By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 12:37 EST, 11 December 2025 | Updated: 14:03 EST, 11 December 2025

A truckload of ‘migrants’ sparked a huge pile-up on the motorway – as police detained 14 people found in the back of an HGV.

Two lanes were forced to close on the M40 Northbound in Oxfordshire this morning amid reports of passengers crammed into a lorry.

Motorists were stunned as they could be heard counting the number of migrants being led from the vehicle.

Footage of the spectacle shows a number of flashing police cars line the road as they attend to a cluster of people on the hard shoulder.

Onlookers watch on as more and more migrants gradually emerge from the lorry.

One says: ‘Six… seven … oh my god, there’s a lot.’

Other images show a group of hooded men sat together with their arms crossed, dressed in dark clothing.

Another passerby shouts ‘holy moly!’ as he films the line-up of migrants while passing by.

Thames Valley Police confirmed 13 people were found in the back of the HGV

Footage of the spectacle shows a number of flashing police cars line the road as they attend to a cluster of people on the hard shoulder

Earlier in the day National Highways warned motorists of building queues and advised allowing extra time for journeys. A pile-up on the stretch of motorway is pictured

Lanes were shut between Junction 9 at Bicester and Junction 10 at Baynards Green.

Thames Valley Police confirmed 13 people were found in the back of the HGV and detained while the driver was also arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

The forced said they are working with the Home Office amid an ongoing investigation.

Earlier in the day National Highways warned motorists of building queues and advised allowing extra time for journeys.

A police spokesman said: ‘We received a report today (11/12) at 9.53am of a number of people in the back of a lorry travelling on the M40 between junctions 9 and 10.

‘The vehicle was stopped, and 13 people were detained. The driver was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

‘The investigation is ongoing, and we are working with closely with our partners in the Home Office.’

This is a breaking news story. More to come

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Lorry full of ‘migrants’ sparks huge delays on motorway – as police detain 14 people found in back of HGV

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Rachael Cole, 44, has been banned from ‘wearing a wig or hair piece, or any face covering that conceals her appearance when entering a shop’



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Rights group Amnesty says ban, which will affect around 12,000 girls, will ‘add to racist climate towards Muslims’.

Published On 11 Dec 202511 Dec 2025

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Austria’s lower house of parliament has passed a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools after a previous ban was overturned on the grounds that it was discriminatory.

Lawmakers passed the new legislation on Thursday by a large majority, meaning that girls younger than 14 will not be permitted to wear headscarves that “cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions” in all schools, with non-compliance fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros ($175-930).

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In 2019, the country introduced a ban on headscarves for under-10s in primary schools, but the Constitutional Court struck it down the following year, ruling that it was illegal because it discriminated against Muslims, going against the state’s duty to be religiously neutral.

The Austrian government says it has “done [its] best” to see that this law will hold up in the courts.

The new law, which was proposed by the governing coalition of three centrist parties at a time of rising anti-immigration and Islamophobic sentiment, was also backed by the far-right Freedom Party, which wanted it to go even further so it would apply to all students and staff. The Greens were the only party to oppose it.

Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm, of the conservative People’s Party, which leads the governing coalition, called headscarves for minors “a symbol of oppression”.

Yannick Shetty, the parliamentary leader of the liberal Neos, the most junior party in the governing coalition, told the lower house that the headscarf “sexualises” girls, saying it served “to shield girls from the male gaze”.

Rights groups have criticised the plan. Amnesty International said it would “add to the current racist climate towards Muslims”.

IGGOe, the body officially recognised as representing the country’s Muslim communities, said the ban “jeopardises social cohesion”, saying that “instead of empowering children, they are stigmatised and marginalised”.

Angelika Atzinger, managing director of the Amazone women’s rights association, said a headscarf ban would send girls “the message that decisions are being made about their bodies and that this is legitimate”.

Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr of the Neos said young girls were coming under increasing pressure from their families, and also from unrelated young boys, who tell them what to wear for “religious reasons”.

The Greens’ deputy parliamentary leader, Sigrid Maurer, agreed that this was a problem, and suggested interdisciplinary teams, including representatives of the Muslim community, be set up to intervene in schools when “cultural tensions” flare.

Under the ban, which comes into effect in February, an initial period would be launched during which the new rules would be explained to educators, parents and children with no penalties for breaking them.

After this phase, parents will face fines for repeated non-compliance.

The government said that about 12,000 girls would be affected by the new law.

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Protesters briefly interrupted the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, during a Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday, evoking a quote from the film The Exorcist.

