful, egotistical yet brilliant physicist in his youth whose scientific ambitions failed to pan out Valente is believed to have crossed paths with one of his alleged victims, acclaimed MIT physicist Nuno F.G. Loureiro (pictured), and harbored a grudge against Brown University where he studied over 20 years ago In the ongoing search for Valente's true motive, investigators have reportedly delved into the alleged gunman's past brushes with the two sites of last week's tragic shootings. A fuller picture of Valente's background has emerged since he was identified as a suspect, as he has been described as an intelligent student who became scornful when his scientific ambitions failed to come to fruition. Authorities say Valente and Loureiro attended university in Lisbon together in the late 1990s. But while Loureiro went on to become an acclaimed physicist whose work on nuclear physics was lauded at a number of institutions where he worked, Valente was barely remembered by his peers. Law enforcement officials say Valente won a place to study physics in Australia in 1995 after participating in a national physics Olympiad in 1994, and after graduating IST he moved to the US to further his scientific career. He arrived on an F-1 student visa in 2000 and became a lawful permanent resident in 2017, officials said. While studying at Brown University in the early 2000s, but current Brown President Christina Paxson said in a reported email to staff and students this week that no current Brown faculty could recall Valente. A memorial for Brown University shooting victims Mukhammad Aziz Amurzokov and Ella Cook seen on the campus following the tragic attack last week Hundreds of law enforcement agents including ATF and FBI joined the manhunt for Valente, who was not caught until his body was found in a New Hampshire storage unit after five days Watson told the Boston Globe that he was essentially Valente's only friend at the university, and said they had a connection despite what he described as Valente's standoffish nature. 'During orientation he was sitting alone, and I walked up and said hello. He was terse at first, but we eventually broke the ice and became close,' Watson told the outlet. Watson said Valente had a prodigious scientific mind, but failed to engage with the classes and eventually dropped out. 'He was by far the best graduate student in our class. Through our conversations, he was already ready to graduate when he arrived,' he recalled. 'I dont like the word genius, but he was.' He added that Valente also detested his daily life in the US and hated that Brown did not have high-quality fish like he enjoyed in Portugal. Although the pair dined out at a local Portuguese restaurant during their studies, the conversation would often devolve into Valente ranting, Watson said. He said the last time he spoke to Valente was when he tried to dissuade him from leaving Brown, but 'he refused, and that was the last time I heard from him.' Valente was tracked to a storage facility in New Hampshire via a grey Nissan car (pictured) that he rented and was tracked to both shootings at Brown and MIT Diba said he also remembered Valente as a spiteful student who came to detest his life at the university he would go on to allegedly open fire at. 'Many of his classmates were interested in chatting with more senior graduate students, but I dont recall him being that way,' Diba said. 'Its sad and upsetting the hate this person kept for so many years.' Criminologist James Alan Fox told the Globe that Valente's story is not an anomaly, and campus shooters often follow a similar decline - a once promising individual who grew hateful and violent after failing to live up to their own expectations. 'People who fail when they feel like they have such promise thats hard to take,' Fox said. 'Mass shooters tend to see themselves as victims victims of injustice... They want to punish people who they hold responsible for their misery.' The leader of the group representing the most prestigious independent schools in the UK says the governments controversial tax raid on them has failed to fund new teachers. Philip Britton, current chair of the Heads Conference (HMC), said there had been no wider benefit to state education despite Labour promises that money raised from levying VAT on fees would fund 6,500 new teachers. Meanwhile since the policy was introduced in January, 81 private schools have closed, many citing VAT as a contributory factor, with more closures expected and around 25,000 pupils have been forced out of the sector by rising costs, the Independent Schools Council estimates. Calling for a proper impact assessment on young people and local economies, the chair of the HMC, the oldest Heads association in the world, which has over 400 members in the UK and internationally including Eton, Harrow and Winchester, said: Millions have been removed from the local economy in my area alone through VAT payments. What real impact on state school funding locally has that added? Mr Britton also slammed the government for shape shifting about where the money it raises from the new tax, which levies 20 per cent onto fees, is going to. He said: The purpose of VAT in the election was unequivocally to employ 6,500 more teachers for the state sector. This purpose has shape shifted. Government can again do as it wishes and taxes are not hypothecated but we can also note that we have noticed the shifting sands. Philip Britton, current chair of the Heads Conference (HMC), said there had been no wider benefit to state education despite Labour promises that money raised from levying VAT on fees would fund 6,500 new teachers His comments came as it was revealed the government has delayed publishing its recruitment plan for the new teachers which it had pledged to detail this month. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said this week that instead of recruiting teachers, there were now 400 fewer. And Mr Britton also accused the government of not telling the truth about the new tax. He said Labour was still perpetuating the myth that they had removed tax breaks from schools instead of admitting they had just slapped a new tax on them. It is not alright to say things that are not true, said Mr Britton, an MBE for services to Physics education, who has headed Bolton School, one of the oldest schools in the country, for 17 years. They are not tax breaks. The High Court judgment (on the new tax) earlier this year made this very clear. They are new taxes which were a manifesto commitment. Government should just own that let us not have the language of tax breaks any more. Criticising the government for its continued trite responses to challenges on the policy, he said: We are better at debating as a society than these carefully crafted "spokesperson" statements that we are expected just to read and believe. The latest version was - a government spokesperson said: Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise 1.8billion a year by 2029-30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94 per cent of children in state schools to achieve and thrive. Honest, open and straightforward talk is needed about the detriment this policy has brought and also, at present, lack of benefit to wider education. Latest figures show 41,200 left the teaching profession in 2023/4, around ten per cent of the workforce Too much is written that some figures are not recognised or not accepted but there is a truth there somewhere: a truth that some pupils have been uprooted, teachers and support staff left without work and the economies of local infrastructure weakened. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said yesterday that it was no surprise Labour had delayed their plan on how to deliver their key manifesto pledge when there are 400 fewer teachers since Labour came into office. Schools have faced a litany of broken promises from the Labour Party. They claimed taxing education would fund 6,500 new teachers, but the PM himself said this was going towards housing illegal migrants, she said. Meanwhile latest figures show 41,200 left the teaching profession in 2023/4, around ten per cent of the workforce. A Government spokesman said: 'We are delivering on our promise to recruit 6,500 teachers with over 2,300 more secondary and special schoolteachers in classrooms this year, as well as 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the profession one of the lowest leave rates since 2010.' The latest release of the Epstein Files by the US Department of Justice has unveiled another tie between President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. Hollywood film director Brett Ratner, who is presently leading the production of a documentary film about first lady Melania Trump, set to release next month, is pictured in the Epstein files cozied up to Jean-Luc Brunnel, a now-deceased French modeling agent and longtime associate of Epstein. The photo of Ratner and Brunel was undated and lacked a location where it was taken or any further context. The documents released Friday originate from three separate investigations into Jeffrey Epstein's crimes against young women. Many of the files appear to stem from a 2005 police investigation in Palm Beach, Florida, followed by a federal probe that culminated in Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal. Others relate to a later investigation launched by Manhattan prosecutors in 2019 - a case that was never finished after Epstein died in jail while awaiting trial. Trump and Melania were pictured with Epstein during several events in the early 2000s. Still, the President is said to have severed ties with the late financier and known pedophile decades ago. Ratner and the White House have been contacted for comment. The revelation is the latest in a slew of negative press for Ratner. American film director Brett Ratner (right) poses with Jean-Luc Brunel in an undated photograph released by the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, US, on December 19, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein First lady Melania Trump, pictured in her upcoming film 'Melania' set to be released on January 30, 2026 Ahead of the film's release, past sexual misconduct allegations against him have also resurfaced. Once a prominent Hollywood filmmaker, Ratner became embroiled in the #MeToo movement in 2017 after a Los Angeles Times investigation reported that six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused him of sexual misconduct. Ratner has consistently denied the allegations and was never criminally charged. Nevertheless, during a recent episode of The View, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who worked for former Vice President Mike Pence during the first Trump administration, criticized the First Lady's decision to work with Ratner. Griffin said his history distracts from the project and raises concerns about placing the First Lady in an uncomfortable position. While she said the allegations gave her pause, Griffin added that she might still consider watching the documentary when it becomes available. 'What bothered me about this doc, the director has been accused of sexual misconduct by many prominent actors, Griffin noted on a recent episode of The View. 'He denies all allegations, but I wouldn't, as a staffer, put the First Lady in a position of working with somebody who had that history. It's a distraction from it,' Griffin continued', also noting that Ratner's ties make her 'on the cusp of even wanting to watch it.' In addition to the original accusations, Ratner was also accused of rape by Hawaii resident Melanie Kohler in 2017, a claim he denied. Brett Ratner is seen on May 7, 2023 in Miami, Florida He filed a defamation lawsuit against Kohler, which he later dropped in 2018. More recently, in 2023, actress Rebecca Romijn said she had negative experiences working with Ratner on X-Men: The Last Stand, stating she felt he 'had it coming' when his career stalled, though she declined to provide further details. Ratner had not directed a film in nearly a decade before being selected for the Melania documentary. He was previously known for his work on the 'Rush Hour' series, as well as other films, including X-Men and War Dogs. According to reports, Melania Trump was a fan of his work, and sources claimed she did not view his being 'canceled' as a drawback. The project has reportedly drawn concern from Secret Service agents and others due to Ratner's past, especially given that he was granted extensive access to the Trump White House during filming. A Michigan construction worker who lost an eye after being savagely punched by a police officer has been awarded $4 million. A jury granted Daniel Reiff the payout on Monday after Clinton Township Police Officer Broc Setty used 'excessive force' on the young man by punching him so hard he went blind in one eye, the lawsuit obtained by the Daily Mail detailed. Reiff, 37, was on his way to a roofing job in Clinton Township on April 2, 2021, when a neighbor called the non-emergency number reporting a 'suspicious person,' the lawsuit stated. Reiff had just gotten off a bus and headed on his way when he suddenly saw police approaching him in a cruiser, his attorney, Jon Marko, told FOX 2. After having a brief conversation with Clinton Police Officer Hadstock, who asked him where he was headed, Rieff instinctively ran from the cops because he has a past history with drugs and anxiety, Marko said, per the outlet. 'Reiff believed that, because he had done nothing wrong, he did not need to stay and talk with Hackstock,' the complaint, filed in March 2023, read. That's when Setty, 38, started to chase the young man in his police car, speeding 'the wrong way down a three-lane highway, needlessly endangering the public,' the lawsuit read. Setty soon exited his vehicle and ran on foot after Reiff, as he was heard in bodycam footage screaming 'Whoo, baby, Im gonna tase you, bro,' the lawsuit said. Daniel Reiff lost sight in his left eye after Clinton Township Police Officer Broc Setty violently punched him on April 2, 2021 While chasing him down, Setty (right) screamed: 'Whoo, baby, Im gonna tase you, bro' When he caught him, the officer demanded he get on his 'f***ing stomach or I'll punch you!' before he followed through with his promise and punched him in left eye, per legal documents. Not only was he left without his sight, but Reiff also suffered severe facial and orbital fractures, a doctor found, according to the lawsuit. He had to have multiple surgeries and have metal screws placed in his face after his eyeball 'squished like a grape,' his lawyer said. Following the violent incident, Reiff demanded a jury trial after stating he suffered not just physical damage from the injury, but emotional and traumatic suffering as well. 'Reiff continues to experience fear, distrust, and anxiety regarding law enforcement officers,' the lawsuit read. Four years after the vicious attack, a jury has awarded Reiff $4 million in compensatory damages and another $50,000 in punitive damages. Reiff (pictured before the incident) demanded a jury trial after stating he suffered not just physical damage from the injury, but emotional and traumatic suffering as well Bodycam footage captured Setty chasing after Reiff before punching him in the face Not only was he left without his sight, but Reiff also suffered severe facial and orbital fractures, a doctor found Marko said a lot of that money will be put toward his client's medical bills that have grown to be hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is unclear if Setty is still a police officer, but he was previously featured on the department's Facebook page in a post about his work with a non-profit organization dedicated to a fallen Michigan police officer. In another post from January 2022, the department announced Setty was promoted to Sergeant. The Daily Mail contacted Marko, the Clinton Township Police Department, and Setty for comment. Britain's last blast furnaces could be turned off under plans considered only eight months after they were saved by unprecedented state intervention, leaving the UK unable to produce virgin steel. Taxpayers money has been used to continue operations at Scunthorpe steelworks, which was losing 700,000 a day under Chinese ownership, but losses have since ballooned to over 1m a day. British Steel, which runs the giant North Lincolnshire plant employing 2,700 people, was taken under government control under emergency legislation in April after Chinese owners Jingye were days from closing it down. MPs were called into parliament on a Saturday - for only the sixth time since the Second World War to approve the move. Now, it has emerged ministers are considering plans to end steel production at Scunthorpe and merge British Steel with Speciality Steel UK (SSUK), currently in the hands of the official receiver. The proposal would see SSUKs mothballed electric arc furnace at Rotherham, South Yorkshire, restarted to provide steel to meet British Steels orders which include supplying Network Rail and the construction industry. Closure of Scunthorpe, home to the UK's last two blast furnaces still in operation, would make Britain become the only country in the G7 group of the worlds leading industrialised nations unable to produce its own virgin steel the reason the government stepped in to keep it open. Electric arc furnaces recycle existing scrap steel rather than make the product from new. Despite ministers pledging support for Scunthorpe, a string of government-backed projects could use foreign steel, including offshore wind turbines as well as a 2.1bn scheme to build new small modular reactor nuclear power stations. Scunthorpe steelworks employs 2,700 and houses Britain's last two blast furnaces Today, the Mail on Sunday revealed another 4bn gas-fired power station and carbon storage scheme, Net Zero Teesside part-funded by taxpayers - may use 7,000 tonnes of Chinese steel. Andrew Griffith, Conservative shadow business and trade secretary, accused the government of a lack of joined-up thinking in failing to ensure taxpayer-funded contracts use British steel when it is being subsidised by another part of the state. He said: This is an example of a botched renationalisation. Mr Griffith said he is concerned Jingye, who still own Scunthorpe steelworks as no agreement has yet been reached with the government, may yet be let off the hook for potentially huge clean-up costs if the works close. He said: I fear the government may leave the taxpayer picking up Chinas liabilities. Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary at the steelworkers union Community, called the proposals to close Scunthorpe extremely concerning and scarcely believable. He said: The loss of the UKs last-remaining primary steelmaking facility a vital strategic asset for the country would represent a devastating blow to national security and sovereignty. Community and the wider trade-union movement will not accept the closure of the blast furnaces outside of a long-term investment strategy that secures the future for Scunthorpe steelmaking. Join the debate What does losing our ability to make virgin steel mean for Britain's future independence and security? Shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith has criticised the government's 'botched renationalisation' of British Steel which has seen losses balloon The proposed merger of British Steel with SSUK, formerly part of Indian-born tycoon Sanjeev Guptas metals empire which was taken under state control in August, is among one of several options, Whitehall insiders say. The condition of the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe is understood to be poor and they will need to be replaced in the long-term either with new blast furnaces or with an electric arc furnace, a proposal the government was discussing with Jingye. Merger is said to be favoured by Jon Bolton, who co-chairs the governments Steel Council, The Sunday Times reported. But the mothballed furnace in Rotherham would require significant investment to get back up and running, senior industry sources say. Industry figures are reportedly split on whether Rotherham could produce the correct types, grades and gauges of semi-finished steel and in sufficient quantities to meet British Steels contracts. Jingye is believed to be seeking 1 billion compensation from the UK government in return for handing over its shareholding in British Steel. UK government officials are understood to be offering to wave through Chinas controversial new mega embassy in London in exchange for reducing the bill. The scale of how much British Steel has cost taxpayers was revealed by industry minister Chris McDonald earlier this month - totalling 274m, or over 1m a day. Steel has continued to face difficult market conditions due to pressure from a glut of cheap, state subsidised steel - principally from China - driving down prices, US tariffs and the threat of European tariffs of 50pc next year. The government has yet to announce what action it will take to curb cheap imports, currently subject to a quota system which industry insiders dismiss as pointless because levels are set too high. A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade, which has postponed publication of its long-awaited Steel Strategy setting out how 2.5bn will be spent safeguarding the industry this parliament, said: 'We will ensure a bright and sustainable future for steelmaking and steel jobs in the UK and are continuing discussions with Jingye over the long-term future of the site.' British Steel declined to comment further. In a fresh blow to UK steel producers, it emerged manufacturers face mountains of paperwork from January on exports to the EU because the government has yet to secure an expected exemption from new green taxes. Brussels' carbon border adjustment mechanism is due to begin in the New Year but UK Steel says Britain's exemption is unlikely to be in place before Easter, resulting in a requirement for detailed paperwork on exports. This includes a detailed paper trail of carbon emissions generated during the manufacturing process. Frank Aaskov, the director of energy and climate change policy at industry body UK Steel, said: 'It is going to have significant negative impact. The paperwork is definitely significant.' It comes after Ineos tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe called for the government to 'scrap carbon taxation' on carbon dioxide emissions, calling it 'the most idiotic tax in the world' which 'simply squeezes the life out of home production as there is no cash left for investment and we end up replacing home produced goods with imported products from places that still burn coal'. In one concession, the government is giving heavy industry, including steel, a 90pc rebate on electricity network charges from April. An art dealer who sounded the alarm on Jeffrey Epstein's sickening affinity for child pornography a decade before the FBI investigated the disgraced financier said he scared her into silence by threatening to set her home ablaze. Maria Farmer, who Epstein once hired to help him buy artwork, has long asserted that she filed a complaint against the sex offender in September 1996. On Friday, the FBI finally released a copy of the document - solidifying what Farmer has been arguing for years. 'Ive waited 30 years,' Farmer told The New York Times. 'I cant believe it. They cant call me a liar anymore.' But she said it does not negate the fact that investigators 'harmed all of these little girls' by not taking her concerns seriously. In the released complaint, which has Farmer's name redacted, authorities wrote that she had taken photos of her 12 and 16-year-old sisters for her personal portfolio that Epstein stole. Farmer, who was 25 at the time, claimed that Epstein 'sold the pictures to potential buyers' and told her 'that if she tells anyone about the photos, he will burn her house down,' as per the document. The now 56-year-old visual artist clarified in an interview that the photos Epstein stole included nude images, according to the NY Times. Maria Farmer, who Epstein once hired to help him buy artwork, filed a complaint against the sex offender in September 1996 Farmer said that Jeffrey Epstein stole photos of her two young sisters and threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone The complaint also alleged that Epstein had asked Farmer to go to swimming pools and take photos of little girls there. 'She has consistently and repeatedly said that in 1996, she reported Jeffrey Epstein to the FBI after having reported him to the New York Police Department,' Farmer's lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, told the Associated Press. 'She reported Epstein and she reported Ghislaine Maxwell as well for child sex abuse crimes, including child pornography.' Freeman said that the FBI sharing documents that back up Farmer's claims for the first time in three decades is 'remarkable.' 'As far as we can tell, it looks like the government did absolutely nothing,' Freeman continued. 'Horrible things have happened, and had they acted - had they investigated in even the smallest way - they could have stopped him.' Despite Farmer's 1996 report, Federal investigators did not launch an official probe into the predator until May 2006. After serving less than 13 months following a plea deal, he was released until authorities looked into the child sex offender again in July 2019. Sisters Annie Farmer (left) and Maria Farmer (right) have both spoken out about being victimized by Epstein About a decade went by after Maria Farmer complained about Epstein before the FBI investigated him for the first time Epstein's sex trafficking accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, seen in an image recently released by the DOJ, is serving 20 years in prison Epstein, 66, died by suicide in New York City's Metropolitan Correction Center the following month while he was awaiting trial. Farmer said that the complaint released on Friday only skims the surface of her concerns regarding the Epstein case, as it does not mention Maxwell, 62, or any of the other powerful people in his orbit, including Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. The artist said she parted ways with Epstein after he and Maxwell sexually abused her. This was around the same time that she realized the photos of her sisters were missing. One of Farmer's sisters, Annie Farmer, 46, had also experienced sexual abuse at the hands of Epstein and Maxwell, a former British socialite who is now serving 20 years in prison for her role in the sex trafficking plot. Annie provided a key testimony during Maxwell's trial, in which she detailed being invited to Epstein's ranch in New Mexico when she was just 16. She said he had climbed into bed with her to 'cuddle,' at one point massaging her bare chest. 'My sister, Maria Farmer, reported Epstein and his crimes in 1996 - so we've been saying that over and over again,' Annie said while speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper on Friday. 'It described Epstein stealing photos of myself at the age of 16, of my younger sister who was 12 at the time.' She continued: 'Just to see it in writing and to know that they had this document this entire time and to know how many people were harmed after that date...it has been very emotional. Annie Farmer was sexually abused by Epstein when she was a teenager and testified against Maxwell during her trial Maria Farmer began working for Epstein as an art dealer when she was just 25 years old Epstein (pictured with Maxwell in an image released by the DOJ) killed himself in prison in 2019 'I'm with Maria today, I know she felt a tremendous amount of relief, redemption, but also sorrow, in thinking about people like Virginia Giuffre who are not here to see this - to be a part of forcing the government to be transparent finally about this case.' Survivors and lawmakers have criticized the Trump administration for its handling of the release of the Epstein files. Skeptics have also called out how heavily redacted and context-lacking the files have been. Congress voted for the files to be shared with the public. Trump, who initially opposed the release, signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on November 19 and gave the Department of Justice a 30-day timeline for the release. The mandate was supposed to be carried out by the specified deadline date of Friday, December 19. But top brass at Trump's DOJ admit that they were not able to meet the deadline, and that there are still hundreds of thousands of documents to come. The Daily Mail has reached out to the FBI for comment. An Oregon man and his family dog have narrowly avoided death after a tree split their home in two while they were sleeping - but miraculously left them both unscathed. Rick Sanders was asleep in bed with his Labrador Leo when an enormous Douglas fir crashed through their roof during a storm at around 3am Wednesday morning. His wife, Patty Robleto, was on vacation in Costa Rica at the time and missed the chaos which unfolded in the Portland metro area. Dramatic photographs show how a towering conifer smashed through the roof of their south Tualatin home, caving it in and destroying much of the top floor. The tree fell directly above the bed where Sanders was sleeping, but miraculously stopped short of crushing him and his dog by inches. Images show how the trunk stopped just short of crushing the bed, while creating a huge hole in the roof and scattering debris across the top floor of the home. Their neighbors, Shawn and Christy Anderson, were kept awake by the howling winds and witnessed the tree crash down on the home next door. 'I just knew that it had to hit one of their houses,' Shawn Anderson told Oregon Live. 'And it wasn't going to be good.' An Oregon man and his family dog have narrowly avoided death after a tree split their home in two while they were sleeping - but miraculously left them both unscathed Rick Sanders was asleep in bed with his Labrador Leo (both pictured) when an enormous Douglas fir crashed through their roof during a storm at around 3am Wednesday morning Anderson said he and his wife immediately sprang into action. He grabbed a flashlight from his van and sprinted toward the house while his wife dialed 911. He crashed through their joint fence then rushed into the home. Anderson said he burst into the bedroom where Sanders was sleeping and was shocked by the scene. Chunks of the ceiling were still raining down on the bed, and the tree trunk ran through the center of the room, Anderson said. 'I could see parts of the tree branches and the tree inside of the bedroom as I looked in their window,' he said. 'It was just like a bomb had gone off in the bedroom.' Fearing the worst, he looked inside and started banging on the window. Robleto told Oregon Live her husband was jolted awake by the tree fall, and it took him a while to realize what had happened. 'He was just kind of like, not even sure if he was being robbed or what was going on,' she said. 'He said he realized there was a tree right over our bed and our dog was right next to him.' Sanders eventually crawled out from under the tree with Leo, and both were miraculously unscathed by the freak natural accident. However, their house was destroyed by the storm. Along with the collapsed roof, a gas line broke outside the home, filling the air with a strong odor. Smelling the gas, the neighbors scrambled to leave the scene while emergency services arrived to secure it. Dramatic photographs like the one above show how a towering conifer smashed through the roof of their south Tualatin home, caving it in and destroying much of the top floor A Pineapple Express is a storm struck Oregon and surrounding states on Wednesday morning Robleto said she first heard about the chaos over the phone when her husband called to let her know what happened. 'I don't think I fully processed until I saw pictures,' she told Oregon Live. 'I think at the moment I was just thankful he was okay.' Robleto said her neighbors offered them a place to stay, while others said they would dig through the debris for any surviving belongings - though the couple declined this over fears the house was not stable. 'That's been so heartwarming to me,' Robleto said. 'What a blessing to look at our circle of neighbors that just showered my husband with support and being like, 'what can I do?' Robleto added that the experience has reminded her of what's most important in her life. 'I'm just so thankful that they're alive,' she said. 'I'm like, 'man, screw the rest of the stuff. It's all materialistic stuff.' Erika Kirk shocked the internet with an embarrassing slip of the tongue while honoring a student in her late husband's name. The 37-year-old was presenting the Charlie Kirk Courage Award to Utah Valley University student Caleb Chilcutt at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest when she stumbled over her words. 'Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband, Caleb has persisted with the same grift, gift, grit... it has been a long day.' 'Trust me you're not a grifter, honey,' she then told Chilcutt. 'It's all good.' Chilcutt has also run with Erika's slip up, writing 'Turning Point's favorite grifter' in his Instagram bio. The four-day conference in Phoenix, Arizona, featured prominent MAGA and conservative firebrands who spoke on panels and celebrated the life and legacy of activist Charlie Kirk. But Erika's gaffe stunned viewers, with some going as far as to say she was calling the student or even her late husband a 'grifter'. Social media users flooded X calling her slip up 'incredible', with one even labeling it a 'Freudian slip'. Erika Kirk poses with student Caleb Chilcutt during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest on Saturday Erika Kirk had an incredible slip of the tongue moment when honoring an honor student. pic.twitter.com/a8VSZf38wg Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) December 21, 2025 Erika Kirk smiles during Student Awards at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025 on Saturday Erika and Charlie Kirk, the pair were married for four years and have two children 'Oops that wasn't supposed to come out,' one user wrote of the awkward moment. Others slammed her reaction, with one writing: '"It has been a long day!" There's always an excuse.' Some even went as far as saying she meant it: 'Freudian slip or on purpose? Hard to tell with Erika,' one user wrote. 'She meant EXACTLY what she said,' another X user wrote. Chilcutt was presented with the courage award on Saturday for his effort to memorialize Charlie Kirk's legacy on and off campus. The college senior, who is also the chapter president of Utah Valley University's TPUSA chapter, has 'worked to establish an official memorial' for Charlie, according to his bio. Erika's slip of the tongue has taken the internet by storm, with some making jokes that conservative podcaster Candace Owens had something to do with it. 'She was thinking about Candace Owens,' one X user wrote. Erika looks on as a student from Utah Valley University is given an award during AmericaFest, the first Turning Point USA summit since the assassination of Charlie Kirk For weeks Candace Owens and Erika have been at war, slugging each other across social media, podcasts and TV panels over the late TPUSA boss Charlie. Owens has been airing wild conspiracy theories over Charlie Kirk's death, while Erika has been defending her husband, scrambling to preserve his legacy. But the pair sat down to thrash out their grievances in person on Monday, and both described their five-hour meeting as 'productive'. If you are going to Antarctica, there is only one company I recommend traveling with: National GeographicLindblad Expeditions . What stood out was the travelers' loyalty on board. Many guests were repeat passengers, some returning for their second or even tenth trip with Lindblad. One of the guests had just completed the trip and decided to jump onto another leg to do it again. Another defining feature was expertise. Through National GeographicLindblads visiting scientists and educators program, researchers and teachers are invited to join expeditions to conduct real fieldwork. On my sailing, one scientist was researching algae in Antarctic waters, while three educators were participating as Grosvenor Teacher Fellows, taking part in the daily presentations of scientific and educational context. National Geographic also has its elite team of naturalists, divers, photographers, and videographers on expeditions. We were shown underwater footage daily by onboard divers, and professional National Geographic photographers offered workshops, gear advice, and even lens loans. Knowing their photos and videos would be available for guests to download allowed me to put my camera down most of the time to experience everything. Loved this branded parka I got to keep (Kaila Yu) What surprised me most was the number of solo travelers on board. There were around 15 solo passengers. Solo travel to Antarctica is trending, and the ship is designed to accommodate it, with dedicated solo cabins and a social atmosphere. Shared dinner tables encouraged meeting new people, and crew members regularly joined guests at meals. Even the badass female CEO, Natalya Leahy of Lindblad Expeditions, was on board, which was an unexpected bonus. Advertisement Advertisement From the warm expedition parka provided to every guest to the option to rent knee-high waterproof boots for landings, the logistics are thoughtfully handled. I cover exactly what I packed and what I recommend bringing here. The passionate crew and people made the trip unforgettable, including our adventurous Captain Martin Graser, hotel manager Christian, our expedition leader Stefano Pozzi, and onboard photography expert Rich Reid, amongst many more! National Geographic Resolution to Antarctica (Andrew Peacock) The Voyage The ship is engineered for polar exploration, a type of ice-breaker ship with its distinctive X-Bow design. Inspired by nature, the bullet-shaped bow minimizes wave impact, improves stability, and reduces disturbance to marine wildlife. Another standout is the ships azipod propulsion system, which offers remarkable maneuverability in Antarcticas sometimes treacherous waters. Combined with its Polar Class 5 rating, the Resolution is built to handle Antarctic conditions, from reinforced hull and propellers to powerful propulsion and onboard systems designed for extreme cold. Because anchoring in Antarctica is nearly impossible, the ships advanced technology allows it to maintain position without traditional anchoring. On our voyage, we were the southernmost ship in the region (a major flex!) and even explored new landing areas. Advertisement Advertisement It takes about two days to cross the Drake Passage each way, making four days of choppy seas. While there is an option to fly over the Drake Passage, I would only recommend that for travelers who become extremely seasick. Crossing the Drake is a rite of passage. I dont typically get seasick, though sleeping was a bit tricky on the rockier nights. I was hoping for an infamously wild crossing, but according to one crew member, our Drake was rated just a six out of ten. Elephant seals (Rich Reid) Highlights There were countless unforgettable moments on the ice, shortly after arriving and braving the Drake Passage, a pod of orcas swam directly up to the ship, the best kind of welcome to Antarctica. On this expedition cruise, no two voyages are the same. Every day is shaped by weather and ice conditions. The goal is typically two excursions daily, most often a zodiac cruise and a landing. Penguins (Rich Reid) Our first landing was at Neko Harbor, one of Antarcticas most popular sites and home to around 500 nesting gentoo penguins. It was endearing to watch the male penguins waddle slowly across the ice, carefully carrying rocks back to their nesting partners. Advertisement Advertisement On another day, we encountered an emperor penguin. I had no idea they were so tall, like a small child! One of the naturalists shared that he had not seen an emperor penguin in this area in more than 20 years of traveling here. The penguin was completely alone and remarkably curious, walking right up to us and playfully sliding across the ice on his belly. We landed on ice which allowed us to directly get off from the boat onto the ice, not promised on every voyage! (Kaila Yu) We were also able to step onto the Antarctic continent itself not guaranteed on every voyage. Another rare highlight was landing on an island of hundreds of elephant seals, not a promised stop on every expedition. National Geographic Resolution cabin (National GeographicLindblad Expeditions) I didn't have to leave my bedroom for stunning views (Kaila Yu) Room I stayed in a Category 5 Bridge Deck cabin, Room 702. The balcony cabin was comfortable, featuring two balcony chairs, a hammock, and a small table, which quickly became a favorite place to meditate and enjoy the stunning scenery. Inside, the room had one full-sized bed, a coffee table, a writing desk with a chair, two bedside tables, and a closet, which felt quite spacious for an expedition cruise. The heating system was also straightforward to use and customize to my ideal temperature. Advertisement Advertisement Housekeeping was highly flexible, offering two cleaning times, a morning refresh, and an optional turndown service. Guests are also given a branded reusable water bottle to keep for the voyage and beyond. Cook's Nook tuna (Kaila Yu) Dining The food was a major highlight of the trip. Dining is all-inclusive, including meals and basic alcohol. Cabins are also stocked with beer, wine, and sodas. There are two main restaurants, along with a daily 4 PM tea service featuring desserts and sandwiches. Two Seven Zero is the primary ocean-view dining room. Breakfast is served buffet-style with additional a la carte entree options. Lunch and dinner are seated, multi-course meals, both followed by dessert. One detail I especially appreciated was the option to order half portions, which allowed me to sample multiple entrees in a single meal. I took advantage of this on several nights. I cant believe they had okonomiyaki on board and it was good! There was almost always at least one Asian entree selection at lunch. (Kaila Yu) There were also a few buffet-style dinners. A standout was the Filipino buffet night, a thoughtful nod to the onboard Filipino staff. In addition to nightly rotating menus, there were daily staples available at every meal, including a chicken breast, striploin steak, ship-made pasta, and either a Caesar or green salad. Menus also leaned into regional influences when possible. A delicious chocolate bomb of a dessert (Kaila Yu) Tres leches cake. Chef's kiss to our pastry chef, I ordered dessert at every meal because he hit it out of the part everytime. (Kaila Yu) Advertisement Advertisement A special highlight was the made-to-order pasta, available at every meal, with a wide variety of pasta shapes and sauces. Also, many of us looked forward to the daily fresh-baked bread selections at lunch and dinner. Tupaia is the more casual dining venue, serving breakfast and lunch with relaxed menus for quicker dining. Cooks Nook (Kaila Yu) The Chefs Table experience was an especially special touch that sets this cruise apart from its competitors. Every guest on board received an invitation at some point during the voyage. On the first night, solo travelers were seated together, which felt like a genuinely thoughtful detail that invited friendships for the upcoming journey. Read a more detailed description of what we ate at the meal here. Onboard daily science lectures (Kaila Yu) On Board Activities Daily programming included expert-led lectures on wildlife, Antarctic history, and polar science. Most attendees are passionate about nature and wildlife, so these were all well attended. The Igloo (Kaila Yu) The Igloo The viral igloo experience on one of the ship's top decks was truly magical. Access is first-come, first-served, and guests typically have around ten opportunities to reserve a slot, depending on weather conditions, which can occasionally cancel availability. While the igloo is unheated, I stayed perfectly warm using the three hot water bottles provided. It is also conveniently located just steps from the sauna and hot tub, making it easy to warm up quickly afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Polar Plunge (National GeographicLindblad Expeditions) The Polar Plunge I always knew I was going to do the polar plunge, but we had no idea when it would happen. It was not listed on the schedule, and I assumed it would take place on the final day. Instead, on the second-to-last day in Antarctica, the crew suddenly announced it before dinner, giving us just one hours notice to get ready. After signing a waiver, about half the ship participated, making it a memorable, adrenaline-filled moment that felt spontaneous and celebratory. Half of our shipgoers participated, which was impressive! National GeographicLindblad Expeditions hosted me on this trip, and all opinions expressed are my own. Former Nickelodeon star Tylor Chase has been found homeless on the streets of Los Angeles in a heartbreaking video, which his co-stars have described as 'scary.' The 36-year-old, who played Martin Qwerly on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide in the 2000s, was filmed looking dirty and disheveled in Riverside this September. The woman who filmed the video started by asking Chase if he was on the Disney Channel. 'Nickelodeon,' Chase clarified, adding that he was on 'Ned's Declassified.' 'Oh yeah, you're that kid on it,' the fan responded, as Chase told her his full name. The video sparked widespread sadness on social media - and, once Chase's former co-stars heard about it, they also expressed their shock. Actors Devon Werkheiser, Daniel Curtis Lee and Lindsey Shaw addressed the news on Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide on September 24. 'There was some bad news that I received earlier this week about our dear friend Tylor Chase. It was a lot to process for me,' Lee said, describing the video as 'scary.' 'When I first saw, I was angry, because I was like, why put a camera on someone's face in hard times? Former Nickelodeon star Tylor Chase has been found homeless on the streets of Los Angeles in a heartbreaking video which his co-stars have described as 'scary' Chase, 36, played Martin Qwerly on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide in the 2000s 'But then I was upset with myself because I feel powerless because there's not much that I felt I could do.' 'I didn't want to believe it at first, I was like, oh they just caught him at a bad time,' Lee added. 'But then I saw some other videos, and it looks like a brother is going through some stuff. 'I fully believe that he can recover, but that's also wishful thinking from me. 'I gotta go and see him, and want to get through this fight, and try to connect with him somehow, but I also don't want to waste my time and put him on the spot.' Shaw agreed that she was 'in the same boat' as Lee and wanted to go see Chase in person. 'You can't do much, but I would love to go speak with him and just love on him and look him in the eye,' she said. 'I miss Tylor, I love Tylor so, so much.' 'It's a lot to see... and even begin to have an idea of what to do about it,' Werkheiser added. His co-stars Lindsey Shaw, Devon Werkheiser and Daniel Curtis Lee at the 18th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Westwood, California, in 2005 Werkheiser said that although he hated to see Chase exposed at a vulnerable time, he believed that the woman who posted the video had 'her heart in the right place.' 'It is painful and shocking to see where he is currently at... It's hard to see someone you know and love from a really special time, and a really sweet person, that this is where life has currently ended up, is hard, man,' he said. Arizona-born Chase started his acting career as a teenager in the early 2000s. He is best known for playing Qwerly, but also starred in Everybody Hates Chris in 2005 and as Young Adam in the 2008 James Franco flick Good Time Max. The Daily Mail has reached out to Nickelodeon for comment. The United States has made its latest move against Venezuela as it pursues a third oil tanker near Venezuela. A US official told Reuters that the Coast Guard is in 'active pursuit' of the illegal vessel as it ramps up operations against Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro under orders from President Donald Trump. 'The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned 'dark fleet' vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion,' the official said. 'It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.' A second official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms - including by sailing or flying close to vessels of concern. It is also the third such interception by the US military, after Trump announced a 'blockade' of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela last week. So far, the Trump administration's drone strike campaign against Venezuelan boats have killed 95 people. The White House claims these boats are ferrying illegal drugs to the US at the direction of Maduro and his government. No evidence has been provided to the public to substantiate allegations of Maduro's involvement. A boat sails in front of a crude oil tanker anchored on Lake Maracaibo near Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela, on December 18, 2025 On Sunday, officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued. British maritime risk management group Vanguard, along with a US maritime security source, identified the vessel as Bella 1. The large crude oil carrier was added last year to the sanctions list of the US Treasury Department, which said the vessel has links to Iran. Bella 1 was empty when it was approaching Venezuela on Sunday, according to TankerTrackers.com. The vessel in 2021 provided transportation for Venezuela's oil to China, according to internal documents from state-run oil company PDVSA. It had also previously carried Iranian crude, according to the vessel monitoring service. The first two oil tankers seized were operating on the black market and providing oil to countries under sanctions, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House's National Economic Council, said on Sunday. 'And so I don't think that people need to be worried here in the U.S. that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships,' Hassett said on CBS' 'Face the Nation' program. 'There's just a couple of them, and they were black market ships.' Join the debate Should the US use military force to stop Venezuela's oil exports, or is this crossing a dangerous line? The White House claims these boats are ferrying illegal drugs to the US at the direction of Maduro and his government Analysts have warned the new seizures may push oil prices slightly higher when Asian trading resumes on Monday. 'We might see prices increasing modestly at the opening, considering market participants could see this as an escalation with more Venezuelan barrels at risk' because the tanker intercepted on Saturday was not under U.S. sanctions, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. Tensions have escalated between the two nations in recent months, and some members of Congress have pushed for the US to get directly involved in a conflict with Venezuela. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared on Capitol Hill earlier this week to brief Senators on strikes conducted by US military forces in the Caribbean on targets that the administration has described as Venezuelan drug boats. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham noted after one of those Tuesday briefings that Hegseth and Rubio did not provide details about what the White House's plan is for dealing with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. 'It was confusing I want to know what's going to happen next. Is it the policy to take Maduro down? It should be if it's not,' Graham said at the time. Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, another Republican, told CNN State of the Union host Kasie Hunt on Sunday that he would support regime change in Venezuela, but did not commit to providing US arms or boots on the ground in the country. 'I would tell you, the United States' position for now six years, I believe, has been that [Maduro] is not the recognized leader of Venezuela,' Lankford told Hunt. 'We have supported the opposition leaders, the past two opposition leaders in Venezuela. We put sanctions on them,' he added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrive for an event at the State Department, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Washington Senator Tim Kaine speaks to the press following weekly policy luncheons, in Washington, DC on December 16, 2025 When asked about providing boots on the ground and arms in the country, Lankford said 'arms is a different issue. That's a very different issue in that case. We -- if you break it, you buy it,' 'We have seen that when we pushed out the leadership in Libya, and it's just a collapsed, fail state at this point,' he also noted, before concluding by saying that 'Venezuela is destabilizing the entire Western Hemisphere,' and that America 'should not allow that to happen.' Democrat Senator Tim Kaine, however, said that despite his previous criticism of Maduro being an illegitimate leader, the US should not be pursuing a regime change. Instead, Kaine told NBC's Meet The Press moderator Kristen Welker that sanctions and other tools should be used to punish Maduro, adding that 'we definitely should not be waging war without a vote of Congress.' Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has not been afraid to, at times, buck President Donald Trump and his entire wing of the GOP, and his latest comments are no exception. While appearing on ABC's This Week on Sunday, Paul was asked about the future of the Republican Party and whether he would support current Vice President JD Vance as the 'heir apparent' GOP nominee for president. 'We saw Erika Kirk endorse JD Vance already for 2028 for president,' said host John Karl, who filled in for regular host George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. 'That was interesting. But also interesting was, so did Marco Rubio who in that article in Vanity Fair, said that 'if JD Vance runs, he'll be the nominee, and I'll be one of the first to support him.' I know it's early. What do you make of this? Is JD Vance the heir apparent here,' Karl continued, pushing Paul for an answer. Paul then set out to draw an ideological line between himself and Vance, without mentioning him by name. 'I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,' Paul responded. 'See, it used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem, we didn't want less revenue, we wanted less spending. But now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in. That has never been a conservative position. So I'm going to continue to try to lead a conservative free-market wing in the party, and we'll see where things lead over time,' Paul continued. Karl then doubled down on his previous question, asking, 'And that's not JD Vance?' Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul was asked Sunday, December 21st by ABC This Week Host Jonathan Karl if he would back JD Vance for president in 2028 Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks at Uline Inc., in Alburtis, Pennsylvania, U.S., December 16, 2025 Rand Paul discuses Erika Kirk and Marco Rubio endorsing JD Vance on ABC's This Week Paul replied 'no,' ending the interview with an abrupt but decisive answer. Erika Kirk, wife of the late conservative activist and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, pledged to support her slain husband's friend JD Vance in the 2028 election during the kick-off of TPUSA's America Fest conference, better known as AmFest. Kirk made the early announcement on Thursday during the organization's first America Fest conference since the murder of her husband. Erika, 37, told the crowd that she wanted to see a huge victory for the Vice President, who is due to speak at the event in Phoenix, Arizona, later on Sunday. 'We are going to get my husband's friend, JD Vance, elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible,' Kirk said in reference to him becoming the 48th president after Donald Trump. Her comments were met with rapturous applause and cheers, which briefly drowned her out, even though the Vice President has not yet unveiled any plans to run. JD Vance and his wife Usha honored the late Kirk by flying his casket from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two following his campus assassination at Utah Valley University. Civil servants could be banned from taking part in Pride marches following a new legal challenge. Campaigners argue that the official participation of Whitehall staff at LGBT parades suggests to the public they have 'taken a side' on contentious gender ideology. The Christian Institute has now lodged papers at the High Court demanding a judicial review of the involvement of civil servants in the events, claiming it breaches laws on impartiality. And it is using the same legal team that has led to many uniformed officers barred from joining Pride marches, after a judge agreed that Northumbria Police breached its duty to remain neutral on contentious topics like gender ideology. The move comes after the Daily Mail revealed that taxpayers' money is being used for civil servants to attend Pride marches. More than 3,000 was paid to four event organisers this year so that groups of Government employees could join in the official parades around the country. On Sunday, Christian Institute Deputy Director Simon Calvert said: 'The law is clear that civil servants must maintain impartiality on controversial political issues. 'Whether one agrees with it or not, no one can deny that the LGBTQ+ Pride movement and its hard-line gender ideology are profoundly political. 'As Linzi Smith's successful judicial review of Northumbria Police determined, involvement in Pride signals support for a highly contentious set of political demands. It is inappropriate for civil servants to be officially endorsing Pride.' While in opposition in 2022, Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer took part in a Pride march The Civil Service LGBT+ Network organises groups of officials to attend Pride parades He added: 'I have been working in public policy for decades. I've been shocked by how many civil servants wear Pride lanyards in our meetings with them, even when those meetings are specifically about conflicts with that ideology. 'Sitting in front of a phalanx of civil servants in rainbow lanyards gives the impression that their minds are closed on the issues we are discussing. It certainly does not communicate the kind of neutrality that taxpayers expect of civil servants.' Legal papers submitted by the Christian Institute, in which Sir Keir Starmer is the first defendant in his official role as Minister for the Civil Service, specifically challenge the participation of civil servants in Middlesbrough Pride in September. Officials who joined the march were told by the Civil Service LGBT+ Network: 'It is important to remember that at Pride events we are representing the Civil Service and must act in accordance with our rules and code.' But the Christian Institute says that the participation of the officials, who were 'wearing t-shirts and carrying flags identifying themselves as members of the Civil Service', in fact breached their duty under law and the Civil Service Code to 'carry out their duties with objectivity and impartiality'. 'These activities amounted to associating with a cause, viewpoint or set of interests on a matter of social or political controversy, namely gender ideology,' according to the submission. 'Gender ideology is, in short, the contested view that persons may have a gender which is different from their biological sex, and it is opposed by gender-critical persons and organisations such as the Claimant.' A Government spokesman said: 'Our full focus is on delivering for working people - raising their living standards, reducing hospital waiting lists, putting more neighbourhood bobbies on the beat, and growing our economy. 'To deliver that vital work we provide an inclusive environment for all staff, boosting productivity and opening up opportunities across the country.' Two teenagers have died and another is fighting for his life in hospital after a crash in Surrey. A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving after the smash in Hurst Green, near Oxted, on Saturday night, police said. Officers were called to just before 10pm on Saturday to reports that a white Tesla had smashed into a tree, with three fire engines also rushing to the area. One man in his late teens died at the scene, while another passed away later in hospital. The families of both victims have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. A third man also in his late teens remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the Tesla was taken in with serious injuries. Holland Road remained closed into today between the junctions with Popes Lane and Warren lane while the investigation continued. Surrey Police were today appealing for witnesses. The fatal crash happened on Holland Road in Hurst Green, Surrey A statement from the force read: 'A 30-year-old man from Oxted has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. 'We are asking anyone who may have witnessed this collision to get in touch. 'We are also seeking CCTV, dashcam, or helmet cam footage that may have captured all or part of this incident.' Anyone with information about the crash is urged to get in touch with Surrey Police quoting PR/ 45250153201. They can do this via the 24/7 live chat service on the website, using the online form to provide an update or by calling 101. A flight attendant was found dead in a five-star Dubai hotel room after being stabbed at least 15 times with scissors - and her ex-husband has been arrested. Albert Morgan, 41, from Russia, was detained on suspicion of murder after he touched down in St Petersburg, a court said. Investigators believe the legal consultant 'stalked' his former partner to the United Arab Emirates this week after being consumed by jealousy. He is said to have falsely believed she was working as an escort for VIP passengers whilst they had been in a relationship. Morgan reportedly posed as a guest to gain access to her room in the Voco Bonnington hotel with the intention of smearing her with green paint and cutting her hair with scissors. But a row broke out between the pair when he appeared, which allegedly ended with Morgan launching a frenzied attack with the scissors before fleeing. The 25-year-old was found with at least 15 stab wounds to her neck, torso and limbs, according to officials. Morgan, who adopted the family name of the US banking dynasty, lived for two years with the woman in St Petersburg whilst they were together. Albert Morgan, 41, was arrested in St Petersburg on suspicion of murder He allegedly 'stalked' his ex-wife to Dubai to confront her after reading her private messages The flight attendant's body was found in the five-star Voco Bonnington hotel in Dubai After they broke up, Morgan is said to have accessed her private messages - which prompted him to make the 2,700-mile flight to confront her. He allegedly travelled to Dubai with an accomplice - a bailiff from St Petersburg - who followed the victim from the lobby to figure out her room number. Then, after donning a hotel robe from the laundry room, Morgan is said to have persuaded a maid to let him into the room, claiming he had forgotten his key. Dubai police identified the suspect from hotel CCTV and notified Russian authorities, who made the arrest. Before being detained, Morgan reportedly sent requests to be dispatched to fight in Putin's war against Ukraine. Signing up to fight is a common loophole used by many alleged criminals in Russia to evade justice. Despite this bid, Morgan was detained by police and has been remanded in custody for two months pending further investigations. Morgan applied to go and fight against Ukraine ahead of his arrest The woman's body was found in the hotel room with at least 15 stab wounds During their two-year marriage, the woman had several times called police over conflicts with Morgan but then withdrawn her complaints against him, say reports citing law enforcement sources. Court footage shows the suspect wearing a hat and mask as he appeared before a Russian judge. A court statement read: 'The Oktyabrsky District Court of St Petersburg has ordered Albert Morgan to remain in custody as a preventive measure, accused of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code (murder).' Investigative officials in St Petersburg said: 'According to investigators, between December 17 and 18 of this year, the man, while stalking the victim, with whom he had previously been in a relationship, stabbed her at least 15 times in her vital organs with a stabbing or cutting object, resulting in her death. 'After committing the crime, the man fled the country and was arrested upon his return to St. Petersburg.' The scale of Scots children targeted in sextortion scams can be revealed amid shocking figures that show more than 90 per cent of the sickening crimes go unsolved. The deceitful schemes see victims - mainly young men - enticed into sending explicit photos or videos to someone who has befriended them online by pretending to be someone else. Once they have secured intimate images, the criminals reveal their true intentions and order their victims to send them money to prevent the images being forwarded to friends and family. Police Scotland figures obtained by the Mail show more than 200 children under the age of 16 were the victims of the crime of threats and extortion in less than 18 months with a further 329 victims aged 16 to 18. The force has repeatedly said that crimes of a sexual nature make up the majority of all extortion reports. Worryingly, the new statistics show the detection rate for this type of crime is less than 10 per cent, meaning the vast majority go unsolved. The tragic impact the crimes can have was brought into sharp focus last year when it emerged one terrified teenage victim had taken his own life. Tragic schoolboy Murray Dowey, 16, from Dunblane, Perthshire, committed suicide in December 2023 after being tormented by criminals in a sextortion scam. Children all over Scotland are at risk of sextortion scams online Scottish Conservative shadow minister for children and young people Roz McCall said: These figures are truly terrifying for parents and young people. Sextortion is a sickening, and growing, crime that destroys lives, so it is deeply alarming that so few offenders are being brought to justice. SNP ministers need to work closely with our justice system to ensure they have the resources to combat these threats and punish offenders. That includes investing in technology to identify those anonymous criminals blackmailing young victims. These vile predators need to know that Police Scotland which is stretched to breaking point by SNP cuts has the resources to come after them. Last year, Police Scotland recorded 1,759 crimes of threats and extortion of which just 143 were detected. Between January and May of this year a further 731 of the crimes were recorded, with 43 detected. Of the crimes committed last year, 141 victims were children under the age of 16, with a further 81 youngsters of the same age targeted up to and including May of this year. A further 225 youngsters aged 16 to 18 were targeted last year and a further 104 of that same age so far this year. The remaining victims were all aged over 18. The predominantly online nature of the crime means the perpetrators targeting Scots are usually based abroad or manage to disguise their location entirely. Previous analysis showed 56 per cent of the criminals were 'outside of Scotland' while the location of a further 37 per cent was 'unknown'. Murray Dowey was a happy teenager before he was targeted by online One group of cybercriminals, the Nigeria-based 'Yahoo Boys', are thought to have extorted thousands from British teenagers. Earlier this year, a shocking example of the ages of some victims emerged when parents of pupils at a Scots school were told an eight-year-old girl had been targeted in a sextortion scam. Police Scotland said keeping young people and the wider public safe remains an absolute priority and it will continue to work with a wide range of partners to raise the awareness of sextortion and its harmful consequences. The force also said its business plan includes the creation of a Cyber and Fraud command, which will help tackle the issue. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: Sextortion can be committed by individuals however, organised crime gangs based overseas are often responsible, which can make it a more difficult crime to detect. He also urged victims not to panic or pay or be embarrassed to report the crime to police, a parent, guardian, teacher, or someone they trust. He added: Our officers are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to identify those responsible and will ensure that they are reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. A former soldier who sexually assaulted four members of cabin crew on one flight and forced it to divert has been jailed. Joseph McCabe, 40, 'smirked' as he groped and grabbed four Jet2 stewards on a holiday flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife - and now finds himself on the sex offenders register. The builder ripped up a written warning about his drunken behaviour after making sexual comments to one woman about her tights and makeup, and asking her age and where she lived. McCabe groped and slapped the buttocks of two air stewards before grabbing a third around the waist and trying to hug a fourth. He also threw his bank card at an airline employee and danced down the aisle during the outrageous episode in March last year. His disgusting behaviour forced the plane to divert to the island of Porto Santo - delaying his fellow passenger by two hours. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Portuguese police boarded the plane and arrested nuisance McCabe after the unplanned landing. Joseph McCabe, 40, was jailed for 46 after admitting to four sexual offenses His assaulted members of the crew on a Jet2 flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife McCabe served as a private in the Royal Logistic Corps for five years before he set up the B-Heard clothing business in memory of a friend who took his own life during the Covid-19 lockdown. He now runs his own construction firm and co-owns a party boat business called The Drunken Anchor. McCabe, of Tollcross, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to the four sexual offences during an appearance at the capital court last month and he returned to the dock for sentencing on Friday. Sheriff Alison Stirling was told Jet2 had banned McCabe from their flights for life, and that he had refused to pay the 5,000 imposed by the airline. Sheriff Stirling said the offence involved 'a high level of culpability and a high level of harm' as she sentenced McCabe to 46 weeks behind bars. The sheriff also put the tradesman on the sex offenders register for 10 years and imposed indefinite non-harassment orders banning him from having any contact with the victims. Anna Kocela, defending McCabe, said her client had been drinking excessively at the time of the flight due to a family bereavement. Prosecutor Miriam Farooq previously told the court the Jet2 flight took off from Edinburgh Airport bound for Tenerife with roughy 110 passengers at around 8.30am on March 15 last year. Ms Farooq said the flight was packed with families and children and shortly after take off cabin crew had noticed McCabe 'making multiple trips to the toilet'. The prosecutor said that around 90 minutes into the flight, a female flight attendant 'felt someone behind her touching her buttocks' as she was serving another passenger. She turned round to find McCabe was 'looking at her with a smirk on his face' and had asked her 'where she bought her tights because he liked them'. The perverted builder asked the woman how old she was and where she lived - and went on to slap the buttocks of a male steward later in the flight. McCabe, a father-of-two, was also seen attempting to hug a second female victim and putting his hands on a third female employee for around 30 seconds. McCabe was issued with a verbal warning and then a written warning, which he tore up. Ms Farooq said: 'A decision was made to divert the aircraft and the captain was instructed by air traffic control to land at the airfield at Porto Santo. 'After landing the accused got out of his seat and began dancing in the aisle. Portuguese police boarded the flight and arrested him and took him into custody.' The court heard the holiday flight resumed its journey and eventually landed in Tenerife two hours late. NSW Premier Chris Minns delivered a powerful address at a vigil marking one week since the Bondi Beach massacre, where 15 people were killed - taking aim at a 'deep vein of anti-Semitic hate' that has taken root in the community. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the service but was not invited to give a speech following tensions with the Jewish community about the Federal government's actions on anti-Semitism in the lead-up to the attack. The PM was heckled upon attending the event with his wife Jodie and senior Cabinet ministers, while Minns received a standing ovation when his presence was announced at the event. Below is Minns's speech in full - where he praises Australians for being better at 'showing it than saying it' and suggests 'one concrete act' Aussies can do in the wake of the tragedy: Bondi is beautiful tonight. And not because of its beaches, its sunset, its people, its fun. It's beautiful because you in your thousands, in your defiance, in your resistance and resolve, you have returned to these sands just seven days after a shocking crime, and have said to the terrorists, we are going nowhere. This crime was an attempt to marginalise and scatter, to intimidate and cause fear. But Jews have stood up to this intimidation for thousands of years, and so tonight, thanks to the Jewish community of Australia, on this last night of Chanukah, you have reclaimed Bondi Beach for us. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled upon his arrival at the Bondi Beach massacre vigil site on Sunday evening Firstly, let me say my heart is heavy for the lives that were taken here, for those who've been injured, and for the families and loved ones whose worlds will never be the same again. I want to say this clearly and sincerely. We are deeply sorry. We grieve with you and with humility, I acknowledge that the government's highest duty is to protect its citizens, and we did not do that one week ago. That reality weighs on me heavily. We must accept that responsibility and use it to do everything and anything we possibly can to stop it from happening again. Sometimes I think it's trite when Australians say, and we say it about everything, that we're with you. We say it from birthdays to work meetings to sporting heroes, that we stand with you, that we're with you, we're by your side. I think Aussies are better at showing it than saying it, and they've done just that in the closing days of this year. The thousands who jumped on a surfboard last Friday and paddled past the breakers to show solidarity to this community. The hundreds of first responders, including the police, the paramedics, Surf Life Savers who ran straight into danger to protect our community. The 40,000 people who've given blood as an act of public service, the flowers at the Pavilion, the red and yellow Surf Life Saving army. The candles, the tears all acts large and small, but they show Australia stands with our Jewish brothers and sisters at this time. And I say our, because while the attack was undoubtedly targeted at Jewish people peacefully celebrating a religious festival, for every other Australian, the shock and the pain we feel is as if a member of our own family has been taken. The sad truth is that this crime has tragically highlighted a deep vein of antisemitic hate in our community. To excuse it as an aberration or a tragic single event is wrong. It will not do justice to the killed and wounded and will not allow us to take steps to stop it from happening again. History shows us that antisemitism builds, starting with a phrase or a chant, then migrating to the air waves, or in modern times, onto the internet. Then graffiti on Jewish buildings, then damage to property, then arson and then murder. Minns, above, speaks at a memorial for the victims of the mass shooting last night In the Book of Psalms, we read, Who is the person who desires life, who loves days to see goodness? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. The psalm teaches us a profound truth. Thoughts become words, words become actions. The danger we must confront is the deliberate incubation of hatred. This includes organisations and individuals who promote violence and division, sometimes cloaking it in ideology or even the perversion of religion. This must be confronted. Of course, that's by government, yes, by police, but also by communities committed to the idea that an injustice committed against any of us is committed against all of us. As the late Chief Rabbi Sacks once said, Jews cannot fight antisemitism alone. The victim cannot cure the crime, the hated cannot cure the hate. We cannot let the Jewish people carry this burden by themselves. It is Australia's responsibility. We make special mention to the Chabad community of Sydney, personified by Rabbi Ulman. Rabbi Ulman, no doubt, this week, you've been gripped by your own exceptional pain, having lost a friend, a fellow rabbi, your son in law. And yet you've been someone who's been able to find wisdom in pain and strength in suffering, and it's been an inspiration to all of us that even in this period of sadness and evil, there is work to do. Tonight, we light the eighth and final candle of the Chanukah menorah, and it compels us to ask, what will we light tomorrow? How will we carry this light forward when the candles are no longer burning? Civic and government leadership now has a heavy burden, security for this community, justice for the dead and the injured, and action to confront this hatred. But the Psalm does not end with solely government responsibility. It says, seek peace and pursue it, and that is the task of every citizen. Peace doesn't happen by accident. It must be actively pursued through compassion, through kindness and moral courage. Government can encourage it and support it, but people must live it. And that's why tonight, after meeting with the rabbinical leadership of Sydney, who can I just say are incredibly persuasive. Rabbi Feldman, Rabbi Eli, Rabbi Wolff, Rabbi Benny. They're very persuasive people. But after consultation with the rabbinical leadership of Sydney and hearing their strong views, in fact, demands for positive action. Following what happened on Sunday, we're launching tonight a campaign in their honour and in the honour of the people who've been killed and those who are injured and all who are suffering. The initiative is called One Mitzvah for Bondi. For those watching at home, in the Jewish tradition, a Mitzvah is a simple but powerful idea. It's a concrete act of goodness. Something that you do that makes the world just, more just more compassionate, more humane. The One Mitzvah for Bondi campaign is inspired by the spirit of Rabbi Eli Schlanger. Eli was in the process of launching Project Noah, a reminder that every one of us is a child of Noah, charged with building a good world. It invites every citizen of our state of any faith or no faith, to increase acts of goodness and kindness. The rabbis I've spoken to in the last days have been very insistent that this is the best way of healing our country. If hatred spreads through words and actions, then so does goodness. We can't cure hate with hate. And the lesser lesson of the Chanukah is not that there is no darkness, it's the darkness cannot extinguish the light. So be the light in the world and may the memories of those who've been lost be a blessing to all of us. A man has been charged after he allegedly shared a violent call for action on social media for a 'bashing day' event following the Bondi Beach massacre. The flyer, which was widely shared on Snapchat, Facebook and TikTok, advertised a planned 'bashing day' on Cronulla Beach, south Sydney, on December 27. 'WE RIOT. WOG/MIDDLE EASTERN BASHING DAY. SATURDAY 27TH DECEMBER 2025,' it stated. 'SPREAD THE WORD AUSTRALIA! STAND THE F*** UP.' While not explicitly stated in the post, it's understood the event was a response to the mass shooting at Bondi Beach - which saw two men allegedly shoot dead 15 people at a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Police have since arrested 20-year-old Ryder Roy Shaw following an investigation headed by the Counter Terrorism and Specialist Tactics Command. Officers from 'Operation Shelter' - an team set up to curb further violence following the Bondi Beach attack - arrested Shaw in Narara, a suburb on NSW's Central Coast at about 1.40pm on Sunday. Shaw was taken to Gosford Police Station and charged with use carriage service to menace, harass, offend and publicly threaten violence on grounds of race/religion. A flyer (pictured) advertising a 'bashing day' in Cronulla was shared widely online The event ignited fears of the 2005 Cronulla Riots (pictured) reoccurring in response to the Bondi Beach massacre it's understood the event was a response to the mass shooting at Bondi Beach - which saw two men allegedly shoot dead 15 people at a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (pictured, memorial at Bondi for the victims) Shaw allegedly did not obtain the correct authorisation for an assembly, making anyone who chooses to attend 'not legally protected'. 'The organiser has not obtained authorisation for the assembly under Part 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1988,' NSW Police said in a statement. 'Without this authorisation, the event is not legally protected as an authorised assembly and individuals who choose to attend may be liable for obstruction and unlawful assembly offences.' While the public has a right to protest, NSW Police has called on the community to do so in a peaceful way. 'The public are reminded that anyone considering violence, retribution or vigilante behaviour can expect a swift and decisive response from police,' the statement read. 'While the NSW Police Force recognises people may want to protest due to recent events both here and overseas, we are asking the community to choose other ways to come together peacefully. 'The NSW Police Force will also continue to take strong action against anyone who engages in criminal activity that is motivated by hate.' The social media post received a barrage of comments, with many condemning the apparent call to action. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon warned police will be at Cronulla on the day the event is scheduled and that anyone who engages in violence will be dealt with accordingly NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon urged Australians to resist violence in their response to the shootings. 'When I asked for calm, that is really important. This is not a time for retribution,' Commissioner Lanyon said. 'This is a time to allow the police to do their duty.' Commissioner Lanyon added police will be at Cronulla on Saturday - the day the event is set to go ahead. 'If people think they're going to engage in violence, they're wrong,' Commissioner Lanyon said. 'The police will be there, the police will take appropriate action, and I want to make that really clear calm is what is required at the moment. Retribution is inappropriate.' NSW Premier Chris Minns also weighed in on the 'bashing day', warning anyone planning to attend would be 'met with the full force of the law'. 'There will be no tolerance, no tolerance for any kind of retribution, or some kind of vindictive counterassault on anyone in our community,' Mr Minns said last week. NSW Premier Chris Minns (pictured, at the Bondi Massacre vigil on Sunday) also weighed in on the 'bashing day', warning anyone planning to attend would be 'met with the full force of the law' 'We're not going to allow ever a situation where we descend into some kind of lawlessness. 'The last thing we need is a descent into vindictive violence. We won't tolerate it in New South Wales.' Shaw was refused bail and is set to appear before Gosford Local Court today. A short video of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani celebrating Hanukkah with actor Mandy Patinkin quietly made the rounds online and sparked conversation. Filmed on the first night of the holiday, the clip showed Mamdani spending time with Patinkin and his family in a relaxed home setting. In a city where public life often feels fast or intense, the simplicity of the gathering stood out and felt worth noticing. A simple moment that stood out The video focused on everyday details rather than trying to make a statement. Mamdani helped cook latkes, listened during prayers, and joined in lighting the menorah. Nothing felt rushed or overexplained, which made the scene easy to watch. The shared holiday visit highlighted a quieter side of public life during Hanukkah in New York City. (@ZohranKMamdani / X) You might have noticed how calm it all felt. New York politics usually move quickly and come with strong opinions. A quiet holiday visit slowed things down in a way people did not expect. Why Mamdanis presence drew attention Mamdani is a public figure whose views are widely discussed, which shaped how people viewed the holiday visit. For many, seeing him take part in a Jewish tradition added important context. It placed focus on shared customs rather than public debate. The video did not try to explain or justify his positions. Instead, it showed him participating in a religious tradition that holds meaning for many families. That choice helped shift attention toward connection rather than commentary. Mandy Patinkins role in the moment Mandy Patinkin brought more than name recognition to the clip. He has long spoken openly about Jewish identity, family, and tradition. Many people also recognize him from films like The Princess Bride, which added a familiar tone. The video sparked conversation across New York City after Zohran Mamdani shared a Hanukkah celebration with Mandy Patinkin and his family. (@ZohranKMamdani / X) Patinkins approach shaped how the visit came across. He welcomed Mamdani with warmth and humor, keeping the evening light and personal. That energy helped the clip feel natural rather than staged. How people reacted online The video sparked a wide range of responses across social media. Many people shared it simply because it felt calm and relatable. Others focused on the holiday setting and the sense of togetherness it showed. Advertisement Advertisement For a lot of people, the appeal was its simplicity. Seeing a public figure join a family tradition, rather than deliver a message, felt refreshing. The attention surrounding the clip highlighted how much people value moments that feel genuine and grounded. What this says about New York City New York City is made up of many communities that do not always come together in visible ways. Moments like this show how shared traditions can exist even when opinions differ. They also remind people that public life is not only about policy and debate. You may see this as a small gesture, and that is fair. Still, small moments often shape how people feel about leadership and connection. In a city that rarely slows down, that quiet sense of togetherness mattered to many. Britain is in the grip of a shoplifting epidemic with a record 810 offences going unsolved a day, figures show. Police closed 295,589 shoplifting cases without identifying a suspect in 2024-25 - the equivalent of officers shelving 34 offences an hour. Shoplifting levels have doubled since the pandemic and rocketed by 20 per cent since Labour came into power. And new analysis, produced for the Liberal Democrats, has revealed how a record number of cases are being dropped by police. The number of shoplifting investigations being closed without a suspect identified has soared by 65 per cent compared to five years ago when 178,906 shoplifting offences went unsolved. This year, fewer than one in five (19 per cent) shoplifting cases led to a suspect being charged or summoned, while 55 per cent of cases were closed without a suspect being identified. And separate Office for National Statistics figures show that between April 2024 and March 2025, police recorded 530,643 shoplifting offences - the equivalent of one a minute. The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers said last month a survey of 3,000 members had revealed 71 per cent of staff had been verbally abused, 48 per cent were threatened and 9 per cent had been assaulted. Britain is in the grip of a shoplifting epidemic with a record 810 offences going unsolved a day, figures show Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Now the Lib Dems are calling for a scheme offering small independent convenience stores grants of up to 6,500 to install CCTV in a bid to deter shoplifters. Lib Dem business spokesman Sarah Olney said: 'The shoplifting epidemic is a profound threat to our local businesses, our high streets and our economy. 'With over 800 offences going unpunished every single day, businesses are haemorrhaging money, driving up costs for consumers and even forcing businesses to shut their doors for good. 'That's why we're calling for a mass CCTV rollout, to give the businesses the tools they need to protect themselves and tackle this crime once and for all.' Lib Dem MP and former retail worker Josh Reynolds added: 'As a result of so many shoplifting cases being left unsolved, staff are being forced to intervene, even putting themselves in danger to protect their businesses.' The Government's Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, which will have a maximum penalty of six months in prison. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are strengthening the connections between the police and local communities. 'Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will see 3,000 additional officers on the beat by spring next year.' Jeffrey Epstein's obsession with the Royal Family can be seen in one of the more bizarre photographs from inside his home. Inexplicably framed and hung in the back of a wardrobe was the front page of The Times from June 1994, when the then-Prince Charles told interviewer Jonathan Dimbleby that divorcing Princess Diana would not prevent him from becoming King. The story was accompanied by a full-length photo of Diana in her so-called 'revenge dress' - an off-the-shoulder evening gown that has been described as the most iconic little black dress of all time, which she wore for a high-profile gala in London on the night the interview aired on ITV. The front page is thought to predate paedophile financier Epstein meeting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - the now former Duke of York - with the pair being introduced a few years later by socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend of Andrew's from university and Epstein's girlfriend-turned-madam. Documents released by the US Justice Department over the weekend include scores of photos of the inside of Epstein's residences. It is believed The Times' front page, which has the headline 'Divorce is no bar to throne says Prince', was found by the FBI in Epstein's 'compound' on his private Caribbean island of Little Saint James. Jeffrey Epstein's obsession with the Royal Family can be seen in one of the more bizarre photographs from inside his home The photo shows it in the back of a wardrobe, with polo shirts hanging in front and a pair of shoes in the base. As with all the photos released, there is no explanation of the context - something that has led to criticism from politicians and victims of Epstein. Since quitting the royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made a number of damaging claims about their time in The Firm - but none more than the allegation of racism levelled against a senior family member. When the Duchess of Sussex, now 44, told Oprah Winfrey there had been concerns about 'how dark' her son Archie might be before his birth, a collective gasp could be heard around the world. Though it caused profound disquiet within the halls of Buckingham Palace, even drawing a rare statement from the late Queen known 'never to complain, never to explain', the Sussexes' statement catapulted them to the big leagues of advocacy. In recognition of their fight against 'structural racism' within the royal family, they were honoured with Robert F Kennedy Human Rights organisation's Ripple of Hope award in October 2022. The late American politician's daughter Kerry Kennedy said the couple has 'always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health' in a statement. She praised their 'moral courage' for speaking out about racial injustice as Kerry said the Sussexes have been 'heroic in taking this step'. The duo picked up their award at a lavish reception in New York City on December 6, two days before the release of their eponymous Netflix docuseries, as they were honoured alongside Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Less than a month later, Prince Harry was accused of 'hanging his family out to dry' amid calls to return the award when he denied calling them 'racist' in an interview with ITV's Tom Bradby. When the Duchess of Sussex, now 44, told Oprah Winfrey there had been concerns about 'how dark' her son Archie might be before his birth, a collective gasp could be heard around the world In recognition of their fight against 'structural racism' within the royal family, they were honoured with Robert F Kennedy Human Rights organisation's Ripple of Hope award in October 2022 Explaining their Ripple of Hope recognition, Ms Kennedy had said: 'They went to the oldest institution in UK history and told them what they were doing wrong, that they couldn't have structural racism within the institution; that they could not maintain a misunderstanding about mental health.' They 'knew that if they did this there would be consequences... and that people would blame them for it. They have done it anyway because they believed they couldn't live with themselves if they didn't question this authority.' 'They embody the type of moral courage that my father once called the "one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change",' she added in a separate press release. Harry and Meghan are among a select group of high-profile figures who have won the Ripple of Hope award, with past recipients including former US presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden, as well as ex-vice president Kamala Harris. The honour is usually bestowed upon those who have shown 'an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights'. Days before the release of their incendiary Netflix docuseries, Harry and Meghan attended the glitzy gala dinner in New York City where they vowed their war against 'oppression' had just begun. The following month, Prince Harry denied ever calling the royal family racist in an astonishing U-turn that drew fierce criticism. Harry was promoting his memoir Spare in an interview with ITV's Tom Bradby when the broadcaster brought up the Sussexes' interview with Oprah Winfrey. Join the debate Was the distinction between racism and unconscious bias clear enough? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their baby son, Prince Archie, during a photocall at St George's Hall at Windsor Castle after his birth Harry and Meghan are among a select group of high-profile figures who have won the Ripple of Hope award, with past recipients including former US presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden, as well as ex-vice president Kamala Harris 'You accused members of your family of racism,' Mr Badby, a friend of Harry's began. But Harry snapped back: 'No I didn't. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they're racist?' The duke then insisted the comments made about his son Archie's skin colour were 'unconscious bias'. Mr Bradby appeared taken aback by the answer - while experts said that Harry clearly didn't understand the term he was now using. At the time, the BBC's former royal correspondent Jennie Bond said it was 'unforgivable' that Harry 'hung his family out to dry on an accusation of racism' that the duke has since backtracked. Royal biographer Robert Jobson said Harry and Meghan should 'give the award back' while ITV News's royal editor Chris Ship pointed out that while the couple did not explicitly use the word 'racist' during their Oprah interview, neither did they 'correct the narrative'. Mr Shop explained: 'Harry is right to say [they] didn't use the word "racist" at any point... [but] Harry didn't correct the narrative when this whole racism row then started, and not correcting the narrative is something he accused the Royal Family of not doing, when he criticised Jeremy Clarkson and other things as well.' During the ITV interiew, which aired on January 8, 2023, Mr Bradby asked Harry whether he would describe the comments about Archie's skin colour as 'essentially racist'. The duke replied: 'I wouldn't, not having lived within that family.' But he added: 'The difference between racism and unconscious bias the two things are different. The following month, Prince Harry denied ever calling the royal family racist in an astonishing U-turn during his interview with ITV's Tom Bradby while promoting Spare 'But once it's been acknowledged, or pointed out to you as an individual, or as an institution, that you have unconscious bias, you therefore have an opportunity to learn and grow from that so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.' And he accused Buckingham Palace of failing to follow up on promises it made in the wake of the Oprah controversy, including appointing a 'diversity tsar'. He also spoke about the royal family's 'unconscious bias' during an appearance on Good Morning America. Asked if he thinks there is a place for the British monarchy in the 21st century, he said: 'I genuinely believe that there is. Not the way that it is now.' Asked if they need to modernise and if so in what way, Harry said: 'I think the same process that I went through with regarding my own unconscious bias would be hugely beneficial to them. 'Not racism, but unconscious bias, if not confronted, if not learned and grown from, that can then move into racism. 'But there was an enormous missed opportunity with my wife.' While it is no secret that Meghan Markle is estranged from the Royal Family, there was once a time when she was fondly welcomed into the Firm. A month after Prince Harry had popped the question in November 2017, the Suits star was invited to join her new fiance at the annual Christmas Sandringham celebrations - an unprecedented move given she was, at that stage, not a working royal. Then, just days later, Meghan's family were left publicly reeling after Harry made a rather controversial comment in an interview when discussing the couple's first Christmas together in Norfolk. Speaking to presenter Sarah Montague for an episode of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that he was guest editing on December 27, Harry, now 41, described the royals as the 'family Meghan never had'. 'She's done an absolutely amazing job. She's getting in there and it's the family I suppose that she never had,' he said. He added that his family 'loved having' the former actress and said the festivities were 'fantastic'. Taken to imply that the Firm had somehow filled a family-shaped hole in Meghan's life, Harry's comment received particular public backlash from Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Grant, now 61. Taking to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to hit back at the prince's words - Ms Grant, the daughter of Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, insisted that Meghan's family were 'always there with her and for her'. Just days after Meghan Markle spent her first Christmas with the Royal Family in 2017, her family were left publicly reeling after Harry (pictured) described the royals as the 'family Meghan never had' Taking to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to hit back at the prince's words - Samantha Grant (left), Meghan's half-sister, said Meghan's family were 'always there with her and for her' A month after Prince Harry had popped the question, Meghan was invited to join her new fiance at the annual Christmas Sandringham celebrations - an unprecedented move given she was, at that stage, not a working royal 'Our household was very normal and when dad and Doria divorced, we all made it so it was like she had two houses. No one was estranged, she was just too busy'. She also went on to praise her 'completely self-sacrificing father', adding: 'She always had this family, Marrying merely extends it.' Meghan's parents - Doria Ragland and Thomas - divorced when the actress was just six years old. She has two half-siblings, Samantha and Thomas Markle Jr, from her father's first marriage. In a scathing interview in March 2019, Ms Grant revealed that it was Harry's comments about that Sandringham Christmas that prompted the bitter feud with her sister, adding that she believed Harry had not been 'given the full story'. During the Channel 5 documentary Meghan and the Markles: A Family at War, she accused Meghan of having 'no heart' and added: 'Something was not right. Though we werent the classic family together on schedule for every holiday, we were family.' 'It was starting to feel like she wasnt reaching out to the family,' Ms Grant said. Eight years since Harry's controversial comment was publicly broadcast, Meghan's fractured family relationships are now well documented. Just last week, the Duchess, now 44, was reported to have 'no plans' to visit her 81-year-old father in hospital after he underwent a life-saving leg amputation in the Philippines. Join the debate Did Prince Harry's comment unfairly damage Meghan's relationship with her family? Last week, Meghan, now 44, was reported to have 'no plans' to visit her 81-year-old father Thomas (right) in hospital after he underwent a life-saving leg amputation in the Philippines Meghan's parents - Doria Ragland (right) and Thomas - divorced when the actress was just six years old. She has two half-siblings, Samantha and Thomas Markle Jr, from her father's first marriage After failing to get hold of him by email or phone, the Duchess - who has not seen him since her 2018 royal wedding - 'reached out' to her father in the form of a hand-delivered letter. However she is thought to believe his relationship with the media - understood to be something she addresses in her letter - means they are unlikely ever to reconcile. She has so far not had a reply to her letter, the Sunday Times reported. However, before she wed Prince Harry, Meghan once shared an incredibly close bond with her father. In a blog post on her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig in 2014, she paid tribute to her 'thoughtful, inspiring, hardworking daddy'. In the gushing Father's Day tribute, the actress described Mr Markle as 'the person who believed in this grand dream of mine well before I could even see it as a possibility'. She went on to fondly praise him for the 'blood, sweat and tears this man (who came from so little in a small town of Pennsylvania where Christmas stockings were filled with oranges, and dinners were potatoes and spam) invested in my future so that I could grow up to have so much'. Since then, their relationship has deteriorated, with the pair's rift first beginning when Mr Markle worked with a paparazzi photographer near his home in Mexico to stage photographs of him being fitted for a suit ahead of the Sussexes wedding. Shortly afterwards, he suffered two heart attacks and was forced to pull out of travelling to the UK for the couple's royal wedding ceremony at Windsor's St George's Chapel in May 2018. Before she wed Prince Harry, Meghan once shared an incredibly close bond with her father (pictured). In a blog post on her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig in 2014, she paid tribute to her 'thoughtful, inspiring, hardworking daddy' Meghan and her father's rift first began ahead of her royal wedding in 2018. Thomas did not walk his daughter down the aisle. Instead, King Charles (pictured), then Prince of Wales, offered to walk her partway Instead, King Charles, then Prince of Wales, offered to walk her partway down the aisle when he learnt of the Duchess's plans to walk alone. According to royal author Robert Hardman, Meghan was said to have asked her new father-in-law if the pair could 'meet halfway', with the gesture seen as a poignant sign of the Firm fondly embracing their new member. Mr Markle has never met the Sussexes' two children - Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet. But in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail from his hospital bed in the Philippines, Mr Markle said that while he has not heard from his daughter since his illness he would 'love to speak to her'. 'I've always said I am open to reconciling with my daughter,' he added. 'I have never stopped loving her. I don't want to die estranged from Meghan. 'I want to meet my grandkids. It might be nice to meet her husband too.' Meghan's relationship with the Royal Family has also become estranged following the momentous fallout of her and Harry's decision to step back from their duties and relocate to America in early 2020. Their controversial decision, later dubbed 'Megxit', was a far cry from the close family unit Harry had fondly detailed in his Radio 4 interview. In her 2022 Netflix Documentary Harry & Meghan, the Duchess described her first experience at the royal Norfolk estate in 2017 (pictured) as 'amazing', adding that it was 'just like a big family like I always wanted' However, while the Sussexes have often relayed negative accounts of their short-lived time in the Firm, Meghan herself has spoken rather fondly about her first Sandringham Christmas. In her 2022 Netflix Documentary Harry & Meghan, the Duchess described her first experience at the royal Norfolk estate as 'amazing', adding that it was 'just like a big family like I always wanted'. 'I remember so vividly the first Christmas at Sandringham,' Meghan recalled. 'Calling my mum, and she's like, "How's it going?" And I said, "Oh my gosh, it's amazing,"' she said. She also reminisced on being seated next to the late Prince Philip, 'H's grandfather', at the Christmas Eve banquet, describing their animated conversation as 'wonderful'. During the late Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas broadcast addressed to the nation that year, Her Majesty made her fond feelings for Meghan clear. The monarch referred to welcoming 'new members' into the family as they entered into the New Year, while a framed photograph of Harry and Meghan was also displayed in the background as she spoke. Sadly, while Harry and a then-pregnant Meghan went on to attend the Sandringham festivities in 2018, they have not partaken in the esteemed royal tradition since. This Christmas will mark the sixth year the Duke has spent away from his family. While the royals will gather in Norfolk, the Sussexes are instead opting to spend the holiday season more than 5,000 miles away in their $14million Montecito mansion. It was a poignant occasion that bridged 32 years of royal history and it brought Prince George closer to the grandmother he never had the chance to meet. At The Passage homelessness charity, George, 12, followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana and his father Prince William after their first visit in 1993. George, who helped prepare Christmas lunch at the charity's St Vincent's centre in London last week, was 'fascinated' to see a visitors' book which recorded the signatures of Diana, four years before she died, and an 11-year-old William. George's reaction to seeing his grandmother's name in the book was said to be a breathless, 'Wow'. And that historic page now bears George's own name, written underneath to commemorate his visit a generation later. Mick Clarke, the charity's chief executive, said the visit was a 'proud-dad moment' for William, who has a long-standing involvement with the charity and became its patron in 2019. Mr Clarke said: 'We looked at the page that I had from William's first visit with his mum... And there was a gap underneath it. And so we'd asked William, 'Do you think George would like to sign this?' And he was like, 'Yeah, that would be great'.' Mr Clarke said William told George: 'That's my mum. And this was the very first day that she took me to The Passage.' 'It was a lovely moment in terms of almost coming full-circle from 1993 to the end of 2025,' Mr Clarke added. 'And it felt a bit like a proud-dad moment, I thought, which was really, really lovely to see.' The Prince of Wales and Prince George in the kitchen of The Passage with Head Chef Claudette (front, left) and CEO of The Passage Mick Clarke (far right) George was 'fascinated' to see a visitors' book which contained the signatures of his grandmother Diana and an 11-year-old William George got 'stuck in' at the shelter as he helped to cook a Christmas meal for homeless people George got 'stuck in' as he helped to cook a Christmas meal for homeless people. He also helped volunteers to create care packages, which were later distributed to those unable to attend the lunch. The young prince then helped decorate a tree which had been donated to the charity from Westminster Abbey following his mother Catherine's annual carol service earlier this month. William was reunited with the charity's head chef Claudette Dawkins, who has featured in a documentary with the prince. Mr Clarke said there was 'lots of banter' as William prepared the sprouts, while George helped with the Yorkshire puddings. 'It just shows how relaxed William is,' he added. 'But it also shows how relaxed George was. He clearly felt very comfortable and really enjoyed getting involved.' Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway will likely undergo a lung transplant, the Palace has revealed. The future Queen of Norway, 52, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a disease where a build-up of scar tissue makes it challenging for the lungs to carry oxygen into the bloodstream. Over Autumn, the mother of three and wife of Crown Prince Haakon underwent several tests, which showed her condition has worsened over the years. Doctors at Rikshospitalet University Hospital have therefore assessed whether Mette-Marit, who strongly wishes to continue carrying out royal duties under an adapted programme, will require transplant surgery. 'We are reaching the point where a lung transplant will be necessary, and we are undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure that this will be possible when the time comes,' said Martin Holm, Professor and Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, on Friday. Dr Holm, who is a specialist in internal medicine and pulmonary diseases, added: 'At present, no decision has been taken as to when the Crown Princess will be placed on the lung transplant waiting list.' Mette-Marit is following a targeted exercise regimen, rest and physical rehabilitation schedule to help with the pulmonary fibrosis. In September, it was announced that the Crown Princess would not perform official duties in October as she underwent a month of lung rehabilitation in Norway. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, will likely need a lung transplant, the Palace has revealed (seen in Oslo last year) However, there were 'some exceptions', including a dinner for members of parliament on October 23. Translated into English, the message read: 'Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit will undergo a month of lung rehabilitation in Norway starting at the beginning of October. 'Therefore, the Crown Princess will not perform official duties in October, although some exceptions are planned, such as the dinner for the members of parliament at the Royal Palace on October 23. The Crown Princess is scheduled to resume her official work in November.' This year has been particularly difficult for Mette-Marit, both in terms of her health and her family life. In August, her son, Marius Borg Hiby, 28, was charged with 32 offences, including four rapes and assault, by a Norwegian prosecutor. The alleged acts include four rapes of four different women between 2018 and 2024, abuse against his former partner, Nora Haukland, and several acts of violence against another former partner. He has vehemently denied the charges. His trial, set to start on February 3 next year at the Oslo District Court, is expected to last six weeks, according to Norwegian publication Nettavisen. Mette-Marit's health condition was first made public in 2018, when she issued a statement explaining that the condition 'means my working capacity will vary' to accommodate her treatment, including 'periods of time without an official programme'. Marius Borg Hiby, 28, has been charged with 32 offences, including four rapes and assault, by a Norwegian prosecutor (seen with his mother in June, 2022) 'For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what is involved,' the royal said. 'The condition means that my working capacity will vary. 'The Crown Prince and I are choosing to make this public now partly because in future there will be a need to plan periods of time without an official programme to accommodate treatment and when the disease is more active.' Pulmonary fibrosis is incurable and worsens over time, but the Norwegian royal's doctor, Professor Kristian Bjro at the National Hospital, said they'd been monitoring her condition for several years and the 'disease progression has been slow over this period'. Not much is known about the unusual variant of fibrosis that was detected in Mette-Marit's lung, but, according to the Royal House, 'There is broad consensus that, unlike other more common types of pulmonary fibrosis, it is not related to environmental or lifestyle factors.' The fact that the disease was detected at an early stage improves Mette-Marit's prognosis, as per the Palace's official statement. 'Even if such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I am glad that the disease has been discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in the official programme as much as possible,' she said. According to the NHS, the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis include shortness of breath, loss of appetite and weight loss, extreme tiredness, a persistent dry cough and swollen fingertips. In March, the palace confirmed that the royal's condition had progressed to such a degree that she was experiencing symptoms on a daily basis, requiring her to take 'more rest'. The property outlook in one Deep South state is looking increasingly grim for homeowners struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments. Louisiana is currently facing the most severe mortgage-equity crisis in the US, as the state has the highest number of 'seriously underwater' mortgages in the country, where a home's worth is less than what is owed on it. A whopping 11.9 percent of homes in the Bayou State had seriously underwater mortgages in the third quarter of 2025, up from 10.5 percent a year earlier, according to a report from property data provider ATTOM. Just 2.8 of mortgages nationwide were considered seriously underwater in the third quarter. A seriously underwater home is defined as having a loan-to-value ratio of 125 percent or above, meaning the property owner owes at least 25 percent more than the estimated market value of the home. 'Softening home prices, easing buyer demand, and lower incomes all contribute to a higher concentration of underwater mortgages in the South compared to other regions,' said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. 'As prices and demand weaken, homeowners have a harder time selling and may find themselves struggling to keep up with mortgage payments.' In Louisiana specifically, insurance and utility costs linked to natural disasters have created an unprecedented affordability crisis, explained Andreanecia M. Morris, executive director of the nonprofit HousingNOLA, which develops strategies for improving housing policies across the state. A whopping 11.9 percent of homes in Louisiana had seriously underwater mortgages in the third quarter of 2025 (pictured: Baton Rouge In all, the Bayou State accounted for 14 of the 50 counties with the highest share of seriously underwater homes (pictured: Monroe) An assessment that determined Louisiana had the most underwater mortgages comes at a time when the national median home price reached a record of $375,000 (pictured: Lake Charles) 'Louisiana is ground zero for the disasters that climate change has wrought across the country,' she told the Daily Mail. 'For the last 20 years, Louisiana homeowners and renters have been battered not just by hurricanes, but extreme weather events that have weakened the housing stock. Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com 'This, combined with systemic failures to prioritize housing investments and ensure an equitable recovery, have created another perfect storm and a mass displacement event that is costing us thousands of residents and citizens and residents going under.' Morris added that severe weather is preventing property owners from making home improvements that safeguard them in the long run. Nationwide, the share of seriously underwater mortgages is less dramatic but nonetheless concerning. The national rate of 2.8 in the third quarter is up from 2.4 percent in 2024, according to ATTOM. In several other states mostly across the South and Midwest the share of homeowners owing far more than their properties' worth remains stubbornly high. Illinois, Pennsylvania and Arkansas also stood out for their rate of seriously underwater mortgages, and the problem can be traced to specific counties that are particularly in trouble. Louisiana had five counties where 13 percent or more of homes were defined as seriously underwater (pictured: Monroe) In struggling states like Louisiana, a mortgage that far exceeds the property's current value can leave borrowers frozen (pictured: Alexandria) Lake Charles, Louisiana For instance, Louisiana had five counties where 13 percent or more of homes were defined as seriously underwater. The included Calcasieu Parish, home to Lake Charles; Rapides Parish, home to Alexandria; Ouachita Parish, home to Monroe; and East Baton Rouge Parish. In all, the Bayou State accounted for 14 of the 50 counties with the highest share of seriously underwater homes. In struggling states like Louisiana, a mortgage that far exceeds the property's current value can leave borrowers frozen. They are unable to sell without taking a loss, and they face a tough decision about whether to keep paying a loan worth more than the home itself. And if they don't pay, they can default and be foreclosed on. Across the US, the majority of homeowners still enjoy positive equity, and national metrics suggest the housing market remains more stable than it was during the depths of the 2008 financial crisis. But ATTOM reports that the deep regional disparities in mortgage equity, with some communities still bearing the brunt, suggest anyone refinancing, selling, or contemplating moving should be particularly cautious. For instance, California was named the riskiest market in the US to buy, with ATTOM using factors such as affordability, the share of seriously underwater mortgages, foreclosure activity, and county-level unemployment rates to determine its status. As for least risky, Wisconsin leads the nation, with Tennessee Montana, New Hampshire, and Virginia following, according to the report. If you ever overhear people's conversations and wonder what on Earth they're talking about, a new book may offer a lifeline. Described as 'a miscellany of secret languages', Schott's Significa by Ben Schott explores the secret words and phrases used by more than 50 modern subcultures. From Swifties (Taylor Swift fans), Las Vegas gamblers, bartenders, incels and dog walkers, these subdivisions of society all develop a private, secretive lexicon. And their various words, signs, signals and oblique references are all designed to 'bind its members closer while keeping strangers out'. Now, the Daily Mail's quiz presents 10 different words or phrases, each one from a subculture in Schott's book. For each round, you will see the word and four multiple choice options with possible definitions. All you have to do is guess the correct definition. So do you know your 'donk' from your 'face card'? And does your 'triskaidekaphilia' keep you up at night? Scroll down for the answers! From Swifties (Taylor Swift fans), Las Vegas gamblers, bartenders and dog walkers, the world is full of subcultures that have developed their own secret words and phrases - designed to keep outsiders none the wiser 1. TAYLOR SWIFT FANS 'Triskaidekaphilia' a) A love for friendship bracelets b) A love for the number 13 c) A love for streaming Taylor Swift songs when asleep d) A love for Taylor Swift songs that didn't make the final album 2. LAS VEGAS GAMBLERS 'Donk' a) A player who doesn't tip the bar staff b) A player who can't afford to lose money c) An unskilled player d) An unexperienced player Do you know your 'donk' from your 'steamer'? Las Vegas gamblers use little phrases to help speed up the process, safeguard staff and patrons and help minimise losses (file photo) What is Schott's Significa? 'Schott's Significa' by Ben Schott reveals the secret words and phrases used by more than 50 modern subcultures, including Swifties (Taylor Swift fans), Las Vegas gamblers, bartenders and dog walkers. These subdivisions of society have a system of private, secretive words, signs signals and oblique references - designed to 'bind its members closer while keeping strangers out'. Ben Schott is best known for his miscellanies published two decades ago that compiled hard-to-find but useful information. 'Significa' represents a continuation of the miscellanies for the internet age - as the intricacies of how people talk is one of the things even Google Search and ChatGPT struggle to answer. Advertisement 3. INCELS (INVOLUNTARY CELIBATES) 'Wizard' a) A man who has platonic friendships with women b) A man who has had sex more than 50 times c) A man who is still a virgin at 30 d) A man who never marries 4. DOG WALKERS 'Cujo' a) A very loyal dog b) A very exotic dog breed c) A very aggressive dog d) A very docile dog 5. BARTENDERS 'Campers' a) Patrons who take their drink outside b) Patrons who have stopped ordering/paid but show no signs of leaving c) Patrons who can't walk properly because they are excessively drunk d) Patrons who have been a long time in the toilet Starbucks staff have evolved an oblique language system that lets them potentially bitch about customers within hearing range 6. STARBUCKS STAFF 'Gertrude' a) A female boss b) A female staff member who deliberately writes the wrong names on customers' coffee cups c) A female customer who spills drink on the floor d) An endlessly dissatisfied female customer 7. GRAFFITI WRITERS 'Burner' a) A paint product containing volatile chemicals b) An especially impressive piece of graffiti c) A graffiti artist that paints over existing graffiti d) A graffiti artist that hides their painting materials when on-the-run Schotts Significa unlocks 53 of the most intriguing linguistic subcultures, including casinos, crypto, dog walkers, bartenders and typographers 8. LONDON BLACK CABBIES 'Oranges and lemons' a) Main roads b) Multiple male passengers taking a trip together c) Bumps in the road d) Hailstones 9. INFLUENCERS 'Face card' a) The photo on an influencer's social media profile b) A female influencer who seeks male attention c) An influencer whose looks are as valuable as a credit card d) Inactive or fake social media accounts that impersonate another 10. GYM-GOERS 'Lunk' a) A particularly heavy dumbbell b) Sweat left on gym equipment c) An obnoxious, muscly gym-goer who is loud, rude and drops their weights when done d) A member of gym staff who keeps interfering with people's workouts The murdered professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was on the brink of revolutionizing the energy sector and upending fossil fuel use as we know it. Nuno Loureiro, 47, was gunned down at his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline on Monday. Authorities believe that the same alleged gunman, Claudio Neves Valente, who carried out the mass shooting at Brown University, may have assassinated Loureiro, but the investigation is still ongoing. Before his death, Loureiro was leading MIT's efforts to revolutionize energy production by making a game-changing clean power source that needs just a fraction of the fossil fuels current machines and vehicles use today. His team's research at MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) centered on plasma physics, the study of super-hot, ionized gases, and how to apply them to fusion energy, a promising clean power source. Fusion provides what scientists call 'baseload electricity,' a steady supply of power 24/7, using tiny amounts of fuel with no air pollution or climate-warming emissions, unlike carbon dioxide-producing fossil fuels. A breakthrough in this field could disrupt the trillion-dollar fuel industry by reducing demand for oil, gas, and coal, especially for generating power and transportation. High-demand users like data centers could also switch to fusion for reliable, green energy. 