As Noem delivered her opening remarks before the House committee on homeland security, two protesters disrupted the session, with one yelling: “Stop ICE raids! The power of Christ compels you! End deportations, the power of Christ compels you!”

“The power of Christ compels you!” is famously a line used in the 1973 horror film The Exorcist by a priest performing an exorcism.

While Noem smiled silently in response to the demonstration, Capitol police quickly escorted the protester out as he held sign that read “Stop ICE raids” and “Codepink,” likely referencing the anti-war group.

Moments later, another protester stood up, displaying a poster that said “No ICE, no troops!” The individual went on to shout: “Get ICE off our streets! Stop terrorizing our communities!”

Thursday’s incident comes as Noem faces growing calls for resignation from House Democrats over her handling of Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration crackdowns.

Addressing Noem directly, Mississippi representative Bennie Thompson, the committee’s top Democrat, said at the hearing: “Rather than sitting here and wasting your time and ours more with more corruption, lies and lawlessness, I call on you to resign. Do a real service to the country and just resign, that is if President Trump doesn’t fire you first.”

Noem remained defensive, saying that the Trump administration works “each and every day to make America safe again” and that she was very “privileged and honored to have my family with me” at the hearing.

The hearing also comes amid rising tensions between federal agents and the public over immigration tactics in major American cities. These tactics have involved the use of military-grade hardware against civilians, including flash-bang grenades and armored personnel carriers, as well as using smartwatches to track pregnant immigrants, even during labor.

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed a new contract to purchase six Boeing 737s for deportations, marking the latest move in a series of steps taken by the government to fulfill Trump’s pledge of executing the “largest deportation operation in American history.”

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Scientists have captured rare footage of killer whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins hunting together near the coast of British Columbia, Canada.

Despite their common name ‘killer whale’, orca are actually the largest species of dolphin.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, is the first recorded evidence of the two working together, according to researchers.

They studied the mammals using drones and camera tags to understand feeding behaviour.

“Not only were the killer whales orienting [themselves] towards the dolphins at the surface, but when the dolphins started to dive, our tagged killer whales would start to dive,” lead researcher Dr Sarah Fortune from Dalhousie University in Canada said.

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A skydiver broke free and ultimately survived after his reserve parachute accidentally deployed and got stuck on the tail of an airplane as it was soaring through the sky. 

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau explained that the “reserve handle snagged on the aircraft’s flap, resulting in deployment of the reserve parachute.”

Video footage of the harrowing incident — which occurred in September — shows the parachute deploying, with the man flying into the aircraft’s tail and then dangling from the plane because the chute had gotten stuck.

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A skydiver’s reserve parachute accidentally deployed in Australia. (Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful)

“The reserve parachute wrapped around the left horizontal stabiliser and elevator and deflated as” the skydiver’s “lower legs struck the stabiliser,” the ATSB noted, adding that the person “was then suspended beneath the tailplane.”

The individual was able to utilize a hook knife to cut parachute lines.

“The reserve parachute then tore, releasing” the person “from the aircraft with part of the reserve remaining on the aircraft’s tail,” the ATSB report notes.

NASHVILLE SKYDIVING INSTRUCTOR DEAD AFTER FALLING WITHOUT PARACHUTE

A skydiver’s reserve chute catches onto the aircraft, leaving him dangling in the air. (Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful)

After breaking free of the aircraft, the skydiver was able to deploy the main parachute and land — though not without facing some complications.

The ATSB report states that “during the main parachute deployment, the remaining reserve parachute lines twisted around the main parachute lines. Additionally, during the opening sequence, the right brake toggle of the main parachute released.”

“The main parachute fully inflated with line twists, and after initially turning right, commenced a rapid left turn. After several rotations,” the skydiver “grabbed and pulled on the right brake line above the line twists to arrest the turn. The parachute stopped turning, and” the individual “was able to unwind the line twists and release the left brake toggle. Passing about 8,000 ft, the main parachute lines fully unwound from the reserve parachute lines and functioned normally for the remainder of the descent.”

EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER DELIBERATELY PLUNGED TO DEATH ONE DAY AFTER RELATIONSHIP WITH BOYFRIEND ENDED

The skydiver managed to use a hook knife to sever the lines of the mistakenly deployed reserve chute. (Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful)

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The pilot managed to land the damaged airplane, according to the ATSB, which noted that the skydiver “landed 9 seconds later with minor lacerations and bruising to their left lower leg and a deep gash to their right lower leg.”