'This is a very advanced technology, and whatever nation masters it first is going to have an incredible advantage,' Loureiro said on December 8. Nuno Loureiro (Pictured) was shot to death at his home in Massachusetts on Monday. Investigators suspect the gunman may have been the same shooter that attacked Brown University Pictured: Investigators at the crime scene in Boston where Nuno Loureiro was fatally shot Authorities tied Neves Valente, the suspect in the Brown University shooting that killed two students and wounded nine on December 13, to the murder of Loureiro after matching surveillance footage from both crime scenes showing the alleged gunman in the same clothing. The connection was further solidified by license plate reader data and video from a car rental agency tracking Valente's gray Nissan Sentra with Florida plates, which he allegedly used to travel between both crime scenes. Loureiro was already a respected physicist from Portugal when he joined MIT in 2016 as a professor and quickly rose to become a full-time professor by 2021. Last year, he became the director of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, one of the university's largest laboratories with more than 250 full-time researchers. Loureiro specialized in theoretical physics, meaning he used math and computer simulations to figure out how plasma behaves under extreme conditions. Plasma is the fourth state of matter, different from solids, liquids, and gases, where heat is so intense that atoms lose their electrons and create a mix of positively charged ions and free electrons - a critical component of fusion technology. The clean energy source essentially mimics the sun's power on Earth, smashing lighter atoms such as hydrogen together to 'fuse' and form heavier atoms like helium in a process that unleashes massive amounts of energy. Until his death, Loureiro and the PSFC team were working with the company Commonwealth Fusion Systems to build SPARC, a compact fusion reactor in Massachusetts designed to produce energy from fusing atoms, with operations expected to start in 2026. Nuno Loureiro (Pictured) was leading efforts to create fusion energy, a form of clean energy that could upend the multi-trillion-dollar fossil fuel energy Scientists at MIT had been working under Loureiro's leadership to build clean, fusion reactor technology (Stock Image) They were also overseeing new projects like launching a special laboratory at PSFC to quickly test and develop tough materials that can handle the extreme heat and radiation inside future fusion reactors, helping make clean fusion power practical and safe. Dennis Whyte, MIT's Hitachi America Professor of Engineering, said: 'His loss is immeasurable to our community at the PSFC, NSE [Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering] and MIT, and around the entire fusion and plasma research world.' MIT has previously noted that more than $8billion has already been invested in the development of commercial fusion reactors, which could one day challenge the fossil fuel industry for dominance. 'If you walked into a room of fusion scientists in 2018 or 2019 and said there were going to be fusion startups, and venture capital funding to the tune of $9 billion, you would have been laughed out of the room,' Loureiro said in a statement two weeks ago. Neves Valente and Loureiro previously attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000. Loureiro graduated from the physics program at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal's premier engineering school, in 2000, according to his MIT faculty page. That same year, Neves Valente was let go from a position at the Lisbon University, according to an archive of a termination notice from the school's then-president in February 2000. Neves Valente went to Brown on a student visa and eventually obtained legal permanent residence in the US in September 2017. It was not immediately clear where he was between taking a leave of absence from the school in 2001 and getting the visa in 2017. His last known residence was in Miami. After officials revealed the suspect's identity, President Trump suspended the green card lottery program that allowed Neves Valente to stay in the US. Authorities said that the suspected gunman's original target was Loureiro, but it was unclear what his alleged motive was or what his relationship with Loureiro had been. Keen sky gazers will have one last shot to capture a blazing fireball from the 2025 Geminid meteor shower tonight. The final major meteor shower is expected to dazzle the night sky with up to 150 shooting stars visible every hour. The difference with the Geminids is that it is caused by debris from 3200 Phaethon, which is not an icy comet but rather rocky, like an asteroid. The Royal Greenwich Observatory said: 'The meteors of the Geminid meteor shower are very bright, moderately fast. 'And are unusual in being multi-coloured mainly white, some yellow and a few green, red and blue. 'These colours are partly caused by the presence of traces of metals like sodium and calcium, the same effect that is used to make fireworks colourful. Geminids meteor showers typically produce up to 120 and 160 meteors per hour at the peak. And with the crescent moon at just 26 per cent of its normal brightness, keen stargazers should be in for a great view of the approaching meteors. 10 hours of photography to show the Geminids meteor shower over Stonehenge in Wiltshire over two nights A composite of 480 stacked long-exposure images shows Geminid meteors streaking across the night sky over the Skopska Crna Gora mountain near North Macedonia A long exposure photo shows a Geminid meteor shower over North Macedonia on December 14 The peak of the meteor shower occurred on December 14, when the shower was most active. Because of the New Moon rising tonight, it means spectators will have a better chance of seeing the meteor compared to a full Moon, because the night sky will be darker. This evening, the Met Office forecasts rain and strong winds moving to the southwest, Wales, then Northern Ireland, becoming slow-moving in places. Low cloud and hill fog moving north from the southeast with a little drizzle at times. Driest across Scotland. Rather mild. Dr Shyam Balaji, of King's College London, told The Daily Mail: The best time to view the Geminid meteor shower is around 2 am local time when the radiant point is highest in the sky. 'However, you can start watching from midevening onward.' In good conditions, viewers can expect to see upwards of 100 shooting stars an hour, or one or two every minute. When viewing conditions are poor, you will be able to see fewer stars in the sky, so it's important to make sure you find the right stargazing location. A view shows the Geminids meteor shower streaking across the night sky as stargazers gather at the Valley View of Yosemite National Park in California on December 14 A meteor streaks across the northern sky during the peak of the Geminids meteor shower near Skopje, North Macedonia on December 13 Geminids meteor showers typically produce up to 120 and 160 meteors per hour at the peak Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director at the Royal Astronomical Society: 'With a meteor shower what you want is the widest possible view you want to be lying down, looking up at the broad panoply of stars, and watching for meteors. 'The best view is if you're away from sources of light pollution, so try and get away from at least direct lights in towns and cities, ideally out in the countryside. 'Obviously you also need a clear sky if it's cloudy you're not going to see anything.' You should soon start to see short streaks of light that last for a second or two. Following that, keen fireball hunters will be able to catch the weaker but reliable Ursid Meteor Shower, peaking on December 22. George Clooney is mourning the loss his older sister Adelia 'Ada' Zeidler who has died at the age of 65. The star's late sibling passed away on Friday, December 19 following a battle with cancer, per People. George confirmed his sister's death to the outlet on Saturday while calling her his 'hero' and reflecting on her bravery. Grieving her: George Clooney is mourning the loss his older sister Adelia 'Ada' Zeidler who has passed away at the age of 65; seen in November in London George said: 'My sister, Ada, was my hero. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I've never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.' Ada had 'died peacefully' while 'surrounded by the people she loved' on December 19 'at St Elizabeth Healthcare' in Kentucky, according to an official obituary. George's sister was born on May 2, 1960 in Los Angeles to mother Nina and father Nick and was described as a 'talented artist.' Ada had 'shared her skills as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years. 'In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar. Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club.' Quiet star: Ada passed away on Friday, December 19 following a battle with cancer, per People; seen in 2012 in Augusta, Kentucky George's sister had also been 'a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta's Annual White Christmas Parade,' the obit further read. It concluded: 'In addition to her parents, she leaves behind her beloved children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga and her husband, Kenny; her brother, George Clooney and his wife, Amal; and several uncles, aunts, and cousins.' A funeral is scheduled to take place next week on Monday, December 22 at St Patrick Catholic Church in Maysville, Kentucky. While Ada led a private life, she has showed her support for her brother over the years. Back in 2014, she was seen at George's Venice nuptials as he officially wed with Amal. Ava had been spotted standing inside a boat next to her famous brother as they rode along a canal in the city. Loving brother: George described Ada as his 'hero' While growing up in the state of Kentucky, the siblings had been very close and would often play games together. 'I came home from work one day and George and our daughter and several friends were having a party in [a room of our house],' their mother Nina had told HGTV back in 2006, per People. She continued: 'They had taken [marshmallows], and they would lick one side of them, and throw them at each other. When I came in, there were marshmallows stuck all over the room.' Wedding day: Ada pictured on her wedding day Super close: George and Ada pictured during his Venice wedding in 2014 Ada married Norman Zeidler in 1987 and the pair had two children. Norman - a retired army captain - passed away in October 2004 of a heart attack. During the nuptials, the actor had reportedly read scripture while their relative and Hollywood star Rosemary Clooney sang to the newlyweds. Speaking about being an uncle, George previously told CBS This Morning in 2015: 'I've got a niece and nephew. 'My nephew was just made prom king. From the high school that I went to where I was not named [prom king].' Family time: Ada and her son Nick George further reflected on his relationship with his sister at the time and said: 'My sister, I'm very close to.' The actor has previously discussed growing in a small town in Kentucky with his family. In 2019, per the Tennessean, Goegre said: 'All the things we see on cable news of people being unkind to one another doesn't exist. 'They have to get along. I was really lucky to be raised in a small town like that.' New attention is falling on the eerie Hollywood Hills home Brittany Murphy once bought from Britney Spears, years after her sudden death shocked Hollywood. Murphy purchased the fully furnished property from Spears in 2003 for $3.85million, settling into the sprawling Los Angeles home years before tragedy struck. On December 20, 2009 the actress collapsed at age 32 inside the house where she had been living with her husband screenwriter Simon Monjack. She died in the hospital shortly after. Five months later Monjack passed away on the grounds. He was 40-years-old. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Doomed couple: Brittany Murphy and her husband Simon Monjack died within months of each other at their 'haunted' home in Hollywood It was later revealed that Murphy died from untreated pneumonia, anemia, and drug intoxication involving prescription and over-the-counter medications, while Monjacks death was also attributed to pneumonia and anemia. Years later, the pair of deaths are still shrouded in mystery, with the mansion at the center. After Monjack's death, his mother Linda Monjack voiced concern that there had been 'severe mold' on the premises. She told Daily Mail in 2013: 'All I know is that before Simon's death, he was having hallucinations that things were crawling out of his skin.' The theory was previously ruled out in 2010 by the medical examiner's office. Wow mansion: Murphy purchased the Hollywood Hills home from Britney Spears in 2003 Eerie property: Both Spears and Murphy felt there was something odd about the mansion Brittany and Monjack were married at the home in April 2007. They lived at the property with her mom, Sharon Murphy. Sharon made the 911 call the morning of her daughter's death, after she collapsed at 8am. She was also the one to find her son-in-law unresponsive five months later. Murphy had experienced flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death. Following her collapse, she was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Cause of death: Murphy and Monjack both died from pneumonia and anemia Sinister link: Murphy's mother Sharon believed 'severe mold' was the cause of their deaths Murphy and Spears both claimed they felt something off about the mansion. Spears's former make-up artist, Julianne Kaye, recalled the encounter that caused her to abandon the house on the We Need to Talk About Britney podcast in February 2021. 'She had that place up on Sunset Plaza - and I'm just gonna say, this is really weird.[Britney] calls me I had my friend do reiki healing on her. 'He had come up; I guess she'd had a crazy partying weekend and needed to relax. He left, and she swears to God that he opened some spirit portal or something, and these bad spirits had come in and they were trying to, like, push her down the stairs or something crazy.' 'It was so bad that she left,' Kaye added, noting that Spears took refuge at the Casa Del Mar hotel and never returned to her house. 'She goes, "I know you're gonna think I'm crazy. I'm not crazy. I know what I saw. I know what I felt."' Shock doc: What Happened, Brittany Murphy? premiered on HBO Max in 2021 Supernatural episode: Spears's make-up artist told of the star's spooky experience at the pad Murphy sensed something unsettling too, and often expressed her discomfort with her husband. According to a report published by The Hollywood Reporter in January 2011, Monjack shared that his wife tried to avoid the home. He told writer Alex Ben Block: 'She absolutely hated the Rising Glen house. Every time we would drive up Sunset, Britt would say, "Please, can we stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel?"' 'I'd say: "Honey, you've got to be realistic. We have our house, a 10,000 sq ft home. We're going to stay in it."' The filmmaker also described the bathroom where Murphy died as her 'comfort zone.' According to him, it was the place where she read magazines, sang, wrote, and pampered herself. Realty check: The property was put up for sale for nearly $18m in December 2024 The house belonged to several different owners following Murphy's death. Sharon listed the residence for for $2.7million in July 2011, after struggling to find a buyer for $4.99million, per The Hollywood Reporter. In December 2024 it was listed for nearly $18million. At the time, a Zillow listing said the sprawling home had been 'reborn,' after undergoing 'a complete metamorphosis' including a 'newly redesigned' exterior and other changes. David Parnes of Carolwood Estates is handling the sale with an asking price of $17,995,000. A former FBI agent has shared a terrifying new warning to people who stay in hotels while traveling alone. The crucial information was shared in a new TikTok video posted by Steve Lazarus, a retired FBI agent who worked for the Bureau for 22 years. Over the course of his career, he went 'head to head' with domestic terrorists, gangs, and even narcotics trafficking organizations. Stay safe: A former FBI agent has shared a terrifying new warning about staying in hotels while traveling alone (stock image) He also specialized in the explosives field as a bomb technician, which brought him across the world on tours to Afghanistan and Iraq. Lazarus began the video by explaining that safety starts from before you even check in. He said: 'Park in the front of the hotel, where the lights are brighter, and the camera coverage is better. 'Use the main entrance every time you enter or leave the property, stairwells and side entrances are not your friend.' Next, he recommended to make sure to guard your space like you would at an ATM. Lazarus said: 'Desk clerks know not to say your room number out loud, but it's written on your room key envelope, so don't let anyone get close enough to see it. And it's also important to take caution in the elevator, 'Don't push your floor button until the door closes,' Lazarus explained. He continued: 'If someone gets on with you, let them select their floor first.' Check around: The former agent warned people to be constantly aware of their surroundings and who is around them (stock image) Lazarus also recommended standing near the panel and identifying the alarm button in the elevator. He added: 'If you feel like someone has followed you to your floor, stay on the elevator and return to the lobby.' Once you've arrived at your room, there is still more work to be done in terms of making sure everything is safe. Before you open the door, Lazarus recommends taking a look around to make sure no one has followed you there. Safety gadgets: The former FBI agent suggested purchasing a hidden camera detector, which is available on Amazon (stock image) Once you're in your room, Lazarus then advised to lock the door and put up the 'do not disturb' sign. He continued: 'Use the next two or three minutes to run a security sweep. 'Check hiding spots, like closets and behind curtains. Inspect door locks, deadbolts, and the peephole to make sure they haven't been tampered with.' The former FBI agent suggested purchasing a hidden camera detector which uses magnets and infrared technology to detect any hidden microphones and devices. He continued: 'Finally, before you turn in for the night, consider putting a wedge alarm under the door. 'These are available on Amazon, they're inexpensive, they're loud, and they will scare the crap out of someone trying to sneak into your room during the night.' It's often the little things that end up being the highlights, the things that you've discovered yourself that nobody else went to. Rachel Kolsky, 67, from Kenton in Harrow, Middlesex, is no stranger to discovering underrated - and often virtually untouched - cities around the world. As a lecturer on cruises, she's travelled around the world, heading everywhere from Italy to Australia. Shes been speaking at sea since 2009 and has lectured on ships such as Fred Olsen, Cunard, Oceania, Saga River and Viking cruises. Rachels an advocate for discovering things for yourself - and knows the best ways to spot a hidden gem. If you see a door, go in. The worst that's going to happen is they're going to ask you to leave, she says. See a staircase, go up. See an alleyway Having travelled the seas alongside her work as a tour guide in London, Rachels full of wisdom and insights about the best places shes seen. Her favourite place shes discovered as of late? Chioggia, an almost unheard-of town less than two hours from Venice. Rachel says: I was on a cruise to Venice, and I'd booked a guide in Venice to take me to some places I hadn't been to. Rachel Kolsky, 67, from Kenton in Harrow, Middlesex, is no stranger to discovering underrated - and often virtually untouched - cities around the world But then I found out I was going to be berthed at this place called Chioggia. She said, As a Venice guide, I say to you, do not bother coming into Venice if you're berthed at Chioggia. So instead of the Italian hotspot known for its beauty and tourism, Rachel explored its counterpart. She says: It's like a little Venice. It's got loads of canals, it's got gorgeous houses coloured in orange and pink. It's got little boats everywhere.' In fact, when Rachel sent photographs of her trip to friends, everyone assumed she was in Venice itself - thats how picture-perfect this town is, she explains. It's got that Venetian feel to it. I absolutely loved it. When you get to Chioggia, they have numerous little boat trips around the bays and the fish market. It became one of my new favorite places. Another top spot according to Rachel is Livorno, an Italian port city on the west coast of Tuscany. She says: Livorno is gorgeous. I mean, it's the birthplace of Modigliani. Isn't it worth going just for that? Livorno is where you berth to go to Florence and Pisa. Everybody's going to avoid Florence, during the high season. Instead, Livorno is a better alternative. Her favourite place shes discovered as of late? Chioggia, an almost unheard-of town just two hours from Venice Theres another Italian location in her favourites list. I love the feel of Sicily, the faded grandeur of it all. The Segesta and Agrigento, I went in the 1980s for the first time. It was just perfect, Rachel says. She also cites Rhodes as a top spot - I fell in love with Rhodes, she says of the Greek destination. Split in Croatia is one of the best too - and Croatia as a country, she says. I would suggest anybody goes to Croatia. There's something for everybody. The most amazing history, the most amazing historic sites including Roman sites, phenomenal countryside, the most phenomenal vistas, and the towns are really great as well. If you're somebody who doesnt want to go too far afield, Croatia as a country is fantastic. But for those who do want to venture further from the UKs shores, Rachel has two spots in mind: I never wanted to go to Australia. In retrospect, I don't understand why. I can't wait to return. Down Under, she especially recommends Sydney and Brisbane. Whats more, the Caribbean - a highly popular cruise spot - makes her cut. There's more to the Caribbean than rum cocktails and sitting on a beach, Rachel divulges. I fell in love with the Caribbean. I'm not a beach person, I don't swim, I can't bear the thought of just sitting on a beach, although I'll sit on the deck of a ship for hours. Every island has its own personality. And again, if you seek out, you'll find all manner of wonderful things or personalities linked to the islands.' As a lecturer on cruises, Rachels travelled around the world, heading everywhere from Italy to Australia. Shes been speaking at sea since 2009 And theres another largely unheard of spot she loved, too. I was lucky to visit Manaus in Brazil on an Amazon cruise, Rachel explains. The city, on the banks of the Negro River in northwestern Brazil, is known as the bustling Gateway to the Amazon'. Her experience on cruises has allowed Rachel incomparable opportunities to explore a wide variety of places. One of the things that makes ports so fabulous to visit is if you can walk off the ship and into the town - for example in Istanbul, Marseille, Split, Rhodes and more, Rachel says. Taking a step off the boat and into the nooks and crannies of the unknown is, then, golden advice from the woman who discovers and guides for a living. Many travellers dream of having major adventures in the world's most remote destinations but, for one British filmmaker, exploring far-flung - and often dangerous - corners of the globe is all in a days work. British extreme cameraman Stan Gaskell has clocked up visits to 39 countries while working 20-hour days and living in a van called Nelly, filming the adrenaline-filled journeys of real-life explorers. At just 24 years old, he's been to a Hindu festival that only happens every 144 years in Prayagraj, locked down in a military census curfew in Iraq and crossed the world's most pirated waters. Gaskell, from North Yorkshire, started freelancing as a camera operator when he was 16 before getting his 'big break' working on Project Africa in March 2023. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Gaskell shares how he travelled the entire length of Africa in 352 days while documenting Russell Cooks (aka 'the Hardest Geezer') mission to become the first person to run the 10,000-mile journey. While he's captured on camera incredible scenery, and enjoyed local food and hospitality, he's also endured some seriously sketchy moments, including a terrifying near-death' experience while crossing the Gulf of Guinea. He explains how he ended up 'squaring up' to sailors during one trip after a plan to avoid a conflict zone in Nigeria saw his crew take a path that ended up being just as treacherous. I was just coming off my first malaria bout in Cameroon when we were due to strap our van to a boat and cross the ocean to Nigeria, avoiding a warzone on land, he says. Stan Gaskell, from North Yorkshire, started freelancing as a camera operator when he was 16 before getting his 'big break' in March 2023. He is pictured filming on the English Channel British extreme endurance athlete Russ Cook (L), known as the 'Hardest Geezer' and Stan (R) are pictured in Senegal during filming for Project Africa 'I was sailing on an oversized plank of wood across the world's most pirated waters with our van strapped to the top, in a thunderstorm,' says Gaskell We had to load our van onto a really rickety cargo boat, which was made of wood and falling apart. When we arrived at the boat, we met our fixer - who still haunts our dreams to this day. Gaskell, who returned from Africa in April 2024, explains: He wanted to lift our 4.5-tonne van onto the boat with a crane. We carefully considered whether the warzone sounded quite nice after all! After two days of arguing back and forth, the van, which nearly slipped into the sea during the process, was rolled onto the boat. 'I squared up to more big sailors than I should have,' admits Gaskell. And when they finally set sail, they headed into an almighty storm. When we got out to sea, there was a big thunderstorm that was rocking the boat 45 degrees each way. It was one of the few times that I thought to myself, We might not make it out of here. Gaskell recalls. Feeling about as stable as a seesaw made of middle-aged men, my colleague Jamie and I calmly discussed if the van would make it. 'We decided it probably wouldn't, but there was nothing we could do. At that moment, we hit a huge wave, and the main supporting beam of the boat cracked slightly in front of us.' Join the debate What motivates people to risk their lives for adventure, and is it ever truly worth it? After two days of arguing back and forth, the van, which nearly slipped into the sea during the process, was rolled onto the boat in Cameroon, in preparation for the crossing Gaskell is pictured in Nigeria after the van was shipped from Cameroon He says he and his colleague briefly discussed how they might not 'make it out alive' but realised there was no alternative except to nervously ride it out. 'I was sailing on an oversized plank of wood across the world's most pirated waters with our van strapped to the top, in a thunderstorm. Safe to say we didn't actually drown that day, but it's one of the closest times either of us has ever felt to death, and it's stuck with me for a long time. It's not the only time Gaskell has feared for his life while capturing footage. On another occasion, his van broke down in the Mauritanian Sahara. 'This was when Jamie and I were forced to split up from the others in the roadless section of the Sahara,' he says. 'This meant going off on our own, with no satellite phone, along barely used tyre tracks in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest road, hoping we'd find a trail that would take us to the Algerian border. 'After a day of aimless driving, we finally found the main route again, but a sandstorm halted our progress for the day. We got to bed early, ready to set off at first light.' But when they woke up the next morning, their troubles were far from over. 'Within an hour of starting the next day, the engine turned off. We carried on cautiously for half an hour, then the same again. Half an hour more, and it wouldn't start back up. This was bad. Gaskell is pictured in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, famous for its 'moonscaped' landscape, which includes cone-like pillars and honeycombed hills Stan is pictured camping in the roadless Sahara Desert, Mauritania 'We were 12km away from a military base at the border to Western Sahara, so we tried to go there, and somehow, very slowly, made it. 'The guards initially pointed their weapons at us, but after some dodgy chat in broken Arabic and French, they were actually very kind to us, and as luck would have it, there was a desert outpost not far away, with a mechanic. We slowly pulled the van there. 'Even more luckily, this breakdown had stopped us following the planned route, into Western Sahara, where Morocco was actively bombing civilian vehicles. If we'd broken down literally two hours later, I might not be telling this story. 'When the mechanic rocked up, we explained the problem to him, and he got to work. After four hours, he gave up. There was no fix without ordering parts, and this place didn't exactly have Amazon Prime. We were officially stuck. 'The next morning, the mechanics returned and showed us a trick to restart the engine by pouring petrol into the ignition to create a small explosion that would start the motor. We still had 400km to go, but we decided to try it and hope. Bad move. An hour in, and the engine wouldn't even start with the petrol trick. 'Then came our salvation. Algerian truckers, on their way to the border, agreed to pull us all the way. They shared their food, stories and trucky homes with us. They really did save us. What goes through the mind when it feels like the worst could happen? 'At that point, I was so used to things going wrong that I wasnt even that worried,' Gaskell says. Pictured: The state of the van after being towed 250km out of the roadless Sahara Desert by an Algerian Trucker, following the breakdown Stan has clocked up 39 countries across two expeditions. He is pictured while filming in Guinea I think it was only afterwards that I comprehended how much of a close call it was. You just have to adopt a mindset of expecting things to go wrong. Its part of the day job.' After Project Africa, Gaskell, who works for Blue Door Productions, booked a job as a creative producer for Project Limitless, where he documented British adventurer Mitchell Hutchcraft's record-breaking mission to complete the longest climb of Mount Everest in history. Starting in September 2024 and finishing in May this year, this involved eight months of filming in challenging environments, covering 19 countries and 13,000km. After visiting so many varied countries, Gaskell says it's hard to pick a favourite. The one that pops into my head is Algeria, he says. Its a rarely-visited country; theyve only recently started opening up for tourists in the last few years. We were the first Westerners to cross over the particular crossing we did because its right out in the middle of the desert. Up until that point, it had only been open for trade. That was really special because we got to visit some places that are rarely visited by Western people. We received incredible hospitality everywhere we went, but Algeria was really special. Even in the most incredibly remote parts of the country, people were willing to share whatever they had with us.' After visiting so many varied countries, Stan says it's hard to pick a favourite. But if he had to choose, it would be Algeria Stan documented Mitchell Hutchcraft's mission to complete the longest climb of Mount Everest in history. Pictured: Reaching the summit of Lobuche East (6119m) in Nepal When it comes to Gaskell's advice for taking great videos while travelling, he says: 'The most important thing that people should understand is that to make a great travel video, you don't need to have fancy cameras or a massive production budget. 'The heart of it is always the story and you can capture that with a phone camera or GoPro. Everyone has an incredible camera in their pockets these days. 'What it's really about is capturing what you see around you and trying to find your personal story within that. 'It isn't about visuals, it's purely about the story and the people.' Ive posted many jokes and barbed comments about Donald Trump on social media X and Instagram. I cannot stand him, but I do like holidays in America. I hear US border officials may soon check social media to see if you have been anti-American. Will I be allowed in? Pete Smith, via email Possibly not as incredible as that may sound. But given that so many people poke fun at the US President, not everyone in such a situation is going to be turned away. And America also does not want to destroy its tourism industry. The background to this is that, earlier this month, Donald Trump announced that US immigration officials may be given powers under a yet to be ratified proposal to check back over five years of each visitors social media, to prevent the wrong people entering America. Adding clarification, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has stated that anyone applying for an ESTA, an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation effectively a visa waiver for 90 days of tourist travel will in future need to make a mandatory disclosure of social media during applications. Currently, travellers are asked to enter such details optionally. Furthermore and rather extraordinarily applicants will also be requested to submit high value data when it becomes feasible to collect it. This will include telephone numbers from the past five years, the dates and places of birth of family members, plus business emails covering the previous decade. Donald Trump wants to stop the 'wrong people' from entering the US, though how workable his plan is remains to be seen US Customs officials could be given the right to access your social media posts The proposal regarding social media disclosures could come into effect as soon as February, with high value data requests later. However, Mr Trumps order may be delayed or even blocked by the courts, so it could take much longer. The CBP says it is within its rights to delve into social media and check phone numbers and emails as it will be protecting citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes, as outlined in President Trumps Executive Order 14161. How all of this will work in practice is unknown. It will, of course, be a lengthy process to trawl through five years of social media, especially if you are on many platforms. How on earth tourists will be able to do this and present the results within ESTA applications is unclear. David Ellis, an expert on digital behaviour at the University of Bath, believes the only way the CBP could examine all this is by using AI, as manual checks are never going to happen. He also suspects that specific queries will be sought, such as expressing support for US-designated terrorist organisations such as Hamas or Hezbollah. It is worth noting that by declaring your social media on an ESTA application you would effectively be giving immigration officials the legal right to snoop on you so it may be sensible to apply for an ESTA now. Ive had skin cancer surgery to remove facial growths, which has slightly altered my faces shape. Do I need to change my passport photo? James Davis, via email Not if you are identifiable to a stranger from your photo. If not, reapply for a new passport using a new photo. The BBC faced criticism during the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final after making an on-air mistake involving Duchess Sophie. Viewers watching the live show spotted the error when Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, appeared in a surprise video message praising Ellie Goldstein. Ellie was the first person with Down's syndrome to appear on the dancing show and the fifth star to be voted out of this series. The royal, who is a patron of Mencap, commended Ellie for challenging perceptions around people with learning disabilities and highlighted her work as a supporter of the charity. However, as the message played out, the on-screen caption identified her as 'Sophie Wessex, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh' - a title she no longer uses. Sophie dropped the Wessex designation following changes to royal titles, making the caption incorrect. The BBC faced criticism during the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final after making an on-air mistake involving Duchess Sophie's title Viewers watching the live show spotted the error when Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, appeared in a surprise video message praising finalist Ellie Goldstein The slip did not go unnoticed by fans, with one viewer quick to flag the mistake on social media and question how it made it to air during one of the BBC's biggest live broadcasts of the year. They wrote: 'She isnt called Sophie Wessex anymore!' followed by a face palm emoji. Another viewer however bypassed the mistake, instead impressed with the inclusion penning: 'Had all the royal touches tonight from Duchess of Edinburgh and Queen Camilla. #Strictly' Sophie said in her video message: 'I'm Patron of MENCAP and Ellie is one of our amazing supporters. 'She has dispelled quite a number of perceptions of people with learning disabilities.' Sophie wasn't the only royal who showed an interest in Saturday night's final. To mark Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman last ever show, the pair received a truly royal send off from the Queen herself. The pair were left stunned when a surprise message arrived just moments before the results were revealed. However the royal was referred to as 'Sophie Wessex HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh' - a title she no longer uses as she dropped the Wessex designation following changes to royal titles, making the caption incorrect Sophie said in her video message: 'I'm Patron of MENCAP and Ellie is one of our amazing supporters. 'She has dispelled quite a number of perceptions of people with learning disabilities' The slip did not go unnoticed by fans, with one viewer quick to flag the mistake on social media and question how it made it to air during one of the BBC's biggest live broadcasts of the year Ellie was the first person with Down's syndrome to appear on the dancing show and the fifth star to be voted out of this series Ellie, who is a model and actress, was reunited on the show with her pro dance partner Vito Coppola who she described as 'the best guy in the world' The tribute, delivered by long-standing judge Craig Revel Horwood, who has been part of Strictly since its 2004 launch, revealed to be from the Queen Consort herself. An emotional Craig read: 'Tess and Claudia, as you prepare to take your final twirl, I just want to say thank you on behalf of the millions who watch you each week. 'I have often thought that Strictly is not so much a show about dancing as about friendships, the bonds forged, the struggles overcome, and the joy shared in undertaking a joint endeavour. 'If that is true, then perhaps yours has been the greatest strictly partnership of all. The warmth, compassion, and sheer happiness you have radiated with and from each other has been at the heart of the show's success. 'I think I speak for everyone when I say you have been utterly fabulous. I wish you both every success in wherever life's journey takes you next, but as one who has appreciated its lifelong benefits, do promise us one thing, keep dancing. 'With the warmest gratitude and admiration, Her Royal Highness, Queen Camilla.' Tess and Claudia were overwhelmed by the tribute as they struggled to contain their emotion after the heartfelt letter. Sophie wasn't the only royal who showed an interest in Saturday night's final and to mark Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's last ever show, the pair received a truly royal send off from the Queen herself An emotional Craig Revel Horwood read out the letter admitting that he was 'nervous' before adding that it really was official Thanking fans, a visibly emotional Tess said: 'I can't speak now. What an honour. 'Thank you so much for your lovely words, from the bottom of the hearts it means so much to us.' Claudia replied: 'That is amazing, what a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much. 'We have loved being part of such a wonderful show. It has been a privilege to be a part of your weekends.' Bowen Yang burst into tears as he performed his final sketch on his final episode of Saturday Night Live, after seven years on the program. He joined the show as a writer in 2018 before being added to the on-air cast in 2019, making headlines as the sketch show's first Chinese American star. The 35-year-old reached another milestone in 2021, when he became the first featured player ever to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy. News of his departure sent shockwaves through the show's fanbase, as it was announced only this Friday and comes midseason. When his last sketch came this Saturday, Yang could not help himself from lapsing into tears in the middle of a song with Ariana Grande. Yang was playing a Delta Sky Lounge employee, but as he said his lines about his job, it became clear they were a double-entendre for his feelings about the show. Bowen Yang burst into tears as he performed his final sketch on his final episode of Saturday Night Live, after seven years on the program As he broke character and began to cry, Yang said that 'I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here, and I just wanted to enjoy it for a little bit longer.' He added: 'Especially the people. I've loved every single person who works here, because they've done so much for me, especially my boss.' His 'boss' in the sketch was not Lorne Michaels, the actual showrunner of Saturday Night Live, but rather Cher, who came onstage as 'CEO of Eggnog at Delta.' Yang went on, partially in character, that 'any success I have after this will be thanks to this place. Before I go, do you have any feedback for me?' 'Well, everyone thought you were a little bit too gay,' Cher deadpanned, before sweetly adding: 'But you know what? You're perfect for me.' She enveloped Yang in a warm hug and the pair returned to the song he had been singing with Grande before - Please Come Home for Christmas, a seasonal blues standard introduced in 1960 by Charles Brown, who also co-wrote it. The embrace sent the audience into a round of: 'Aww,' and Yang began to cry again, saying: 'This place will always be home, but ah, it's time to go.' When they concluded their rendition of the number, Grande gave Bowen a small kiss, a moment that one fan pointed out as 'really sweet' on social media. Join the debate Has SNL lost its edge with so many beloved cast members leaving recently? When his last sketch came this Saturday, Yang could not help himself from lapsing into tears in the middle of a song with Ariana Grande Yang was playing a Delta Sky Lounge employee, but as he said his lines about his job, it became clear they were a double-entendre for his feelings about the show As he broke character and began to cry, Yang said that 'I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here, and I just wanted to enjoy it for a little bit longer' Fans reacted on X with tearful emoji and posts like: 'Awww such a touching send off for Bowen Yang. So perfect to have Ariana and Cher serenade with him.' 'We will miss you Bowen,' wrote one viewer as another gushed: 'stop bowen goodby sketch has me crying and of course his bestie ari wanted to be there with him i am so emotional stop.' The morning after the news of his departure broke on Friday, Bowen took to Instagram to confirm his exit and share a heartfelt farewell with the SNL family. 'I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people,' Bowen began. 'I was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 Rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile.' 'Im grateful for every minute of my time there,' he continued. 'I learned about myself (bad with wigs). I learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). I learned that human error can be nothing but correct. I learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that it will usually fail until it doesnt, which is the besssst.' He added a long list of personal thank-yous: 'Thank you to every single person who showed up there: friends and coworkers and audiences and hosts. Thank you Celeste, Sudi, Will, Alison, Julio, Fran, Drez, Bulla, Marty, John, Ben, Jimmy, Ceara, Deetch, Jake, Asha, Jack, Auguste, Tucker, Kent, Streeter, James, Alex, Jasmine, Gary, and Billy for writing with me. 'Thank you to every cast member for making me laugh and cry. To Liz and Don. Tom, Jodi, Louie, Eamon. Gena, Chris, Eddie. The crews, the pages. And to Audrey, Jameson, Cassandra and Chris for the fastest, funnest quick-changes in all of showbiz. 'Thank you to Ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way I could imagine.' 'We will miss you Bowen,' wrote one viewer as another gushed: 'stop bowen goodby sketch has me crying and of course his bestie ari wanted to be there with him i am so emotional stop' 'Thank you to Lorne for the job. For the standard. And for bringing everyone at work together. They all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves. I cant believe I was ever included in that. The show doesnt go on because its ready, but s-iiiiit, I hope I am.' Yang joined SNL as a writer in 2018 before being promoted to the cast for Season 45. He earned repertory status ahead of Season 47, quickly becoming one of the shows standout performers over seven seasons. His departure follows a summer exodus after Season 50, which saw Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim all leave the cast. Yang also becomes the latest midseason exit, following Cecily Strongs surprise December 2022 departure during Season 48. Molly Shannon, Dana Carvey and Eddie Murphy also left midseason. Though his exit comes after the cast turbulence, its not entirely unexpected. Yang has teased the possibility of leaving SNL over the past few months, leaving fans bracing for one final set of sketches from the beloved comedian. The morning after the news broke on Friday, Bowen took to Instagram to confirm his exit and share a heartfelt farewell with the SNL family Back in September, Yang revealed he had a heart-to-heart with SNL creator Lorne Michaels about his future on the show. 'Lorne was like, You have more to do, and that means a lot, because I even confessed to him I feel the audience is maybe getting sick of me," Yang recalled to People. 'And he was like, "Thats not true. Theres more for you to do. I need you."' A source told the Daily Mail:' Bowen was actually going to leave much earlier and almost didn't do this season at all, but with all the attention that all the moves SNL did got, Lorne asked Bowen to stay on a little longer and Bowen obliged. 'Bowen is ready to do his own shows and more movies and more TV outside of SNL. And with Wicked's success, now was the time to hit the ground running. Bowen hates the word bittersweet, but the whole situation is bittersweet and he is looking forward to this weekend being his swan song.' Despite that reassurance, Yang has already missed several episodes this season. He notably skipped an October show to attend the Academy Museum gala in Los Angeles, where he accepted the Vantage Award. His departure follows a summer exodus after Season 50, which saw Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim all leave the cast During his tenure, Yang earned critical acclaim, scoring Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. Outside of SNL, Yang is a major force in pop culture thanks to his hit podcast Las Culturistas, which he co-hosts with longtime friend and fellow comedian Matt Rogers. He also starred on Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens from 2020 to 2023. His resume continues to grow on the big screen as well. In addition to Wicked and Wicked: For Good, Yangs film credits include Fire Island (2022), Dicks: The Musical (2023), and the The Wedding Banquet (2025). Yangs departure comes in the wake of the cast overhaul that wrapped up over the summer. 'Lorne doesnt have many more years he wants to do SNL,' an insider exclusively told Daily Mail at the time. 'He wants to make it funny again.' Fans were quick to react when Gardner a beloved cast member of eight years was let go, following the departures of Longfellow, Wakim, Devon Walker. Heidi Gardner left the show after an impressive eight-season run (pictured in February) Ego Nwodim's exit announcement came just days after NBC appeared to finalize the cast list for the latest season, with her name still included Nwodims exit announcement, meanwhile, came just days after NBC appeared to finalize the cast list for the upcoming season, with her name still included. The current lineup features longtime favorite Kenan Thompson, Chloe Fineman, Mikey Day, and Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost, alongside Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla, and Jane Wickline. New faces joining the cast this season include Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, and Kam Patterson. Meanwhile, the Please Dont Destroy trio no longer appear onscreen together. Writer and occasional performer John Higgins has exited the show completely. Ben Marshall has stepped out of the writers room to join the cast as a featured player, and Martin Herlihy remains on staff as a writer. The recent cast changes are said to partly be tied to plans for an SNL UK spinoff in 2026, with Lorne intent on keeping the original series as the benchmark for sketch comedy. 'So these changes for Lorne are to see if he's still got it,' an insider told the Daily Mail. 'And to make sure that SNL is funny and groundbreaking for years to come.' Performers Emil Wakim (left), Michael Longfellow (right) and Devon Walker (center) also exited before the new season The source added that he 'needs to add some gasoline to the fire, and even though there will still be familiar names, he wants to mix it up and bring in a brand-new set of cast members, because that adds to the fun of it all'. While the process may feel cutthroat, the insider emphasized that upheavals like this are normal at SNL - though they haven't happened on this scale in some time. 'Lorne felt that he and the show had been on autopilot for a few years, and it is now time to be very funny again.' He is said to want the series to take more risks and bring back some 'grit'. President Trump was mocked by Saturday Night Live for the heavily-redacted Epstein files release in a divisive cold open. Comedian James Austin Johnson parodied the president in a festive episode of the sketch show, ridiculing Trump's claim to be the 'most transparent in history' after the latest Epstein files release. Hundreds of pages in the documents were redacted in an evidence dump by the Justice Department on Friday, and Trump was accused of erasing his own name from the files as he appeared only a handful of times. 'We released all the files, and I come out looking, frankly, very good,' Johnson's Trump said. Stood next to a large file with redactions around the words 'Trump Didn't Do Nothing Bad', he added: 'We had to redact a few sensitive things, but you'll get the gist here.' 'See, it's all there. Can you believe it?' he continued. 'With regard to files, we're being very transparent... Because Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible man, and I didn't know him, and I liked him a lot.' The bit divided opinions as conservatives criticized SNL writers for the snow's declining viewership and the sketch's failure to mention former Democratic President Bill Clinton also appearing throughout the latest Epstein files release. President Trump was mocked by Saturday Night Live's James Austin Johnson for the heavily-redacted Epstein files release in a divisive cold open this week Johnson ridiculed Trump's release of the Epstein Files as he next to a large image with redactions around the words 'Trump Didn't Do Nothing Bad', as he joked: 'We had to redact a few sensitive things, but you'll get the gist here' The SNL cold open also took aim at Trump's recent moves to rename the iconic Kennedy Center to add his own name to the facade. 'We are renaming the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which will now be called the Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts No Homo,' he quipped. Johnson's Trump jokes that he was renaming so many government buildings after himself because his administration 'had to take it off so many files.' 'We had to put them somewhere,' he said. Showing images of historic sites with the president's name on them, he continued: 'I'm actually going to be renaming a number of our other monuments as wellTrump-Washington Monument...Trump Lincoln Memorial.' Johnson's Trump went on to mock the president's habit of losing his train of thought and zig-zagging between talking points, including his frequent references to taking cognitive tests. 'I'm doing my own version of Nativity now, where kings from the Middle East bring gifts for me, like gold and airplane and casino deal in Dubai,' he said. 'But unlike nativity, they're not showing up on camel. And I know camel, I know it very well. I know it from my mandatory daily cognitive test. 'I always get camel right. It's bumpy horse, that's how I know camel, bumpy horse.' Johnson's Trump impression was criticized by supporters of the president, with one self-described MAGA fan describing it on X as 'as weak & pitiful as SNL has ever been' Johnson's Trump impression was criticized by supporters of the president, with one self-described MAGA fan describing it on X as 'as weak & pitiful as SNL has ever been.' 'The ideas, the writing & delivery of those ideas & writing is worse than its ever been. Turn out the lights, lock the doors & turn that block of time into showing more entertaining TV. Paint drying & grass growing,' they wrote in response to the SNL sketch on X. Another wrote sarcastically: 'Im starting to think this show is biased. 'Clinton, Michael Jackson, Reiner, a Conan OBrien Christmas party, how did they miss this the jokes couldve wrote themselves,' they added. Others accused SNL of omitting Bill Clinton's place in the Epstein files as the show took aim solely at Trump. 'They should do a skit on why Biden didnt release the files if so damaging to Trump. Or even better, one that portrays the Clintons,' one observer wrote. 'I miss SNL being humorous..' Jimmy Kimmel will poke fun at a 'great year' from a 'fascism perspective' when he delivers the Channel 4 Alternative Christmas Message. The chat show host, who was taken off air following controversial comments he made accusing Donald Trump and his allies of capitalising on Charlie Kirk's murder, will begin his speech by saying: 'From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year.' The comedian, 58, was suspended from hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live in September before returning five days later. He will compare Trump's administration to the rise of fascism in his Christmas message as he sits beside a cup of tea and a plate of jammy dodger biscuits. Kimmel has unabashedly hit out at Trump, using his platform to criticize the president's policies, rhetoric, and character, leading to a long-standing rivalry. Following Kirk's death, he delivered a monologue claiming the 'MAGA gang' was 'desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it'. He also accused them of 'working very hard to capitalise on the murder', before claiming Trump was grieving like a 'four-year-old mourns a goldfish'. Disney-owned ABC took his show off air in response, while FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned the network its license could be at risk because of Kimmel's content. Jimmy Kimmel will poke fun at a 'great year' from a 'fascism perspective' when he delivers the Channel 4 Alternative Christmas Message The chat show was pulled off air in September after accusing Trump and his allies of capitalising on Charlie Kirk's murder The US president later suggested that if any TV networks only give him bad press 'maybe their licence should be taken away'. It sparked backlash with some accusing the US administration of infringing on free speech and press freedom. In his Christmas speech, an alternative to the monarch's annual televised address, Kimmel will reflect on the events of the past year, sharing his own personal experiences and insights after being at the centre of one of the stories that rocked the US. A Channel 4 spokesperson said: 'Donald Trump's return to the White House and wide-ranging impact on the world has been the story of 2025 and it would be hard to think of a better person to address it than Jimmy Kimmel, who has found himself on the front line of America's battle over free speech.' Kimmel's wife and head writer, Molly McNearney, has previously admitted that she and her husband had thought his career was effectively over. But his show has secured a one-year contract extension, which will keep him on air through until May 2027. Channel 4's annual broadcast, which first aired in 1993, aims to bring viewers a message about that year's events. Kimmel's address follows on from previous messages delivered by a wide range of presenters, including comedian Chris McCausland who addressed ableism last year after becoming the first blind person to win Strictly Come Dancing. Other presenters have included former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, actor and TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry, whistleblower Edward Snowden, former speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, and actor Danny Dyer. The Alternative Christmas Message will air on Channel 4 at 5.45pm on Christmas Day. Vietnams total trade turnover is projected to reach a record US$920 billion this year, placing it among the worlds top 15 trading economies. The projection was announced on Friday by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang, at a conference reviewing the sectors performance. She said that as of Dec. 15, Vietnams combined import-export value had already climbed to US$883.7 billion. Exports are expected to increase 16% compared with 2024, reaching about US$470 billion. Vietnam has recorded a trade surplus for 10 straight years since 2016, providing a steady inflow of foreign currency, easing exchange-rate pressure, and helping bolster national foreign exchange reserves. A fisherman holds a fish in Binh Thuan in March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Quoc Vietnams trade turnover has posted continuous growth in recent years. From the $100 billion milestone in 2009, total trade turnover has increased ninefold. The number of export items generating more than $1 billion has also risen sharply, from 10 items in 2007 to 36 at present. Export markets have continued to expand, with the number of markets posting turnover of more than $1 billion rising from 27 in 2013 to 35 by the end of last year. Manufacturing activities have been expanding. The industrial production index is estimated at 9.5%, higher than the 8.2% recorded in 2024. Vietnam signed four new free trade agreements this year, bringing the total to 17 with 65 countries and territories. The size of the e-commerce market surpassed $30 billion for the first time this year. Vietnam has also maintained its position as 32nd globally in terms of national brand value. However, Thang noted that while exports have been growing, they remain unsustainable, with foreign direct investment accounting for a large share. Vietnam still depends heavily on several major markets and faces pressure from trade defense investigations and origin fraud. Meanwhile, the development of the domestic market and e-commerce activities remains limited. Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed the governments ambition to achieve double-digit economic growth in the coming years. He said the industry and trade sector must post growth of more than 10% by revitalizing traditional growth drivers while pushing into new markets. She's best known for starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in one of cinema's most famous ill-fated romances. But even the most ardent of her fans may not know Kate Winslet's own first love story, which also ended tragically when he died, the same week that Titanic was released. The actress, 50, has been married three times and enjoyed brief dalliances with actor Rufus Sewell and model Louis Dowler, but has declared her first boyfriend Stephen Tredre 'was the other half of my soul'. The man in question was an actor and writer known for creating BBC series Fish and writing for EastEnders, who met Kate on the set of Russell T Davies's BBC sci-fi series, Dark Season, in 1991 - in her screen debut. She starred as one of the three leads, while Stephen appeared in one episode and Kate quickly fell for him, later describing how he made her 'feel secure and embraced' and was 'the most important person in my life, next to my family'. However, while she maintains that he 'will always be an incredible love of my life', the relationship has raised eyebrows online, owing to the fact that Kate was just 15 years old at the time, while Stephen was 27. Even the most ardent of her fans may not know Kate Winslet's own first love story, which also ended tragically when he died the same week that Titanic was released (seen last week) The actress, 50, has been married three times and enjoyed brief dalliances with actor Rufus Sewell and model Louis Dowler, but has declared her first boyfriend Stephen Tredre 'was the other half of my soul' (pictured at the 1996 BAFTAs) She has confirmed being a minor when she began her romance with a man 12 years her senior, with the couple dating for around five years and even living together, before splitting when she was 19, after Stephen was diagnosed with cancer. Despite the break-up, they stayed in constant contact throughout his health battle, the same time that her star was beginning to rise with Heavenly Creatures and Sense and Sensibility. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind star later avowed: 'Stephen and I talked every day. This was not somebody I'd turn my back on.' Stephen sadly passed away at the age of 34 in December 1997, which Kate described as 'unbelievably heartbreaking', declaring: 'All I have left is that we remained very close until the end.' In later years, she has been candid about never having gotten over his death, once admitting: 'I talk about Stephen as if I still love him. But I do. I hope I always will.' But while most people would find fault with a relationship between a 15-year-old and a 27-year-old, Kate has only ever spoken about Stephen with fondness and never acknowledged the possibility their romance was at all inappropriate. The mother-of-three has been very open about being bullied in her teenage years, describing how she was cruelly teased and called 'Blubber' at school, saying: 'I was chubby, always had big feet, the wrong shoes, bad hair'. The ordeal left her with huge insecurities, believing she 'wasn't good enough' and 'didn't have the perfect body', and has confessed: 'I suffered from No one will ever fancy me! syndrome, well into my teens.' The man in question was an actor and writer known for creating BBC series Fish and writing for EastEnders, who met Kate on the set of Russell T Davies's BBC sci-fi series, Dark Season, in 1991 - in her screen debut (Kate pictured on show) She starred as one of the three leads, while Stephen appeared in one episode (pictured) and Kate quickly fell for him, later describing how he made her 'feel secure and embraced' and was 'the most important person in my life, next to my family' However, while she maintains that he 'will always be an incredible love of my life', the relationship has raised eyebrows online, owing to the fact that Kate was just 15 years old at the time, while Stephen was 27 (Kate pictured at 17) It was during this difficult time, where she described herself as 'shy and vulnerable', that she met and began dating Stephen, who she described as 'a great source of strength' and gushed that 'my life revolved around him'. Speaking about her first love to the Los Angeles Times in 1999, she said: 'He was a great source of strength to me while we were together. 'He was 12 years older than me. I was 15, and we split up when I was about 19. He was someone who really made me stick to my guns and believe in myself and taught me how to understand who I was.' And several years later, Kate continued to remember their relationship fondly - despite being so young when it began. She told Parade in 2006: 'I was very shy. I was vulnerable. Other girls teased me terribly. I was bullied. I'd just put my head down and get on with it. That was my means of survival. Stephen made me feel secure and embraced. 'He was the most important person in my life, next to my family. We were together for four and a half years. I spoke to him every day. I've never told anyone all this stuff before. I have no desire to hide any part of myself.' While most would expect the parents of a 15-year-old to be outraged by the news their daughter was dating a man 12 years her senior, Kate insisted that her mother Sally was unbothered. Recalling the moment she spilled the beans on their romance, she told Rolling Stone: 'I told my mum and I thought, "Oh, no, she's going to hit the roof." And she said, "So what's he like, then? Are you going to bring him home?"' By the time she was 16, Kate had dropped out of school and was working at a delicatessen, going on to move into a north London flat with Stephen, aged 17. But while most people would find fault with a relationship between a 15-year-old and a 27-year-old, Kate has only ever spoken about Stephen with fondness and never acknowledged the possibility their romance was at all inappropriate (Stephen pictured in 1996) The mother-of-three has been very open about being bullied in her teenage years, describing how she was cruelly teased and called 'Blubber' at school, saying: 'I was chubby, always had big feet, the wrong shoes, bad hair' The ordeal left her with huge insecurities, believing she 'wasn't good enough' and 'didn't have the perfect body', and has confessed: 'I suffered from No one will ever fancy me! syndrome, well into my teens' She recalled to Parade: 'Stephen was very inspiring. He'd wake up in the morning, open the bedroom curtains and say to me, "Oh, what a gorgeous day! Let's go out!" He had this extraordinary zest for life. My life revolved around him.' But after his cancer diagnosis in 1994, Stephen's health rapidly declined while Kate was in the midst of filming Sense and Sensibility. 'There was no point to his suffering. No rhyme or reason to it,' she said. 'He lived healthfully. It always seemed impossible that this man could ever die. 'He had a tumor in his leg removed and lots of chemotherapy. I was there. I'd take the sleeper train up from Devon, where we shot the film, and just be at the hospital with him.' She has revealed that it was Stephen who decided to end their relationship during his cancer battle, which she deemed 'an act of love', but one that she always regretted. Acknowledging her young age at the time, the Oscar winner explained: 'When Stephen had gotten better and his cancer was in remission, we broke up. I don't know why. 'I was so young, when I look back on it. Only 19. How could I have left a person who was so unwell? I thought Stephen was going to be alright.' Kate has frequently admitted that she has never gotten over his sudden death, insisting their bond persisted until the end. While most would expect the parents of a 15-year-old to be outraged by the news their daughter was dating a man 12 years her senior, Kate insisted that her mother Sally was unbothered (pictured with Sally in 2007) Kate has frequently admitted that she has never gotten over his sudden death, insisting their bond persisted until the end (pictured last month) She said at the time: 'I had an absolutely extraordinary relationship with him. My dear former boyfriend will always be an incredible love of my life. It wasn't as if I just turned round and left him. Our relationship reached a friendly end and we stayed close.' And over a decade after Stephen's passing, she broke down in tears speaking about the grief and regret she still feels. 'You don't [get over it], you learn to live with it. I look back on it and Sorry, I still get upset when I talk about it,' she tearfully told the Telegraph in 2008. 'Stephen let me go, and that as an act of love from one human being to another was overwhelming. When I look back, I wish he hadn't. 'I wish I had just been there. To the bitter end. He was gone very quickly and I still go over those moments in my head.' Kate skipped the US premiere of Titanic to attend Stephen's funeral, later revealing that she was advised not to by bosses, who warned that the decision could negatively impact her career. 'I suppose I was a bit depressed by that,' she later recalled to The Guardian two years later. 'Someone I had spent four-and-a-half years of my life with had just died, and it was just that people would even consider... 'They would be having conversations with me, saying things like, "Look, we understand, this must be a very hard time," and then they'd go on to say, "but don't you think Stephen would have wanted it?"' Kate skipped the US premiere of Titanic to attend the Stephen's funeral, later revealing that she was advised not to by bosses, who warned that the decision could negatively impact her career (seen with Leo at the Golden Globes a month later) Kate said that when she looks back on that period where she shot to global stardom thanks to the record-breaking popularity of Titanic, she can see she was dealing with a lot, adding: 'I had a lot of pain, and I was confused about who I was' (seen last month) She shot back: '"No, he bloody wouldn't. Stephen would have wanted me at his funeral, and I'm going to be there." Yes, I was pretty alarmed by that.' During a tearful profile with Rolling Stone in 1998, she revealed how she sang at his memorial, saying: 'It was a song that he always loved me singing. I felt like Elton John must have felt singing at Di's funeral. 'It was so hard. I knew that if I said a few words beforehand, I would start crying and I wouldn't be able to sing. So I sang, and the second I stopped I started to choke.' During an appearance on podcast Happy Sad Confused last year, she reflected on the significance of missing the premiere to attend the funeral. She mused to host Josh Horowitz: 'I mean, it's a terrible thing to even think about now, and obviously I wasn't going to miss that. 'So, I sort of missed all of the everything around the release of Titanic, which I don't know - is that the universe's way of protecting me from something or just reminding me to do the things that matter?' Kate said that when she looks back on that period where she shot to global stardom thanks to the record-breaking popularity of Titanic, she can see she was dealing with a lot, adding: 'I had a lot of pain, and I was confused about who I was.' Her grief was such that The Holiday star has even credited it as part of why she married her first husband Jim Threapleton, the year after Stephen's death. Her grief was such that The Holiday star has even credited it as part of why she married her first husband Jim Threapleton, the year after Stephen's death (seen together in 1999) Following her divorce, Kate began dating her future second husband, director Sam Mendes, tying the knot in 2003, before they eventually split in 2010 (pictured together in 2009) She met the assistant director on the set of her film Hideous Kinky and they welcomed daughter Mia in 2000, but split just six months later. She later described their marriage as 'a mess', reflecting on the moment she decided to leave: 'I was terrified, but I knew that I had to go. It was like there was a clock ticking.' Kate explained that Stephen's death in the middle of filming Hideous Kinky caused her bond with Jim to grow, as he supported her on set. She said that 'getting to the end of this film was very hard, but it was made easier by the fact that I tried to see it as though that was the thing I was doing for Stephen. And I'd met Jim by that point as well and he was being great about the whole thing.' And reflecting on their whirlwind romance in 2006, she admitted: 'I thought I wanted to be with [Jim]. I was dealing with the pain of having lost Stephen and Titanic coming out. Jim was just a regular guy, and that had a big impact on me.' Following her divorce, Kate began dating her future second husband, director Sam Mendes, but faced cruel accusations at the time that she was 'trading up'. While the mother-of-three confessed that the harsh backlash was 'shattering', she insisted 'it was nothing compared to losing Stephen.' This week saw Kate opening up about she didn't believe that Brits were 'good at processing grief', as she described how her latest film felt like she was 'relieving' the death of her mother Sally, who tragically passed in 2017, from ovarian cancer. Her latest film and directorial debut, Goodbye June, follows four siblings gathering together to support their mother as her health declines, and brought up a lot of emotions in Kate (seen in film with Helen Mirren) Her latest film and directorial debut, Goodbye June, follows four siblings gathering together to support their mother as her health declines, and brought up a lot of emotions in Kate. The movie star said that even almost a decade on from losing her mum, her death 'still feels like yesterday' and admitted she struggled to keep her personal experience separate, while starring in the film as June's daughter Julia. Appearing on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, Kate candidly said: 'It wasn't necessarily cathartic, but there were days when I was literally reliving what happened when I lost my own mum, even though our film is fictional. And I would find myself strangely trying to almost hide in a funny way. 'So in the more intimate scenes, perhaps between Helen Mirren and Tim Spall, you know, I would just sit very quietly in the room that we were shooting in and I would hide behind Max, our lovely focus puller, and I would just sit with him quietly watching his monitor and sort of crying on his back.' She continued: 'And actually in this country, I don't think we're very good at talking about loss. I don't think we're very good at processing grief. 'And in an interesting way it did bring up a lot of those conversations and people were quite grateful to be able to have them, not just the cast, but sometimes the crew as well.' Her romance with Stephen shaped Kate's opinions about age-gap relationships in general, as seen in an awkward interview with The Guardian in 2008, about her role as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader - which landed her an Oscar. Kate was asked if she was able to sympathise with her character - a 36-year-old former concentration camp guard who has an intense sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy. Her romance with Stephen shaped Kate's opinions about age-gap relationships in general, as seen in an awkward interview with The Guardian in 2008, about her role as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader - which landed her an Oscar (seen in film with David Kross) Kate was asked if she was able to sympathise with her character - a 36-year-old former concentration camp guard who has an intense sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy (seen in film) The age of consent across the whole of the UK is 16, with minimum age when young people of any sex, gender, or sexual orientation can legally take part in sexual activity, regardless if those under the age of 16 have given their consent. But when journalist Kira Cochrane suggested the relationship depicted in The Reader could be considered 'paedophilia' by modern standards, she noted that Kate 'recoiled' and responded: 'I think you should be careful with that word'. As the interviewer attempted to clarify: 'But do you know what I mean?', the actress insisted: 'No, actually, not with using that word, I don't.' And in response to Kira prompting: 'Even given the fact that he's 15?', Kate doubled down, reiterating: 'No, I don't. Not to that extent, no, I have to say, I have to be very, very honest, you know, I think that it's a very dangerous word to use - that applies to pre-pubescents. 'Let's bear in mind that this boy turns 16 in the story, and that's legal marriage age. And Hanna is led to believe he is 17. And the actor himself, David Kross, is 18, you know, he's an adult. 'I never, to be honest with you, as a character, and as an actress - obviously the relationship is unconventional, because there is a big age gap between the two of them, and that was how I felt as a person, and I always very much viewed it as an unconventional relationship in that way, and very much as a love story.' The frostiness of the interview continued, as Kate then directly referenced her relationship with Stephen, saying that she never cared about age gaps. She said unprompted: 'You really have to remember that one of the greatest loves of my life, when I was younger, was 13 years older than me, and I was with him for five years, and then he died, and there were 19 years between my grandparents - so, I don't know, maybe I've just never thought age gaps were wildly important.' In 2015, she once again dismissed any debate over age gaps, when she starred in The Dressmaker with her lover being played by Liam Hemsworth - who is 14 years her junior (seen) In 2011, she found love with her current husband - Richard Branson's nephew, Edward Abel Smith, going on to tie the knot the following year and welcoming son Bear Blaze in 2013 (seen together in 2016) While in 2015, she once again expressed her dislike of being drawn into conversations over age gaps, after starring in another May-December romance film. In comedy drama The Dressmaker, Kate played a seamstress who falls for a local, played by Liam Hemsworth, who is 14 years her junior. The actor himself admitted that he'd been 'worried' about taking on the role because of his age, saying at the time he felt he 'was possibly too young to play this part'. But Kate insisted that the age difference 'didn't really occur to me at all', telling the BBC: 'My 15-year-old daughter said to me the other day: "Mum, do you realise that Liam Hemsworth is closer in age to me than he is to you?" 'I just thought: "Cool!" I never really thought about the age thing. I don't let those things bother me.' Kate split from Sam in 2010 after seven years of marriage and welcoming son Joe, 21, and later she found love with her current husband - Richard Branson's nephew, Edward Abel Smith. The couple met in 2011 when Kate and her children were staying on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands when a storm struck and the house they were staying in caught fire after being hit by lightning. It was when Edward - then known as Ned Rocknroll - helped them escape that the starlet knew that she'd found 'the one', going on to tie the knot the following year and welcoming son Bear Blaze in 2013. Last year, she told The Telegraph: 'It was very clear to me that this was the person I was supposed to follow through life. And I still feel exactly that way now.' One of the most prolific actresses of the 80s and beyond stepped out for a rare public appearance on Wednesday, looking just as stunning as she did during her Hollywood heyday. The star, now 72, whose biggest box-office hit was alongside Dennis Quaid in 1983s Jaws 3-D, looked incredible as she ran errands in Los Angeles with her producer husband John Fiedler. Dressed casually in a grey hoodie and green sweatpants, the Baltimore native seemed a world away from her glamorous days on set including when she starred with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason in 1986s Nothing in Common. She also gained recognition for her role in The Four Seasons, the 1981 film written and directed by Alan Alda, which was later adapted into a Netflix series in 2025 by Tina Fey and Steve Carell. Of course, longtime fans will remember her even more fondly for playing Patty Chase, Claire Danes mother, on the beloved TV series My So-Called Life. Can you guess the star? One of the most prolific actresses of the 80s and beyond stepped out for a rare public appearance on Wednesday, looking just as stunning as she did during her Hollywood heyday The star, now 72, whose biggest box-office hit was alongside Dennis Quaid in 1983s Jaws 3-D, looked incredible as she ran errands in Los Angeles Dressed casually in a grey hoodie and green sweatpants, the Baltimore native seemed a world away from her glamorous days on set including when she starred with Tom Hanksand Jackie Gleason in 1986s Nothing in Common If you said Bess Armstrong, you're right! Born Elizabeth Key Armstrong on December 11, 1953, in Baltimore, Maryland, Bess grew up surrounded by books and learning, with both parents working as teachers. With a grandfather who served as Marylands Attorney General, brains and ambition clearly ran in the family. She earned her BA from Brown University in 1975, then quickly turned her sights to the stage. Bess made her professional acting debut that same year Off-Off Broadway in Harmony House, before breaking into television in 1977 as Julia Peters on the CBS sitcom On Our Own. By 1978, she was starring in TV movies like Getting Married alongside Richard Thomas and How to Pick Up Girls! with Desi Arnaz Jr., even reuniting with Thomas for a Seattle stage production of Neil Simons Barefoot in the Park, which was later broadcast on HBO. The 1980s were Besss heyday on the big screen. She earned acclaim in High Road to China opposite Tom Selleck, Jaws 3-D with Dennis Quaid, and Aldas The Four Seasons. If you said Bess Armstrong, you're right!; (pictured 1988) Bess starred opposite Dennis Quaid in 1983s Jaws 3-D, playing Kathryn Kay Morgan, a marine biologist working at SeaWorld and Quaids on-screen love interest The sequel became one of her biggest box-office hits of the decade and cemented her status as a go-to leading lady of the early 80s She also starred in Nothing in Common alongside Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason, cementing her reputation as one of the eras most versatile leading ladies Hanks and Armstrong on the set of the Thompson Twins music video for the theme song of the movie Nothing In Common She also starred in Nothing in Common alongside Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason, cementing her reputation as one of the eras most versatile leading ladies. Fans of the small screen will always remember her as Patty Chase, Claire Danes mom on the cult favorite TV series My So-Called Life. The show ran for one unforgettable season from 1994 to 1995 but left a lasting impact on viewers. On her iconic role, Armstrong said she felt 'honored that I was part of that' because the show 'touched so many people.' Over the years, she continued to rack up TV credits, appearing in Frasier, Boston Legal, and recurring roles on Showtimes House of Lies. She also guest-starred on hits like Castle, Mad Men, NCIS, S.W.A.T., and Greys Anatomy, proving her longevity and range. Off-screen, Bess has had her share of heartbreak and triumph. She married Fiedler, a Columbia Pictures executive, in April 1986. Fans of the small screen will always remember her as Patty Chase, Claire Danes mom on the cult favorite TV series My So-Called Life; (Armstrong, Lisa Wilhoit, Tom Irwin, Claire Danes in 1994) Danes and Armstrong have have maintained a close relationship over the years, with Armstrong supporting Danes in 2015 when she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Later that year, she gave birth to a daughter who was born with an underdeveloped brain and sadly lived just five and a half months. Armstrong courageously shared her experience in The Choices We Made: Twenty-Five Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion in 1991, showing a willingness to speak openly about lifes challenges. Now at 72, Bess still turns heads with her elegance and charm, whether running errands in casual wear or making a rare public appearance. From Hollywood heartthrob films to iconic TV roles, she remains one of the most enduring and beloved actresses of her generation. Tammy Hembrow has denied she owes more than $27,600 in unpaid rent after her company, Saski Collection, was issued with a property repossession notice. The brand, which Tammy, 31, announced she was closing last week, works out of a building in Robina on the Gold Coast, which doubles as a warehouse and headquarters. Davidson Property, the lessor, seized the premises and terminated the lease on December 1, claiming Tammy was in rental arrears of $27,618.47. When Daily Mail approached representatives of the fitness influencer for comment, they denied Tammy had any outstanding rent. 'All these matters are in dispute. There is no rent outstanding,' a spokesperson said. 'There is absolutely no truth to that. As the matters are legal in nature, no further comment will be made.' Tammy Hembrowhas denied she owes more than $27,600 in unpaid rent after her company, Saski Collection, was issued with a property repossession notice A photo of the notice, which was taped to the window of the unit, was taken on December 5 and provided to Daily Mail on Friday. According to the notice, Tammy's business was first issued with a Notice to Remedy Breach of Covenant on November 13. The notice said she was 'required to pay the sum of $27,618.47 no later than 4.00pm, Friday 28 November, 2025'. It said the business 'failed to pay' the arrears to the lessor 'within the required time'. 'The lessor hereby terminates the lease as of today's date [December 1] and confirms it has re-taken possession of the premises,' the notice read. 'Such termination of your lease and re-taking possession of the premises by the lessor is without prejudice to the lessor's right to recover any further costs that arise as a result of your occupation of the premises, including but not limited to rental up to when the lessor receives rental from a new tenant, property make good costs, legal fees incurred by the Lessor, locksmith costs and agents re-letting fees.' It came just a day after Tammy announced she was shutting down her Saski Collection company. The fitness wear brand, which she launched nearly a decade ago in 2017, has had its website disabled and shopping there is no longer possible. The brand, which Tammy, 31, announced she was closing, works out of a building in Robina on the Gold Coast, which doubles as a warehouse and headquarters Davidson Property, the Lessor, seized the premises and terminated the lease on December 1, claiming Tammy was in rental arrears of $27,618.47 Tammy took to the brand's Instagram page on Thursday to announce the shock closure, while also hinting at another business venture on the horizon. 'I've made the decision, after a lot of thought, to close Saski,' she could be heard saying in the video, which she filmed in her car. 'This business, this brand, this has been such a huge part of my life for so many years now and it's taught me so much about business, about growth, about resilience, about myself. 'Sometimes a chapter needs to close in order to make space for new growth and I'm really excited to see what's next and I hope you guys come on that journey with me as well.' In the caption, Tammy further alluded to something exciting in the works. 'I'm so proud of what we built. And I know that sometimes growth means letting go. I am beyond excited to show you guys what I have in store for this next chapter. Stay tuned,' she penned. Speaking to Daily Telegraph, she thanked her fans and followers for making the brand a success. 'I'm so proud of what we built over almost 10 years and endlessly grateful to everyone who supported the journey,' she told the publication. It was one of the nations most-watched Saturday night shows and he one of its star judges. So when David Walliams invited a teenage fan back to his dressing room, behind the scenes on the set of Britains Got Talent, to be a VIP guest, it was an offer she could hardly refuse. It was May 2015, at the semi-finals of that years competition, and the 17-year-old happily posed for selfies with Walliams, then 44, as she and her teenage friend enjoyed backstage cupcakes and fizzy drinks with the comedian and best-selling author. For the youngster, the attention she received that day was flattering. After all, what young teen wouldnt want to be noticed by Walliams among the hordes of other BGT fans in the audience? But even more surprisingly, given the near 30-year age gap, that day marked the start of a bizarre and enduring friendship between the young woman and the BGT judge that lasted a full year. He offered to help her with her career ambitions, phoned her on her 18th birthday, and introduced her to his mother and sister. She even spent a night at his 3.5million London home. But today and, indeed, long before the revelations emerged last week about Walliams being dropped by his publisher HarperCollins over alleged inappropriate behaviour with young women she sees their whole friendship very differently. Five years on, in 2020, the woman who we are choosing not to name made a series of social media posts about the time she spent hanging out with Walliams. David Walliams was a judge on hit Saturday night show Britain's Got Talent for around ten years The comedian and children's book writer held an odd, year-long relationship with a teenage fan Join the debate Should TV producers be held accountable for not acting on troubling backstage behavior by stars? She posted a photograph of herself and three other young women, taken backstage at BGT during their semi-final visit to Walliamss dressing room. But the caption was far from a breathless appreciation of the star by a devoted fan. Why did I ever think it was normal for a 44-year-old male to invite four girls aged 16/17 into this dressing room without any adults just his PA, who would bring refreshments once in a while, she wrote. And the fact that everyone at that TV production company would see it and say NOTHING. In another public post, the woman shared a picture of Walliams standing in a backstage corridor of the ITV studios, and told how he would text her quite a bit. So many people knew about girls getting invited into this particular judges dressing room, the woman wrote in another post, which appeared on social media the same year. At the time, her posts went unreported. Walliams was still a judge on Simon Cowells prime-time talent show, and was winning plaudits for his best-selling childrens books, including Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy. But last week, allegations emerged which are strongly denied by Walliams that he behaved inappropriately towards young women working for HarperCollins, the firm which publishes those books. It will no longer release any more new titles by Walliams. Reportedly, that decision was made after he was accused of harassing junior female employees there, with one reportedly receiving a five-figure payout and later leaving the company. It is worth making clear that the young woman we are describing here, who posted online about her friendship with Walliams, has not made similar allegations of wrongdoing against him. But with the benefit of hindsight, The Mail on Sunday understands that she increasingly began to feel that the fact he wanted to hang out with a significantly younger fan was inappropriate. The womans friendship with Walliams began some three months before the BGT semi-final in 2015 when she applied for tickets to one of the shows auditions in Birmingham via an online forum. Once she arrived for the recording at the citys Hippodrome theatre, she was moved to the front of the audience just a few feet behind Walliams and his fellow judges, Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden. The woman and Walliams began chatting and, within hours, the former Little Britain star had sought her out on Twitter and started following her, in a move that left the star-struck teen feeling giddy and almost fainting. But the best, as she then saw it, was yet to come. Walliams later contacted her on Twitter to ask her to be a guest at the semi-final of the show, which would be recorded at ITVs Fountain Studios in Wembley on May 26, 2015. He told her to email his personal assistant, whom he said would make the necessary arrangements for the trip. The woman is understood to have initially thought he was joking, but when she realised the offer was genuine she travelled with a friend to London from their home, 100 miles away, booking into a budget hotel so they could stay overnight. A source said: She told her friends straight away and word soon got round and her invitation became the talk among the friendship group. She couldnt believe she had stood out like that. They were too young to drink so David offered them any soft drinks they wanted. For the girls it was the most perfect evening. The odd producer would go in and have a chat with everyone. That night, the woman confided to David that she wanted to become a television producer, so he suggested she write a letter to his production company, King Bert, to get work experience. A week later, when she had not sent off an application, Walliams messaged her on social media to ask for her mobile phone number so he could chase her up to send it. They were in regular contact from then on, the friend said. Walliams invited her back to Birminghams BGT auditions in October 2015, and to visit him before the recording at the citys five-star Hotel du Vin where he was staying. She took a male friend, and Walliams treated them to burgers and chips while he was getting his make-up done. Sources close to the woman say Walliams told jokes, and after a chocolate ice-cream dessert, they all made their way to the Hippodrome where the woman took selfies of them in the back of the taxi. The following month, he invited her to the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham, which was staging his best-selling childrens book Gangsta Granny. Then, in December, Walliams asked for the womans address so he could send her a Christmas card that featured a picture of him and his son, Alf, now 12, from his marriage to model Lara Stone, which had ended earlier that year. The card was a cartoon, depicting a big polar bear and a smaller one, captioned Alfred Bear and Papa Bear. The woman later shared an image of the card on social media, writing alongside it: This is the first Christmas card he sent me. Inside the card was a picture of David kissing his son. On her 18th birthday, the friend recalls that Walliams surprised her with a phone call where he sang his own rendition of Happy Birthday. Indeed, their friendship was so strong that the woman was introduced to Walliamss mum Kathleen and sister Julie, she later wrote online. In February 2016, she and a friend spent the night at his London home, Supernova Heights, which he bought from Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher in 2005. They ate ravioli and took a sightseeing trip to Buckingham Palace. She was even treated to a spa afternoon at the luxurious Bulgari hotel in Knightsbridge, where she opted to have her eyebrows and nails done. She later posted a picture of herself on a relaxation bed, writing alongside it: And guess who paid for the spa day? The day was capped off with a pizza and movie night at home, where Walliams chose Stanley Kubricks 1980 horror classic The Shining. The friendship fizzled out naturally during 2016. But by 2020, the woman had begun to look back on it differently and made the series of posts on social media. The womans friends have suggested the relationship may have been born of loneliness on Walliamss part. In 2015, he and Stone separated and were granted a quickie divorce that September, citing unreasonable behaviour on Stones part the same year as the friendship began. But whatever the reason, it has left the woman still feeling uncomfortable all these years later. Last week, in response to the HarperCollins claims, Walliamss agent said: David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins. He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice. A spokesman for Talkback Thames, the production company for Britains Got Talent, said: There is no suggestion of any impropriety on behalf of any of the Talkback Thames team. To insinuate otherwise would be both false and defamatory. Representatives for Mr Walliams were contacted for comment. Former Home and Away star Demi Harman has quietly welcomed her second child with husband Andrew Brooks, announcing the happy news from LA this week. The Australian actress, who played Sasha Bezmel on the Channel Seven soap from 2011 to 2015 before relocating to the US, revealed she had given birth to a baby girl in a heartfelt Instagram post shared on Thursday. Alongside the announcement, Demi posted a touching black-and-white photograph of her newborn daughter, Florence Mae Brooks, asleep and swaddled in a blanket. The tiny tot was pictured wearing a delicate bonnet tied under her chin, her cheeks full and lips slightly parted as she rested peacefully on what appeared to be a hospital bed. 'Meet Florence Mae Brooks,' Demi wrote in the caption. 'She arrived early measuring 21.5 inches long and weighing 9lbs 10.2oz. She's sleepy, sassy and everything we wanted in our girl. Can't imagine the world without this slice of heaven!' Home and Away star Demi Harman has quietly welcomed her second child with her husband Andrew Brooks, announcing the happy news this week The Australian actress, who played Sasha Bezmel on the Channel Seven soap from 2011 to 2015 before relocating to the US, revealed she had given birth to a baby girl in a heartfelt Instagram post shared on Thursday The post was quickly flooded with congratulatory messages from friends and fans, with fellow celebrities also sending their love. The birth comes just months after Demi revealed she was expecting her second child, having announced the pregnancy back in July with a candid mirror selfie shared to her Instagram Stories. At the time, the US-based actress posed bare-faced in maternity pants, wearing a canary yellow shirt unbuttoned over her growing baby bump. '18 weeks,' she captioned the image, cradling her stomach and flashing a knowing smile. She later joked about the less glamorous side of pregnancy, admitting she struggled during the first trimester. 'I couldn't look at my kitchen during the first trimester,' Demi wrote alongside a video of homemade pizza, adding she was 'excited to eat homemade food again.' Earlier this month, Demi and Andrew revealed they were expecting a baby girl in a playful gender announcement video that quickly went viral. Lip-syncing to the trending 'I'm a Mommy' TikTok sound, Demi lifted her top to show off her bump before captioning the clip: 'Mamacita has a daughter.' Demi revealed she was expecting her second child back in July with a candid mirror selfie shared to her Instagram Stories Fans were quick to praise the announcement, with one commenting: 'This is the best pregnancy announcement I've ever seen!' Demi and Andrew are already parents to a young son, whom they welcomed in 2023. The couple previously announced his arrival with another black-and-white newborn photo, with Demi sharing a typically humorous caption at the time. 'Meet Beau Thomas Brooks! Coming in at 9lbs 13.5oz, 21.5 inches tall,' she wrote. 'So far he loves his snoo, his hair being brushed and farting when everyone least expects it. He is his parents' child. We are in SO much love!' The low-key couple tied the knot in January 2022, exchanging vows during an intimate ceremony in Palm Springs, California. Demi announced her engagement to Andrew, a Disney producer who has worked on projects including Modern Family, back in July 2019 after he proposed on the Fourth of July. 'Just said yes, FOUR-ever!' she joked at the time. Before settling into family life in LA, Demi rose to fame in Australia as a teen star on Home and Away and was nominated for Most Popular New Female Talent at the Logies in 2012. She was previously in a long-term relationship with her former co-star Alec Snow before making the move overseas for a fresh start. Elle Ferguson has revealed a devastating family truth she carried quietly for decades, opening up about the father she never met and the shock discovery she made. Speaking to Stellar Magazine, the former The Block contestant shared how her biological father walked out of her life when she was just five days old and later died without ever acknowledging her as his child. Fans of the renovation show may already know that Elle and her younger half-sister Lucie spent years caring for their mother Kim, a former Miss Australia, before she died from cancer in 2015. What many did not know is that Elle had never met her father. Kim had explained to her daughter that the man, a free-spirited surfer named Brett Walker, was not ready for the responsibility of parenthood. Despite receiving no financial support, Kim held no resentment and raised her daughters in a loving home. Elle Ferguson has revealed a devastating family truth she carried quietly for decades, opening up about the father she never met and the shock discovery she made Speaking to Stellar Magazine, the former Block contestant shared how her biological father walked out of her life when she was just five days old and later died without ever acknowledging her as his child Elle admits she rarely dwelled on his absence, until the early months of COVID-19 prompted a moment that would change everything. 'In the past, whenever we drove up, we would go past the turn-off to where my dad lived and always say, "Are we going to Mullaway today to see if we can find my dad?"' she said. 'It never felt like something I needed to do. But during Covid, you had a lot of time to think and evaluate things.' Armed with only his name and the knowledge that he lived near Mullaway on the NSW north coast, Elle conducted a late-night internet search while travelling with her partner Joel Patfull. Only one result appeared. It was a funeral notice. 'Passed away suddenly. Aged 65. Gone surfing,' Elle recalled reading, revealing her father had died just months earlier. The notice listed siblings, nieces and nephews but no children. Stunned, Joel contacted the local general store, where staff confirmed the tight-knit coastal community had held a paddle-out to honour Walker, describing him as a beloved local. Armed with only his name and the knowledge that he lived near Mullaway on the NSW north coast, Elle conducted a late-night internet search while travelling with her partner Joel Patfull (both pictured) Read the full interview in this week's issue of Stellar Magazine The discovery reopened emotional wounds Elle never expected to confront. Years earlier, during Kim's final illness, Walker had reached out asking to speak with his daughter. At the time, Elle chose to focus entirely on caring for her dying mother and could not take on more emotional turmoil. After learning of his death, she attempted to make contact with his relatives through a lawyer, only to feel shut out. She later learned the most painful detail of all. Despite being listed as his daughter on her birth certificate, Walker had denied having children in his final will. 'He hadn't accepted it,' Elle said. 'So it wasn't me, it was him.' While the revelation was deeply hurtful, Elle says it ultimately helped her make sense of a lifelong absence. Kris Jenner upstaged her daughters Kylie and Khloe as she looked younger than ever in a series of holiday Instagram snaps. The 70-year-old momager - who notably underwent a $100,000 facelift transformation - flashed a cheerful smile while getting into the festive spirit during a lowkey gathering in photos uploaded by Khloe. The Good American founder, 41, penned in the caption: 'PS my glam is from a photo shoot so it's a tad wild but fun,' as well as various emojis such as a Christmas tree and red heart. Jenner donned a long-sleeved, vibrant red dress as well as dangly silver earrings and a long necklace with a cross-shaped pendant. Her makeup was glammed up and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a light shadow around her eyes. A warm blush and highlighter was added to her cheekbones while a glossy, nude-colored tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch. Kris Jenner, 70, upstaged her daughters Kylie and Khloe as she looked younger than ever in a series of holiday Instagram snaps The momager flashed a cheerful smile while getting into the festive spirit during a lowkey gathering in photos uploaded by Khloe Jenner could be seen grinning as she posed with Khloe as well as Kylie who were both also dressed to the nines. Khloe opted for a black and white-checkered blazer with a belt wrapped around her midriff as well as a matching miniskirt. She also wore a pair of blue gloves which added a pop of color to the monochromatic look. Her locks were parted to the side and cascaded down past her shoulders in voluminous curls. The TV personality accessorized the ensemble with a pair of flashy gold necklaces as well as large gold-hooped earrings. Kylie turned heads wearing a sleeveless pink satin gown with daring cutouts on the sides while feathery details were added around the neckline for a dramatic flare. The beauty mogul's dark hair was pulled back into a sleek up do, preventing any loose strands from falling onto her face. The mom-of-two chose to not add pieces of jewelry in order to allow the outfit to be the main focal point for the evening. Khloe opted for a black and white-checkered blazer with a belt wrapped around her midriff as well as a matching miniskirt The TV personality accessorized the ensemble with a pair of flashy gold necklaces as well as large gold-hooped earrings Kylie turned heads wearing a sleeveless pink satin gown with daring cutouts on the sides while feathery details were added around the neckline for a dramatic flare Khloe and Kylie also stopped for additional pictures to show off their ensembles and lastly, the trio took a group photo with other guests with the holiday season in full swing Jenner paused for memorable photos with her two daughters - while her other kids such as Kim, Kourtney and Kendall were seemingly not at the gathering. Khloe and Kylie also stopped for additional pictures to show off their ensembles and lastly, the trio took a group photo with other guests with the holiday season in full swing. It comes not long after the momager revealed the 'only' real thing on her face after undergoing her $100,000 facelift during an episode of The Kardashians earlier this month. Back in May, a representative for Jenner confirmed that she has seen celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Steven M Levine, who is known as the 'facelift maestro,' per Page Six at the time. While having a conversation with her daughter Kim in Paris before embarking on a shopping outing, the TV personality admitted that her nose is 'probably the only thing on my face that's real.' Kim also told her mother that her teeth are real as she claimed that she has 'never had a veneer.' Jenner then asked her daughter to 'bend over' - seemingly referencing to past speculation that the reality star has a 'fake' derriere. The star reflected on her recent facelift during an interview with Vogue Arabia that was published earlier this year in August. It comes not long after the momager revealed the 'only' real thing on her face after undergoing her $100,000 facelift during an episode of The Kardashians earlier this month 'I had a facelift about 15 years ago, so it was time for a refresh,' Jenner explained. 'I decided to do this facelift because I want to be the best version of myself, and that makes me happy.' She also shared her thoughts when it comes to aging and further expressed to the outlet, 'Just because you get older, it doesn't mean you should give up on yourself. 'If you feel comfortable in your skin and you want to age gracefully meaning you don't want to do anything then don't do anything. But for me, this is aging gracefully. It's my version.' Back in October, Jenner also talked about plastic surgeon Dr Steven M Levine - and the 'password' the pair have come up with. 'He didn't want the attention, which I loved,' she stated on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast. 'I said, "But do I have your permission to say who you are?" 'And he goes, "Listen, I'll tell you what. As long as we can come up with a password so that if somebody calls and says, I'm Kris Jenner's best friend, and can I have a consultation? They have to say the secret password."' The media personality explained that the surgeon has received numerous calls since her surgery, with some claiming to be friends of the momager. The businesswoman also explained that she decided to be open and vocal about undergoing the cosmetic procedure to prevent others from being 'afraid.' While having a conversation with her daughter Kim in Paris before embarking on a shopping outing, the TV personality admitted that her nose is 'probably the only thing on my face that's real'; seen in October in West Hollywood 'I had a facelift about 15 years ago, so it was time for a refresh,' Jenner explained to Vogue Arabia 'It really is somehow my way of showing people and trying to inspire others not to be afraid of surgeries that you need that are necessary or even something you wanna do because you wanna feel better about yourself.' Back in 2011, Jenner notably underwent a facelift which was done by Dr. Garth Fisher - the same doctor who performed her daughter Kylie's breast augmentation in 2019. The momager has previously had other procedures in the past, such as Botox and a breast augmentation in the 1980s. In 2018, Jenner had earlobe reduction surgery and a few years later in 2022 the star had a 'very scary' hip replacement. She has been keeping busy as the year winds down to a close, and is preparing for the annual Kardashian-Jenner Christmas Eve bash. Back in 2011, Jenner notably underwent a facelift which was done by Dr Garth Fisher - the same doctor who performed her daughter Kylie's breast augmentation in 2019 Last year, the stars opted for a more low-key and intimate gathering which had seemingly been held at Kendall Jenner's $8.5 million house. And the model recently hinted at what the upcoming annual party could entail this year. 'It's pretty much the usual,' Kendall told People. 'Last year, we did a smaller Christmas Eve party, and it was super lovely. 'Usually, they're kind of these blowouts for the last, like, since I was born. But we're doing a smaller one again this year, and I'm really happy about it. And so it'll be cozy vibes.' Sydney Sweeney says she 'would love' to return to the silver screen for a Housemaid sequel. It comes on the heels of the release of her new movie, which is based on the 2022 Freida McFadden novel of the same name. Sweeney, 28, plays Millie, a live-in housemaid trying to start fresh and leave her past behind. And the actress told People, 'I would love to [reprise the role].' 'I was such a huge fan of the books, so I would be just as happy as everyone else being able to see more Housemaids come to life and getting to explore more of Millie,' she enthused. Sweeney added about her character: 'She's spicy. She is a fighter. She knows what she believes in and she stands up for it. I love characters like that. I love seeing movies that have just fully embraced female rage.' Sydney Sweeney says she 'would love' to return to the silver screen for a Housemaid sequel; pictured in April Sweeney, 28, plays Millie, a live-in housemaid trying to start fresh and leave her past behind Her character works for Amanda Seyfried's seemingly polished character Nina Winchester, who is married to Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). Things go left, putting Millie in a dangerous position when the Winchesters' luster begins to chip away. A logline describes the movie as a 'seductive game of secrets, scandal and power.' Director Paul Feig told People co-stars Sweeney and Seyfried's onscreen chemistry is 'through the roof.' 'They are both such powerful talents and work so well off each other that you very quickly get sucked into their onscreen world,' he shared. The women also served as executive producers on the project. On Friday the Euphoria star took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes photos from the movie set. Engaging her 25.6 million followers, she wrote in the caption: '@housemaidmovie IN THEATERS NOW!!!!' Sweeney and co-star Amanda Seyfried pictured with the 2022 novel the movie is based on Earlier this year Sweeney shared a photo of a signed copy of the Freida McFadden book A logline describes the movie as a 'seductive game of secrets, scandal and power' Feig recently described Sweeney as 'body positive' and said she isn't fighting 'insecurity' like other movie stars. He told The Times newspaper: 'She's very proud of how she looks, and you should be. There are so many people I've encountered where you're fighting against their insecurity. She would say: "I love women's bodies," and that's so healthy.' The siren had to film intimate scenes with co-star Sklenar for the new movie and the he insisted the pair didn't have any issues with stripping off on camera, although nudity on set does make the director himself feel 'uncomfortable.' He told the publication: 'There's nobody more uncomfortable with it [onscreen nudity] than this guy [me].' Feig went on to praise the work of the film's intimacy coordinator, adding that the role coordinators play on film sets is a good thing for Hollywood. He said: '[It's] the greatest thing that's happened in Hollywood. When you have a 63-year-old man amongst all these beautiful young people, you don't want to be the pervy porn producer, telling people to do stuff.' George Clooney is mourning the loss of his older sister Adelia 'Ada' Zeidler who has passed away at the age of 65. The star's late sibling passed away on Friday, December 19, following a battle with cancer, per People. Clooney confirmed his sister's death to the outlet on Saturday while calling her his 'hero' and reflecting on her bravery. 'My sister, Ada, was my hero. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I've never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.' Zeidler had 'died peacefully' while 'surrounded by the people she loved' on December 19 'at St. Elizabeth Healthcare' located in the state of Kentucky, according to an official obituary. Clooney's sister was born on May 2, 1960, in the city of Los Angeles to mother Nina and father Nick, and was described as a 'talented artist'. George Clooney, 64, is mourning the loss of his older sister Adelia 'Ada' Zeidler who has passed away at the age of 65; seen in November in London The star's late sibling passed away on Friday, December 19 following a battle with cancer, per People; Zeidler seen above in 2012 in Augusta, Kentucky Zeidler had 'shared her skills as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years. 'In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar. Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club.' Clooney's sister had also been 'a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta's Annual White Christmas Parade,' the obit further read. 'In addition to her parents, she leaves behind her beloved children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga and her husband, Kenny; her brother, George Clooney and his wife, Amal; and several uncles, aunts, and cousins.' A funeral is scheduled to take place next week on Monday, December 22, at St Patrick Catholic Church in Maysville, Kentucky. While Zeidler led a more private life, she previously showed her support for her brother over the years. Back in 2014, she was seen attending Clooney's Venice nuptials as he officially tied the knot with Amal. Zeidler had been spotted standing inside a boat next to her famous brother as they rode along a canal in the city. 'My sister, Ada, was my hero. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I've never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly,' he said in a statement to People; seen above with Ada as young children Clooney's sister was born on May 2, 1960, in the city of Los Angeles to mother Nina and father Nick and was described as a 'talented artist' Back in 2014, she was seen attending Clooney's Venice nuptials as he officially tied the knot with Amal While growing up in the state of Kentucky, both Clooney and Ada had been very close and would often play games together. 'I came home from work one day and George and our daughter and several friends were having a party in [a room of our house],' their mother Nina had told HGTV back in 2006, per People. 'They had taken [marshmallows], and they would lick one side of them, and throw them at each other. When I came in, there were marshmallows stuck all over the room.' Ada had married Norman Zeidler in 1987 and the pair welcomed two children - with Clooney being their uncle. Norman - a retired army captain - had passed away in October 2004 of a heart attack. During the nuptials, the actor had reportedly read scripture while their relative and Hollywood star Rosemary Clooney sang to the newlyweds. In regards to being an uncle to his sister's children, Clooney had previously told CBS This Morning back in 2015, 'I've got a niece and nephew. 'My nephew was just made prom king. From the high school that I went to where I was not named [prom king].' 'I came home from work one day and George and our daughter and several friends were having a party in [a room of our house],' their mother Nina had told HGTV back in 2006, per People; Clooney seen with mom Nina (left) and father Nick in 2005 'My nephew was just made prom king. From the high school that I went to where I was not named [prom king],' Clooney said at the time; Zeidler and her son Nick seen above He further reflected on his relationship with his sister at the time and said, 'My sister, I'm very close to.' Clooney has previously discussed growing in a small town in Kentucky with his family. 'All the things we see on cable news of people being unkind to one another doesn't exist,' he expressed in 2019, per The Tennessean. 'They have to get along. I was really lucky to be raised in a small town like that,' the actor added. Her life has been a welldocumented rollercoaster of scandals and celebrity breakups but now I can reveal Kate Moss has taken up a surprising almost pious role in her community. I hear the 51yearold model was 'instrumental' in organising the Nativity play in her Cotswolds village this Christmas. Mossy's involvement, I'm told, was down to a parish councillor, with whom she has struck up a friendship. The pair have become close and regularly share a cup of tea together. Over the years, Kate has been involved in several church matters, including managing the rota, greeting visitors, managing the collection, and helping with services. The supermodel purchased a palatial property in the Costwolds more than a decade ago, but officially swapped London for rural life around five years ago. She is regularly seen in her local village by neighbours and is a devoted fan of the nearby Budgens supermarket, says my source. The 51yearold model was 'instrumental' in organising the Nativity play in her Cotswolds village this Christmas Over the years, Kate has been involved in several church matters, including managing the rota, greeting visitors, managing the collection, and helping with services Kate previously shared the home with her former boyfriend Nikolai von Bismark, until they split in January last year after nine years together. Sources say their split was a result of their 'different priorities'. Kate reportedly felt ready to 'get back out there' and enjoy the social whirl again, while Nikolai, despite being 13 years her junior, preferred a quieter life. But surely there can't be anything quieter than helping out at the village Nativity? Notting Hill pub The Cow was overrun by young royals last week. Princess Margaret's grandchildren Lady Margarita Armstrong Jones and Sam Chatto were joined by the Duke of Kent's grandson Eddy Downpatrick. I hope the red carpet came out! On the write side of history Helena Bonham Carter certainly does her homework before taking on a role, calling upon her 95yearold aunt Renata to scrutinise Princess Margaret's handwriting before playing her in The Crown. Helena Bonham Carter portrayed Princess Margaret in the third and fourth series of the show 'She can detect what's going on in you. It's quite complex,' the actress says. But there are downsides for graphologist Renata: 'Nobody writes to her any more they don't want a psychological MRI!' Lovebirds Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz have been spotted on dates in Rome and New York and now they've touched down in Germany. My spies saw the glamorous duo in Berlin last week after leaving ultraexclusive techno club Berghain, famous or infamous for its uninhibited sexpositive atmosphere. Actress Zoe, 37, and pop star Styles, 31, have been linked since August, when the pair were reportedly 'snogging like teenagers' at Rita's restaurant in Soho. Styles has since met Zoe's father, the legendary rock star Lenny Kravitz. Lola is the height of sophistication It seems Lady Lola Bute is taking her well documented exhibitionism to a new level, and this time it's not only her 49,000 Instagram followers who are in for a treat it's her West London neighbours too. Lady Lola Bute (pictured) is taking her well documented exhibitionism to a new level The daughter of the late 7th Marquess of Bute has had a shower installed on the roof of her flat As my exclusive picture shows, the daughter of the late 7th Marquess of Bute, aka racing driver Johnny Dumfries, has had a shower installed on the roof of her flat. Bizarre! King Charles is a notoriously picky eater, as former royal cooks have attested. So it was bold of the Monarch to opt for a 'menufree' meal at The Fat Badger in Notting Hill, where chefs decide what diners eat. He was there with actor and gourmand Stanley Tucci, having struck up a friendship when the American star visited Highgrove in February. Poor Freddie's now got the heir's hair... I hear Lord Freddie Windsor is not best pleased about his receding hairline, though not for reasons you might think. 'Since I started losing my hair, people confuse me more and more with Prince William,' the 54th in line to the throne told me at the UnHerd Christmas party in Westminster. If you can't tell the difference, Lord Freddie's on the left and William is on the right Lord Freddie was even accosted at an LA farmers' market by credulous Americans who took him for the Prince of Wales. He added: 'I find it insulting because I'm less bald than him.' If you can't tell the difference, above, he's on the left and William is on the right. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer looked suitably festive as she stocked up on Christmas gifts last week. Claudia, 55, dropped in to Daylesford Organic, Lady Bamford's swanky farm shop in the Cotswolds, posing with the owner's daughterinlaw Leo. The farm shop is a honeypot for celebs, with the Beckhams, Ellie Goulding and Eddie Redmayne among its regular customers. Located just minutes from the center of the Spanish capital, Canada Real Galiana, with its 8,000 inhabitants, is the largest informal settlement in Europe. A landscape of marginalization, insecurity, and drug trafficking, it has now become a film location thanks to Guillermo Galoes movie Paqui sits in a chair facing a house, close to the road, phone in hand. Paquis official name is Francisca Jimenez Fernandez, shes 49 years old, and although her body exudes a certain listlessness and a sad smile plays across her face, her eyes sparkle: she has a knack for irony. I agreed to be in the film to get away from here, because I have a dream of making something of myself, she says. She looked very good on screen, although she became fed up with so many takes during filming. The film will show that those of us from La Canada arent monsters, or bad people. We want to get out of here, and if we can get help, all the better. That way, people will also see what its like to live in a shantytown and among drug addicts. Paqui wont move from that chair or the surrounding area for two days. Her director tells her she was a difficult actress to get. Of course, I cant stop working. If they call me, I have to go. I cant say no to a Gypsy. And she recounts a recent experience with guns and threats. I have a powerful weapon: the truth. Faced with that... Toni Fernandez (left) and Bilal Sedraoui, protagonists of 'City Without Sleep'. Maria Jou Sol The director is Guillermo Galoe (Madrid, 40 years old); the film, Sleepless City, was released in theaters on November 21 after its screening during Critics Week at Cannes, where it won the award for best screenplay. It has since enjoyed a glorious festival run. Paqui lives in Canada Real Galiana, the largest informal settlement in Europe, a nearly 10-mile-long old cattle trail just minutes from downtown Madrid, with nearly 8,000 residents 4,000 of them, including 1,800 children, in Sector 6 who have been without electricity since October 2, 2020, when the power company cut off service to Sectors 5 and 6, the two southernmost sectors. They are facing the coming winter yet another one relying on diesel generators and solar panels. The art collective Boa Mistura brought color to some corners of La Canada in 2021, and near the end of Sector 6, where Sleepless City was filmed, they erected a large solar-powered garland with the slogan Light for Canada. The word light melted away long ago. An accident that became an existential summary. Jesus Fernandez Silva, 'Chule,' center, surrounded by his family. Maria Jou Sol During the two days spent preparing this feature story, Galoe answered the question, When are you starting the second part? over a hundred times. He always replied with a smile: You have to do it yourselves. This question was usually followed by two others: Will there be a role for me? and When can we see Sleepless City? On October 11, Galoe held a preview screening for La Canada at the old furniture factory: it was packed, but many residents said they couldnt see it because of work or other commitments. Going up and down through Sector 6, Galoe received constant, warm greetings. The photographer, Maria Jou Sol, a regular visitor to the area, also received them; she had been sleeping there for several days to take the portraits that accompany this text. Curiously, without knowing each other, Jou and Galoe stopped their cameras in front of the same kid, Antonio Fernandez Gabarre, Toni, a natural in front of the camera, protagonist of Sleepless City and of the short film that started the journey, Aunque es de noche (or, Even Though Its Night, 2023). Toni is also a fan of Antonio Banderas. Director Guillermo Galoe, pictured in Sector 6 of Canada Real. Maria Jou Sol Canada Real is, in the filmmakers apt description, a scene straight out of a Western. A main strip with cars going up and down, and narrow side streets. In the section closest to the A-3 highway toward Valencia, where the Roma population is most concentrated, only women and children are seen in the mornings. The men, teenagers and adults, are either working or sleeping. At the end of Sector 6, which has a large North African immigrant population, there is a greater silence until the afternoon when the residents return from work and the school buses begin their lively routine. But be careful not to generalize, says Houda Akrikez, founder and president of the Tabadol Association of Canada Real. This isnt a temporary settlement or a transient camp. Its not a shantytown, even though there are a lot of substandard dwellings. We call it a neighborhood under construction. The Ombudsman defined it as a neighborhood outside of urban planning regulations. Of course, there are drugs and serious problems. Theres no political will to fix it because they want to evict us to build luxury apartments. As a mother, I cant give up. I want my children to continue living in this neighborhood and to be able to grow up the way I did. I arrived here when I was eight years old [three decades ago]; La Canada is my identity, my roots. One of the greyhounds that roam Canada Real. Maria Jou Sol The most authoritative voice in the settlement recalls that when she met Galoe, she thought, Hes completely crazy. He didnt just come to film a movie; he also wanted to run film workshops. Of that school, Akrikez remembers, It was a beautiful thing that gave the kids a chance to express themselves naturally. I think they needed it. When she saw the short film, her first impression was, another stigma falling on us. She explains: It showed painful things about my neighborhood. Now I understand that positive things can come from that negative impression. Canada Real is very large, and you cant hide those problems. I cant go to my talks and tell people drugs dont exist. Nor does poverty. Nor garbage. Because theyre there. Although, I insist, drugs are sold in an area of less than a kilometer out of the almost 16 kilometers of the neighborhood. And what does she think of the film? Well, I like that its a family drama that takes place in La Canada, which could happen somewhere else, but it happens here and it was filmed here. And Im thrilled that my neighbors are acting in it, not Caucasian types with blue eyes, but those of us who are considered second-class citizens. If theres one thing all those interviewed agree on, its that the lack of services is a way of displacing people so that large construction projects in southeast Madrid can continue to grow. In Sector 6, garbage and rubble accumulate on the plots where substandard housing has been demolished (in the North African area, the buildings are usually brick, even two stories high; in the lower part La Canada sits on a long ramp in this section the Roma area, the housing is even more precarious). In Sleepless City, the demolition of a house is shown, the very one where part of Aunque es de noche was filmed. Theres an expiration date; people are gradually being rehoused in other apartments, uprooting and separating families. Many politicians only care about business, Akrikez concludes. The parish church of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Maria Jou Sol Halfway up the hill, around a bend, stands the parish church of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, its bell missing because it was stolen four years ago. Methadone is distributed there to the addicts who live nearby in igloo-shaped tents from a well-known French brand. A man approaches Galoe, recognizes him, and tells him he no longer injects himself; now hes trying to get clean. He shows his unmarked arms and asks for a role in the sequel. Below, the drug dealing continues. When the police pass by, the action stops. The activity is obvious; the addicts dont hide, nor do the cars coming and going. The street-level dealing and consumption are openly observed. At the start of Sector 6, Uncle Baretta, the patriarch of his clan, greets the filmmaker, who acknowledges that he was able to film in that area thanks to him. Uncle Baretta, with his wary, fox-like gaze, allows us into his house: the numerous large photographs on the walls bear witness to his life story. He speaks little. The patriarch becomes emotional when he sees a photo of one of his brothers. He wont say any more. That night, he and his family will warm themselves by one of the bonfires that illuminate that part of La Canada. Harris Dochita, supporting actor in the film 'Sleepless City.' Maria Jou Sol In that darkness, its time to approach the home of Jesus Fernandez Silva, Chule, who is 54. The grandfather on screen, gaunt and pained as he watches his world crumble, is in person a man of formidable presence and quick laughter. Phew, they saw me, gave me a screen test, and I thought it would be a joke, and look, in the end they hired me. Proudly, he shows Galoe the bar hes built and is preparing to open on his property. Because if I wait for Guillermo to make the series and hire me... [laughs]. Chule lived in many shantytowns before arriving in La Canada 15 years ago. This is coming to an end. It has five, 10 years left. Theyll kick us out, there will be only a handful of us left. Weve had a really hard time here, like during [the snowstorm] Filomena, but in return theres a community. The politicians? Liars. Theyre only after votes. Uncle Baretta, one of the patriarchs of La Canada, poses with his family in front of a bonfire at the door of their house. Maria Jou Sol During the walks, Galoe (a contraction he made this year of his two surnames, Garcia Lopez, which he used before) began to open up: Its been six years of my life. Ive discovered a very different territory, though close to home, which I came to with the idea of making a film with its community. And over time, friendships were formed, with their joys and their sorrows. Many times Ive come home feeling broken, he recounts. He then clarifies: he doesnt want to make a drama out of his own drama. But it did create a sense of responsibility for me. The truth is, Ive aged quite a bit here. Because of the place and because of the project. Its been very difficult to make this film the way I wanted. The hill that borders the southeast of Sector 6 of Canada Real. Maria Jou Sol Toni has already turned 17. In May, he couldnt go to Cannes with the film because it coincided with his wedding. He reprises his role from the short film in the feature, and for him, Galoe increased the age of his protagonists, two young men, one Roma (Toni), the other Moroccan (Bilal, played by Bilal Sedraoui), who are living their last days of friendship before one is rehoused in an apartment and the other one emigrates to France. Toni is streetwise, incredibly clever, magnetic yet indolent, capable of going from nought to 60 in a fraction of a second. I hope a lot of people see the film so they understand that were not bad, he says. Theres fear of Roma people, and we dont bite. He wants to make more films, although he hasnt looked into how, and if he makes it to the Goya Awards, hed love to meet Antonio Banderas. And he confesses another wish: I never want to leave La Canada. Guillermo Galoe needed six years for this project. For the first two, he didnt even pick up a camera. He wasnt an unknown filmmaker: he won his first Goya Award, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars, for Fragil equilibrio (or, Delicate Balance, 2016), a feature-length documentary about global inequality resulting from consumer society, narrated by former Uruguayan president Pepe Mujica, who passed away last May. Galoe is driven by both social and esthetic concerns (he began studying architecture), which can be seen in other short films such as Lo-Tech Reality (Detroit meets Afrofuturism in collaboration with the Underground Resistance collective) and As gaivotas cortam o ceu (or, Seagulls Cut Through the Sky, 2023), co-directed with the Portuguese filmmaker Mariana Bartolo. With the short film Even Though Its Night, of which Sleepless City is a visual, thematic, and temporal expansion, he won his second Goya Award. Do you know what this place compels you to do? To reflect on your role as a filmmaker. I came to La Canada in the summer of 2014. It was much bigger then, a huge, fortified Tower of Babel. It made a huge impression on me, and I decided I was going to make a film here. How? Thats what the trip has been about: to constantly reflect on the power of images and the responsibility of what to do with them. We must be aware of the power dynamic that is established between the one who films and the one who is filmed; especially in a vulnerable environment, fed up with the image projected by the media. Relatives of Toni Fernandez, in the courtyard of his property. Maria Jou Sol Galoe began by forging connections, coming every week for years. I snuck into one of the neighborhood associations [laughs]. I ran workshops with children, teenagers, sometimes with their parents. I tried to make filmmaking a part of their daily lives. And I gained valuable observation time. We shot short films with a cell phone, and it was also a way for me to learn how the kids represented themselves and their space [a portrait that persists in Sleepless City]. Nobody had asked me to, maybe it wasnt that relevant to them, but it was what I could offer. He recalls the Covid lockdown, Storm Filomena, the power outage, the evictions Thats why the journey was made with them. I was always concerned that the residents felt their dignity was preserved, that they didnt feel used. And finally, he managed to fit a professional shoot into a world that navigates through volatility and unpredictability. Houda Akrikez, founder and president of the Tabadol Association of Canada Real. Maria Jou Sol Next up is Harris Dochita. A 31-year-old Romanian, he has a supporting role in the film: Unfortunately, Ive been in La Canada for 13 years. I hope the film helps me get out; this is my only chance. Galoe had already hinted at his sharp intellect, underscored by his piercing gaze. In 45 seconds, speaking rapid-fire Spanish, Dochita recounts his life: I used to come to Spain for summer vacations to see my seven brothers, who worked here in construction. The third summer, I earned 150 in a single Saturday, from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon. I cant say what I did for it. Why go back to Romania when I earned in five hours whats their monthly salary there? I started working in construction, one day I found a safe full of gold, and thats how I got hooked on drugs. He was thrilled to appear in Sleepless City, even though he met Galoe before the short film, and he delivers a spectacular film analysis. On his wrist he wears a watch whose hands and face have fallen off. He hadnt noticed. For Harris, for part of La Canada, time flows differently, straight into oblivion. Balil Sedraoui (left) and Toni Fernandez Gabarre, protagonists of City Without Sleep. Maria Jou Sol Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Taylor Swift's reaction to one of her songs being used in Sydney Sweeney's latest film The Housemaid has now been revealed by director Paul Feig. The 63-year-old filmmaker - whose new movie has been praised as an 'outrageously enjoyable thriller' - opened up about the topic during an interview with Deadline at the project's Hollywood premiere on Monday. At the film's conclusion, viewers were able to her Swift's 2017 track I Did Something Bad playing over the end credits. 'Well, that's the thing; you want to put a Taylor song in your movie, but she and her company have to approve it,' Feig told the outlet. He then admitted that he initially believed the songstress would not 'clear' the usage of the song. 'So, we were tempting with it, and we were like, "It's so perfect, but she's never gonna clear this." Then we showed she and her people the movie, and she approved it. So, I guess she likes it. Thank you Taylor!' Taylor Swift's reaction to one of her songs being used in Sydney Sweeney's latest film The Housemaid has now been revealed by director Paul Feig; Swift seen in February in L.A. At the film's conclusion, viewers were able to her Swift's 2017 track I Did Something Bad playing over the end credits; Sweeney seen above in The Housemaid Sweeney - who took on a leading role in The Housemaid - also offered her thoughts on the importance of Swift's song being played at the very end of the movie. 'It's so perfect,' the Euphoria actress recently told People. Her co-star Amanda Seyfried chimed in to add, 'We saw it before it was fully confirmed.' Sweeney then explained, 'And we were like, "We can't lose this!" We were like, "You have to keep this!"' Seyfried also recalled watching the film and 'when it came on, we screamed like little girls, and that's the excitement of what Taylor Swift's songs can bring.' The Anyone But You star then added, 'And it brings every generation together, which is so fun.' Swift is no stranger to contributing to movie soundtracks over the years with some of her songs being heard in The Hunger Games, Fifty Shades Darker, Sing and Letters To Juliet. Feig also told People that when Swift gave her approval 'we were just like, "Oh my God." I still get so happy when that comes up.' 'Then we showed she and her people the movie, and she approved it. So, I guess she likes it. Thank you Taylor!' Feig expressed; the director seen earlier this month in Hollywood Sweeney then explained, 'And we were like, "We can't lose this!" We were like, "You have to keep this!"'; seen earlier this month in L.A. Feig also told People that when Swift gave her approval 'we were just like, "Oh my God." I still get so happy when that comes up'; seen in 2024 in Paris He added, 'One reporter said like, "You should have a dance party at the end of the credits," and I kind of feel like I wanted to get up and dance to her.' Aside from Sweeney and Seyfried, other stars that were cast in the thriller include Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone and Elizabeth Perkins. The film is based on the 2022 novel of the same name which was written by Freida McFadden. Sweeney has also recently discussed her 'dynamic' with Seyfried in the 'crazy' thriller during a joint appearance on the Today show. 'We were having so much,' Sweeney said. 'I think because it was so - there were so many twists and turns, it was crazy and unexpected. And we were just having a really great time.' The Mean Girls actress jumped in to add, 'We also, like, were kind of on the same page when it comes to our process and so, we just had fun. 'You have to bring levity to some dark content and I think we - I think the dynamic we have in the movie is kind of electric because of the fact that we get along so well.' The pair also humorously talked about having a 'girls room' on set, which consisted of a 'big bed' where they could unwind. 'We were having so much,' Sweeney said. 'I think because it was so - there were so many twists and turns, it was crazy and unexpected. And we were just having a really great time' Seyfried expressed that she would enjoy crocheting and added, 'Our friends would sit on the floor. It was cozy.' The Today host chimed in to say, 'Just decompress covered in makeup blood and stuff like that,' to which Seyfried added, 'Oh, there was a lot of blood' - referencing to scenes in the movie. Sweeney also opened up about developing a close bond with Seyfried while filming The Housemaid. 'Amanda and I became sisters. She was the bestest friend ever. We have so much fun together,' she told Variety earlier this month. 'And I actually think that when you have a scene partner and actor that you can have fun with and you feel safe with and free... 'It actually makes those scenes even better because you feel safe and free to go crazy, explore new things and you're not going to feel judged,' the star continued. 'Amanda and I became sisters. She was the bestest friend ever. We have so much fun together,' she told Variety earlier this month; the pair seen earlier this month in NYC The Euphoria actress has also voiced her interest in returning for a sequel to The Housemaid The Euphoria actress has also voiced her interest in returning for a sequel to The Housemaid. 'I would love to [reprise the role],' she revealed to People of her character named Millie. 'I was such a huge fan of the books, so I would be just as happy as everyone else being able to see more Housemaids come to life and getting to explore more of Millie.' Sweeney added, 'She's spicy. She is a fighter. She knows what she believes in and she stands up for it. I love characters like that. I love seeing movies that have just fully embraced female rage.' Pip Edwards has reportedly stepped back from her role at cult streetwear label Ksubi in the aftermath of the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack. According to The Sunday Telegraph, the P.E. Nation founder is taking time away from work to focus on her wellbeing following the traumatic events that unfolded during a Hanukkah celebration last weekend. At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when two gunmen opened fire near Bondi Beach, plunging the area into chaos and terror. Pip, who was caught up in the violence, later revealed she had been forced to hide as the attack unfolded, describing it as the most traumatic day of her life. Sources close to the fashion designer say that she 'remains deeply shaken' and is 'prioritising her recovery after the ordeal'. According to the publication, Pip's decision to pull back from Ksubi, where she held the role of creative director, reflects a need to reassess her priorities following the experience. Pip Edwards (pictured) has reportedly stepped back from her role at cult streetwear label Ksubi in the aftermath of the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack According to The Sunday Telegraph, the P.E Nation founder is taking time away from work to focus on her wellbeing following the traumatic events that unfolded during a Hanukkah celebration last weekend. (Pip pictured at the beach moments earlier) Pip had only recently returned to the iconic label in September 2024, calling the move a 'full-circle moment'. She previously worked at Ksubi decades earlier and shares her teenage son Justice with co-founder Dan Single. Pip was caught up in last Sunday's sickening terror attack on Bondi Beach that left 15 innocent people dead. Pip and her friend were left trapped under a van and surrounded by two gunmen during the deadly attack after spending a day at the beach. The attack at Australia's most iconic tourist destination unfolded on Sunday afternoon as hundreds gathered to attend the Chanukah by the Sea event, marking the first day of Hanukkah. Two heavily armed men, allegedly Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, stood on a pedestrian footbridge and opened fire with military-grade weapons into crowds of locals, holidaymakers and families. The P.E Nation fashion designer addressed her harrowing 15-minute ordeal in a lengthy Instagram post on Monday. She described the attack as a 'crazy, wild, and unnecessarily brutal' act that unfolded 'among innocent people enjoying a glorious Bondi summer's day'. Sources close to the fashion designer say that she 'remains deeply shaken' and is 'prioritising her recovery after the ordeal' Pip was caught up in last Sunday's sickening terror attack on Bondi Beach that left 15 innocent people dead Pip said she and her girlfriend Jess were leaving the beach and heading home when the shooting began, with the gunmen opening fire just metres behind them. 'The gunman fired his first round of shots right behind my girlfriend and I as we had just passed the bridge where they were standing, heading in the direction of the Jewish event/celebration on the Bondi grass,' she wrote. 'We immediately ducked between two parked vans as the shots continued to fire incessantly, and quite literally as close as two metres away.' The pair were forced to take cover under one van as the gunmen circled above them. 'We had to immediately take refuge under a van and watched the gunman's feet with his gun pace in front of the van right at our heads, using the van as his post,' Pip said. 'His feet were in front of the van and another gunman's feet were behind, circling the van.' She said the ordeal lasted around 15 minutes, during which time they were frozen with fear and struggled to breathe. 'The shots kept firing and we rolled from side to side under the van to hide behind the wheels, as the gunmen's feet walked around us, trying not to be seen,' she wrote. Pip, a frequent visitor to Bondi Beach who lives in nearby Rose Bay, had earlier shared relaxed photos from the beach just hours before the attack, captioning the images: 'Always fun with you.' Rebecca Judd has shared her frustration after revealing her flight to Melbourne was significantly delayed due to stormy weather conditions. The glamorous AFL WAG, 42, posted a photo to social media on Sunday which captured her looking frustrated while aboard a Qantas flight en route to Melbourne. She revealed the flight had been delayed for some time and she was worried about her Christmas being 'ruined'. 'Missed landing approach into Melbourne. We were down and then we weren't. Lucky we are flying "no crashes" Qantas,' Bec told fans. 'Melbourne - always delivering the worst weather - currently circling above the clouds.' Fortunately, her flight was soon able to land at Melbourne Airport and a grateful Bec shared a clip of her smiling in her seat as the plane touched down. Rebecca Judd (pictured) has shared her frustration after revealing her flight to Melbourne was significantly delayed due to stormy weather conditions 'Christmas isn't ruined! Thanks Qantas,' she wrote next to the footage. Earlier this month, Bec unveiled her 2025 Christmas tree - and it's even more unique than the years before. Bec, who is no stranger to an unorthodox Christmas display, took to Instagram to share a snap of this year's tree. 'We went with white but how good does the Ruby look?' the 42-year-old captioned the post, which showed an abstract tree with no decorations on it. The expandable, fold-out tree by Neue Blvd is made of paper and retails for a whopping $1,200. Despite the tree being a far cry from tradition, fans flooded the comments section with praise for the paper fir. 'That Ruby tree looks bloody hot, can't see any tag, I'd be keen to investigate,' one person gushed. Last year, she boasted an array of pink and silver Neue Blvd acrylic Christmas trees in her hallway. The glamorous AFL WAG, 42, posted a photo to social media on Sunday which captured her looking frustrated while aboard a Qantas flight en route to Melbourne She revealed the flight had been delayed by some time and she was worried about her Christmas being 'ruined' The large 2.1 metre pink cutout retailed for $1,550, while the 1.5 metre clear acrylic tree retailed for $1,250 and her 80cm tree cost $300. 'Christmas has arrived at home and I am obsessed,' Bec wrote at the time. 'We are actually away for Christmas this year so these trees are the perfect way to make our house feel festive without needing a tree to put gifts under.' 'The last time I did a Christmas tree that didn't look like a traditional Christmas tree it became one of the most viewed news stories of the year. 'This year will be interesting,' she added. Of course, the tree Bec is hinting at is none other than her 2016 'Scandi-style' display. No tree will ever be able to match Bec's shock-worthy display made with recycled branches, which many fans dubbed 'anaemic-looking' nine years ago. Bec reused the bare number for years before ditching it when she moved to her $7.3million Melbourne home. She lives in a mansion in the upmarket suburb of Melbourne with her AFL star husband Chris Judd and their four children. Tilly and Tana Ramsay enjoyed a festive family trip to Lapland as they shared a series of sweet snaps on Instagram on Sunday. The youngest daughter of the Ramsay clan, 24, posed with her little brother, Jesse James, two, as they enjoyed sledding in the snow. She can be seen securing the toddler on her lap as her boyfriend, Henry Farrow, took control of the sled from behind as a string of dogs pulled them around the woods. Tilly appeared still very much in love with her partner as they posed for a series of pictures in the snow. Alongside her festive post, the daughter of famed chef Gordon penned: 'The best Christmas trip to Lapland'. Meanwhile, Holly shared a series of snaps to her own social feed as she stunned in a red one piece. Tilly, 24, and Tana Ramsay, 51, enjoyed a festive family trip to Lapland as they shared a series of sweet snaps on Instagram on Sunday The youngest daughter of the Ramsay clan posed with her little brother, Jesse James, two, as they enjoyed sledding in the snow Gordon and Tana are parents to six children, Megan, 27, twins Jack and Holly, 26, Tilly, Oscar, six and the youngest, Jesse James. The family trip a week before Holly will have her Christmas wedding spectacular with her fiance, Adam Peaty. They will exchange vows at Bath's historic Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, before embarking on festive drinks. However, Adam left jaws dropped last month when it was revealed he had uninvited his relatives from his wedding, after his mother Caroline was not invited to Holly's swanky hen do. Sources claimed last month that cracks in family relations first began to show at Holly and Adam's engagement party, which has reportedly been filmed to feature in her father Gordon's Netflix docuseries. The astonishing family feud kicked off after news arose that Adam's mother was not invited to Holly's hen do, where she was joined by her mum Tana, Adam's sister Bethany and Victoria Beckham at Soho Farmhouse. In the wake of the snub, a number of stories of strife unravelled, with shock claims on each side about the fallout - including allegations that Holly and Adam made Caroline chose a different outfit for the wedding as they did not like her choice. It's now been reported that tensions between the two families began during Holly and Adam's engagement party, which was filmed for Gordon's upcoming Netflix documentary. She can be seen securing the toddler on her lap as her boyfriend, Henry Farrow, took control of the sled from behind as a string of dogs pulled them around the woods Tilly appeared still very much in love with her partner as they posed for a series of pictures in the snow Alongside her festive post, the daughter of famed chef Gordon penned: 'The best Christmas trip to Lapland' The celebrity chef was filmed over nine months as he opened five new restaurants in London, alongside juggling his personal life. The engagement party, which took place last December, will see the Holly and Adam with his family during happier times, before their toxic fallout occurred and he disinvited all but one of his relatives from the wedding. But according to The Sun, the cracks were already starting to show at the time, with Caroline having several grievances at the party. A source told the publication: 'Adams family were at the engagement party, when relations were much better. Things went downhill from there. 'His mum was unhappy some of the family werent there and confronted Gordon at the event. 'Guests were made to sign non-disclosure agreements and hand in phones as the party was filmed.' It was also revealed Adam's sister Bethany is the only member of his side who appears to have survived the bitter family fallout ahead of his wedding. The hen do snub sparked a huge response from the Peaty family, with Adam's aunt Louise blasting her nephew and his fiancee, Holly, in a series of Instagram comments. She later claimed her sister Caroline wasn't invited to their wedding due to her appearance and not having the correct 'look'. But one member of Adam's side of the family appears to have survived the feud, his sister Bethany - who did make the cut for Holly's picture-perfect Cotswolds hen do. The Sun has reported that the real reason Bethany made the cut is that she 'fits in' to the Ramsays' glamorous world because 'she's blonde and pretty'. While they claim that Bethany herself has had her head turned by the celebrity lifestyle, and has been asked to be one of Holly's bridesmaids. A friend close to the family told the publication: 'Bethany has always been very close to Adam and she is really taken with the celebrity lifestyle, she's had her head turned by all the glitz and glamour. 'She was over the moon to be at the hen party, hanging out with Victoria Beckham and couldn't wait to tell all her friends about it. She really fits in with the glam world she's blonde and very pretty.' It comes after Adam broke his silence amid the toxic family rift by sharing a statement in which he also spoke on Bethany's behalf, cementing their allegiance. Taking to Instagram, he insisted there are 'two sides to every story' and that he, Holly and Bethany 'will get through' the 'challenging times'. He penned: 'For those who know me personally, you know that I work so hard on trying to improve myself as a person who wants to contribute to making the world a better place. The family trip a week before Holly will have her Christmas wedding spectacular with her fiance, Adam Peaty Gordon also shared a snap to his social media to show the beautiful sights of the Northern lights during their trip 'I am continuing to learn about myself and how I can be the man I want to be; a worthy partner, father, businessman, friend and athlete; even through these challenging times. 'Bethany [his sister], Holly and I will get through this - we do not ask for sympathy. We just need people to be aware that there are always two sides to every story. 'To those of you who have reached out and shown kindness and understanding - thank you. It is deeply appreciated.' Adam also explained that he, Holly and Bethany cannot go into detail due to 'an ongoing police investigation into serious matters that arose long before recent events'. Lucy Punch has admitted that she was too scared to read Amandaland reviews as she'd never had a leading role before - and says she had 'a lot of fear' over how the series would be received. The actress, 47, plays the titular character of Amanda in the BBC show - which will soon air its Christmas special. Amandaland focuses on Lucy's story and is a follow up from Motherland which aired from 2016 to 2022. Now Lucy has said that she felt panicked when producers first suggested the spin-off to her where she would be promoted to the show's lead. She told The Sunday Times: 'I expected there to be a sort of disappointment of it not being Motherland. And missing all those brilliant characters, the beloved characters in that show. 'People love to hate Amanda. Putting that character front of centre, would it work? Would people care about her? I genuinely had a lot of fear about how it would be received.' Lucy Punch has said that she was too scared to read Amandaland reviews as she'd never had a leading role before - and says she had 'a lot of fear' over how the series would be received The actress, 47, plays the titular character of Amanda in the BBC show - which will soon air its Christmas special She added: 'I've never been front and centre before!' When Amandaland came out in February she says she was 'far too nervous' to read the reviews but when they turned out to be great her agent sent her some. She added that she was then 'so grateful' the spin-off had happened as it was a 'huge deal' for her. Just last week the BBC dropped the first trailer for the highly-anticipated Amandaland Christmas special. British comedy series Amandaland hit our screens on BBC One back in February. Amandaland follows the life of a recently divorced mum called Amanda who is trying to juggle looking after her children, a new relationship and friendships with the parents at her kid's school. 'Life after Motherland. Downsizing, facing the horror of modern teens - not even an alpha mum can do it alone. And then there's her mother... Starring Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley,' BBC iPlayer's synopsis reads. Fans were over the moon when it was revealed in October that there would be a festive special involving Amanda Hughes (Lucy Punch), her mum Felicity Sanderson (Joanna Lumley) and Anne Flynn (Philippa Dunne). The first look sees Amanda, her family and pals Mal (Samuel Anderson) and Anne head over to aunt Joan's (Jennifer Saunders) country house. Join the debate Should actors face their fears and read reviews, or is it better to tune out public opinion entirely? Lucy has said that she felt panicked when producers first suggested the spin-off to her where she would be promoted to the show's lead Joan is over the moon to see Amanda, but Amanda's mum Felicity doesn't appear to be that excited to see her. In one clip, Amanda can be seen giving her aunt a gift, but a shocked Anne asks her: 'Didn't I just gift you that?' Amanda simply replies: 'Yes.' In another scene Anne can be seen telling Mal: 'I really think Amanda deserves to know.' She pops her head around the corner of the door and asks: 'What do I deserve to know?' Back in October, speaking on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Joanna said: 'I'm just about to start another series of Amandaland which was the spin-off from Motherland, which was a gorgeous, wild success. 'Clever, clever Lucy Punch. We're just about to start seven more episodes and one is a Christmas special for this year.' Amandaland is written by Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard. The show is directed by Simon Bird and Alyssa McClelland. The comedy is a spin-off of popular sitcom Motherland, which ran 19 episodes across three seasons between 2016 and 2022. Motherland was created and written by Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh. She told The Times: 'I expected there to be a sort of disappointment of it not being Motherland. And missing all those brilliant characters, the beloved characters in that show...' It followed the lives of a group of parents whose children all attended the same school. Anna Maxwell Martin played protagonist Julia Johnstone, Diane Morgan played Liz, Paul Ready played Kevin Brady and Tanya Moodie played Meg. Since the first series aired back in January, Amandaland has averaged 6.4million views and has become the BBC's second biggest comedy launch. The Amandaland Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day at 9:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer. I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked host Kemi Rodgers has revealed the happy news that she is engaged. The TV star, 30, is set to wed her co-worker partner Thomas Hannett after he popped the question while they were out in Australia. She took to Instagram on Saturday night to show off her sparkling ring as she penned in the caption: 'I said yes' along with a ring emoji. Kemi is best known for presenting various shows on Capital Radio and co-presenting I'm a Celebrity: Unpacked. Her co-workers at Capital were quick to congratulate her as Jordan North wrote under the post: 'OMG! Congratulations guys.' Sian Welby meanwhile said in response: 'OMGGGG INCREDIBLE.' I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked host Kemi Rodgers has revealed the happy news that she is engaged The TV star, 30, is set to wed her co-worker partner Thomas Hannett after popped the question while they were out in Australia Kemi is best known for presenting various shows on Capital Radio and co-presenting I'm a Celebrity: Unpacked Kemi's recently revealed that her and Thomas have been dating for more than a year. They went public with their relationship in September this year. She recently told The Mirror about them having a long distance relationship while she worked on I'm A Celeb in Australia: 'We're gonna have a little bit of a holiday at the end of the show, which I'm so excited to see him. 'But the thing is, is we were actually together last year when I did the show. 'And of course, he didn't come out for the entire run. Yeah, it's long distance, but it's only long distance for like a month. 'There's people who have partners who will go for months at a time for work or live in different parts of the country. Um, so like my heart goes out to them, so I can't say that I've suffered at all. 'So yeah, lots of FaceTimes, lots of messages, and then, yeah, very excited to be reunited with him. What a little cutie!' Thomas is a senior producer at Capital Radio and his Instagram bio says he splits his time between London and Newcastle. He has shared loved up snaps with Kemi on his Instagram as far back as last autumn. She took to Instagram on Saturday night to show off her sparkling ring as she penned in the caption: 'I said yes' along with a ring emoji Kemi's recently revealed that her and Thomas have been dating for more than a year. They went public with their relationship in September this year Her co-workers at Capital were quick to congratulate her as Jordan North wrote under the post: 'OMG! Congratulations guys' He has shared loved up snaps with Kemi on his Instagram as far back as last autumn Kemi is seen with her Unpacked co-star Joel Dommett She also works for Capital Radio - where she met Thomas AngryGinge was crowned King Of The Jungle in this year's I'm A Celeb series. English Twitch streamer and YouTuber Ginge, 24, real name Morgan Birtwistle, made it to the final two with Tom Read Wilson. A staggering 13million votes were cast during this year's I'm A Celebrity final, which is the highest in a decade. EastEnders alum Shona McGarty, 34, was first to bow out after receiving 22% of the public vote - with Tom bagging 25% and Ginge winning 53%. When it came down to just Ginge and Celebs Go Dating star Tom, 39, the YouTuber nabbed the victory with 65% of the votes. In comparison, runner-up Tom had received 35% of the public's votes on the second go round. Reacting to his win, Ginge told Geordie duo Ant and Dec: 'I dont think I can swear, but I feel amazing. Honestly a dream come true. 'I didnt think I could go all this way never mind win. Thank you to everyone who voted.' The following morning he gave an interview to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley on Monday's ITV This Morning where he explained the first things he did after leaving camp. He told the hosts: 'I had a fantastic English fry up waiting for me in the hotel room - there were tomatoes and mushrooms so I left them and went straight for the hash browns and sausages. 'There were some days that we'd get to the end of the day, wait for the meal and the meal was also rubbish, so I probably just had carbs and veg for a full week.' Amandaland's Lucy Punch has said that she isn't tempted by plastic surgery as comedy actors 'need humanity in their face'. The actress, 47, - who lives in LA with her family - plays the titular character of Amanda in the BBC show which will soon air its Christmas special. Amandaland focuses on Lucy's story and is a follow up from Motherland which aired from 2016 to 2022. Now Lucy has opened up about the rising rates of plastic surgery and tweakments among celebrities and says a lot of people in Hollywood now look 'slightly AI'. She told The Sunday Times: 'I don't do anything. Truthfully, the past few years, I haven't been working as much, and I haven't felt like I could afford to spend money on stuff on my face.' Lucy also described a recent outing in Los Angeles with her pals as they headed to a bar together. Amandaland's Lucy Punch has said that she isn't tempted by plastic surgery as comedy actors 'need humanity in their face' The actress, 47, - who lives in LA with her family - plays the titular character of Amanda in the BBC show which will soon air its Christmas special She said of the other women she saw there: 'The women were all so gorgeous, they did look beautiful. It's not that you don't think they're beautiful. But it's almost slightly AI. Me and my girlfriends just looked more human. 'I understand for, you know, movie stars there's a huge pressure, but I think that you need to have some humanity in your face. And that's really important for a character or comedy actor. I can't do anything to my face because I feel like that's not what's got me jobs.' The interview comes after just last week the BBC dropped the first trailer for the highly-anticipated Amandaland Christmas special. British comedy series Amandaland hit our screens on BBC One back in February. Amandaland follows the life of a recently divorced mum called Amanda who is trying to juggle looking after her children, a new relationship and friendships with the parents at her kid's school. 'Life after Motherland. Downsizing, facing the horror of modern teens - not even an alpha mum can do it alone. And then there's her mother... Starring Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley,' BBC iPlayer's synopsis reads. Fans were over the moon when it was revealed in October that there would be a festive special involving Amanda Hughes (Lucy Punch), her mum Felicity Sanderson (Joanna Lumley) and Anne Flynn (Philippa Dunne). Now Lucy has opened up about the rising rates of plastic surgery and tweakments among celebrities and says a lot of people in Hollywood now look 'slightly AI' The first look sees Amanda, her family and pals Mal (Samuel Anderson) and Anne head over to aunt Joan's (Jennifer Saunders) country house. Joan is over the moon to see Amanda, but Amanda's mum Felicity doesn't appear to be that excited to see her. In one clip, Amanda can be seen giving her aunt a gift, but a shocked Anne asks her: 'Didn't I just gift you that?' Amanda simply replies: 'Yes.' In another scene Anne can be seen telling Mal: 'I really think Amanda deserves to know.' She pops her head around the corner of the door and asks: 'What do I deserve to know?' Back in October, speaking on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Joanna said: 'I'm just about to start another series of Amandaland which was the spin-off from Motherland, which was a gorgeous, wild success. 'Clever, clever Lucy Punch. We're just about to start seven more episodes and one is a Christmas special for this year.' Amandaland is written by Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard. The show is directed by Simon Bird and Alyssa McClelland. The comedy is a spin-off of popular sitcom Motherland, which ran 19 episodes across three seasons between 2016 and 2022. Motherland was created and written by Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh. The Amandaland Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day at 9:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer It followed the lives of a group of parents whose children all attended the same school. Anna Maxwell Martin played protagonist Julia Johnstone, Diane Morgan played Liz, Paul Ready played Kevin Brady and Tanya Moodie played Meg. Since the first series aired back in January, Amandaland has averaged 6.4million views and has become the BBC's second biggest comedy launch. The Amandaland Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day at 9:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Saturday to wish Lauren Sanchez a happy birthday. The 45-year-old entrepreneur whose daughter North West just made her Instagram debut shared a throwback photo of Jeff Bezos' new wife, who turned 56 on Friday. Kardashian wrote, 'Happy Belated Birthday to the ultimate girls' girl @laurensanchezbezos.' She gushed, 'You are always uplifting everyone around you. I've never met a more fun spirit in my life!!!!' And finally, the reality television personality said, 'I love you.' Sanchez similarly shared a birthday shoutout for Kim as she turned 44 in October 2024. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Saturday to wish Lauren Sanchez a happy birthday It comes after the SKIMS mogul attended Sanchez's bachelorette party, followed by her extravagant Italian wedding earlier this year At the time, she wrote online: 'Happy birthday to the woman who lights up every room she walks into. Love you @kimkardashian.' Months later the SKIMS mogul attended Sanchez's bachelorette party and extravagant wedding in Venice, Italy. On Saturday the new Mrs. Bezos re-shared Kardashian's effusive tribute to Instagram Stories, along with another birthday wish from Brooks Nader. Days ago the former journalist threw a lavish holiday-themed bash, where she posed up with the glamorous Kardashian family. Reposting Khloe Kardashian's photos from the event, she wrote: 'Holiday fun with my girls. 90s Xmas.' Sanchez wore a simple all-black outfit to the soiree, rocking her signature cleavage-baring look. She added a leopard print fur coat. Khloe complimented Sanchez on the glitzy affair. 'The perfect night hosted by Lauren, you are simply the best. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas,' she wrote online. Sanchez similarly shared a birthday shoutout for Kim in October 2024 Kim and Khloe Kardashian with Sanchez at the launch of her book The Fly That Flew To Space in September 2024 Bezos and Sanchez pictured in June, kicking off their three-day wedding celebration The A-list gathering follows Sanchez's social media birthday video compilation, in which she shared behind-the-scenes images from her wedding extravaganza. There was a clip of herself practicing her walk down the aisle in her Dolce & Gabbana dress, and another of her smiling on a balcony with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Another showed the socialite wearing a face mask while exercising, which appeared to be part of wedding preparations. 'If you had told me when I was a little girl this is what life would look like at 56, I'm not sure I would've believed you.' Sanchez wrote. She reflected on her marriage, children, book release, and space endeavor, saying it has 'grounded' her 'in a way nothing else could.' She has been sunning herself in Australia on a solo holiday in recent weeks. And Lily James shared a roundup of images from her trip on Sunday as she stunned in a skimpy bikini in one snap. The actress, 36, had been visiting the Bedarra Island Resort near the Great Barrier Reef after a busy work year. She looked great in the first image of her album as she strolled across the beach in a white bikini. Another showed her in a black two-piece as she beamed away while enjoying a boat ride. She penned in the caption of her post: '@bedarraisland I won't forget you and natures power to heal and restore.' Lily James stunned in a bikini on Sunday as she reflected on an idyllic island break in Australia that 'healed and restored' her after a busy work year The actress, 36, had been visiting the Bedarra Island Resort near the Great Barrier Reef after a busy few months In a post earlier this week the Pam and Tommy star covered her bikini in a semi-sheer mini dress as she enjoyed the picturesque sunset, before changing into a plunging white look to head out for dinner while on the trip. Clearly making the most of the Australian summer, Lily captioned her post: 'Winter I am not ready for you just yet.' Enjoying the beach once again Down Under, Lily said she has 'never been better' as she posted a gallery of bikini-clad images to Instagram having the time of her life. The actress will be back on the big screen next year in a reboot of the 1993 thriller Cliffhanger. In the first shots from Cliffhanger, the British actress is shown hanging from a rock face in a shot that mimics one from the original film. The father-daughter duo, Naomi (Lily) and Ray (Pierce Brosnan) 'run a mountain chalet in the Dolomites. During a weekend trip with a billionaire's son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers,' an official synopsis reads. 'Ray's older daughter Naomi, still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes.' She penned in the caption of her post: '@bedarraisland I won't forget you and natures power to heal and restore' She looked great in the first image of her album as she strolled across the beach in a white bikini, while she also showed off the beautiful scenery In a previous post this week, the Pam and Tommy star covered her bikini in a semi-sheer mini dress as she enjoyed the picturesque sunset Clearly making the most of the Australian summer, Lily captioned her post: 'Winter I am not ready for you just yet' He is kidnapped while climbing with the son of a billionaire and Naomi must 'save her family' while fighting 'for survival in the Italian Dolomites,' the synopsis concludes. The film is shot in Austria, Italy and Germany and also stars Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery. Earlier this year, Lily and her Swiped co-star Pierson looked closer than ever as they took a stroll through New York's Central Park. The pair could be seen chatting happily as they enjoyed a stroll in the last of the summer sunshine, pausing to enjoy a drink and sunbathe on a rocky platform. This was not the first time that the actors had been seen together in September as they also enjoyed a stroll around the Big Apple the week before. Pierson has been winning over a lot of hearts with his role in Netflix's new rom-com The Wrong Paris. He first rose to fame on Disney Channel's Jessie as Brooks Wentworth III in 2015, and landed his big breakout role as Thomas Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. Todd and Julie Chrisley's son Kyle Chrisley was arrested in Tennessee on Saturday night. The 34-year-old child of the Chrisley Knows Best stars is facing multiple charges including domestic assault, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct. He is also being charged for allegedly assaulting a first responder and resisting arrest, according to TMZ. Additionally, Kyle is reportedly facing three charges for retaliation for past actions meaning he possibly harmed or threatened someone in connection to their former actions against him. Per the outlet, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office arrested Kyle around 7pm, later booking him at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, were both convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a $30 million bank fraud and tax evasion scheme. They were serving multi-year sentences before they were pardoned by President Donald Trump in May. Todd and Julie Chrisley's son Kyle Chrisley was arrested in Tennessee on Saturday night The 34-year-old child of the Chrisley Knows Best stars is facing multiple charges including domestic assault, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct Kyle has a history of trouble with the law, and in March 2023 turned himself in after an altercation with a supervisor at Penske Rental Truck in Smyrna, Tennessee. Todd shares Kyle and daughter Lindsie, 36, with ex-wife, Teresa Terry. He shares sons Chase, 29, and Grayson, 19, and daughter Savannah, 28, with Julie. In 2016, amid Kyle's battles with addiction and bipolar disorder, Todd and Julie were awarded full custody of his 13-year-old daughter Chloe, whom he shares with Angela Johnson. Savannah became Chloe and Grayson's guardian when her dad was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and her mom sentenced to seven. Kyle and Todd had a tense relationship after his parents gained custody of his daughter, but they later reconciled. The troubled son gave his dad a warm social media tribute in July 2021, thanking him for 'guiding' him 'despite everything I've put him through.' He wrote on Instagram at the time: 'Listening to old country radio today and George Strait's song "Love Without End, Amen" came on and I couldn't help but think about everything my daddy has done for me despite everything I've put him through. 'No matter my wrongs he's there to guide and help me through. @toddchrisley I love you so much and I will forever be grateful for your love and grace.' Kyle has a history of run-ins with the law. In March 2023 he was arrested and booked for felony aggravated assault charges and released after posting $3,000 bail bond Kyle gave his dad a warm social media tribute in July 2021, thanking him for guiding him 'despite everything I've put him through' While her parents were behind bars, Savannah campaigned tirelessly for their early release. During a May press conference, Todd was asked by journalists whether he feels any remorse over his conviction, to which he firmly hit back. 'I would have remorse if it was something that I did,' he said. 'The corruption that went on in our case is going to continue to unfold.' The former USA Network star and his wife were both convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a $30 million bank fraud and tax evasion scheme and began their prison terms in 2023. Julie was serving time in Kentucky while Todd was in Florida. But in late May, President Trump personally called their daughter to inform her of his bombshell decision to grant the couple clemency. The eviction of 20 families, the closure of a soup kitchen, and the recent opening of upscale cafes illustrate the facets of a phenomenon that continues to grow in a trending neighborhood that was once stately and later a refuge for beatniks Two American girls are sitting on a bench outside the establishment, sipping Nepalese green tea. The inside is a spacious and austere area reminiscent of an industrial warehouse with a visible bread oven, and English is spoken more often than Spanish. A man in his sixties, wearing a jacket and tasseled shoes, tells the young man behind the counter that he drove almost an hour from the wealthy residential area of Polanco just to buy a loaf of malted cereal: 165 pesos (about $9). Nepalese teas cost $6. Across the street, a young man takes a video call in English on his silver Mac from the patio of another new cafe. When he finishes, he orders a second matcha tea and a slice of lavender cake for $7.50. Sitting in the doorway of the building next to the bakery, a woman makes herself instant coffee. Shes heating the water in an electric coffee maker plugged into the tangle of wires in the street. On a folding table there are plastic cups and sugar. Behind her is a pile of blankets brought by neighbors to help her through a particularly cold November night in Mexico City. Maria (who prefers not to give her last name) was evicted from her home at the end of summer, along with 20 other families, for a crime called despojo that is similar to squatting. They were forcibly removed in the early morning. Their belongings are still inside, and since then, theyve taken turns standing guard at the door. The entire building is sealed off by the city prosecutors office, including the ground floor: a soup kitchen. Maria remembers that until it was closed, long lines of people would gather every day to eat a full meal for 10 pesos (about 50 cents). A sit-in organized by residents of Tonala 125 after being evicted, on December 10, 2025 Emiliano Molina This is Colonia Roma, simply known as La Roma, where new bakeries and upscale cafes stand side-by-side with entire buildings dedicated to short-term rentals for tourists; where dozens of residents are being evicted and a public soup kitchen that had fed the community for decades has disappeared. All this within just 100 meters of Tonala Street. This corner of the Mexican capital bears the brunt of gentrification, a steamroller that is turning many neighborhoods in large cities into identical photocopies by driving up prices and replacing residents with tourists, local shops with trendy cafes and restaurants, eroding the social fabric and unique identity of each place. The building that houses the bakery is a modern, understated, five-story structure of concrete and glass, managed by a company that offers flexible stays, unique spaces with local touches that inspire a connection with the city. They call themselves a neo-hospitality company, renting their spaces through Airbnb. Three nights in one of their two-bedroom apartments cost about 8,000 pesos. These three nights, at about $450, roughly correspond to the minimum wage in Mexico. These three nights also coincide with the monthly rent that Marias family paid for the past few years. She, her husband and two children had lived here for over two decades, since they arrived from Hidalgo for her husbands job; lately, he had been selling tacos. Soup kitchen shut down by authorities, next to the Green Rhino bakery. Emiliano Molina Regarding the accusation that they were evicted for, Maria maintains that they have been paying the rent and have had no problems all these years. We dont know whats going to happen, were anxious about the uncertainty, no one is explaining to us properly what we have to do, she says as the afternoon sun sets and she places the third blanket over her legs. Mexico City authorities have just unveiled a specific plan to combat despojo, which includes increased penalties, seizures and evictions. Daniela Sanchez, coordinator of the Housing Rights Legal Clinic at the Ibero-American University, points out that its a crime that is very high on the list of concerns. Thats why its relatively easy to initiate legal proceedings, often without much legal basis. In areas like Roma, its not as common, but especially in these neighborhoods, there are huge incentives to seize these buildings. The network formed by prosecutors, notaries, local politicians, and large real estate companies sometimes makes it unclear who is behind the evictions. A sit-in organized by residents of Tonala 125 after being evicted, on December 10, 2025 Emiliano Molina The rising cost of living and the replacement of residents with trendy shops and Airbnb tourists has been a constant in this area for years. Roma was chosen in 2018 as one of the 50 coolest neighborhoods in the world by the editors of Time Out. The travel magazine highlighted its architecture, culinary offerings, nightlife, high-quality bars and restaurants, as well as its long cultural tradition. Roma and Condesa, its sister neighborhood that forms the citys coolest hub, together have more cafes than the entire Historic Center, according to official statistics data. After the Covid pandemic, to revive the hospitality industry, local authorities launched a campaign in 2022 that eased permitting requirements. Nearly 10,000 establishments event venues, restaurants, and private clubs obtained the necessary authorizations. A couple of years later, the Michelin Guide, the gourmet bible, showed up in the city. The Roma and Condesa neighborhoods are home to 108 restaurants recognized by the Michelin Guide. According to the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac), commercial rents in these neighborhoods have risen by up to 40%, resulting in nearly half of the restaurants that open in this area failing to survive more than two years. In the last three years, residential rents have skyrocketed by more than 120%, according to estimates from real estate websites. Last year, The Economist ranked Mexico City as the sixteenth most expensive city in the world, ahead of cities like Washington, D.C. and Milan. The building located at Tonala 125, in the Roma neighborhood, was evicted in August 2025. Emiliano Molina Embrace the meanwhile The neo-hospitality company attached to the closed building has plastered its motto in fluorescent letters on the glass entrance: Embrace the meanwhile. Its an ode to an uncertainty very different from that of Maria and the other evicted families. The target audience for that motto is obviously not Maria, but rather the so-called digital nomads, skilled workers with high salaries often in dollars and the ability to work remotely. Since the pandemic, their presence, especially from the United States, has tripled, according to data from a technology consulting firm. Three nights in Mexico City, two in San Francisco, a couple of weeks in Europe. Embrace the meanwhile. For Maria, the meanwhile is more about the patience and generosity of friends who are letting her and her family sleep in a room while the trial gets underway. When her shift ends at 8 a.m., Maria will take the subway, then a bus, and then walk another stretch to reach the home of those who are sheltering her. The restaurant next door to the matcha cafe didnt enjoy much time in the meantime either. It was called Flautas, el antojito de todos and was part of a very popular Mexican food chain. Theyd been there for at least 20 years, but their rent went up a lot, and they had to sell the place a couple of months ago, says Mariluz, 52, owner of the store next door. Abarrotes Lucerito, with its water jugs tied to the door and daily specials of ham croissants and beer for $1.50, is the business thats been on this stretch of street the longest. Its been a grocery store for over two decades, and before that, it was a dairy. A sign for apartment rentals on Tonala street, right next to Green Rhino bakery. Emiliano Molina Eviction notice for Tonala 125, which used to house a beauty salon, a soup kitchen and residential units. Emiliano Molina Facade of Tonala 125, on December 10. Emiliano Molina Customers outside Green Rhino bakery. Emiliano Molina The neighborhood has changed a lot. Before, it was very quiet, just families and small businesses. Now there are a lot of restaurants and a lot of chaos, adds Mariluz, who also mentions that her rent has tripled in three years. She says that if they keep raising it like this, she wont be able to keep going; shell have to close and find someplace else. Mariluz lived here for 45 years, in the Roma neighborhood, in the building across the street from her grocery store, next to the now-closed building that used to house the soup kitchen. Two years ago, the owner sold the entire property to turn it into a giant Airbnb. The apartment above the grocery store, which extends around the corner, is an early 20th-century building with six stately stone balconies and relief moldings. Mariluz says that the Englishmans son lives upstairs. The neighborhood was one of the hardest hit by the 1985 earthquake. People were terrified; many returned to the provinces and sold their homes. Thats when the father of the young man who lives upstairs bought his place. The urban planning lawyer points out that the earthquake brought about a significant change in the neighborhood. It had always been an upper-middle-class area, but after the earthquake, property values dropped considerably, and real estate companies began investing, thinking they could profit once the market recovered. Roma is the brainchild of Porfirio Diaz, the dictator overthrown by the 1910 revolution. A self-confessed Francophile, Diaz promoted an urban plan featuring boulevards and wide medians lined with double rows of trees and broad avenues modeled after those of Paris. Its relative proximity to the city center encouraged upper-class families to settle in single-family homes in neoclassical and modernist styles. This area, both majestic and decadent, has been a magnet for artists and adventurers for decades. In the early 1950s, it was a regular haunt for the Beatniks, the generation of Americans who invented the counterculture. One night, fueled by gin and suicidal games, William Burroughs shot his wife in the head in an apartment in the Roma neighborhood. A few years later, Jack Kerouac rented an adobe room, without electricity or running water, secured with a padlock threaded through two rings haphazardly screwed into the door. In the throes of a Buddhist fervor, he recited a different sutra each day upon waking in that hovel. There, illuminated by a candle, he wrote Tristessa, a short, semi-autobiographical novel about an indigenous prostitute addicted to morphine. The Mexican poet Jose Emilio Pacheco also dedicated a short novel to the neighborhood where he spent his childhood and adolescence. Battles in the Desert, set in the late 1940s, is a coming-of-age story where the main character, an eight-year-old boy who is a stand-in for the author, recounts how his mother hated the Roma neighborhood because the good families were starting to leave, and in those years it was inhabited by Arabs and Jews and people from the south: Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan. At the end of the novel, when the protagonist returns as an adult to the setting of his youth, he says, looking back with a mixture of resignation and nostalgia: They demolished the school, they demolished Marianas building, they demolished my house, they demolished the Roma neighborhood. That city is finished. That country is finished. There is no memory of the Mexico of those years. And nobody cares. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Megan Gale has quietly tied the knot with her longtime partner Shaun Hampson. The 50-year-old model and the former AFL star, 37, secretly married late last year in an ultra-private ceremony in Fiji surrounded by their nearest and dearest. The bombshell revelation was shared during a candid interview in the latest issue of Marie Claire, with the star confirming the couple exchanged vows in December 2024. The intimate wedding was attended solely by their mothers and children, with no wider guest list and no advance notice given to anyone outside the tiny inner circle. Gale explained the decision reflected who they are as a couple deeply private, low-key and uninterested in spectacle. 'We never wanted a big, public, showy wedding,' she told the publication. Megan Gale has quietly tied the knot with her longtime partner Shaun Hampson. Both pictured The 50-year-old model and the former AFL star secretly married late last year in an ultra-private ceremony in Fijisurrounded by their nearest and dearest 'When so much of my life has been public, it was really nice to not have this shared or over-shared,' she added. 'We wanted it just for us and the family.' The tropical destination was carefully chosen, with the coral-fringed beaches and crystal-blue waters of Vomo Island holding special meaning for Gale due to her Polynesian heritage. She also revealed the couple told loved ones at the last minute to maintain total discretion. 'We told them at dinner the night before,' said Megan. 'There was a lot of "What? No way!" But it made it more special.' The wedding was kept secret for an entire year, with Gale admitting they only felt comfortable sharing the news now because enough time had passed. The announcement comes as Gale graces the cover of Marie Claire Australia's JOY issue. Join the debate Should celebrities keep major life events private, or do fans deserve to be included? Gale explained the decision reflected who they are as a couple deeply private, lowkey and uninterested in spectacle. 'We never wanted a big, public, showy wedding,' she said Her signature brunette locks are worn loose and windswept, while her makeup is kept soft and natural, highlighting glowing skin, bronzed cheeks and nude lips. The model-turned-actress previously admitted that she wasn't in a rush to tie the knot with her partner of 14 years because the thought of planning a wedding is 'exhausting'. 'It has been the longest engagement ever,' she joked before going on to discuss why she hasn't walked down the aisle yet. 'Look, it was always something [] that we were in no rush to do. 'Traditionally everyone's like: get engaged, plan the wedding, have the kids. 'I've never been a really big wedding girl. The whole lot seems like a lot of work for me. I'm just exhausted thinking about it,' she added. Megan said that for her, having a family was a much bigger priority than having a large wedding. Megan and Shaun welcomed their two children a son River, 11, and daughter Rosie, eight before he popped the question in 2017. '[We] thought, the kids are here. Let's wait til they're old enough to be involved [in a wedding] and remember it,' she added. The couple share two children a son River, 10, and daughter Rosie, seven However, at the time Megan didn't rule out having a wedding altogether as she admitted it would be 'nice' to exchange vows with Shaun 'one day'. Megan previously revealed the secret to their happy and healthy relationship. 'I think communication is key for any relationship and we do that so well,' Megan told Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur on Channel Seven's The Morning Show back in 2019. 'He's awesome, he's just the best dad and we parent really well together.' But it hasn't always been smooth-sailing for the couple as they initially struggled with the public perception of their relationship when they first started dating. Megan previously revealed how she was labelled a 'cougar' because of her 12-year age gap with Shaun, something they both found difficult. 'It was being turned into something scandalous,' she confessed. 'I was being called a cougar, he was being called a toyboy.' Shaun told how the attention as 'horrible' adding: 'You don't plan this stuff. I hadn't planned on falling for her the way I did. I just wanted to be with her all the time.' The full interview appears in the January issue of Marie Claire Australia. Listen to the podcast here. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (TSE:AEM Get Free Report) (NYSE:AEM) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$203.11 and traded as high as C$235.46. Agnico Eagle Mines shares last traded at C$232.49, with a volume of 1,187,461 shares trading hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AEM shares. Royal Bank Of Canada cut shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from C$195.00 to C$300.00 in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, National Bankshares upped their price objective on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from C$285.00 to C$300.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of C$235.00. Get Agnico Eagle Mines alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on AEM Agnico Eagle Mines Stock Performance The firms 50-day moving average price is C$233.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$203.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.88, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.75. The stock has a market cap of C$121.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.31, a PEG ratio of 22.97 and a beta of 1.28. Agnico Eagle Mines (TSE:AEM Get Free Report) (NYSE:AEM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported C$2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$4.26 billion during the quarter. Agnico Eagle Mines had a net margin of 12.86% and a return on equity of 5.05%. On average, analysts expect that Agnico Eagle Mines Limited will post 5.4966052 EPS for the current fiscal year. Agnico Eagle Mines Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. Agnico Eagle Miness payout ratio is presently 23.39%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Agnico Eagle Mines news, insider Jean Robitaille sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$235.00, for a total transaction of C$705,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 1,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$235,000. This trade represents a 75.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. About Agnico Eagle Mines (Get Free Report) Agnico Eagle Mines is a gold miner operating mines in Canada, Mexico, and Finland. It also owns 50% of the Canadian Malartic mine. Agnico operated just one mine, LaRonde, as recently as 2008 before bringing its other mines on line in rapid succession in the following years. The company produced more than 1.7 million gold ounces in 2020. Agnico Eagle is focused on increasing gold production in lower-risk jurisdictions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Agnico Eagle Mines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agnico Eagle Mines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Saturday. A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on ASB. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Monday, December 15th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a sector perform rating on shares of Associated Banc in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $30.00 target price (up previously from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, UBS Group restated a buy rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of Associated Banc in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $28.20. Get Associated Banc alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on ASB Associated Banc Stock Performance ASB opened at $26.44 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.12, a P/E/G ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 0.81. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $25.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $25.38. Associated Banc has a 1 year low of $18.32 and a 1 year high of $27.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The bank reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $390.71 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $377.94 million. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 9.45% and a net margin of 7.23%.During the same period last year, the company earned $0.56 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Associated Banc will post 2.43 EPS for the current fiscal year. Associated Banc Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. This is a positive change from Associated Bancs previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Associated Bancs payout ratio is 102.13%. Insider Buying and Selling at Associated Banc In related news, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of Associated Banc stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total transaction of $56,385.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. The trade was a 1.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 30,489 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.70, for a total transaction of $783,567.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 24,055 shares in the company, valued at approximately $618,213.50. This trade represents a 55.90% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 35,951 shares of company stock worth $925,756. Corporate insiders own 1.45% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ASB. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its holdings in Associated Banc by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 154,933 shares of the banks stock worth $3,779,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Associated Banc by 46.8% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the banks stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 408 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE increased its position in Associated Banc by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 80,677 shares of the banks stock worth $2,074,000 after buying an additional 415 shares during the period. Tidal Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 2.0% during the second quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 27,354 shares of the banks stock worth $667,000 after buying an additional 549 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in shares of Associated Banc by 17.9% in the first quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 3,688 shares of the banks stock valued at $83,000 after acquiring an additional 559 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.98% of the companys stock. Associated Banc Company Profile (Get Free Report) Associated Banc-Corp, through its primary subsidiary Associated Bank, N.A., is a regional financial services company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The bank operates more than 200 branches across the Midwest, offering community-focused banking solutions for individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. Its emphasis on personalized service and regional decision-making supports long-standing customer relationships. On the consumer side, Associated Bank provides checking and savings accounts, residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto financing and credit card products. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Associated Banc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Associated Banc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Franco-Nevada Co. (TSE:FNV Get Free Report) (NYSE:FNV) insider Bonavie Tek sold 115 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$290.52, for a total transaction of C$33,409.80. Franco-Nevada Stock Performance TSE:FNV traded up C$4.64 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching C$292.25. The stock had a trading volume of 951,226 shares, compared to its average volume of 324,373. Franco-Nevada Co. has a twelve month low of C$165.36 and a twelve month high of C$314.53. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of C$278.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$259.05. The firm has a market capitalization of C$56.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 61.27, a PEG ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.74. Get Franco-Nevada alerts: Franco-Nevada (TSE:FNV Get Free Report) (NYSE:FNV) last issued its earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported C$1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Franco-Nevada had a negative return on equity of 10.83% and a negative net margin of 57.55%.The business had revenue of C$679.08 million during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Franco-Nevada Co. will post 3.1114111 earnings per share for the current year. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently weighed in on FNV. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from C$322.00 to C$350.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$260.00 to C$270.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$255.00 to C$290.00 in a research report on Friday, August 29th. TD Securities decreased their price target on Franco-Nevada from C$247.00 to C$225.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, CIBC raised their price objective on Franco-Nevada from C$315.00 to C$460.00 in a research note on Friday, October 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$287.33. Get Our Latest Stock Report on FNV Franco-Nevada Company Profile (Get Free Report) Franco-Nevada Corp is a precious-metals-focused royalty and investment company. The company owns a diversified portfolio of precious metals and royalty streams, which is actively managed to generate the bulk of its revenue from gold, silver, and platinum. The company does not operate mines, develop projects, or conduct exploration. Franco-Nevadas short-term financial performance is linked to the price of commodities and the amount of production from its portfolio of producing assets. Its long-term performance is affected by the availability of exploration and development capital. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Franco-Nevada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franco-Nevada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citigroup (NYSE:C Free Report) had its price objective boosted by Truist Financial from $112.00 to $123.00 in a report published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock. Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Citigroup from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $107.00 to $124.00 in a research note on Friday, December 12th. TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Citigroup from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. UBS Group reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $108.00 price objective on shares of Citigroup in a report on Monday, November 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on Citigroup from $118.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Wolfe Research restated an outperform rating and issued a $121.00 target price on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $114.50. Get Citigroup alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Citigroup Citigroup Stock Performance NYSE C opened at $114.79 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $102.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $95.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $205.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 0.99. Citigroup has a fifty-two week low of $55.51 and a fifty-two week high of $115.61. Citigroup (NYSE:C Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 14th. The company reported $2.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.35. The business had revenue of $22.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.92 billion. Citigroup had a return on equity of 7.91% and a net margin of 8.73%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.51 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Citigroup will post 7.53 earnings per share for the current year. Citigroup Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 3rd were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 3rd. Citigroups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 33.71%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Citigroup Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Keystone Financial Services purchased a new position in Citigroup in the second quarter valued at $216,000. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of Citigroup by 166.9% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,990 shares of the companys stock worth $1,407,000 after acquiring an additional 12,499 shares in the last quarter. Hayek Kallen Investment Management increased its holdings in shares of Citigroup by 125.0% in the 1st quarter. Hayek Kallen Investment Management now owns 15,534 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,103,000 after acquiring an additional 8,630 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Citigroup by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 257,930 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,955,000 after acquiring an additional 9,644 shares during the last quarter. Finally, D.B. Root & Company LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Citigroup during the 1st quarter worth about $203,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.72% of the companys stock. Key Citigroup News Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week: Positive Sentiment: U.S. Federal Reserve has terminated formal supervisory notices that had required Citi to fix longstanding trading risk and control weaknesses a meaningful removal of regulatory constraints that lowers compliance costs and recapitalization uncertainty. Read More. U.S. Federal Reserve has terminated formal supervisory notices that had required Citi to fix longstanding trading risk and control weaknesses a meaningful removal of regulatory constraints that lowers compliance costs and recapitalization uncertainty. Read More. Positive Sentiment: The OCC has reduced a regulatory mandate tied to Citis risk-management systems, further easing the banks supervisory burden and signaling improved regulator confidence in Citis remediation progress. Read More. The OCC has reduced a regulatory mandate tied to Citis risk-management systems, further easing the banks supervisory burden and signaling improved regulator confidence in Citis remediation progress. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Bloomberg Law reports Citi has shed a penalty related to risk and compliance another headline that removes a prior overhang on capital and reputation. Read More. Bloomberg Law reports Citi has shed a penalty related to risk and compliance another headline that removes a prior overhang on capital and reputation. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Large, unusual call-option buying about 117,314 calls traded (+47% vs. average) suggests traders are positioning for further upside or a positive catalysts around earnings/regulatory momentum. (Market activity entry) Large, unusual call-option buying about 117,314 calls traded (+47% vs. average) suggests traders are positioning for further upside or a positive catalysts around earnings/regulatory momentum. (Market activity entry) Positive Sentiment: Truist raised its price target to $123 and left a Buy rating, providing fresh analyst support and incremental demand for the shares. Read More. Truist raised its price target to $123 and left a Buy rating, providing fresh analyst support and incremental demand for the shares. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect a strong quarter: previews flag an anticipated double-digit EPS rise next quarter, which creates an earnings catalyst if Citi delivers in-line or above. Read More. Analysts expect a strong quarter: previews flag an anticipated double-digit EPS rise next quarter, which creates an earnings catalyst if Citi delivers in-line or above. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Citis research group set a 12month Bitcoin forecast of $143,000 a bullish crypto view that could support fees and trading revenue if ETF adoption continues, but its indirect to Citis core bank earnings. Read More. Citis research group set a 12month Bitcoin forecast of $143,000 a bullish crypto view that could support fees and trading revenue if ETF adoption continues, but its indirect to Citis core bank earnings. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Citi struck a multiyear partnership with LSEG to standardize enterprise data and boost efficiency operationally positive but a longerterm productivity story rather than an immediate earnings driver. Read More. Citi struck a multiyear partnership with LSEG to standardize enterprise data and boost efficiency operationally positive but a longerterm productivity story rather than an immediate earnings driver. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Some commentary argues Citi is no longer the value play it once was, highlighting valuation re-rating risk and the need for continued execution to justify higher multiples a cautionary view that could cap upside if growth disappoints. Read More. Citigroup Company Profile (Get Free Report) Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide. Citis principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Citigroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citigroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Commerzbank AG (ETR:CBK Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of 31.54 and traded as high as 35.36. Commerzbank shares last traded at 35.05, with a volume of 3,572,555 shares traded. Commerzbank Stock Performance The company has a market cap of $43.27 billion, a PE ratio of 18.64, a PEG ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a current ratio of 6.76, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.97. The businesss 50 day moving average is 32.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is 31.60. About Commerzbank (Get Free Report) Commerzbank AG provides banking and capital market products and services to private and small business customers, corporate, financial service providers, and institutional clients in Germany, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Private and Small-Business Customers, and Corporate Clients. The company offers saving, checking, business, and current accounts; term deposits; pension; credit and debit cards; payment solutions; overdraft services; various loans; and insurance products. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Commerzbank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Commerzbank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of CubeSmart (NYSE:CUBE Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Saturday morning. Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of CubeSmart from $45.00 to $43.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 25th. KeyCorp reiterated a sector weight rating on shares of CubeSmart in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of CubeSmart in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on CubeSmart from $48.00 to $42.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective on CubeSmart from $43.00 to $38.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 5th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $45.25. Get CubeSmart alerts: View Our Latest Report on CubeSmart CubeSmart Price Performance Shares of CUBE stock opened at $35.60 on Friday. CubeSmart has a 52 week low of $34.24 and a 52 week high of $44.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.12 billion, a PE ratio of 22.82, a PEG ratio of 8.47 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 0.47 and a current ratio of 0.47. The stocks fifty day moving average is $37.96 and its 200-day moving average is $40.04. CubeSmart (NYSE:CUBE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.65. The business had revenue of $285.08 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $282.57 million. CubeSmart had a net margin of 33.31% and a return on equity of 12.49%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.67 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that CubeSmart will post 2.64 EPS for the current fiscal year. CubeSmart Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 2nd. This is an increase from CubeSmarts previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. CubeSmarts dividend payout ratio is presently 133.33%. Institutional Trading of CubeSmart Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Wiser Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in CubeSmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. True Wealth Design LLC grew its holdings in shares of CubeSmart by 308.2% in the 2nd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 694 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 524 shares during the period. Private Trust Co. NA grew its holdings in shares of CubeSmart by 209.6% in the 3rd quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 706 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 478 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in shares of CubeSmart by 174.8% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 893 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 568 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank raised its stake in CubeSmart by 43.3% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 977 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 295 shares during the period. 97.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. CubeSmart Company Profile (Get Free Report) CubeSmart (NYSE: CUBE) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the ownership, operation and management of self-storage facilities across the United States. The companys portfolio comprises properties in primary and secondary markets, catering to both individual and business customers seeking flexible, short-term and long-term storage solutions. CubeSmarts facilities feature a range of unit sizes, climate-controlled options and advanced security features, supported by on-site managers and centralized customer service operations. In addition to traditional self-storage units, CubeSmart offers specialty services such as vehicle and boat storage, retail sales of packing and moving supplies, and tenant insurance programs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for CubeSmart Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CubeSmart and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Ecora Resources PLC (LON:ECOR Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 80.01 and traded as high as GBX 109.20. Ecora Resources shares last traded at GBX 109.20, with a volume of 604,628 shares trading hands. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently issued reports on ECOR shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price objective on shares of Ecora Resources from GBX 150 to GBX 155 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 120 price objective on shares of Ecora Resources in a research note on Tuesday, September 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of GBX 137.50. Get Ecora Resources alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Ecora Resources Ecora Resources Stock Up 1.5% Insider Buying and Selling The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 22.68, a quick ratio of 2.08 and a current ratio of 0.60. The company has a market capitalization of 275.95 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.12 and a beta of 0.62. The firms 50-day simple moving average is GBX 97.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 80.34. In other news, insider Marc Bishop Lafleche acquired 32,000 shares of Ecora Resources stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 93 per share, for a total transaction of 29,760. Also, insider Christine Coignard acquired 11,400 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 92 per share, for a total transaction of 10,488. Insiders have bought a total of 64,575 shares of company stock valued at $6,036,425 over the last three months. 8.37% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Ecora Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Ecora Resources is a leading royalty company focused on supporting the supply of commodities essential to creating a sustainable future. The company is listed on both the London and Toronto Stock Exchange. Our vision is to be globally recognised as the royalty company of choice synonymous with commodities that support a sustainable future by continuing to grow and diversify our royalty portfolio in line with our strategy. We will achieve this through building a diversified portfolio of scale over high quality assets that drives low volatility earnings growth and shareholder returns. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ecora Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ecora Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Fidelis Insurance (NYSE:FIHL Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday morning. FIHL has been the subject of several other reports. Evercore ISI increased their price objective on shares of Fidelis Insurance from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on shares of Fidelis Insurance from $24.00 to $23.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Zacks Research raised Fidelis Insurance from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, September 11th. Barclays boosted their price objective on Fidelis Insurance from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Fidelis Insurance from $16.50 to $17.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $21.14. Get Fidelis Insurance alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on FIHL Fidelis Insurance Trading Down 1.5% Shares of FIHL stock opened at $19.17 on Friday. Fidelis Insurance has a 1-year low of $14.17 and a 1-year high of $19.72. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The stock has a market cap of $2.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -383.40 and a beta of 0.25. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $18.57 and a 200-day moving average of $17.42. Fidelis Insurance (NYSE:FIHL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $1.21 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.02. Fidelis Insurance had a negative return on equity of 0.94% and a negative net margin of 0.56%.The business had revenue of $651.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $676.79 million. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Fidelis Insurance will post 3.12 earnings per share for the current year. Fidelis Insurance Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 10th. Fidelis Insurances dividend payout ratio is -1,200.00%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fidelis Insurance A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FIHL. North Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Fidelis Insurance during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Focus Partners Wealth bought a new stake in Fidelis Insurance during the 3rd quarter valued at $77,000. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. increased its stake in Fidelis Insurance by 15.3% during the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 6,088 shares of the companys stock valued at $101,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Fidelis Insurance by 444.4% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 7,131 shares of the companys stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 5,821 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in shares of Fidelis Insurance by 58.9% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 7,786 shares of the companys stock valued at $129,000 after buying an additional 2,885 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.99% of the companys stock. Fidelis Insurance Company Profile (Get Free Report) Fidelis Insurance Holdings Ltd is a Bermudaincorporated specialty insurer and reinsurer that underwrites a broad range of liability and property risks. Founded in 2015, the company completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2016 under the ticker FIHL. Fidelis focuses on providing tailored solutions for complex risks that traditional insurers may find difficult to accommodate, leveraging data analytics and underwriting expertise to structure policies across diverse industry segments. The companys product portfolio spans casualty linesincluding general liability, excess and umbrella, professional indemnity, and management liabilityalongside property, marine, energy and specialty programs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Fidelis Insurance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelis Insurance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Great Lakes Graphite Inc (CVE:GLK Get Free Report) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$0.03 and traded as high as C$0.04. Great Lakes Graphite shares last traded at C$0.04, with a volume of 73,021 shares traded. Great Lakes Graphite Stock Up The company has a market capitalization of C$4.64 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.75. The business has a 50-day moving average price of C$0.03 and a 200-day moving average price of C$0.04. Great Lakes Graphite Company Profile (Get Free Report) Great Lakes Graphite Inc, doing business as NovoCarbon Corporation, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Lochaber graphite project, which includes 45 claims covering 2,649 hectares located in the Buckingham Graphite region in Outaouais/Gatineau, Quebec. The company was formerly known as Shield Gold Inc and changed its name to Great Lakes Graphite Inc in May 2014. Great Lakes Graphite Inc is based in Toronto, Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Great Lakes Graphite Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Great Lakes Graphite and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Friedrich Merz is effectively taking over the virtual seat of European power that Emmanuel Macron has occupied for years. The summit on the future of Ukraine, held on December 14 and 15 in Berlin, reinforced the German chancellors leadership and signaled the French presidents waning influence. With the momentum of being new to the position, as well as the credibility afforded by an unlimited military budget, the Christian Democrat Merz is multiplying initiatives, both within the European Union and through international diplomacy. At the same time, hes consolidating his position as a key interlocutor for President Donald Trump. This comes at a time of heightened hostility from the U.S. administration toward the European Union. Theres also a Russian threat that, according to political and military leaders, could lead to a direct confrontation before the end of the decade. Merz will not be able to lead alone: hell need allies. At home, he also faces problems that are hindering his international efforts, from the rise of the far-right which is already surpassing him in some polls to economic stagnation and divisions within his governing coalition with the Social Democrats. The contrast with Macron is significant. The French president took the helm in Europe after winning power in 2017 with visionary speeches and the audacity of his youth. However, as he faces the last year and a half of his term, hes contending with a precarious domestic situation, uncontrolled public spending, and the prospect of being succeeded by the far-right in the Elysee Palace. Macron still wields considerable influence in the EU. And, as France is the only country in the bloc with nuclear weapons, it possesses unparalleled military power. But on issues such as the trade agreement with Mercosur the South American trade bloc or the future of the Franco-German-Spanish fighter jet, he appears to be an obstacle to his European partners (or, at least, to the Germans). Merzs moment of leadership has arrived, says Joseph de Weck, from the Institut Montaigne, a Paris-based think tank. Hes also the author of Macron: Der revolutionare Prasident (2021), translated from the German as Macron: The Revolutionary President. According to De Weck, a decisive factor occurred last winter, when the Bundestag adopted a constitutional reform that eliminates budget caps on military spending. In the medium term, he explains, the German Army will be the largest in Europe. The same reform includes a massive investment plan, which gives the chancellor a level of spending leeway unmatched by any other European country. Germanys financial capacity is something that impresses Trump, he adds. The German media, which is usually critical of the chancellor, is now showering him with glowing praise. On Monday, the sensationalist tabloid Bild exclaimed, emphatically and patriotically, But how did he achieve this success? It referred to the meeting in Berlin between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trumps two envoys, Steve Witkoff and the Republicans son-in-law, Jared Kushner, that included key European leaders. The article emphasized that, according to initial plans, Witkoff and Kushner were supposed to meet with European negotiators in Paris, the usual venue for such diplomatic gatherings, on Saturday, December 13. However, at the last minute, the meeting was canceled in favor of Berlin. According to Le Monde, the change caused displeasure in France. Perhaps, for this reason, the Elysee Palace did not officially announce Macrons participation in the Berlin summit until Monday afternoon, in a sign of the shifting center of gravity. We have experienced a great deal of diplomatic activity these past few days, perhaps the greatest since the start of the war [in Ukraine] on February 24, 2022, Merz declared, at a press conference alongside Zelenskiy. Now, we have the opportunity for a genuine peace process for Ukraine. The seed is still small, but the possibility is concrete. Merz and Zelenskiy subsequently announced that Witkoff and Kushner had offered Ukraine sufficient security guarantees to deter a Russian attack following a future ceasefire. The European leaders then agreed to send an American-backed multinational force to Ukraine once peace was achieved. But the agreement reached in Berlin is, in reality, fragile and vague. Russian President Vladimir Putin is opposed to a ceasefire. Trumps commitment is, as always, volatile. And even current NATO members dont consider the U.S. security umbrella entirely reliable: what will it mean for Ukraine? Even in Germany, theres a hint of debate about whether German troops should be part of the still-hypothetical multinational force. Another recent initiative put forward by Merz the use of frozen Russian funds in the EU to finance Ukraine also presents considerable risks. Although this measure has been under discussion in Brussels for months, it was an article that the chancellor wrote in the Financial Times back in September that sparked the debate. The fact that he proposed it unilaterally not in an official forum and not alongside Macron or other leaders speaks volumes about his abrupt and impulsive style. In this instance, hes acting as a driving force for Europe, certainly, but hes doing so with his characteristic style, which often gets him into trouble. Theres now resistance to this tactic in Belgium and other countries. And, despite the confidence displayed by the chancellors inner circle, its uncertain if he will be able to persuade other EU members. Now its Merz whos taking the initiative. Its Merz whos taking the risks and he can take them because hes [seen as] credible to the rest of Europe. Hes the man of the future, De Weck notes. A promise from Macron doesnt hold up as well anymore, because who knows who will be in the Elysee Palace in 18 months? Theres another risk to Merzs nascent leadership: Donald Trump. The German chancellor, like other European colleagues, is walking a fine line between flattery and defending his own interests. Meanwhile, the U.S. is launching verbal assaults at the EU and liberal democracy. The Trump administration is doing so with documents like the National Security Strategy, which accuses EU leaders like Merz of subverting the democratic process and incites far-right parties to resistance. This may sound like a declaration of political war. But there they were, in Berlin: Witkoff and Kushner, members of Trumps inner circle, alongside Merz and other European leaders, united and smiling. Still, Merzs answer is clear: nothing will be the same again. Right now, its about making the transition to the new world as painless as possible. Trump didnt appear overnight and American policy wont change overnight, either, he warns. The decades of Pax Americana are over. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Free Report) had its price objective cut by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $165.00 to $157.00 in a research note published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the stock. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $172.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $156.00 to $179.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $173.00 to $170.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 25th. Dbs Bank upgraded Procter & Gamble to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Raymond James Financial dropped their target price on Procter & Gamble from $185.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 20th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Procter & Gamble presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $171.38. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble Price Performance PG stock opened at $144.39 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $147.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $153.46. Procter & Gamble has a 1 year low of $138.14 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The stock has a market cap of $337.41 billion, a PE ratio of 21.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.09. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.63% and a net margin of 19.74%.The company had revenue of $22.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.93 earnings per share. Procter & Gambles revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.100 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Procter & Gamble will post 6.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 24th were given a dividend of $1.0568 per share. This represents a $4.23 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 24th. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is 61.75%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Jennifer L. Davis sold 3,227 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.23, for a total transaction of $491,246.21. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 61,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,402,333.72. The trade was a 4.97% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Matthew W. Janzaruk sold 725 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.57, for a total value of $108,438.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 979 shares in the company, valued at approximately $146,429.03. This trade represents a 42.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 30,308 shares of company stock valued at $4,611,852. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Nova Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 67.9% in the 2nd quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 178 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new position in Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the third quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.77% of the companys stock. About Procter & Gamble (Get Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of KT (NYSE:KT Free Report) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday. A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research cut shares of KT from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of KT in a report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, KT presently has an average rating of Hold. Get KT alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on KT KT Trading Down 0.9% Institutional Inflows and Outflows Shares of KT stock opened at $18.64 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 1.20. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $19.60. KT has a 1 year low of $15.49 and a 1 year high of $21.61. The company has a market capitalization of $9.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.31, a P/E/G ratio of 0.14 and a beta of 0.67. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of KT in the first quarter valued at approximately $811,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in KT by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 10,612,820 shares of the technology companys stock worth $187,954,000 after acquiring an additional 388,592 shares during the period. TD Private Client Wealth LLC increased its stake in KT by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 10,768 shares of the technology companys stock worth $224,000 after acquiring an additional 798 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in KT by 57.4% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,988,160 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $35,190,000 after acquiring an additional 725,164 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of KT by 267.4% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 8,358 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $174,000 after acquiring an additional 6,083 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 18.86% of the companys stock. KT Company Profile (Get Free Report) KT Corporation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange as an American depositary receipt under the symbol KT, is a major telecommunications and information technology provider headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea. The companys services span traditional fixed-line voice communication, high-speed broadband internet access and mobile cellular networks. Leveraging an extensive fiber-optic and wireless infrastructure, KT delivers voice, data and multimedia solutions to both consumer and enterprise customers. KT has been at the forefront of technological innovation in its home market, launching South Koreas first commercial 5G network and expanding its offerings to include Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, cloud computing services and cybersecurity solutions. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for KT Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KT and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. RPM International (NYSE:RPM Free Report) had its target price decreased by Mizuho from $138.00 to $128.00 in a research report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Mizuho currently has an outperform rating on the specialty chemicals companys stock. A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on RPM. Bank of America upgraded RPM International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $126.00 to $129.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on shares of RPM International from $145.00 to $125.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of RPM International from $126.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 24th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of RPM International in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised RPM International from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the company from $121.00 to $132.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, RPM International presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $128.64. Get RPM International alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on RPM International RPM International Stock Performance NYSE:RPM opened at $105.12 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average is $107.69 and its two-hundred day moving average is $114.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.65, a PEG ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 2.26 and a quick ratio of 1.51. RPM International has a 1-year low of $95.28 and a 1-year high of $129.12. RPM International (NYSE:RPM Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 1st. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $2.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.05 billion. RPM International had a net margin of 9.16% and a return on equity of 24.22%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.84 EPS. Analysts forecast that RPM International will post 5.5 EPS for the current year. RPM International Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, October 20th were paid a $0.54 dividend. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is a positive change from RPM Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 20th. RPM Internationals payout ratio is presently 40.37%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other RPM International news, Director Salvatore D. Fazzolari sold 375 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.67, for a total transaction of $40,376.25. Following the sale, the director owned 21,578 shares in the company, valued at $2,323,303.26. This represents a 1.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On RPM International Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Amundi lifted its stake in RPM International by 2.3% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 169,954 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $19,135,000 after acquiring an additional 3,788 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association acquired a new stake in shares of RPM International in the 1st quarter valued at $948,000. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in shares of RPM International during the 2nd quarter worth $2,791,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in shares of RPM International by 105.9% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 10,512 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $1,155,000 after purchasing an additional 5,406 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Archer Investment Corp grew its stake in shares of RPM International by 203.7% during the second quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 3,490 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $383,000 after purchasing an additional 2,341 shares in the last quarter. 80.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. RPM International Company Profile (Get Free Report) RPM International Inc is a global holding company whose subsidiaries specialize in the manufacture and marketing of high-performance coatings, sealants, building materials, and specialty chemicals. Through its two principal operating segmentsPerformance Coatings and Industrial CoatingsRPM serves a diverse range of end markets, including construction, consumer products, industrial maintenance, and specialty applications. The companys Performance Coatings segment offers a broad portfolio of architectural coatings, waterproofing systems, and specialty building products used by contractors, builders, and homeowners. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for RPM International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for RPM International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NioCorp Developments Ltd. (OTCMKTS:NIOBF Get Free Report) crossed below its 50 day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of $6.94 and traded as low as $5.25. NioCorp Developments shares last traded at $5.28, with a volume of 3,300,629 shares. NioCorp Developments Stock Performance The firms 50 day moving average is $6.85 and its 200-day moving average is $5.11. Get NioCorp Developments alerts: About NioCorp Developments (Get Free Report) NioCorp Developments Ltd is an advanced-stage critical minerals development company focused on the Elk Creek Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium Project in southeast Nebraska, United States. The companys primary objective is to advance one of North Americas largest known niobium deposits into production. In addition to niobium, the project hosts significant scandium and titanium resources, positioning NioCorp to supply multiple high-value metals used in aerospace, defense, automotive, electronics, and clean-energy applications. The Elk Creek project has undergone extensive exploration, drilling and metallurgical test work to support prefeasibility and feasibility studies. See Also Receive News & Ratings for NioCorp Developments Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NioCorp Developments and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note released on Saturday. Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of Nordic American Tankers from $2.50 to $3.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and issued a $3.50 target price on shares of Nordic American Tankers in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Nordic American Tankers in a report on Monday, December 15th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $3.25. Get Nordic American Tankers alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on NAT Nordic American Tankers Stock Performance Shares of NAT stock opened at $3.37 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $712.54 million, a P/E ratio of 168.33 and a beta of -0.45. Nordic American Tankers has a fifty-two week low of $2.13 and a fifty-two week high of $3.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 1.95. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $3.59 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $3.17. Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, November 28th. The shipping company reported ($0.01) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.01 by ($0.02). Nordic American Tankers had a return on equity of 0.39% and a net margin of 1.12%.The firm had revenue of $40.18 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $52.89 million. Analysts expect that Nordic American Tankers will post 0.24 earnings per share for the current year. Nordic American Tankers Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, December 8th will be given a dividend of $0.13 per share. This is an increase from Nordic American Tankerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 8th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 15.5%. Nordic American Tankerss dividend payout ratio is 2,600.00%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nordic American Tankers A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 502,148 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $1,235,000 after buying an additional 12,781 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in Nordic American Tankers in the first quarter worth $3,150,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in Nordic American Tankers by 19.4% in the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 23,886 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $59,000 after acquiring an additional 3,875 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 44.7% in the first quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 264,617 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $651,000 after acquiring an additional 81,724 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 8.9% during the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 111,449 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $274,000 after acquiring an additional 9,155 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 44.29% of the companys stock. Nordic American Tankers Company Profile (Get Free Report) Nordic American Tankers Limited is a Bermuda-based shipping company specializing in the ownership and operation of Suezmax crude oil tankers. The companys fleet is employed on the spot and period charter markets, transporting crude oil across major global trade routes. By focusing on commercially flexible employment strategies, Nordic American Tankers seeks to optimize vessel utilization and generate stable income for shareholders. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, Nordic American Tankers maintains technical and commercial management arrangements through established ship-management partners. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Nordic American Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nordic American Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Northern Dynasty Minerals, Ltd. (NYSEAMERICAN:NAK Get Free Report) (TSE:NDM) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $1.44 and traded as high as $2.22. Northern Dynasty Minerals shares last traded at $2.16, with a volume of 6,460,902 shares. Northern Dynasty Minerals Stock Performance The company has a market cap of $1.22 billion, a PE ratio of -18.42 and a beta of -0.11. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $1.44. Get Northern Dynasty Minerals alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in Northern Dynasty Minerals by 37.5% in the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 18,320 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 5,000 shares during the last quarter. Smith Anglin Financial LLC raised its holdings in shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Smith Anglin Financial LLC now owns 135,000 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $181,000 after purchasing an additional 10,000 shares in the last quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals by 85.6% in the 2nd quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 32,525 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 15,000 shares during the last quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Northern Dynasty Minerals by 121.0% in the 2nd quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 28,237 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 15,459 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in Northern Dynasty Minerals by 65.0% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 46,505 shares of the mining companys stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 18,315 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 10.55% of the companys stock. About Northern Dynasty Minerals Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. is a mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with primary operations focused on North America. The company is publicly listed on the NYSE American and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NAK. Established in 1985, Northern Dynasty has built its business around the identification, evaluation and advancement of large-scale mineral resources, leveraging its expertise in geology, engineering and environmental planning. The companys flagship asset is the Pebble Project, located in the Bristol Bay region of southwestern Alaska. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Northern Dynasty Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Dynasty Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Zealand Energy Corp. (CVE:NZ Get Free Report) Director Toby Robert Pierce bought 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 27th. The shares were purchased at an average price of C$0.24 per share, for a total transaction of C$12,000.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 390,000 shares in the company, valued at C$93,600. This represents a 14.71% increase in their position. New Zealand Energy Price Performance NZ stock traded down C$0.01 during trading on Friday, reaching C$0.23. The companys stock had a trading volume of 19,000 shares, compared to its average volume of 32,899. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 3.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.83. The companys fifty day moving average is C$0.27 and its 200-day moving average is C$0.27. The company has a market capitalization of C$8.83 million, a P/E ratio of -0.50 and a beta of 4.34. New Zealand Energy Corp. has a 1 year low of C$0.18 and a 1 year high of C$1.11. Get New Zealand Energy alerts: About New Zealand Energy (Get Free Report) Read More New Zealand Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in New Zealand. It holds interests in three petroleum mining licenses, one petroleum mining permit, and one petroleum exploration permit. The company has interests in TWN Petroleum Mining Licenses comprising Waihapa/Ngaere, and Tariki; Copper Moki petroleum mining permit; and Eltham Petroleum exploration permit. It also operates midstream assets. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Receive News & Ratings for New Zealand Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New Zealand Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. National Bank Financial upgraded shares of Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. Several other research firms have also recently commented on TD. Wall Street Zen raised Toronto Dominion Bank from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, November 15th. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Toronto Dominion Bank to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $93.00. Get Toronto Dominion Bank alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on TD Toronto Dominion Bank Stock Up 0.3% Shares of NYSE TD opened at $92.81 on Thursday. Toronto Dominion Bank has a 52-week low of $51.25 and a 52-week high of $93.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.03. The companys 50 day moving average price is $83.72 and its 200-day moving average price is $77.85. The company has a market capitalization of $156.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.69. Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD Get Free Report) (TSE:TD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $1.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.46 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $11.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.10 billion. Toronto Dominion Bank had a net margin of 16.52% and a return on equity of 13.90%. Toronto Dominion Banks quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.72 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Toronto Dominion Bank will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current year. Toronto Dominion Bank Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th will be paid a dividend of $1.08 per share. This is an increase from Toronto Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 9th. This represents a $4.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.7%. Toronto Dominion Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.82%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new position in Toronto Dominion Bank during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Sachetta LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank during the third quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Quaker Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Toronto Dominion Bank by 200.0% in the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 428 shares of the banks stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 856 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Toronto Dominion Bank in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.37% of the companys stock. About Toronto Dominion Bank (Get Free Report) Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Formed through the 1955 merger of the Bank of Toronto (founded 1855) and the Dominion Bank (founded 1869), TD is one of Canadas largest banks and offers a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial and institutional clients. TDs core businesses include Canadian and U.S. personal and commercial banking, wealth management, wholesale banking and insurance. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. (NYSE:TCI Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Saturday . The stock traded as high as $58.15 and last traded at $57.6450, with a volume of 15327 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $55.54. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Transcontinental Realty Investors in a research note on Monday, December 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, Transcontinental Realty Investors presently has an average rating of Hold. Get Transcontinental Realty Investors alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Transcontinental Realty Investors Transcontinental Realty Investors Trading Up 3.8% The firm has a 50 day moving average of $46.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $44.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $498.05 million, a PE ratio of 90.07 and a beta of 0.45. Transcontinental Realty Investors (NYSE:TCI Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $12.84 million during the quarter. Transcontinental Realty Investors had a return on equity of 0.30% and a net margin of 11.52%. Institutional Trading of Transcontinental Realty Investors A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in Transcontinental Realty Investors by 85.7% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 739 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 341 shares during the last quarter. MAI Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Transcontinental Realty Investors in the 3rd quarter worth about $42,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Transcontinental Realty Investors by 43.9% in the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 1,032 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 315 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Transcontinental Realty Investors by 47.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,310 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Transcontinental Realty Investors in the second quarter valued at approximately $68,000. About Transcontinental Realty Investors (Get Free Report) Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment company listed on the NYSE under the ticker TCI. The company specializes in the acquisition, ownership and operation of neighborhood and community shopping centers. Its core focus is on openair retail properties anchored by grocery stores, pharmacies and national discount retailers, providing stable tenant demand and longterm lease structures. The firms portfolio comprises a diversified collection of retail shopping centers located primarily in the Midwest and Southern regions of the United States. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Transcontinental Realty Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Transcontinental Realty Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Saturday morning. BSX has been the subject of a number of other reports. Erste Group Bank lowered Boston Scientific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $132.00 to $131.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Oppenheimer raised shares of Boston Scientific from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $118.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Monday, September 8th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a buy rating and issued a $121.00 target price on shares of Boston Scientific in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on Boston Scientific from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $124.85. Get Boston Scientific alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Boston Scientific Boston Scientific Stock Performance Shares of BSX opened at $95.61 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $98.64 and a two-hundred day moving average of $101.26. The stock has a market cap of $141.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.13, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 1.51 and a quick ratio of 0.96. Boston Scientific has a one year low of $85.98 and a one year high of $109.50. Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The medical equipment provider reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $5.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.97 billion. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 14.43% and a return on equity of 19.46%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 20.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.63 EPS. Boston Scientific has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.020-3.040 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.770-0.790 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Boston Scientific will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Joseph Michael Fitzgerald sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.47, for a total value of $4,973,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 178,342 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,739,678.74. This trade represents a 21.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Ellen M. Zane sold 12,891 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.28, for a total transaction of $1,266,927.48. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 24,134 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,371,889.52. This represents a 34.82% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 143,095 shares of company stock valued at $14,228,950 over the last 90 days. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Boston Scientific Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Steph & Co. bought a new position in Boston Scientific during the third quarter worth $25,000. Financial Consulate Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp grew its position in Boston Scientific by 200.0% during the third quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp now owns 255 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. 1248 Management LLC acquired a new stake in Boston Scientific during the first quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, FWL Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Boston Scientific in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Institutional investors own 89.07% of the companys stock. Key Boston Scientific News Here are the key news stories impacting Boston Scientific this week: About Boston Scientific (Get Free Report) Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is a global medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products used in less-invasive medical procedures. Founded in 1979 by John Abele and Peter Nicholas, the company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and focuses on technologies that enable physicians to treat a wide range of cardiovascular, digestive, urologic, pulmonary and chronic pain conditions without open surgery. Boston Scientifics activities span product development, clinical research, regulatory affairs and commercial sales. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Boston Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boston Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Youmna El Sayed was living in Gaza City with her husband and four children when the war broke out in October 2023. As a correspondent for Al Jazeeras English-language network, she first reported on Hamas October 7 attacks that killed around 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 hostages taken. She then reported on Israels brutal response, which, to date, has left around 70,000 Palestinians dead. With Israel having banned foreign journalists on the ground, it was El Sayeds work and that of other local reporters that allowed the world to know what was happening in Gaza. When she had the opportunity to leave Gaza at the end of 2023, she hesitated. It was a very difficult decision for me, she told EL PAIS, speaking on November 18 in Barcelona, where she had joined the Association of Journalists in demanding that the international press be allowed into Gaza. There was a key moment, when my mother told me, You have to choose between being a journalist or being a mother, because you cant be both anymore, she says. El Sayed, 35, chose to take her children to safety. Now she lives as a refugee in her hometown of Cairo, but travels the world continuing to inform and report on Gaza post-ceasefire: It is the genocide of a people in front of the eyes of the world, she says. El Sayed suffers from survivors guilt. I am happy because now my children are safe, but my colleagues are still there and the genocide continues, she says. During the time she covered the conflict, she and her children, who were between five and 12 at the time, lived through the bombings, forced displacement and hunger. In three months, we had to flee six times, she says. While she was looking for a way to feed her family, she reported live on the conflict. One of her reports went viral as Israel launched an attack on the building next door while she spoke. Working for Al Jazeera, El Sayed was known to the Israelis. The Israeli army threatened me twice and that made me feel that I was the biggest threat and the biggest danger to my childrens lives, she explained. Youmna El Sayed, in Barcelona on November 18. Albert Garcia The Gazan journalist is highly critical of the international media, which she accuses of having bought into the Israeli narrative, of dehumanizing Palestinian victims and of not doing enough to independently verify the information of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). It is only very recently that Benjamin Netanyahus government has allowed foreign journalists entry into a specific area of Gaza under IDF escort. Israel has been lying constantly, since the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh [a Palestinian journalist shot in May 2022 while covering clashes in Jenin, in the West Bank], regarding their attacks on hospitals, the flour massacre [in February 2024, 112 Palestinian civilians were shot dead trying to get food from a humanitarian convoy; Israel said it was a stampede], and the death of [the girl] Hind Rajab in a car that had 350 bullet holes... The international media have lost credibility, says El Sayed, and have pushed people to get information on social media, with the risk that entails of being fed disinformation: Why do they talk about Hamas Ministry of Health when data on deaths or injuries is given? It is a way of manipulating, of indicating to people that they should be suspicious. Its the Palestinian Ministry of Health. El Sayed can no longer work for Al Jazeera because the news outlet has been banned in Egypt since 2011. But she wants it known that she is very pessimistic about U.S. President Donald Trumps plan for the Gaza Strip. It is a continuation of the initial plan, which is to take over Gaza and turn it into a Riviera. Now it is destroyed, uninhabitable, but when they take it over, they will take its resources. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. The plan, in El Sayeds view, does not benefit the citizens of Gaza. If they had wanted to do something for the Palestinians, they would have at least started by implementing the ceasefire agreement, she says, adding that this is not happening. It was agreed that there would be 600 humanitarian trucks a day entering, with fuel, cooking gas and medicines, but there are only between 100 and 160 going in. No fuel or medicine has entered and the food that arrives is sweets, chocolate, soft drinks, pre-cooked noodles. Real food, protein, vegetables, which is needed by a population that has been suffering from malnutrition for two years, is not coming in. Its a strategy to make the people even sicker. Youmna El Sayed, in Barcelona on November 18, 2025. Albert Garcia Despite her criticism of the international media, El Sayed believes it still has an important role to play in covering the war that of investigating and documenting human rights violations. She says that in the 12 years she worked as a journalist in Gaza, she suffered continuous repression from Israel. Nobody cared because it only affected us. Now that it has affected international journalists, theres been surprise. They did not expect to be stopped from doing their jobs. Well, thats Israel. For us, it is the reality we have always lived. Trained in languages and translation at Cairo University, El Sayed still has her entire extended family in Gaza. Sometimes they send pictures. I dont recognize anything because its nothing but a desert full of rubble. Her departure to Egypt cost her father a lot of money. Now the Egyptian border is closed. In recent weeks, departures from Gaza to South Africa have been detected in exchange for between $2,500 and $5,000 dollars, she explains. Israel is facilitating families travel from Gaza because it is moving ahead with its plan. It wants them out, so it can continue with the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, she says. After the interview, El Sayed stops in front of the exhibition that pays tribute to the almost 250 journalists killed during the Gaza war. A photo catches her attention. She touches it with her finger and gets emotional for the first time: My partner, my friend, she explains. Samer Abu Daqqa, 45, was a camera operator for Al Jazeera. He was killed by a drone strike while covering the aftermath of Israeli attacks on a UN school housing refugees in Khan Younis on December 15, 2023. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Wedge Capital Management L L P NC cut its position in Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 4.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 585,716 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 28,384 shares during the quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NCs holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb were worth $26,416,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Exchange Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.4% during the second quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. now owns 54,893 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,541,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI boosted its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI now owns 78,105 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,615,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the period. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,303 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $616,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares during the period. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 66.0% in the first quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 581 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares during the period. Finally, Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV increased its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 26.7% in the second quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 1,123 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 237 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.41% of the companys stock. Get Bristol Myers Squibb alerts: Key Stores Impacting Bristol Myers Squibb Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a market perform rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Dbs Bank raised Bristol Myers Squibb to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Scotiabank reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $53.00 target price (up previously from $45.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Thursday, December 4th. HSBC reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $53.00 price target on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued a market perform rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Bristol Myers Squibb currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $54.62. View Our Latest Research Report on Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb Price Performance Bristol Myers Squibb stock opened at $54.15 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $110.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.29 and a beta of 0.29. Bristol Myers Squibb Company has a one year low of $42.52 and a one year high of $63.33. The business has a fifty day moving average of $47.73 and a two-hundred day moving average of $47.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.39, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.27. Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.52 by $0.11. Bristol Myers Squibb had a net margin of 12.57% and a return on equity of 76.53%. The firm had revenue of $12.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.75 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.80 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.400-6.600 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bristol Myers Squibb Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.63 per share. This is a boost from Bristol Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.7%. Bristol Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 83.78%. Bristol Myers Squibb Profile (Free Report) Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The companys core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics. BMSs marketed portfolio and latestage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immunemediated conditions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Reduce by the eleven analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $11.90. PEB has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus set a $13.50 price objective on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $11.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d) rating on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a report on Monday, December 15th. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. They set a neutral rating and a $12.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Zacks Research lowered Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Get Pebblebrook Hotel Trust alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on PEB Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Stock Performance Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its stake in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 802,145 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $8,025,000 after acquiring an additional 56,815 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 2.1% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,556,288 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $25,895,000 after purchasing an additional 51,537 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 438.2% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 9,252 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $92,000 after purchasing an additional 7,533 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 15.3% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 692,901 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,922,000 after purchasing an additional 91,769 shares during the period. Finally, Kettle Hill Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in the first quarter worth about $2,960,000. PEB stock opened at $11.47 on Thursday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $10.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.69. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has a 12-month low of $7.41 and a 12-month high of $14.21. The firm has a market cap of $1.30 billion, a P/E ratio of -9.64 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $398.72 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $396.80 million. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust had a negative net margin of 7.45% and a negative return on equity of 4.02%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.59 earnings per share. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.500-1.570 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.180-0.260 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Pebblebrook Hotel Trust will post 1.5 EPS for the current year. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be given a $0.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Pebblebrook Hotel Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -3.36%. About Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (Get Free Report) Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB) is a real estate investment trust specializing in premium, high-barrier-to-entry hotel properties in gateway markets across the United States. Established in 2009, PEB focuses on lifestyle-oriented lodging assets that cater to business and leisure travelers seeking elevated experiences. The companys investment strategy emphasizes select-service and full-service hotels with established brands and prime urban or resort locations. PEBs portfolio comprises more than 30 properties in major metropolitan areas including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG Get Free Report) shares passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $1.29 and traded as low as $0.90. Chegg shares last traded at $0.9425, with a volume of 2,128,343 shares changing hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on CHGG shares. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Chegg from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (e+) rating on shares of Chegg in a report on Monday, December 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $1.13. Get Chegg alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Chegg Chegg Stock Up 4.0% Institutional Trading of Chegg The firm has a fifty day moving average of $1.05 and a 200-day moving average of $1.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $102.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.31 and a beta of 1.99. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of Chegg by 158.9% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,756,917 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $4,546,000 after buying an additional 2,305,872 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Chegg by 95.9% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,011,879 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,925,000 after acquiring an additional 1,474,640 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Chegg by 78.8% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,670,399 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,068,000 after purchasing an additional 736,239 shares during the period. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Chegg by 227.2% during the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 930,177 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,405,000 after purchasing an additional 645,874 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Chegg by 11.2% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 4,175,681 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $2,664,000 after purchasing an additional 421,796 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.18% of the companys stock. Chegg Company Profile (Get Free Report) Chegg, Inc (NYSE: CHGG) is a leading education technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Originally founded in 2005, Chegg has evolved from a textbook rental service into a comprehensive digital learning platform. Its suite of subscription-based offerings addresses a wide range of academic needs, catering primarily to high school and college students seeking homework help, study resources, and career guidance. The companys core services include Chegg Study, which provides step-by-step solutions and expert Q&A support; Chegg Writing, offering plagiarism checks and guided writing assistance; and Chegg Math Solver, a tool for solving mathematical problems with detailed explanations. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Chegg Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chegg and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voya Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 35.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 780,547 shares of the companys stock after selling 422,330 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 0.6% of Voya Investment Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. Voya Investment Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $594,503,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 22.0% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 9,597 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,409,000 after buying an additional 1,730 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,471 shares of the companys stock worth $1,136,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 63.9% in the first quarter. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 603 shares of the companys stock valued at $498,000 after acquiring an additional 235 shares during the last quarter. Douglass Winthrop Advisors LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.6% during the first quarter. Douglass Winthrop Advisors LLC now owns 8,830 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,293,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, Trinity Legacy Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the first quarter worth about $231,000. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Key Headlines Impacting Eli Lilly and Company Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have recently weighed in on LLY. UBS Group reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets set a $1,200.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Guggenheim restated a buy rating and set a $1,163.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $1,141.73. Get Our Latest Stock Report on LLY Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 1.4% NYSE LLY opened at $1,071.35 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.01 trillion, a P/E ratio of 52.41, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.37. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $960.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $830.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52 week low of $623.78 and a 52 week high of $1,111.99. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.42 by $0.60. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.18 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $1.73 dividend. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is presently 29.35%. Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. lifted its holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report) by 52.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 186,301 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 64,133 shares during the period. Flputnam Investment Management Co.s holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb were worth $8,402,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of BMY. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Bristol Myers Squibb in the second quarter worth $25,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 66.0% during the 1st quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 581 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares during the period. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in the 1st quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, REAP Financial Group LLC grew its position in Bristol Myers Squibb by 202.8% during the second quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 639 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 428 shares during the period. 76.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bristol Myers Squibb alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have commented on BMY shares. Scotiabank reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $53.00 price objective (up previously from $45.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and set a $57.00 price target (up previously from $51.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Bristol Myers Squibb from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c-) rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Bristol Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Bristol Myers Squibb has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $54.62. Bristol Myers Squibb Stock Up 1.5% BMY opened at $54.15 on Friday. Bristol Myers Squibb Company has a 12 month low of $42.52 and a 12 month high of $63.33. The company has a market cap of $110.24 billion, a PE ratio of 18.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.29 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.39. The company has a 50 day moving average of $47.73 and a 200 day moving average of $47.14. Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.52 by $0.11. Bristol Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 76.53% and a net margin of 12.57%.The firm had revenue of $12.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.75 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.80 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.400-6.600 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.74 EPS for the current year. Bristol Myers Squibb Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be paid a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.7%. This is an increase from Bristol Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. Bristol Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is 83.78%. More Bristol Myers Squibb News Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week: Bristol Myers Squibb Profile (Free Report) Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The companys core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics. BMSs marketed portfolio and latestage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immunemediated conditions. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. decreased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP Free Report) by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 121,364 shares of the railroad operators stock after selling 3,912 shares during the period. Flputnam Investment Management Co.s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $28,687,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of UNP. Capital Analysts LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 113.4% during the first quarter. Capital Analysts LLC now owns 988 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $233,000 after purchasing an additional 525 shares in the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at about $348,000. CW Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 264.6% in the 1st quarter. CW Advisors LLC now owns 27,241 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $6,430,000 after buying an additional 19,770 shares during the last quarter. Compound Planning Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 10,881 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $2,570,000 after buying an additional 633 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 99,277 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $23,453,000 after buying an additional 1,273 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the companys stock. Get Union Pacific alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have recently issued reports on UNP. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $263.00 target price on Union Pacific and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price objective on Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. UBS Group set a $253.00 price objective on Union Pacific and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $258.00 to $257.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $260.33. Union Pacific Stock Performance NYSE:UNP opened at $234.25 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $138.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $226.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $226.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.60. Union Pacific Corporation has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $256.84. Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.99 by $0.09. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.23% and a net margin of 28.73%.The company had revenue of $6.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.24 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.75 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year. Union Pacific Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 5th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 5th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Union Pacifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.90%. Key Union Pacific News Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week: Union Pacific Profile (Free Report) Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services. Union Pacifics core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western twothirds of the United States. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UNP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Union Pacific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Union Pacific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Hold from the seventeen brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $12.0357. A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Ford Motor from $10.00 to $12.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of Ford Motor in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Ford Motor from $9.50 to $11.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Ford Motor from $11.00 to $13.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Ford Motor from $13.00 to $14.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Get Ford Motor alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on F Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ford Motor Ford Motor Stock Performance A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in F. Advisors Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Ford Motor by 9.6% during the 1st quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC now owns 12,543 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100 shares during the period. FORA Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ford Motor during the 1st quarter valued at $7,398,000. Swiss National Bank increased its holdings in shares of Ford Motor by 7.4% in the second quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 11,822,986 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $128,279,000 after purchasing an additional 813,800 shares during the period. Teza Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ford Motor in the first quarter worth $465,000. Finally, Quantitative Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Ford Motor during the first quarter valued at $2,373,000. Institutional investors own 58.74% of the companys stock. Shares of Ford Motor stock opened at $13.47 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $12.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is $11.93. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20. Ford Motor has a 12 month low of $8.44 and a 12 month high of $13.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $53.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.61 and a beta of 1.60. Ford Motor (NYSE:F Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The auto manufacturer reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $50.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $43.08 billion. Ford Motor had a return on equity of 11.94% and a net margin of 2.48%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.49 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ford Motor will post 1.47 EPS for the current year. Ford Motor Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Investors of record on Friday, November 7th were issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 7th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.5%. Ford Motors dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.72%. Ford Motor Company Profile (Get Free Report) Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the company became an early pioneer of mass-production techniques with the Model T and the adoption of the moving assembly line. Today, Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad range of vehicles and mobility solutions under the Ford and Lincoln brands, spanning passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and commercial vehicles. Fords business activities extend beyond vehicle production to include parts and aftermarket services, fleet and commercial sales, and automotive financing through Ford Motor Credit Company. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ford Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ford Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 10.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 107,052 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 10,139 shares during the period. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $16,408,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of PM. WCM Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Philip Morris International by 24,968.0% in the second quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 11,275,606 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,041,223,000 after buying an additional 11,230,626 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Philip Morris International by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 142,857,055 shares of the companys stock worth $26,018,555,000 after buying an additional 2,235,380 shares during the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its stake in Philip Morris International by 69.0% during the 2nd quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,512,311 shares of the companys stock valued at $821,826,000 after acquiring an additional 1,842,754 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 111.1% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,002,216 shares of the companys stock valued at $473,660,000 after acquiring an additional 1,580,368 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 88.9% in the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 2,138,118 shares of the companys stock worth $389,415,000 after acquiring an additional 1,006,014 shares during the period. 78.63% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Stock Down 0.2% Shares of Philip Morris International stock opened at $157.07 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $244.49 billion, a PE ratio of 28.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 0.42. Philip Morris International Inc. has a twelve month low of $116.12 and a twelve month high of $186.69. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $153.79 and a 200 day moving average price of $164.47. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 28th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 122.14% and a net margin of 9.33%.The company had revenue of $8.12 billion for the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 7.14 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Investors of record on Friday, December 26th will be paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 26th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 106.52%. Analyst Ratings Changes PM has been the subject of a number of research reports. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $177.00 to $166.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 5th. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Thursday, September 4th. Morgan Stanley set a $175.00 price objective on Philip Morris International and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on Philip Morris International from $220.00 to $180.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 17th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $189.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on PM About Philip Morris International (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE: PM) is a global tobacco company that manufactures and sells cigarettes, other nicotine-containing products and a growing portfolio of smoke-free alternatives for adult smokers. The firm traces its corporate roots to the 19th century Philip Morris enterprise and was established as an independent, publicly traded company following a 2008 separation from what is now Altria. Since the spin-off, the company has focused on serving international markets outside the United States. PMIs product mix includes traditional combustible cigarettes as well as smoke-free offerings such as heated tobacco systems and other reduced-risk products. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report) by 4.7% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 51,934 shares of the credit services providers stock after acquiring an additional 2,348 shares during the quarter. Mastercard accounts for about 1.9% of Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 5th largest position. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Mastercard were worth $30,145,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Mastercard by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 78,475,807 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $44,098,695,000 after purchasing an additional 931,132 shares in the last quarter. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC bought a new stake in Mastercard during the second quarter worth about $11,421,213,000. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Mastercard by 2.8% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,760,552 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $11,062,509,000 after buying an additional 542,841 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 55,868.1% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,421,148 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $7,541,880,000 after buying an additional 13,397,168 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Mastercard in the second quarter valued at approximately $6,725,317,000. 97.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Mastercard alerts: Key Headlines Impacting Mastercard Here are the key news stories impacting Mastercard this week: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Macquarie increased their price target on Mastercard from $655.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Mastercard from $640.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, October 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on Mastercard from $645.00 to $654.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Cowen reiterated a buy rating on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an overweight rating and set a $665.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Mastercard has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $657.48. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on MA Mastercard Trading Up 1.1% Shares of MA opened at $572.46 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $553.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $565.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $514.07 billion, a PE ratio of 36.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.87. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12-month low of $465.59 and a 12-month high of $601.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.40. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The credit services provider reported $4.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.31 by $0.07. Mastercard had a return on equity of 202.03% and a net margin of 45.28%.The firm had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.53 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.89 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 16.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Mastercard Incorporated will post 15.91 earnings per share for the current year. Mastercard Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.87 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 9th. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. Mastercards dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.44%. Mastercard Company Profile (Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments. Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 11.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 266,198 shares of the transportation companys stock after buying an additional 26,783 shares during the quarter. Canadian Pacific Kansas City comprises approximately 1.3% of Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $20,654,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 38,223,823 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $3,036,558,000 after acquiring an additional 1,080,835 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc lifted its position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.7% during the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 21,002,374 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,665,106,000 after purchasing an additional 136,970 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 15.1% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 19,543,455 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,549,210,000 after purchasing an additional 2,559,104 shares during the last quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC grew its position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 11.5% in the 1st quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 17,208,788 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,207,605,000 after purchasing an additional 1,778,984 shares during the period. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 16,498,767 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,311,512,000 after purchasing an additional 150,963 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.20% of the companys stock. Get Canadian Pacific Kansas City alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on CP shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $129.00 to $127.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Barclays set a $90.00 price objective on Canadian Pacific Kansas City and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. National Bankshares reissued an outperform rating on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Thursday, September 18th. Susquehanna set a $87.00 price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian Pacific Kansas City currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $91.69. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Stock Performance NYSE:CP opened at $74.22 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.63. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $73.00 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $75.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $66.59 billion, a PE ratio of 22.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.11. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a 52-week low of $66.49 and a 52-week high of $83.65. Canadian Pacific Kansas City (NYSE:CP Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The transportation company reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.81 by ($0.01). Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a return on equity of 8.79% and a net margin of 28.41%.The company had revenue of $2.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.71 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.99 EPS. Analysts forecast that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 3.42 EPS for the current year. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 26th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.228 per share. This is an increase from Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. This represents a $0.91 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys payout ratio is presently 20.12%. About Canadian Pacific Kansas City (Free Report) Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is a North American Class I freight railroad formed through the combination of Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Southern. The merged company operates an integrated rail network that spans Canada, the United States and Mexico, providing a single-line rail connection across all three countries. This transborder footprint is intended to streamline cross-border freight flows and provide shippers with direct rail access from Canadian and U.S. production centers to Mexican markets and ports. CPKCs core business is freight transportation and related logistics services. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP). Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Assyrian Town in North Iraq Fights Land Confiscation Ablahad Hana Saka. We declare, in clear and unambiguous terms, our firm rejection of the project to establish new government complexes within the center of the Bartella subdistrict. We caution against actions being carried out under administrative or service-related justifications that, in reality, constitute deliberate attempts to alter the demographic structure of the city and undermine the legal and historical rights of its indigenous population. The project currently proposed cannot be considered a natural service initiative. It involves the establishment of three government departments within a single government complex in the heart of Bartella, on lands that were unlawfully seized and remain legally disputed. These lands belong to citizens from Bartella who previously filed official complaints that have yet to be resolved. More alarming still, these lands were previously confiscated under decisions issued by the now-dissolved Revolutionary Command Council, rendering their current use legally invalid and ethically unacceptable, and reflecting a serious violation of property rights and the rule of law. Persisting with this project clearly reveals a premeditated intent to impose a fait accompli while bypassing all administrative and legal procedures. The administrative authority of these directorates falls under the governorate center rather than subdistrict administrations, making this deviation from the administrative hierarchy a concerning precedent. Such actions aim to entrench state institutions within an Assyrian city without the approval of its legitimate representatives or consideration of its demographic particularities. What is happening in Bartella today is merely an extension of a previously applied approach--most notably in the case of establishing the Shiite Endowment Directorate, which was imposed on the city despite the subdistrict council's rejection, despite the absence of proper land allocation, and through a personal decision by the then Minister of Municipalities, without any legal cover or administrative justification. That decision constituted a blatant violation of local authorities' powers and opened the door wide to the series of transgressions we are witnessing today. Serious questions must therefore be raised before the public and oversight institutions: Why is Bartella being repeatedly targeted? Why is there a consistent focus on locating government complexes within the center of the Assyrian subdistrict of Bartella, while other subdistrict centers in the governorate are excluded? The repetition of such projects in one city cannot be explained except as part of a policy of gradual demographic change, implemented quietly under official cover and at the expense of its original residents. We clearly warn that silence today amounts to indirect complicity in the crime. Should these violations continue, we will be compelled to open the entire Bartella file, revealing all facts and documents related to demographic change, land seizures, and violations against the property of the city's residents from 2006 to the present, and present them to local and international public opinion without exception. We hold governmental, executive, and judicial authorities fully responsible, legally and morally, for the consequences of this dangerous course. We demand the immediate suspension of the project, the opening of a transparent investigation, and respect for the will of Bartella's people and their constitutional rights, before it is too late. Bartella is not unclaimed land, and it will not be a testing ground for demographic engineering or the imposition of projects by force. Ablahad Hana Saka is Member of the Bethnahrin National Council (MUB). The cats new nutritional source in southern Argentina has led to increased concentration of the predators, who have also become more social During the 20th century, pumas, like foxes and large herbivores, were rendered extinct in the Argentinian Patagonia to make way for sheep farming after the region was settled by Europeans. Their absence allowed colonies of Magellanic penguins, who had previously been confined to islands off the Atlantic coast, to spread across the continent. Today, things have changed, and pumas have returned after an attempt to restore the fauna of the past. The big cats have encountered a transformed ecosystem, whose large numbers of penguins is altering their behavior, leading to unprecedented local population density for the species. An international team of scientists has documented this finding in Monte Leon National Park, in southern Argentinas Santa Cruz province. According to ecologist Mitchell Serota from the University of California, Berkeley, who led the study, it makes the effects of conservation in transformed ecosystems clear. The fauna is recolonizing ecosystems that have changed radically since these species disappeared, says Serota. Magellanic penguins form enormous colonies and spend more than half the year on land. They are abundant, easily spotted, and have no way of defending themselves against a large feline. In contrast to other prey, these birds have not adapted to predators on land. This is the combination of two key factors for the pumas: there are so many penguins, and they are easy to catch, sums up Serota. The study which was carried out using GPS collars, hidden cameras and advanced population models shows that when penguins are present, pumas reduce their wandering and concentrate their activity around the colony. They stay longer in one place, and return over and over to the coastal region. If youve ever visited a penguin colony, youll immediately understand. Its a small strip of beach where they are all concentrated, says the ecologist. Less solitary pumas Pumas are famous for being territorial lone hunters. Still, their level of social interaction that has been observed by the Argentinian, German and U.S. scientists has been surprisingly high. Its the highest density of pumas ever documented, says Serota, more than double the maximum seen in other areas in South America. Adult females, who normally avoid their peers, are tolerating the sharing of space. It was previously thought that interactions between pumas were typically limited to reproductive behavior. However, the study suggests that the possibility of genetic kinship between the animals cannot be ruled out, a fact that could promote greater social tolerance. The penguins play a key role in the population density of the pumas, but their presence cannot explain the phenomenon entirely. We think they are an important factor, but one must keep in mind that the penguins are a seasonal resource. They are present for little more than half the year, clarifies Serota. When the birds migrate to the sea, the pumas, the regions only large carnivore, must turn to other prey, like the guanacos, a forest animal in Patagonia that resembles a llama. There is a large population of guanacos. That helps the pumas when the penguins are gone, says the expert, adding that the combination of resources is what allows for the maintenance of such elevated densities of the predators. Regular hunting of marine birds by large land carnivores is not common, but certain precedents do exist. The researcher compares the phenomenon with the relationship between bear and salmon. Bears congregate in rivers during salmon migrations, and something very similar is taking place here with the pumas and penguins: they create a hot spot that reorganizes behavior throughout the region. There has also been documentation of Tasmanian devils hunting penguins, as well as other recent studies on lions and jaguars that eat marine food resources. The founding of Monte Leon National Park dates back to 2004, but the study was carried out from 2019 to 2023. Many people have asked us if this represents a threat to the penguins, says the researcher. He clarifies that data indicates that the penguin population in the region seems to be stable, and has even grown since the parks creation. Predators are often the focal point of restoration projects due to their capacity to regulate other species, but changes in the landscape, climate and the availability of prey affect how, when and where they get their food. Restoring fauna does not mean bringing ecosystems back to the past. It can generate completely new interactions that modify behavior and population in unexpected ways, says Serota. The researcher says that now that they know how this new prey has changed the pumas behavior, what follows is understanding how these changes will translate into other aspects. The next step is finding out what these changes mean for the rest of the ecosystem, says Serota. Particularly for the guanacos, the primary large herbivore in Patagonia. The puma-guanaco relationship is central to the region, and any change in the way in which pumas move and hunt can have chain effects, he says. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE Free Report) by 24.6% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 240,498 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 47,501 shares during the period. ONEOK accounts for 1.1% of Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest position. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in ONEOK were worth $17,530,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in ONEOK by 137.1% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,278 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,534,000 after purchasing an additional 8,834 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in shares of ONEOK during the first quarter worth approximately $1,529,000. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. raised its position in shares of ONEOK by 6.7% in the first quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 16,040 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,591,000 after buying an additional 1,005 shares in the last quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of ONEOK in the first quarter valued at approximately $275,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in shares of ONEOK by 2.2% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,851,770 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $282,954,000 after buying an additional 61,010 shares during the period. 69.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get ONEOK alerts: Insider Transactions at ONEOK In related news, Director Brian L. Derksen acquired 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $66.00 per share, with a total value of $165,000.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 21,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,399,200. This trade represents a 13.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes OKE has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and set a $72.00 price objective on shares of ONEOK in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Citigroup reduced their target price on ONEOK from $102.00 to $95.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 31st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on ONEOK from $122.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 26th. Scotiabank cut their price objective on shares of ONEOK from $88.00 to $87.00 and set a sector outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of ONEOK from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ONEOK has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $88.00. Read Our Latest Report on OKE ONEOK Price Performance Shares of OKE stock opened at $71.68 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. ONEOK, Inc. has a twelve month low of $64.02 and a twelve month high of $111.02. The company has a market cap of $45.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.18, a P/E/G ratio of 4.38 and a beta of 0.95. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $70.32 and a 200 day simple moving average of $74.83. ONEOK (NYSE:OKE Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The utilities provider reported $1.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.48 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $8.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.23 billion. ONEOK had a return on equity of 15.12% and a net margin of 10.58%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.18 earnings per share. ONEOK has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.970-5.770 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that ONEOK, Inc. will post 5.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. ONEOK Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Monday, November 3rd were given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.7%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 3rd. ONEOKs dividend payout ratio is currently 75.74%. ONEOK Company Profile (Free Report) ONEOK, Inc (NYSE: OKE) is a publicly traded midstream energy company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company owns and operates a portfolio of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines, processing facilities, fractionators and storage and terminal assets. Its operations are focused on gathering, processing, transporting, fractionating and marketing NGLs and interstate natural gas, providing critical infrastructure that connects hydrocarbon production to refineries, petrochemical plants and other end markets. ONEOKs asset base includes pipeline systems and processing plants that move and condition natural gas, along with infrastructure for the transportation, storage and fractionation of NGLs such as ethane, propane and butane. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding OKE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ONEOK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ONEOK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (OTCMKTS:IDCBY Get Free Report)s share price dropped 0.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $15.69 and last traded at $15.70. Approximately 45,833 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 2% from the average daily volume of 44,817 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.7101. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. Trading Down 0.1% The company has a market capitalization of $279.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.73 and a beta of 0.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 0.87. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $15.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $15.50. Get Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. alerts: Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (OTCMKTS:IDCBY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.02. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. had a net margin of 24.10% and a return on equity of 8.96%. The business had revenue of $28.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $27.38 billion. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. Company Profile Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC) is a state-owned commercial bank headquartered in Beijing. Founded in 1984, ICBC has grown into one of the worlds largest banking institutions by total assets, operating a diversified financial services business that serves corporate, institutional and retail clients. The bank provides deposit-taking and lending, trade and transaction banking, treasury and markets services, as well as a range of payment and settlement solutions. ICBCs product and service offerings span corporate banking, retail banking, and investment banking, including corporate loans, supplychain and trade finance, cash management, credit and debit cards, mortgages and consumer finance, wealth-management products, custody and asset-management services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lineweaver Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 9,453 shares of the consumer goods makers stock, valued at approximately $563,000. Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sage Rhino Capital LLC grew its holdings in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 5.1% in the 2nd quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLC now owns 3,477 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $239,000 after buying an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank raised its holdings in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 16.3% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,387 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $95,000 after acquiring an additional 194 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 14.4% during the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,719 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $118,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. grew its holdings in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 3.5% in the first quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 7,131 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $439,000 after purchasing an additional 241 shares during the period. Finally, Westside Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 51.6% in the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 758 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 258 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.53% of the companys stock. Get Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in a report on Monday, December 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. They issued an overweight rating and a $75.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in a research note on Monday, December 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $72.00. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Price Performance Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV stock opened at $64.51 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $62.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $63.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.64. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV has a 1 year low of $45.94 and a 1 year high of $72.13. The company has a market capitalization of $125.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.58. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The consumer goods maker reported $0.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $15.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.28 billion. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV had a net margin of 10.40% and a return on equity of 16.20%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.98 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current year. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 19th were issued a $0.1722 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 57.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 19th. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NVs payout ratio is currently 7.84%. About Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (Free Report) Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE: BUD) is a multinational brewing company headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. It is one of the worlds largest brewers and is primarily engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of beer and related beverages. The companys operations span brewing, packaging, logistics and retail/customer sales support, serving a broad set of channels from on-premise hospitality to retail and e-commerce. AB InBevs portfolio includes a mix of global, regional and local beer brands across mainstream, premium, craft and non-alcoholic categories. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BUD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report) by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 30,055 shares of the aerospace companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,800 shares during the period. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $15,162,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Lockheed Martin by 1.0% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,697,527 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $10,048,993,000 after purchasing an additional 214,565 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,884,954 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,256,147,000 after buying an additional 19,459 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of Lockheed Martin by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 2,287,495 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,021,846,000 after buying an additional 31,443 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of Lockheed Martin by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 959,510 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $444,387,000 after buying an additional 6,073 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 6.9% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 863,839 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $400,079,000 after acquiring an additional 55,607 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.19% of the companys stock. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Insider Transactions at Lockheed Martin In other Lockheed Martin news, COO John Frank A. St sold 7,792 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $491.04, for a total transaction of $3,826,183.68. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $491.04. This trade represents a 99.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.14% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Lockheed Martin Stock Up 0.8% LMT opened at $473.70 on Friday. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a 12 month low of $410.11 and a 12 month high of $516.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.32, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The stock has a market cap of $109.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.24. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $472.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $465.58. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 21st. The aerospace company reported $6.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.62. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 111.84% and a net margin of 5.73%.The company had revenue of $18.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.45 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.84 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. Lockheed Martin has set its FY 2025 guidance at 22.150-22.350 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 earnings per share for the current year. Lockheed Martin Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 1st will be given a $3.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 1st. This represents a $13.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. This is a boost from Lockheed Martins previous quarterly dividend of $3.30. Lockheed Martins payout ratio is currently 77.05%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have commented on LMT shares. Susquehanna lifted their target price on Lockheed Martin from $490.00 to $590.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Alembic Global Advisors raised Lockheed Martin from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating and set a $515.00 price objective (up previously from $465.00) on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Lockheed Martin from $398.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on Lockheed Martin in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. They issued a neutral rating and a $505.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $506.67. Check Out Our Latest Report on Lockheed Martin Key Lockheed Martin News Here are the key news stories impacting Lockheed Martin this week: Lockheed Martin Company Profile (Free Report) Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) is a global aerospace and defense company that designs, develops and manufactures advanced technology systems for government and commercial customers. Formed through the 1995 merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, the company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and focuses on providing integrated solutions across air, space, land and sea domains. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and allied governments around the world. Lockheed Martins product and service portfolio spans military aircraft, missile and fire-control systems, missile defense, space systems and satellite technologies, sensors and precision weapons. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Medical Imaging Corp. (OTCMKTS:MEDD Get Free Report)s share price passed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $0.00 and traded as high as $0.0001. Medical Imaging shares last traded at $0.00, with a volume of 0 shares traded. Medical Imaging Trading Down 100.0% About Medical Imaging (Get Free Report) Medical Imaging Corp., through its subsidiaries, provides medical diagnostic imaging services for patients, hospitals and clinics, workers' compensation boards, and insurance companies in North America. It provides remote reading and reporting of medical diagnostic imaging scans. The company also provides magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, digital mammography, X-ray, and bone mineral densitometry modalities. As of December 31, 2017, it operated an independent diagnostic imaging facility in Pottsville, Pennsylvania; and three diagnostic centers in Florida. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Medical Imaging Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medical Imaging and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Natural Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF (NYSEARCA:GOVI Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 19,912 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $553,000. Natural Investments LLC owned 0.05% of Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in GOVI. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. purchased a new position in shares of Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $39,000. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF during the second quarter worth $234,000. Axim Planning & Wealth purchased a new position in shares of Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF during the second quarter worth $275,000. IFG Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF in the second quarter valued at $284,000. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its stake in shares of Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF by 40.3% in the second quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 11,139 shares of the companys stock valued at $306,000 after buying an additional 3,201 shares in the last quarter. Get Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF alerts: Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF Price Performance GOVI opened at $27.67 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $27.93 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.58. Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF has a 12-month low of $26.40 and a 12-month high of $28.62. Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF Increases Dividend Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF Profile The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 24th were given a dividend of $0.0862 per share. This is a boost from Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETFs previous monthly dividend of $0.08. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 24th. (Free Report) The Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF (GOVI) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an index that invests in an equal-weighted 30-year ladder of US Treasury securities. GOVI was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is issued by Invesco. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GOVI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF (NYSEARCA:GOVI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Equal Weight 0-30 Year Treasury ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NAN Get Free Report)s share price passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $11.34 and traded as low as $11.25. Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund shares last traded at $11.25, with a volume of 145,254 shares traded. Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund Price Performance The firms 50-day moving average price is $11.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.34. Get Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th will be issued a $0.072 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 15th. Institutional Inflows and Outflows About Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 195,979 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,230,000 after purchasing an additional 908 shares in the last quarter. OMNI 360 Wealth Inc. raised its stake in shares of Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund by 4.4% during the third quarter. OMNI 360 Wealth Inc. now owns 28,469 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $325,000 after acquiring an additional 1,202 shares in the last quarter. Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC now owns 39,769 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $454,000 after acquiring an additional 1,650 shares during the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund by 8.1% in the 2nd quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 22,178 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $253,000 after purchasing an additional 1,662 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 43,503 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $497,000 after purchasing an additional 2,044 shares during the period. (Get Free Report) The Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: NAN) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide current income exempt from federal and New York State income taxes. The Fund invests principally in a portfolio of investment-grade municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of the State of New York and its political subdivisions. Through its focus on tax-exempt securities, NAN is designed to offer investors an attractive yield advantage relative to taxable alternatives in the New York market. The Funds portfolio is comprised primarily of general obligation and revenue bonds issued by state and local governments, authorities, agencies and instrumentalities within New York. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) (CVE:PEA Get Free Report)s stock price passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$0.30 and traded as low as C$0.30. Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) shares last traded at C$0.30, with a volume of 395,956 shares trading hands. Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) Trading Down 10.4% The stock has a market cap of C$47.29 million and a PE ratio of -0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 199.86, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 1.25. The company has a 50 day moving average of C$0.30 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$0.30. Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) Company Profile (Get Free Report) Pieridae Energy Limited engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of petroleum and natural gas resources in Canada. The company holds interests in 19,342 net acres in Ojay area, and 212,155 net acres in the Deep Basin Sierra and Ekwan areas, British Columbia; and 220,212 net acres in Northern Alberta Foothills, 180,938 net acres in Central Alberta Foothills, and 5,423 net acres in Southern Alberta Foothills, Alberta. It also holds interests in Bourque, Gastonguay, Matapedia, and Restigouche properties located in Quebec; and approximately 50,000 acres of land in New Brunswick. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pieridae Energy Limited (PEA.V) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Perpetual Ltd reduced its position in shares of Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 26.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,891 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,562 shares during the period. Perpetual Ltds holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $1,520,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of PG. Nova Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the first quarter worth about $26,000. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 67.9% in the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 178 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.77% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Procter & Gamble Stock Performance NYSE PG opened at $144.39 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $147.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $153.46. The company has a market capitalization of $337.41 billion, a PE ratio of 21.08, a P/E/G ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.39. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $138.14 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.51. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $22.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.23 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.63% and a net margin of 19.74%.The businesss revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.100 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 17th. Investors of record on Friday, October 24th were given a $1.0568 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 24th. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is 61.75%. Insider Activity In other Procter & Gamble news, CEO Gary A. Coombe sold 3,535 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.23, for a total transaction of $538,133.05. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 34,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,300,039.68. This trade represents a 9.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Shailesh Jejurikar sold 3,986 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.23, for a total transaction of $606,788.78. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 46,899 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,139,434.77. The trade was a 7.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 30,308 shares of company stock worth $4,611,852 over the last 90 days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets PG has been the topic of several analyst reports. Dbs Bank upgraded Procter & Gamble to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research note on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $180.00 to $176.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $152.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, September 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $165.00 to $157.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $171.38. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble Company Profile (Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seneca House Advisors bought a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 31,598 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,130,000. Kroger accounts for about 0.9% of Seneca House Advisors holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. raised its stake in shares of Kroger by 6,840.0% during the second quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 347 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Kroger by 10,425.0% in the 2nd quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 421 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 417 shares during the period. Finally, Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Kroger by 87.8% in the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the companys stock. Get Kroger alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets KR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Kroger from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, October 26th. Roth Capital raised shares of Kroger from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $75.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Kroger from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c) rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Evercore ISI set a $77.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Argus set a $85.00 target price on Kroger in a report on Thursday, September 18th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Kroger has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $74.13. Kroger Trading Down 0.5% Shares of NYSE KR opened at $62.46 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $58.12 and a 1 year high of $74.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.45. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $65.60 and a 200 day moving average of $67.83. The stock has a market cap of $39.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 57.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.58. Kroger (NYSE:KR Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.27 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.54% and a return on equity of 38.06%. The businesss revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.98 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year. Key Kroger News Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week: Kroger Profile (Free Report) The Kroger Co (NYSE: KR) is one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States, offering a wide range of retail grocery and related services. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates a portfolio of supermarket and multi-department store banners and provides customers with fresh foods, packaged groceries, deli and bakery items, meat and seafood, produce, and prepared foods. Krogers stores commonly include pharmacy services and fuel centers, positioning the company as a broad-based neighborhood retail destination for everyday needs. In addition to traditional in-store retailing, Kroger manufactures and distributes a variety of private-label brands and operates its own food production and supply-chain facilities. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Kroger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kroger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The ability to give concise instructions to artificial intelligence is a key factor that that will separate employees in the work environment. AI prompting is no longer just a command, its the new lingo needed to navigate tomorrows world At a high school in Barcelona, 28-year-old teacher Ivan Ortega creates an exam in just over 15 minutes. His 50-something colleague takes an hour. The difference lies not in the experience or dedication of these teachers, but in how each has mastered conversing with artificial intelligence. While Ortega formulates requests with precision, his colleague is aware of an invisible barrier not a digital divide, but a linguistic one. The skill of giving detailed instructions to AI has ceased to be a technical resource and has become the key to efficiency and a new factor in professional stratification. It is no longer about those who use the technology and those who do not, but those who know how to speak to the machine and those who dont. What began as an amateur trick has become a differentiating element in the workplace, generating a more subtle and powerful asymmetry than the mere possession of tools. The biggest change is cultural, not technological, explains Ignasi Llorente, CEO of the strategic consultancy Utopiq, which specializes in AI-driven changes. Organizations are discovering that artificial intelligence is not just another tool, it is a new work language. The quality of the request AI evolution has been dizzying. In just three years, the landscape has gone from initial skepticism to an obvious fear of being left behind, reaching a point of unstoppable transversality, according to Llorente. Universal access to tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini have not led to homogenization, but to a new skills gap. The value no longer lies in the tool, but in the mind that guides it. The secret to prompting is not to write instructions, but to think them over before writing them, Llorente says. It is a skill that managers, teachers, journalists and administrators will end up needing. In a world where everyone has access to the same machine, the advantage is in the quality of the questions, he says. Knowing how to guide a model to solve a complex problem requires clarity, synthesis, criteria and understanding of the context. It is, in essence, a new form of leadership. This skill is transforming jobs and driving a quiet but massive reconversion. In the technical field, highly specialized roles have integrated AI prompts into their day-to-day work. Jose Torro, a 26-year-old engineer at DevOps, a software development method, says that, although a well-constructed command can automate tasks that previously required hours, technical mastery is still irreplaceable. If I dont have knowledge of networks, architecture and development, inevitably what AI gives me will have nothing to do with what I want to do. Generation gap The shift is also particularly intense in the field of education, the primary battleground of this transition. Anna Sanchez Caballe, an educational technology professor at Jaume I University in Spain, says that AI prompting must be integrated as a key digital skill, especially in secondary school curriculums, where research, critical thinking and reflection skills are consolidated. The resistance among teachers, she observes, often comes from a lack of time and resources, rather than a suspicion of AI. An important and growing segment of teachers is deeply implicated, she says. A generational gap, however, exists. Professor Ortega says that in his school, teachers with more experience tend to use AI less than him. And those who use it dont seem to be acquainted with the infinite solutions it offers. The advice he gives to a 50-year-old colleague is simple: Offer context and tell it clearly what you want in the most direct and efficient way possible. But the transition is not always voluntary or organic. In some sectors, implementation comes as an order from above. A 55-year-old administrative worker in the transportation sector recounts how management told everyone in her company to write emails using Gemini. The reaction was negative, with many experiencing the request as a kind of veiled criticism: Whats going on? Do you think I dont know how to write? Although its use is not mandatory, the tacit pressure is there. This administrative worker has personally found it helps with tasks that previously kept her up at night, such as writing justifications or memos. Now I have a head start and I dedicate myself to polishing the text, she explains. Still, it poses an ethical and practical dilemma: If both the writer and the reviewer use AI, certain requirements, such as asking for detailed reports on the need for a specific action, can be lost. Beyond the skills gap, experts and professionals warn of a parallel and perhaps more significant risk: that of dependency and unlearning. Torro warns of an alarming trend among younger professionals particularly: People have stopped thinking; they turn to AI for absolutely everything, he says. To illustrate this, he recounts a crucial meeting with managers in which the future of an important tool was discussed. They had ChatGPT open on the screen during the discussion. In the end, no conclusion was reached. They delegated the decision to AI. This indicates a loss of capacity for analysis and deliberation and is the dark side of hyper efficiency. Llorente identifies the greatest corporate risk as believing that AI only serves to do the same old thing, but faster and cheaper. Companies that stay in that phase of basic automation will be left behind. The real potential, he says, is to amplify individual capacities and multiply those of the entire organization. New basic literacy Faced with this situation, experts are calling for a decisive training commitment. Knowing how to work with AI is no longer an extra: it is the new digital literacy, says Llorente, who points out that the future AI law in the European Union will make AI literacy mandatory in all sectors. Caballe advocates integration in the school curriculum, similar to reading comprehension. I dont think AI prompting will become a specific subject; rather it will evolve into a symbiosis between humans and machines. What human skills become more valuable in this new ecosystem? Llorente says the answer is creativity. In a world where everyone can produce similar content, genuinely original ideas will be golden. AI will replace the skills of executing tasks, so the supreme value will lie in those who are able to think of powerful, original, relevant and different concepts. The future of work is no longer just about academic degrees; it is about clarity and the depth of the questions we are capable of formulating. The new frontier is not only technological, but also cognitive and linguistic. In the AI economy, the power will be held by those who master the art of questioning the machine. And the price of not learning this new language could well be professional irrelevance. AI prompting is no longer just a command, its the new lingo needed to navigate tomorrows world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Tandy Brands Accessories (OTCMKTS:TBACQ Get Free Report) and Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, dividends and risk. Profitability This table compares Tandy Brands Accessories and Oxford Industries net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Tandy Brands Accessories alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Tandy Brands Accessories N/A N/A N/A Oxford Industries -0.20% 9.35% 4.18% Valuation & Earnings This table compares Tandy Brands Accessories and Oxford Industriess gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Tandy Brands Accessories N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Oxford Industries $1.52 billion 0.36 $92.97 million ($0.33) -110.21 Oxford Industries has higher revenue and earnings than Tandy Brands Accessories. Insider and Institutional Ownership 91.2% of Oxford Industries shares are held by institutional investors. 6.6% of Tandy Brands Accessories shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.0% of Oxford Industries shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Tandy Brands Accessories and Oxford Industries, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Tandy Brands Accessories 0 0 0 0 0.00 Oxford Industries 2 5 0 0 1.71 Oxford Industries has a consensus target price of $43.60, indicating a potential upside of 19.89%. Given Oxford Industries stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Oxford Industries is more favorable than Tandy Brands Accessories. Summary Oxford Industries beats Tandy Brands Accessories on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Tandy Brands Accessories (Get Free Report) Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc. engages in the design and marketing of accessories. Its products include belts, gifts, small leather goods, and bags for men, women, and children. The company was founded in November 1990 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. About Oxford Industries (Get Free Report) Oxford Industries, Inc., an apparel company, designs, sources, markets, and distributes products of lifestyle and other brands worldwide. The company offers men's and women's sportswear and related products under the Tommy Bahama brand; and women's and girl's dresses and sportswear, scarves, bags, jewelry, and belts, as well as children's apparel, swim, footwear, and licensed products under the Lilly Pulitzer brand. In addition, the company licenses Tommy Bahama brand for various products, such as indoor and outdoor furniture, beach chairs, bedding and bath linens, fabrics, leather goods and gifts, headwear, hosiery, sleepwear, shampoo, toiletries, fragrances, cigar accessories, distilled spirits, and other products; and Lilly Pulitzer for stationery and gift products, home furnishing products, and eyewear. The company distribute its products through southerntide.com, thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com, and duckhead.com; and specialty retailers. It offers products through its retail stores, department stores, specialty stores, multi-branded e-commerce retailers, off-price retailers, and other retailers, as well as e-commerce sites. The company operates brand-specific full-price retail stores; Tommy Bahama food and beverage locations; and Tommy Bahama outlet stores. Oxford Industries, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Receive News & Ratings for Tandy Brands Accessories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tandy Brands Accessories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 3.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 306,658 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 9,831 shares during the period. Exxon Mobil makes up about 0.9% of U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $34,576,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $6,163,719,000. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC purchased a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the second quarter valued at $607,621,000. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its position in Exxon Mobil by 150.2% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 7,602,601 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $819,560,000 after purchasing an additional 4,563,707 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in Exxon Mobil by 200.7% during the second quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 2,014,446 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $217,162,000 after purchasing an additional 4,015,099 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 10,809.8% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,095,106 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $333,652,000 after buying an additional 3,066,736 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.80% of the companys stock. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total value of $351,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 28,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,349,758.96. The trade was a 9.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts recently commented on XOM shares. BNP Paribas raised shares of Exxon Mobil from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $141.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. UBS Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Exxon Mobil from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on Exxon Mobil from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $129.45. View Our Latest Report on XOM Key Headlines Impacting Exxon Mobil Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week: Exxon Mobil Price Performance Shares of XOM stock opened at $116.56 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $115.93 and a 200 day moving average price of $112.70. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a 52-week low of $97.80 and a 52-week high of $120.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $491.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.94, a P/E/G ratio of 7.36 and a beta of 0.38. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, June 17th. The oil and gas company reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.22% and a net margin of 8.99%.The company had revenue of $57.55 billion for the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 earnings per share for the current year. Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Investors of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. This is a boost from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.99. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 59.88%. Exxon Mobil Company Profile (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and the manufacture and sale of petrochemicals. Its operations span the full energy value chain, including upstream exploration and development of crude oil and natural gas; midstream transportation and storage; and downstream refining, product distribution and retail. The company also produces a broad range of chemical products for industrial and consumer applications. ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants under well-known brands such as Exxon, Mobil and Esso, and its Mobil 1 motor oil is a prominent consumer product. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding XOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sound Income Strategies LLC grew its position in Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:VOT Free Report) by 77.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 18,750 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 8,211 shares during the period. Sound Income Strategies LLCs holdings in Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF were worth $5,545,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cornerstone Advisory LLC boosted its position in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC now owns 4,918 shares of the companys stock worth $1,399,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank raised its position in Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 5,531 shares of the companys stock worth $1,625,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Titleist Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Titleist Asset Management LLC now owns 16,280 shares of the companys stock worth $4,630,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Uptick Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 0.6% in the second quarter. Uptick Partners LLC now owns 7,374 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,097,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, First Manhattan CO. LLC. lifted its stake in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 1.7% in the first quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 3,061 shares of the companys stock worth $749,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Get Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF alerts: Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF Stock Performance Shares of VOT stock opened at $283.06 on Friday. Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF has a 52-week low of $209.64 and a 52-week high of $298.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $285.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $285.86. The company has a market capitalization of $17.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.98 and a beta of 1.16. Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF Company Profile Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund, which employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Mid Cap Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a diversified index of growth stocks of medium-size United States companies. The Fund attempts to replicate the target Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Viking Fund Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 400,000 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $9,824,000. Hewlett Packard Enterprise comprises approximately 1.2% of Viking Fund Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HPE. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. CVA Family Office LLC grew its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 126.7% during the second quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,437 shares of the technology companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 803 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 74.4% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,611 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 687 shares in the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank purchased a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the second quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Ransom Advisory Ltd acquired a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the first quarter valued at approximately $57,000. 80.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hewlett Packard Enterprise alerts: Insider Transactions at Hewlett Packard Enterprise In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, Director Jean M. Hobby sold 29,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.79, for a total value of $689,910.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 32,279 shares in the company, valued at approximately $767,917.41. This trade represents a 47.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Maeve C. Culloty sold 35,958 shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.66, for a total transaction of $886,724.28. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 526,358 shares of company stock valued at $12,804,550. Insiders own 0.36% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently commented on HPE. Zacks Research raised shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. They issued a neutral rating and a $24.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James Financial raised their target price on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, September 4th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $27.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and fourteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $25.53. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Performance HPE opened at $24.46 on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $23.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $22.12. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company has a 52-week low of $11.97 and a 52-week high of $26.44. The company has a market cap of $32.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -407.60, a PEG ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The technology company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $9.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.91 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 0.17% and a return on equity of 9.15%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 14.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.58 EPS. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.250-2.450 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.570-0.610 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.1425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 19th. This is an increase from Hewlett Packard Enterprises previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Hewlett Packard Enterprises payout ratio is currently -866.67%. Key Headlines Impacting Hewlett Packard Enterprise Here are the key news stories impacting Hewlett Packard Enterprise this week: Positive Sentiment: HPE agreed to sell its Telco Solutions business to HCLTech for $160 million a small but strategic divestiture that trims HPEs telco exposure, delivers cash, and lets management reallocate resources to highergrowth areas. This supports the companys ongoing portfolio simplification narrative. Read More. HPE agreed to sell its Telco Solutions business to HCLTech for $160 million a small but strategic divestiture that trims HPEs telco exposure, delivers cash, and lets management reallocate resources to highergrowth areas. This supports the companys ongoing portfolio simplification narrative. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Unusually large calloption activity: investors bought ~102,139 HPE calls (roughly double average daily call volume), signaling bullish bets on nearterm upside or volatility. Large call flow can amplify intraday moves and is often read as a vote of confidence by traders. (No link) Unusually large calloption activity: investors bought ~102,139 HPE calls (roughly double average daily call volume), signaling bullish bets on nearterm upside or volatility. Large call flow can amplify intraday moves and is often read as a vote of confidence by traders. (No link) Positive Sentiment: HPE rolled out expanded cloudsecurity and Zero Trust solutions intended to strengthen its enterprise software and privatecloud offerings a product push that supports recurring revenue and highermargin services over time. Read More. HPE rolled out expanded cloudsecurity and Zero Trust solutions intended to strengthen its enterprise software and privatecloud offerings a product push that supports recurring revenue and highermargin services over time. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: HPE issued a patch for a critical OneView flaw the fast response reduces longterm reputational and legal risk, but customers will incur patching/operational costs in the near term. Monitor any customer impact or contract claims. Read More. HPE issued a patch for a critical OneView flaw the fast response reduces longterm reputational and legal risk, but customers will incur patching/operational costs in the near term. Monitor any customer impact or contract claims. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are watching HPEs international revenue mix and trends; deeper-than-expected geographic shifts could change Street estimates but current analyst notes focus on guidance execution rather than a directional surprise. Read More. Analysts are watching HPEs international revenue mix and trends; deeper-than-expected geographic shifts could change Street estimates but current analyst notes focus on guidance execution rather than a directional surprise. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary questions whether HPEs multiyear rally still has room to run after a recent pullback useful for positioning but not news that directly changes fundamentals. Read More. Market commentary questions whether HPEs multiyear rally still has room to run after a recent pullback useful for positioning but not news that directly changes fundamentals. Read More. Negative Sentiment: HPE OneView contains an unauthenticated remotecodeexecution vulnerability rated CVSS 10.0, which is a severe security issue for customers running that management platform; the discovery triggered urgent patching advisories and could pressure customer confidence, support costs, and shortterm sales cycles for affected buyers. Read More. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Profile (Free Report) Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is an enterprise technology company that designs, develops and sells IT infrastructure, software and services for business and government customers. Its core offerings span servers, storage, networking, and related software, together with consulting, integration and support services aimed at modernizing and managing enterprise IT environments. HPEs product portfolio includes systems for traditional data centers as well as solutions for high-performance computing, edge computing and telecommunications infrastructure. A major focus for HPE is hybrid cloud and consumption-based IT. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HPE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Viking Fund Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Spire Inc. (NYSE:SR Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 60,000 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $4,891,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of SR. HighTower Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Spire in the first quarter worth $415,000. AlphaQuest LLC lifted its position in shares of Spire by 1,055.6% in the first quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 11,336 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $887,000 after buying an additional 10,355 shares during the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of Spire by 71.7% during the 1st quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 36,288 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,840,000 after acquiring an additional 15,153 shares in the last quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC bought a new stake in shares of Spire during the 1st quarter worth about $1,654,000. Finally, Walleye Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Spire by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Walleye Capital LLC now owns 4,352 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $341,000 after acquiring an additional 214 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.36% of the companys stock. Get Spire alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Mizuho upped their target price on Spire from $93.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Bank of America raised shares of Spire from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the company from $76.00 to $89.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Spire in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Spire to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Spire from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Spire currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $88.55. Spire Stock Down 1.9% SR opened at $82.43 on Friday. Spire Inc. has a 1-year low of $65.15 and a 1-year high of $91.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.66. The business has a 50 day moving average of $86.10 and a 200-day moving average of $79.53. Spire (NYSE:SR Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 14th. The utilities provider reported ($0.47) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.46) by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $334.10 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $439.56 million. Spire had a return on equity of 8.78% and a net margin of 10.96%.The companys revenue was up 13.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($0.54) EPS. Spire has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.650-5.850 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.250-5.450 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Spire Inc. will post 4.5 earnings per share for the current year. Spire Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 11th will be given a dividend of $0.825 per share. This is an increase from Spires previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 11th. Spires dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 75.00%. Spire Profile (Free Report) Spire Inc (NYSE: SR), formerly known as The Laclede Group, is a regulated natural gas distribution company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Through its three operating divisionsSpire Missouri, Spire Alabama and Spire Mississippithe company delivers natural gas to more than 1.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers. Spires service territory spans key markets in the central and southern United States, including metropolitan St. Louis, central Alabama and central Mississippi. Founded in 1857 as the Laclede Gas Light Company, the business has grown through strategic acquisitions, notably Alabama Gas Corporation in 2013 and Mississippi Gas in 2016. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Spire Inc. (NYSE:SR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Spire Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Spire and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Viking Fund Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE:CTRA Free Report) by 36.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 70,000 shares of the companys stock after selling 40,000 shares during the period. Viking Fund Management LLCs holdings in Coterra Energy were worth $1,656,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of Coterra Energy by 2.1% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 22,763 shares of the companys stock worth $538,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the period. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Coterra Energy by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC now owns 9,725 shares of the companys stock valued at $247,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Coterra Energy by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC now owns 50,333 shares of the companys stock worth $1,277,000 after buying an additional 531 shares during the period. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Coterra Energy by 5.3% during the 2nd quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,534 shares of the companys stock worth $267,000 after buying an additional 533 shares during the period. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its holdings in shares of Coterra Energy by 26.1% during the second quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 2,685 shares of the companys stock worth $68,000 after buying an additional 555 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.92% of the companys stock. Get Coterra Energy alerts: Coterra Energy Stock Performance Shares of Coterra Energy stock opened at $25.40 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The company has a market cap of $19.34 billion, a PE ratio of 11.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.43 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a 50 day moving average of $25.36 and a 200-day moving average of $24.80. Coterra Energy Inc. has a 1-year low of $22.33 and a 1-year high of $29.95. Coterra Energy Announces Dividend Coterra Energy ( NYSE:CTRA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.43 by ($0.02). Coterra Energy had a net margin of 23.25% and a return on equity of 11.23%. The firm had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.83 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.32 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 33.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Coterra Energy Inc. will post 1.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 13th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 13th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.5%. Coterra Energys payout ratio is 40.55%. Analyst Ratings Changes CTRA has been the topic of several research reports. William Blair assumed coverage on shares of Coterra Energy in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. They set an outperform rating and a $36.00 price target on the stock. Mizuho decreased their target price on shares of Coterra Energy from $36.00 to $33.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Coterra Energy from $37.00 to $35.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Coterra Energy from $33.00 to $32.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their price target on Coterra Energy from $38.00 to $37.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $32.86. Read Our Latest Report on CTRA Coterra Energy Company Profile (Free Report) Coterra Energy (NYSE: CTRA) is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company focused on the development, production and optimization of onshore hydrocarbon resources in the United States. The companys operations center on the exploration, drilling, completion and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs), with an emphasis on maximizing operational efficiency and capital discipline across its asset base. Its business activities include identifying and developing resource-rich acreage, operating producing wells, managing reservoir performance and marketing produced hydrocarbons to a range of midstream and energy customers. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CTRA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE:CTRA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Coterra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coterra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voya Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL Free Report) by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 505,603 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 7,898 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLCs holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $40,418,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Westside Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Colgate-Palmolive by 85.5% during the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 282 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive in the first quarter worth about $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 86.1% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 335 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 155 shares in the last quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, MTM Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Colgate-Palmolive in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.41% of the companys stock. Get Colgate-Palmolive alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have commented on CL. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $80.00 to $77.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a report on Friday, October 3rd. They issued a neutral rating and a $84.00 target price on the stock. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $105.00 to $95.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 20th. UBS Group lowered their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $92.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Argus reissued a hold rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $88.81. Colgate-Palmolive Stock Up 1.0% Shares of CL opened at $78.50 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.90, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.93. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $78.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $83.07. Colgate-Palmolive Company has a 52 week low of $74.54 and a 52 week high of $100.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $63.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.99, a P/E/G ratio of 5.58 and a beta of 0.30. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $5.13 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.17 billion. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 333.39% and a net margin of 14.47%.The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.91 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Colgate-Palmolive Company will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year. Colgate-Palmolive Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 21st will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 21st. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Colgate-Palmolives payout ratio is currently 58.26%. About Colgate-Palmolive (Free Report) Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company with a long history in household and personal care categories. The business traces its roots to the early 19th century and has evolved into a multinational manufacturer and marketer of everyday consumer goods focused on health, hygiene and home care. The companys core activities center on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Its product portfolio includes toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash in oral care; soaps, body washes and deodorants in personal care; dishwashing liquids, surface cleaners and other household products in home care; and scientifically formulated pet foods under its pet nutrition business. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Colgate-Palmolive Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Colgate-Palmolive and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voya Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD Free Report) by 5.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 89,097 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 5,386 shares during the quarter. Voya Investment Management LLCs holdings in General Dynamics were worth $30,382,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of GD. Quarry LP boosted its stake in shares of General Dynamics by 783.3% during the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 106 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in General Dynamics by 80.3% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 110 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. Nova Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in General Dynamics during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of General Dynamics by 64.7% during the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 112 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Finally, Harbor Asset Planning Inc. bought a new position in shares of General Dynamics in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 86.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get General Dynamics alerts: General Dynamics Stock Performance Shares of GD stock opened at $339.59 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $91.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.40. General Dynamics Corporation has a one year low of $239.20 and a one year high of $360.50. The companys 50-day moving average is $340.69 and its 200 day moving average is $320.98. General Dynamics Dividend Announcement General Dynamics ( NYSE:GD Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The aerospace company reported $3.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.69 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $12.91 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.49 billion. General Dynamics had a net margin of 8.18% and a return on equity of 18.27%. The businesss revenue was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.35 earnings per share. General Dynamics has set its FY 2025 guidance at 15.300-15.35 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that General Dynamics Corporation will post 14.83 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.50 per share. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. General Dynamicss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.89%. Insider Buying and Selling at General Dynamics In other news, VP David Paddock sold 20,360 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $334.92, for a total value of $6,818,971.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 36,644 shares in the company, valued at $12,272,808.48. The trade was a 35.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets GD has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup assumed coverage on General Dynamics in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. They set a neutral rating and a $371.00 price target on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $390.00 target price on shares of General Dynamics in a report on Monday, October 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $280.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of General Dynamics in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Argus upped their price objective on shares of General Dynamics from $345.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, General Dynamics presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $358.50. Read Our Latest Stock Report on General Dynamics About General Dynamics (Free Report) General Dynamics is a major American aerospace and defense contractor that designs, manufactures and supports a broad range of products and services for government and commercial customers worldwide. Headquartered in the United States (Reston, Virginia), the company supplies platforms and systems used by armed forces, civil authorities and private operators across multiple domains including air, land, sea and cyber. Its principal activities span several operating businesses: a business aviation unit that develops and supports Gulfstream business jets; land systems that produce armored combat vehicles and related logistics and sustainment services; marine systems that design and construct submarines and surface ships for navies; and mission systems and information technology operations that provide command-and-control, communications, cybersecurity and systems-integration services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for General Dynamics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Dynamics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voya Investment Management LLC cut its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report) by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 69,169 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,116 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLCs holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $29,480,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare in the first quarter worth about $26,000. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Ameriflex Group Inc. bought a new position in HCA Healthcare during the second quarter worth $27,000. Chung Wu Investment Group LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the second quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Clearstead Trust LLC lifted its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 311.8% in the 2nd quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 70 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.73% of the companys stock. Get HCA Healthcare alerts: HCA Healthcare Stock Up 1.3% HCA stock opened at $472.69 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $107.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.27, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $470.12 and a 200 day simple moving average of $417.03. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $289.98 and a fifty-two week high of $520.00. HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend HCA Healthcare ( NYSE:HCA Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $6.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.64 by $1.32. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 792.25%. The company had revenue of $19.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.55 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.90 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2025 guidance at 27.000-28.000 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 24.98 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. HCA Healthcares dividend payout ratio is 11.13%. Analysts Set New Price Targets HCA has been the topic of several research reports. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $445.00 to $494.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Monday, October 27th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on HCA Healthcare from $400.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $412.00 to $431.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Raymond James Financial set a $525.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $479.00. View Our Latest Stock Report on HCA Healthcare Insider Buying and Selling In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 3,892 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total value of $1,843,990.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,487 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,652,105.73. The trade was a 52.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. About HCA Healthcare (Free Report) HCA Healthcare is a forprofit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services. The companys core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCAs services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HCA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HCA Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HCA Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS Get Free Report) CAO Virginia Halloran sold 605 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $276.78, for a total value of $167,451.90. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 13,412 shares in the company, valued at $3,712,173.36. The trade was a 4.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Watts Water Technologies Trading Down 0.6% Shares of NYSE WTS opened at $279.35 on Friday. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $177.59 and a twelve month high of $287.89. The firm has a market cap of $9.32 billion, a PE ratio of 28.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 1.23. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $274.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $267.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.84, a current ratio of 2.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. Get Watts Water Technologies alerts: Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The technology company reported $2.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.29 by $0.21. Watts Water Technologies had a return on equity of 18.31% and a net margin of 13.79%.The firm had revenue of $611.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $576.20 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.03 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Watts Water Technologies Dividend Announcement Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a $0.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Watts Water Technologiess payout ratio is currently 21.47%. WTS has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Watts Water Technologies in a research note on Friday, December 12th. They issued a hold rating and a $300.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded Watts Water Technologies from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, December 13th. Barclays upped their price objective on Watts Water Technologies from $287.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Zacks Research lowered Watts Water Technologies from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b+) rating on shares of Watts Water Technologies in a report on Monday, December 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $279.25. Get Our Latest Report on Watts Water Technologies Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 29.7% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 253 shares of the technology companys stock worth $71,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 15.9% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 335 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $94,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $352,000. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new stake in Watts Water Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $818,000. Finally, Coldstream Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Watts Water Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,913,000. 95.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Watts Water Technologies Company Profile (Get Free Report) Watts Water Technologies, Inc is a global manufacturer and distributor of flow control products and solutions designed to ensure the safe, efficient delivery and use of water. Founded in 1874 and headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts, the company has built a reputation for engineering innovation in residential, commercial and industrial plumbing, heating, cooling and water treatment systems. Watts operates through a comprehensive portfolio of brands and product lines that address application-specific requirements in water safety, pressure regulation, flow control and filtration. The companys product offerings span backflow preventers, pressure reducing valves, relief valves and steam traps, as well as hydronic balancing and temperature control devices for heating systems. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Watts Water Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Watts Water Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. At St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Hyattsville, Maryland, this Christmas is unlike any other. The posadas, a traditional celebration in Latin American countries that reenacts Mary and Josephs search for lodging before the birth of Jesus, will not be held outdoors as has been the custom. The event, which includes food and singing in a festive atmosphere, will be hidden from passersby for the first time. Well hold them inside our homes; we cant do anything outside, laments Father Vidal Rivas. Thats because Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are lurking outside. In a neighborhood with a large Hispanic immigrant population, ICE raids, or the threat of one, have already left their mark. Rivas has witnessed the devastating effects of the Trump administrations anti-immigrant campaign on his parishioners. People are still very afraid, and in one week, 13 members of our church self-deported, he says. Three more were deported by federal authorities, and several are being held in ICE facilities. Following the new self-imposed rules of not holding any outdoor activities, the traditional procession of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was supposed to have taken place on December 10 was canceled. Only 60 people attended the service for the Immaculate Conception held on Monday, half of what Father Vidal had expected. Christmas celebrations used to be joyful and there was greater participation. Now, only about 40% of the people who used to come are attending. Until Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, churches, like hospitals and schools, were considered sensitive locations, meaning they were protected from raids by immigration agents. Upon taking office, however, the Republican lifted the ban, ensuring that no place is off-limits to ICE. Since then, whenever Father Rivas celebrates Mass, volunteers always U.S. citizens stand in the parking lot and outside the church to keep watch for ICE and warn parishioners if a raid is imminent. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are very important dates, holidays when people go to places of worship, says Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of Faith in Action, a network of more than 1,000 religious congregations of different faiths across the United States. Many people are worried about this time of year and whether they will be able to attend their places of worship safely. After all, they have to get off the bus or out of the car, walk down the sidewalk, and go into the church. People are trying to decide whether they will attend religious services this year, whether they will be able to participate in the celebrations in the same way they usually do during this time of year. Its a very complicated situation, Mass at St. Matthew's Anglican Episcopal Church, January 25, 2023. @StMatthewParish In his opinion, many people will opt to follow services virtually, wherever that option is offered. Since the ban on arrests in sensitive locations was lifted, many churches have made this option available. However, the lack of the communal atmosphere that a physical church provides discourages many. Father Rivas tried offering catechism classes and even Mass online, but almost no one participated. If we continued holding Masses online, we would go bankrupt, he says. Churches are seeking ways to protect themselves from ICE raids. At some, surveillance is conducted from outside; in others, parishioners take turns standing guard outside the windows during services. Some ask U.S. citizens to attend, so the racial makeup of attendees is less noticeable. Its incredible the faith people have, because right now the decision to go to church is a high-risk one, not only as an immigrant, but as a Latino, says Pastor Julio Hernandez, who leads the Congregation Action Network, which organizes Catholic and Protestant churches in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. The threat [of arrests] is felt very strongly. Its not just affecting the mood for Christmas celebrations, but also in poverty, because jobs are dwindling, he says. We know a single mother who used to work full-time at a restaurant, and now her hours have been cut in half because people arent going out to eat. The community has fewer resources to celebrate. The Trump administrations immigration offensive has met with harsh criticism from faith communities. Pope Leo XIV, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and clergy from various religious traditions have spoken out against the governments immigration agenda. Several churches have protested through the Nativity scenes they typically display at this time of year. One such Nativity scene recently appeared at a church in Optimist Park, Charlotte, North Carolina the city where Trump sent the Border Patrol last month to bolster migrant detentions. In the display, masked immigration agents in bulletproof vests, handcuffs at the ready, mingle among the figures of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The churchs pastor said the goal was to reflect the fear many migrant families experienced following recent detentions. The goal is to disturb, to make people feel something, said Reverend Andrew Shipley. What has been happening to families in Charlotte is disturbing, graphic, and horrifying. Bethlehem without the images of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, at St. Susanna Catholic Church in Dedham, Massachusetts, on December 8. Brian Snyder (REUTERS) Nativity scenes with protest messages have appeared in several locations across the country. Parishioners at St. Susanna Catholic Church in Dedham, Massachusetts, set up a scene in which Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus are replaced by a sign reading, ICE was here. The manger is topped by a sign that reads: Peace on Earth? The Archdiocese of Boston requested its removal, but Reverend Stephen Josoma refused, arguing that the church highlights social issues of contemporary life every year. We know that Jesus was born into a Roman imperial occupation, and pretty much immediately becomes a refugee in Egypt, has to flee and faces political violence, he said. So we have to ask: what would it be like if Jesus were born here today? Equally provocative is the Nativity scene displayed at Lake Street Baptist Church in Evanston, Illinois, where Mary and Joseph appear wearing gas masks. Reverend Michael Woolf said the scene was intended to call attention to the tear gas used by immigration agents against protesters in Chicago demonstrating against the appalling conditions in which detainees are held. The parallels between the biblical story of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth and the reality of migrants in the United States will feature prominently in sermons at many churches this Christmas. When we think about the story of a baby who was born and, over time, had to flee his country of origin for safety reasons to go to a foreign country, thats a familiar story for many of our immigrant brothers and sisters across the country, Royster says. And yet, even now, they feel threatened in the place that was supposed to be their refuge, fearing torture, detention, or deportation in this country, which was precisely the place where they were meant to find safety. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Derry City and Strabane District Council members have urged council to use its social media platforms to promote winter immunisation across the district. Earlier this week the Western Trust has announced a face mask requirement for visitors, staff and, patients at health care facilities, such as emergency rooms, due to increased levels of flu and others illnesses, and at Decembers Health and Community Committee meeting, chair and Sinn Fein councillor, Aisling Hutton, said cases of the flu were only going to get worse over the Christmas break. She asked Officers to support winter planning, including immunisation against the flu and other diseases, by integrating messaging into councils comms plan. DUP alderman Niree McMorris said she had spoke with several health workers and was told that immunisation rates in the city were way, way down, in comparison to other areas in Northern Ireland and the UK. They were basically saying that for the first time ever we no longer have herd immunity, which is really, really concerning, Alderman McMorris added. We were talking about winter and flu strains, but we have conditions like meningitis which are very preventable, which are life-threatening. We have a case where people are not bringing their children forward to get all the different vaccinations that they can get, so I was just thinking around social media and whatever kind of message that we can get out there. This is something that is really prevalent in our communities at the moment. It is so important that we immunise our children, immunise ourselves, and make sure that anything that can be avoided is avoided. We have a lot of vulnerable people in our communities and we need to be making sure that carers are getting immunised, because they could be taking things in to older and vulnerable people. Police are to increase patrols in north Belfast following a second incident of shots being fired at a property in the area. The PSNI received a report that a number of shots had been fired at a residential property in the Ainsworth Street area at around 7.45pm on Saturday. It follows an incident where shots were fired at a house on Woodvale Avenue on Friday night. Police have said they believe the two attacks are linked. In both incidents, people were inside the properties but escaped injury. Relating to the latest attack, a PSNI spokesperson said: The shots were fired through a window at the front of the property. Damage was caused but thankfully those present in the property at the time, including young children, werent injured. This is the second night in a row that shots have been fired at an occupied residential property in the area. We are currently treating these incidents as linked and detectives are actively pursuing a number of lines of enquiry. The spokesperson added: Those responsible have demonstrated an astonishing level of recklessness and a complete disregard for human life, it is only by sheer luck that no one was injured or killed. We are treating these incidents with the utmost seriousness and the public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area over the coming days as enquiries continue. We are asking anyone who may have information, or relevant dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with our enquiries, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 1318 19/12/25. On Friday night police received a report that four shots were fired at a residential property in the Woodvale Avenue area at around 9.20pm. The shots were fired through a window at the front of the property. Damage was caused but those present in the property at the time were uninjured. TUV deputy leader and councillor Ron McDowell condemned the shooting incident. He said: This is the second attack in a number of days and it must be unequivocally condemned by everyone. There should be no place in our community for those who have the means and intent to bring guns on to our streets. I grew up in the area and my parents still live on Ainsworth Street. But for the grace of God, we could be mourning the death of a child this morning. The police must be allowed the space to do their job, and I would appeal for full co-operation from the public. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The National Lottery has announced that Saturday nights Lotto Plus Raffle saw one player win a 1 million special prize. The Lotto Plus Raffle typically sees between 60 and 120 winners of 500 in every draw but in last nights draw, the National Lottery boosted the Raffle prize fund with a guaranteed to be won 1 million. The winning Raffle number was: 8897. Read next: ALERT: Electrical sockets urgently recalled in Ireland amid risk of fire and burns' The winning Lotto Plus Raffle ticket from Saturday night's December 20 draw was a quick pick ticket sold in Dublin 7. It was purchased in the Spar store at Unit 62-65 on Mountjoy Street, Store manager Dean Bheemul said on the store selling the winning ticket: Were absolutely thrilled to have sold a winning Lotto Plus Raffle ticket here on Mountjoy Street, and just in time for Christmas!" "Its great news and were all buzzing here in the store. We would like to wish the winner the very best and every happiness for the future! Meanwhile, two players in Monaghan and Louth matched five numbers and the bonus in the main draw on Saturday night to share 50,573. The Monaghan winner purchased their Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw at McMahons Centra on the Main Street in Castleblayney to win their 25,287 amount. While the Louth winner scooped their share of the Match 5 + Bonus prize after purchasing their ticket on the day of the draw at the Londis Top Shop in Ravensdale, Dundalk. The winning numbers in the Saturday, December 20 draw were: 03, 15, 18, 20, 27, 43 and the bonus was 30. On these wins, National Lottery spokesperson Sarah Orr said: What a way to get Christmas week started! The Dublin, Monaghan and Louth winners, who were the largest winners from the weekend draw, are advised to sign the back of their tickets and keep them safe." "The winners should contact the National Lottery Prize Claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie and arrangements will be made for them to collect their prizes in Lottery Headquarters. While over 87,000 players nationwide won prizes across Saturday nights Lotto and Lotto Plus draws, including the Lotto Plus Raffle winner and the two Match 5+Bonus winners, there was no winner of the 3,401,640 jackpot on offer. Wednesdays Lotto jackpot is now set to roll towards an estimated 3.8 million. Gardai from the Louth/Cavan/Monaghan Division, working with the PSNI, yesterday carried out a high-visibility border operation this week aimed at preventing burglaries and rural crime in Louth and surrounding areas Working as part of the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF), the high-visibility operation involved close co-operation between An Garda Siochana and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which conducted a high-visibility vehicle checkpoints on the Northern Ireland side of the border. The policing operation, with a focus on rural crime, was aimed at preventing and detecting criminality along the border and at preventing and disrupting the free movement of criminals based in the Republic and Northern Ireland. It was led by Gardai from the Louth/Cavan/Monaghan Division, assisted by the Garda Armed Support Unit. The Garda operation also served as a Mandatory Intoxicating Testing (MIT) checkpoint and focused on providing a high-visibility policing presence to help reduce road deaths. Detective Superintendent John OFlaherty of the Louth/Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division said the work of the Joint Agency Task Force is helps to disrupt criminals using the road networks south and north of the border. Speaking at a joint border checkpoint on the N22 at Moybridge, Co Monaghan (and A5 at Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone), he said: "Working together, we can deny criminals the use of our owns. The border between our jurisdictions is not a barrier to effective policing, and it's not a barrier to prosecuting offenders. An Garda Siochana and the Police Service of Northern Ireland would remind our communities to be extra vigilant this winter. If you see something out of place, please contact us on 999. Don't rely on your neighbour to contact us. They might not be at home, and their house could be burgled while they are away. This winter, keep safe and look out for each other. Read Next: "A lifeline for many" - Louth to receive 295k for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence Superintendent Peter Stevenson, PSNI District Commander for Mid Ulster said: "This is part of the Joint Agency Task Force work that is ongoing across different border crossing points. This work is vitaly important directly in relation to the prevention of mobile organised crime gangs using the border as a means of avoiding justice. The work is really important. We are cooperating with our colleagues in An Garda Siochana for the relentless pursuit of offenders and then ultimately put them behind bars. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) researcher and Government of Ireland scholar Leandro Pessina has published an article examining the potential for the development of music tourism in Carlingford, Co. Louth. A member of the Creative Arts Research Centre at DkIT, Leandro is supervised by Dr Daithi Kearney (DkIT) and Dr Ioannis Tsioulakis (Queens University, Belfast) and has recently completed an innovative study into music and tourism in the region. Leandros research recognises how music contributes to the promotion of places, destinations and cultures, and is a fundamental element of local branding strategies, helping communities and places to express uniqueness. In this article, Leandro focuses on the village of Carlingford, with a particular emphasis on Carlingford Heritage Centres Concert Series and Feile na Tana, two Irish traditional music initiatives curated by the local musicians Zoe Conway and John McIntyre. These small-scale events offer niche tourism opportunities connected to education through which local music and its practitioners may contribute to strengthening the image of the destination. Integrating reflections on fieldwork experiences as well as interviews with local stakeholders, the article recognises music as a significant attraction, providing input to improve current tourism development plans, such as the Irelands Ancient East Regional Tourism Development Strategy 2023-2027. Leandros article is published by Taylor and Francis in the Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change and places this local study alongside a range of international scholarship and case studies. Other featured articles include the use of interactive technology and storytelling for digital heritage in the Netherlands, narrative constructions of Barbados UNESCO World Heritage Site, sugar heritage and cultural representation in Javanese urban spaces, and gender equality in the tourism sector in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Read Next: Unlicensed and uninsured HGV driver stopped in Dundalk garda operation A musician, Leandro tours internationally with the acclaimed Folk Metal Band Aexylium and is currently Promotions Executive with the Business Incubator of the Technology Transfer for the University of Turin. While in Dundalk, Leandro was a member of the Oriel Traditional Orchestra, an ensemble-in-residence at DkIT, and contributed to a variety of musical activities in the region. Learn more about Leandros research here Engineering students at Dundalk Institute of Technology have been recognised for their innovative projects at the Institutes annual award ceremony, where the Peter Rice Medal and Dr Niamh Shaw Awards were presented. Mechanical engineering graduate, Rebecca Lambe Fagan was awarded The Peter Rice Medal for the best Level 8 Engineering student project at DkIT for her project titled Re-inventing the Commercial Dog Kennel while Johnathon McManus was named winner of the Dr Niamh Shaw Award for his electronic/electrical project titled Greenhouse Monitoring and Control. The Peter Rice Medal pays tribute to Dundalk-born engineer Peter Rice, who is celebrated for his work on some of the 20th centurys most iconic structures, including the Sydney Opera House, the Pompidou Centre, the Louvre Pyramid, and Lloyds of London. Civil engineering graduate Paul Kiernan and Electronic and Electrical Engineering graduate Shane Moran were also finalists for this award. Paul presented his project, Urban Cycle Infrastructure, an Evaluation of Connectivity, while Shane shared his project titled Pedestrian/ Vehicle Automated Recognition System. Read also: Call for bin on Mount Avenue following litter concerns The Dr Niamh Shaw Award celebrates Dundalk native, Dr Niamh Shaw, an engineer, scientist, writer, performer, and one of Irelands leading voices in science communication. Civil Engineering student Jamie Rafferty and Nathan Clarke, a Mechanical Engineering student were also finalists for this award. Jamie presented his projecttitled Truss Analysis: Comparing Hand Calculations and MasterSeries, while Nathan shared his project titled: NRG Lift System- Design and Development. Engineers Ireland Northeast kindly sponsored both prizes, and representatives of the body at the event spoke of the impact of young engineers and the positive roles they play in society. Maeve Martin, Student and Graduate Engagement Officer at Engineers Ireland also gave insights into the organisations vision, and opportunities it can provide for students. Maryellen Kelledy, Chairperson of the Engineers Ireland Northeast Region and DkIT Programme Director opened the event and commended the students for their dedication and outstanding work. She said: These awards play a vital role in highlighting the outstanding quality of engineering education at DkIT and the exceptional calibre of graduates across the North-East region. Above: The Peter Rice Medal - L to R: Sean McCarthy, Peter Nowak, Amanda-Jane Gainford, Rebecca Lambe Fagan, Breen Jackson, Adam Graham and Mary Arthur-Smyth "The event offers students a valuable platform to showcase their hard work and achievements. We were delighted to present the Dr Niamh Shaw Award for the third time alongside our Annual Peter Rice Medal Award, and it was a pleasure to have Niamh join us to share her inspiring explorations and recent projects. Dr Niamh Shaw delivered a keynote speech in which she reflected on how her passion for engineering, science and space has shaped her identity, reshaping her views on failure and success. She shared stories from her worldwide travels, highlighting her recent, captivating journey to the Arctic with a collective of artists and storytellers. She spoke about the profound signs of planetary change she witnessed there, as well as the DkIT engineering projects that accompanied her on the expedition. Addressing the audience, Niamh said: It is a real privilege to be invited back each year, and still surreal to have an award in my name. To think that it might inspire students to pursue a career shaped by their own interests, alongside the legacy of someone as remarkable as Peter Rice, is an honour I never take for granted. Speaking at the event, Dr Breda Brennan, Head of School of Engineering, DkIT said: Congratulations to all the competitors and thank you to all the judges for their participation and engagement in this fantastic competition. The creativity of our students and graduates was evident in the diverse range of projects on display. "We are incredibly proud of our engineering community, and it is inspiring to see the strengthening partnerships between industry and education across the region. The judging panel for this years final event was led by Sean McCarthy and consisted of Adam Graham, Amanda-Jane Gainford, Breen Jackson, Mary Arthur-Smyth and Peter Nowak. A huge thanks to all the fantastic judges who worked on the review process prior to the final. Ferdia Homevalue in Ardee, fresh from being named Store of the Year at the recent United Hardware United in Excellence Awards, has marked another milestone with the launch of DID Essentials a dedicated in-store zone bringing trusted home appliances and premium brands to the local community, all at exceptional value. The launch event, which took place on Friday 5 December with an official ribbon cutting at 12 noon, drew strong interest from customers and local stakeholders. This is the third DID Essentials launch in Ireland, and the first outside Wexford, following successful openings at Wallaces Homevalue in Wellingtonbridge and Smyths Homevalue in Enniscorthy over the past month. Ferdia Homevalue said the expansion highlights the growing partnership between Homevalue and DID Electrical, and signals the arrival of DID Essentials to new regions across Leinster. DID Essentials at Ferdia Homevalue features a curated selection of leading brands such as Ninja, Shark, Kenwood, Whirlpool, Eufy, LG and Samsung. Read also: Much-loved mid-Louth deli to close its doors this Christmas The new zone is designed to make it easier for customers to shop for essential appliances alongside their DIY and hardware needs, supported by knowledgeable staff offering product advice and after-sales support. As a store recently recognised for its outstanding standards in customer service, retail excellence and community engagement, Ferdia Homevalue said it is proud to further enhance its offering for Ardee and the wider Louth community. This latest launch is part of a wider partnership between Homevalue and DID Electrical, with further DID Essentials zones planned for Homevalue stores across Ireland in the coming months. Eamonn Kerr, Managing Director of Ferdia Homevalue, said: Were thrilled to bring DID Essentials to Ardee and to be the first store outside Wexford to launch this exciting new concept. Its been a big few weeks for our team, and this launch is another way were delivering even more value, choice and convenience for our customers. The response from the community has been fantastic, and we look forward to welcoming even more shoppers to experience what DID Essentials has to offer. Ciaran McCormack, Managing Director of DID Electrical, said: The launch of DID Essentials at Ferdia Homevalue is a significant step in our partnership with the Homevalue group. After the success in Wexford, were delighted to see the concept expand into Louth and soon to other locations nationwide. By working together, were making it easier for Irish consumers to access the best in home appliances, backed by trusted local service. This successful launch at Ferdia Homevalue not only strengthens the stores reputation as a one-stop shop for DIY, hardware and home improvement, it said, but also highlights Ardees role in leading the way for this national rollout. Lisavaird Food Group, a subsidiary of West Corkbased Lisavaird Co-Op, has said that it has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Seafood Processors Ltd, trading as Morgans Fine Fish, based in Omeath in north Louth. Morgans Fine Fish is a family-owned seafood processor established in 1860. It has grown over five generations and today employs over 80 people in a modern processing facility overlooking Carlingford Lough. From its state-of-the-art facility in Omeath, Morgans supplies fresh, frozen, pre-packed and value-added seafood to retailers, restaurants, hotels, healthcare providers and wholesalers across Ireland. The company employs more than 80 people and is recognised for its strong emphasis on sustainability, traceability and continuous investment in modern processing technologies. Lisavaird Food Group said that the proposed transaction marks a significant step its strategy to grow its presence in the Irish seafood sector, building on the success of its existing seafood businesses, Glenmar Ireland, Glenmar UK and Bluewave, which have been a leader in seafood production and distribution for over 40 years. With the Groups strong presence in shellfish and premium seafood across Ireland, the UK and Italy, it says the addition of Morgans introduces a retail arm to Lisavairds seafood business with substantial processing capability in the North East. Read also: Ferdia Homevalue in Ardee launches DID Essentials zone Lisavaird Food Group is active across seafood, dairy, spreads, cooked meats and bakery and forms a key part of Lisavaird Groups 218 million turnover recorded in 2024. Both businesses say they also acknowledge the continued support of BIM, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia over many years. Each has played a vital role in guiding the development of the Irish seafood sector and supporting processors in areas such as sustainability, innovation and skills development. Completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory review and approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in Ireland. Until such approval is granted, both companies will continue to operate independently and there will be no changes to day-to-day operations, customer service, or supplier arrangements. Martin Dineen, CEO Lisavaird Co-Op said: We believe this proposed acquisition will bring significant benefits to both businesses. Morgans is a company with an exceptional heritage, a strong reputation for quality and a commitment to sustainable seafood. This step further enhances our seafood offering and positions us well to serve customers right across Ireland and further afield. Joe Morgan at Morgans commented: Joining Lisavaird Food Group represents a natural next step for Morgans. We share the same values of quality, sustainability and customer focus. With the support and scale of Lisavaird Food Group, we look forward to continuing to grow the business, investing in our people, our site in Omeath and our product offering for customers. Both companies remain fully committed to providing high-quality service to customers and maintaining strong relationships with employees, suppliers and industry partners throughout the review period. Lisavaird Co-Op, the parent company of Lisavaird Food Group, said it is proud to support this latest planned investment in the Irish seafood sector as it celebrates its centenary in 2025. The Co-Op and its food group businesses continue to focus on high-quality, responsibly sourced Irish food for both domestic and international markets and are active participants in Bord Bias Origin Green sustainability programme. Irish premier Micheal Martin has visited peacekeepers in Lebanon and expressed pride in their service. The Taoiseach met Irish troops who will be serving at Camp Shamrock close to the border with Israel over Christmas during a visit to the country. He also met with Lebanons Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut, and pressed him over justice for the killing of Private Sean Rooney. It is a privilege for me as Taoiseach to visit our troops to thank them for their service as part of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon, and to wish them the best for the festive season when they will be away from their families and loved ones pic.twitter.com/Sn2rBBmlVp Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) December 20, 2025 The 24-year-old from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed when a convoy of Irish troops serving with a UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon was ambushed and fired upon on December 14, 2022. The main person convicted for his killing is still at large and the Irish Government has described some of the sentences imposed on others over the matter as unduly lenient. Mr Martin urged accountability. Accountability means that the people responsible for the death of Sean Rooney are brought to justice, proper justice, the sentencing was extremely lenient and the people are at large, he said. Hundreds of Irish soldiers are serving with the Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission in south Lebanon, which is due to come to an end next December when the UN mandate ends after almost 50 years. Mr Martin told troops gathered at Camp Shamrock that it was an honour to stand before them, and to personally acknowledge the dedication, professionalism and sacrifice that each of you demonstrates in the service of peace, and your country. He also paid tribute to the work they are doing in Lebanon during this particularly challenging time, and in spending Christmas away from their loved ones. In terms of the UN mandate ending at the end of 2026, Mr Martin said Ireland remains committed to Unifil, and to supporting Lebanon, but recognises that the mission was always intended to be an interim force. He added: I met the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam this morning, and emphasised the important role of the Lebanese Government in respecting and protecting the role of peacekeepers, as Unifil works towards bringing peace and stability. I also continued to highlight the need for accountability in regard to the person wanted in connection to the horrific killing of Private Sean Rooney. I made it very clear to the prime minister the absolute determination of the Irish Government to continue to pursue justice for this terrible crime. He finished his addressed by telling the soldiers he is immensely proud of the long tradition of Irish peacekeeping. Those involved in ongoing efforts for peace are doing critically important work. It is work that we in Ireland and people all over the world hope and pray is successful, he said. The tradition of UN peacekeeping, in which we have participated for just short of 70 years, is about saving lives and ensuring others can enjoy the gift of peace. The work you are doing here in south Lebanon encapsulates all that is good and positive about that tradition. Know that the government and the people of Ireland are very appreciative of your service and dedication to the cause of peace. I wrote in last years Holly Bough about my daughter, Jemma, whos currently in Melbourne, working as a veterinary nurse in what they call a referral practice. Shes gaining huge experience and learning so much every day about the work that she loves to do. This time last year, we were coming to terms with not having her home for Christmas. I was pleasantly taken aback by the reaction to my few scribbles. I met and was contacted by many other parents of young people who are overseas. They told me how it had struck a chord with them, brought a lump to their throat, but also made them smile. I wont lie. Christmas wasnt the same. How could it be? Our family is divided by a gulf of 17,415 (to be precise about it, like!) kilometres. That having been said, we had a lovely video call on Christmas Day. We have an annual ritual of drinks and nibbles at my brothers house. She dialled in and joined the festivities remotely for about ten minutes, and it literally made Christmas. Jemma came home in March for a month and we lived every day to the full. We talked a lot about her adventures Down Under, and it was written all over her face how much she is loving this stage of her life. Shes a vibrant, gorgeous, happy, independent, young woman, living her dreams. At 28 now, shes all grown up but shes still our baby girl. Shes also still the one that got (in her Mams opinion anyway!) far too much of her Dads DNA. As I turned 60 this year (shock!, horror!), I realised I dont have many regrets in life. Ive spent over 40 of those years doing a job I love. I have a fabulous family and a wonderful circle of friends. I am in good health, besides a bit of arthritis. Im a lucky man with much cause to be grateful. If theres one regret I do have, its that I didnt do what Jemma is doing now. I certainly thought about it. Queen Bee and I, dating at the time, even discussed it, but visas were harder to come by back then. I was literally one week too old for the most popular programme at the time, so it never happened. As I hugged Jemma at Dublin Airport in January 2024, I whispered to her go, and see what I didnt. Have those adventures .. but then come home. If Im honest, I am, in a small way, living it decades later through her eyes. Heading into 2026, Ive a feeling she has more to see and do. When she was home in the spring, we talked a lot. I promise you, Dad, she said, over a beer, Ill wake up one morning and decide Ive had enough, and then Ill be home. This is not forever, its just for now.. We clinked bottles and I said Ill bloody hold you to that, kid..! There will be an empty chair at the Christmas dinner table again this year, as she continues her adventure. Shes going camping in South Australia. It has to be done, as they say. Well see her during 2026, and like the last time, that visit cant come soon enough, but Ive thought a lot about families like ours since I wrote in last years Holly Bough. Thousands of young people are leaving these shores for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the wider EU and beyond. The official figures tell us that within anything from one to five years, the vast majority will come home. They will see what they need to see, do what they need to do, live their best lives and then come back to Ireland. Modern technology means we can talk to them see their faces - on Christmas Day or every day if we want to. Photos and messages go from Cork to Melbourne or Midleton to Montreal in seconds. Its not, and never will be the same as sharing out the turkey and ham with them, fighting for the last spoon of JJ ODriscolls special gravy, but still, the world isnt so huge any more. As I wrote last year, dreams are there to be lived, and who are we to stand in the way. As parents, we give them wings to fly so we have to be willing to let them spread those wings when the time comes. Yes, some will settle. Some chicks will build their nest in a faraway tree, so to speak. Theres not a parent reading these words, Ill bet, who deep down, doesnt fear that. I know I do but we have to just trust that the call of home will be strong enough. In our case, my heart tells me it will, and that makes me happy in the moments we miss her most. Without being political, because the Holly Bough is not the publication for that, I hope our leaders recognise they have a duty to amplify that call. In our case, Jemma and her partner, Ian, are skilled young professionals with every prospect of good jobs to come home to when the time is right. There are thousands like them. Government needs to help create an Ireland where they can, in time, find a place to live and settle back down. Nobody I know blames the Government for our sons and daughters deciding to head off and see the world, but if they dont come back because there might not be a future for them then well have a different conversation but I suppose that must be for another day. For now, from our family to yours wherever they are, Happy Christmas. This story appeared in the 2025 Holly Bough . Two women who admitted stealing more than 500 worth of perfume from a Cork pharmacy have each been sentenced to three months in prison. Outlining the facts of the case, Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told the court that the accused women were part of a group of four who went into Harringtons Pharmacy on Ashe Street in Clonakilty at 4.40pm on November 10, 2025. The women selected a number of bottles of perfume with a total value of 506.40 and concealed them within their clothing and then left the premises without making any attempt to pay for the items. Gardai were called and CCTV of the theft was viewed identifying the women. The two accused, Daniela Rostas, aged 31 of Mile Stream, Shanakiel, Cork and Rita Muntean, aged 21 of Corbans Square, Military Hill, Cork were identified and arrested in Clonakilty at 5.05pm. The women who were both charged with theft were taken to Clonakilty Garda Station where they made certain admissions. The court was told the property was placed in a re-sealable container and hidden in a field but was recovered in saleable condition. The court heard that Muntean had six previous convictions, including five for theft, and Rostas had 29 previous convictions, including 17 for theft. Defence solicitor Dennis Healy said the women were members of the Roma community and the two others in the group were not known to them before they met them in Clonakilty. He said they identified each other by the way they dressed and "when they go out in a group they egg each other on". He said Rostas had stolen the items for her boyfriend and had no income of her own except for childrens allowance for one child. Judge Joanne Carroll said the women had come to Clonakilty with the intention of stealing luxury items. She said Muntean had been convicted of five thefts in less than eight weeks before the incident and received a suspended sentence and then came down to Clonakilty to participate in theft. The judge said she had no option but to convict the women and impose a custodial sentence. Both women were convicted of theft and sentenced to three months in prison. Recognisance for appeal was fixed at 100. Funded by the Courts Reporting Service. A Cork woman whose Bichon Frise-cross dog bit her neighbour has been convicted of failing to control the animal. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Clonakilty District Court that gardai received a report from an injured party on June 27, 2025, that they had been bitten by a dog in Clonakilty. The court heard the injured party was walking near his home in Clonakilty when he encountered his neighbour Elizabeth Pendleberry, aged 71, of St Vincent's Place, Clonakilty. The court was told the injured party spoke to Pendleberry who had her Bichon Frise-cross dog on a lead. The court was told that the dog jumped up and bit the injured party causing a minor wound and the man reported the incident to gardai. Pendleberry said the dog was now muzzled when out in public and she had also brought it for behaviour training. She said the dog was defensive of her and on the day in question she was going out to her car in the rain. She said she stopped to talk to her neighbour who then walked across her and the dog reacted defensively. She told the court that she had had a difficult year following the death of her daughter. The court heard that Pendleberry had no previous convictions, and had a licence for the dog. Judge Joanne Carroll offered her sympathy to Pendleberry for her loss. She said that she had to convict her for failing to control the dog contrary to Section 9 of the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 and fined Pendleberry 100 allowing four months to pay the fine. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. Objections from transport authorities to planning applications along West Corks N71 road are cruel and anti-farmer, according to local Fianna Fail councillor Joe Carroll. Mr Carroll made the comments at the recent meeting of Cork County Councils Western Committee, where a report on road infrastructure was presented to councillors. Mr Carroll said he was part of a delegation from the council that met with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) officials in Dublin in October, where he said the TII representatives didnt seem to be very encouraging. Mr Carroll said a lack of development of the N71, the main national road connecting Cork City to West Cork and onto Kenmare in Co Kerry, meant it was almost impossible for young famers to get planning permission along the route, as sight-lines required by planning guidelines were virtually impossible to achieve anywhere along the route. Mr Carroll said a large number of farmers were being turned down for planning permission because of objections from TII, as sight-lines of 70m from each side of an entrance onto the road was not achievable. Mr Carroll said: You wont find that anywhere on the N71 from here to Kenmare. Mr Carroll said when he has raised the issue previously, he has been told officials were only implementing policy. "Its a cruel policy and its anti-farmer. Mr Carroll called for the council to write to TII to state the case, and not to accept the response that the State body was applying policy. Too many young farmers are being turned down for planning. Do we want them to stay in farming? This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme With a very serious flu outbreak expected to peak this week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said pop-up vaccination clinics are offering the flu jab to anyone who needs it. Mr Martin appealed to those who have not yet been vaccinated to get the jab, as the winter flu has been forecast by the HSE to reach its peak in and around Christmas Day, with hospital workers bracing themselves for a surge in admissions during Christmas week. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Irish peacekeepers stationed at Camp Shamrock in South Lebanon on Saturday, Mr Martin said the flu was a matter of ongoing concern for the HSE and the Government. It is a very serious flu, and all the advice is that it will peak in and around Christmas Day and Christmas week, and there are various actions being taken by the health services and have been taken already which are mitigating the impact on acute hospital services, to the greatest degree possible, he said. There will be varying actions taken by various hospitals in terms of the restrictions and so on, very much based on the rates of flu in given communities. Mr Martin said pop-up vaccination clinics would be set up in various locations, offering the flu jab to anyone who needed it. Even at this stage I would appeal to people to get vaccinated, thats the best defence a person can have against this flu, it is a particularly strong strain of flu, and it is a matter of ingoing concern, he said. At the start of last week, 634 people were hospitalised with the flu, and HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said hospital workers were expecting a surge for Christmas week. Mr Gloster said the HSE had been predicting a range of 700 to 1,500 cases being in hospital on any one day at the height of the flu outbreak, but those expectations had moderated somewhat. That range has now narrowed to a band of 800 to 1,100, he said. We will also see the same number of new cases hospitalised per week. The latest modelling data available to me today is that the flu will peak Christmas week. Advice on the flu, including a list of walk-in clinics, is available from the HSE at https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/flu/ Eva Osborne Every year, hundreds of people make the journey to Newgrange, Co Meath, to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Some even travel from overseas. But many celebrate in their own ways closer to home. According to My Irish Jeweler, the Winter Solstice has been celebrated in Ireland for over 5,000 years, making it a celebration older than the Celts. Newgrange was built by Stone Age farmers about 5,200 years ago (3,200 BC), which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The passage and chamber are aligned with the rising sun on the mornings around the Winter Solstice. Irish archaeologist Dr Frank Prendergast said the chamber is "an incredible feat of engineering". But if you aren't lucky enough to be selected as a winner of the Newgrange 'solstice lottery', gaining you access to the chamber to watch the sunrise, then how else might you celebrate the Winter Solstice? Yule logs, holly, and mistletoe All the things we associate with Christmas, like feasting and spending time with our family and friends, lead back to Celtic Winter Solstice traditions. Gathering around the fire, burning Yule logs, and decorating with holly and mistletoe are no different. The burning of a Yule log to celebrate the solstice started well before medieval times. The light from the burning log is meant to entice the sun to return, orginiating from the jol (Yule) festival in Scandinavia, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Families would bring the trunk of the Yule tree inside and stick the big end of it into the fireplace. The log would feed the fire through the 12 Days of Christmas (from Christmas Day through the evening of the 5th of Januaryknown as Twelfth Night). If you cannot get your hands on a Yule log, hang some holly or share a great meal with friends and family. Celebrate the fact that you have come out the other side of the darkest days of the year! According to Emerald Isle, holly was often hung or grown outside Irish homes in the belief that it would protect from evil spirits, who would get caught on its sharp spikes. The ancient Gaels associated it with eternity and endurance against adversity. Pointing out the 'grand stretch' Days will be longer from tomorrow onwards. Although the difference will be unnoticeable at first, many will still remark on the 'grand stretch' in the evenings that the Winter Solstice has brought about. The Irish Jeweler points out that, probably much like our ancestors, we feel relieved once December 21st has passed. The Winter Solstice celebrates the end of the dark days, and a return of hope, prosperity, and light. So, even if these dark days continue well into January and February, we know we are heading towards brighter and warmer days. TAIPEI, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 Winter Solstice, the last of the 24 Chinese solar terms in a year, falls on Sunday and is being celebrated across the Taiwan region with the tradition of eating tangyuan -- glutinous rice balls which symbolize reunion and good fortune. In Taipei, sales at tangyuan stores surged significantly in the days leading up to the Winter Solstice. On Friday, long queues for tangyuan were seen at shop entrances even past noon. On the Tonghua Street block, where people flock for traditional street foods in Taipei, a well-known local tangyuan shop saw at least 10 times more customers than usual on Friday. "Every Winter Solstice, we are flooded with people. And today, within hours of opening, we had already sold 4,000 to 5,000 servings," a staff member surnamed Liu told Xinhua as he packed orders, adding that they had begun preparing ingredients for the Winter Solstice rush two months in advance. Tangyuan are commonly filled with sweet ingredients such as peanuts or black sesame, or savory fillings like minced pork, and served in warm soup. In Taipei, local shops have also developed innovative variations based on traditional flavors. Also located on the Tonghua Street block, one trendy shop is famous for its signature "ice and fire tangyuan," which are freshly cooked and served atop shaved ice, finished with a drizzle of osmanthus syrup. Its owner, a 25-year-old man surnamed He, said that the glutinous rice balls it sells are more similar to yuanxiao, which are made by repeatedly rolling the filling in dry glutinous rice flour, while tangyuan are made by wrapping filling in dough. "These yuanxiao have a crystal-clear outer layer, and they are chewier," he said. Behind the countless bowls of tangyuan enjoyed on any single day is both people's love of the dish and their appreciation for the solar terms that are an important part of traditional Chinese culture. "The Winter Solstice is an important day that carries the meaning of reunion, and this kind of deeply rooted emotional bond has kept traditional festivals in Taiwan alive and continuously passed down," said Chen Chun-lin, who works in the field of culture in Taiwan. El Salvador announced prison sentences for hundreds of gang members on Sunday, with some of the convicted receiving terms of hundreds of years. In a post on X, the Attorney General's office said that 248 members of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gang had received "exemplary sentences" for 43 homicides and 42 disappearances, among other crimes. It did not specify the date of the sentencings or whether the accused had been tried en masse. One individual was sentenced to 1,335 years in prison, while 10 others received prison terms ranging from 463 to 958 years, the post said. Since March 2022, President Nayib Bukele has been cracking down on gangs under a state of emergency that allows for arrests without warrants. More than 90,000 people have been detained, and some 8,000 have been released after being found not guilty, according to official sources. Bukele's campaign against gangs has reduced homicides to historically low levels in the Central American country, but human rights groups accuse the security forces of committing abuses. According to the Salvadoran government, MS-13 and another gang, Barrio 18, are responsible for the deaths of approximately 200,000 people over the course of three decades. The two gangs once controlled an estimated 80 percent of the country, and El Salvador had one of the highest homicide rates in the world. The groups extorted "victims who owned businesses, demanding different amounts of money in exchange for not harming them," the Attorney General's office said. "Some people had to close their businesses out of fear of the threats," it added. The United States has designated MS-13 and several other gangs in Central and South America as foreign terrorist organizations. bur-hma/val/jgc/ksb Actor Vicky Kaushal is soaking in the joys of fatherhood after welcoming his baby boy with wife Katrina Kaif earlier this year. Amid this new phase of life, the actor has chosen a special film from his career that he hopes to share with his son when the time is right. Speaking to NDTV in an interview, actor Vicky Kaushal opened up about fatherhood and reflected on his journey so far, both personally and professionally. When asked which of his films he would want his son to watch first, Vicky didnt hesitate. Innovation Partnership Award highlights deep collaboration, real-time intelligence sharing, and advanced security deployment across one of Australia's leading financial trading platforms SYDNEY, Dec. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated ( TYO: 4704 ; TSE: 4704 ), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced that Vantage Markets has been honoured with its Innovation Partnership Award, recognising the organisation's pioneering approach to strengthening cyber resilience and its strategic collaboration with Trend Micro. Vantage Markets' group of companies operates across more than 30 global offices, while Vantage Markets is recognised as one of the world's leading multi-asset trading platforms. Its focus on reliability, speed, and user experience has made it the number one trading platform in Australia and number two globally. Facing rapid growth and an increasingly complex global threat landscape, the organisation has invested heavily in establishing an integrated, intelligence-driven cybersecurity foundation. Since 2021, Vantage Markets and Trend Micro have built a close partnership. Through this collaboration, Vantage Markets has scaled its security capability into a global function, leveraging real-time threat intelligence and unified visibility across critical environments. Eric Cheng, Head of Cyber and Information Security, Vantage Markets: "Security underpins every aspect of the trading experience we deliver. Working with Trend Micro has allowed us to mature our security operations far faster than we could have alone. The ability to correlate cloud, workload, and identity telemetry in one place has fundamentally changed how we detect and respond to threats across our global footprint. This recognition reflects our commitment to continuously raising the bar for resilience, not just for our own organisation, but for the broader financial services ecosystem." Vantage Markets has deployed a comprehensive suite of Trend Micro solutions within the Vision One AI-Powered Enterprise Cybersecurity Platform, including, Trend Vision One Cyber Risk Exposure Management (CREM), Trend Vision One XDR for Endpoints, Trend Vision One Endpoint Security, Trend Vision One Cloud Security and Trend Service One. This integrated approach has delivered enhanced visibility across cloud, users, and applications; faster detection and response; and a consistent security experience across its rapidly expanding global presence. Complementing this technology foundation, the Vantage security team holds globally recognised certifications, including CISSP, CCSP, CISM, CRISC, CRT, OSCP, CDPSE, and CISA, and has extensive experience in bank-grade security architecture and global red-team operations. This expertise ensures user accounts and assets are safeguarded by highly qualified professionals with proven capabilities. Innovation driven by insight and shared intelligence A key factor recognised by the award is Vantage Markets' continuous contribution to the broader cybersecurity community. The organisation regularly shares intelligence on emerging threat actors, participates in private product previews, and provides feedback that directly informs Trend Micro's platform evolution. This collaborative model has strengthened both organisations' capabilities, enabling Trend Micro to refine threat detection and response technologies while empowering Vantage Markets with deeper situational awareness and real-time threat context. Strengthening cyber resilience across financial services Financial institutions globally continue to face increasingly sophisticated and fast-moving cyber threats. For Vantage Markets, the ability to unify telemetry, automate risk identification, and accelerate investigation workflows has been central to its security transformation. The Trend Vision One platform has played a foundational role in delivering these outcomes, enabling more integrated protection across cloud infrastructure, workloads, identity, and user activity. Srujan Talakokkula, Managing Director, Trend Micro Commercial ANZ: "Vantage Markets is a prime example of what's possible when organisations treat cybersecurity as a strategic enabler. Their pace of adoption, willingness to collaborate, and contribution to threat intelligence have directly influenced how we evolve our platform. By consolidating visibility and automating high-value security workflows, they've built a resilient and scalable model that sets a benchmark for financial services organisations across the region. We're proud to support their journey and excited for what comes next." Looking ahead The recognition marks a significant milestone in Trend Micro and Vantage Markets' ongoing partnership, reinforcing their shared commitment to improving cybersecurity readiness across the financial services sector. As Vantage Markets continues to expand its global presence, the organisation is committed to strengthening financial-grade security for the long term. It will further leverage Trend Micro's AI-powered platform to advance its security vision, enhancing compliance, fortifying cloud protection, and ensuring safer experiences for clients worldwide. About Trend Micro Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information between people, governments, and enterprises. Trend leverages security expertise and AI to protect more than 500,000 enterprises and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, endpoints, and devices worldwide. At the core is Trend Vision One, the only AI-powered enterprise cybersecurity platform that centralises cyber risk exposure management and security operations, delivering layered protection across on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. The unmatched threat intelligence delivered by Trend empowers organisations to proactively defend against hundreds of millions of threats every day. Proactive security starts here. www.TrendMicro.com.au . About Vantage Vantage Markets (or Vantage) is a multi-asset CFD broker offering clients access to a nimble and powerful service for trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs) products, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, ETFs, and Bonds. With over 15 years of market experience, Vantage transcends the role of broker, providing a reliable trading platform, an award-winning mobile trading app, and a user-friendly trading platform that provide clients access to trading opportunities. trade smarter @vantage RISK WARNING : CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Ensure you understand the risks before trading. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or solicitation of any financial products or services. The content is not intended for residents of any jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. Readers are advised to seek independent professional advice before making any investment or financial decisions. Any reliance you place on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1745281/Vantage_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vantage-markets-recognised-for-real-time-threat-intelligence-collaboration-with-trend-micro-302647550.html Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - December 21, 2025) - Strengthening Regional Energy Resilience, Winmar Holdings has announced a partnership with CNAE Power aimed at accelerating large-scale Sodium Battery production to support renewable energy storage and sustainability in Southeast Asia. The collaboration seeks to enhance the region's capacity for clean power integration and energy independence through advanced storage technology. Winmar Holdings Announces Strategic Partnership with CNAE Power for Renewable Energy Storage To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/278369_d71fa55394936a58_002full.jpg This initiative underscores Winmar Holdings' long-term strategy to expand green infrastructure, reduce carbon dependence, and reinforce resilience against climate-related disruptions. According to the company, this partnership represents a pivotal step in developing sustainable systems capable of supporting Southeast Asia's growing demand for clean energy solutions. Climate Realities and the Need for Urgent Transition As climate-related disasters continue to intensify across the region, Winmar Holdings has called for immediate action toward sustainable energy adoption. Floods, landslides, and extreme weather events are increasingly affecting areas previously considered safe. The company highlighted that these occurrences are direct consequences of prolonged industrial activities that have disturbed ecological balance and destabilized natural systems. "Environmental resilience requires more than awareness; it demands technological transformation," a Winmar Holdings representative stated. "Innovation must serve as both our compass and catalyst in achieving a sustainable global future." Technology and Innovation as Catalysts for Sustainability Winmar Holdings has emphasized that technological advancement plays a decisive role in achieving energy transformation. Among these emerging technologies, Quantum Chip computing has gained global attention for delivering ultra-fast processing speeds with reduced energy consumption. The company noted that Quantum Chip systems are increasingly vital across sectors such as finance, blockchain networks, and data security. Their integration allows for faster and more efficient digital operations while maintaining low carbon footprints, representing a technological evolution aligned with global sustainability goals. Collaborative Development in Sodium Battery Technology Through its partnership with CNAE Power, Winmar Holdings aims to drive scalable Sodium Battery solutions tailored for renewable energy storage. Sodium-based batteries have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional lithium-ion systems due to their stability, environmental safety, and cost efficiency. This collaboration will focus on applying Sodium Battery technologies to renewable energy frameworks, including wind and solar systems, while supporting regional manufacturing and research capabilities. The partnership is expected to contribute to more affordable and sustainable energy accessibility throughout Southeast Asia. "Sodium batteries have demonstrated strong potential in supporting renewable storage networks and advancing regional sustainability," the company explained. "By combining resources and expertise with CNAE Power, Winmar Holdings is reinforcing its role in accelerating the clean energy transition." Leadership Vision for a Greener Future Mr. Eric Syafutra, Chairman of Winmar Holdings, emphasized the strategic importance of unified innovation in achieving global sustainability objectives. "We are entering a period where energy systems and digital technology must evolve together to safeguard our planet," said Mr. Syafutra. "At Winmar Holdings, innovation is more than a goal; it is our responsibility. The partnership with CNAE Power reflects our mission to enable renewable adoption on a regional scale while maintaining economic and environmental balance." Winmar Holdings Announces Strategic Partnership with CNAE Power for Renewable Energy Storage To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/278369_d71fa55394936a58_003full.jpg He continued, "Through collaboration, we aim to strengthen Southeast Asia's renewable infrastructure and inspire similar initiatives globally. Our focus remains on building sustainable systems that serve both humanity and the environment." Winmar Holdings reiterated its commitment to working alongside governments, institutions, and global partners in promoting renewable power, energy storage, and next-generation computing systems that support a sustainable industrial future. About Winmar Holdings Winmar Holdings is a global energy and technology solutions provider headquartered in Singapore. Established in 2018 under PT Winmar Jaya Utama, the company operates in energy, commodities, and sustainability investments, with expanding expertise in oil, gas, petrochemicals, gold, and carbon credit markets. Winmar Holdings is currently advancing renewable energy initiatives and digital transformation projects, including partnerships with organizations such as Mingyang China and WPPEI Energy. Through strategic partnerships and innovation, Winmar Holdings continues to lead efforts in promoting responsible industrial development, clean energy adoption, and global sustainability. More information is available at www.winmarholding.com. Media Contact: Contact Info: Name: Eric Syafutra Email: newedward@protonmail.com Organization: Winmar Holdings Website: https://www.winmarholding.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278369 Source: Plentisoft George Clooneys sister Adelia Ada Zeidler has died at 65 after a battle with cancer. The actor called her his hero as family and friends remember her life. Adelia Ada Zeidler, the older sister of actor George Clooney, has died at the age of 65 following a brave battle with cancer, her family confirmed. Zeidler passed away on Friday, December 19, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Kentucky, surrounded by loved ones, according to her obituary. In an emotional tribute to People magazine, Clooney described his sister as his hero, praising her courage and sense of humour as she faced down the illness. Ive never met anyone so brave, the Oscar-winning actor said. Clooney added that both he and his wife, Amal, will miss her terribly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ada Zeidler was born on May 2, 1960, in Los Angeles to journalist and TV personality Nick Clooney and writer Nina Bruce Warren. Despite her famous brother, she led a private and quietly impactful life in her Kentucky community. She was a talented artist, a former elementary school art teacher, and a dedicated member of local community groups, including a book club and the Augusta Art Guild. According to her obituary, Zeidler was a National Merit Scholar in high school, and later attended college in Louisville and Northern Kentucky before working as a bookkeeper. She also served as grand marshal of Augustas Annual White Christmas Parade and was known for her love of reading and community involvement. In 1987, she married Norman Zeidler, a retired Army captain; he died in 2004. Although Zeidler rarely appeared in the public eye, she did attend her brothers 2014 wedding to Amal Clooney in Venice, Italy, a cherished family moment captured by the media at the time. Zeidler is survived by her children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga, her brother George and his wife Amal, her parents Nick and Nina Clooney, and extended family members. A funeral mass is scheduled for Monday, December 22, 2025, with memorial contributions suggested for the Knoedler Memorial Library in Augusta. Games View All KIEV, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro did not rule out the possibility of his country participating in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after the conclusion of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, the visiting prime minister stated, "We do not want to be here during a war, but in the Coalition of the Willing, Portugal participates and will participate in peacekeeping operations." He emphasized, however, that no such mission is currently being planned. Portugal is part of the Coalition of the Willing -- a group of about 30 countries supporting Ukraine. Montenegro added that Portugal is already supporting Ukraine in developing underwater drones. Zelensky said that Ukraine and Portugal had signed a partnership agreement for the production of underwater drones. Montenegro arrived in Kiev earlier on Saturday. Nora Fatehi was injured after her car was hit by a drunk driver in Mumbai while heading to Sunburn Festival. The actor says shes okay. Bollywood actor and dancer Nora Fatehi was injured in a car accident in Mumbai on Saturday, December 20 while en route to the Sunburn Festival, police and sources confirmed. The collision occurred when a vehicle, allegedly driven by a drunk driver, rammed into the car she was travelling in, leaving her with minor injuries and a slight concussion, authorities said. According to reports, the accident took place on Link Road in suburban Amboli as Fatehi was headed to the music festival, where she was scheduled to appear alongside international DJ David Guetta. Her team quickly rushed her to a nearby hospital, where doctors conducted scans and confirmed no serious internal injuries, only a mild concussion and swelling from the impact. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Taking to Instagram Stories later on Saturday, Fatehi shared a video message to reassure fans. Hey guys, Im okay. Yes, I was in a really serious car accident today a drunk person that was driving under the influence smashed my car, she said, describing how the force of the crash threw her across the vehicle and caused her to hit her head against the window. She added that she was grateful to be alive and well, despite the pain. Fatehi, who called the incident one of the most terrifying and traumatic moments of her life, urged people not to drink and drive, stressing that such behaviour endangers innocent lives. Its 2025. I cannot believe that this is even a conversation, she said, expressing disbelief that someone could be driving under the influence in broad daylight. Despite medical advice to rest, Fatehi chose to fulfil her professional commitment and went ahead with her planned appearance at the Sunburn 2025 event later the same day. She said, I dont let anything get in the way of my work, my ambition, and any opportunities that I get. So, no drunk driver was going to get in that kind of opportunity. I worked way too hard to reach these milestones and moments. That might look crazy to you, but long story short, dont drink and drive. Games View All Authorities have detained the driver believed to be responsible for the crash and are investigating the incident further. As of now, officials have not disclosed additional details about charges or the condition of the other driver. Office parties are a fixture as the year ends. However, these gatherings can cause anxiety in introverts; mingling, for them, is often draining. Here are some tips for introverts to brave the holiday season outings For many introverts mingling at parties is often draining or arouses uncomfortable emotions. Representational image/AI The year the radio station company where he worked held its holiday party at a dive bar, Ryan Arnold walked in and saw coworkers passing around a tall glass boot filled with beer. He heard the office manager belting out 80s power ballads between whiskey shots. Arnolds first thought was, When can I leave? More than 20 years later, he still remembers that awkward social event he felt obligated to attend. Arnold, 46, who describes himself as socially anxious, now thinks twice before accepting invitations to group gatherings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I dont want to go into a place where I experience things I cant unsee, he said. Not to be dramatic, but I just dont want that image. For many introverts, shy individuals, and people with social anxiety, mingling at parties is often draining or arouses uncomfortable emotions. The internal debate about whether or not to attend large get-togethers can get especially intense during the holiday season, a time when many workplaces celebrate with cocktail hours, gift exchanges, and other forms of organised fun. Some people are just not party people, City University of New York social work professor Laura MacLeod said. With a workplace holiday party, theres pressure to be very happy and excited. Its the end of the year, its the holidays, were all feeling grand. And maybe people are not really feeling that grand. Attending work parties also leaves some people feeling uncertain about professional boundaries, which can get murky at events where people drink alcohol, said MacLeod, who created a consulting company called From the Inside Out Project that trains managers on team relationships and conflict resolution. Therapists and workers who consider themselves shy or introverted shared tips for surviving and potentially enjoying the winter festivities, whether with coworkers, family, or friends. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dress for comfort Take control of everything you can to put yourself at ease, starting with what you wear, MacLeod said. Find out the dress code and choose something comfortable within the parameters of acceptable attire. If its not your thing to wear five- or six-inch heels, just because its a holiday party, dont do it, she said. If you want flat shoes, wear flat shoes. Arrive early, head for the middle Introverts and shy people may find smaller crowds more manageable, and the turnout at parties tends to be smallest at arrival time. While nerves might make it tempting to hug the sidelines, positioning yourself there also may increase self-consciousness. Experts suggest heading to the center of the room, where participating in conversations is easier because there are more of them. For many introverts mingling at parties is often draining or arouses uncomfortable emotions. Representational image/AI If youre feeling anxious or overwhelmed, stay a short time. Its fine to say, I just wanted to come and be sure to wish everybody happy holidays. Ive got some family things I have to handle tonight, so this is a quick stop for me, MacLeod said. Get yourself in and out. Plan talking points Thinking in advance of topics you enjoy discussing can help relieve anxiety. Another good way to engage is by asking open-ended questions, such as whether a colleague has interesting holiday plans, recommended Andrea Taylor, a psychologist at UTHealth Houston. You can also ask people what they like to do outside of work. Keeping a conversation going doesnt have to require heavy lifting. Remember that your answers dont have to be perfect, she said. Suitable responses could include something like, I havent done that, but that sounds interesting, or Whoa, youre great for doing that, but Im not the bungee jumping type, Taylor added. Steer clear of topics that may be divisive and keep things light, she said. For encounters with a high-level boss, you can keep it short and simple, saying, This is a great party. Thank you so much for doing all this. Its been a great year, and I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday, and then move on, MacLeod suggested. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dont stress about awkward silence People who are shy or have social anxiety sometimes fear having nothing to say. But if a topic runs its course, thats OK, Taylor said. Silences feel uncomfortable. But that doesnt mean that it is your specific responsibility to fill the silence, she said. If that happens while Taylor is chatting with a colleague, she sometimes acknowledges the sudden pause, saying, This is awkward because were so used to talking about work things, arent we. If someone youre talking to seems distracted, dont assume theyre bored with you, Taylor said. It could be as simple as theyve had a long day or theyre dehydrated and their head hurts, or theyre wishing they had changed their shoes before they came, or they happen to be missing their kids recital, she said. I caution people against mind reading because were really good at misinterpreting what people are thinking, and often we do it in a negative direction. Seek allies or bring support Carla Pruitt, a business development associate at engineering company ENFRA, recalls a holiday gift exchange someone organised at a place she once worked. Participants were asked to bring socks, and no one wanted the aloe-infused pair Pruitt contributed. She took them back. I was so embarrassed and mortified, she said. Her social anxiety at in-person events has increased during the five years shes worked remotely from her home in Salt Lake City, she said. Pruitt, 44, said she looks for other women with children or fellow pet lovers when she does go to company events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If someone youre talking to seems distracted, dont assume theyre bored with you. Representational image/AI I can talk about my dog all day, she said. Pruitt feels more at ease attending work parties when she can hire a babysitter and her husband accompanies her. She also likes it when other attendees invite her into conversations and wishes more outgoing people would think to do that when they see someone who appears reserved. Look for the people in the room that might be standing off to the side and approach them, Pruitt said. It means so much to them. To go or not to go? People who are anxious in social settings dont have to avoid work parties and may benefit by sometimes showing up, Taylor said. Focusing more on the activity and less on your feelings is one coping strategy, she said. Its possible to feel anxious and still do things, Taylor said. And actually, once we do that, we tend to walk away from that with a feeling of accomplishment and self-efficacy, and sometimes just feeling proud. I didnt let the anxiety stop me. After receiving an invitation, ask yourself whether its important to attend the event or not. If your goal is to talk with one or two specific people, you can go with that intention and give yourself a time limit, MacLeod said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Arnold knows that large work-related gatherings drain his social battery. But as the owner and president of public relations firm DeSoto & State Communications, he receives holiday event invitations from networking groups. Each one is reviewed for a reason why he should go. He doesnt drink alcohol, so is inclined to pass if an event includes an open bar. I would, nine times out of 10, much rather hang with my books and my wife, he said. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Monday said that India mainly exports expensive basmati rice to the US, and there is no case for dumping of the commodity in the American market. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Monday said that India mainly exports expensive basmati rice to the US, and there is no case for dumping of the commodity in the American market. He said that already, a 50 per cent tariff is there on Indian rice. We mainly export basmati rice to the US, which is a GI product our more than 80 per cent of exports is basmati rice. We export very less non-basmati white rice. Our basmati rice export prices in the US are very high than general export prices. So prima facie there is no case of dumping in the US, he told reporters here. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Agrawal said that no dumping investigation has been initiated by the US. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said that India should not be dumping rice into the United States market, and he will take care of it, while stressing that tariffs will solve the problem easily. He also indicated that India might have to pay higher tariffs on rice. Mukesh Ambani honoured Dr Raghunath Mashelkar at Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, launching his book More from Less for More and celebrating his 54 honorary PhDs and impact on Reliance and India. Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani delivered an emotional address on Saturday at a felicitation ceremony honouring eminent scientist Dr Raghunath Mashelkar. The event also witnessed the launch of Dr Mashelkars new book and celebrated his rare distinction of having received 54 honorary PhDs. The book, More from Less for More: Innovations Holy Grail, co-authored by Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar and Sushil Borde was launched at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Excerpts from Mukesh Ambanis speech: Reflecting on Dr Mashelkars life and contributions, Ambani said he saw in his journey a reflection of modern Indias own progress. Ambani began by acknowledging two figures who had profoundly shaped his thinking. First and foremost, Professor M. M. Sharma, who has had the greatest influence on me since I was 20 years old. I will reveal my age hereit has been 44 years. And Dr Mashelkar, whom I came to know personally in the 1990s, he said. Address by Mr Mukesh D Ambani at the special book launch titled More from Less for More : Innovations Holy Grail co-authored by Dr Raghunath Mashelkar and Mr Shushil Borde pic.twitter.com/jGV0N5Lr9H Reliance Industries Limited (@RIL_Updates) December 21, 2025 He added that both individuals had played a important role in shaping his outlook and were instrumental in several outcomes achieved by Reliance. That is why I want to begin by expressing my deepest respect to Professor Sharma, Ambani said, also noting the presence of Maharashtras Education Minister Chandrakant Patil at the event. Fifty-four honorary doctorates. Yes fifty-four. Most people struggle to get one degree in their lifetime. Dr. Mashelkar has earned them the way some people collect frequent-flyer miles! Whenever I congratulated him on his Honorary PhDs or the even more awards he has won, he would say, Arre Mukesh, but the real work is yet to begin." That is how we have seen worked together for 2 or 3 decades now. Dr Mashelkar is like that proverbial rich tree laden with fruits, but which always bends low. He is humility personified," he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Dr Mashelkars life journey, I see the journey of Modern India. A young boy studying under Mumbai streetlights grows up to illuminate the scientific imagination of an entire nation. All he had in his childhood was his mother Smt. Anjanijis love and his own steely determination and diligent efforts. He rose from scarcity to global respect. In his books and speeches, he has often described Indian society as an iceberg, where most people live below the visible surface. He says: Our challenge as scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators is to lift this iceberg above the surface so that everyone can have the quality of life they deserve." And this is common between Prof Sharma, Dr Mashelkar and my father. My father Dhirubhai founded Reliance with the sole aim of we must develop the quality of life of Indians. India and Indians must move forward and that is what the purpose of Reliance was, said Ambani. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yeh Mumkin Hai: Ambani on building New India New India is full of young dreamers. Millions of dreams are becoming a reality In India itself and not by chasing them as Prof Shama said in foreign lands. Of course, we still have a long way to go. But as Dr Mashelkar always says, Yeh MUMKIN hai." Its POSSIBLE. And that is what he has done all his life In rebuilding CSIR into a world-class scientific research ecosystem. In defending Indias traditional knowledge in global patent battles. In advising the government and corporates on innovation. And above all, for me, in building Reliance as a Science and deep tech led country," he said. I go back to mid-90s when he talked to us, at that time from Government of India, Science & Technology. I still remember Ajay, Swati. They were all around. I called him even then, Doc. I told him Doc, I want Reliance to become an a truly innovative company. We are good in project execution. Prof. Sharma always tells me that you buy technology, when will you make your own technology? And that is how our association started. And if I give credit on vision, I think that bulk of Reliances vision I have always validated with Prof Sharma has corrected it. And for the record, right, it has been royalty free. The only royalty that has happened is hes seen a smile on our face. But everything that weve done right, he has spent hours and after that with Dr Mashelkar. He has really been involved, hands on with us, in terms of from the trenches. And over the last two decades, he has been very much an integral part of what Reliance has achieved," he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I can say today with great pride that we have over 100,000 technical professionals in Reliance out of our 550,000 people. All of them are now at the threshold of really being a deep innovation, deep tech science led company. That is what Dr Mashelkar has contributed to Reliance. I told him that, if we want to I will take three hours to really enunciate his contribution to Reliance. I just want to share with this audience that when we started, he was the first to really bring in the Reliance Innovation Council, where we brought in a lot of Nobel laureates, global thinkers to really talk to our people in terms of what does local innovation mean? This we started in the year 2000. It was his idea. That Reliance Innovation Council, with grassroot capabilities in Reliance, have now spread, and they have become a movement. They are now basically our culture," he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ambani on the mantra of More from less for more Many years ago, he once told me: Mukesh, Reliance must become a deep-tech company. But it should be different from those in advanced countries." The formula he suggested was Extreme Affordability". He called it Gandhian Engineering. He has described it in his latest book with his famous mantra: MORE from LESS for MORE". Produce MORE using the latest technologies, with LESS natural and financial resources, to benefit MORE and MORE people is nothing but a philosophy that he has practiced for 30 years," Ambani said. I still remember when India sent its space mission, he had mentioned to me, Look, India has sent a rocket to Mars for less than the cost of a Bollywood movie. This is what Indian corporates should do with self-reliant efforts to offer products and services of highest quality to improve the lives of common Indians." I think that at Reliance we have taken his vision. We are always grateful for you to implement. Weve done this beyond the area of Chemical Engineering. Jio is a classic example where you are on my Board. There were lots of disbelievers in Jio for many years. Today, in my view, it has catapulted India into the digital mainstream of the world in terms of where we are and if we want to lead digital. I think the idea of us being the lowest data and with the world entering the intelligence age, Jio lays that foundation. Thank you, Doc, for describing the Jio story in your latest book," he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ambani: Indias energy future within reach One of the things that Prof Sharma, myself and particularly my father believed in was, if India imports 80 % of its energy, we can never become rich. Whatever else we do, we have to solve these issues. And I can say that, when we started, Dr Mashelkar again, said, with everything, one good thing is that with age actually increases his energy. Whenever I tell him we want to do this, he says, Yes, from tomorrow, Im putting 24 hours on it. We will have many conference calls and do it. So he sets up a new Energy Council, which we set up few years ago. I can say that with great confidence, with the people and the work that we have done is that we are at the doorsteps of solving local energy of not using solar only as a four-hour fuel, we can use solar to really solve some of the problems that India has to solve for a long time," he said. I will always be grateful to you to make sure that, like you have laid the foundation, and we will show the way as to how we can make green and clean energy available in abundance and affordable way with green fuels to not only India but most of the world. And that will be the best tribute that we can pay for this path of less for more. He has taught all of us to see Reliance not as an industrial company. But as a science company." Ambani on passion, knowledge and Indias future I must mention one more thing I have learnt from Doc. One day he told me, Mukesh, technology without compassion is just machinery. Technology with compassion becomes a social movement." I have reflected a lot upon this. The world is full of intelligent people. Now the world has also entered a new era of Artificial Intelligence. Of course, we need AI. We must become world leaders in AI. But we need EMPATHY and COMPASSION even more. By combining intelligence with empathy, prosperity with purpose, India can present a new model of development to the rest of the world," said Ambani. There are two more qualities that all of us and especially young Indians should learn from this proud son of India. Both qualities seem to grow with his age. One is his PASSION. Whenever he talks whether he is talking to politicians, businessmen or young students you can see how passionate he is. His other quality is his KEEN and TIRELESS PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE. He is a true Gyan Yogi. A lifelong learner. And he generously shares his learning. He is all the time sharing his knowledge and his rich experience with IITs, IIMs, IISERs, even small local colleges. This is because he wants India to become a nation of world-class universities and research institutes." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As we honour Dr Mashelkar on his almost unparalleled achievement, I wish to share with you another important reflection. He is the best-known bridge between the scientific community and the business community. But India needs more bridge-builders like him. We need much stronger integration of Indian businesses with Indian universities and research institutions. This is how India can become a deep-tech superpower. An India where AI, quantum, synthetic biology, advanced materials, space technologies, healthcare solutions and new agricultural practices are invented through the joint efforts of our scientists and enterprises, with right government policies. Dear Doc, I am sure this has been your lifelong dream. You have ignited millions of Indian minds with your words and deeds. Your life tells every Indian child: It doesnt matter where you start. What matters is how big you dream. How hard you work. And how deeply you care." On behalf of Reliance On behalf of this audience And on behalf of a grateful nation Thank you for inspiring India. Thank you for inspiring us. And thank you for shaping a future where India will not just join the world but lead it," said Ambani. As 2026 approaches, India is expected to continue balancing its interests amid global power competition, seeking strategic partnerships while maintaining strategic autonomy, positioning itself as a major economic and strategic power in a turbulent world As we come to the end of the year 2025, we have seen the ongoing trend of chaos, conflict, and, at times, confusion in the geopolitical arena. The war in Ukraine continues, with a possible closure in 2026. Much to European angst, Vladimir Putin, the Wizard of the Kremlin, continues to stand steadfast and call the shots in his own way. Meanwhile, Trump continues to push Europeans and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to his proposed peace deal that envisages concessions to Russia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The crisis in West Asia saw massive US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran has since fallen into a lull but is likely to remain a major source of interest and intrigue over the coming years. An unexpected war in Venezuela looks ever more likely. The G2 (the US and China) continue their economic war. Meanwhile, Trump continued to ravage the world through his punishing tariffs in his attempt to Make America Great Again (Maga) by balancing trade and reducing federal debt. As the US heads towards isolationism, and with war on Europes doorstep, alliances look ever more fragile. The US wants Europe to shoulder a much greater part of its own security. The Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which runs the Doomsday Clock, set it at 89 seconds to midnight in January 2025. They decided to move the clock one second closer to midnight, from the previous 90 seconds, because of climate change, nuclear threats, and biological hazards. The world is already perilously close to the precipice. A move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of increased danger and an unmistakable warning that every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster. The scourge of terrorism continued to visit India, as Pakistan remains the global fountainhead of terror. The Pakistan-backed Pahalgam Massacre invoked a massive response from India, hitting Pakistan hard in Op Sindoor. Pakistan-Afghanistan relations hit a new low, as Pashtuns made the Durand Line live with cross-border action. Bangladesh remains in a civil-war state after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, as the interim government tries to distance itself from India and makes overtures to China and Pakistan. The United States use of sanctions, technology dominance, and other tools of economic warfare has, at times, replaced military action as the weapon of choice for destabilising adversarial regimes, reflecting the US renewed vision of its place in the world and growing dissatisfaction with the previously self-championed ideals of globalisation. Mostly, sanctions have been found to be an ineffective tool, as seen from the growth of China, India, and Russia, among the most hit. Is the world heading for a new economic Cold War? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD All of this has continued to remind the world of the criticality of geopolitics for governments, businesses, and populations alike. The year 2026 looks to be no calmer for analysts and global affairs watchers, with great power competition, conflict, and challenges to established global orders continuing to dominate the geopolitical landscape. Major Global Events 2025 The 25th year of the third millennium and the 21st century saw an escalation of major armed conflicts, including the renewed Russian thrust into Ukraine, even as peace negotiations began between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The Gaza war, including famine and a humanitarian crisis, as well as the Sudanese civil war, also continued throughout the year. Internal crises in Armenia, Bangladesh, Ecuador, France, Georgia, Germany, Haiti, Peru, Somalia, and South Korea continued into 2025. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested and removed from office. The year also saw a wave of protests predominantly led by Generation Z, with some, such as those in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Madagascar, resulting in the overthrow of governments. Several brief conflicts arising from longstanding tensions emerged mid-year, including India-Pakistan in May, Iran-Israel in June, and Cambodia-Thailand in July. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In economics and business, the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency ushered in a series of tariffs levied by America on most of the world, significantly disrupting global trade, in addition to reinvigorating the China-United States trade war. The technology sector was additionally hit with the release of DeepSeeks chatbot, a Chinese large language model that competes with ChatGPT. Aviation and aerospace also saw accidents this year, including the crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, India. Several advances in space exploration were made as well, including the first crewed polar-orbit spaceflight and the first fully successful landing of a spacecraft on the Moon by a private company. Challenges and Opportunities India in 2025 In 2025, Indias geopolitical landscape was defined by balancing major power relations (the US, Russia, the EU, and China), navigating regional instability (Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives), pursuing key trade deals (with the US and EU), managing energy security amid global conflicts (Ukraine and West Asia), and addressing economic pressures from Western tariffs, all while enhancing strategic partnerships in areas such as technology and cyber security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US-India dynamics included dealing with potential US tariffs, America First policies, renewed US-Pakistan ties, and efforts to secure a significant trade deal for better market access. India-EU relations are a deepening Strategic Partnership focused on trade (with FTA talks ongoing), EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) cooperation, security, climate, and digital transformation, with both seeking to build resilient economies and counter Chinas influence under a shared goal of global stability and growth. However, EU-India differences on Russia create policy challenges. The EU sees India as a vital partner for supply-chain diversification, clean energy, and a rules-based Indo-Pacific, while India leverages EU technology and investment for its growth. This also meant navigating EU sanctions (including the Vadinar refinery), carbon border taxes, digital barriers, and balancing energy imports with other EU nations. India continues a delicate balance of trade with China despite border tensions while managing energy ties and geopolitical pressures over relations with Russia. President Putins state visit to India on December 4-5, 2025, for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit further strengthened the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. Major trade agreements with the US, the UK, EFTA, Qatar, and New Zealand could boost investment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On regional security and stability, addressing anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh and the Maldives and managing complex counter-terrorism efforts with Pakistan, including incidents such as the Pahalgam attack and Delhi bomb blasts, remained areas of concern. Increased militarisation in the Indo-Pacific region remained a key apprehension. Strengthening energy partnerships with the US, Russia, and Middle Eastern nations, and navigating global energy market turbulence, was handled with relative resilience. Facing pressures from global protectionism, leading to efforts to diversify and secure critical mineral supply chains, remained a challenge. Indias 8.2 per cent GDP growth in Q2 of 2025-26 was very encouraging. The year was marked by global structural shifts, increased nationalism, trade protectionism, and cyber-security threats. India balanced its interests amid global power competition, seeking strategic partnerships while maintaining strategic autonomy. Global Geopolitical Expectations 2026 Will Gaza finally see peace? How will the fragile ceasefire be handled? Can there be a homeland for Palestinians ruled by a moderate government and not militant Hamas? Will Iran restart full support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, creating an environment for military escalation in the Middle East and forcing increased Israeli targeting of Iran-aligned groups throughout the region? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel is likely to receive continued support from the US to pursue its objectives of occupation and displacement in Gaza, along with settlement expansion and the likely annexation of the West Bank. The US may exert little or no pressure on Israel to restrain its military activity elsewhere in the region, and Israel may feel emboldened to conduct strikes in Turkey, Egypt, or other states hosting Hamas leadership. Gulf and Islamic countries may intensify diplomatic pressure on Israel, including reviewing diplomatic and economic ties and activating regional defence commitments. Iran may head towards acute economic and security destabilisation. Irans internal and regional security will continue to destabilise due to domestic unrest, proxy weakening, the possibility of further Israeli offensives, and potential US supervision on its border with Azerbaijan and Armenia through management of the Zangezur Corridor, leading to possible military escalation. This could generate political pressure for moderation of ideological divisions. Turkey is tending towards political and security destabilisation, with the controversial arrests of over 100 politicians affiliated with the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) under investigation for corruption and tender rigging. President Erdogans anti-terrorism initiative targeting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has had consequences. A substantial increase in defence sector exports may gradually lift the lira from its record low. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russian missile and drone strikes against Ukraine will continue as Russia makes incremental territorial gains in eastern Ukraine. Russia has identified securing all of Donbas as a key goal. Will Europe and Ukraine give in to American pressure and accept the Ukraine deal? What kind of security guarantees can exist for Ukraine and other frontline states? Who will position a peacekeeping or monitoring force the UN, China, India, or the African Union? If the war does not stop, Russia may continue to gain territory and increase its bargaining power. The USA is unlikely to inject further funds, and Europe cannot shoulder the burden alone. There is a moderate to high probability that the US will increase economic pressure through secondary tariffs and sanctions if Russia continues to avoid taking concrete measures towards a peace deal. The Indo-Pacific will see diplomatic de-escalation as the US and China make further progress towards a trade agreement that lowers tariffs. There will be modest trade enhancements as the White Houses tariffs and technology restrictions rebalance and settle into a new normal, while AI-driven increases in power consumption and climate-related threats raise the risk of energy disruption. The US has signed agreements with most trading partners in the region, with the notable exception of India. The US and India will likely attempt to reach a diplomatic settlement involving tariff removal through behind-the-scenes efforts by both sides for a more favourable trade agreement. The US and China continue to negotiate a trade agreement, as export restrictions on technology and rare earth elements are eased. China will continue to display strong diplomatic clout, negotiating a rapprochement with India, whose ties with the US deteriorated due to continued purchases of Russian oil. China deepened diplomatic relations with Russia and other partners through agreements on energy cooperation and technology sharing. In the South China Sea, showdowns between China and the Philippines are likely to continue. Other escalatory events could include increased joint Russian-Chinese military drills in the Pacific. China and North Korea may deepen cooperation on trade, potentially exacerbating threats perceived by the US. Donald Trump signalled an even harder edge towards Caracas, declaring that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros days are numbered and refusing to rule out the use of American ground troops. The USA has carried out a string of lethal strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, and Trump has hinted that a land operation could come very soon. Despite vast natural resources, Venezuelas economy remains fragile. With the US expanding its military operations, Washington clearly seeks to install a friendly regime. Pakistan in 2026 Pakistan has begun to see some pseudo-economic stabilisation due to increased diplomatic ties with the US over sanctions negotiations and energy development, as well as continued relations with China through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. However, political destabilisation persists due to contested election results and political violence against protesters and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, alongside security destabilisation stemming from tensions with India over insurgency and terrorism. Baloch separatist and Islamist militant activities have the potential to spill over into other provinces due to increased resource extraction from the region by the government alongside the United States. Continued political repression, confinement based on false accusations of inciting violence, contested election outcomes, and splintered support for the government are likely to continue. President Asif Ali Zardari has approved Asim Munir for the newly created position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), while he also remains Chief of the Army Staff, solidifying the militarys disturbing dominance over Pakistans civilian government. This move, granting Munir command over all three services for five years, confirms that the army has once again outmanoeuvred political leadership, effectively subordinating the civilian government. Technology 26 Artificial intelligence (AI) will remain a key priority for China and the United States. The US AI Action Plan emphasises the construction of critical infrastructure to support AI development. The year 2026 will see contracts for developing data centres, electricity grids, hardened infrastructure, and cyber security. Chinas new plan covering 2026-2030 will unfold and boost domestic technology capabilities. China has renewed export licences for rare earths vital to AI and technology development, and if trade negotiations with the US progress satisfactorily, these licences are likely to extend into 2026, though they remain a key point of leverage. The US will continue diversification efforts for critical mineral extraction and refinement. The Trump administration has struck a revenue-sharing agreement with Nvidia for Chinese sales, indicating a strong probability of continued concessions. The year 2026 will likely see extensions of technology flows from the US to China. China will continue working towards domestic technology manufacturing capabilities, including in semiconductors, amid the ongoing threat of US export restrictions. Data centres are expected to see a continuous rise in power consumption due to the growing use of digital technologies. Demand for fossil fuels to power AI data centres and EV charging stations will continue to expand. In the energy and climate transition, solar and wind generation may surpass coal-fired electricity. Reactor restarts in Japan and new nuclear plants in China and India could increase global nuclear power capacity for low-emissions electricity. Global investment in renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaic and wind, is expected to accelerate further. Indias technology growth plan focuses on strategic self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (UPI and Aadhaar), and major investments in frontier areas such as AI, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, aiming for a $35 trillion economy by 2047. This includes robust R&D, private-sector participation, and building global leadership in AI (IndiaAI Mission) and chips (Semicon India Programme). Technology giants Amazon ($35 billion) and Microsoft ($17.5 billion) plan major investments in India by 2030 to advance AI-driven digitisation, export growth, and job creation. Googles major investment centres on a $15 billion AI hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Geopolitical Expectations India in 2026 Expectations for India in 2026 point towards continued strong economic growth, solid market performance driven by domestic demand and policy support, and significant anticipation surrounding Union Budget 2026, with a focus on tax fairness, support for sunrise sectors, and consumer-facing reforms in healthcare and insurance. Indias GDP is projected to grow between 6.5 and 7.4 per cent in 2026, reaching approximately $4.1 to $4.6 trillion in nominal terms, driven by strong domestic demand and robust liquidity. Focus areas include digital infrastructure, manufacturing incentives, and managing global economic uncertainties. Sector incentives should include GST refund fixes and manufacturing incentives, particularly in electronics and EVs. Continued emphasis on digital access and services is expected, alongside debates on policies such as genetically modified crops to boost yields. Overall, 2026 is anticipated to be a year of sustained growth, strategic policy interventions, and increasing global economic prominence for India. While the China-US relationship is widely regarded as the defining geopolitical issue of the 21st century, relations between China and India arguably hold greater long-term significance for Asia and the global order. Together, the two nations account for nearly 40 per cent of the worlds population. China is the worlds second-largest economy, with India currently fourth and soon to be the third-largest. Yet China-India relations remain complex. Tensions over a long-standing and unresolved territorial dispute play a significant role, but beyond that lies a broader geopolitical rivalry. Both view themselves as civilisational states, and their rising prominence is creating new areas of competition. The West increasingly sees India only as a counterweight to China, with limited interest in Indias success beyond that framework. Indian Military in 2026 The Ministry of Defence has several vision documents, most notably the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR), outlining a 15-year plan for defence modernisation, and the broader Indian Armed Forces Vision 2047, aligned with the national Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative. The TPCR guides both public and private defence industries on R&D priorities, identifying over 200 weapon systems and technologies. These include nuclear propulsion for naval vessels, hypersonic missiles, AI, stealth, unmanned systems, and space-based warfare capabilities, aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of multi-domain integrated operations. The document strongly supports Make in India, encouraging domestic design, development, and MSME participation. The year 2025 was declared the Year of Reforms in the Ministry of Defence, emphasising jointness and integration across services. The Armed Forces Vision 2047 aims to create a modern, agile, adaptive, technology-enabled, and self-reliant force capable of deterring and winning wars across the spectrum of operations, in synergy with all services. India will continue to rise as a major economic and strategic power. (The writer is former Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) India is an ally of the West, arguably the most important long-term partner in countering Chinese hegemony in the Indo-Pacific, but it seeks equitable partnership, not hierarchical subservience A strong, independent India will be a more valuable partner of the West than a compliant and weak India. File image/AFP The message from the West has often been subtle, but lately, it has become a deafening roar. As friction mounts over Indias continued purchase of Russian energy, the diplomatic whispers from Washington and Brussels carry a familiar, archaic undertone: you are either with us or against us. It is a doctrine that worked in 2001. It is a doctrine that terrified nations during the Cold War. But in December 2025, faced with a confident New Delhi, this binary ultimatum is not just ineffectiveit is intellectually lazy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The recent displeasure expressed by Western capitals regarding Indias energy security choices misses the fundamental shift in global geopolitics. They view Indias refusal to isolate Moscow as sitting on the fence. They are wrong. India is not sitting on the fence; India is building its own fence. The Death of the Binary World For decades, the West has been operating under the assumption that the liberal international order is the only system that exists. In this worldview, countries like India are considered swing states and are prizes that can be won or lost in a geopolitical tug-of-war between Washington and Beijing (or Moscow). However, the Trump 2.0 administration, for all its transactional bluster, is colliding with a New Delhi that refuses to be a junior partner. While the US demands alignment on sanctions, Americans forget that alignment is a luxury of the wealthy, while energy security is a necessity for the developing world. When Indian officials procure low-cost Russian oil, they are not expressing ideational support for the Kremlin. They are exercising their responsibility toward the Indian consumer. It is the height of irony that Europe, which has spent decades self-indulging on Russian gas to fuel its industrial base, now demands moral responsibility from a developing country with a far lower per capita income. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Transactional Ties in a Multipolar Era Under Donald Trump, US diplomacy went back to being what it has always been: transactional. The thin veneer of shared values went out the window. New Delhi is more attuned to this reality than most European capitals, albeit for different reasons. India has been able to hold its ground and, unlike European capitals, is under no pressure to decipher Trumps arbitrary tariffs and Nato threats. Why is that? Because Indias foreign policy is no longer reactive. It is strategic and consistent. New Delhis position towards the G7 is the same as it is towards the Brics: strategic autonomy. India has managed to strengthen its defence technologies collaboration with the US through the iCET deals while continuing its longstanding defence ties with Russia. To the Western mind, this is a contradiction. To the Indian mind, the answer is balance. It is the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time, a concept that binary thinkers in Washington find excruciatingly difficult to comprehend. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Voice of the Global South This resistance has a third dimension. No longer speaking for only itself, India has now become the self-assumed representative of the Global South. When Washington calls on India to sever ties with certain sanctioned entities, it fails to appreciate that the Global South sees the war in Europe as anything but a global war. For the African, Latin American, and Southeast Asian countries, it is not Vladimir Putin who is a threat; it is the soaring food prices, the lack of fertiliser, and the dire energy shortages. India is signalling the rest of the Global South that it is possible to keep ones dignity and stand your ground in the face of Western powers. A New Rulebook Western nations ought to retire their With Us or Against Us attitude, which belongs alongside the unipolar moment of the 1990s. India is an ally of the West, arguably the most important long-term partner in countering Chinese hegemony in the Indo-Pacific. But it is an ally that seeks equitable partnership, not hierarchical subservience. We will buy oil from whom we select. We will buy missile defence systems from whom we select. And we will trade with whom we select. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washington is absolutely anxious regarding Indias independent streak, and it is misplaced. A strong, independent India will be a more valuable partner of the West than a compliant and weak India. It is time the strategists in the Beltway conformed to this new reality: India is not a swing state waiting to be wooed. It is a pole, and a significant one at that. (The author is a research analyst at the Centre for North America and Strategic Technologies, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) While artificial intelligence still dominated the industry, there were a couple of breakthroughs that defined the year Advancements in technology and science reached new heights in 2025, with some innovations so groundbreaking that they have set the curve for years to come. While artificial intelligence still dominated the industry, there were a couple of breakthroughs that defined the year. Here are the top five tech feats of 2025: More AI models As AI continues to be at the centre of major technological development, more firms are coming up with their own models, essentially expanding the market that is in full demand. The year 2025 began with the revolutionary launch of DeepSeek, the Chinese AI model that turned around the US stock market, by introducing exceptional performance in mathematical and logical reasoning tasks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The companys R2 version was marketed as being 97.3 per cent cheaper than OpenAIs GPT-4o model. The model completely relies on Huaweis Ascend 910B GPU cluster, signalling a total independence from American-made AI chips. Elon Musk gave a boost to his xAI model by launching Grok 2 and later Grok 4. These are search-native models designed for real-time analysis of current information, integrated closely with the X platform. Meanwhile, Meta continued its open-source initiative with LLaMA 4. This is a highly efficient and memory-optimised model designed for research, on-device applications, and edge deployment. The age of Generative AI This year, Generative AI caused a stir among users. From turning images into Ghibli art to Donald Trump creating AI-generated videos of imaginary scenarios, Generative AI became a trend this year. In 2025, new architectures introduced deeper long-term memory, improved logical reasoning, and multimodal understanding, allowing AI to interpret video, audio, sketches, documents, and real-world environments seamlessly. Instead of just producing outputs, generative AI can now plan, analyse, troubleshoot, and collaborate like a digital expert across domains such as medicine, law, design, finance, engineering, and education. Spatial computing is the new reality Reality has gone digital, too. While the concepts of virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) are not new, they just got better in 2025. Hardware-software integration and AI enhancements are only some of the ways the technology saw a boost this year. Apple released visionOS 2.6 in June, introducing spatial widgets that anchor in users environments, generative AI-powered spatial scenes for immersive photo viewing, and enhanced Personas with realistic expressivity via volumetric rendering. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shared spatial experiences now allow multiple Vision Pro users in the same room to collaborate on 3D movies, games, or designs, with remote FaceTime integration. New APIs support enterprise tools like protected content viewing and team device sharing, alongside PlayStation VR2 controller compatibility for gaming. Go for a drive, without actually driving The year really showed how self-driving cars can turn everyone into a passenger princess. Robotaxi and self-driving technology accelerated in 2025, with commercial deployments expanding in urban areas. Integration of 5G, edge computing, real-time mapping, and AI improved navigation in complex environments, with Nvidia releasing Alpamayo-R1, an open vision language model for autonomous driving research. Remote monitoring systems allowed human oversight via direct control, path selection, or high-level commands, bridging to full autonomy. Sensor suites including LiDAR, radar, cameras, and HD mapping, enhanced object detection and decision-making. The market expanded to accommodate players other than Elon Musk's Tesla. For example, Waymo expanded testing with safety monitors to Philadelphia and began manual data collection in Baltimore, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh, and Uber partnered with Avride for robotaxi service in Dallas, starting with human safety operators. However, there have been some concerns over self-driving after some test drives resulted in accidents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Synthetic bio Synthetic biology advanced rapidly in 2025, driven by AI convergence, CRISPR refinements, and scalable applications in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability. Gene and cell therapy led with 35 phase 3 and 289 phase 2 trials by late 2024, advancing CAR-T cancer treatments and personalised cures for rare diseases like sickle cell via rAAV delivery. Gene editing via CRISPR-Cas9 enabled precise multi-site DNA modifications, including HIV excision from cells. In the policy front, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), adopted the first global synthetic biology policy in October, addressing nature impacts. OECD highlighted AI-synbio convergence for economic resilience, recommending anticipatory governance, biosafety, and equitable access via skills training and financing reforms. Chinas Xi faces a slowing domestic economy even as trade talks with President Trump loom. Weak consumption, investment and property woes complicate Beijings strategy to rebalance growth while maintaining global influence. As President Xi Jinping prepares for high-stakes meetings with US President Donald Trump next year, China faces a mounting domestic economic dilemma that could weigh heavily on negotiations and the countrys broader global strategy. Chinas internal economy is showing persistent weakness with slowing industrial output, weak retail sales and sagging investment complicating efforts to shift toward consumption-led growth. Experts believe that Chinese policymakers must balance geopolitical positioning with the urgent need to stabilise the economy at home. With trade, technology restrictions and Taiwan expected to dominate the agenda, Chinas economic vulnerabilities are increasingly shaping the strategic calculations behind Xis approach to talks with the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The contrast between Chinas export-driven strength and its faltering domestic performance reflects a broader structural challenge: maintaining robust growth while rebalancing economic activity toward household demand. How Xi handles this dual pressure both at home and in talks with Trump may influence global economic dynamics in the year ahead. Export boom, domestic slump Chinas economy has long depended on external demand and manufacturing prowess, buoyed this year by strong export figures that have helped sustain overall growth near official targets. Exports expanded rapidly, pushing Chinas trade surplus past $1 trillion in 2025, a modern record that reflects the nations entrenched role as a global manufacturing hub. Yet beneath these numbers lies a troubling gap: domestic consumption remains weak. Recent data show that retail sales grew just 1.3% year-on-year in November, the slowest pace since late 2022, and industrial output has stalled to its weakest expansion in over a year. Consumer confidence has been dented by a prolonged property downturn, sluggish investment and fading effects from earlier stimulus measures. Analysts warn such imbalances threaten the sustainability of Chinas growth model, particularly as global trade tensions persist. Chinas reliance on exports to offset lacklustre domestic demand is increasingly risky. As the economy stalls on multiple fronts, policymakers find themselves constrained: aggressive fiscal stimulus could stoke debt concerns, but structural reforms are politically and economically challenging. Without stronger consumption, growth may remain heavily dependent on external markets, a dynamic that complicates Xis bargaining position as he heads into talks with Trump. Domestic strain and policy dilemmas The property sector remains a significant drag on domestic economic momentum. With household wealth heavily tied to real estate, the ongoing crisis in the housing market has dampened consumer spending and confidence. Economists argue that tackling these deep-seated issues will require structural reforms that go beyond temporary fiscal nudges. Fixed-asset investment has also declined sharply, prompting rare public criticism from Xi himself, who has condemned reckless spending and stressed the need for more sustainable growth patterns. At the same time, Beijing continues to push ambitious goals for technology and manufacturing dominance in its upcoming five-year planning cycle, even as the dual challenge remains: stimulating domestic demand without undermining its industrial base. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts said that Chinas economic strategy reflects a continued prioritisation of production-led growth even as policymakers acknowledge the need to balance it with internal circulation, a policy designed to boost consumption and reduce reliance on foreign markets. This balancing act is central to Chinas long-term economic blueprint but has proven difficult to execute in the short term. Implications for the Xi-Trump agenda The domestic economic slowdown could temper Xis negotiating stance with the United States. While external trade strengths and strategic leverage over supply chains such as rare earth minerals have bolstered Chinas market position, internal fragilities may force Beijing to adopt a more cautious diplomatic posture. Trump has already signalled engagements with Xi, including reciprocal state visits and discussions on tariffs and trade issues, highlighting Washingtons interest in stabilising relations amid competitive tensions. Yet the interplay between external diplomacy and internal economic pressures creates a complex backdrop for Sino-US talks. A faltering domestic economy could constrain Chinas flexibility in negotiations, potentially shaping outcomes on trade, technology and broader geopolitical competition. As China strives to rebalance its economy while maintaining growth and global influence, Xis challenge is two-fold: revitalise domestic demand and project strength on the international stage, a delicate act that will define his leadership in the coming years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The probe aims to assess whether the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and federal police have the required powers and structures to confront an increasingly complex domestic threat Floral tributes left by mourners are seen at the promenade of Bondi Beach in Sydney to honour victims of the shooting that took place there on December 14. File image/AFP A heavy silence fell across Australia on Sunday evening as thousands lit candles to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting, marking exactly one week since the nations deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. At 6:47 pm, the precise moment gunfire first erupted during the beachside festival, the country observed a minute of silence. From the sails of the Sydney Opera House to remote outback towns, flags flew at half-mast to remember a group of victims that included children and Holocaust survivors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We are here together, Roslyn Fishall, a member of the local Jewish community, told reporters at a makeshift memorial. Turn to strangers and hug them. Lets make peace together, she added. The tragedy has shattered Australias long-standing sense of security regarding gun violence. The alleged attackers, Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24, are accused of an Isis-inspired antisemitic terror attack. While the elder Akram was killed by police, Naveed remains under guard in a hospital, facing 15 counts of murder. Also read | The story of Amandeep Singh Bola, an Indian-origin man who helped restrain Bondi Beach terrorist The week has been defined by profound grief, with by the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim. The loss is unspeakable, Rabbi Levi Wolff told AFP, as families moved between consecutive burials. However, the aftermath is also fraught with social tension. Reports of pig heads left at Muslim graves and a surge in far-right rallies have raised fears for Australias social cohesion. In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a sweeping national gun buyback scheme, the largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Top-to-bottom overhaul Additionally, PM Albanese has also launched a comprehensive federal review into Australias police and intelligence frameworks. The motive of the probe is to determine if the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) and federal police possess the necessary powers and structures to combat a rapidly evolving domestic threat. Investigations have revealed that Naveed was scrutinised by Asio for radicalisation in 2019 but was deemed a non-threat. Despite this history, his father successfully maintained a license for six firearms. The Isis-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation, PM Albanese stated. We need to examine exactly the way that systems work. We need to look back at what happened in 2019 when this person was looked at, and the assessment that was made, he added. Detectives are currently tracing a recent four-week trip the pair took to the southern Philippines. While regional authorities in Mindanao deny the area is a training ground for extremists, hotel staff reported the duo remained holed up in their room for nearly a month. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Four days after becoming the first person in the world to cross the $600 billion mark, Tesla CEO Elon Musk became the first person ever to be worth $700 billion. Four days after becoming the first person in the world to cross the $600 billion mark, Tesla CEO became the first person ever to be worth $700 billion. According to Forbes, the tech mogul crossed the mark on Friday after the Delaware Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had voided an award of Tesla stock options now worth $139 billion to Musk. In light of the latest ruling, Forbes estimated that Musks fortune now stands at a record $749 billion after he successfully appealed the decision. The outlet had been discounting the value of the Tesla stock options in question by 50 per cent since January 2024, when the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that the process of awarding the options to Musk in 2018 was unfair. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled that rescission [of the options] was an improper remedy". Hence, Forbes removed that discount, bumping our estimate of Musks net worth by $69.5 billion. Following the ruling, Tesla became Musks most valuable asset yet again. Mars shot performance According to Forbes, in addition to his stock options, he also owns 12 per cent of the EV markets common stock worth $199 billion, bringing the total value of his Tesla holdings to $338 billion. Thats not counting a separate, record-breaking pay package Tesla awarded Musk in November, which could give him up to $1 trillion in additional stock. Hence, if Tesla achieves Mars shot performance milestones like growing its market cap more than eightfold over the next ten years, Musk can become the worlds first trillionaire. Meanwhile, Musks second most valuable asset is estimated to be his 42 per cent stake in SpaceX, which is now just $2 billion less than his Tesla holdings. Interestingly, Forbes estimated that it is SpaceX rather than Tesla that makes Musk the worlds first trillionaire, with the rocket maker said to be targeting an IPO in 2026 that could value the company at around $1.5 trillion. The second-richest person in the world is Larry Page. The Google cofounder and second-richest person in the world is worth an estimated $253 billionor a staggering half-trillion dollars less than Musk. This photo taken on Dec. 21, 2025 shows a rescue vehicle at the Datonggou coal mine of Heilongjiang Fengyuan Mining Co., Ltd. in Jixi, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Five people were trapped underground after a coal mine was flooded early Sunday in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, local authorities said. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) HARBIN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five people were trapped underground after a coal mine was flooded early Sunday in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, local authorities said. The flooding occurred at about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday at the Datonggou coal mine of Heilongjiang Fengyuan Mining Co., Ltd. in the city of Jixi, the Jixi publicity department said. Local authorities have set up a joint rescue headquarters, and the rescue operation is underway. India on Sunday trashed as misleading propaganda media reports in Bangladesh that a demonstration outside Bangladeshs mission in New Delhi against the killing of a Hindu man in that country attempted to create a security situation. India on Sunday rejected as misleading propaganda reports in sections of the Bangladeshi media that claimed a protest outside Bangladeshs diplomatic mission in New Delhi over the killing of a Hindu man had created a security threat. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that around 20 to 25 youths gathered outside the Bangladesh High Commission on Saturday to protest what it described as the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the MEA, the demonstrators raised slogans condemning the killing and called for the protection of minorities in Bangladesh. New Delhi also urged Bangladeshs interim government to ensure that those responsible for the barbaric killing of Das are brought to justice. The MEAs statement came in response to reports in some Bangladeshi media outlets alleging that the protesters had attempted to breach security at the Bangladesh High Commission, a claim India said was incorrect. There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time, the ministry said, adding the police dispersed the group after a few minutes and visual evidence of these events is publicly available. Das, 25, was lynched to death by a mob in Mymensingh city on Thursday. Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. He was a prominent face in the anti-government protests that forced the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government. We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. The fact is that about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi on December 20 and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jaiswal said there was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensuring the safety of foreign missions and posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention, he said. Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue. India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities, he said. We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice, he noted. With inputs from agencies The Israeli Cabinet approved a proposal for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, the far-right finance minister said on Sunday. The Israeli Cabinet approved a proposal for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, the far-right finance minister said on Sunday. According to Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, the settlements include two areas that were previously evacuated during a 2005 disengagement plan. Smotrich has pushed the expansion agenda. It brings the total number of new settlements over the past two years to 69, Smotrich wrote on X. The proposal by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz to declare and formalise 19 new settlements in Judea and Samaria has been approved by the cabinet, the statement said, without specifying when the decision was taken. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We will continue to develop, build, and settle the land of our ancestral heritage, with faith in the justice of our path, he added further. The approval comes as the US is pushing Israel and Hamas to move ahead with the new phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which took effect Oct. 10. The US-proposed peace plan calls for a possible pathway to a Palestinian state something the settlements are aimed at preventing. The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50 per cent during the current governments tenure, from 141 in 2022 to 210, after the current approval, according to Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group. Settlements are widely considered illegal under international law. The Cabinet decision included a retroactive legalization of some previously established settlement outposts and the creation of settlements on land where Palestinians were evacuated, Peace Now said. The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission condemned the move as a dangerous escalation that exposes the true intentions of the occupation government to entrench a system of annexation, apartheid, and full Judaization of Palestinian land. Settler expansion has been compounded by deadly attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank in recent months. At least half a million people have been displaced in Cambodia following the border clashes between Thailand, Phnom Penhs interior ministry said Sunday. People flee amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia. Reuters At least half a million people have been displaced in Cambodia from their homes following the border clashes between Thailand, Phnom Penhs interior ministry said Sunday. At present, more than half a million Cambodian people, including women and children, are suffering severe hardship due to forced displacement from their homes and schools to escape artillery shells, rockets, and aerial bombardments carried out by Thailands F-16 aircraft, the interior ministry said in a statement, giving the total number of people displaced as 518,611 as quoted by AFP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Around 400,000 people have been displaced in Thailand due to the reignited border conflict, Bangkok has said. Territorial clash The continuous attack of both South Asian neighbours this month with the use of tanks, drones and artillery, has resulted in the death of about 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, according to officials. Thailand is also working out how to repatriate up to 6,000 citizens unable to return home through a major border crossing in Cambodia The conflict stems from a territorial clash over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border over the ancient temple ruins located on the frontier. Both the territories have blamed the other side for instigating and accused of attacking on the innocent civilians which killed dozens in July. Peace efforts Despite peace efforts, the conflict is continuously escalating and leading to tensions in Southeast Asia. China, the European Union, the United States, the ASEAN regional bloc chair Malaysia and the United Nations have all called for a ceasefire. Foreign ministers of ASEAN nations, including Cambodia and Thailand, are set to meet on Monday in Kuala Lumpur where they will discuss the conflict and neutralise tensions between the two territories. As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to rage on, Indias Ministry of External Affairs revealed on Friday that over 200 Indian nationals were recruited to fight in the conflict As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to rage on, Indias Ministry of External Affairs revealed on Friday that over 200 Indian nationals were recruited to fight in the conflict. The ministry revealed the figure on Friday as it answered unstarred questions posed in the Rajya Sabha by MPs Saket Gokhale and Randeep Singh Surjewala. In its statement titled Reparation of Indian nationals in the Russian Army, the ministry said that it believes 202 Indians have joined the Russian armed forces since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2024. However, the MEA also noted that it has successfully secured the early discharge of 119 of them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When it comes to the death toll, the statement maintained that 26 nationals are reported to have lost their lives in the war, and 7 are reported to be missing on the Russian side of the border. In the statement, the MEA maintained that there are ongoing efforts to get 50 Indian nationals discharged from the Russian military, while the ministry also tries to recover the remains of 10 who were killed in battle. Govt remains in touch with Russian authorities In the statement, the MEA assured that the government is in touch with Russian authorities to ensure the return of the Indian nationals. The Government of India remains continuously engaged with the Russian side to ensure the safety, well-being, and early discharge of all Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces, the statement read. This matter is discussed at various levels, including during interactions between leaders, ministers, and officials of the two sides, it continued. The Indian foreign ministry also mentioned that DNA samples of 18 Indians who have been reported dead or missing have been shared with Russian authorities. However, the big question remains what exact tactics were used by the Russian authorities to recruit these Indian soldiers. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, Russia has ramped up recruitment efforts to 128 countries to help carry out the war initiated by the countrys President Vladimir Putin. There have been an estimated more than 1 million killed in the deadliest war since World War II, with Moscow suffering over 790,000 dead or wounded, and nearly 85,000 missing, according to Russia Matters. Through the course of nearly 4 years, Russia has managed to conquer 12 per cent of Ukraine, and controls nearly 20 per cent of the country, including previously seized territories such as Crimea. Moscow dismissed claims from Ukrainian officials regarding a potential shift in talk formats, asserting that no such meeting is currently in the works In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on December 19, 2025. - AFP The Kremlin has poured cold water on the prospect of a direct three-way summit between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, even as high-level diplomatic teams assemble in Florida to discuss an end to the nearly four-year conflict. Despite reports from Kyiv suggesting a new diplomatic format was on the table, Moscow insisted on Sunday that no such meeting is currently being organised. No serious discussion The denial comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Washington had proposed a trilateral meeting. This would have marked the first face-to-face negotiations between the warring nations in six months. However, Russian President Vladimir Putins foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told state media that the idea lacks legs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge, it is not in preparation, Ushakov stated. He also claimed he had not seen the latest revised US proposal for ending the hostilities, despite the presence of Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Miami. Dmitriev is reportedly participating in talks mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Dmitriev will return to Moscow, make his report, and we will discuss what to do next, Ushakov added. Also read | Over 200 Indian soldiers recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine war, 26 killed since 2022: MEA tells parl A souring diplomatic climate While the Miami gathering represents a shift toward more inclusive mediation, Zelenskyy himself expressed doubt that the proposed format would yield results. I am not sure that anything new could come of it, the Ukrainian leader told journalists, though he admitted a joint meeting would be logical. The last direct official contact between the two sides occurred in Istanbul in July, resulting only in prisoner exchanges. Since then, the conflict has remained brutal; Zelenskyy reported on Sunday that Russia launched roughly 1,300 drones and 1,200 aerial bombs against Ukraine in just the past week. Moscow remains particularly critical of European involvement in the negotiations, arguing it complicates the process. With trust at an all-time low, the path toward a face-to-face breakthrough remains obscured by skepticism and continued military escalation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An unknown gunman killed at least 10 people and injured 10 others in a shooting incident at a township outside Johannesburg, South Africa. An unknown gunman killed at least 10 people and injured 10 others in a shooting incident at a township outside Johannesburg, South Africa. The attack took place on Sunday, marking the second mass shooting incident in South Africa this month. The cause for the attack in Bekkersdal, 25 miles southwest of the city, was not clear, police told Agence France-Presse. Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen, a police statement said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ten people are dead. We dont have a breakdown of who they are, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson for Gauteng province, told AFP. The shooting took place near a tavern or informal bar in Bekkersdal, an impoverished area near some of South Africas major gold mines. The police noted that the wounded were rushed to the hospital. On December 6, gunmen stormed a hostel near the capital, Pretoria, killing a dozen people, including a three-year-old child. Police said that the shooting was at a site that was illegally selling alcohol. It is pertinent to note that South Africa is home to 63 million people and is known to have high crime rates, including one of the highest murder rates in the world. The attackers in the Sunday incident fled the scene, and no arrests had been made at the time of reporting. The probe into the attack is still ongoing. Taiwanese police on Sunday ruled out terrorism in the deadly metro stabbing incident that killed and wounded at least 11. The attacker was identified as a 27-year-old man, named Chang. Flowers and notes from the public are laid for the victims of the metro attack outside a mall in Taipei on December 20, 2025. Image Credit: AFP A metro stabbing incident was encountered in Taipei, where an attacker killed and wounded at least 11 on Friday. Taiwanese police on Sunday ruled out terrorism in the deadly attack. The attacker was identified as a 27-year-old man, named Chang, set off smoke bombs at Taipei Main Station metro on Friday afternoon before launching into a three hour stabbing spree. The attacker after the incident moved on to a shopping district near Zhongshan station, authorities said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Based on what we have established so far in the investigation, the suspect Chang did not make or display any statements or views related to politics, religion, or any specific ideology, and we have preliminarily ruled out terrorism, a senior Taipei City Police Department official told AFP, under the condition of anonymity. Terrorist attacks have a specific definition and the suspect does not meet that definition, the official added. The suspect was found dead on the same day, after jumping from a nearby building, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said. The senior police official said investigators also found searches for random killings on Changs iPad, including material related to a Taipei metro stabbing in 2014 when a man killed four people. It was found that the attacker had served in the military but was later discharged after being found of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to police officials. After the attack, officials called the incident as deliberately done and later emphasised that the motive of the attack was unknown. Police said they believe Chang had acted alone and planned to randomly kill people. He rented an apartment in the district in January and scouted the area in advance. Taiwans President Lai Ching-te said on Saturday advised the authorities to be more vigilant and more cautious to prevent such deadly attacks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lai said the police must be trained and equipped for counter-terrorism operations to protect citizens. Metro Taipei announced that it had shut down a Christmas market near Zhongshan station on Saturday, which will remain closed for three days in honour of the victims. Amid US President Donald Trumps crackdown on immigration, Apple and Google are warning employees on US visas to avoid travelling outside the country, since there is a risk of getting stuck Amid US President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, Apple and Google are warning employees on US visas to avoid travelling outside the country, since there is a risk of getting stuck. Both the tech giants raised concerns over the Trump administrations toughening stance on visa applications in an internal memo, NPR reported. US consulates all over the world have been reporting lengthy, sometimes months-long delays for visa appointments following new rules from the Department of Homeland Security, requiring travellers to undergo a screening of up to five years' social media history. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Apple and Google, which together employ over 300,000 visa holders, have been urging their staff to stay in the US if they can avoid travelling abroad. We recommend avoiding international travel at this time as you risk an extended stay outside of the US, Berry Appleman & Leiden, a law firm that works with Google, wrote to employees in a memo obtained by NPR. Meanwhile, the law firm Fragomen, which works with Apple, wrote a similar message in this regard. Given the recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable, extended delays when returning to the U.S., we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now, the memo read. If travel cannot be postponed, employees should connect with Apple Immigration and Fragomen in advance to discuss the risks, the law firm wrote in the memo. Tech giants affected by Trumps visa rules The memo reflected the simple fact that the harsh measures by the Trump administration are forcing the countrys tech giants to take precautionary measures. Earlier this year, the White House announced that companies will be subjected to a $100,000 fee for all new H-1B visas, a type of visa popular among tech companies eager to hire highly skilled workers from abroad. It is pertinent to note that H-1B visas typically last for three years, and applicants have to return to an embassy or consulate in their home country for renewal. However, reports suggested that such a routine trip could lead to people being stranded for months as a result of the Trump administrations new policies. The memos became public just days after The Washington Post reported that hundreds of visa holders who travelled to India to renew their H-1Bs had their appointments postponed with the State Department. The American officials reasoned that they needed more time to ensure that no applicants pose a threat to US national security or public safety. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the midst of the chaos, the Alphabet Workers Union has been campaigning for additional protections for workers on H-1B visas. They pointed out how these workers will be particularly vulnerable if Google carries out layoffs. Former US President Bill Clintons spokesperson said that the White House is trying to make the Democratic leader a scapegoat in the Epstein Files saga as the DoJ releases his controversial photographs. Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Bill Clinton (center) in a photo released by the justice department on Friday. US Department of Justice As the Epstein Files airs the dirty laundry of former US President Bill Clinton, his spokesperson said that the current White House is using the Democratic leader as a scapegoat. The remarks came late on Friday after pictures of the former president with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as with a young woman in a pool, were included as part of a congressionally ordered release of government files by the US Department of Justice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The White House hasnt been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton, the spokesperson said in a statement on X. This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what theyll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isnt about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be, the statement further read. The spokesperson went on to point out how the current White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said that US President Donald Trump was wrong about Clinton, referring to comments made by White House chief of staff to Vanity Fair in which Wiles acknowledged that Clinton had not been on Epsteins Caribbean island despite repeated claims by Trump to the contrary. On-the-record statement from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. pic.twitter.com/M9oTj0XlKK Angel Urena (@angelurena) December 16, 2025 The Clinton team goes into damage control mode The former president has long maintained that he cut ties with Epstein back in 2005, before the disgraced financier pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor in Florida. Clintons spokesperson, Angel Urena, came into a defensive mode in her statement. There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. Were in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that. Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats," she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The photographs released by the DoJ on Friday showed Clinton in an underground swimming pool with Maxwell and a woman whose face has been redacted. A separate photograph also showed the former president at a dinner with Mick Jagger, Epstein and other public figures. The picture of Clinton in a swimming pool was later posted on X by the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, with the caption Oh my! and a red-faced emoji. Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world. Little did he know, Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, posted to X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Epsteins association with Clinton According to the DoJ documents, the convicted sex felon visited the White House 17 times during the early years of the Clinton presidency. The former president later travelled with Epstein on the financiers private jet in the years after he left office in 2001. This included his trip to Asia and Africa for the Clinton Global Initiative. However, it is pertinent to note that Clinton has never been formally accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Despite this, Trump has repeatedly made insinuations about the relationship between Clinton and Epstein. Last month, he called for the DoJ and FBI to investigate Jeffrey Epsteins involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton," part of a long-running campaign to characterise the Epstein scandal as an issue uniquely connected to Democrats. The photo dump released by the DoJ on Friday largely featured both Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and presidential candidate. The couple are also scheduled to give depositions to the House oversight committee over their ties to Epstein. The deposition in the case was originally scheduled for last week. It was eventually pushed to 13 and 14 January in light of the DoJ deadline to release the files. The committees chair, James Comer, has threatened to hold contempt proceedings if the couple do not sit for depositions on those dates, Politico reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A day after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released the first part of the Epstein Files, the Trump administration has been facing backlash for removing 16, including an image of the president, from a trove of documents released on Friday. Representative Jared Moskowitz holds up a photo of President Donald Trump with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a January meeting of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters_ A day after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released the first part of the Epstein Files, the Trump administration has been facing backlash for removing 16, including an image of the president, from a trove of documents released on Friday. Democrats and Trump critics have been questioning the governments handling of the controversial files, mentioning the wrongdoings of the British financier and convicted sex offender. The images and documents in question were deleted on Saturday without any explanation. One of the images that was removed showed one of Epsteins desks in which two photographs of Trump were visible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release, Democrats on the House Oversight committee posted on X on Saturday, referring to the image. Pam Bondi, is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public, they added, referring to the US attorney general. Documents related to Trump removed from the DoJs website Not only this, the links to the images were deleted from a list of documents on the DoJ website, while attempts to load the files directly were refused. Apart from this, copies were also removed from the downloadable batch folders, which still contained nearly 1,500 other images from the property. Users on social media also drew attention to the fact that the image containing the Trump photo was made accessible hours later. However, only appears directly from its URL, not appearing on the list of files on the DoJ website. The DoJ is yet to respond to the request for comment on the removed documents. When asked at the White House about the matter, it referred to the Department of Justice. It is pertinent to note that the questions around the images that were posted and then deleted come as the Trump administration has already faced criticism for heavily redacting thousands of documents related to Epstein on Friday. The long-awaited disclosure was mandated by a law passed by the US Congress and signed by Trump himself last month. However, the American president has been trying to put a lid on the furore surrounding his past association with Epstein. Not only Democrats but also Republicans, including parts of his own Maga base, have been demanding full transparency in the case. Colorful light decorations are on display on Central Street, a landmark and century-old boulevard known for its European charm in Harbin, NE China, allowing tourists and residents to immerse themselves in a festive glow. #Harbin #CentralStreet #decorations US forces on Saturday intercepted a second merchant vessel carrying oil off the coast of Venezuela amid the brewing tensions between the two nations The crude oil tanker Skipper recently seized by the US off the coast of Venezuela, seen as the ship was travelling in a southwesterly direction and positioned approximately 33 kilometers north of Guadeloupe, in the southern Caribbean Sea. File Image / Vantor via AP US forces on Saturday intercepted a second merchant vessel carrying oil off the coast of Venezuela amid the brewing tensions between the two nations. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed the news and stated that the vessel was apprehended in international waters in the midst of an American blockade against the countrys oil. The Saturday stoppage came after the seizure by US forces of another oil tanker off Venezuelas coast on December 10. The DHS stated that both vessels were bound for Asia. Meanwhile, the British maritime risk management company Vanguard told Reuters that the boat was believed to be the Panama-flagged Centuries and was intercepted east of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Interestingly, the vessel does not appear to be sanctioned by the United States. Hence, its interception would represent an escalation in American enforcement of its blockade. It is pertinent to note that the US has suggested that any vessel carrying Venezuelan oil could be subject to the US blockade and has been working to expand its list of sanctioned ships. Pre-dawn action In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the US Coast Guard and the Department of Defence had stopped the tanker early Saturday morning in pre-dawn action. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco-terrorism in the region, Noem said. We will find you, and we will stop you, she wrote in the post. The first oil tanker seized by America was on the sanctioned list and was what White House called a sanctioned shadow vessel known for carrying black-market sanctioned oil. Hence, the development is significant because it is coming at a time when US President Donald Trump and his administration are refusing to rule out the potential for an open conflict with Venezuela. Meanwhile, the president of the Latin American nation, Nicolas Maduro, urged the countrys navy to escort oil tankers and attempt to defy the largest US fleet deployed in the region in decades. After the first oil tanker was seized, the Venezuelan government said in a statement that the US had committed blatant theft and described the action as an act of international piracy. Meanwhile, in an interview on Friday, Trump told NBC News that going to war with Maduros regime remains on the table. I dont rule it out, no, he said in a phone interview with the network. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday called on the United States to put more pressure on Russia to end the war, as diplomats converged on Miami for fresh talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is greeted by US President Donald Trump (left) upon arrival at the White House West Wing in Washington, DC. AFP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday called on the United States to put more pressure on Russia to end the war, as diplomats converged on Miami for fresh talks. Zelensky also said that Washington had proposed the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in half a year, but later expressed skepticism that would help. Zelensky said that only the United States was capable of persuading Russia to end the war, and he called on Washington to increase pressure on Moscow to make that happen. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD America must clearly say: if not diplomacy, then there will be full pressurePutin does not yet feel the kind of pressure that should exist, he said, stressing the need for more arms supplies to Ukraine and sanctions on the entire Russian economy. The Ukrainian leaders comments in Kyiv came as Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami where Ukrainian and European teams have also gathered for the negotiations, mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. Discussions are being held constructively, Dmitriev told reporters, according to Russian state media, adding that they started and continue today, and will also continue tomorrow. Trumps envoys have pushed a peace plan in which the United States would offer security guarantees to Ukraine, but Kyiv would likely be expected to surrender some territory, a prospect resented by many Ukrainians. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday promised not to force Ukraine into any agreement, saying theres no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it. He added that he may join Saturdays talks in Miami, his hometown. Earlier Saturday, Zelensky had revealed Washington had proposed negotiations that would include Ukraine, the United States and Russia. He added that Europeans could be present and it would be logical to hold such a joint meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But he subsequently told journalists, I am not sure that anything new could come of it. The last time Ukrainian and Russian envoys held official direct talks was in July in Istanbul, which led to prisoner swaps but little else. Russian and European involvement in Miami marks a step forward from before, when the Americans held separate negotiations with each side in different locations. However, it is unlikely Dmitriev would hold direct talks with European negotiators as relations between the two sides remain strained. Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, argues that Europes involvement in the talks only hinders any peace process. Russia presses on The Florida talks come after President Vladimir Putin vowed to press ahead with his military offensive in Ukraine, hailing Moscows battlefield gains in an annual news conference on Friday. Russia announced on Saturday it had captured two villages in Ukraines Sumy and Donetsk regions, further grinding through the countrys east in costly battles. Putin however suggested that Russia could pause its devastating strikes on the country to allow Ukraine to hold a presidential ballot a prospect which Zelensky rejected. Meanwhile, the death toll in Ukraines Black Sea Odesa region from an overnight Russian ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure rose to eight, with almost three dozen people wounded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A civilian bus was struck in the attack, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. Intensified Russian strikes have wrought havoc on the coastline region in recent weeks, hitting bridges and cutting electricity and heating for hundreds of thousands in freezing temperatures. Moscow earlier said it would expand strikes on Ukrainian ports as retaliation for targeting its sanctions-busting oil tankers. On Saturday, Ukraine claimed to have destroyed two Russian fighter jets at an airfield in occupied Crimea, according to the security service SBU. Kyivs army said it struck a Russian oil rig in the Caspian Sea as well as a patrol ship nearby. Putin described Russias initial invasion as a special military operation to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO. Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD CHANGSHA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- When Michael Njovu, a 26-year-old Zambian graduate student in central China's Hunan Province, learned that the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) revitalization project had been officially launched in his landlocked homeland, it felt like a call to purpose. "Since it was constructed in the 1970s, this railway has been vital for goods export and trade in Zambia," said Njovu, who is pursuing a master's degree in transportation engineering at Central South University. "During its revitalization, it will also create more related jobs for local people." Once completed, the upgraded railway will link southern and eastern African railways, highways and ports, advancing regional infrastructure connectivity. With the project moving forward, the railway's annual freight capacity is expected to reach 2.4 million tonnes, and delivery time could be cut by nearly two-thirds. It was initially built with interest-free loans from China and officially handed over to the governments of Tanzania and Zambia on July 14, 1976. The line runs from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to its terminus in New Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia. Inside the New Kapiri Mposhi station stands a monument indicating the railway's full length: 1,860.54369 kilometers. The precise figure reflects the efforts of more than 50,000 Chinese engineers and construction workers who, over a period of five years and eight months, worked alongside their Tanzanian and Zambian peers to complete the line. Among those involved were alumni of Njovu's university in China. Central South University was established in 2000 through the merger of three colleges including the Changsha Railway Institute, one of the first Chinese institutions to train professionals for the TAZARA project. A group of professors and students of the institute were dispatched to Africa to support the railway's construction in the 1970s. They conducted over 3,000 kilometers of survey work in malaria-prone areas, measuring routes by day and calculating data in the light of kerosene lamps in thatched huts at night. "This moving story and China's advanced scientific technology prompted me to study in China," Njovu said. The university program he is enrolled in is designed to help developing countries build expertise in high-speed rail and electric multiple unit (EMU) technology. Since 2016, 243 students from more than 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Sudan and Rwanda, have joined the program. To date, 192 people have graduated, and 51 are still studying. According to the university, about 90 percent of its African alumni since 1996 have returned to their home countries to contribute to local development -- a path Njovu is looking to follow. After graduating in 2026, Njovu plans to take his newfound knowledge back to Zambia, where a revitalized railway awaits not just increased freight, but a new generation of dreamers. "Contributing to my hometown's railway development is my dream," Njovu said. "I'm lucky to be here learning advanced techniques." Booms were used to help limit the impacts of a Gunnison River diesel and oil spill resulting from a train wreck on Dec 2. Those booms are set to be removed as the Environmental Protection Agency, which has been working on the cleanup, said it had been about a week since any further oil had been recovered. Iranian national executed for spying for Israeli regime IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Dec 20, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Judiciary has announced the execution of Aghil Keshavarz, an Iranian national convicted of espionage for the Israeli regime and cooperation with its army and intelligence agency, Mossad. The execution was carried out on Saturday after Iran's Supreme Court upheld the initial verdict, according to the Judiciary's announcement. Keshavarz was arrested earlier this year in the city of Urmia, the capital of West Azerbaijan Province in northwest Iran, while filming the building of the Urmia Infantry Division. Forces from the Iranian Army's Intelligence Unit, conducting a routine patrol, became suspicious of him and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Keshavarz claimed that he had traveled to the city to attend a scientific seminar at Urmia University. However, an inspection of his mobile phone revealed a message from a number linked to Israel and from a person using the username "Usher." Further evidence of his links to the Israeli regime was discovered during an inspection of the hotel where he was staying. Documents found included a notebook listing several security institutions along with their addresses. An investigation into Keshavarz's family background revealed that his family members supported the toppled Shah regime, and that his uncle had been a member of the anti-Iran terrorist group Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO). Keshavarz himself had also participated in MKO operations in the past. According to the Judiciary, Keshavarz was in contact with both the Israeli army and Mossad through social media. He initiated contact by sending messages hostile to the Islamic Republic of Iran. In an effort to gain their trust, he sent the Israeli army information about a warehouse allegedly used for missile production. This message prompted a request for further details, eventually leading to his cooperation with the Israeli army and later Mossad. Keshavarz confessed to carrying out more than 200 missions for the Israeli regime in the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Urmia, and Shahroud. He was paid for these missions through a digital wallet. Photographing target locations, planting tracking devices, conducting opinion surveys, and monitoring traffic on specific routes were among the missions he carried out on the orders of Mossad officers. Keshavarz also confessed that he knowingly cooperated with the Israeli army and intelligenceagencies with the intention of harming the Islamic Republic. He was sentenced to death following several court sessions attended by his lawyer, based on his confessions and evidence proving his cooperation with the Israeli regime. 4194**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Man convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad executed in Iran Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 7:27 AM A Mossad agent, convicted of espionage for the Israeli regime, was executed in Iran after completion of all legal procedures, according to the Judiciary. Aqil Keshavarz, convicted of espionage and collaboration with Israel, was executed on Saturday morning following due legal process and final confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court. Keshavarz was arrested in the spring of 2025 during a security patrol by the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in the northwestern city of Urmia, after officers observed him filming the headquarters of the Urmia Infantry Division. Initial inquiries revealed communications on his mobile phone with contacts linked to Israel, including messages associated with an individual identified as "Osher." Subsequent searches of his residence and hotel room uncovered documents, coded notes, and addresses related to security institutions, further strengthening suspicions of espionage. Judicial authorities stated that investigations showed Keshavarz had established contacts through cyberspace with Israeli military and intelligence services, including the Mossad. According to investigations and the convicted individual's confessions, he had carried out more than 200 missions for Israel's spying services before his arrest. He also provided information on sensitive locations, including photographing military and security sites, conducting surveillance, and carrying out reconnaissance missions in several cities, such as Tehran, Isfahan, Urmia, and Shahroud. Keshavarz set up a cryptocurrency wallet, and after each mission, Mossad deposited funds into his account in cryptocurrency and provided him with a receipt. In his confession, the defendant explicitly admitted that he had collaborated with services linked to Israel and provided them with information about the country, with the intention of harming the Islamic Republic of Iran. The case file also revealed that Keshavarz had cooperated with groups affiliated with the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) and had sent images and slogans to the group's managers in Telegram. The court cited documentary evidence, technical reports, and confessions in sentencing Keshavarz to death on charges of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kentucky Guardsmen forge firepower for Florida By Chief Warrant Officer Catherine Strobel December 19, 2025 FRANKFORT, Ky. -- For four multiple launch rocket system crewmember instructors from the Kentucky Army National Guard, being asked to share their long-range artillery expertise at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville is a regular occurrence. But their latest mission presented a unique challenge when they were asked to reclassify Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guard in the middle of a deployment, halfway around the world. This is precisely the kind of agile, on-demand mission that the Mobile Training Team, or MTT, from the 1st Battalion (Field Artillery), 238th Regiment Training Institute is designed to executeexporting critical skills directly to Soldiers wherever they are needed. From Oct. 31 to Nov. 16, the MTT traveled to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and qualified 15 Soldiers from Florida's 3rd Battalion, 116th Field Artillery Regiment as multiple launch rocket system or high mobility artillery rocket system crewmembers (13M). "When a National Guard deployment concludes, the unit often loses personnel due to ETS [expiration term of service], retirement or Soldiers returning to their original unit of assignment," said Sgt. 1st Class David Hughes, 13M course manager. "By training these Soldiers overseas, we not only help backfill any anticipated losses, but we also provide 3-116th with a significant head start in filling launcher positions that will open as they transition to the 3x9 structure." The "3x9" structure refers to a field artillery battalion's reorganization into three batteries, each fielding nine High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers, a move that increases the unit's firepower and its need for qualified crews. The Florida Guard's request was a proactive measure to enhance combat readiness by certifying more Soldiers for the critical artillery role. Led by Hughes, the team included three 13M instructors - Staff Sgt. Scott Basham, Staff Sgt. Daniel Mann and Staff Sgt. Justin Noll. They provided the training and subject-matter expertise, while the 3-116th supported classroom operations, maintenance and logistics. "The instructors from the KYARNG demonstrated exceptional professionalism and adaptability, effectively addressing challenges in the environment of Camp Arifjan, Kuwait," said Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Eads, 3-116th. "Their expertise ensured comprehensive and high-quality training for our Soldiers, equipping them with essential skills to fill critical 13M vacancies and support the battalion's future operational growth." This was the first time the 1-238th had conducted the course for a unit while deployed in the U.S. Central Command region, and its timing was critical. As the Army expands its field artillery forces to meet the demands of large-scale combat, it also needs to recruit qualified crew members. This training directly addressed that urgency while offering Soldiers a clearer, more attractive path to promotion. "The most exciting opportunities in the Army right now are in the 13M space, and Soldiers are excited to transition to the MOS [military occupational specialty]," said Lt. Col. Clifford Evans, commander of the 1-238th. "The instructors on our MTT did a great job, and the response from our counterparts in 3-116th was very positive." The 1-238th is responsible for training field artillery Soldiers across the active and reserve components, providing expert-led courses for specialties like cannon crewmember (13B), fire support specialist (13F), fire direction control specialist (13J), multiple launch rocket system/high mobility artillery rocket system crewmember (13M) and weapons locating radar operator (13R). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On a Hilltop of Bones, a Fence Guards Over a Century-old Massacre Atone Sliwo Ashur's desire to build a fence around an elevated hilltop in Simmele, a town in northern Iraq's Dohuk district, seems innocent at first glance -- just a few hundred meters of metal posts and barbed wire coiled around a mound of dirt. But for those who know what lies beneath the soil, the barrier stands for something far greater: a long-overdue line of defense for the memory of a nearly century-old massacre. The site, known as the Simmele Archaeological Hill, is one of several mass graves tied to the Simmele Massacre of 1933. Over five days, Iraqi forces and allied tribal militias carried out coordinated attacks on Assyrian communities, unleashing widespread killings, looting, and forced displacement across at least 65 villages. An estimated 6,000 Assyrians were killed. Assyrians worldwide recognize the tragedy each year on Aug. 7, referred to as Assyrian Martyrs' Day. For years, visitors to the hill reported human bones and personal effects protruding from the ground -- grim evidence of a mass burial hidden under the surface. Yet the absence of basic protections left the site exposed, allowing history to be disturbed. "Animals and children have been digging the area, even exposing the bones of victims," Ashur said. "And the dumping of trash inside the site caused unpleasant odors. These actions are unacceptable because the location is sacred and holds deep historical and national significance." Nearly a century after the massacre, Assyrians are still fighting for its recognition. In 2020, a group of academics penned a letter to government officials, U.N. agencies, NGOs and cultural institutions, urging a probe into the sites. "An investigation of sites related to the Simmele Massacre may yield critical evidence for future justice processes and create a historical record," the letter reads. Led by the Assyrian Studies Association and a coalition of organizations, it adds that such efforts would help "reconfirm the dignity of the victims." Despite these calls, little has been done to formally protect the sites or acknowledge the tragedy locally. During two visits to the Simmele Archaeological Hill in 2020, Miriam Zia documented striking changes just months apart. "The human remains you could at times see protruding through the dirt months earlier were no longer there," she said. "Instead, the site had been dug out -- ceramics, pottery, artifacts of the life that had been on that hill in 1933, were strewn on the ground. But no sign to recognize who these ceramics belonged to. No sign to recognize that a genocide had occurred. No sign to say, 'Here laid the remains of 6,000 innocent Assyrian children, women and men.' And what has been done with these remains? Where have they been taken?" While permanent recognition at Simmele remains elusive, memorials to the massacre have emerged around the world. In Sydney, a statue commemorates both Ottoman-era and Simmele victims. Last year in Chicago, a 'Mother Assyria' monument was unveiled at the Mar Sargis church in a suburb of Chicago. Now, there's a renewed push to build a permanent monument at the site itself. Led by nine Assyrian political parties and institutions, the goal is to complete the monument by Assyrian Martyrs' Day in August 2026. "A national project of this magnitude can only be achieved through the united efforts of Assyrians both in our homeland and across the diaspora," wrote Carlo Ganjeh, the Secretary-General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance. In the meantime, Ashur, representing the Khoyada youth group, began raising funds two years ago to erect a protective fence around the site. After a series of local rejections, he turned to Simmele youth in the diaspora, who collectively donated $4,000 on the condition of anonymity. It wasn't enough to complete the project, he said, but just enough to get started. He then applied for legal approval from local authorities -- a process that took an additional three months. Finally in December, Ashur hired six workers to start building the fence along the perimeter of the mound. The project took a month to complete. When construction finished, a vinyl sign was installed at its entrance that reads, "7 August 1933 -- Assyrian Martyrs' Day." Still, Ashur says, much remains unfinished. The fence doesn't fully enclose the site, and ongoing cleanup and tree planting are needed. "It has to become a proper place to be a grave site," he said. TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said he is no longer in contact with U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, noting that their communication channel has been inactive for months. Araghchi made the remarks in an interview with RT's "Worlds Apart" program during a visit to Moscow earlier this month, commenting on the state of communication between Tehran and Washington. He said he had previously negotiated with Witkoff over Iran's nuclear program, noting that the two sides had held five rounds of talks between April and June. A sixth round, scheduled for June 15, was canceled after Israel launched a sudden airstrike on Iran. Israel carried out large-scale surprise airstrikes on June 13 targeting several locations across Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. On June 22, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities -- Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan. "It was an unprovoked and illegal attack, and then the United States joined," Araghchi said. "So it was very strange that in the middle of negotiations they decided to attack us. That became a very bad experience for us." Araghchi noted that following the 12-day conflict with Israel, he continued to exchange views with Witkoff. He said that while the U.S. side insisted on resuming negotiations, it had adopted what he described as a "very wrong" approach. "We are ready for a fair and balanced negotiated deal, but we are not ready for a diktat," he said. Responding to Washington's demand that Iran cease uranium enrichment on its own soil, Araghchi said that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), member states have the right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology. "When you deprive a country of this clear right, you are in fact weakening the entire NPT," he said. US-led meeting discusses implementation of 'phase two' of Gaza ceasefire, ignoring Israeli violations Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 8:55 PM A US-led diplomatic meeting has discussed implementation of "phase two" of ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, framing the first phase as a success, despite the Israeli regime's ongoing genocidal atrocities in the coastal sliver. On Saturday, the United States regional envoy Steve Witkoff announced in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that representatives of the country, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey had met in Miami to review implementation of the first phase of a ceasefire deal clinched between the Israeli regime and Gaza's Hamas resistance movement in early October. Witkoff said the meeting had focused on preparations for implementation of "the second phase," adding that the first phase had included, what he called, expanded humanitarian assistance, return of the remaining Israeli captives in the coastal sliver, partial force withdrawals, and a reduction in hostilities. "The first phase has yielded progress," he noted, sidestepping the regime's ongoing daily violations of the deal. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed during the violations of the agreement signed as part of a 20-point proposal forwarded by Donald Trump that the US president says is aimed at ending the Israeli regime's war of genocide on the territory. Critics have repeatedly warned that the aggression has repeated the genocidal pattern of the war that has claimed the lives of nearly 70,700 people, mostly women and children, since its onset in October 2023. Earlier this month, Hamas condemned the regime's restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, particularly concerning tents and prefabricated homes, despite the deal. It said Tel Aviv continued to permit only limited quantities of aid trucks into the territory, which "do not meet even the minimum basic needs" of its population amid the worsening humanitarian crisis. Witkoff went on to say discussions on "phase two" had seen the participants emphasize creation of a "governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order." He said the meeting had also addressed "regional integration measures such as trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy and water." Within this framework, the parties expressed support for near-term establishment of the so-called "Board of Peace" as a transitional administration overseeing civilian, security, and reconstruction tracks, the envoy said. He said the meeting had reviewed next steps in implementing the "Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza," Trump's term for his proposal, and reaffirmed commitment to the entirety of the 20-point plan, with further consultations planned in the coming weeks. The remarks came after the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2803, which endorsed the plan. The resolution passed with 13 votes in favor, while Russia and China abstained. The move has been widely criticized by Palestinians and rights advocates, who view it as biased in Tel Aviv's favor and as rewarding it despite its atrocities in Gaza. Since the launch of the war, the United States has vetoed six Security Council resolutions calling for an end to the atrocities, continuing a long-standing pattern of blocking measures critical of the regime. Although Washington abstained once, allowing a resolution to pass in March 2024, it later declared that measure non-binding, a position that observers said enabled the regime to ignore the council without consequences. By contrast, the Trump administration has treated Resolution 2803 as binding, deflecting criticism from Palestinians and their supporters, who have especially faulted the proposed "Board of Peace" and a so-called International Stabilization Force. Under the resolution, the board would be chaired by Trump himself and would function as an administrative authority governing Gaza, with sweeping control over reconstruction, aid distribution, and ceasefire enforcement. While described as temporary, its mandate would require renewal by the end of 2027, raising concerns about prolonged foreign administration. The ISF would also be led by the United States and operating in coordination with the Israeli regime and Egypt. Unlike any UN peacekeeping missions, the force would be tasked with demilitarizing Gaza and confronting Palestinian resistance groups, a role critics say amounts to UN-mandated enforcement of Washington and Tel Aviv's preferences. The vote also came amid mounting UN findings on Gaza, including a commission of inquiry's conclusion in September that the regime was committing genocide, and repeated rulings by the International Court of Justice that Tel Aviv has ignored. Experts have, meanwhile, raised alarms over the Trump plan's refusing to demand accountability on the part of the regime over its atrocities as well as Washington's failure to press Tel Aviv for guarantees concerning implementation of ceasefire. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Settlement construction plans in al-Quds violate international law: Hamas Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 5:49 PM Hamas has strongly criticized the decision by the Israeli regime to approve a plan for a new settlement east of occupied al-Quds, calling the move a dangerous escalation in the settlement and annexation agenda, and another crime added to Israel's already extensive record of international law violations. The Palestinian resistance movement said in a statement that the settlement plan approved by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, which comprises thousands of housing units, is part of a deliberate policy designed to Judaize al-Quds, separate it from its Palestinian environment, and transform its character and identity. The statement emphasized that the plan constitutes a direct attack on the rights of the Palestinian people, their territory, and their sacred sites, while also ignoring the will of the international community and its consistent warnings. Hamas underlined that ongoing settlement activities act as a catalyst for tension and instability, placing full responsibility on the occupying Israeli regime for the repercussions of these colonial actions on the ground. The movement urged the international community, the United Nations, and relevant legal and human rights organizations to fulfill their obligations and take immediate action to stop settlement projects and enforce measures to deter Israel. It also called on the Palestinian people to reinforce their resilience and unity in facing efforts of Judaization and displacement. After the launch of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israeli authorities examined around 355 master plans for the development of 37,415 settlement units across 38,551 dunams (39 square kilometers) of Palestinian land. Among these, approval has been granted for 18,801 units, while the remaining 18,614 are still undergoing review. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers currently live in more than 230 settlements established following the 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The international community views these settlements as a violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions because they are built on occupied Palestinian territories. The UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council have consistently denounced Israel's settlement activities through various resolutions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US pitches 'Project Sunrise' to rebuild Gaza as high-tech coastal metropolis: Report Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 2:23 PM The Trump administration has presented a proposal dubbed "Project Sunrise" to foreign governments and potential investors, outlining a plan to transform the war-ravaged Gaza Strip into a futuristic, high-tech coastal metropolis, according to a new report. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported on Friday that the 32-page PowerPoint presentation, labeled "sensitive but unclassified," was developed by a team led by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, as well as his West Asia envoy Steve Witkoff. It envisions turning Gaza's destruction into a "Riviera" of West Asia, complete with luxury beachfront resorts, high-speed rail, AI-optimized smart grids, and modern transportation hubs. US officials said the slides have been shared with potential donor countries, such as affluent Persian Gulf nations, Turkey, and Egypt. The proposal does not specify which governments or companies would finance the venture, nor does it address the living arrangements for the approximately two million displaced Palestinians during the reconstruction phase. The plan lays out a roadmap spanning over 20 years, beginning with extensive humanitarian relief and debris removal, followed by a phased rebuilding process that will move from southern Gaza up toward the north. The initial phase would focus on Rafah and Khan Younis, before expanding to central areas and, ultimately, Gaza City. One slide, titled "New Rafah," portrays this city as the future administrative hub of Gaza, accommodating over 500,000 residents with over 100,000 housing units, more than 200 schools, at least 75 medical facilities, and 180 mosques and cultural centers. The total cost for the initiative is estimated at $112.1 billion over ten years, encompassing public sector wages. Nearly $60 billion is expected to come from grants and new debt, with the US proposing to "anchor" at least 20 percent of the funding. The World Bank is also expected to be involved in financing. The proposal anticipates a reduction in costs during the second decade, with plans to monetize about 70 percent of Gaza's coastline beginning in year ten, potentially generating $55 billion in long-term returns. A critical condition outlined in the document is that the reconstruction of Gaza relies on the demilitarization of the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas. US officials noted that "if security conditions allow, the plan could be initiated within two months." Secretary of State Marco Rubio also emphasized the need for prolonged stability to attract investment, saying, "You are not going to convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they believe another war is going to happen in two, three years." He also expressed confidence that long-term support from donors could be secured. This comes as numerous US officials have expressed doubts about whether wealthy countries would back such an ambitious initiative in a precarious postwar landscape. In early February, Trump said the US sought to "take over" Gaza and expel its Palestinian population to turn the devastated territory into the "Riviera" of the West Asia region. The proposal has invited an incessant torrent of condemnation worldwide as an open endorsement of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli regime, however, has endorsed Trump's proposal for Gaza, where its relentless attacks since October 2023 have killed 70,925 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured at least 171,185 people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Israel deliberately targeting civilians': Hamas condemns deadly attack on Gaza school Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 7:57 AM Hamas has condemned the "brutal" Israeli shelling of a school in Gaza City on Friday, which killed several Palestinians, calling it another "deliberate" war crime and a blatant violation of the ceasefire. In a statement on Saturday, the Gaza-based resistance group also called out the "international silence and failure" to stop these crimes. "The artillery strike carried out by the fascist Israeli occupation army on a school sheltering displaced civilians in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, which resulted in the killings of several citizens, most of them children, is a brutal crime against innocent civilians and a flagrant, repeated violation of the ceasefire agreement," read the statement. The terrorist Israeli regime, it added, "continues its violations of the ceasefire by deliberately and continuously targeting civilians in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 400 martyrs since the agreement was announced over two months ago, amid an international silence and failure to act against these crimes." Hamas emphasized that the occupation does not stop at targeting civilians, but deepens the humanitarian catastrophe by preventing ambulances and medical teams from reaching the sites of attacks to rescue and treat the wounded. The resistance group warned that the criminal behavior "amounts to compounded war crimes and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law." Hamas also urged the mediators guaranteeing the agreement and the US administration to fulfill their responsibilities regarding these violations and to intervene immediately to halt the attempts of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war-criminal cabinet to impose equations that contradict and clearly undermine the agreement. Israel's Friday attack on a school-turned-shelter near Mohammad al-Durra Hospital, east of the al-Tuffah neighborhood, killed at least seven Palestinians and wounded several others. Some bodies were recovered in pieces, eyewitnesses told local news sources. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israel has violated the ceasefire at least 738 times, the Gaza Government Media Office said. It said Israel shot at civilians 205 times, raided residential areas beyond the yellow line 37 times, bombed and shelled Gaza 358 times, and demolished people's properties on 138 occasions. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 394 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 11, the first full day of the ceasefire. Another 1,075 people have been wounded. Hamas leader Ghazi Hamas said on Tuesday that Israel had committed more than 813 ceasefire violations. He added that since the ceasefire agreement came into force, about 400 people have been killed, noting that more than 95% of the dead are civilians. The latest figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry, tracking the casualties from October 7, 2023, confirm that over 70,600 Palestinians, including more than 20,150 children, have been killed during the Israeli genocide against Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief denounces escalating Israeli settler violence in occupied West Bank Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 6:46 AM United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the escalating violence by illegal Israeli settlers against unarmed Palestinian civilians and their property across the occupied West Bank. Speaking at a press briefing in New York on Friday, Guterres emphasized the importance of upholding international law, including the principles of humanitarian and human rights laws, throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East al-Quds. He also stressed that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has outlined provisional measures, which are binding and must be enforced. "The court's advisory opinion of October 22, 2025, was clear: Israel is under the obligation to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid, to cooperate with the United Nations in carrying out our mandates, and to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including in times of armed conflict," the UN chief continued. He reaffirmed his support for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and underscored its vital role in assisting Palestinians, both in Gaza and elsewhere in the West Asia region. Guterres noted that this crisis stems from human decisions and can be resolved through deliberate choices, provided there is political will to take action. He urged an end to the "perverse and prolonged suffering" endured by the Palestinian people, stressing the importance of offering them a sense of hope. He called for the complete enforcement of the ceasefire, the cessation of the ongoing cycle of violence, and the establishment of a clear, irreversible path toward a so-called two-state solution. The remarks came on the same day that a young Palestinian man sustained injuries following an attack by Israeli settlers in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. Local news outlets reported that a group of armed settlers launched an attack on residents and their homes in the Khallat al-Natsh neighborhood of the city of al-Khalil. A 20-year-old man was injured during the assault and later transported to hospital to receive medical care. Residents said the attack resulted in property damage and heightened fear among families in the area, as acts of violence by settlers against Palestinian communities persist, amid the protection of Israeli forces. Early on Friday, a young Palestinian man sustained fractures in both legs after being struck by an Israeli settler's vehicle. According to reports, a group of settlers drove into the eastern part of Nablus, during which one of them intentionally ran over the young man while he was passing along Amman Street, causing fractures in both of his legs. Palestinians in the West Bank are experiencing heightened Israeli military operations and a surge in violent incidents by settlers following the onset of the devastating Gaza war in October 2023, which has claimed over 70,000 lives in the coastal area. Since then, over 1,085 Palestinians have been killed and 10,700 others injured in the West Bank due to attacks by the military and Israeli settlers in the occupied territory. More than 20,500 individuals have also been abducted by the forces of the occupying regime. For months, human rights organizations have been sounding the alarm about the increasing risk of ethnic cleansing faced by Palestinians in the West Bank amid ongoing violence. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel's prolonged occupation of historic Palestine to be unlawful and urged the removal of all settlements located in the West Bank and East al-Quds. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armenia Imports Azerbaijani Gasoline, Seen As Move To Reduce Dependence On Russia By RFE/RL's Armenian Service and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service December 20, 2025 Twenty-two wagons of gasoline arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan via Georgia on December 19, marking the first known commercial trade between the two longtime adversaries in about 30 years - a move both sides have framed as a sign of progress toward peace. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed the shipment, saying the trade was made possible by an improved political climate between the two countries: "The trade is taking place between private companies, but, of course, it is the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan that has created the political conditions for this trade," Pashinyan said. The shipment was agreed last month during talks between the deputy prime ministers of the two South Caucasus countries as part of efforts to expand economic cooperation, according to Hikmet Hajiyev, a foreign policy aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Armenia imported about 65 percent of its gasoline from Russia last year, making supply diversification a sensitive issue in Yerevan. Decreasing Dependency On Russia "I do believe that it would be good in decreasing Armenia's dependency on, particularly, Russia," Emily Babakanian Frazier, a research fellow at the Regional Studies Center, a Yerevan-based think tank, told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, commenting on the recent trade. However, she cautioned that the move is still seen as fragile in Armenia. "I think there could be a lot of fear that if there are renewed tensions, Azerbaijan could cut the supply and leave Armenia stranded," she said. "So I do see it as a potential, but maybe more for the medium and long term rather than the short term." Armenia's Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan described the transaction as commercial: "The process has gone - let's fix that instead of war. War is loss, trade is prosperity," Papoyan told RFE/RL's Armenian Service. Earlier this year, Azerbaijan reopened its territory for the transit of goods to Armenia, ending restrictions that had been in place since 1997. Since October, two shipments of grain from Kazakhstan and Russia have passed through Azerbaijan en route to Armenia. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in conflict since the late 1980s over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but long controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists. Both Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey have closed their borders with Armenia since the beginning of the conflict. In September 2023, Azerbaijan retook full control of Karabakh following a military offensive. This summer, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a major deal aimed at ending decades of conflict and potentially unlocking regional trade, though the treaty has yet to be formally signed or ratified. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan- gasoline-russia-imports/33628610.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US intercepts another tanker off Venezuela as Washington escalates pressure campaign against Caracas Iran Press TV Sunday, 21 December 2025 2:42 AM US forces have stopped another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking the second such operation in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump presses ahead with a hardline campaign aimed at tightening pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government. According to US officials, the pre-dawn operation on Saturday involved the US Coast Guard, with support from the War Department, intercepting an oil tanker that had last docked in Venezuela. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the action and released unclassified video footage showing a US helicopter landing personnel on the vessel, identified as the Centuries. The tanker, a crude oil carrier sailing under the Panamanian flag, was recently detected near the Venezuelan coast, according to vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic. US authorities did not immediately clarify whether the ship itself was subject to American sanctions. Noem said the operation was part of Washington's effort to halt the movement of "sanctioned oil," which the US government alleges is used to fund "narcoterrorism" in the region. "The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil," she wrote on social media, adding, "We will find you, and we will stop you." A US official cited by the Associated Press claimed the action was a "consented boarding." The latest interception followed Trump's announcement earlier this month of what he described as a "blockade" of "sanctioned oil tankers" traveling to and from Venezuela. It also comes days after US forces seized another tanker, the Skipper, off Venezuela's coast on December 10. Trump has repeatedly cited alleged disputes over oil assets and claims of drug trafficking as self-described justification for escalating pressure on Caracas. This week, he claimed that Venezuela had to return assets "seized" from US oil companies years ago, alleging that those losses had helped drive his decision to move against oil shipments linked to the country. US oil companies once dominated Venezuela's petroleum sector until nationalization campaigns in the 1970s. The tanker interdictions are unfolding alongside a broader US military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, where Trump has ordered strikes on vessels his administration claims are smuggling fentanyl and other illegal drugs. Since early September, at least 104 people have been killed in 28 known strikes. Those operations have drawn scrutiny from human rights groups and even members of Congress, who say the administration has provided limited evidence that the targeted vessels were engaged in drug trafficking and have raised concerns that the strikes amounted to extrajudicial killings. The United States has also deployed a large number of warships to the region in recent months, representing the most significant military buildup there in generations. Trump has repeatedly warned that land-based operations could follow. Maduro has rejected US accusations, insisting that Washington's real objective was to remove him from power. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Oreshnik Getting Prepared for Combat Duty in Belarus - Belarusian Defense Minister Sputnik News 20251219 MINSK (Sputnik) - The mobile ground-based missile system with medium-range missiles Oreshnik is being prepared to take up combat duty in Belarus, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Friday. "Yesterday you all heard that the Oreshnik missile system arrived [in Belarus], is stationed on the territory of Belarus, and is preparing to go on combat duty. As soon as this happens, we will definitely invite you and show you," Khrenin told reporters. Poland's Patriot Deployment Result of Authorities' Intimidation of Population Poland's deployment of Patriot systems is a consequence of the authorities' intimidation of their population, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said. "They have made an enemy image of us and are now intimidating their population," Khrenin told reporters when asked about the deployment of Patriot systems in Poland, adding that Minsk adequately reacts to the escalation of tensions around the republic. Minsk Calm About Idea to Deploy Nuclear Arms in Ukraine Minsk is calm about the idea of deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine, as this is primarily a factor of strategic deterrence, not an attack, Viktor Khrenin said. "We are calm [about deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine]," Khrenin told reporters, adding that it is a factor of strategic deterrence and not to show aggression. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HMCS St. John's returns from Operation REASSURANCE National Defence News release December 20, 2025 - Ottawa, ON - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) St. John's returned home to Halifax, Nova Scotia, today after a successful five month-long deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic under Operation REASSURANCE in support of NATO's deterrence and defence measures. HMCS St. John's departed Halifax in July, sailing to the Mediterranean Sea where the ship joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 2. During this period, the ship's company conducted exercises and patrols alongside NATO allies throughout the region. While in Europe, members of the crew also had the honour of attending Remembrance Day ceremonies at Passchendaele in Belgium, as well as Beaumont-Hamel and Vimy Ridge in France. In November, HMCS St. John's was re-tasked under Operation REASSURANCE and proceeded north to join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 in the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea, continuing to conduct exercises and patrols with NATO partners. HMCS St. John's deployment reflects Canada's commitment to the NATO Alliance and highlights the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) ability to project professional, capable, and high readiness forces around the globe. Quotes "The deployment of His Majesty's Canadian Ship St. John's reflects Canada's steadfast commitment to peace and security in Europe. Serving with professionalism and determination, the ship's company provided vital reassurance of NATO solidarity and readiness. This mission underscores Maritime Forces Atlantic's ability to deliver multi-mission capable assets abroad. Canada stands firmly with its allies to protect what we believe in. We welcome and congratulate the crew back after a successful mission and wish them and their loved ones' well-earned quality time together." Rear-Admiral Josee Kurtz, Commander, Maritime Forces Atlantic "Throughout this deployment, His Majesty's Canadian Ship St. John's, and its embarked air detachment, have demonstrated Canada's resolve and commitment to NATO, sailing throughout the Mediterranean with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and then into the High North with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, groups which embody the cohesion and solidarity of the Alliance. The ship's company's hard work delivered readiness and flexibility, which enabled our mission success abroad. It has been a privilege to lead such an exceptional team. Thank you to the families, friends, and community that supported us, strengthening Canada's NATO contributions through your resiliency." Commander Jeffrey Anderson, Commanding Officer, His Majesty's Canadian Ship St. John's Quick facts HMCS St. John's is a Halifax-class frigate that has been in service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) since 1996. This agile, capable, and integrated platform is equipped to respond to a wide spectrum of aerial, surface, and subsurface threats. Standing NATO Maritime Groups are multinational, integrated maritime forces made up of ships from various NATO Alliance countries. These ships, including their air assets, enable NATO to perform different tasks ranging from routine exercises to operational missions. Halifax-class frigates are multi-role platforms that excel in anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare in open ocean environments. The combination of these capabilities and advanced sensor systems, coupled with state-of-the-art damage control and machinery control systems, make these frigates highly capable warships. Operation REASSURANCE is Canada's largest overseas military operation, supporting NATO's deterrence and defence posture in Central and Eastern Europe since 2014. Canada has deployed RCN ships to NATO's Standing Naval Forces on a rotational basis for over a decade, demonstrating Canada's value as a capable and reliable ally. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 15th Meeting of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The 15th European Union (EU) - Pakistan Joint Commission took place on 17 December 2025 in Brussels. The meeting reviewed political and economic developments in the EU and Pakistan and discussed in depth EU-Pakistan cooperation in the fields of democracy, governance, human rights, trade and investment, development, migration, climate and energy, science and technology, as well as the implementation of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP). Both sides exchanged views on the regional situation and reaffirmed the importance of their longstanding partnership, underpinned by shared interest in promoting regional stability. EU-Pakistan Sub-Group meeting on Democracy, Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights The meeting of the Sub-Group on Democracy, Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights was held on 1 December 2025, where Pakistan side was represented by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EU side by the European External Action Service (EEAS). The two sides stressed the importance of maintaining close cooperation on Human Rights, as part of the bilateral relation and in international fora. The EU congratulated Pakistan for its election to the UN Human Rights Council, whose members are expected to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights. Pakistan updated on progress under the National Action Plan on Human Rights and the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and on the work of the various national institutions in charge of promoting and protecting human rights across the country. The EU reiterated its commitment to supporting Pakistan's efforts to guarantee the protection of all human rights, including women and children's rights, minorities' rights labour and migrant rights, as well as fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and opinion including growing problem of disinformation. Both sides also reviewed Pakistan's progress on the implementation of the 27 international conventions as required under the GSP+ framework. The EU welcomed progress made in bringing Pakistan's application of the death penalty in line with international standards and encouraged further steps in this regard. It also recognised important first steps against torture, as well as the creation of a Commission on Minorities. The EU encouraged further steps to be taken in the short term in view of the upcoming GSP+ Monitoring Report, and reiterated the need for further reforms in the medium and long term. The EU and Pakistan notably exchanged views on freedom of expression and media, enforced disappearances, the independence of the judiciary, freedom of religion or belief, anti-Muslim hatred, the rights of persons belonging to minorities and vulnerable groups. Both sides underlined the importance of proportionality and appropriate safeguards and the need to continue dialogue on these concerns. Regarding labour rights, the EU and Pakistan discussed efforts to scale up and strengthen labour inspections, ensure respect of the minimum wage and enhance women's opportunities in the labour market. The need for more systemic efforts was discussed in response to EU side's concerns on low number of workers in trade unions. EU-Pakistan Sub-Group on Trade The EU is Pakistan's second-largest trading partner, with Pakistan being the main beneficiary of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) arrangement, contributing significantly to the growth of bilateral trade. The meeting of the Sub-Group on Trade convened on 15 December 2025, where Pakistan side was represented by Ministry of Commerce and EU side by the European Commission's Directorate-General of Trade. During discussions in the EU-Pakistan Sub-Group on Trade, both sides acknowledged the importance of a robust multilateral trading system. EU-Pakistan bilateral trade relations were discussed at length, covering a wide range of topics including market access challenges for both sides. Among other areas of specific interest, cooperation on the implementation of the GSP+ was prominent. Both sides discussed follow-up of the GSP+ Monitoring Mission that took place from 24 November to 3 December 2025, including the upcoming GSP report and re-application to the GSP+ scheme under the new GSP Regulation. Both sides highlighted the need to improve the overall business environment and expressed their commitment to advance this work, including at the upcoming High-Level EU-Pakistan Business Forum on 28-29 April 2026 in Islamabad. EU-Pakistan Sub-Group on Development Co-operation The meeting of the Sub-Group on Development Co-operation convened on 16 December 2025. Pakistan was represented by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the EU by the Directorate-General for International Partnerships of the European Commission. The EU and Pakistan agreed on the continued relevance of key priority areas under the ongoing Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP): i) green inclusive growth, ii) human capital/TVET, and iii) governance including rule of law and human rights. These priorities remain well aligned with the National Development agenda of Government of Pakistan. In this context, Pakistan welcomed notably the EU's continuous support to Pakistan's climate change resilience, in a Team Europe approach. The EU presented the outline of the projects for the period 2025-2027 and updated on the EU's policy framework and Global Gateway strategy. In particular, the EU and Pakistan welcomed the recent re-engagement of the European Investment Bank On the margins of the Joint Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed its first credit financing agreement in Pakistan's water sector since 2015. Pakistan looks forward to continued EIB support for development projects of national importance. The two sides also discussed regional programmes and recognised the importance of strengthening regional collaboration in areas of common interest. In the area of governance and rule of law, they also discussed the critical role of civil society in the country's socio-economic development, as well as support to an enabling environment for Global Gateway investments to thrive. Other issues of common interest Reaffirming their commitment to the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP) of 2019, the EU and Pakistan assessed progress achieved over the past six years. The two sides welcomed the recent momentum of high-level interactions, including the convening of the 7th Strategic Dialogue in Brussels on 21 November, that was co-chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The Joint Commission took stock of progress under the EU-Pakistan Comprehensive Dialogue on Migration and Mobility, including co-operation on return and readmission within the framework of the EU-Pakistan Joint Readmission Agreement, as well as developments on legal migration under the EU-Pakistan Talent Partnership. The EU welcomed Pakistan's concrete steps to improve cooperation on migration-related issues and its readiness to deepen the engagement, in particular on countering irregular migration and migrant smuggling. In this regard, the two sides noted with appreciation Pakistan's support for the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling and the participation of its Interior Minister, Mr Syed Mohsin Naqvi, in the 2nd International Conference of the Alliance held in Brussels on 10 December 2025. They also expressed satisfaction on the recent endorsement of the Talent Partnership Roadmap during the 3rd Migration and Mobility Dialogue. On returns and readmission, both sides agreed on the importance of the full and effective implementation of the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement, also with a view to the implementation of the upcoming Return border procedure as part of the Pact on Migration and asylum, and that the sharp decrease of irregular arrivals to EU Member States and increase in returns must continue. The two sides also discussed issues of common interest and examined the potential for expanding co-operation in the area of climate change and environment, as well as in the fields of education, culture, science and technology, connectivity and digitalisation. They appreciated the significance of the EU-Pakistan knowledge partnership, in particular the growing participation of Pakistani students under the Erasmus Mundus scholarship programme. Both sides also agreed to explore research collaborations under the Horizon Europe Programme. The EU welcomes the ongoing discussions between Pakistan and UNHCR to seek to identify and compile a list of vulnerable cases, to ensure their adequate protection. The EU appreciated that Pakistan is hosting millions of Afghan nationals for over four decades. They emphasised that any return must be safe, dignified and in line with international standards. The EU and Pakistan recognised the significance of regional collaboration on security challenges, particularly in the areas of counterterrorism and counter-narcotics. The EU underlined the continuous relevance of its Strategy for Co-operation in the Indo-Pacific in steering its engagement in the region. Regional and global issues Both sides affirmed their support to the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza Conflict, which allowed for a ceasefire, the release of the hostages and better humanitarian access to Gaza. They reiterated the importance of ensuring that all parties adhere to the ceasefire, implement all phases, and refrain from any actions that jeopardise the agreement. The EU stressed its determination to contribute to the implementation of the Plan by contributing to security, governance, recovery and reconstruction aspects. They underscored their support for concrete steps towards the two-state solution in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. The EU restated its position on Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. The Pakistan side briefed on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as on the Indus Waters Treaty. Both sides stressed the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and in full conformity with international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The two sides also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, security threats emanating from Afghan soil and the need for humanitarian assistance. The Joint Commission was co-chaired by Mr. Muhammad Humair Karim, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Pakistan, and Ms. Paola Pampaloni, Acting Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service. It was agreed to hold the next session of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission in Islamabad in 2026. Islamabad December 20, 2025 381/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CANBERRA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday announced a review of the country's intelligence and law enforcement agencies following the fatal mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Albanese said in a statement that the review will examine the powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. The review was announced one week after 15 victims were killed in the mass shooting that targeted an event celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Authorities have since said that the attack, which was Australia's most deadly mass shooting since 1996, was motivated by Islamic State ideology. Albanese said on Sunday that the attack "reinforces the rapidly changing security environment" in Australia. "Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond," he said. The review will be completed in April and published, according to the report. One of the two alleged gunmen was shot dead by police at the scene of the attack, while the other, identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram, has been charged with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. Pakistani court sentences former PM Imran Khan, wife to 17 years in prison over corruption Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 10:59 AM A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each over a corruption case, the latest legal blow for Khan, who has been behind bars since August 2023. The special court of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) ruled on Saturday that Khan and Bibi would serve 10 years' rigorous imprisonment under the penal code for criminal breach of trust, with an additional seven years under anti-corruption laws. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan's new sentence will begin after he completes a separate 14-year sentence related to a land graft case. The case centers on luxury watches gifted to Khan by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during official visits. Prosecutors said Khan and his wife subsequently purchased the gifts from the state at heavily discounted prices, in violation of Pakistan's gift rules. Tarrar said the purchase resulted in losses of several million rupees for the state. Khan's legal team called the verdict "a tool for selective prosecution" and announced plans to appeal at the Islamabad High Court. Khan's spokesperson, Zulfi Bukhari, said the decision "ignores basic principles of justice." The Toshakhana cases, as they are commonly known in Pakistan, refer to the state repository where gifts received by public officials are deposited. This case is separate from an earlier prosecution linked to Khan's August 2023 arrest, in which previously issued sentences were later suspended on appeal. Khan has told his legal team to appeal the decision at the Islamabad High Court, Salman Safdar, another one of his lawyers, told reporters outside the jail where the trials were being held. Following the verdict, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party announced plans for protests across Punjab on Sunday. Khan's party also says routine family and legal visits have been blocked in recent weeks despite court orders. Authorities deny any mistreatment and say he is receiving all facilities available to prisoners. This is the latest major conviction for the former prime minister. Last January, he faced three other convictions for selling state gifts, leaking state secrets, and unlawful marriage. These were later overturned or suspended. Despite this, Khan remains in jail with numerous cases still pending. He claims that the charges are part of a political witch-hunt. Khan was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. He has described the move as a conspiracy involving the military and the United States, both of which deny the accusations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, African Countries Agree to Strengthen Security Cooperation - Lavrov Sputnik News 20251220 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Russia and African countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the spheres of politics and security following the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday. "The joint statement also contains our shared decision to strengthen cooperation in the political and security spheres, including with the aim of recommending the establishment of working relations between the African Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The minister added that Russia and Africa do not see the need to dwell on Western sanctions. "We prefer to focus on coordinating workable, efficient mechanisms that will safeguard our trade and economic ties, making them independent from the illegal actions of those who, in violation of all principles of international law, resort to methods of blackmail and pressure," Lavrov noted. Additionally, the Foreign Minister discussed increasing trade turnover and energy cooperation with African partners, as well as the creation of joint financial and logistical structures to protect the trade and economic investment partnerships of the countries from illegal unilateral sanctions. "Unlike those who try to continue colonial and neocolonial policies, dictating their will to others, we, together with our African friends, have a solid international legal foundation in our positions," he emphasized. In turn, Abdelatty said that during the ministerial conference in Cairo, African countries and Russia had reached a mutual understanding regarding further cooperation. We have reached an understanding on further cooperation," Abdelatty said. Lavrov participated today in the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Egypt. The conference was attended by foreign ministers, heads of state, and leaders of executive bodies from integration associations across the continent. They discussed cooperation in various areas. The minister also held a series of bilateral meetings. The forum was established in 2019. Two summits were held within its frameworkin Sochi in 2019 and in St. Petersburg in 2023, as well as the first ministerial conference in November of last year. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Committed to Unlocking Potential for Cooperation With African Countries - Lavrov Sputnik News 20251220 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Russia is committed to further exploring the vast potential for cooperation with African countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday. "The Russian-African partnership is steadily developing in all areas. A meaningful and trust-based political dialogue continues, including at a high and summit levels. Trade and economic cooperation is being strengthened. Last year, trade grew by 13% to almost $28 billion. I am convinced that this is far from the limit. We are determined to further unleash the enormous potential of our practical cooperation," Lavrov said at the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. Russian and African leaders expect the Cairo ministerial meeting to lay out proposals for further cooperation, Lavrov said. A set of practical steps should be adopted ahead of next year's third Russia-Africa summit, he added. Russia suggests that African countries that have no diplomatic missions in Moscow should consider opening them, Lavrov said. "We suggest that partners who do not yet have their own embassies in Moscow should consider opening them. We will be glad to provide every kind of assistance," he said. Russia also considers it important to establish a mechanism for mutual financial transactions in national currencies with African countries, Lavrov said. Russia is assisting African countries in strengthening national security and combating terrorism, Sergey Lavrov said. "We are helping to strengthen capabilities of African countries to defend themselves against internal and external threats, primarily terrorism," Lavrov said. Russia is also ready to share its experience and knowledge in the sphere of agriculture with African countries, Lavrov said. "Africa has enormous agricultural resources and is quite capable of providing for itself. We are ready to share the relevant technologies, experience, and knowledge with our African friends," the minister added. Russia considers it unacceptable that a number of countries and military alliances have been trying to drag African countries into geopolitical confrontations, Lavrov said. "We consider the policy of some countries and military-political blocs, representing a political minority, aimed at dragging the region into geopolitical confrontations to be unacceptable," Lavrov said. Such policies contradict the goal of ensuring Africa's independent development and prosperity, Lavrov added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli troops launch ground incursions in southwestern Syria, set up checkpoints Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 3:28 PM Amid rising tensions along the demarcation line in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israeli forces carried out ground incursions into Syria's southwestern Quneitra province, establishing temporary checkpoints in a fresh violation of Syrian sovereignty. The public al-Ikhbariyah Syria television news channel reported that Israeli troops, on board five military vehicles, raided the village of Ain Ziwan on Saturday, and set up a checkpoint in the area. Israeli forces also stormed the village of al-Ajraf in central Quneitra countryside with four military vehicles and established a checkpoint to search passersby. The incursions followed a protest in al-Salam, where dozens of Syrians condemned ongoing Israeli attacks on residents and property, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Also on Friday, Israeli army forces launched four new ground invasions in the countryside of Quneitra. A three-vehicle patrol rolled into the town of Bir Ajam and moved toward the village of Briqa, SANA said. Two Humvee vehicles and two Toyota Hilux pickups also stormed al-Asha village and advanced toward al-Rafid town. A third Israeli raid was staged in the village of Umm al-Azam, with forces setting up a temporary checkpoint at the intersection of al-Mushairfa and Ruweihina villages. Israeli forces also raided the village of Ruweihina and moved toward the nearby dam. Israel has repeatedly conducted acts of aggression across Syrian territory since the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad's government late last year. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his forces to advance further into Syrian territory to capture multiple critical strategic positions in the area. Israel has extended its occupation in Syria by taking over the buffer zone that divides the occupied Golan Heights from the rest of the country, effectively violating the 1974 disengagement agreement. Analysts warn that the inaction of Syria's ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), coupled with its moves toward normalizing ties with Tel Aviv, has emboldened Israel to expand its territorial presence in Syria and escalate airstrikes in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ministry of National Defense Issues Press Release Regarding "PLA Long-Range Over-the-Sea Flight Training" ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025.12.10 Issuing AuthorityAdministration Office Ministry of National Defense Press Release Time: 1830 hours, December 10, 2025 The Ministry of National Defense stated today (December 10) that, starting at 0812 hours, it successively detected 8 sorties of various PLA main and auxiliary aircraft, including J-16 fighters, H-6 bombers, and KJ-500 AEW&C, conducting activities at sea. These aircraft, crossing the median line and its extension and entering Taiwan's southwestern and southeastern airspace,were bound for the Western Pacific to conduct "long-range over-the-sea flight training." The ROC Armed Forces employed joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation and dispatched mission aircraft, vessels, and shore-based missile systems to respond appropriately. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan opposition lawmakers announce plan to impeach Lai Ching-te People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:04, December 20, 2025 TAIPEI, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan opposition lawmakers from the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) announced a plan to impeach the region's leader, Lai Ching-te, at a press conference held in Taipei on Friday. The action followed Lai's statement to support Cho Jung-tai, chief of the island's executive body, in refusing to countersign amendments to a government revenue allocation law, passed by the legislature earlier. Fu Kun-chi, KMT's caucus convener in the legislature, said at the press conference that since Lai took the office of Taiwan's leader in May last year, he had been selling out the island's interests and trampling on democracy. All KMT and TPP lawmakers decided to step forward and speak out for the 23 million people on the island, Fu said. "Lai must be ousted." "We will officially submit a proposal to impeach Lai," announced TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang at the same press conference. The opposition will also hold public hearings across the island to explain why the impeachment is necessary and how Lai's actions stalled the enactment of the amended law and thus withheld funds that should have been used for local development and well-being of people, he said. An impeachment motion against the leader or deputy leader of the Taiwan authorities must first be proposed by at least one half of the total legislature members and approved by a two-thirds majority, and then submitted to the judicial body for review. The KMT and TPP hold 52 and eight seats in the island's 113-seat legislature, respectively, compared with 51 seats held by the Democratic Progressive Party, as a result of a legislature election in January 2024. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025.12.20 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Date 6 a.m. Dec. 19 (Fri.) to 6 a.m. Dec. 20 (Sat.) (UTC+8) PLA activities 6 sorties of PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1141220_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1141220_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025.12.21 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date 6 a.m. Dec. 20 (Sat.) to 6 a.m. Dec. 21 (Sun.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities 7 sorties of PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 out of 7 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1141221_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1141221_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Concerned Over EU's Discussions on Security Guarantees for Ukraine - Lavrov Sputnik News 20251219 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Moscow is concerned over the security guarantees for Ukraine that are being discussed in the European Union, as collective guarantees approved by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are more important, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. "European leaders have already made many remarks advertising the achievements, as they describe them, following their talks. And, of course, we have to question it, as, for example, one of the main topics is the issue of security guarantees for Kiev. I remind you that we advocate for collective security guarantees that would be based on the principles repeatedly approved at the highest level in the OSCE," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, after their talks in Cairo. By giving security guarantees to Ukraine, which envisages creating multinational forces, the EU is attempting to deploy its forces in Ukraine, Lavrov said. "It is not about giving security guarantees, but rather about trying, quite aggressively ... to carry out the military takeover of Ukrainian territory as a springboard for threatening Russia. And not only for threatening," Lavrov said. He added that the forces that are planned to be deployed in Ukraine are intended to help restore the Ukrainian armed forces, ensure control over the country's airspace, at sea, as well as conduct ground operations in Ukraine. Russia advocates indivisible security, on fair and equal terms, he said. "Security that, unlike the European approach, would not pave the way for another war, but would guarantee to thwart any attempts to go down the militaristic path," Lavrov said. Russia is committed to a political settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, but so far only the United States has demonstrated willingness to pursue it as well, Sergey Lavrov said. "We are firmly committed to a political settlement. So far, we have seen that only the US is ready for this among all those directly involved in the negotiations," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty after their talks in Cairo. Moscow is glad that the understanding that was reached between Russia and the US in Anchorage, Alaska, is still in force, Lavrov added. "If we are talking about Europeans as a potential third party, we do not need help from them with such an attitude. The Russian-US dialogue is based, as I have already said, on the solid understanding reached in Alaska," the top Russian diplomat said. Russia feels support from the global majority in its work with the US to resolve the Ukrainian conflict, he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to communicate with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, provided there is an understanding that such contacts should adhere to norms of decorum, Lavrov said. "Macron's statements about the need to talk with Russia. You know, I don't even intend to comment on that. Just read what he has said over the last couple of months, starting with the claim that the only villain in this entire story is Russia and President Putin personally. Well, if he is ready to talk, then our President has repeatedly emphasized that he is always open to contacts, but with the understanding that these will be polite people with some basic sense of decorum," Lavrov said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Still Unaware of Outcome of Talks Between EU Leaders, Zelensky, Witkoff - Lavrov Sputnik News 20251219 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Russia has not yet received any information about the outcome of the talks between Volodymyr Zelensky, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the EU leaders, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "When it comes to the consultations that the European Union held between itself, Zelensky and Steve Witkoff, we have no information about what actually happened there so far," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, after their talks in Cairo. Russia is committed to a political settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, but so far only the United States has demonstrated willingness to pursue it as well, Sergey Lavrov said. "We are firmly committed to a political settlement. So far, we have seen that only the US is ready for this among all those directly involved in the negotiations," Lavrov said. Moscow is glad that the understanding that was reached between Russia and the US in Anchorage, Alaska, is still in force, Lavrov added. "If we are talking about Europeans as a potential third party, we do not need help from them with such an attitude. The Russian-US dialogue is based, as I have already said, on the solid understanding reached in Alaska," the top Russian diplomat said. Russia feels support from the global majority in its work with the US to resolve the Ukrainian conflict, he added. Lavrov Says Putin Ready to Talk With Macron If Norms of Decorum Observed Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to communicate with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, provided there is an understanding that such contacts should adhere to norms of decorum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "Macron's statements about the need to talk with Russia. You know, I don't even intend to comment on that. Just read what he has said over the last couple of months, starting with the claim that the only villain in this entire story is Russia and President Putin personally. Well, if he is ready to talk, then our President has repeatedly emphasized that he is always open to contacts, but with the understanding that these will be polite people with some basic sense of decorum," Lavrov said. Russia Urges Grossi to Adhere to IAEA Secretariat Principles on Iran Russia calls on International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to adhere to the principles of the agency's secretariat in his assessments regarding Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "There is currently a pause in Iran's relations with the IAEA, not through the fault of the authorities in Tehran. We urge Director General Grossi, who advocates the resumption of contacts with Tehran, to strictly adhere to the principles of the IAEA secretariat's work, including a neutral, impartial, and professional nature of the assessments presented and the overall activities of this organization," Lavrov said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ZHENGZHOU, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in central China marked the milestone of handling one million tonnes of annual cargo and mail throughput on Sunday following the arrival of an all-cargo aircraft operated by Malaysia's Raya Airways. This demonstrates the strong development momentum of the airport in Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan Province, as it aims to build itself into a leading global air cargo hub on the "Air Silk Road." Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China show that by 2024, only four Chinese civil airports, namely Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an and Beijing Capital, reported annual cargo and mail throughput of over 1 million tonnes. In recent years, Henan has been actively developing the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg air cargo route as a dual-hub model to extend its reach, and it is seeking to replicate the model with other partners. Zhang Mingchao, chairman of Zhongyu Aviation Group, which operates the Zhengzhou airport, said the airport will actively replicate the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg dual-hub model and deepen air logistics cooperation with countries including Malaysia, Ethiopia and Hungary to attract more airlines to open more routes. Between 2021 and 2025, cargo and mail throughput at the Zhengzhou airport grew at an average annual rate of about 10 percent, reaching 825,000 tonnes in 2024. The airport now has 70 all-cargo routes linking Zhengzhou with 73 cities in 32 countries. Ukraine and the United States examine cooperation opportunities in unmanned systems Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 19 December, 2025, 4:39 PM EET Recently, a U.S. delegation met with Ukrainian manufacturers and conducted the first official trials of Ukrainian drones. Representatives of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of War made two visits to Ukraine to familiarize themselves with Ukrainian maritime drones and to conduct the first official trials. The U.S. delegation assessed the technical capabilities of several platforms and met with Ukrainian manufacturers. The U.S. side was presented with solutions that have already proven their effectiveness in special operations and combat environments. Ukraine proposes a strategic partnership with the United States. Drawing on the experience of modern warfare, Ukraine's defense industry is shaping the global unmanned systems market and integrating into the global security architecture. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SEK 2 billion in additional budget support to Ukraine in 2026 Government Offices of Sweden Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 20 December 2025 The Government has approved a new agreement with the EU for SEK 2 billion in additional budget support to Ukraine in 2026 through the EU's Ukraine Facility. The support will help to cover the funding gap in the Ukrainian state budget. Sweden continues to support Ukraine, and the Swedish Government is therefore moving forward with the single largest support package ever to a country of SEK 2 billion in special budget support. This will support people's day-to-day lives in the midst of the war, and will help Ukraine to secure critical public services such as energy supply, health care, schools and pension payments. "Ukraine is now facing the most difficult winter since Russia's full-scale invasion. Economic stability is a prerequisite for Ukraine's resilience, and as their own tax revenues go to defending the country against Russia's aggression, we must help keep society on its feet. I'm proud that Sweden is continuing to pave the way for other countries, both within and beyond the EU, to assist Ukraine through additional budget support via the EU," says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa. "Ukraine's fight for freedom is also a fight for the security of Europe and Sweden. By helping to keep Ukrainian society functioning, we are showing that aggression does not pay and that Sweden takes responsibility and acts when our fundamental interests are at stake,'' says Mattias Karlsson, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs (Sweden Democrats). "Sweden stands with Ukraine in the defence of its territory. We provide them with support in various ways. To win the war, Ukraine needs support that fulfils several different aims. Sweden is now sending an additional SEK 2 billion in budget support so that Ukraine can maintain critical public services, such as schools, health care and energy supply," says Member of the Riksdag Gudrun Brunegard (Christian Democrats). "Ukraine is the front line for all of Europe's freedom. Ukraine must win the war, and Russia has to lose. The support must continue to increase," says Joar Forssell, foreign policy spokesperson (Liberal Party). Macroeconomic stability is crucial and one of the most significant challenges for the country ahead of next year. The financing of Ukraine's budget for 2026 requires robust external support measures. This additional Swedish support, which goes beyond the EU Member States' joint commitments, will be financed within the development assistance budget for 2026, and paid out via the Ukraine Facility's budget support mechanism. With this decision, Sweden will disburse additional funds to the Ukraine Facility for the third time. In 2025, the Government has approved SEK 750 million in budget support via the same mechanism, and SEK 1 billion via the Ukraine Facility's technical assistance mechanism. The EU established the Ukraine Facility in 2024 as a support mechanism for Ukraine. The Facility is financed by the EU Member States and comprises EUR 50 billion to be disbursed during the years 2024-2027 in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2024/792. Its three pillars are: Its three pillars are: I - direct financial support, II - a specific investment framework, and III - accession assistance. Disbursements through Pillar I of the Ukraine Facility are conditional upon Ukraine meeting qualitative and quantitative requirements within reform and modernisation processes, including anti-corruption reform, in line with the directions of the Ukraine Plan, linked to the Ukraine Facility. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK halts plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid amid legal fears Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 10:49 AM The British government has shelved a plan to channel 8 billion in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, following the collapse of a similar proposal in the European Union amid mounting legal concerns and fears of retaliation from Moscow. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been a proponent of the idea of using immobilised Russian assets to help fund Kiev amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Kiev has warned that it faces collapse in early 2026 without additional support. But on Thursday, EU leaders struck a deal to lend 90bn to Ukraine, borrowed against the bloc's shared budget, after its proposal to use immobilised Russian sovereign assets collapsed. British officials said on Friday that London would not unilaterally deploy frozen Russian assets in the UK to help Kiev, having only been planning to do so in lockstep with Australia, Canada, and the EU. "We won't move without international partners," a government spokesperson said, adding that the UK would "continue to work closely with the G7 and EU on Ukraine financing." UK officials said on Friday that the government would "reprofile" $2bn of guarantees for World Bank lending, bringing the existing commitment forward to 2026 for Ukraine's "immediate financing needs." The Financial Times reported earlier this month that UK banks had been concerned about a government proposal to use approximately 8bn in frozen Russian assets as collateral for zero-interest loans to Ukraine without an offer to indemnify them against potential retaliation by Moscow. Some senior bankers questioned the legality of such a plan amid concerns that the government was setting a new precedent, which could expose them to significant legal risks if Russia decided to sue if a peace deal was reached. Which banks in the UK hold sovereign Russian assets is unknown, as they are reluctant to disclose any involvement. EU capitals had for months wrestled over using 210bn of cash belonging to Russia, most of which is held in Belgium, to back a so-called reparations loan for Kiev. That plan foundered after Belgium demanded expansive guarantees to cover any financial risk from the loan, which led other leaders to reject those terms, according to officials briefed on the discussions. After more than 16 hours of talks between EU leaders, they agreed to raise a loan of 90bn on capital markets, secured against untapped spending in the bloc's shared budget, to fund Ukraine for the next two years. Kiev will only have to pay back the loan after Russia has paid reparations. Sidelined by the US in peace talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, the British government and EU member states are desperately working to remain relevant in the negotiations. The Kremlin said it was preparing contacts with Washington on a revised peace proposal. Earlier talks in Berlin involving US, Ukrainian, and European officials ended without a breakthrough, with Russia opposing NATO membership for Ukraine and Kiev rejecting territorial concessions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine says strikes Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker in Mediterranean Sea Iran Press TV Saturday, 20 December 2025 8:17 AM Ukraine says it has targeted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, claiming it belonged to the Russian shadow fleet. The vessel, the Qendil, was empty when it was struck on Friday in neutral waters in the Mediterranean Sea with aerial drones for the first time, an official at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said in a written statement. Marine tracking websites showed that the oil tanker was located 2,000 km from Ukraine off the coast of Libya when it was attacked. The unnamed Ukrainian official did not specify exactly where the tanker was at the time of the attack or when it occurred. However, overhead footage provided by the source showed a small explosion on the deck of a tanker. Reuters confirmed the vessel shown in the video was the Qendil by comparing it with file imagery, but could not verify the time or location. An earlier statement by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service revealed that the British special services, in cooperation with NATO countries, had devised a scheme to cause an environmental disaster in the international waters for a massive raid on Russia's "shadow fleet." In this regard, Alexander Stepanov, a senior researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Russian media that the plan is to target the interests of both Russia and China, the main global rival of the United States, as well as other Russian allies. "This will be related not only to the interests of the Russian Federation, it basically fits into the general pattern of the trade war targeting China and our allies, including the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the global South as a whole," Stepanov told TASS. In particular, he said, "the maritime logistics of Venezuela and Iran, which buttress the petroleum trade, are under attack. This method of paralyzing maritime logistics will be projected to all countries that are not part of the Western coalition." To accomplish this, the military expert added, NATO will make efforts to specifically create a negative media image of the Russian "shadow fleet," creating imaginary environmental problems and conducting hidden sabotage with the aim of a focal spill of petroleum products. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskyy Says US Has Proposed Direct Talks With Russia, Ukraine, As Diplomacy Accelerates By Ray Furlong December 20, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Washington has proposed direct talks involving US, Russian, and Ukrainian negotiators, a move that could mark a new phase in negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy was speaking at a news conference in Kyiv on December 20, as the Kremlin's senior negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, arrived in Florida for fresh meetings with his US counterparts. Up until now, US officials have largely met with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts separately, rather than having all three sides in the room at once. Three rounds of direct talks in Turkey, in May, June, and July resulted in agreements on prisoner exchanges but no substantive progress towards a resolution to the conflict. "The United States told us they will have a separate meeting with Russia's representatives. They have proposed a Ukraine - United States - Russia format, and since there are also representatives from Europe, possibly Europe as well," Zelenskyy said. "If now there can be a meeting that would unblock an exchange, or if the result of a trilateral meeting of advisers could be an agreement on a leaders' meeting -- I cannot be against it. We will support the US proposal," he added. There was no immediate confirmation from the United States, Russia, or European countries about a change in negotiating format. Zelenskyy's comments follow another week of intense diplomatic and military activity as Russia's full-scale invasion approaches the end of its fourth year. US envoys held talks with European and Ukrainian officials, a European Union summit approved a $106 billion loan to Kyiv, and Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an uncompromising 4 -hour news conference at which he repeated previously stated demands along with debatable claims of battlefield advances. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on December 19 that he may join the talks in Florida, adding that Washington would force neither side into a deal. "We can't force Ukraine to make a deal. We can't force Russia to make a deal. They have to want to make a deal," he said. Details of the plans being hammered out remain sketchy, but the broad outlines envisage Ukraine making territorial concessions in return for security guarantees. Dmitriev, who as head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund has been under US sanctions since February 2022, claimed that "warmongers" were seeking to undermine Washington's peace efforts. His words followed a Russian missile attack on Odesa and its suburbs the previous evening that killed seven people and injured 25. Ukrainian emergency services shared photos of a bus that they said was "the epicenter of the strike." Russian forces have been attacking the Odesa region almost daily since the beginning of December. Tens of thousands of people have been left without electricity amid cold winter weather. Water supplies have also been affected. Russia has denied targeting civilians since launching its full-scale assault in February 2022 but has repeatedly struck non-military infrastructure including schools, hospitals, power facilities, and residential buildings. Putin again indicated on December 19 that Russia would achieve its aims militarily if Ukraine did not agree to its demands. Zelenskyy has underlined security guarantees as the main sticking point in peace talks. "What will the United States of America do if Russia comes again with aggression? What will these security guarantees do? How will they work?" he asked on December 18. Meanwhile, Ukraine has claimed two attacks that stretch the battlefield beyond its usual theaters. On December 19, it claimed to have hit a Russian shadow fleet tanker off the coast of Libya, which would be the first such strike in the Mediterranean. On December 20, it claimed to have hit a Russian oil rig and naval vessel in the Caspian Sea - an area Ukraine has said that it has hit in the past. "The drone's onboard camera recorded a successful hit in the area of the platform's gas turbine installation. Previously, SBU drones had already hit ice-resistant oil production platforms at the Filanovsky and Korchagin fields in the Caspian Sea, which led to the suspension of production processes," a Ukrainian security source told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. The December 19-20 strikes could not be independently confirmed. They follow two other recent strikes on shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea. "We're watching the birth of a new Tanker War. Like the 1980s Iran-Iraq conflict, merchant vessels are now economic weapons," wrote maritime intelligence agency Windward in a social media post. "The message to Russia's 1,300 dark fleet vessels: There is no sanctuary." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-envoy-florida- ukraine-talks/33628629.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Liberate Villages Vysokoye in Sumy, Svetloye in Donbass - MoD Sputnik News 20251220 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian forces have liberated the villages of Vysokoye in the Sumy region and Svetloye in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Saturday. "As a result of decisive actions, Battlegroup Sever liberated the village of Vysokoye in the Sumy region," the ministry said in a statement. Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr has taken control of Svetloye and continued to eliminate the encircled troops of the Ukrainian armed forces in Dimitrov, the ministry added. Battlegroup Tsentr has eliminated up to 525 Ukrainian military personnel, five combat armored vehicles, including a US-made Stryker armored personnel carrier, three field artillery pieces and an electronic warfare station in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "Enemy losses amounted to 525 military personnel, five armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Stryker armored personnel carrier, 14 vehicles, three field artillery pieces, and an electronic warfare station," the ministry said. Battlegroup Sever has eliminated up to 200 Ukrainian servicepeople, a combat armored vehicle, 15 motor vehicles, an artillery piece, and a radio-electronic warfare station. Five ammunition and materiel depots have been destroyed, the ministry added. Russia's Battlegroup Vostok eliminated over 260 Ukrainian troops, one armored combat vehicle and 10 motor vehicles, while Battlegroup Zapad eliminated over 240 soldiers, two tanks, two armored combat vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, two field artillery pieces, including a US-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled howitzer, an electronic warfare station and 10 ammunition depots. Russia's Battlegroup Dnepr battle group advanced their positions and eliminated up to 65 Ukrainian military personnel and an armored vehicle, the ministry also said. Russian air defense forces shot down four US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system rockets, a Neptune long-range guided missile, and 118 fixed-winged Ukrainian drones, the ministry estimated. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Attacks on Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant Could Lead to Accident - Director Sputnik News 20251220 DONETSK (Sputnik) - Under the worst-case scenario, shelling of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant by the Ukrainian armed forces could lead to consequences comparable to the Chernobyl and Fukushima tragedies, power plant Director Yury Chernichuk told Sputnik. Yevgeniya Yashina, communications director at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, told Sputnik in November that Ukraine had not reduced the intensity of shelling in the area around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, with shelling continuing almost daily. "There have been two serious accidents in the history of nuclear power industry: at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 and at Fukushima in 2011... In the worst-case scenario, this could be led to similar consequences," Chernichuk said. The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant is located on the left bank of the Dnieper near the city of Energodar. This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and installed capacity - the station has six power units with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. In October 2022, the nuclear power plant came into Russia's possession. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and Portugal Signed Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Partnership for the Production of Maritime Unmanned Systems - The President President of Ukraine 20 December 2025 - 17:04 In Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of Portugal Luis Montenegro, who paid his first official visit to Ukraine since taking office. "We are deeply grateful to Portugal and to your entire society for your unwavering support for Ukraine. While geographically distant, we are part of one Europe - a continent where the fate of the whole depends on each nation. I want to thank Portugal for choosing specifically a democratic and strong Europe - a Europe that must remain free from the nonsense of any dictators," the President said. The President emphasized that Ukraine is interested in Portugal's involvement in Ukraine's recovery, as Russian strikes continue, and all the support we receive from our partners is crucial for us. According to the President, due to Russian attacks on port infrastructure, logistics, and the energy sector, the Odesa region is currently facing a tough situation. "Russia is again trying to restrict Ukraine's access to the sea and block our coastal regions. We will resist this, and we will be grateful to all partners for their support and for assistance in this as well - for Ukraine's port infrastructure, our logistics, our energy sector, and our coastal cities," the Head of State noted. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Luis Montenegro signed a Joint Statement on the establishment of a partnership for the production of maritime unmanned systems between Ukraine and Portugal. "This is one of the most promising areas of our defense efforts at present. It is important to deliver results. And across all parts of our Europe, there must be sufficient strength to counter any threats, and modern drones are a real tool of defense," the President stressed. Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed Luis Montenegro on the situation at the front and in diplomacy. The leaders discussed diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving peace, the work of the Coalition of the Willing, and contacts with partners. The Prime Minister assured that Portugal will continue to support Ukraine and seeks to expand cooperation. "We want to strengthen assistance and also do everything possible on Portugal's part to help Ukraine join the European Union. We have good economic relations between Portugal and Ukraine, and this cooperation, I believe, has significant potential," Luis Montenegro emphasized. The leaders also discussed expanding the PURL initiative, which enables Ukraine to purchase U.S. weapons, as well as the development of the SAFE defense instrument. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the President of Ukraine During a Joint Press Conference With the Prime Minister of Portugal President of Ukraine 20 December 2025 - 15:43 Dear Luis, esteemed Prime Minister, Distinguished guests, our teams, Dear journalists! Today, we welcome the Prime Minister of Portugal to Ukraine on his first visit to our country as Prime Minister. We are deeply grateful to Portugal and to your entire society for your unwavering support for Ukraine. While geographically distant, we are part of one Europe - a continent where the fate of the whole depends on each nation. I want to thank Portugal for choosing specifically a democratic and strong Europe - a Europe that must remain free from the nonsense of any dictators. That is the question at hand today: whether Europe can preserve itself and its values. Putin started this war and is dragging it out not just for our Donbas, but to strip nations of the ability to decide the fate of their own countries. He wants to make all the decisions himself - personally or with friends who are just like him. Russia's war against Ukraine has always been and continues to be a war about something beyond just the territory of Ukraine alone. And that is why Russia will never be satisfied with any piece of land if someone grants it something. It will not be satisfied with anything. We must defend the fundamental principles of Europe and of normal life for nations - independence, sovereignty, and democracy. And all of this must also be reflected in the agreement on ending the war. That is exactly how we are working with our partners - preparing an agreement - carefully working on every point, every step, to achieve not some backroom carve-up of territory and resources, but an agreement on a stable and lasting peace with reliable security guarantees for Ukraine. This is our goal, and I am grateful to everyone who is helping make this goal a reality. Today, I briefed the Prime Minister on the situation at the front - in our defense and in diplomacy. We discussed the prospects for diplomatic efforts and the possible involvement of European countries. There are effective formats in place, including our Coalition of the Willing, which will participate in guaranteeing security. Of course, we are also interested in Portugal's involvement in Ukraine's reconstruction. Russian strikes currently continue, and all the support we receive from our partners is crucial for us. Right now, in particular, the Odesa region is facing a tough situation because of Russian strikes on port infrastructure, logistics, and energy facilities. Russia is again trying to restrict Ukraine's access to the sea and block our coastal regions. We will resist this, and we will be grateful to all partners for their support and for assistance in this as well - for Ukraine's port infrastructure, our logistics, our energy sector, and our coastal cities. Today, Ukraine and Portugal issued a very important joint statement - we have just signed it - on establishing a partnership for the production of maritime drones, which is one of the most promising areas of our defense efforts at present. It is important to deliver results. And across all parts of our Europe, there must be sufficient strength to counter any threats, and modern drones are a real tool of defense. I want to thank Portugal for its contribution to the PURL initiative - we discussed this today with Luis - which is vital for us, as it enables us to purchase American weapons that cannot currently be produced in Europe, including Patriot missiles. Portugal also supported the joint European decision on a financial security guarantee for Ukraine for the coming years - EUR 90 billion for 2026-2027, which is very tangible. We also appreciate that Russian frozen assets remain blocked in Europe and other countries, which is only fair: Russia must pay for its own aggression with its assets, its losses, and its future. We thank everyone who stands with us, who stands with Ukraine! Thank you, esteemed Prime Minister, for this visit. Thank you, Portugal, for your respect and support for the Ukrainian community - we know how warmly you treat Ukrainians. And I would like to especially recognize your contribution to the restoration of our educational infrastructure - our Ukrainian schools, primarily in Chernihiv and Cherkasy. Thank you again, Luis, for your visit, and thank you to your team. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Says Florida Talks 'Constructive,' Will Continue -- But Both Sides Tight-Lipped By RFE/RL December 21, 2025 Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin's senior negotiator, declared that Russia and the United States are speaking "constructively" in Florida and said peace negotiations would continue on December 21, although no details were immediately provided. "The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow," Dmitriev told reporters on December 20 on the sidelines of the talks near Miami. All sides involved in the US-brokered peace process have regularly cited "progress" or made other similar characterizations without providing details. The White House did not immediately comment on the talks, although Reuters cited an unnamed US official as saying the talks had concluded for the day. US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are believed to be representing Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier said he might attend the weekend talks, but no details were disclosed. Trump was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, about 110 kilometers north of Miami, but was not expected to attend the talks. Proposal Narrowed To 20 Points The discussions are the latest step in Trump's efforts to bring about an end to Russia's all-out war on Ukraine, which has cost tens of thousands of lives and is nearing the four-year mark. Trump in November began pressing Kyiv to accept a 28-point proposal that critics said was heavily skewed in Russia's favor. Ukraine and its European backers scrambled to make amendments to protect Ukraine's interests on territory, security guarantees for Kyiv, and other issues, with reports suggesting the plan now consists of 20 points and takes in more of Kyiv's interests. Prior to the Florida talks, Rubio insisted that Washington would force neither side into a deal. "We can't force Ukraine to make a deal. We can't force Russia to make a deal. They have to want to make a deal," he said. "I think we've made progress [in the process], but we have a ways to go. And obviously the hardest issues are always the last issues," Rubio said. Details of the plans being hammered out remain sketchy, but the broad outlines envisage Ukraine making territorial concessions in return for security guarantees. Intense Diplomatic, Military Activity The latest comments follow another week of intense diplomatic and military activity as Russia continues to strike Ukrainian civilian, infrastructure, and military sites while Kyiv looks to defend ground in eastern Ukraine and strikes back at what it says are military-related targets inside Russia. During the week, US envoys held talks with European and Ukrainian officials, a European Union summit approved a $106 billion loan to Kyiv, and Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an uncompromising 4-hour news conference at which he repeated oft-stated hard-line demands along with debatable claims of battlefield advances. News agencies quoted sources as saying that US intelligence reports have warned that Putin seeks to capture all of Ukraine and reclaim territory formerly belonging to the Soviet empire -- which would contradict official US assertions that Russia seeks a peace deal. Putin has long claimed he is no threat to Europe. "The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more," Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters."The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think they're first." Ukraine's Odesa Region Under Attack Dmitriev, who as head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund has been under US sanctions since February 2022, claimed that "warmongers" were seeking to undermine Washington's peace efforts. His words followed a Russian missile attack on Odesa and its suburbs the previous evening that killed eight people and injured at least 25. Russian forces have been attacking the Odesa region almost daily since the beginning of December. Tens of thousands of people have been left without electricity amid cold winter weather. Water supplies have also been affected. On December 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Kremlin was trying to sever Ukraine's access to the Black Sea following days of intensified air strikes on ports and energy sites in the Odesa region and elsewhere. "The situation in the Odesa region is harsh due to Russian strikes on port infrastructure and logistics. Russia is once again trying to restrict Ukraine's access to the sea and block our coastal regions," Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv. The Kremlin's goal is "to sow chaos, to exert moral pressure during winter...so that there is no fuel, no food supplies, so that there are problems with medical supplies," he said. Russia has denied targeting civilians since launching its full-scale assault in February 2022 but has repeatedly struck non-military infrastructure including schools, hospitals, power facilities, and residential buildings. With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/dmitriev-russia-ukraine- florida-peace-talks-trump/33628796.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CARACAS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Saturday denounced what it called a new "theft and kidnapping" of a private vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, along with the forced disappearance of its crew, allegedly carried out by U.S. military forces in international waters. Authorities described the incident as an act of piracy that seriously violated international law and undermined fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and maritime trade. According to an official statement, the action breached international legal instruments protecting maritime safety, as well as core norms enshrined in the UN Charter and other multilateral conventions. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Saturday that U.S. forces seized the vessel off the Venezuelan coast earlier in the day. This is the second time in recent weeks that the United States has seized a tanker near Venezuela amid a large U.S. military build-up in the region. The seizure also comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. It's easy to dismiss the successful consolidation of two New Jersey municipalities that share a name--Princeton township and borough--as well as a Zip code, an affluent citizenry, similar debt loads and real estate taxes, 13 shared services including a library and school district, and a political culture that seems so, well, forward-thinking. What possible relevance could the Princetons' experience have for other budget-stressed communities, given the always fractious politics of local-government consolidation and service-sharing?But the Princetons' path to consolidation wound through a six-decade history that includes four failed attempts, and it holds a number of lessons for those embarking on similar paths. In Princeton, as elsewhere, politics long defined the consolidation debate, but the combination of the recession and high property taxes were being felt acutely in this "doughnut" and "hole" pair of local governments.Authorized under a 2007 New Jersey law enacted to encourage shared services and consolidations, the Princetons' Joint Shared Services and Consolidation Commission examined the costs and benefits of consolidation and, after countless meetings airing the question in public settings and small groups, recommended consolidation. In November 2011, voters in both the township and the borough decisively approved consolidation ballot questions. This past Jan. 1, after a 13-month implementation process led by a transition task force, a new mayor and council took office and the new Princeton came into being.How are things going so far? Early reports suggest that onetime implementation costs are running above what was budgeted but that annual, recurring savings are coming in higher than anticipated, bringing projections that municipal real-estate taxes will be reduced by 5-7 percent and perhaps by as much as 10 percent. Considering how many services were already being shared, this is significant. The onetime costs will be likely recaptured within six months.What are the lessons worth taking to the next consolidation process?First, don't assume that one defeat closes the issue. In New Jersey, changes in state law provided for creation of a commission by interested governing bodies without requiring an early referendum. This sequencing meant that the final, political phase of the process was framed as much by fact-based analyses of costs and benefits as by more political or emotional considerations.Second, understand that savings and improved services are achieved through systematically reimagining what new general-purpose government services should look like, not by cobbling together "sound-alike" departments and cutting by some pro-rata share to capture redundancies. For the Princetons, early savings estimates rested on expectations of the need for fewer public employees, but as planning and implementation moved forward it became evident that reorganization of services could achieve additional savings through improved deployment of public-works and fire and police personnel.Third, good analytics are critical to addressing in a neutral, systematic way the complex "what-ifs" and to lend credibility to claims of savings and efficiencies as well as costs. The Princeton commission relied on outside expertise, the Rochester, N.Y.-based Center for Government Research , to systematically examine every aspect of consolidation, from the form of government to be adopted and treatment of debt service to the financial impact of mergers and reorganizations of departments. "I am convinced that two towns cannot do this without this kind of approach," says Ingrid Reed, a longtime Princeton Borough resident who is retired from the faculty at Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics.Finally, analytics may dispel but cannot transcend emotional issues around community identity. The smaller borough vote, which had been the stumbling block in three of the four past ballots, was debated in terms of "walkable village versus suburban sprawl." But the 24 months of public meetings and transparent analyses, an open process accessible via the commission website, tipped the scale. "We had to respect the notion of 'borough-ness' and work with it rather than ignoring it," recalls Anton Lahnston, the chair of the commission.For other municipalities thinking about consolidation, a recent report from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs assesses both the exceptionalism and the broad applicability of the Princeton experience. While the Princetons may have had a head start with already shared experiences, the scale of cost savings without loss of service suggests even greater payoffs for other localities. The title was audacious:. When the National Alliance to End Homelessness released its report in 2000, there was an expectation that it could be done.It wasnt the only plan or promise out there. Throughout the early 2000s, similar pledges were being bandied about by various governmental entities, notes Rev. Chuck Currie, a minister in the United Church of Christ and a former board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Those pledges included a 2004 plan adopted by his home city of Portland, Ore., (in conjunction with Multnomah County) to end homelessness by 2014.More recently, a promise came from a far more prominent level of government. In June 2010, President Obama unveiled his strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness by 2015.And yet, 12 years after the first pledge of the 21st century was made, homelessness in the United States has not ended. By all accounts, it has moved steadily upward in the past decade to about 750,000 this year, according to the best available numbers (The latest federal data estimates the number of homeless to be 633,000). Moving the bulk of the nations homeless population into relative independence doesnt look like it is going to happen anytime soon.Thats not to say there wont be progress. But there is a big difference between the progress and the promise. Currie says it is a bad idea to pledge to end a problem as complicated and endemic as homelessness. When we make these promises and then dont succeed, he says, all its saying is that government has failed again. But his skepticism runs deeper. He sees no political will to follow through on such declarations. The presidents proposed fiscal 2013 budget does call for an increase in spending on key programs to fight homelessness, but its not enough, Currie says. Were moving in the right direction, but not at the right pace.It would be easy to blame the Great Recession for the failure. Millions lost their jobs and thousands saw their homes foreclosed on, thereby putting many of them out on the streets. But the whole subject of ending homelessness is much more complicated than that. It is bound up in a web of forces that reach into the deepest causes of poverty and issues about human behavior. Homelessness is an issue that encompasses medical health, mental health and substance abuse. Its also an education and job training concern, as well as a criminal justice matter and a housing problem. It touches on family planning and family stability, and on big city, suburban and rural questions. There are moral and political issues as well as budget and policy concerns, all with a huge economic overlay.Ending homelessness, Currie says, will take a massive push on curbing poverty -- including not only creating jobs, but also preparing workers for those jobs -- and on making huge investments in affordable housing and building up programs for in-home support of the elderly, those with physical disabilities and those suffering from other health, mental health and addiction problems.The seemingly overblown rhetoric about ending homelessness, therefore, might sound like little more than hopeful cheerleading. Yet despite the apparent challenges, the country has made one significant step forward in just the last decade. A growing army of experts, activists and advocates have come together in a concerted effort to understand the phenomenon. Advocates and policymakers now know vastly more about who becomes homeless and why, how they can best be helped and how to prevent homelessness in the first place. New York City advocate Rosanne Haggerty, who has helped revolutionize tactics for getting the chronically homeless into permanent housing, puts it this way: Weve kind of cracked the code. Its applying what we now know at the right scale thats the hard part.Haggerty, who is president and founder of the nonprofit Common Ground, which comes at homelessness from both the housing and the treatment side, asserts that eight cities -- Columbus, Ohio; the District of Columbia; Fort Worth, Texas; Hartford, Conn.; Pittsburgh; Omaha, Neb.; Shreveport, La.; and Tulsa, Okla. -- are on a path to essentially ending homelessness in their metropolises in the not too distant future.Salt Lake City is another such place pushing to reduce chronic homelessness to near zero. It is often cited by national experts and advocates as a model for its integrated, coordinated and sophisticated approach to reducing homelessness, and is therefore very likely to join the eight cities cited by Haggerty. As Mayor Ralph Becker admits, There will always be some level of homelessness. That said, he adds, You can make enormous progress in helping homeless folks in your community, and thats what we should be doing.Before 1970, homelessness wasnt seen as a widespread social problem. The usual view was that homelessness was limited to large cities and that the vast majority of those living on the streets were drug-addicted or mentally ill men, some of whom preferred life under a highway overpass or on a steam grate to a cozy downtown apartment. That perception was strengthened as large-scale mental health deinstitutionalization efforts of the 1970s and 1980s turned more mentally ill patients out on the street.That singular view began to change in the late 1980s, however, when people like Mark Johnston, currently deputy assistant secretary of Special Needs Programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), began to work on the problem. Hed first become intrigued by the issue when he stopped to talk to a group of homeless men attempting to warm themselves on a steam-shrouded grate on a freezing afternoon in Washington, D.C. He found himself caught up in a conversation about why they preferred to stay out in the cold rather go to a homeless shelter that had just opened nearby.That discussion set him off on an investigation of the state of homelessness in the country. What he discovered was that there was not much known about the problem. There was no comprehensive, reliable national data on homelessness, nor had there been any sophisticated parsing of the different reasons why people might be homeless. And the reasons, he found, are key. They suggest the need for a wider variety of strategies for dealing with the problem than just temporary shelter, warm clothing giveaways and soup kitchens. The problem, policymakers and experts began to understand, might be vastly complicated, but it also just might be solvable given the right intelligence and attendant action.One of the first major policy breakthroughs arrived with the Clinton administration. Andrew Cuomo, then-secretary of HUD, launched continuum of care, which eventually won an Innovations in American Government Award from the Ash Center at Harvard University. Continuum of care required that geographically designated areas (it could be a city, a region or a whole state) be created for the purposes of a more methodical and coordinated approach to dealing with homelessness. HUD grants would no longer go to individual service providers, but rather competitive grants would go to continuum of care consortia that presented the most cohesive and comprehensive plan to address all aspects of homelessness -- from substance abuse and health to housing and joblessness. The idea was to align efforts toward the goal of finding people permanent housing.As federal policy evolved, an Interagency Council on Homelessness (which has numerous equivalents at the state level) was established to coordinate federal efforts. The council is made up of 19 departments and agencies, including the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and even the U.S. Postal Service.Meanwhile, under the auspices of HUD, the separate continuums of care began collecting data on the homeless through a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), established in 2004. HMIS now includes more than 400 separate continuums reporting key data, including annual point in time counts of the homeless. That data, along with vast amounts of other information, are now reported to Congress in an(AHAR), currently in its sixth iteration.The report includes exhaustive and spectacularly disaggregated data. The information ranges from who is most at risk of homelessness, from kids aging out of foster care to families on the edge of deep poverty, to the role that temporary shelters, permanent supportive housing, and homeless prevention and rapid re-housing programs play in helping to get individuals and families permanently settled.As the country has improved its ability to count and track the homeless population, there is now greater clarity around how to significantly curb it and what the most effective ways are for dealing with different types of homelessness. For instance, there would be a very different way of dealing with a young adult whos homeless because shes aged out of foster care as opposed to meeting the needs of an infirm war veteran. Nan Roman, executive director of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, sums it up this way: One size does not fit all.With this clarity has come the obvious challenge raised by activists like Rev. Chuck Currie: developing the political will necessary to muster and focus resources. To that end, two basic camps have emerged. These camps are by no means adversarial, nor do they even fundamentally disagree, but they are focusing on two separate strategies.The first camp comprises advocates and policymakers who are focused on a coordinated, cohesive approach that directs resources to where theyll do the most good. Elected officials like Mayor Becker credit a remarkable level of communication, cooperation and coordination as the key to why Salt Lake City is making substantial progress in reducing homelessness. In Salt Lake City, Becker reports, CEOs from Utahs largest banks have been sitting down with leading homelessness advocates and other community and business leaders to use solid data to best allocate resources and make the biggest difference for long-range results. To me, Becker says, thats really exceptional.Its that sort of cooperation and coordination, says Becker, that has allowed the city to make remarkable progress in getting the chronically homeless housed.For example, a local bank in Salt Lake City helped homelessness advocates raise $1.7 million to help renovate 200 units of permanent supportive housing for individuals and families locked in chronic homelessness. That money -- along with corporate donations -- allowed the Road Home, a nonprofit homeless services group, to open the facility debt free, says Executive Director Matt Minkovich.Numerous service providers, local landlords, housing authorities, and other state and local units of government also joined forces to develop almost 100 new units of scattered housing for the citys chronically homeless. In the past six years another 300 housing units have been built to help Salt Lake Citys homeless.Perhaps less flashy, but no less creative, downtown businesses have also worked with service providers and the police to implement a way to deal with panhandlers. Modeled on a Denver initiative, those who want to donate spare change to a homeless person can put the money in specially marked parking meters to support services for the homeless. The effort has helped the police back off formerly draconian approaches to dealing with panhandlers, says Minkovich.Also in the coordinated approach camp are high-level state officials like Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. Like Becker, Murray, Gov. Deval Patricks point person on the Bay States ambitious effort to end homelessness, sees contact in and among important state and local players in the public and private sector as key. Its a matter of getting everyone to go back to their mission statements, he says. Were all here to help the homeless, not build empires, so its really a matter of getting people around the table and introducing each other and collaborating.The vehicle for that kind of cooperation in Massachusetts has been to divide the state into 10 regional networks. The networks bring together an assortment of government officials, nonprofit service providers, foundations, faith-based institutions and other community leaders. Everyone gets to know one another, Murray says. That creates an atmosphere where you can pick up the phone and talk.One key benchmark of the efforts success is the reduced number of homeless people being sheltered in hotels. Prior to implementing its housing first program and creating the regional networks, the state had a hotel population of between 1,200 and 1,700. The program brought that number down to 600. Since the economic downturn, it has gone back up to 1,400, but Murray argues that the number would be much higher were it not for the programs put in place to deal with the problem.Rosanne Haggerty of New Yorks Common Ground says that while progress is being made, services are still stuck in silos and many resources arent being expended strategically. For example, she cites how public housing is handled. At most public housing authorities, need and process are really disconnected, she says. If theres a waiting list, theres a totally random lottery system to fill openings, even though there are people out there in desperate straits who might either die or remain trapped in a cycle of institutionalization. That cycle, she says, is a problem from both a public health and a cost standpoint -- its hugely expensive. House the at-risk folks first, Haggerty argues, and then work your way down your waiting list based on actual circumstances and need, not luck of the draw.In the second camp are those who come at homelessness from a more macroeconomic viewpoint. The best way to end homelessness is to end poverty, argues Melissa Boteach, director of Half in Ten, an organization devoted to cutting poverty in the U.S. in half by 2020.Boteach and others like her are much more focused on issues like minimum wage, the earned income tax credit and child support credits, than on initiatives like getting the chronically homeless into permanent supportive housing. Their strategy has standing inasmuch as the population of homeless families in the U.S. has been going up at a faster rate than that of homeless individuals, according to the most recent AHAR report.Arguably, though, Boteachs approach is a much more difficult battle than focusing more narrowly on the chronically homeless. Half in Ten is taking on the daunting issues that are at the core of the Occupy Wall Street movement: income inequality and basic social equity and fairness.Again, neither camp would take issue with the strategies or goals of the other. Each agrees that fewer silos, better intelligence and more coordination -- along with higher wages and affordable housing -- are key to ending homelessness. And of course, both camps want to see homelessness in America ended. Can the promises of 2000 come true? The most accurate assessment seems to be that they can, but absent major shifts in income distribution, substantial improvements in the economy and a significant push on education and job training, it will happen only in certain places and among specific homeless populations.One of those populations is veterans. HUD and Veterans Affairs are now teaming up on efforts to end homelessness among vets by 2015. Even skeptics figure that this goal is achievable. After all, no politician in the U.S. wants to be accused of allowing U.S. veterans to live on the street. That means the political pressure is there to deploy the necessary resources to meet that goal.As for the overall promise to end homelessness, that will always be controversial. Salt Lake Citys Becker is all for stating a commitment. Setting goals makes a huge difference, he says. We can make enormous progress. He likens the promise to one made by the federal government in the heyday of the early environmental movement. At that time, the pledge was that all waters in the U.S. would be made fishable and swimmable. Nobody took the promise literally, but the goal was clear and inspiring.Rev. Currie, for his part, would still prefer a more low-key pledge. My biggest frustration is how we label these efforts, Currie says. We need to be very careful in our use of rhetoric. We need to announce a new plan that we are subtly going to impact homelessness for a one-year period. That way, he says, progress can be measured, and people can see the results and not think that government has failed. Your money must also Detty: How smart banking saves you from festive season blushes Previous article: Your money must also Detty: How smart banking saves you from festive season blushes Featured Ghana legalises cryptocurrency trading with passage of new law Maclean Kwofi Business News Dec - 21 - 2025 , 12:49 The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, has announced that cryptocurrency trading has been legalised in Ghana following the passage of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2025, into law. He explained that the new legislation, commonly referred to as the crypto law, provides a formal regulatory framework to supervise virtual asset activities and manage the risks associated with digital currencies. Dr Asiama said the move ends uncertainty surrounding crypto transactions, while allowing the authorities to enforce oversight and consumer protection across the country. Speaking at the annual Nine Lessons, Carols and Thanksgiving Service of the Bank of Ghana at the Bank Square in Accra on December 19, the Governor stressed that the law was a key step towards stronger regulation, improved supervision and a more resilient financial system. Effectively, virtual assets trading is now legal and no one is going to be arrested for doing crypto, but we now have the framework to manage the risks involved, he said. On consumer protection, Dr Asiama stated that the legalisation of cryptocurrency trading does not amount to a free for all, but rather the introduction of firm rules to protect consumers and the financial system. He said the new law empowers the Bank of Ghana to license, supervise and monitor entities operating in the digital asset space. According to him, the absence of regulation in the past exposed users to fraud, money laundering and systemic risks, which the new framework seeks to address. What this means is that now we have the framework to manage it and to manage the risks that can involve that kind of activity, he said. He added that systems were being put in place to ensure transparency, accountability and compliance as the sector grows. Dr Asiama said the crypto law was also intended to support innovation and expand financial inclusion, particularly among young people and technology driven entrepreneurs. He noted that many Ghanaians, especially the youth, were already actively involved in digital assets despite the previous legal uncertainty. By formalising the sector, he said Ghana could now harness the benefits of blockchain technology while limiting its downsides. He stressed that regulation would help attract credible investors and fintech firms into the country, create jobs and support economic diversification. These are not just legal milestones; they are enablers of better policies, stronger supervision and more effective regulation, he stated, adding that innovation must thrive within a safe and well governed financial environment. Touching on financial stability, the Governor said the passage of the crypto law, alongside amendments to the Bank of Ghana Act, reflects lessons learned from past economic shocks and the need to safeguard institutional credibility. While welcoming the progress made, he cautioned that risks have not disappeared and called for vigilance as the country operates in an uncertain global economic environment. The progress gives us room to move, but it also calls for responsibility and vigilance, he said. He assured the public that the central bank remains committed to maintaining stability while supporting innovation in the financial sector. On the amendments to the Bank of Ghana Act, Dr Asiama said the changes were aimed at preventing a recurrence of the domestic debt exchange and governance lapses that characterised the 2022 crisis. He explained that the revised law strengthens the central banks independence, governance structures and operational safeguards to protect the economy and investors. The amendments we have made ensure that the kind of debilitating actions we saw in 2022 will never happen again, he said. The annual Nine Lessons, Carols and Thanksgiving Service was attended by current and former staff of the Bank of Ghana, heads of banks and other financial institutions. Among those present were a former Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Association of Banks, John Awuah; the First Deputy Governor, Dr Zakari Mumuni; and the Second Deputy Governor, Matilda Asante Asiedu. The service was held on the theme Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. The Founder and General Overseer of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams, who led the exhortation, encouraged Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of gratitude. Showing gratitude guarantees progress in life, he said. Next article: Elon Musk becomes first person worth over $700 billion Gunmen kill nine in South Africa tavern attack BBC Africa International News Dec - 21 - 2025 , 19:16 3 minutes read A manhunt is under way after a shooting at a tavern in South Africa left nine people dead and another 10 injured. Police said seven men and two women were killed in Bekkersdal, near Johannesburg, after about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles and opened fire at patrons. The shooting happened at about 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT Saturday) and the perpetrators "continued to shoot randomly as [people] fled the scene", police added. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Sixty-three people were killed every day on average between April and September this year, according to police figures. Murders are often the result of arguments, robberies and gang violence. The motive for this attack is not clear. At the scene, deputy provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the perpetrators, armed with pistols and one AK-47, were "unprovoked". "The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot," he said. Two of the victims were shot outside the tavern as they tried to flee and a third was a taxi driver who had dropped off a passenger nearby, Maj-Gen Kekana added. Resident Nokuthula Bhukwana went to the tavern after she heard the shooting. "When we arrived at the scene, we opened the doors and indeed scores of people were lying on the floor," she told the Reuters news agency. "We rushed around and others were calling the police, and we also called the ambulance and they arrived. We had to carry some of the injured people using wheelbarrows to the clinic." Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, one resident described how gunfire had become a normal thing at night in Bekkersdal. "Criminals, they do as they please here," the unnamed man said. "These guns, they sound each and every evening... as soon as it's dusk we know that gunshots are about to sound and they will sound severely. "It is terrorising our communities." Interviewed at the scene, deputy mayor for the local municipality Nontombi Molatlhegi said that locals were afraid of speaking out and identifying those responsible. She said that the police were under-resourced, and too thinly spread, and called for the military to get involved in protecting residents. "We are crying, as well as the city political leadership, for the intervention of the national government to release [the army] so that they can be able to come in this space" and be visible. There are about three million legally held firearms in South Africa, but there are at least the same number of unlicensed weapons in circulation in the country, which has a population of 63 million, according to statistics cited by Gideon Joubert from the South African Gunowners' Association. Earlier this month, at least 11 people - including a child - were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria. There has been a significant increase in mass shootings - where four or more people are either killed or injured - since 2020, Claire Taylor, a researcher at campaign group Gun Free South Africa, told the BBC. Looking at media reports from 2024 her organisation recorded 80 such incidents, which was up from 71 the previous year. There has, however, been a decline in reported mass shootings in 2025. Among the most common locations are licensed taverns, such as in Bekkersdal this weekend, or illegal drinking spots, known locally as shebeens, which was the case in the 6 December killings. Featured Christmas fever grips Ho, other parts of Volta Region Alberto Mario Noretti Life Dec - 21 - 2025 , 16:14 2 minutes read Most households in Ho are already trooping to the malls with great zeal and enthusiasm for their Christmas shopping, with barely two weeks to the day. The Christmas fever is readily evident in the merchandise in the shops, jingles on commuter vehicles and tricycle taxis, at the drinking spots and on the airwaves of the various FM radio stations. Apart from the big shops, many of the Christmas items are also displayed on tables and stands by the streets by petty traders, in the wake of the sudden and outstanding increase in the population of the Oxygen City. At the Vicarchie Ghana Limited Mall, for instance, the daily average number of customers, which was 400 as of last month (November), has swiftly shot up to 1,000. Subsequently, the mall, which opens from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., now shuts at 10:00 p.m. During a visit to the shopping centre last Tuesday, the Assistant Mall Manager, Prince Kusi, told The Mirror there was also a substantial number of shoppers from neighbouring Togo. He said the customers inundated the mall to buy electrical gadgets, Christmas decorations, assorted drinks, biscuits and various sweets, as well as toys, kitchen items, and large quantities of frozen foods and bags of rice. Some of the customers who spoke to this reporter said they were avoiding the anticipated massive congestion and long queues in the few days before Christmas. There is also a visible increase in vehicular traffic on the streets of the regional capital in the wake of the yuletide. Similar festive shopping trends are also in progress in Hohoe, Sogakope, Kpando and other parts of the Volta Region. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the region, DCOP Wisdom Akorli, has given an assurance that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure there is peace and order during the yuletide. The Regional Police Commander, in an interview in Ho on Wednesday, warned that any individual or group whose unruly conduct disrupts the peace during the celebration would suffer swift and ruthless consequences. Police arrest three, including father, over viral video of toddler given alcohol at Kade Next article: Police arrest three, including father, over viral video of toddler given alcohol at Kade Police arrest 79 in Christmas operations across Tema and Eastern regions Mohammed Ali Dec - 21 - 2025 , 14:54 2 minutes read The Ghana Police Service has arrested 79 suspects during coordinated intelligence-based operations carried out in the Tema and Eastern regions as part of stepped-up security measures during the Christmas season. The police announced on its Facebook page on Sunday that 38 suspects were arrested during operations at Prampram, Tema Newtown, Sege and Kpong in the Tema Region. In a separate post, the police said 41 suspects were picked up during targeted operations at Nkwatia, Nkawkaw, Kwahu Tafo, Saafi, Trado, Kotoso, Effiduase, Nteso, Somanya, Krobo Odumase and Juaben in the Eastern Region. Both exercises were described by the Service as Christmas Special Operations and were aimed at reducing criminal activity during the festive period, when incidents of crime are known to rise. Photographs released by the police showed groups of suspects in custody, together with items believed to have been retrieved during the operations. The items included suspected narcotics, mobile phones, scissors, plastic containers with substances and other materials. The police did not provide details of the specific offences the suspects are alleged to have committed. Police commands in other parts of the country have carried out related operations in recent days. On December, 13, 2025, seven suspects were arrested in Cape Coast in connection with narcotics and gaming machines. In Paga, four suspects were arrested on December 18, 2025, with jackpot gaming machines and suspected Indian hemp. On the same day, eight suspects were detained in Navrongo with tramadol tablets. All the suspects remain in police custody to assist with ongoing investigations. Army leadership hails troops, unity and security gains at 2025 WASSA Kweku Zurek Dec - 21 - 2025 , 15:32 4 minutes read Senior officers of the Ghana Army have highlighted unity, professionalism and sustained security gains as the Army Headquarters held its 2025 West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA) in Accra. The former Chief of the Army Staff, Major General (rtd) William Azure Ayamdo, who was the Guest of Honour, described the event as deeply symbolic, saying WASSA had remained an important end-of-year tradition within the Ghana Army. WASSA has always been part and parcel of end-of-year rituals, and I'm particularly pleased that this age-long practice has been sustained, he said. Reflecting on developments within the Army, Major General (rtd) Ayamdo said significant progress had been made over the years in key operational and welfare areas. I have observed with admiration, as a former Chief of Army Staff, the great strides Ghana Army has made over the years. There have been improvements in all areas of life, including human resource management, infrastructure, training and logistics, he said. He noted that the welfare of troops and their families had received greater attention, contributing to the Armys professional posture and operational effectiveness. These developments have helped to enhance the professional posture and capacity of the army to deliver on the constitutional mandate of the Ghana Armed Forces, he said. On national security, the former Army Chief said Ghanas relative stability within a troubled sub region was not accidental but the result of sustained vigilance. It is important to state that the case of Ghana is not merely an incident of luck but it is as a result of the vigilance and dedicated coverage of the territorial space by our troops, he said. He said deployments along the countrys northern borders had played a major role in keeping Ghana safe from extremist threats. The deployment of troops along the northern borders of our country has largely kept the country safe from extremist attacks, he stated. Major General Ayamdo commended the Armys expansion drive, citing the creation of new units, infrastructure development and the construction of forward operating bases as critical to improving troop welfare and operational reach. This is the best time to be a soldier in Ghana, he said, drawing applause from the gathering. He also praised the renewed emphasis on training, discipline and fitness, describing the reintroduction of physical fitness tests and large scale exercises as essential to operational readiness. We cannot succeed in our operations without the support of the civil authority and the public, he said, urging civilians to cooperate with the Army while also advising soldiers to respect the rights of civilians. The former Army Chief further commended Ghanaian troops for strong performances in international military competitions, including exercises in the United Kingdom and the United States, and acknowledged the support of international partners. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and security becomes a collective effort, the exposure and experience our personnel gain from training in unfamiliar terrains cannot be over emphasised, he said. He concluded by calling for continued professionalism, discipline and accountability, while honouring fallen peacekeepers who paid the ultimate price in the service of global peace. Speaking at the event, the Chief Staff Officer at Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Lloyd Atror, said the gathering was an opportunity for personnel to reflect on the years achievements, renew bonds and celebrate collective effort. The purpose of this gathering, as you are all aware, is to come together, interact with each other, have fun, reflect over the activities, the hard work, the commitment, the successes that we have all chalked in the year 2025, he said. Brigadier General Atror credited the successes recorded during the year to the leadership of the Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Lawrence Gbetanu, describing his guidance and dedication as key to ending the year successfully. We couldn't have done this by ourselves as staff officers at the headquarters, but it was all because of the able leadership of the Chief of the Army Staff, he said. He said the WASSA event was also meant to allow officers and soldiers to reconnect after months of demanding operational duties. Without speaking much, we are here to make merry, reconnect with each other, interact with faces that we have long seen and to make merry, he added. Featured Govt to roll out E Visa next year Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Dec - 20 - 2025 , 22:19 3 minutes read Government will roll out an Electronic Visa policy in the first quarter of next year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced. I am delighted to announce to you that this government, under strict instruction of President John Dramani Mahama, will be rolling out an e visa policy in the first quarter of next year, 2026, he said. Mr Ablakwa was speaking at the closing session of the maiden Diaspora Summit held in Accra on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The Minister stated that the e-visa policy would include a special dispensation for members of the African diaspora, who would be able to apply at a reduced cost. We have discussed at management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that we are going to have a special dispensation for Africans in the diaspora so that you will not have to make the same payments as others will make, and you can travel to the motherland easily, smoothly and more conveniently, he said. Mr Ablakwa said the policy would also introduce a reciprocal approach to visa application fees based on country specific arrangements. In our discussion, we are going to make sure that there will be a certain reciprocity when it comes to those visa payments based on countries. How much we pay when we want to go into their country, we will make sure we are all paying the same in the spirit of reciprocity; so, we can all raise the funds that we need to develop our country, he added. Restoring Ghana Airways The Foreign Affairs Minister also hinted at an imminent return of Ghana Airways, the former national carrier. He said President Mahama had directed that efforts be accelerated to bring the airline back into operation, adding that a technical committee established by the President was close to completing its work. Imagine if all the tickets of those who flew into the country was on Ghana Airways, that money would have been an investment in the Ghanaian economy and not in the other countries, largely in post apocalyptic Europe, where those ticket resources are going to, he said. Mr Ablakwa said if the country had its own airline, the government could have extended discounted airfares to participants of the Diaspora Summit as part of a visa free arrangement. He added that the return of Ghana Airways would signal national pride and the restoration of Ghanas image, echoing the words of Dr Kwame Nkrumah that the Black Man is capable of managing its own affairs. 24 Hour Economy The Presidential Advisor on the 24 Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, Mr Augustus Goosie Obuadum Tanoh, said the governments 24 Hour Economy programme presented multiple investment opportunities for members of the diaspora. He said diaspora investment, combined with government intervention, would help address structural weaknesses within the economy. According to him, the programme would organise production around integrated value chains in strategic sectors, linking agriculture to processing through agro-industrial partnerships supported by logistics hubs, reliable energy and export platforms. Mr Tanoh said many productive assets including factories, warehouses, ports, hospitals, banks and markets were operating below capacity due to fragmented and inefficient systems that created bottlenecks between production, processing, logistics and markets. He said the new policy would address those gaps by ensuring that services such as health, finance and growth industries operated efficiently across time, in recognition of the fact that global markets function continuously and that value chains were increasingly time sensitive. DHAKA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh on Sunday held a funeral service for six Bangladeshi peacekeepers, who were killed in a drone attack on a UN peacekeeping base in Sudan's Abyei region. A military ceremony was held at the central mosque of Dhaka Cantonment in the capital Dhaka, attended by the soldiers' families, senior political figures, and top commanders of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Following the ceremony, the bodies were flown to their respective hometowns for burial. On Dec. 13, a drone attack conducted by a rebel armed group struck the Kadugli Logistics Base, which is part of the UN peacekeeping mission, killing the peacekeepers and injuring nine others. Next article: Govt to roll out E Visa next year Police arrest three, including father, over viral video of toddler given alcohol at Kade Previous article: Police arrest three, including father, over viral video of toddler given alcohol at Kade Featured Look at this good-looking guy: Trump welcomes Ghanas Ambassador to the White House GraphicOnline Dec - 20 - 2025 , 22:32 2 minutes read Ghanas Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Victor Emmanuel Smith, has formally presented his credentials to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, officially beginning his diplomatic mission in Washington, DC. The ceremony took place at the Oval Office of the White House, where Ambassador Smith was among 14 newly appointed envoys accredited to the United States. According to a post by the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC, USA on Facebook, he was the first ambassador to be received by President Trump during the session, a development that underscored Ghanas diplomatic standing and engagement with the United States. The post disclosed that President Trump reacted warmly upon seeing the Ghanaian envoy, exclaiming, look at this good-looking guy, a remark that drew light-hearted laughter in the Oval Office and set a cordial tone for the interaction. During the engagement, Ambassador Smith expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve as Ghanas representative in Washington and conveyed greetings from President John Dramani Mahama. He reaffirmed Ghanas interest in working closely with the United States further to strengthen the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries. The Ambassador emphasised Ghanas commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment and economic diplomacy, describing the country as a stable democratic state and a strategic gateway to regional and continental markets. He noted that Ghana provides access to a sub-regional market of more than 400 million people and a continental market exceeding 1.4 billion people, positioning the country as an attractive destination for American businesses seeking to expand their footprint in Africa. Ambassador Smith also highlighted Ghanas role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, reinforcing its status as a hub for intra-African trade and investment. According to him, Ghana is ready for deeper engagement with American companies, particularly in manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, technology and services. He further extended Ghanas readiness to host President Trump, describing such a visit as an opportunity to consolidate diplomatic relations and unlock new areas of cooperation between the two nations. I never take anything for granted, says Bawumia as he engages delegates nationwide GraphicOnline Politics Dec - 21 - 2025 , 11:53 3 minutes read Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said he does not take anything for granted in politics and remains committed to working hard to secure the support of delegates of the New Patriotic Party ahead of the partys presidential primaries scheduled for January 31. Despite being widely regarded as the favourite in the race, Dr Bawumia said he believes respect for party delegates demands personal engagement and sustained campaigning across the country. Speaking in an interview with Spear FM in Damongo during his campaign tour of the Savannah Region, the former Vice President said hard work remains central to political success. "I never take anything for granted. In politics you have to keep working hard until everything is done," Dr Bawumia said. He disclosed that his campaign had already covered most parts of the country, noting that the Savannah Region marked a significant stop in his outreach. "I am touring virtually all the 276 constituencies and the Savannah Region is the 13th region that I have toured." Dr Bawumia expressed gratitude to God for the strength to sustain what he described as an intense nationwide campaign, adding that the message he was sharing with party members had been positively received. So far, he has toured 13 of the 16 regions, with the Northern, Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions yet to be covered. During the same interview, Dr Bawumia made a passionate appeal to NPP delegates to vote for him based on his competence, track record and vision rather than regional considerations. "I'm asking for the support of our NPP delegates. I'm campaigning that's why I'm in the region. I'm asking for their support on January 31st that they should look at voting for me on the basis, not that because I'm from the north; we don't vote on that." "They should vote for me on the basis of my track record, of my competence, of my integrity and of the vision that I have for the country and of the experience." He appealed particularly to delegates in the Savannah Region, the northern part of the country and across the nation, urging them to assess his leadership qualities and experience accumulated during his time in office. Dr Bawumia said his record as Vice President demonstrated his readiness to lead the country, arguing that his performance under the Akufo Addo administration had been widely acknowledged. "Under Akufo-Addo, I've been adjudged by many people to be the most effective Vice President in the history of this country - a big acknowledgement of the track record of what I have done." "And I want the delegates to help me to be one of the most effective Presidents in the history of the country so I need their support and I'm asking for their support on January 31." Expressing confidence in his leadership prospects, Dr Bawumia said he was convinced the NPP could return to power under his stewardship after the 2028 general election. "I believe that this party, the NPP, under my leadership will come back to power after the 2028 election. We are going to work hard for them and work hard for the people of Ghana. I want them to have their trust in me and I will deliver victory in 2028, by the grace of God." The U.S. military has been authorized to provide funding for the Guam Cultural Repository under the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. President Donald Trump signed the measure into law and Adelup in a release Saturday said it was a a monumental achievement for the preservation of Guams history. For the first time, federal law now explicitly authorizes the Department of Defense to provide operations and maintenance funding for the Guam Cultural Repository, a breakthrough made possible by the unified advocacy of the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adelup said in a release. The FY 2026 NDAA formally recognizes the repository as a critical infrastructure component linked to the Marine Relocation DPRI program, mandating that the DoD resource the facility at levels sufficient to handle the influx of cultural findings from new defense projects. The provision, included in Section 2821 of the enrolled bill, which was signed into law by the president, marks the culmination of years of negotiation. While the DoD funded the repositorys initial construction, the local government has previously been left to cover the substantial costs of staffing, curation, and high-intensity climate control required to protect CHamoru artifacts unearthed during military construction. While the Guam Legislature undertook the task of identifying local funds to cover operational costs, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio took immediate action in the U.S. Senate, despite limited access and no meaningful representation, Adelup said. The administration said the military should bear responsibility for mitigating the impacts of cultural artifacts being disturbed as part of the buildup. Leon Guerrero and Tenorio said while funding the construction of the repository was a step in the right direction, it was the local government that would have to pay for it to remain operational. Our success in this years NDAA is a direct result of our partnership with leaders who understand the unique challenges of the Pacific, most notably Senator Brian Schatz, Leon Guerrero said in a statement. Senator Schatzs leadership in the Senate ensured that Guams cultural priorities were not overlooked in the broader defense conversation. This authorization is a promise kept to our peoplethat the federal government will finally take responsibility for the ongoing costs of protecting the heritage they have disturbed. The push for this language was driven locally by the Community Defense Liaison Office and the Guam Museum, as directed by Tenorio. The Guam team worked in tandem with Senator Schatzs office to provide the technical justifications needed to categorize repository operations as a federal mitigation requirement. This victory is about dignity for our ancestors and relief for our taxpayers, Tenorio said in a statement. I want to personally thank Senator Brian Schatz for his tireless advocacy in the Senate. He recognized that as the military footprint grows, so does the federal obligation to Guams cultural resources. By working with the CDLO and the Guam Museum, we presented a united front that secured this critical O&M support. This ensures our repository can operate at the highest standard without draining local coffers. Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, is a staunch advocate for Native American and Pacific Island priorities. He was instrumental in ensuring the Senate version of the NDAA mirrored the cultural protections sought by Guams leadership, and his involvement was key to maintaining the provision during the final conference negotiations between the House and Senate, Adelup said. It is clear that the impact of the military buildup on Guam is significant and often unpredictable. Without a sovereign political status to allow us to negotiate on equal footing, our people remain at the mercy of what qualifies as mitigation and our ability to secure commitments from DoD, Congress, and the Senate, Melvin Won Pat-Borja, president of the Department of CHamoru Affairs said in a statement. He said he is grateful for the aggressive approach that the administration took refusing to accept defeat and instead finding allies who could advocate in the places that mattered. No one else was paying attention to the reality that the mitigation effort, which created the repository, was unfinished, but Lt. Governor Tenorio proved that he understood the issue better than most. He immediately connected the Guam Museum with Senator Shatzs staff to start working on language for the National Defense Authorization Act. His unrelenting pursuit of justice resulted in tangible commitments through the NDAA, which now means that our people will not bear the burden of mitigating these negative impacts that we did not choose and could not negotiate, he said. The Guam Police Department said a mother and her 1-year-old daughter died after a two-car crash in Dededo on Sunday morning. GPD is investigating the fatal crash that killed Charity Mina Berry, 30, and her daughter Minareen Immy. Berry and Immy are the islands 20th and 21st traffic fatalities, GPD said. Dededo Precinct Command officers responded to a two-car crash at the intersection of Route 1 and South Chalan Henry Kaiser in Dededo around 6:20 a.m. Sunday. Officers observed a white sedan and a red sedan involved in the crash. The driver of the white sedan fled the scene on foot before officers arrival, while the occupants of the red sedan, a man driving the car, along with Berry and Immy, were transported to the Guam Regional Medical City. Berry and Immy were later pronounced dead by GRMC emergency room doctors, while the driver remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, GPD said. Guam Highway Patrol Division investigators actively searched for the driver of the white sedan. The driver turned himself in to the Dededo Precinct Command on Sunday afternoon, police said. Speed and impaired driving are possible factors in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing. There is no other releasable information at this time, GPD said. The Guam Police Department offers its condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Berry and to Immy, police said in a statement. Earlier Sunday, Guam Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Nick Garrido said a woman and a child were taken to GRMC after they were found pulseless and breathless and CPR was conducted en route to the hospital. GPD closed northbound lanes as officers investigated the crash Sunday morning. KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Construction has officially begun on a major road project aimed at improving connectivity in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, local media outlet Tolo News reported on Sunday. The project will link nearly ten districts of Badakhshan to the provincial capital, Faizabad city. Valued at 603 million Afghanis (about 9.09 million U.S. dollars), the initiative is funded by the Ministry of Public Works, the report said. The first phase of construction will cover 26 kilometers and is expected to significantly ease long-standing transportation challenges faced by residents in the affected districts. Local residents welcomed the project, noting that poor road conditions have for years made travel to Faizabad both difficult and dangerous. Construction of the road is expected to be completed within approximately 18 months, bringing improved mobility, safety and economic opportunities to the region. Haiti - Health : Launch of the national project My Cleanliness, My Health The Ministry of Public Health, through its Directorate of Health Promotion and Environmental Protection, launched the national project "Pwopte m se sante m" (My Cleanliness, My Health) this week. This strategic initiative aims to sustainably improve the precarious hygiene and sanitation conditions in prisons, camps for displaced persons, and district hospitals, which are breeding grounds for infections and epidemics (cholera, scabies, parasitic diseases, etc...), and significantly reduce the risks of infections and epidemics among these vulnerable populations. The project is structured around four specific objectives, measures, and clear operational results. 1 - Intensive sanitation of prisons, ensuring that these facilities benefit from a clean environment that meets hygiene standards. In prisons, the focus is on decontamination, disinfection of dormitories and sanitary facilities, fumigation against vectors, and the rehabilitation of drinking water points; 2 - Regular health support in the camps housing significant numbers of displaced persons in Port-au-Prince, leading to the establishment of regular sanitation services and a functional permanent community health post. For the camps, activities include community clean-up campaigns, waste management, and strengthening WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) infrastructure; 3 - The deployment of mobile clinics to provide direct access to healthcare for incarcerated individuals, ensuring that detainees receive consultations and regular screening (tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections (STIs/HIV), scabies, etc...) and the distribution of essential medications; 4 - Strengthening hygiene and infection control standards in departmental hospitals to ensure their facilities are disinfected and sanitized according to prevention standards. Interventions will focus on decontaminating critical areas (delivery rooms, operating theaters) and the safe disposal of biomedical waste. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Two CIMO officers kidnaped On Friday, December 19, 2025, two officers from the Intervention and Law Enforcement Corps (CIMO), Ezechiel Maitre and Fleurant Philippe, were kidnapped by heavily armed individuals while traveling on a Sans Souci bus in the Canaan area. According to the National Union of Haitian Police Officers (SYNAPOHA), the kidnappers targeted only these two officers, allowing the bus and other passengers to continue their journey. Bahamas : Haitian embassy visits inmates in prison On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Haitian Embassy in the Bahamas visited the Correctional Services Department at Fox Hill Prison. During the visit, the Embassy delegation met with Haitian inmates, providing them with moral support and distributing hygiene kits. This action is part of the Embassy's efforts to maintain close ties with the Haitian community in the Bahamas, particularly with those facing difficult situations. Brazil : 75,000 humanitarian and family reunification visas issued The Embassy of Brazil in Haiti, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has issued more than 75,000 humanitarian and family reunification visas in 10 years. This is a powerful example of how international cooperation can strengthen safe and regular migration pathways. Singing competition postponed Following observations by the Ministry of National Education regarding the low student participation in the launch of the National Singing Competition on the theme "Let's Sing to Rebuild Schools in Our Country" the Ministry informs you that the competition has been postponed. The new deadline for participants to submit their work is January 13, 2026; the awards ceremony for the winners will take place on January 24, 2026, and the venue will be announced later. Artibonite : The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the humanitarian situation in the Artibonite department is rapidly deteriorating as armed groups extend their control into several communes, restricting Further humanitarian access is needed. OCHA continues to closely monitor the situation, and the UN and its partners are mobilized to deliver aid as soon as security conditions allow. Revision of Haitis National Building Code On Friday, December 19, 2025, the Ministry of Public Works presented the revised version of Haitis National Building Code. HL/ HaitiLibre Dr. Paris Buttfield-Addison actually just wanted to enter the code of an Apple gift card. Repeated failed attempts to do so had far-reaching consequences for the long-time Apple user and author of various technical books, which quickly overshadowed the frustration over the card. He suddenly found himself confronted with a days-long account lockout at Apple, which made large parts of his private data and his device fleet unusable. The good news is: Apple has since restored access. However, many questions remain open after the incident. Users are concerned online that something like this could happen to them too. Continue after ad According to a blog post he wrote, Buttfield-Addison had purchased the $500 Apple gift card from a major retailer. When he tried to redeem the code, a message first appeared. Shortly thereafter, his entire Apple account was deactivated without warning and for no apparent reason. The developer and book author, who has been working in the Apple ecosystem for years and publishes about it, suddenly lost access to iCloud data, app purchases, and numerous services. Dependence on the Apple Ecosystem The incident vividly shows how dependent users have become on their Apple account. Buttfield-Addison describes in detail in his blog post the impact of the lockout: Hardware worth tens of thousands of US dollars became practically unusable. iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Macs could no longer sync or function properly. Access to software and media worth thousands of dollars was lost. Particularly absurd: Apple claims that only the "Media and Services" part of the account was blocked, meaning only services and media. But in reality, Buttfield-Addison was logged out of iMessage from his devices and could not log back in. Even logging out of the iCloud account no longer worked. He could neither download nor use his iCloud photo library, which comprised several terabytes. Support Reaches Its Limits Continue after ad According to the affected person, dealing with Apple support became a nightmare. Employees refused to provide any information as to why the account was blocked. To his request for escalation to Executive Relations, Apple's special team for support cases, he received the answer that "further escalation will not lead to a different outcome." One of the most curious pieces of advice: A support employee even suggested that he personally visit Apple's headquarters in Australia. Particularly problematic is the recommendation from a support employee that Buttfield-Addison should simply create a new Apple account and deposit his payment information there. This would likely have triggered another lockout, as his devices were already known to Apple in the alleged fraud case. Many Questions Remain Open Apparently, the manipulated gift card triggered an automated fraud alert, from which there was no escape. Initial, various media reports led Apple to contact the Australian themselves. On December 18, he was finally able to give the all-clear: the account was restored. An employee from Singapore explained to him that the gift card had apparently already been redeemed in some way presumably through manipulation. The man also gave Buttfield-Addison a remarkable piece of advice: he should only buy gift cards directly from Apple in the future. From the perspective of observers of this case, it remains unclear how susceptible Apple's automatic systems are to error detection. And to what extent the company is drawing lessons from the case. While there is every understanding for automatic fraud prevention, there must be human contacts who can quickly clarify such error detections and unlock blocked access. (mki) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. The solstice marks the moment the Earths northern hemisphere tilts furthest from the Sun, causing the shortest day and longest night of the year. The precise timing this year falls between 17:02 and 17:03, depending on the source, due to minor differences in astronomical calculations. Finland will reach its darkest point of the year on Sunday, as the winter solstice occurs. From Monday, daylight will begin to increase across the country. According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the length of daylight on Sunday will vary sharply across the country. In Helsinki, the sun rose at 9:24 and will set at 15:13, giving a day length of 5 hours and 49 minutes. In Oulu, the day will last only 3 hours and 35 minutes, while in Rovaniemi, it will last just 2 hours and 15 minutes. North of the Arctic Circle, in places like Utsjoki, the sun has not risen for weeks. The polar night there will continue until 17 January. In southern Finland, afternoons have already begun to brighten, while mornings remain darker until late December. The latest sunrises in Helsinki are expected between 25 and 28 December. On Monday in Helsinki, there will still be 16 hours and 14 minutes of full darkness, plus 58 minutes of twilight in both the morning and evening. Though light returns slowly, the darkest day has passed. HT Eyewitnesses interviewed by Estonia's National Broadcaster ERR reported hearing a loud bang and seeing smoke in the area shortly before emergency services arrived. The explosion occurred at approximately 18:47 local time. Estonian rescue services confirmed to Estonian media outlet Delfi that one person was injured in the blast and taken to a hospital. A rubbish bin exploded inside Ulemiste shopping centre in Tallinn on Saturday evening, forcing a full evacuation of the premises. According to the eyewitnesses, the explosion happened on the ground floor of the shopping centre, near the entrance to the Rimi supermarket The police cordoned off the site, and bomb disposal units were dispatched. Shoppers inside the mall were evacuated by security staff and police, with multiple announcements made in both Estonian and English. Four city buses were brought to the scene to shelter evacuees from the cold. Tallinn police confirmed the explosion but said the cause remains under investigation. A spokesperson for the Estonian Internal Security Service, Marta Tuul, told ERR that an inquiry is ongoing. If further information can be shared, we will do so, Tuul said. We ask the public to stay clear of the scene and allow investigators to work without disruption. Ulemiste is one of Estonias largest shopping centres and is located close to Tallinn Airport. The centre was reported to be busy at the time of the explosion, with many people on site for weekend shopping and dining. Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area until further notice. HT This follows the seizure of two other tankers earlier this month, as President Donald Trump intensifies a maritime blockade targeting sanctioned oil transport to and from Venezuela. Officials told Reuters that the operation, ongoing since Sunday, involves a sanctioned vessel accused of evading restrictions linked to the Venezuelan oil trade. The ship is said to be operating under a false flag and has not yet been boarded. The US Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela. These ships are trafficking stolen oil and funding the narcoterrorist Maduro regime, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly posted on X, referring to Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA. The second vessel seized, named Centuries, was boarded on Saturday by a US tactical team. Video shared by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem showed helicopters landing on the deck of the Panama-flagged ship. Though Centuries was not on the US Treasurys list of sanctioned vessels, the White House clarified that its cargo, Venezuelan oil, was subject to sanctions. The first seizure occurred on 10 December and involved a ship reportedly bound for Asia. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said on CBS News that the vessels were black market ships and not expected to impact oil prices in the US. The Venezuelan government described the operations as theft and kidnapping and stated it would bring the issue before the United Nations Security Council. These acts will not go unpunished, read a statement released on Sunday. President Nicolas Maduro accused the US of international piracy after the first tanker was seized, calling the actions a violation of sovereignty. In response, Maduro ordered his navy to escort tankers departing Venezuelan ports. The US has carried out over two dozen military strikes in the region this month. According to Reuters, these include attacks on vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking. At least 100 people have been killed in these operations, though no public evidence has been released to confirm the ships were carrying narcotics. US forces are now operating the largest naval fleet deployment in the Caribbean in decades. The former Roosevelt Roads naval base in Puerto Rico has seen a buildup of F-35B fighter jets and military personnel in recent weeks. While Venezuela holds the worlds largest proven oil reserves, it relies heavily on exports to sustain government spending. The seizures threaten this flow and form part of a broader US campaign to pressure Maduro following his disputed loss to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in the 2024 presidential election. Despite the blockade, the US continues importing Venezuelan oil under exceptions authorised for US refineries. These dual policies have raised questions in Congress, particularly as public evidence linking the seized tankers to drugs or terror financing remains limited. HT CHANGSHA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- China will begin exporting chilled pork to Singapore for the first time, officials and an exporter in Hunan Province in central China said. The expansion of bilateral food trade comes more than a year after Singapore resumed importing frozen pork from China, following years of import bans imposed in 2018 due to the global African swine fever epidemic. Peng Huifeng, deputy general manager of Hunan Huale Foodstuff Co., Ltd, a pork producer in Hanshou County in the city of Changde, told Xinhua that the first shipments are expected to arrive in Singapore in a little over a month. This follows cooperation agreements reached on Dec. 15 at the annual meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Under the food trade agreement, Chongqing and the provinces of Heilongjiang and Hunan will export pork and some processed pork products to Singapore. While Chongqing and Heilongjiang supply processed cooked pork, Hunan is currently the only Chinese province approved to export chilled pork, frozen pork and processed pork products to Singapore, said Wu Shenshu, an official with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Hunan Province. The shipments will mark Singapore's first imports of chilled pork from China, with Huale Foodstuff being the only Chinese company registered to export both raw and cooked pork to Singapore, according to Wu. Singapore does not raise pigs domestically and consumes about 70,000 tonnes of chilled pork each year, Wu said. The official added that Hunan aims to capture about half of that market within two years, which would be equivalent to more than 100 tonnes per day. The department will work with Changsha Customs and other agencies to support the exporter in strengthening biosecurity controls throughout the supply chain to ensure food safety, Wu said. Huale Foodstuff's businesses cover hog breeding, slaughtering and processing, with an annual production of about 120,000 hogs, said Xiao Min, head of the Hanshou county department of agriculture and rural affairs. Hunan New Wellful Co., Ltd., a pork producer with over six decades of experience in supplying hogs to Hong Kong, can provide Huale Foodstuff with an additional 200,000 hogs a year and offer technical support on medication use and disease prevention, Xiao said. by Mahmoud Fouly CAIRO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Growing Chinese investments in Egypt are helping the Arab country reshape its industrial landscape, shifting the focus from trade dependence toward localized, export-oriented manufacturing, amid deepening bilateral ties. In recent years, Chinese investment in Egypt has increasingly taken the form of factory-based projects and industrial expansions, supporting Cairo's drive to localize production, strengthen value-added industries, and position itself as a regional manufacturing hub amid global trade uncertainties. Egyptian business circles view this shift as a key indicator of the growing depth of the Egypt-China comprehensive strategic partnership. "Egypt seeks localization of industry. Some countries invest in Egypt by buying factories, which is an ownership transfer, not a real investment, but China comes to build real factories," said Mostafa Ibrahim, vice chairman of the China committee at the Egyptian Businessmen's Association. Ibrahim added that the expansion of Chinese projects in Egypt reflects the current strength of bilateral economic and political ties, which are "at their best." Hassan El-Khatib, Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, said the next phase of economic cooperation with China should focus on expanding joint production and strengthening export-oriented domestic manufacturing. He explained that Egypt's Vision 2030 for sustainable development aligns closely with China's Belt and Road Initiative, particularly in areas related to regional integration, industrial connectivity, and cross-border trade, highlighting Egypt's strategic location connecting three continents, competitive labor costs, and extensive trade agreements granting access to global markets. "Egypt is part of the Belt and Road and could be a bridge between China, Egypt and global markets," El-Khatib said in an interview with Xinhua. Much of this localized manufacturing push is taking shape within Egypt's designated industrial platforms, particularly the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), which has emerged as a central hub for Chinese manufacturing investment. Over the past three and a half years, the SCZone has attracted investments totaling 11.6 billion U.S. dollars, with Chinese investors accounting for around 50 percent of the total, according to Waleid Gamal El-Dein, chairman of the SCZone authority. El-Dein highlighted the importance of the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone inside the SCZone, which he said currently encompasses more than 200 industrial, service, and logistics projects with total investments of about 3.8 billion U.S. dollars. China's fiberglass giant Jushi has been operating a major plant within TEDA for over a decade, positioning Egypt as a significant global fiberglass producer. Chinese home appliance manufacturers Haier and Midea have expanded production bases in Egypt as well. Recent project announcements further underscore how Chinese investment in Egypt is translating into factory-based manufacturing. Within the SCZone, a Chinese company has launched a glassware manufacturing project expected to attract more than 70 million U.S. dollars in total investment, targeting both local demand and export markets. The zone has also signed contracts on a Chinese-invested 40-million-dollar microfiber manufacturing project and another project to build a fully integrated textile and garment complex with investments of about 100 million U.S. dollars, much of its output aimed at export markets. Ibrahim Mostafa, professor of international political economy at Cairo University and former vice chairman of the SCZone for investment affairs, noted that China's expanding industrial footprint in Egypt comes amid heightened global trade tensions and supply chain realignments. "Chinese companies are increasingly seeking reliable destinations for overseas expansion, and Egypt's trade agreements, competitive production costs, strategic location, and investment incentives form a strong foundation for attracting Chinese capital," he told Xinhua. Mostafa identified manufacturing, new and renewable energy, information and communications technology, and electric vehicles as priority areas for cooperation. With China's industrial influence across Asia, its growing investments in Egypt could also attract broader Asian investment flows into the country, reinforcing Egypt's ambition to deepen industrial localization, Mostafa said. GAZA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- By the end of 2025, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding, a development many credited to the United States. Yet a closer look at the whole year and the two-year war reveals a different reality. From unsettling remarks about taking over Gaza to widely criticized arms supplies to Israel, observers say, Washington was complicit in prolonging the war and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. WAR COULD HAVE BEEN SHORTER While possessing significant leverage to influence the course of the war, Washington did not exercise that power, analysts have pointed out, noting that through bias and indulgence, it instead allowed the fighting to drag on. "Throughout 2024 and 2025, the USA has continued to support Israel militarily through arms supplies and deployments of its own forces. Arms deliveries in 2024 included missiles, bombs and armoured personnel carriers," shows a study published by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in October. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration accelerated this support. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March that "Since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly 12 billion U.S. dollars in major FMS (foreign military sales) sales to Israel." Gazans bore the cost. Yahya Abu Harbeid, a 37-year-old from the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, lost his brother and his sister's husband during a bombing. "The United States supplied Israel with weapons during the war," and this support "translated into direct fire on civilians," he told Xinhua. The United States also repeatedly vetoed UN Security Council draft resolutions demanding a Gaza ceasefire, and sanctioned International Criminal Court staff members investigating Israel. As the war faced a global backlash, these moves exposed Washington's isolation on the world stage. In interviews with Xinhua, Palestinian analysts said that U.S. support for Israel during the war went beyond the traditional framework of a political alliance, enabling Israel to prolong the conflict and inflict massive losses on Palestinians. "Washington provides Israel with political, diplomatic, and military support, along with grants, technical assistance, and logistical support," said Mustafa Ibrahim, a Gaza-based political analyst. "American weapons sales have directly fueled the conflict, enabling large-scale destruction and civilian casualties." To Eyal Zisser, vice rector at Tel Aviv University, Israel's dependence on the United States has only deepened. "Israel's strategic freedom of action, diplomatic backing, and military operations are closely tied to American support, more so than at any previous point," said the Middle Eastern affairs expert. SUFFERING COULD HAVE BEEN LESS During the Gaza war, Gazans were forced to flee their homes en masse, many repeatedly. Before the latest ceasefire, the displacement crisis had reached catastrophic levels. When Trump said in February that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip and repeated that claim in May, not just the Gazans were startled. Countries in and outside the Middle East strongly rejected this forced displacement plan. "Such statements, though framed as planning or reconstruction proposals, amount to propaganda and further threaten Palestinians. (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu exploited these suggestions to justify displacement, while Palestinians face limited options for resettlement," Ibrahim said. "This underscores how U.S.-endorsed initiatives can inadvertently -- or deliberately -- facilitate dispossession and undermine Palestinian rights," Ibrahim added. The humanitarian damage did not stop there. Since May, despite widespread opposition, a U.S.-backed mechanism to distribute humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip came into operation, sidelining the long-standing UN aid distribution network. Soon Gazans found the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to be a "death trap." Thousands were killed or injured while seeking aid this year, many near GHF sites. This drew sustained criticism from the international community. "The flawed distribution system (GHF) is not designed to address the humanitarian crisis. It's serving military and political objectives. It's cruel as it takes more lives than it saves lives," Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said on social media in July. Akram Atallah, a Gaza-based political analyst, told Xinhua that Washington's alignment of humanitarian efforts with Israeli political interests suggested "that U.S. intentions are less about impartial aid and more about advancing strategic objectives that support Israel." AMERICA FIRST: HEGEMONY OVER JUSTICE Gaza's story, analysts say, reflects the broader U.S. pattern in the Middle East: alliance over justice, and self-interest over other countries' sovereignty and legitimate rights. In the West Bank, Israeli policy continues with U.S. backing. "The ceasefire agreement applies exclusively to Gaza and does not alter Israel's long-standing approach in the West Bank, which it maintains despite international criticism. For Israel, American political and diplomatic support remains the decisive factor overriding external opposition," Zisser said. Iran offers another stark example. In June, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, joining Israeli strikes that triggered a 12-day conflict, even as Washington and Tehran had been conducting indirect talks on Iran's nuclear program. "U.S. pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, combined with unwavering support for Israeli military actions, demonstrates a broader pattern of coercion and hegemony," noted Ibrahim. "This includes threats, sanctions, and strategic maneuvering that prioritize American and Israeli interests while disregarding regional sovereignty or civilian safety." In fact, the Middle East is no stranger to and has long been a victim of such U.S. schemes. "U.S. policies, including sanctions and military interventions, have historically caused widespread suffering in the Middle East," Atallah said. "Washington's pursuit of strategic interests -- supporting allies, maintaining regional dominance, and controlling resources -- has often prioritized political objectives over human welfare," Atallah added. "Across the region, these policies have deepened economic crises, human suffering, and political instability." KIEV, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday he generally supports the idea of a trilateral meeting involving the national security advisors of Ukraine, the United States and Russia, expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of such a meeting. Zelensky said the proposal was put forward by the United States and conveyed to him by Ukraine's chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Zelensky said that he was not sure that the meeting would bring something new, but noted that the result of previous talks in Turkiye was the return of captured soldiers and civilians. "I am very glad that we had exchanges. Our people, our military, primarily prisoners, returned home. And civilians. And therefore we need to take such steps," he said. Zelensky added that "if the results are exchanges or some other agreements, I cannot be against it, then we support the proposal of the United States of America. Let's see how it goes." He noted, however, that the most difficult issues in the ongoing peace process remain unresolved, including territorial issues, control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and funding for Ukraine's reconstruction. Lucy Punch describes her family life as a "travelling circus" because they are constantly moving between Los Angeles and London. Lucy Punch shares her time between Los Angeles and London The 47-year-old actress moved stateside in 2006 because she bagged the role of Holly Ellenbogen on the CBS sitcom, The Class, and had had enough of repeatedly being cast as "posh idiots" in the UK. But after almost 20 years, Lucy - who lives in the US with her partner, artist Konstantinos 'Dinos' Chapman, and two sons - feels detached from her life in the Californian city. The star - who has Rex, nine, and a four-year-old son, whose name has never been publicly revealed - told The Sunday Times newspaper: "I dont feel like I belong there at all. Los Angeles' a very transient place. Im more comfortable feeling in-between." Lucy, Konstantinos and their children are living in a rented home in the British capital while she films the second season of the hit BBC sitcom, Amandaland - which follows divorcee Amanda raising her teenage children, Georgie (Miley Locke) and Manus (Alexander Shaw), amid moving from Chiswick, West London, to South Harlesden, North West London. Lucy added: "Were a little sort of travelling circus." Rex has enrolled in a school whilst in the UK, and Lucy said he "likes having a double life" and can "dip between schools here and back there". The upcoming Christmas special of Amandaland introduces Aunt Joan (Jennifer Saunders) as a "ball of country-living, enthusiastic upper-class bluster", whose lavish house is cold, dusty and Wi-Fi-free. Amanda, Georgie and Manus travel from South Harlesden to just outside Cirencester to visit Aunt Joan, and the youngsters spend the journey by being glued to their phones. For her own children, Lucy insists her children will not have access to a smartphone until they are adults. She said: "Most of my friends have older kids, so Ive seen what theyre dealing with. And thats really terrifying to me. Asked if she will keep them off social media until they are 14, Lucy added: "That seems so young to me. I would be like, when hes 18 " Lucy is about to celebrate Christmas in the UK for the first time in years because filming of Amandaland runs through December. The star - whose brother is flying from his home in New York to be with her family in London - said: "Before I had kids, I didnt really celebrate Christmas. "I would go with my brother to Costa Rica or Cuba or somewhere and have an anti-Christmas. Now, obviously, with children, we take it up a hundred notches and spend far too much money and try to make it really lovely. Asked if she enjoys the holidays since becoming a mom, Lucy added: "Through them I do. I really do, actually. I love it for them, and I love them doing it. "I throw a bit of extra money at it and then hope everyone has got enough and is happy with all their bits and pieces." CAIRO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met on Sunday in Cairo with Masrour Barzani, prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), to discuss relations and economic cooperation. According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's firm and unwavering support for Iraq's unity and territorial integrity. He said Egypt backs Iraq's efforts to confront regional challenges, particularly terrorism, and praised the high level of ongoing security cooperation between the two sides. Al-Sisi also commended the efforts of both the Iraqi federal government and the KRG authorities to promote stability and peace in the region. For his part, Barzani called for further strengthening cooperation with Egyptian institutions across various sectors. The meeting also addressed prospects for expanding economic cooperation. Al-Sisi highlighted the strong capabilities of Egyptian companies, especially in the energy and infrastructure sectors, noting that the Iraqi side could benefit from their expertise in implementing projects with "high quality and competitive costs." KABUL, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out at a wholesale shoe market in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, early Sunday, destroying goods worth an estimated 700,000 U.S. dollars, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement. The blaze engulfed 10 warehouses and eight shops in Police District 1, reducing them to ashes, according to the statement. Firefighting teams brought the fire under control and prevented further losses estimated at 150 million afghanis (about 2.26 million U.S. dollars), the statement added. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway. The area where the fire broke out, located in central Kabul, is considered Afghanistan's largest commercial market. Thousands of people from across the country visit this market daily to procure their commercial goods and essential supplies. HANOI, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam announced on Sunday the establishment of an international financial center, which will be located in the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City and the central city of Da Nang, Vietnam News Agency reported. Addressing a conference held to announce the move, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the establishment marks Vietnam's opening up to deeper integration into financial technology and the greening of the economy. The prime minister affirmed that Vietnam will apply distinctive and breakthrough mechanisms and policies to develop a complementary and interconnected international financial center model, with the aim of forming a unified, effective and sustainable financial ecosystem. Vietnam also launched on Sunday the operation of the center's executive council. People gather at Bondi Beach for a memorial service to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) SYDNEY, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people gathered at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday evening to mark one week since a fatal mass shooting claimed the lives of 15 innocent people there. A minute's silence was held at 6.47 p.m. local time, marking the time that the first gunshots rang out, Australia's 9News network reported. Premier of the Australian state of New South Wales Chris Minns apologized at the ceremony. "I acknowledge the government and its highest duty is to protect the citizens and we did not do that one week ago," he said. Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn said she had received letters from leaders around the world following the mass shooting. She read the letter from King Charles III, which said that in times of hurt, Australians always rally together in unity and resolve. The fatal shooting, which targeted an event celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, was Australia's most deadly mass shooting since 1996. People gather at Bondi Beach for a memorial service to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Flags fly at half-mast on the Harbour Bridge to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack at Bondi Beach a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People gather at Bondi Beach for a memorial service to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People gather at Bondi Beach for a memorial service to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) People gather at Bondi Beach for a memorial service to honor the victims of the deadly terror attack a week earlier in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 21, 2025, the National Day of Reflection. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Police officers cordon off the scene of a shooting incident in Bekkersdal, South Africa, on Dec. 21, 2025. At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local time (2300 GMT Saturday), according to a statement from the South African Police Service. "It is reported that about 12 unknown suspects in a white kombi and a silver sedan opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene," the statement said. A manhunt has been launched, with multiple crime and management teams deployed to conduct investigations, said Gauteng Acting Police Commissioner Fred Kekana. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, the police said. Police officers cordon off the scene of a shooting incident in Bekkersdal, South Africa, on Dec. 21, 2025. At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) People are seen at the scene of a shooting incident in Bekkersdal, South Africa, on Dec. 21, 2025. At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Police officers cordon off the scene of a shooting incident in Bekkersdal, South Africa, on Dec. 21, 2025. At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Police officers work at the scene of a shooting incident in Bekkersdal, South Africa, on Dec. 21, 2025. At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in Bekkersdal township near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, local police said Sunday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday condemned U.S. threats to use military force against Venezuela, saying such actions constitute a blatant violation of fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, and would pose a threat to regional and global peace. Araghchi made the remarks in a phone talk with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto, during which the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and developments in the Caribbean region, according to a statement released by Iran's Foreign Ministry. The Iranian foreign minister expressed Iran's solidarity with and support for the Venezuelan people and their democratically elected government, noting that the international community bears responsibility for firmly opposing what he described as illegal and unilateral actions. Referring to the strong relations between Iran and Venezuela across various fields, Araghchi underlined the determination of the leaders of both countries to consolidate and expand bilateral ties based on mutual interests. For his part, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Gil Pinto thanked Iran for its principled stance and for expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their elected government. He emphasized the resolve of the Venezuelan government and people to defend national sovereignty and independence against external pressure. For almost four months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas. JERUSALEM, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said its air force carried out several strikes near the "yellow line" in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, hitting five people, while Palestinian media reported that at least three people were killed. An Israeli military spokesperson said Israeli forces struck "several suspects" in northern Gaza, who were gathering near the so-called "yellow line," a demarcation marking areas where Israeli troops remain deployed despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10. The spokesperson said that troops initially fired warning shots to disperse the group and later carried out air strikes on three individuals after they crossed the line. In two additional incidents in northern Gaza, the air force struck two other individuals who crossed the demarcation line and "approached Israeli troops, posing an immediate threat," the spokesperson said. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least three Palestinians were killed early on Sunday in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. It said one civilian was killed in a drone strike on a group of residents, while two others were killed in separate drone strikes near a gas station in the area. Israel has continued near-daily attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, bringing the number of Palestinians killed since Oct. 11 to 404, according to Gaza's health authorities. According to the authorities' Thursday update, Israeli military operations since October 2023 have killed at least 70,669 Palestinians and injured more than 171,165 others. Canopy by Hilton Istanbul Taksim Hotel - Image Credit Hilton Hilton is expanding its lifestyle hotel offerings in Turkiye with the introduction of the Canopy by Hilton brand, which will open two new hotels in Istanbul and Izmir this month. Hilton is set to expand its lifestyle hotel portfolio in Turkiye with the launch of two Canopy by Hilton properties in Istanbul and Izmir. This development marks the brand's entry into the Turkish market, following the earlier introduction of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton and continued expansion under the Curio Collection by Hilton. The Canopy by Hilton Istanbul Taksim is located near Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue in the Beyoglu district. The hotel features 110 rooms and an all-day restaurant serving Turkish and international cuisine, along with a wine bar located in a 150-year-old cistern. In Izmir, the Canopy by Hilton Izmir Bomonti is located within the Mahall Bomonti complex. This 191-room hotel offers modern amenities with locally inspired design elements. The property includes dining venues inspired by the Aegean region's natural textures and colors, as well as social spaces that reflect the Bomonti neighborhood's cultural and social atmosphere. Hilton's lifestyle category is experiencing significant growth globally, now accounting for 20% of the company's development pipeline. The company plans to open four lifestyle properties in Turkiye by 2025, including the debut of the Tapestry Collection earlier this year with The Ritus Hotel Istanbul Sultanahmet. Additionally, Hilton has nine more lifestyle hotels in development across Turkiye. Five of these are scheduled to open next year, including Hilton's first cave hotel, Elika Cave Suites Cappadocia, as well as other properties in Istanbul and Izmir under the Curio Collection and Tapestry Collection brands. These new openings are part of Hilton's broader strategy to increase its presence in the lifestyle hotel segment, which includes nearly 90 lifestyle hotels across Europe. Recent additions to this portfolio include properties in Spain, Italy, and Croatia. Robert and Kristin Hinton have nearly completed the apartments at 20 East St., the former community center. A few units still have original vestiges, such as this (nonworking) stone fireplace in a first-floor unit. The first and second-floor units are complete; the four third-floor studios need a little more work. PreviousNext Former Adams Community Center Transformed Into Modern Apartments A one-bedroom unit shows the high ceilings, granite countertops and GE appliances featured in all of the apartments. ADAMS, Mass. The historic three-story structure tucked away off East Street is nearly ready for its latest phase as rental housing. Robert and Kristin Hinton expect the first occupants to move into the renovated 1920 structure next month. "From when we first started, just until now, it's almost wild to me it's the same building," said Kristin Hinton as she led a tour of the 13 apartments in various stages of completion. Except for the four studio apartments on the third floor, "we're down to patch and paint," said Robert Hinton. Hinton's Berkshire Homes LLC purchased the property from the town for $25,000 back in 2022. The property had been the site of the Greylock Rest Sanitorium of the Sisters of Providence, then a private boarding school, until the town took it for a community center and Council on Aging. It's been vacant and deteriorating for years but no longer. The Hintons, of New York State, have carved out studio, and one- and two bedroom units, including an accessible apartment on the first floor. The rooms are bright with large windows and roomy bathrooms with tiled floors and modern showers. The kitchens are outfitted with islands, granite countertops and GE appliances and all the units have mini-splits for heating and air-conditioning. Each unit has a washer/dryer combo and a good amount of closet space. "I'm more than happy to show this off, because not only do I feel like I'm showing off this building, but I'm showing off Bob's work," said Kristin. "I'm very proud of everything he's done. He had an architect for a lot of the original design, but he was the one who came out and changed the face of it." The Hintons said they have had a lot of interest in the units, particularly from professionals looking to move to the area for work. "This are our first simple, first-floor studio," she said, walking into the unit was still in a bit of disarray. "We actually had the most feedback and interest in the studios, so surprising to me. A lot of people really like them, and we have a lot of interest in them, anywhere from young professionals and couples, too ... and people who are retired as well. So it kind of runs the whole gamut." There's a mailroom and a security system. A few of the apartments have access to decks, including a front deck for the two two-bedrooms on the second floor (that have already been leased) and back decks for the units. "When we first built it, my favorite was the front deck, but as we moved on, I love these back ones. They're shaded. They're beautiful. You're surrounded by the mountains," Kristin said. She said the goal had been to think about not just what they liked but what the future occupants would be looking for in a home thus the large closets and granite-topped window sills, and unexpected things like lighted mirrors and allowing pets (the property has room for a park). "We had a person coming here for a pretty high-up job. She said she looked at Lenox, at Great Barrington, and she said that she was happiest with this building," she said. "That made me feel good." The six-acre property is within walking distance of amenities but is very secluded, which Hinton said really drew them to the building. It doesn't seem like there's anything around you but, she noted, you can walk to the grocery store, the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and Park Street. Plus there's the Greylock Glen and access to cultural institutions and other recreational facilities a short drive away. The housing project was a first for the Hintons, who have mainly worked in single to four-family home construction. It was also a bit of a family endeavor as their daughter spent the summer from college working at the site. "Being our first development, it was definitely a learning experience, but I think overall, a positive one," she said. Actual construction took a little less than a year total, with a break in between when their foreman left for another position and Robert had to step in. Kristin joked she could track the time because she was pregnant when they first started and now they have a 2-year-old. There are more phases planned for the property: restoring the elevator, parking and infrastructure, and another 27 units and a day-care center. "It's exciting to see an old building with historical value in our community instead of being torn down, we're able to renovate," said Select Board Chair John Duval, who attended the tour. "That they're able to renovate and invest a lot of their time and money into our community is awesome." He said General Dynamics is looking for 200 engineers and that Adams is a great community for new employees to settle. And they'll be looking for new, modern apartments. The East Street project and the planned conversation of the Memorial Building in 35 apartments will go along to providing housing for all economic levels, he continued. "Adams is a great place to raise your family, a safe environment, and we have everything that Kristin has mentioned about the quality-of-life outdoor activities," Duval said. "So it's a great place to live. You can work in other communities but settle right here." Adams OKs Parking Fix for Stalled Jordan St. Culvert Repairs ADAMS, Mass. Jordan Street residents displaced by a years-old culvert collapse have a place to park this winter, but town officials remain in the dark regarding when the culvert will actually be fixed. The Select Board on Wednesday approved a traffic commission recommendation to allow permitted on-street parking for specific residents during the winter parking ban. Interim Town Administrator Holli Jayko explained that the collapse, which occurred behind a Jordan Street apartment building several years ago, effectively eliminated off-street parking for several households. "This collapse eliminated parking for some residents which creates challenges during the winter parking-ban period," Jayko said. While most residents on the narrow, one-way street have access to private parking, a select few were left with no legal options during the winter months. Those affected can now apply for a town permit, provided they can prove their parking loss is a direct result of the collapse. Selectman Joseph Nowak noted the culvert has been "down for years" and questioned if there were any immediate plans for repair. Community Development Director Donna Cesan said the town has been working with the Massachusetts and Federal Emergency Management agencies through the Hazard Mitigation Program, but the project is currently stalled at the federal level . Cesan noted that MEMA will not enter into a formal agreement until funding is fully secured. "It has taken more than two years to go through all of the analysis and to prepare construction documents," Cesan said. "All that was done and submitted to FEMA mid-year. They have had it for some time now." Originally, MEMA requested $1.7 million for the fix; that figure has now risen to $2.8 million. Cesan indicated she is in constant contact with the town's MEMA representative but had no new information to report. In other business, Cesan provided an update on the fiscal year 2022/23 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, focusing on the implementation of recently awarded funds. The town was awarded a total of $1,350,000, with nearly $800,000 allocated to the Route 8 target area. The funding covered 1,400 linear feet of pavement on Albert, Cook, and Pleasant Streets, along with 1,600 feet of new ADA-compliant sidewalks. The town also utilized approximately $65,000 in Chapter 90 funds to extend the paving through Spring Street. "By combining this, it made for a much more complete project," Cesan said. "All these funds have now been fully expended and this project has been closed out." Selectman Jay Meczywor thanked Cesan for the work, noting the improvements to the downtown area and the dog park on Cook Street. "I have heard a lot of compliments. Great use of the funds," he said. Looking forward, Cesan said future funding could be directed toward shoring up the historic grain elevator. "It is iconic and it may not be a fully insulated building or whatever but is is important," she said. Regarding housing, approximately $260,000 of the grant was used for the housing rehabilitation program. Two projects are complete, four are under construction, and the town has received an extension to finish the work. An additional $120,000 was redirected from general administration toward the rehab efforts, with the remainder of the grant covering program delivery costs. Adams will be eligible for $850,000 in the coming grant cycle. The application is due in March. The Select Board concluded the meeting by ratifying Sarah Kraft as a full-time library aide/cataloger and Christopher Martin as a part-time library aide/cataloger, and read a letter of appreciation thanking the town staff for their service. MOSCOW, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron provided there is mutual political will, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti on Friday. Macron recently expressed readiness to talk with Putin, who also said he hoped to engage in dialogue with the French president during a direct line with the public on Friday, said Peskov, adding that if "there is mutual political will, Macron's position statement can be viewed positively." Macron said on Friday after the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels that the EU must be prepared for dialogue with Russia if current efforts fail to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. The French president noted that in such a case, negotiations with Putin would be necessary and useful, and the EU should establish a common basis for them in advance. On July 1, the leaders of Russia and France spoke by phone, with talks centering on possible solutions for the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The white dome of Boudhanath rises like a silent guardian over the chaotic sprawl of Nepals capital, Kathmandu, crowned by a golden spire that pierces the sky. Painted on each of the spires four sides are the benevolent eyes of the Buddha wide, calm, and unblinking said to see all that unfolds below. Those eyes have served as a symbol of sanctuary for generations of Tibetans fleeing the Chinese crackdown in their homeland. But today, Tibetan refugees are also watched by far more malevolent eyes: Thousands of CCTV cameras from China, perched on street corners and rooftops to monitor every movement below. This intense surveillance has stifled the once-vibrant Free Tibet movement that had resonated around the world. Nepal is just one of at least 150 countries to which Chinese companies are supplying surveillance technology, from cameras in Vietnam to censorship firewalls in Pakistan to citywide monitoring systems in Kenya. This technology is now a key part of Chinas push for global influence, as it provides cash-strapped governments with cost-effective, if invasive, forms of policing turning algorithms and data into a force multiplier for control. The irony at the heart of this digital authoritarianism is that the surveillance tools China exports are based on technology developed in its greatest rival, the United States, despite warnings that Chinese firms would buy, copy or outright steal American designs, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. For decades, Silicon Valley firms often yielded to Beijings demands: Give us your technology and we will give you access to our market. Although tensions fester between Washington and Beijing, the links between American tech and Chinese surveillance continue today. open image in gallery A Nepal Telecom cell tower wired with Chinese equipment stands near Sree Muktinath temple in the remote Himalayan town of Ranipauwa, Nepal ( AP ) For example, Amazon Web Services offers cloud services to Chinese tech giants like Hikvision and Dahua, assisting them in their overseas push. Both are on the U.S. Commerce Departments Entity List for national security and human-rights concerns, which means transactions with them are not illegal but subject to strict restrictions. AWS told AP it adheres to ethical codes of conduct, complies with U.S. law, and does not itself offer surveillance infrastructure. Dahua said they conduct due diligence to prevent abuse of their products. Hikvision said the same, and that they categorically reject any suggestion that the company is involved in or complicit in repression. Chinese technology firms now offer a complete suite of telecommunications, surveillance, and digital infrastructure, with few restrictions on who they sell to or how theyre used. China pitches itself as a global security model with low crime rates, contrasting its record with the United States, said Sheena Greitens, a political scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. Its got a set of solutions that its happy to share with the world that nobody else can offer, she said. (But) theyre certainly exporting the tools and techniques that are very important to authoritarian rule. The AP investigation was based on thousands of Nepali government procurement documents, corporate marketing material, leaked government and corporate documents, and interviews with more than 40 people, including Tibetan refugees and Nepali, American and Chinese engineers, executives, experts and officials. While thousands of Tibetans once fled to Nepal every year, the number is now down to the single digits, according to Tibetan officials in Nepal. In a statement to AP, the Tibetan government in exile cited tight border controls, Nepals warming ties with China and unprecedented surveillance as reasons for the drastic plunge. open image in gallery Sonam Tashi, during a demonstration to commemorate the anniversary of the 1959 uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule, in New Delhi, India ( AP ) A 2021 internal Nepali government report, obtained by AP, revealed that China has even built surveillance systems within Nepal and in some areas of the border buffer zone where construction is banned by bilateral agreements. In a statement to AP, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied coercing Western companies to hand over technology or working with Nepal to surveil Tibetans, calling it a sheer fabrication driven by ulterior motives. Attempts to use Tibet-related issues to interfere in Chinas internal affairs, smear Chinas image, and poison the atmosphere of China-Nepal cooperation will never succeed, the statement said. The Nepali government and the Chinese-controlled Tibetan authorities did not respond to requests for comment. Under pressure, many Tibetans are responding the only way they can: Leaving. The Tibetan population in Nepal has plunged from over 20,000 to half of that or less today. Now 49, one-time protester Sonam Tashi is just a father trying to get his 10-year-old son out before the net pulls tighter. The boy was born in Nepal but has no document proving he is either a refugee or a citizen, a result of Chinese pressure. Tashi described how those considered likely to protest are picked up in advance around key dates like March 10, which marks the 1959 Tibetan uprising, or July 6, the Dalai Lamas birthday. In 2018, Nepal confirmed that it was building predictive policing, which allows officers to watch peoples movements, identify in advance who they think will protest and arrest them preemptively. There are cameras everywhere, Tashi said on a winding bus ride toward the Indian border. There is no future. They gave us all the hardware After China crushed a Tibetan uprising in 1959, thousands fled across the Himalayas to Nepal, carrying only what they could: Religious paintings, prayer wheels and the weight of families left behind. Their exodus, led by the charismatic Dalai Lama, captured the American imagination, with Hollywood films and actor Richard Geres congressional appeals putting Tibet in the spotlight. Washington trod a careful line, defending the rights and religious freedom of Tibetans without recognizing independence. Today, the future of the Free Tibet movement is in question. Without refugee cards that grant basic rights, Tibetans in Nepal can no longer open bank accounts, work legally or leave the country. Nearly all police cameras monitoring Kathmandu link back to a four-story brick building just a few blocks down from the Chinese embassy, where officers watch the country in real time. The building hums with the low breath of cooling fans. Inside, a wall of monitors blinks with feeds from border towns, busy markets and clogged traffic crossings. Officers in crisp blue uniforms and red caps sit in the glow, scanning scenes. Beneath the screens, a photo published in a Nepali daily shows, a sign in English and Chinese reads: With the compliments of the Ministry of Public Security of China. Their reach is vast. Operators can track a motorbike weaving through the capital, follow a protest as it forms, or patch an alert directly to patrol radios. Many cameras are equipped with night vision facial recognition and AI tracking able to pick a single face out of a festival crowd or lock onto a figure until it disappears indoors. The system not only sees but is learning to remember, storing patterns of movement, building a record of lives lived under its gaze. A 34-year-old Tibetan cafe owner in the city watched the city change in quiet horror. Now you can only be Tibetan in private, he said. He and other Tibetans in Nepal spoke to AP anonymously, fearing retaliation. The first cameras in Boudhanath were installed in 2012, officially to deter crime. But after a Tibetan monk doused himself in petrol and set himself ablaze in front of the stupa in 2013, police added 35 night vision cameras around it. The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu worked closely with the police, said Rupak Shrestha, a professor at Simon Fraser University in Canada who studied surveillance in Nepal. He said the police received special training to use the new cameras, identify potential symbols associated with the Free Tibet movement and anticipate dissent. In 2013, a team of Nepal Police officers crossed the northern border into Tibet for a seemingly straightforward mission: Collect police radios from Chinese authorities in Zhangmu, a remote border town, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kathmandu. A truck was loaded with equipment and a few handshakes later, they were driving back to Kathmandu. open image in gallery A Tibetan living in exile pulls the curtain before he gives an interview in Kathmandu, Nepal ( AP ) The radios made by the partly state-owned Chinese firm Hytera looked like walkie-talkies but ran on a digital trunking system, a scaled-down mobile network for police use. Officers could talk privately, coordinate across districts, even patch into public phone lines. The entire system radios, relay towers, software was a $5.5 million gift from China. They didnt give us the money, recalled a retired Nepali officer who made the trip. They gave all the hardware. All Chinese. He remembered not the border guards but the tech sleek, reliable, and far ahead of anything theyd used before. He spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal discussions. He said Nepal had initially considered buying the technology from the U.S. and only wanted to deploy the system in its two biggest cities. Hytera was a fraction of the cost and performed comparably, but China also wanted coverage near the border with Tibet. Nepal acquiesced. They installed the technology in Sindhupalchowk, a border district with a key road to China used by Tibetan refugees. We understood their mindset, the retired officer said. A secure border. A police envoy from the Chinese embassy began making regular visits to the Nepal Police headquarters. Hed chat over coffee, flip through brochures from Chinese companies. Hed say, You want anything? the retired officer recalled. China began donating tens of millions in police aid and surveillance equipment, including a new school for Nepals Armed Police Force. Hundreds of Nepali police traveled to China for training on policing and border control, according to Chinese government posts. open image in gallery Namkyi, a Tibetan former political prisoner who was arrested at 15 and imprisoned for protesting Chinese rule, recounts her story during a meeting with staff at Vital Voices, a non-profit organization ( AP ) Ahead of a summit of South Asian leaders in 2014, among the goods on offer were ones from Uniview, Chinas pitch for an all-seeing eye. The company was the Chinese surveillance business of what was then Hewlett Packard, or HP, before it was spun off in a 2011 deal. Since 2012, Uniview has been selling mass surveillance solutions to the Tibetan police, such as a command center, and developed cameras that track ethnicities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans. Uniview installed cameras in Kathmandu for Nepals first safe city project in 2016. It started with the citys roads, then went up across the capital in tourist areas, religious sites, high-security zones like Parliament and the prime ministers home. The cameras didnt just record. Some could follow people automatically as they moved. Others were designed to use less data, making it easier to store and review footage. Hewlett Packard Enterprise, or HPE, a successor company to HP that sells security solutions, has no ownership in Uniview and declined to comment. Hytera and Uniview did not respond to requests for comment. Nearly all the cameras installed in Nepal are now made by Chinese companies like Hikvision, Dahua and Uniview, and many come bundled with facial recognition and AI tracking software. Hikvision's website and marketing materials advertise camera systems in Nepal linked via Hik-Connect and HikCentral Connect, cloud products that rely on Amazon Web Services. Hikvision sells to the Nepali police and government, and a template for Nepali tenders indicates CCTV cameras procured for the government are required to support Hik-Connect. In return for Beijings support, top Nepali officials have thanked China repeatedly over the years, promising never to allow anti-China activities on Nepali territory. The Nepali police head offices arent far from the now-forlorn Tibetan reception center, which used to shelter tired, hungry Tibetans fleeing across the border. The building is nearly empty. The gates are locked. Those who do escape, like Namkyi, arrested at 15 for protesting Chinese rule, often have to wait for weeks confined indoors until theyre smuggled out again to the Tibetan capital in exile in India. Silence has become survival. They know they are being watched, she said. Even though we are free, the surveillance cameras mean were actually living in a big prison. From clients to competitors From the start, U.S. companies eager for Chinas vast markets exchanged technology for entry. Many were required to start joint ventures and research operations in China as a precondition for being allowed in. Dozens, if not hundreds, complied, transferring valuable know-how and expertise even in sensitive areas like encryption or policing. Little by little, Chinese companies chipped away at the lead of American tech companies by luring talent, obtaining research, and sometimes plain copying their hardware and software. The flow of technology continued, even as U.S. officials openly accused China of economic espionage and pressuring American companies for their technology. China is by far the most egregious actor when it comes to forced technology transfer, Robert D. Atkinson, then-president of a think tank focused on innovation, warned Congress in a 2012 hearing. American tech resistance came to a final, definitive end later that year with Edward Snowdens revelations that U.S. intelligence was exploiting American technology to spy on Beijing. Spooked, the Chinese government told Western firms they risked being kicked out unless they handed over their technology and provided security guarantees. open image in gallery A Buddhist monk walks in an alley as a CCTV camera mounted on a pole watches over the area in the ancient ethnic Tibetan city of Mustang, Nepal ( AP ) After companies like HP and IBM agreed, their former partners became their fiercest global competitors and unlike American firms, they faced few questions about the way their technology was being used. Companies like Huawei, Hikvision and Dahua have now become global behemoths that sell surveillance systems and gear all over the world. American technology was key to this: Uniview, the Chinese AI-powered CCTV camera supplier, supplied the first phase of Nepals safe city project in 2016, installing cameras in Kathmandu. Uniview was carved out of California-based HPs China surveillance video business. Hytera provided data infrastructure for the Nepali police, such as walkie-talkies and digital trunking technology, which enables real-time communication. Earlier this year, Hytera acknowledged stealing technology from U.S. company Motorola in a plea agreement, and had acquired German, British, Spanish, and American tech businesses in their growth phase. Hikvision and Dahua, Chinas two largest surveillance camera suppliers, sell many of the cameras now in Nepal. They partnered with Intel and Nvidia to add AI capabilities to surveillance cameras. Those ties ended after U.S. sanctions in 2019, but AWS continues to sell cloud services to both companies, which remains legal under what some lawmakers call a loophole. Chinese tech giant Huawei has become one of the worlds leading sellers of surveillance systems, wiring more than 200 cities with censors. In Nepal, they supplied telecom gear and high-capacity servers at an international airport. Over the years, the company benefited from partnerships with American companies like IBM, and has been dogged by allegations of theft including copying code from Cisco routers wholesale, a case which Huawei settled out of court in 2004. Huawei said it provides general-purpose products based on recognized industry standards. Intel has said it adheres to all laws and regulations where it operates, and cannot control end use of its products. Nvidia has said it does not make surveillance systems or work with police in China at present. IBM and Cisco declined comment. Policing gear maker Motorola Solutions, a successor company to Motorola after it split, did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. technology transfer to Chinese firms has mostly stopped after growing controversy and a slew of sanctions in the past decade. But industry insiders say its too late: China, once a tech backwater, is now among the biggest exporters of surveillance technologies on earth. Few realized the U.S. shouldnt be selling the software to China because they might copy it, they might use it for these types of surveillance and bad stuff, said Charles Mok, a Hong Kong IT entrepreneur and former lawmaker now living in exile as a research scholar at Stanford. Nobody was quick enough to realize this could happen. The great big eye in the sky Inside a 15th-century monastery in Lo Manthang in Nepals Mustang district, light slants through wooden slats, catching motes of dust and the faded faces of bodhisattvas. Crumpled notes of Chinese currency lie at the feet of deities in the walled city along the Tibetan border. Here, shops stock Chinese instant noodles and cars with Chinese plates rumble down mountain roads. A gleaming white observation dome just inside Chinese territory looms over the city. Visible from 15 kilometers (9 miles) away, its trained on the district that has long been a refuge for Tibetans, including a guerrilla base in the 1960s. The dome is just one node in Chinas vast 1,389-kilometer (863-mile) border network with Nepal a Great Wall of Steel of fences, sensors and AI-powered drones. open image in gallery A Hikvision camera monitors crowds circling the Boudhanath, a holy Tibetan Buddhist stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal ( AP ) Chinese forces have barred ethnic Tibetans from accessing traditional pastures and performing sacred rites. They have pressured residents of Lo Manthang to remove photos of the Dalai Lama from shops. And a China-Nepal joint command mechanism meets several times a month on border patrols and repatriations, according to a post by the Chinese-run Tibetan government. The result is that the once-porous frontier is now effectively sealed, and Chinas digital dragnet reaches deep into the lives of those who live near it. In April 2024, Rapke Lama was chatting with a friend across the border on WeChat when he received an invitation to meet. He set out from his village and crossed into Tibet only to be arrested almost immediately. Lama believes his WeChat exchange was monitored; Chinese police appeared with unsettling precision, as if they knew where to look. After accusing him wrongly, he maintains of helping Tibetans flee into Nepal, the police seized his phone, which had photos of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan music. Then came months in a Lhasa prison, where isolation and inadequate medical care hollowed him out. Lama did not return to Nepal until May 2025, gaunt and shaken. He later said he entered Tibet to harvest caterpillar fungus, valued in traditional Chinese medicine. Another friend who crossed the border remains in custody. Even now, Im scared, Lama says. He wears masks when wandering the streets, he says, because of that lingering fear. The Chinese observation dome is a giant symbol of the same fear, towering over the border. Its the great big eye in the sky, said a 73-year-old Tibetan hotel owner in Nepal, who spotted the installation during a trip near the border last year. For Tibetan refugees, Nepal has become a second China. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police have announced a 20,000 reward for information following a fatal shooting in north London in March. Mahad Abdi Mohammed, 27, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head in Waverley Road on Thursday, 20 March at 8.45pm, the Metropolitan Police said. Officers believe it was a case of mistaken identity and want to speak to two people in connection with the incident. The Met announced the reward from the independent charity Crimestoppers eight months to the day after his tragic death. Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Woodsford, leading the Mets investigation, said: There is someone out there who knows what happened that night and we are urging those individuals to find it in their heart to come forward. open image in gallery Image of one of the suspects the Met Police want to speak to ( Met Police ) open image in gallery A suspect the Met police want to speak to in relation to the shooting of Mahad Abdi Mohammed ( Met Police ) No matter how small you think the information is, please speak to us. It could be exactly what we need to locate those responsible. On the night of the murder, Mahad had spent the early evening with his friend at their home. They were breaking their fast outside when a stolen Mitsubishi Outlander approached and the suspects opened fire, striking Mahad and his friend multiple times. This car was used to drive the suspects to and from the scene and was found burnt-out in Runcorn Close, near Tottenham the following morning. Police believe the suspects also travelled in a stolen blue Jaguar to get to and from the Mitsubishi used in the shooting. open image in gallery A stolen car used in the shooting in Tottenham ( Met Police ) Mahads friend, a 26-year-old man, received treatment in hospital for a gunshot wound to the leg. The investigation so far has led officers to believe whoever killed Mahad set out to hurt someone else in a pre-planned, targeted attack. Mahads youngest sister said: "To stay silent is to be complicit. To stay silent is to let a grieving mother suffer in confusion. To stay silent is to let a little boy grow up not knowing what happened to his father. "If you know something and you haven't come forward, please think about that. Think about a family that cannot begin to heal because the truth is still hiding in the shadows. My brother deserves better. He deserves justice." Four men were arrested on suspicion of murder in March and April. They were questioned and released on bail pending further investigations. The reward, which is offered for information that leads to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible, will expire on 20 March 2026. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police sexual offence convictions have soared by more than a third since the murder of Sarah Everard, The Independent can reveal, prompting warnings that forces must wake up to the horror and do more to prevent predators from joining their ranks. Despite efforts to improve standards and public trust after the 33-year-olds death at the hands of serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021, stark new figures lay bare the scale of offending, with officers all men convicted of rape, sexual assault and arranging the sexual exploitation of a child. Since the start of 2022, nine months after Ms Everards murder, 59 police officers have been convicted of a sexual offence, according to freedom of information figures obtained from 26 of the 42 police forces in England and Wales. That figure, which includes Couzens, is up 34 per cent from the 30 officers convicted between 2018 and 2021, a period that does include the Covid lockdowns. Among those convicted since 2022 are former Greater Manchester Police officer Dean Dempster, who sexually abused a six-year-old girl while responding to a domestic incident, and former West Yorkshire police officer Ben Bottomley, who raped and sexually assaulted a woman before joining the force. The Home Office admitted the figures were shameful, while Dame Vera Baird, a former victims commissioner, described them as frightening. She told The Independent: Why would any female victim of sexual abuse, or domestic abuse which invariably had a sexual dimension to it, have confidence, or trust in calling police when they need help, when they are well aware that they may be putting themselves into the hands of another abusive man? Dame Vera, who was victims commissioner between 2019 and 2022, said the increased number of prosecutions may indicate that more officers are being reported by colleagues and rooted out. But, she cautioned, that they were there in the first place is frightening. The police need to wake up to the horror with which the Sarah Everard episode filled the violence against women and girls (VAWG) movement and realise that they cant fail to do as they were told by the inquiry, but to go the extra mile before they will have a chance of recapturing womens confidence, she added. open image in gallery (Clockwise, from top left) Wayne Couzens, Dean Dempster, Ben Bottomley, Cliff Mitchell, Lewis Edwards and Richard Mills all police officers convicted of at least one sexual offence since the start of 2022 ( Police ) Following Ms Everards death, police chiefs vowed to improve standards with a mass screening of 307,000 police employees carried out, leading to nine criminal investigations. The latest statistics, which may include some historical offending, come after the second part of a damning inquiry into Ms Everards death found forces had failed to fully implement recommendations on recruitment vetting set 18 months ago, including a requirement for psychological assessments of new recruits and a blanket ban on those with convictions or cautions. The inquirys chair, Lady Elish Angiolini, warned that meant predators like Couzens, who had passed vetting at the Met despite being reported to Kent Police for allegedly indecently exposing himself, could still be being given police jobs. She told The Independent: It [the latest figures] just raises the alert that vetting cannot be something that just happens when you come through the door. Im suggesting [vetting is done] in an irregular fashion so that police know that theres a prospect of that happening at some point, not more than once, in their career, to ensure that they are still the same people that they were who had applied and not corrupted in a way which can manifest itself in the sexual abuse of those who they are there to support and serve, rather than abuse. Forces follow guidelines on vetting published by the College of Policing, whose latest update last year said officers should be continually vetted with randomised checks. And in April, the then home secretary Yvette Cooper said new measures would make it a legal requirement to pass background checks for all serving officers. Responding to the figures, a Home Office spokesperson said: These figures are shameful, and these awful incidents undermine trust and confidence in our police. The home secretary [Shabana Mahmood] has been clear that she will do everything she can to ensure women and girls can live free from fear and harm and that the strictest standards in policing are upheld. We have already reformed the police misconduct system, ensuring forces can fire officers who fail vetting and that those under investigation for crimes such as domestic abuse or sexual offences can be suspended more robustly. However, MPs, campaigners and charities say more needs to be done. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp helped create legislation to tighten up vetting while policing minister under the last Conservative government, including making it easier for police chiefs to sack rogue officers during misconduct hearings. open image in gallery Sarah Everard was murdered and abducted by serving police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021 ( Family handout ) He told The Independent: These figures are both shocking and unacceptable. The public must be able to have confidence that police officers will act with decency and integrity. There is no place in our force for dangerous predators; we need continuous vetting processes to identify and remove officers who pose a risk to women. Its clear more work needs to be done to ensure full trust and confidence in policing, and in opposition, we will support whatever measures are needed to do that. Labour MP for Brent East Dawn Butler, who has called for the DNA profiles of all Met Police officers to be held on a police database, said the numbers were shocking but sadly not surprising and called for stricter vetting. Some officers become very bad people, some are born that way and use the police service as a gateway ... Ultimately, to fully build trust, we need a new social contract between the police and its citizens, she added. Andrewa Simon, executive director at End Violence Against Women Coalition, said the rise in convictions was shocking, but said it also showed greater accountability for abuse. But she cautioned: Angiolinis recent findings lay clear the lack of sufficient progress in the way that police forces, and arguably society as a whole, are dismantling cultures of racism and sexism. Policing still has a long way to go to improve the vetting and recruitment of officers and to ensure victims and survivors of abuse receive the level of response they deserve. open image in gallery Vera Baird, a former victims commissioner, said the police need to wake up to the horror of the aftermath of Sarah Everards death ( PA Media ) Of the 59 police officers convicted of sexual offences since 2022, 22 were from the Met Police, the UKs biggest force. Two were of the rank of sergeant or above, and none are still serving officers. Couzens had used his status as a police officer to get Ms Everard to believe he was arresting her for breaking lockdown rules, before attacking her. After her death, it emerged there had been concerns about his behaviour he was reportedly nicknamed the rapist and he was part of a WhatsApp group with fellow officers that shared disturbing racist, homophobic and misogynist remarks. Following his conviction, the force, which called Couzenss crimes shattering for everybody, vowed to carry out an urgent review of all allegations of officer sexual misconduct and domestic abuse. A Met Police spokesperson said: There is no room in our organisation for any person who commits a sexual offence. Every one of these officers has been dismissed or would have been dismissed had they still been serving. The Met now has one of the strongest entry vetting policies in UK policing and refusal rates have more than doubled. As well as the sexual offences, the figures showed officers were also convicted of stalking, violence and corruption, with a total of 575 police officers sentenced since 2018. The National Police Chiefs Council, which represents forces, appointed Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap to run its work on violence against women and girls this year. She also is director of the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection. DAC Millichap said a significant overhaul of vetting and misconduct procedures was leading to more people being identified and dismissed from forces. This included home visits as part of the recruitment process and mandatory police national database checks. The NPCC said psychological assessments for recruits will be rolled out next year. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jean was just 16 when he was left outside the front door of the headquarters of UK Visas and Immigration in Croydon, south London alone, frightened and without any documents to prove who he was. He had arrived in Britain just hours before his first ever trip outside his central African country and the first time he had even travelled out of his hometown. The past few days had been a nightmare that had seen him witness a horrific attack on his family. He himself had been subjected to torture and, left without anyone else to turn to, he had managed to find help from a trusted friend of the family. She had brought him to the UK by plane, and Jean briefly thought he might have found safety with her, until he was taken to Croydons Lunar House and told he was now on his own. She said, I cant support you any more. All I remember is she said, Go into the building and tell them who you are. It was a bit of a fight to let her go. I was scared, I didnt want to go into that building. But she convinced me to go inside. I found out later that it was an immigration centre, Jean, a pseudonym used for safety reasons, told The Independent. I was feeling confusion and fear. The weather, the language... everything was new to me. I was just lost. Initially, I was scared seeing people in uniform because that brought me back to what I had witnessed at home. I was traumatised from what I had experienced. Thousands of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children seek help from the UK authorities each year, the majority of them aged 16 or 17. In the year ending March 2025, there were 3,707 asylum claims from lone children. For those aged 17 and under, social services must provide somewhere safe to live, as well as provide clothes, food and education, and help with an asylum claim. However, hundreds of children are wrongly assessed by Home Office officials as adults, meaning they do not get the help they are entitled to and are often put into dangerous situations. Data obtained by the Helen Bamber Foundation revealed that at least 678 children in 2024 were wrongly classified as adults after a human visual assessment at the border. David Bolt, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, found factors like lack of eye contact were used to make decisions, and said that children were being pressured into declaring they were over 18. From a sample of 55 cases that the inspector looked at where the Home Office had said the asylum seeker was significantly over 18, 76 per cent were in fact found to be children. open image in gallery A UK Immigration Enforcement officer escorts a child migrant, picked up at sea attempting to cross the English Channel, on arrival in Dover, on 10 January 2022 ( AFP/Getty ) Ministers now plan to replace human judgement with AI facial-recognition technology, in a move that charities and rights groups have said amounts to an experiment on migrants that will lead to serious, life-changing consequences. The Home Office is in the market for an algorithm that can accurately predict the age of a subject. A government contract notice, seen by The Independent, says that the technology will have multiple use cases for Home Office, an example could/ would be to assist in determining the age of those who are encountered without verifiable identity documentation. The three-year contract, which will start in February next year, is valued at 1.3m. Announcing the plans in July, the then Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said that the AI facial age-estimation technology would be the most cost-effective option. The aim is for facial age estimation to be fully integrated into the current age assessment system over the course of 2026, she said. It is not yet clear whether the AI age-estimation technology would be used on children as they arrive in the UK on small boats, or to inform final asylum claim decisions. The Home Office has said that the technology will be used to assist officials, and that no final decisions have been made about what stage of the process it will be integrated. If used on arrival, the algorithm would have to account for the ageing effect of traumatic journeys, past torture and abuse experiences that can often make young asylum seekers appear older. open image in gallery An RNLI lifeboat delivers migrants to Dover port after intercepting a small boat crossing on 17 December 2025 ( Getty ) Jean initially found help from social services when he arrived in the UK in 2012, and was housed in care with other children. However, Home Office officials later decided he wasnt a child after all, and his support was taken away. The decision was devastating. I was called to an interview at 4pm. They gave me a time when offices are about to close, thats my understanding now, but I didnt release it at the time, he said. I had to wait for them to receive me at 5pm. They said, You are not a child, saying, You are a liar. I told them, I am not a liar, I know who I am, I know my age. When someone is at a desk questioning your age, you feel like you are invisible. You have to fight for your identity, and it is not easy to fight for yourself. You feel like you have to isolate yourself to cope with what you have been through, constantly questioning, why, why, why? You feel like you want to end everything because they dont believe you, and I know for sure that many young people are in the same situation. He explained that the immigration officials told him he had to go to the offices of a charity, Refugee Council, and that he should find his own way there: They gave me a map, and it was a long journey to get there, especially as I was struggling with the language. I managed to get there but it was about to close, and I got sent to a hostel to sleep. By this stage a 17-year-old boy with little English, Jean was housed with adult asylum seekers in a hostel. He felt incredibly unsafe and thought it would be a good decision to leave, something he later viewed as a mistake. I was traumatised, anxious, and I just wanted to be on my own. That was the idea, he explained. This then led to around four years sleeping rough in London until a stranger who saw him begging for money at a train station directed him to Notre Dame charity in Leicester Square. He got a referral to migrant charity Freedom from Torture, which was able to support Jean in submitting a fresh asylum claim. A judges decision to grant him sanctuary in 2018, and a recognition that he should have been helped as a child refugee all those years ago, has meant Jean now has a roof over his head in council-provided accommodation. On the day of our interview, he heard that he is now a British citizen. However, he fears for others like him who arrive in the UK as children but who are told they are liars. open image in gallery Lunar House in Croydon, south London where Jean was left as a 16-year-old boy ( PA ) Speaking about the governments plans to use AI to help with decision-making, he said: Its a way of not treating people as human beings. They are treating us as a tool to train their AI. They are testing something, and its like we are not human. They are thinking, OK, lets use them. Making decisions based on a computer, we all know its not always accurate. They need to understand that a lot of young people are going through trauma, and they may look different at that moment when they really need help. Kamena Dorling, director of policy at the Helen Bamber Foundation, said the governments plans were concerning unless significant safeguards are put in place. She added: Existing evidence has found that AI can be even less accurate and more biased than human decision-making when judging a persons age, with similar patterns of errors. Crucially, AI cannot account for factors that can significantly alter a young persons appearance after fleeing conflict and persecution and making dangerous journeys, such as trauma, malnutrition and exhaustion. Anna Bacciarelli, senior AI researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: The UK governments plans to use facial age estimation are misguided at best, and should be scrapped immediately. In addition to subjecting vulnerable children and young people to a dehumanising process that could undermine their privacy, non-discrimination and other human rights, we dont actually know if the technology works. Theres no standardised industry benchmarks, and simply no ethical way to train and audit this technology on like-for-like populations. In the UK, its been used so far in shops and bars, not refugee processing centres. A Home Office spokesperson said: Robust age assessments are a vital tool in maintaining border security. We will start to modernise that process in the coming months through the testing of fast and effective AI age-estimation technology. We then intend to integrate facial age estimation into the current system, subject to the results of testing and assurance. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice More than 800 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday believed to be a record number for a day in December. The latest official figures showed 803 people made the perilous journey in 13 dinghies from northern France yesterday. It brought the total number of Channel crossings for 2025 to 41,455 people, the second highest since data collection began in 2018, surpassed only by 2022s record of 45,774. Saturday saw the largest number of people to have made the journey in a single day since 8 October, when 1,075 crossed. open image in gallery The total number of Channel crossings for 2025 now stands at 41,455 people ( PA Wire ) Some 2,163 people have arrived so far this month, closing in on the record 3,254 reported last December. A Border Force vessel could be seen on Saturday morning bringing people thought to be migrants into Dover after an incident in the Channel. It followed a busy night, in which a large number of boats were witnessed leaving the shores of France. French police clashed with people attempting to launch a small boat near Calais early on Saturday morning. Video showed gendarmerie volleying teargas into a crowd of some 30 migrants on a riverbank in the town of Grand-Fort-Philippe. The unexpected spike follows a four-week lull in which the Home Office recorded no crossings between 15 November and 12 December. December is traditionally one of the quietest months for attempts due to adverse weather conditions. But that pause had marked the longest uninterrupted stretch without arrivals since 2018. Wider trends show that arrivals climbed in the first 10 months of this year, while remaining below the record levels reported in 2022. open image in gallery Small boat crossings rose through 2025, but still fell short of the 2022 record ( PA Wire ) The Labour government has ramped up efforts to tackle small boat arrivals through collaboration with European countries. France agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel after months of pressure from the UK. A policy shift means security forces will be able to stop boats at sea, but only before they have picked up passengers. Germany this week passed a new law which could see people smugglers face up to 10 years in prison for trying to bring migrants to the UK. The law change, which will come into force before the end of the year, aims to give more powers to law enforcement and prosecutors, and boost information sharing between the UK and Germany. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A decision to hand over four independently run cafes in Hampstead Heath to a group of Australian-inspired eateries has provoked outrage within the community, campaigners say. Daisy Green has been selected to run cafes at Queens Park, Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Lido and Parliament Hill Fields from spring 2026 by the City of London Corporation (CLC), which owns the land. The cafes at Parliament Hill Lido and Queens Park are run by Kentish Town couple Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, as well as one in Highgate Wood, which could also change hands. The Italian cafe at Parliament Hill Fields has been run by the DAuria family for 45 years. On Friday, all current operators were told they would have to give up their cafes by the end of January. The CLC said Daisy Green will bring upgraded menus, improved facilities and welcoming spaces, and commit to affordability, sustainability and partnering with local suppliers. open image in gallery Emma Fernandez and Patrick Matthews, pictured with their children, have run the cafe at Hampstead Heath Lido for 10 years ( PA ) Ms Fernandez and Mr Matthews have run Parliament Hill Lido Cafe, whose customers include actors Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy, for 10 years. Ms Fernandez, 49, said she is devastated by the news, adding: We created a real community hub. The City of London Corporation are just destroying this fabric which is holding together the community. She and her husband have used the cafe as a space to host community events, including a childrens puppet show, and to display the work of local artists, who exhibit and sell there for free. The couple are also concerned that the takeover will put jobs at risk. Their three cafes employ around 50 members of staff during the summer and 30 over the winter. Ms Fernandez said: Honestly, I have no idea what Im going to do. Its the one thing that I love to do, that I know how to do, and I feel so rooted here. Their children, Selene, 11, and Esmee, nine, are familiar faces at the cafe and enjoy helping out during the school holidays. Its horrible for them, Mrs Fernandez said. They were born here, they were brought up here. Its like a family here; they know the customers, they know the (lido) staff. When I ask them what they want to do later in life, they always say, I want to work at the lido with you. Now its all shattered. open image in gallery The Parliament Hill Lido Cafe is due to be taken over by Daisy Green ( PA ) She added: Were not here trying to make money. Were here because we love it and we work with our hearts. Mr Matthews, 72, added: I thought it was inconceivable that we wouldnt get the Lido Cafe. Its natural justice we took it from nothing, and we made something that wasnt there beforehand. We feel that weve created something and now someone else is going to enjoy whatever financial benefit there is from it. We took the risk, theyve got the reward. Lido regular Kate Orr, 56, from Camden, said: There are a lot of people who come here who are really struggling with their mental health or are lonely, or who dont quite fit in in the world, or who dont have much money. This is the most tolerant and inclusive place This is the strongest sense of community Ive had in my 56 years by a long way. The cafe is genuinely part of that community. You need a cafe thats affordable, said Imogen West, 56, from Hampstead Heath, you can get a really good meal for 10.50, where else can you get that? This area is a real mix of people who do have money and people who dont. This place serves all of those people. Its more than a job (for Mr Williams and Ms Fernandez) its a way of life. open image in gallery Journalist Stefan Simanowitz, 49, spearheaded a save our cafes campaign ( PA ) Journalist Stefan Simanowitz, 49, said he is outraged by the decision and will continue to fight it. He spearheaded a save our cafes campaign, which included a petition signed by more than 20,000 people and was supported by Cumberbatch, McAvoy and fellow actor Stephen Campbell Moore. In August, Cumberbatch told the Camden New Journal: This is about people and not profit. Its vital that we stand up for people who run businesses that serve the community, to preserve the livelihoods of individuals who have been crafting relationships with their customers. In 2016, a similar retendering process was attempted at Parliament Hill Cafe, but coffee chain Benugo dropped out of the takeover following protests backed by Sir Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, who is now Prime Minister. Mr Simanowitz said he hopes Daisy Green may make a similar decision. Prue Freeman, co-founder of Daisy Green, said the company is delighted to have been chosen. Ms Freeman said: As an independent London-based business, we are proud of our long-standing support of local suppliers and charities, providing family-friendly activities, and running environmentally responsible operations. We want these cafes to remain welcoming spaces where everyone feels included and connected to these very special spaces. Francesco Sanna presents a Chongqing spicy chicken pizza at the Niccolo Hotel in Chongqing, southwest China, Dec. 12, 2025.(Xinhua/Yang Shiyan) CHONGQING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- In the open kitchen of a hotel in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the air was thick with the mouth-watering aroma of baking dough and sizzling meat, as executive chef Francesco Sanna was busy preparing his signature creation, the Chongqing Spicy Chicken Pizza. He spread a mix of local green and red chili peppers and Chongqing-style stir-fried chicken over a hand-tossed pizza base, sprinkled it generously with cheese, and slid it into a high-temperature oven. Once out of the oven, the pizza was finished with a drizzle of garlic oil, creating a tantalizing fusion of spicy zest and creamy richness that brought Chinese and Italian flavors into a harmonious dialogue. "Spicy chicken is a local Chongqing dish, and now it shines as a pizza topping. We use local chilies instead of the usual bell peppers, which gives the flavor more layers," Sanna said. Today, this innovative pizza has become a crowd favorite at the hotel's restaurant. Sanna hails from the Italian island of Sardinia and currently helms the kitchen at the Niccolo Hotel in Chongqing. The hotel's name pays homage to Niccolo Polo, a 13th-century Italian explorer and father of the legendary adventurer Marco Polo, who traveled to China along the ancient Silk Road. For an Italian chef who has made China his home for over a decade, this connection feels like a serendipitous echo across time. Sanna told Xinhua that his fascination with China began early. As a child, images of the country in his textbooks -- streets filled with bicycles and the beauty of Chinese characters and calligraphy -- left a lasting mark. When he was around 20, Chinese restaurants began popping up in his neighborhood, piquing his curiosity. He fondly remembers his first attempts at using chopsticks. "They showed me a few times, and I learned it quickly," Sanna recalled, adding that he even insisted on using them at home. "It made the meal more relaxing and allowed me to better savor the flavors." That spark of curiosity eventually led him to China. In 2009, Sanna landed a job at a hotel in Shanghai. "I originally planned to stay for two or three years," he said. "But now it has been 16 years." Over the past 16 years, Sanna has traveled to nearly 30 provincial-level regions in China, living and working in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Foshan and Kunming. His journey has given him a profound appreciation for the diversity of Chinese cuisine. "The culinary differences across China's various regions are huge, and even neighboring cities can have very different flavors," he said. When he first arrived in Chongqing, known for its bold and fiery cuisine, the spiciness proved challenging. He recalled his stomach protesting the day after his first authentic hotpot meal. "But I didn't give up," he said. "Week by week, month by month, I gradually adapted." Today, he has found his own balance between spicy and non-spicy tastes. For Sanna, Italian and Chinese cuisines share a core philosophy rooted in regionality. "Both cuisines are highly regional," he explained. With Italian cuisine recently recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, Sanna sees parallels in China. "China has a similar kind of culinary culture. I have always advocated using local ingredients because the freshest and best ingredients often grow right around you." This philosophy guides his kitchen. In Chongqing, he embraces local chilies; in other Chinese cities, he seeks out their signature ingredients. In his Chongqing kitchen, Sanna has been working to interpret local flavors through Italian techniques. "Culinary exchange isn't about simply copying; it's about learning from each other while respecting local traditions," he said. "I'm not just teaching Chinese chefs; I am learning from them as well." Beyond fusion, Sanna is dedicated to bringing authentic Italian and Mediterranean flavors to Chinese diners. Classic dishes such as handmade truffle pasta and Valencian seafood paella remain staples on his menu, prepared with traditional methods to showcase their original essence. Sanna said that he has witnessed a growing sophistication among Chinese diners regarding Italian cuisine. Years ago, pasta served "al dente" was often considered "undercooked." Now, requests for authentic Roman or Milanese styles are common. As exchanges between China and Italy flourish, Sanna feels the cultural bond deepening. "More and more Chinese people are going to Italy, and more Italians are coming to China," he said. "People's understanding of each other's culture and cuisine is becoming richer and more profound." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An escaped goat which went on a rampage in a Wiltshire village was safely captured by police with riot shields. Officers in Upper Seagry, near Chippenham were not kidding around when they lassoed the goat to round the animal up before it was safely returned to its owner. The goat was causing mischief on Thursday by trying to eat oranges from a Christmas wreath and was seen chasing a woman around the village, an eyewitness told the BBC. A video taken by Wiltshire Police shows the mammal attempting to munch on safety equipment in the boot of the officer's car. The goat was seen trotting around Upper Seagry, near Chippenham, on Thursday morning ( Wiltshire Police ) Where does the goat live, apparently its not very nice, one officer can be heard saying on body-worn camera footage. It is actually quite aggressive, the officer added while the goat head butted the riot shield and another officer attempted to lasso the goat. Weve got it on a towline, weve got some PSU shields because he is trying to butt my head, the officer said before remarking how large the animal was. The goat briefly slipped out of the lasso and ran down the road before police recaptured the animal. A Wiltshire police spokesperson said: PC Ferris and PC Miller, from Chippenham Response, swiftly responded, controlled the situation and returned the goat to his owner. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A mother living in a damp home fears what may happen this winter after she claims an outbreak of mould caused chest problems for her son and meant he was unable to walk across the living room without stopping for breath. Tracy Manley, 59, has lived in her home for 27 years but discovered it had a problem with mould around three years ago. She said it began with dampness around the windows before she noticed that items stored in the airing cupboard in her sons bedroom were becoming damp. Ms Manley, who is unemployed, receives personal independence payments (PIP) and rents her semi-detached house from Bristol council. She decided to empty that cupboard, but she believes doing so disturbed the mould, which then affected the health of her 31-year-old son, who asked not to be named. When we stripped the bedding last winter, he became ill and had to go on antibiotics, Ms Manley told The Independent. There was a rattling on his chest. We went to the doctors, and first of all, they said it was clear, but then he had trouble with his breathing. open image in gallery Mould building up on Tracy Manleys home last winter ( Tracy Manley ) Ms Manley added: He couldnt walk across the living room without stopping for breath. It was a serious chest infection, and it was really bad. The doctor put him on a course of antibiotics for around 10 days. It was a case of when it (the mould) was disturbed that was the problem. You were disturbing the mould and then breathing in that disturbance. It was a bit scary we hadn't considered that possibility. Photographs of her home taken last winter that Ms Manley shared with The Independent show patches of mould around windows, on the ceiling and in the airing cupboard. She said she tried to treat it with chemicals but could only keep the problem at bay. About tackling it, she said: Youre always told to open the windows and to ventilate - we tried that, we tried the diffusers, the dehumidifiers. We left vents open, but it was a case of tackling it, clearing it away, but it was still coming back. Thats the problem, it seems to be an ongoing thing in the older houses. There was also a health concern for Ms Manley herself, who was diagnosed with throat cancer last year and was undergoing chemotherapy when the mould was causing an issue. I was worried about my own health and it took a mental toll, she said. Ive got a low immune system myself and Im on a course of chemotherapy. After my cancer diagnosis last year, I was on a much stronger course of chemotherapy. It was difficult to stay positive it was draining on my mental health. open image in gallery Tracy said the problem originated with mould in the airing cupboard ( Tracy Manley ) Ms Manley is not alone in dealing with such problems more than eight million people in the UK live in cold homes, campaign group Health Equals has warned. New research commissioned by the group found that 28 per cent of people in the UK report living in homes with issues like damp, mould, or cold, which can cause health conditions. Health Equals research found that a quarter of those living in a cold home report experiencing respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, flu and pneumonia, while more than a third report mental health impacts, including depression and anxiety. Ms Manley is worried about what might happen this winter. She said the council responded to her requests for help and previously patched up the mould, but she believes this has not fixed the root causes of dampness. She said: Theres still damp in my kitchen as well and Im worried about my sons chest problem coming back this winter, as well as my own health. Theyve checked up in the loft, theyve checked the guttering, and they seem to say theres no problem with any of that, so its just tackling it as it comes on. Its keeping an eye on it over the winter and seeing how its going to progress, but youre worried youre going to disturb it again. Youve got to clean it, but youre worried about making it worse for yourself. Then it gets airborne. Responding to Ms Manleys situation, councillor Barry Parsons, chair of Bristol councils homes and housing delivery committee, said: Our priority is to ensure all council homes are safe, warm, well-maintained, and meet the standards required of us as a social landlord. Since our self-referral to the regulator of social housing, we have been working hard to improve the way we manage and maintain our housing stock. Significant progress has already been made; since August, the number of open damp and mould cases has fallen significantly. However, we recognise there is still more work needed to ensure our homes meet the standards tenants deserve. We will continue to invest in the safety and quality of our homes with a strong focus on tackling damp and mould. Every report of damp or mould is taken seriously and responded to within 10 working days. We encourage any of our tenants experiencing these issues to contact us so we can investigate and provide support. The Independent understands council officers visited the property last week to inspect the problems and treat them. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Wes Streeting has warned that taxes are too high, as he said he was diplomatically ducking the question of replacing Sir Keir Starmer. The health secretary, one of the frontrunners to be the next Labour leader, also said the best way to get more growth in the faltering UK economy was a deeper trading relationship with the EU. But he insisted Sir Keir had his absolute support as he said an extraordinary row over briefings against him from inside No 10 was now water under the bridge. open image in gallery Some see the health secretary as a key contender for future Labour leader ( PA ) Mr Streeting also warned the UK had taken a massive economic hit with Brexit. He said the PMs reset with the EU was a good start but that both the country and the government want a closer trading relationship with Europe, although he ruled out a return to freedom of movement. With Labour trailing Nigel Farages Reform UK in the polls, Mr Streeting is seen as a key contender, alongside the home secretary Shabana Mahmood and former deputy PM Angela Rayner, to succeed Sir Keir. On Sunday, Labour chair Anna Turley was forced to say of course, absolutely when asked if Sir Keir would still be PM next Christmas. open image in gallery Streeting says the PM has his absolute support ( PA ) Last week, former PM Sir Tony Blair appeared to effectively endorse Ms Mahmood as a future Labour leader, praising her as brilliant and impressive in a joint public appearance. Novembers Budget saw taxes increased by 26bn, while the official Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said none of the measures announced by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, would have a material effect on growth. In an interview with The Observer, Mr Streeting said he was really uncomfortable with the level of taxation in this country. Were asking a lot of individual taxpayers, were asking a lot of businesses. Weve got a level of indebtedness that we need to take very seriously. The best way for us to get more growth into our economy is a deeper trading relationship with the EU, he said. He added that the NHS is coping during the resident doctors strike, but admitted he was concerned about the coming days. Resident doctors will return to work at 7am on Monday, having gone on strike on Wednesday after members of the British Medical Association (BMA) rejected a fresh offer from the government. I think the NHS is coping ... The period that worries me more is the post-strike period, when we have to try and recover the service. That now falls at a time of year which is the NHSs busiest, Mr Streeting said. open image in gallery Labour chair Anna Turley says Keir Starmer will absolutely still be PM next Christmas ( Getty ) On Friday, he said he wanted to end the dispute and that we will get around the table with them again in the new year, but insisted he has a responsibility to all NHS staff. I dont think that doctors are selfish and dont care about nurses and other healthcare professionals, but the BMAs position can be quite hardline and uncompromising, he said. He laughed off suggestions that he had discussed a deal with Ms Rayner about a leadership challenge. Ive been reading some of the stuff recently and thinking this just bears no resemblance to reality, he said. The closer I see that job and the pressure on Keir and the demands of that job, the more I wonder why anyone would want it. He did not rule himself out of becoming leader, however. Im diplomatically ducking the question to avoid any more of the silly soap opera weve had in the last few months, he said. open image in gallery Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is seen as another frontrunner for future Labour leader ( BBC ) And asked if he thought the UK would vote for a gay prime minister, he added: One of the things Im proud of about this country is that we have an atheist prime minister with a Jewish wife who succeeded our first Hindu prime minister who succeeded a number of women. I think this country is an inclusive, welcoming, decent and kind country. The interview comes just a week after Mr Streeting voiced his frustration with the Labour leaderships practical, technocratic approach. He also warned that the government risked presenting itself as just the maintenance department for the country and was failing to communicate its achievements, in a chat with The New Statesman. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least nine people have been killed and 10 injured in a shooting in the Bekkersdal township west of Johannesburg in South Africa. Armed men in two vehicles opened fire at a tavern in the early hours of the morning and continued shooting as they fled the scene, authorities said. Witnesses described at least nine suspects with pistols and one with an AK-47-style assault rifle, police said. Police have launched a manhunt for some 12 suspects believed to have been involved in the attack. Among those killed was a driver working for a ride-hailing service, police said. Some victims were randomly shot in the street outside the KwaNoxolo Tavern, said police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and authorities are still working to identify the victims. A general view of South African Police Service (SAPS) tape ( AFP via Getty Images ) Police cited reports that about 12 unknown suspects arrived in a white kombi [van] and a silver sedan and opened fire at patrons. They continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, they said. The incident occurred just before 1:00am local time (11:00 pm GMT), in the Tambo municipality, authorities said. Police are now collecting witness statements to help in their investigation. We are still busy obtaining statements. Our national crime and management team has arrived, Fred Kekana, acting commissioner of the Gauteng province, where the crime occurred, said. He said police had found a challenging and unfortunate situation. When people were running out of the tavern, they were shot, he said. People were also shot on the streets. While the cars [of the assailants] were leaving, they shot another driver. At least 10 people were taken to hospital with injuries. South Africas public broadcaster, SABC, initially reported that 10 people had been killed but later revised the death toll. The Independent has reached out to the South African Police Service for comment. On 6 December, gunmen killed 12 people, including a three-year-old, at a Pretoria hostel reportedly selling alcohol illegally. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey globally, is shutting down bourbon production at one of its Kentucky distilleries for a year. The move comes amid President Donald Trumps trade war with Canada, which has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales after the country ushered in a boycott of American booze, and as more young adults are cutting back on drinking. Jim Beam, owned by Suntory Global Spirits, is one of Kentuckys biggest bourbon producers. The Bluegrass states $9 billion whiskey bourbon industry has been struggling to manage its abundant supply of liquor against the drop in demand. In a statement, the company said it was shutting down production at its Clermont distillery on January 1, 2026, though the visitors center on the site is to remain open, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. open image in gallery Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey globally, is shutting down bourbon production at one of its Kentucky distilleries for a year ( Getty ) We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026, the statement said. Weve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our [Freddie Booker Noe] craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. There were nearly 1,500 employees at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Kentucky last year, according to the newspaper. The company said it was assessing how best to utilize our workforce during this transition in a statement to the outlet, and added it was in discussions with the union. In March, following sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump, many Canadians decided to boycott American liquor in protest. Industry group Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said that U.S. spirits exports plummeted 85 percent, falling below $10 million in the second quarter of 2025, which CEO Chris Swonger blamed on persistent trade tensions. open image in gallery President Donald Trumps trade war with Canada has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales ( Getty ) Swonger warned the figures signaled a shift away from our great American spirits brands and urged Trump to help facilitate a lasting return to tariff-free trade with our longstanding trading partners. Trump suspended trade talks with Canada in October after an ad shared by Ontario premier Doug Ford featured spliced clips from Ronald Reagans 1987 address, where the late president said tariffs caused trade wars and economic disaster. Canada and the U.S. have since agreed to launch formal discussions to review their trade agreement in mid-January, according to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The presidents tariffs are not the only headache for the U.S. liquor industry a drastic change in drinking habits is also having an impact on sales. A record high percentage of U.S. adults (53 percent) said moderate drinking is bad for their health, up from 28 percent in 2015, according to a Gallup poll published in August. The uptick in doubt about alcohols benefits is largely driven by young adults the age group that is most likely to believe drinking one or two drinks a day can cause health hazards. The survey found that 54 percent of U.S. adults said they drink alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer, which is lower than at any other point in the past three decades. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Department of Justice has removed at least 16 files from the Jeffrey Epstein documents it released Friday without any explanation, including one including a picture of President Donald Trump, as Democrats accused the administration of a cover-up. Trumps photograph appeared several times among the thousands of documents, which were undated and lacked any context. Among the files that appear to have been removed from the DOJs website since Fridays publication is a photograph taken of Epsteins desk or a bureau, with the drawers open. Inside the drawers is a photo of a man who appears to be Trump, dressed in a white shirt, standing with a group of women, including at least one who is wearing a bikini. The identities of the women are not known and their faces were not redacted in the photograph. Behind the photo is another partially obscured image, where the faces of Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and Epsteins accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, are visible. This photo appears to have been widely circulated and features the Trumps before they were married at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000. open image in gallery This photograph, taken of Jeffrey Epsteins desk that appears to include two images of Donald Trump, has since been removed by the Department of Justice without explanation ( DOJ ) The file numbered 468 was no longer visible on the DOJs website Saturday. Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has said that he parted ways as friends with Epstein years ago. This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee wrote on X Saturday. [Attorney General Pam Bondi] is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public. Another photograph of a credenza, where a framed picture of Trump, Melania, and the sex offender is visible, remained on the DOJs website Saturday. Other documents that appeared to have been taken down were photographs inside a room with a massage table, with nude portraits on the walls. open image in gallery A photograph of Epsteins credenza, including a framed picture of Trump, Melania and the sex offender, remained on the DOJs website Saturday ( DOJ ) A White House spokesperson told The Independent that the Trump administration was the most transparent in history when contacted for comment on the apparent removal of the photograph of the president. By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committees subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epsteins Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have, said Abigail Jackson. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Democrats accused the Trump administration of one of the biggest cover ups in American history. This is what Susie Wiles meant when she said Trump and Epstein were young, single playboys together, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a post on X. And if theyre taking this down, just imagine how much more theyre trying to hide he added. This could be one of the biggest cover ups in American history. open image in gallery Survivors of Epsteins alleged sexual abuse pushed for more transparency, as hundreds of pages of documents were completely redacted ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California also accused the administration of a cover-up. Trumps DOJ appears to be scrubbing any mentions of Trump from the Epstein files after they were already public, Gomez said Saturday in a post on X. Every deleted file, every redaction after-the-fact is outrageous and unacceptable. This is an active cover-up, and we need answers, he added. There is growing anger among survivors of Epsteins sexual abuse over the files released Friday as they pushed for more transparency after hundreds of pages of documents were completely redacted. The Justice Department acknowledged that it would not be releasing all of the documents on the December 19 deadline as set out by law in the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but that it would release more in the next two weeks. I knew going into this and just how Trump likes to play his little tactics, Haley Robson, an Epstein survivor who voted for Trump but says she has come to regret it, told The Independent. I knew with all the obstacles we've already rendered and the administration's flip flop, I already knew that we were not going to see the files as we should be getting them. Josh Marcus contributed reporting Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Department of Homeland Security recently released a holiday ad relaying a familiar message with a tinge of festive nostalgia. Accompanied by crooner Perry Comos Christmas classic, Home for the Holidays, a black-and-white montage showed people grabbing what appeared to be gifts for loved ones stuffed animals and playing cards before they stepped onto planes. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of home with the CBP Home app, read the ads caption. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and implemented his mass deportation agenda the CBP Home app has been touted by administration officials as a dignified way for immigrants to self-deport. Immigrants without criminal convictions are eligible to use the app in exchange for a $1,000 stipend, free airfare, and avoiding encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to DHS. open image in gallery An immigrant from Venezuela tries to access CBP Home App. The government spends less on self-deportations compared to involuntary deportations. But for migrants, the reality of leaving voluntarily is not risk-free ( Getty Images ) Once a user downloads the CBP Home app, they choose the language they want to use, and then can select on one of two choices: Im Ready to Leave the U.S. or Verify I Left the U.S. The user then fills out their personal information, takes a selfie, and then submits that information. The app then asks users if they want to add others to their group. At the end of the prompts, a message pops up saying someone will reach out to you soon and that the user will receive an email about next steps. The app also touts the $1,000 exit bonus. But immigration law experts warn that many migrants are being directed towards the app without a full understanding that self-deportation is not risk-free. Desires to avoid horrific conditions at detention centers, uncertain outcomes in lengthy immigration cases, and unpredictable, frightening ICE raids appear to be fueling self-deportations, but using the app may still result in immigrants being detained by federal agents and separated from family members for long periods, legal experts say. In some cases, immigrants may never be allowed to return to the U.S. The government has spent more than $200 million to advertise CBP Home and nearly 38,000 people have used the app to leave the U.S. from March, when the self-deportation feature launched, up to November 25, according to internal DHS data seen by The Independent. Self-deportation is a safe and dignified way for lawbreakers who are here illegally to leave, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. Not only do self-deportations boost Trumps numbers he has said he wants 1 million immigrants out of the country each year but the administration has argued that the strategy is saving taxpayers money. The government spends $3,500 per individual self-deportation, the DHS spokesperson said. That marks 80 percent savings on the $17,000 that the government spends on arresting, detaining and removing a person, the official added. But critics argue there are other prices attached, both financial and personal, that the administrations cost analysis doesnt appear to take into account. For one, immigrants are thought to contribute nearly $580 billion per year in taxes. Researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that Trumps mass deportation plan could significantly impact the U.S. economy, reducing the employment rate by as much as 7 percent and lowering GDP by as much as 7.4 percent by 2028. The researchers noted that these deportations would not only result in losing workers, but also losing consumers. In addition to the moral issue of rounding up millions of people, and disrupting their families, workplaces, and livelihoods, Trumps America first proposal for mass deportations would raise prices, cost jobs, and harm the US economy, the researchers said. open image in gallery Shackled immigrants board a plane to be removed from the U.S. The Trump administration has branded self-deportations as a dignified way to leave the U.S., compared to law enforcement action ( REUTERS ) Since Trump took office, 2.5 million immigrants have left the U.S., DHS said. Some 605,000 people were involuntarily deported while 1.9 million have voluntarily self-deported. It is unclear whether that figure includes self-deportations through the CBP Home app as well as voluntary departures a court-approved process that allows immigrants to leave the U.S. at their own expense to avoid a deportation order, making it easier to return. The Independent has asked DHS for more information. So far this year, judges have granted more than 28,000 voluntary departure applications, according to data from nonprofit TRAC. Over the Biden administrations four years, just over 29,000 people left the U.S. via voluntary departures. Experts say immigrants using the app to self-deport potentially face another, more personal cost. In May, Homeland Security announced the $1,000 stipend for travel assistance which the American Immigration Lawyers Association described as deceptive. The association labeled the governments self-deportation offer as a deeply misleading and unethical trick. [It] gives people the impression there are no consequences, such as being barred from returning in the future. No one should accept this without first obtaining good legal advice from an immigration attorney or other qualified representative, the American Immigration Lawyers Association said in a statement at the time. The National Immigration Project, a nonprofit that provides legal representation and support to immigrants, warned that in order to be able to return to the U.S. after self-deporting, one must have a basis for returning, like a spouse or parent who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. For many people, there may be no basis for returning to the United States on a permanent basis; even for those who do have a qualifying relative, the backlogs for these visas are very long for some countries and family relationships, the group warned. Once leaving the country, undocumented immigrants face 3-year or 10-year bars from entering the U.S. depending on how long they lived in there. open image in gallery Protesters clash with federal immigration agents in Chicago ( REUTERS ) Others including those who have returned to the U.S. without permission after being deported face a permanent bar, according to the nonprofit. Advocacy groups have also warned that immigrants with ongoing cases could still be given a deportation order even if they opt to self-deport, making it more difficult to return to the U.S. Even if you use the CBP Home app to tell DHS that you are leaving, you are at risk of receiving a deportation order from immigration court in your absence after you have left that will bar you from returning to the United States. Leaving the country will mean immigration applications you have submitted will be considered abandoned and will make it harder for you to gain future immigration benefits, nonprofit Refugees International said on its website. There are also reportedly instances in which immigrants, who have used the CBP Home app to self-deport, were still detained by federal immigration agents. We've heard of a couple cases of people using the app to try to facilitate their return to their home country, but they still end up getting detained, either while they're waiting for their flight out of the country or while they are physically trying to leave the country, Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told Wired. In Chicago, one Venezuelan asylum seeker said they had struggled to leave the U.S. after opting to self-deport using the app, fearing the worst from the increasingly aggressive ICE raids in the city. The migrant, a 25-year-old mother of two, told ProPublica that she was told by someone working at the CBP Home app program that if she used the app she could be on a flight to Venezuela the following month. When her departure date passed, she made several calls to the program, with one program worker eventually telling her there could be a delay obtaining her travel documents. Waiting with packed bags, she said she registered on the app twice more. She said she still hadnt been given any flight information. I feel so scared, always looking around in every direction, she told ProPublica. I was trying to leave voluntarily, like the president said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday said its laughable to think the Department of Justice would remove a photo from the Epstein files because it features President Donald Trump. Blanche defended the fact that photographs were redacted after initially being released on Friday, along with records from the DOJs investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying their removal had nothing to do with Trump. There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public, seeing him with Mr. Epstein, Blanche said on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday morning. The absurdity of us pulling down a single photo because President Trump was in it is laughable, he said. And the fact that everybodys trying to act like thats the case is a reflection of their true motivation. At least 16 files disappeared Saturday from the Justice Departments public webpage for documents related to Epstein including a photograph showing Trump less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation for their removal. open image in gallery Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the photographs that were included in the Epstein files and later redacted, saying on Sunday it was laughable to think the Department of Justice would remove a single photo just because it featured President Donald Trump ( AP ) open image in gallery The files were uploaded Friday, but at least 16 were removed Saturday ( DoJ ) The missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs on top of a desk and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The unexpectedly missing files fueled online speculation over what was taken down, and what may be getting covered up as a result. Blanche attempted to put an end to the theories, defending the photographs that were redacted on Meet the Press. There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday. Thats because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group if they have any concerns about the material that were putting up, he attempted to explain, later noting he doesnt know for sure if anyone in the photo was a victim of Epstein. He also noted that the files would later be added back to the departments website. open image in gallery Blanche defended the images that were removed from the files, saying some were taken down after orders from a judge ( DOJ ) open image in gallery Officials did not say whether the removed photograph showed any of Epsteins victims ( DOJ ) We are, in every way, shape and form, complying with the statute, which, by the way, is what President Trump has been asking us to do since before he was elected, Blanche continued. There is nothing that he has to hide in the Epstein files, there never was. And even though theres repeated attempts by Democrats to paint him as being part of the Epstein saga, its failing over and over again. Congress ordered the Justice Department to release all files related to the Epstein case by Friday, though only a small fraction have been made publicly available due to the sensitive nature of the materials. The files released Friday offered little new information about disgraced financier Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting his sex trafficking trial. Fresh accusations of a cover-up have since emerged after the photograph featuring the president was taken down from the Epstein files library over the weekend. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The United States is pursuing another vessel off the coast of Venezuela, the second such operation this weekend. The United States Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuelas illegal sanctions evasion, a U.S. official told Reuters. It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order. Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms including sailing or flying close to vessels of concern. The move is an escalation of President Donald Trumps targeting of a shadow fleet after he announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. The officials, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, did not say which tanker was being intercepted. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US Coast Guard boards an oil tanker on Dec. 20 that was last docked in Venezuela ( Department of Homeland Security ) Bloomberg had earlier reported that US forces boarded a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker sanctioned by the US that was en route to Venezuela to load. The White House's National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that the first two oil tankers seized by the U.S. were operating on the black market and providing oil to sanctioned countries. "And so I don't think that people need to be worried here in the U.S. that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships," Hassett said. "There's just a couple of them, and they were black market ships." But one oil trader told Reuters the seizures raise geopolitical risks and probably will push oil prices higher when Asian trading resumes Monday. On the other hand, expectations of an end to the war in Ukraine could help keep oil's price gains in check, the trader said. Total blockade on sanctioned tankers Trump on Tuesday said he was ordering "A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a warning Saturday after the second seizure of a tanker that contained sanctioned PDVSA oil. "The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region," Noem wrote in a statement posted to social media. "We will find you, and we will stop you." In the days since U.S. forces seized the first tanker, there has been an effective embargo in place, with loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil staying in Venezuelan waters rather than risk seizure. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese was booed by sections of the crowd at a memorial in Sydney on Sunday as Australia marked a National Day of Reflection for victims of last weeks antisemitic gun attack at Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded when two gunmen opened fire during Hanukkah celebrations at the seaside on Sunday last week. Tens of thousands of people, including the prime minister and several other leaders, attended the vigil at Bondi Beach under a heavy police presence that included snipers on rooftops. At least one member of the crowd shouted blood on your hands at Mr Albanese, News.com reported, while television and radio networks observed a minute of silence nationwide. Like the grass here at Bondi was stained with blood, so, too, has our nation been stained. We have landed up in a dark place, David Ossip, the president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, said. But friends, Hanukkah teaches us that light can illuminate even the bleakest of places. A single act of courage, a single flame of hope, can give us direction and point the path forward, Mr Ossip said, according to Reuters. Mr Albanese did not speak at the event after organisers declined the suggestion, anticipating he would be booed. He was jeered upon arrival and again later when a speaker mentioned his name during the memorial. open image in gallery Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (2nd R), his wife Jodie Haydon (bottom C) and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles arrive for a memorial for the victims of the mass shooting that took place last week at Bondi Beach ( Getty Images ) Over the past week, the prime minister has faced widespread criticism for not attending the funerals of the victims. He sat in the front row wearing a kippah, the traditional Jewish cap. In contrast, New South Wales premier Chris Minns received a standing ovation. [Minns] has not missed a funeral, a synagogue service or the opportunity to be with the Jewish community this week. Thank you, Chris, for your leadership, Mr Ossip told the crowd. Also present was the father of shopkeeper Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed as the Bondi Hero for ducking between cars and wrestling a gun from one of the attackers. open image in gallery NSW Premier Chris Minns arrives for a memorial for the victims of the mass shooting that took place last week at Bondi Beach ( Getty Images ) Ahmed has asked me to pass on the following message to us all: The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. Today I stand with you, my brothers and sisters, Mr Ossip said. Mr Albanese has ordered a review of police and national intelligence agencies following the attack, describing the shooting as an Isis-inspired atrocity that underscored Australias rapidly changing security environment. The Isis-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation, Mr Albanese said on Saturday. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond. open image in gallery Australias prime minister Anthony Albanese attends a memorial for the victims of the mass shooting ( Getty Images ) Authorities said on Sunday the Bondi Beach attack exposed gaps in gun licence assessments and information-sharing between agencies. In the aftermath of Australias deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades, the government has also flagged tighter gun controls, while the New South Wales premier is moving to strengthen laws against hate speech. Authorities are probing the mass shooting as an act of terrorism targeting Jews. The Bondi Beach mass shooting was the most serious in a string of recent antisemitic incidents in Australia, including attacks on synagogues, buildings and cars, since Israel invaded Gaza in October 2023. Mr Albanese also condemned anti-immigration rallies held on Sunday in Sydney and Melbourne, saying they sought to sow division in the aftermath of last Sundays antisemitic terrorist attack.