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

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US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday in a dramatic escalation of hostilities between Washington and Caracas.

Helicopters sent to intercept the vessel had reportedly taken off from the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, which was sent to the region last month in a pointed show of force.

The latest operation, pulling in special forces and US Marines, follows months of sabre-rattling and intimidation from Donald Trump in an attempt to pile pressure on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.

But with Maduro unmoved, the US buildup in the Caribbean shows no sign of slowing down as Trump continues to amass gunboats, troops and missiles.

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The United States sent special forces with helicopters to intercept an oil tanker off Venezuela, it was announced on Wednesday (X/@AGPamBondi)

How many US ships are stationed near Venezuela?

The USS Gerald R Ford joined a fleet of 12 warships in the Caribbean in November, adding capacity for up to 90 aircraft to join the 10 F-35B fighter jets stationed in Puerto Rico.

Stocked with the long-range missiles coveted by Ukraine, the US armada today has the capability to strike targets anywhere in Venezuela.

That force projects huge power across the region for an operation ostensibly targeting drug traffickers. It represents the largest US buildup in the area unrelated to natural disasters in more than three decades.

The number of combat vessels has jumped since the first half of the year, when the US kept a steady patrol of three to five in the region, according to analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

That figure leaves out the tankers and resupply ships also joining the fleet and includes ships with direct combat functions, even if not commissioned warships.

That rose to 10 in August when Trump deployed the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group to the Caribbean. The US began its military campaign in September, striking a small boat it said was carrying drugs, without providing evidence.

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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Mahan (left) and USS Bainbridge sailing in formation (US Department of Defense)

A naval base in Puerto Rico

That month, the US suddenly began construction at a former naval base in Puerto Rico.

Photos taken by Reuters showed the US was coordinating its buildup with upgrades to landing and take-off capabilities at Roosevelt Roads, the former site of one of the world’s foremost naval stations before it was shuttered in 2004. Civilian airports in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were also eyed for renovation.

US military officials and maritime experts said the new builds indicated the kind of preparations that could allow attacks on Venezuela.

As it began renovations on military bases, special forces joined the buildup in September, before the 337m-long USS Gerald R Ford arrived in November.

US military assets have been used to deadly effect in the Caribbean in the last four months, killing at least 86 people between 22 strikes, according to the Pentagon.

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An E/A-18G Growler aircraft lands on the flight deck of USS Gerald R Ford (US Southern Command)

Tomahawks and land strikes

Trump threatened Venezuela – and its neighbours – with land strikes at the start of December in the clearest direct threat to Maduro’s regime. He suggested any country producing drugs for distribution in the US was fair game.

Washington has an estimated 170 Tomahawk missiles ready, according to CSIS. The long-range missiles could hit any part of Venezuela with a range of 800-1,000 miles.

The US is also believed to have tens of thousands of JDAM bombs stationed in the area, and thousands of air-launched missiles with varying ranges.

The CIA is said to be providing the bulk of intelligence used to carry out the strikes against small boats, sources told The Guardian, amid fears Trump could turn his focus inland.

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A Tomahawk cruise missile launches from the USS Shiloh (Getty)

America’s air power

Flight tracking data shows the US sent long-range bombers to the region in October and November. Several P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft have also appeared over the Caribbean in recent weeks.

With only a few thousand troops and a handful of land vehicles, however, the US is not gearing up for a land invasion.

“The United States does not have the ground forces needed for an invasion,” Mark Cancian, retired Marine colonel and senior advisor at CSIS, told Politico.

His analysis shows the US has 2,200 Marines in the area and 23 combat vehicles (reconnaissance and tracked amphibious), while Venezuela can draw on around 100,000 personnel if needed, as well as hundreds of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery pieces.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Lili Reinhart said she was diagnosed with endometriosis last week
• She said doctors constantly dismissed her pain and her diagnosis came only after pushing for an MRI
• The actress said she’s glad she listened to her body and that she’ll continue to encourage others to do the same

Lili Reinhart revealed she was diagnosed with endometriosis after doctors constantly dismissed her symptoms.

On Thursday, Dec, 11, the Riverdale actress posted photos on Instagram from a hospital bed showing her stomach after undergoing laparoscopic surgery. The 29-year-old shared that last week, she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a reproductive condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus, causing cramping and chronic pain.

“Last year, I saw a urogynecologist and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. I was told there was no cure—and no lasting relief—for my symptoms,” she wrote. “Three hospital visits. Multiple urologists and gynecologists. And not one of them seriously considered endometriosis as the underlying cause of what I was experiencing.”

“It wasn’t until I worked with two different pelvic floor therapists that the word endometriosis was even mentioned to me as a possible source of my pain,” she said.

Lili Reinhart showing her stomach after being diagnosed with endometriosis.

Lili Reinhart/Instagram

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Reinhart said that she pushed for an MRI on her own, which ultimately led to her being diagnosed with adenomyosis, a type of endometriosis that only occurs in the uterus. 

“I met with an endometriosis specialist who helped me decide that laparoscopic surgery was the next step I wanted to take — while, at the same time, another gynecologist told me I ‘probably didn’t have endo’ and should just go on the pill,” she continued.

“I’m glad I trusted my body and listened to my gut and will continue advocating for others to do so,” the actress said. “(Endometriosis is an extremely misunderstood disease, leaving often a 4-11 year gap between symptoms and a definitive surgical diagnosis. It’s estimated 1 in 10 people with uteruses have endo according to the World Health Organization.)”

In addition to the hospital photos, Reinhart shared a picture of her holding a piece of paper that says, “Believing women’s pain shouldn’t be REVOLUTIONARY.” She also tagged the Endometriosis Foundation of America. 

Lili Reinhart in the hospital after surgery.

Lili Reinhart/Instagram

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Earlier this year, Reinhart opened up about her health struggles and how she was searching for answers while dealing with an unknown illness. The Hustlers star told her social media followers that her grandmother’s experience with doctors is what made her so adamant about advocating for her own health.

“My grandmother was ignored by doctors for months when exhibiting clear symptoms of cancer,” she said back in January. “And it was only after her own strength and advocacy for herself that she was given a blood test that diagnosed her. And by then, the cancer had spread.” 

“The most important thing I have taken away from this experience is the absolute need to advocate for your own health,” she added. “Do not let a doctor gaslight you or diminish your pain.”

Reinhart joins a list of celebrities who have talked openly about their experiences with endometriosis. Bindi Irwin, Lena Dunham, Halsey, Julianne Hough, Amy Schumer and Padma Lakshmi have also shared their struggles in the past.

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By ELINA SHIRAZI, US SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 11:50 EST, 11 December 2025 | Updated: 12:08 EST, 11 December 2025

Before Donald Trump ever set foot in the Oval Office, his name was primarily associated with two immortal words: ‘you’re fired.’

Now, deep into Trump’s historic second term, that old catchphrase feels more like a dangling guillotine that could drop at any moment.

Inside the White House, one insider summed it up to Daily Mail in two tense words: ‘always tense’ — with senior staff constantly working to stay in the president’s good graces.

Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles is well-aware of this dynamic and has so far steeled the president against impulsive high-profile firings that rocked his first term. 

The most dramatic shake-up of year one came in May, when National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was abruptly removed and nudged toward a diplomatic post. His exit set off a domino-effect purge inside the National Security Council, where senior directors and advisers were dismissed or swiftly reassigned in the weeks that followed.

But the major players in his Cabinet have remained in place 11 months into his second term, even as Trump himself seems to relish in the speculation about who will be pushed from the plank. 

The president recently joked in the Oval Office about replacing his Secretary of State, according to reporting by Rachael Bade in her Inner Circle newsletter.

‘I think I’m going to start replacing Marco,’ Trump quipped during a closed-door meeting with top aides.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth have recently found themselves in the hottest of hot seats

Similar stories about ousting Energy Secretary Chris Wright also made waves — rumors Trump dismissed outright

When a report surfaced claiming DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was next on the chopping block, Trump fired back immediately. ‘Firing Kristi? I love Kristi!’ he reportedly told an aide

But Bade reports that despite the rumor mill running hot, the truth is far less dramatic — for now. 

As one senior White House official insisted to Bade: ‘Maybe some of them are tired and want to move on and can’t do this anymore … But I can speak for the president in saying that he is personally not planning to fire anybody. It’s not something he’s even entertaining right now at all.’

Still, the list of officials under scrutiny is long — and getting longer.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth have recently found themselves in the hottest of hot seats. And when a report surfaced claiming DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was next on the chopping block, Trump fired back immediately.

‘Firing Kristi? I love Kristi!’ he reportedly told an aide.

Similar stories about ousting Energy Secretary Chris Wright also made waves — rumors Trump dismissed outright.

On Wednesday, the president publicly confronted the speculation, defending Hegseth and Noem while swatting away the latest flurry of headlines.

‘I read these same stories that I’m unhappy with this one or that one, and I’m not. I think the Cabinet has done a great job,’ he said.

On Wednesday, the president publicly confronted the speculation, defending Hegseth and Noem while swatting away the latest flurry of headlines

With the upcoming election casting a long shadow, aides have reportedly told top agencies that all policy moves — and even communications — must now be cleared through the White House first

He doubled down, adding, ‘I read a story that I’m unhappy with Pete because he was attacking drug dealers. … I would say very much the opposite. Pete Hegseth has been phenomenal.’

With the upcoming election casting a long shadow, aides have reportedly told top agencies that all policy moves — and even communications — must now be cleared through the White House first.

Everyone may be safe for now, but with the midterms creeping closer, pressure will only grow on the administration to deliver. 

And with Trump, loyalty is ephemeral and a firing can detonate without much warning.

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Trump jokes about about replacing top diplomat as White House fends off rumors of Cabinet shake-up

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Soldiers of Caribbean descent who served Britain during the First and Second World Wars, among other armed conflicts, are to finally be honoured with their own Memorial Day

British West India Regiments Heritage Trust Chair Paul Chambers with strategic director Sue Liburd

Hero soldiers of Caribbean descent who served Britain during WW1, WW2 and other armed conflicts are to finally be honoured with their own special Memorial Day.

Thousands of brave men volunteered to fight for “King and Country”. Many of them came from the Docklands community in south East London. Now Lewisham Council has agreed to honour British West India Regiment Day – which they plan to be on October 26th each year.

And organisers hope this will now be replicated in hundreds of communities across the country. The British West India Regiments Heritage Trust has been leading the campaign. Trust chair Paul Chambers told the Mirror: “This is a pivotal moment for BWIRHT.

READ MORE: Anger as rules change on how families can reclaim art stolen by the Nazis in WW2READ MORE: Evil SS soldier unmasked by AI 84 years after killing Jewish man14 October 2023. Lijssenthoek CWGC, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Military Cemetery, Belgium.
British West India Regiments Heritage Trust Honour and Remember Events in Belgium.(Image: Charlie Varley/varleypix.com)

“Lewisham Council has formally passed a historic motion to recognise marking a significant step forward in acknowledging the service and sacrifice of Caribbean soldiers and their lasting contribution to British history.

“This decision represents more than symbolic recognition. For BWIRHT it validates years of advocacy to see these forgotten servicemen formally honoured. For the wider public, it signals a commitment by Lewisham Council to inclusive remembrance, historical justice, and ensuring that Black British military history is properly taught, shared, and respected.

“This motion also strengthens partnerships between community organisations, veterans’ groups, and the council, helping to embed this history in Lewisham’s civic and cultural life for future generations.”

Brigadier Karl Harris CBE of the Royal Artillery, the highest ranking West Indian soldier in the British army shares a joke with Chelsea Pensioner Trevor John (92 yrs) formerly of the Welsh Regiment and the King’s Liverpool Regiment and Brigadier Harris’ military veteran father Norman Harris. (Image: Charlie Varley/varleypix.com)

He added: “Migration from the Caribbean to Britain existed before the Windrush era, especially among sailors working in the Deptford and Greenwich dockyards. Lewisham and Deptford were maritime communities, and many Caribbean men settled there.”

He added that this was because the Royal Navy recruited from Jamaica and Barbados, and merchant ships using the Thames employed Caribbean crew. Boarding houses built for seamen in New Cross, Deptford High Street and Lewisham Bridge also housed Black sailors.”

Some of these men enlisted locally when war broke out in 1914. Norman Washington Manley and his brother Douglas Roy Manley both served in the Royal Field Artillery during World War I, enlisting in Deptford.

British West India Regiments Heritage Trust Honour and Remember Events in Belgium.(Image: Charlie Varley/varleypix.com)

Douglas died in service and is buried in Belgium. Norman, a Rhodes Scholar who studied law at Oxford, survived and later became one of Jamaica’s greatest statesmen. He championed self-government, founded the People’s National Party, and helped lead Jamaica toward universal suffrage and independence.

Their shared service, sacrifice, and commitment to country remain part of Jamaica’s national memory. BWIRHT is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting the proud military heritage of the West Indies.

British West India Regiments Heritage Trust Honour and Remember Events in Belgium.(Image: Charlie Varley/varleypix.com)

Through remembrance, education, and advocacy, they celebrate the service and sacrifices made by West Indian soldiers and their descendants, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.

It is an amalgamation of the West India Regiments (WIR 1795-1927 & 1958-1962) and the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR 1915-1921).

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