Winter Wonderland exploded into violence last night as a mass brawl broke out while revellers were trying to leave.

Visitors have claimed overcrowding led to the chaotic scenes at the event in London’s Hyde Park and accused security guards of doing little to break up the fights.

Footage shows group of people tussling against a fence as they swing punches at each other while a security guard watches on from behind a second barrier.

As one of the men steps away, a woman begins slapping the back of his head before he shoves her against the fence.

The same man then begins brawling with another man, who is being held by security, and shouts expletives at him. 

As the fight continues, a woman falls to the ground after apparently being punched unconscious. 

It is not the first time violence has broke out at London’s Winter Wonderland, with children left screaming after another fight three years ago. 

Meanwhile, a manhunt continues for a group of machete-wielding thugs who were seen fighting each other Winter Wonderland in Nottingham last month. 

Witnesses reported seeing four youths on two e-bikes confronting other youths who were on foot.  Officers were called to the Council House, in Old Market Square, at around 6.15pm on November 16.

A woman, who found herself caught in the crossfire, appeared to have been punched unconscious sending her falling to the ground

Ryan, who filmed the brawl, has alleged that although one member of Winter Wonderland security can be seen restraining one of the fighters, other members of staff did little to break up the brawl

Ryan, who was attending Winter Wonderland with friends, filmed the harrowing video at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. 

He claimed that the fight broke out after one man accused another of ‘touching his missus’.

Ryan told the Daily Mail: ‘So we were in the Bavarian beer garden beer hall and then it closed at 10, and everyone was asked to leave as normal. 

‘When we exited, they’d created a gated alleyway with a construction fence which created a huge bottleneck. 

‘It wasn’t even that busy but then all of a sudden, there’s about a couple thousand people in this one area, and just at a standstill. And then security had locked themselves outside of the gate, which is when the fight broke out.

‘Everyone was very drunk, you could tell something was going to happen.’ 

He continued: ‘It was really lawless and chaotic and there were families with children as well.  

‘I go every year, and I’ve never seen anything like that. Normally, you can just leave through any exit and it is quite cordial but this time everyone was forced down this man made alleyway.’

Ryan claimed that the fight broke out after one man accused another of ‘touching his missus’

He has alleged that although one member of Winter Wonderland security can be seen restraining one of the fighters, other members of staff did little to break up the brawl

As one of the men steps away, a woman begins slapping the back of his head before he violently shoves her against the fence 

Ryan has alleged that although one member of Winter Wonderland security can be seen restraining one of the fighters, other members of staff did little to break up the brawl.

‘[The security] would hold onto one of them and then let them go to grab another person,’ he said.

The Daily Mail have approached Winter Wonderland and the Metropolitan Police for a comment. 

Festive fights have broke out at Winter Wonderland in the past. In 2022 two men started fighting outside a Chicken stall at the event as shocked children watched on.

Then three years prior to that, another vicious brawl broke out. In footage shared on social media at the time, a man in a white t-shirt and a man in a red t-shirt fight with the encouragement of bystanders.

In the clip, the man in the red t-shirt has the other in a choke hold.

Visitors have claimed that overcrowding led to the chaotic scenes and that security guards did little to break up the fights

Ryan said: ‘It was really lawless and chaotic and there were families with children as well’

Ryan, who attends Winter Wonderland every year, has said he has not seen a similar exit system before and claimed that a huge area was left empty while guests were funnelled through the exit

A manhunt continues for a group of machete-wielding thugs who were seen fighting each other Winter Wonderland in Nottingham last month. Pictured is one of the suspects 

The man in the white t-shirt rapidly swings punches as someone shouts: ‘Don’t punch the head.’

A man watching the brawl next to a nearby stall appears to jump up and down and punch the air as the fight breaks out.

Terrified screams can be heard in the background before one onlooker appears to run away.

The footage then cuts to show an official in an orange vest forcing one man back.

He and two other guards then form a human chain to stop the fight continuing.

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Sex offender Julien Dorin assaulted a girl after saying ‘I’ve got money. If you help me, I’ll help you’. Now he’s had his teeth knocked out in prison

Adam Everett and Christopher Mallett

12:38, 13 Dec 2025

Julien Dorin has been attacked in prison(Image: Merseyside Police)

A sex offender who subjected a 14-year-old girl to a terrifying assault has had three of his teeth knocked out in prison.

Julien Dorin sexually assaulted the girl late at night in a Liverpool park. He told the teenager “I’ve got money, if you help me, I’ll help you” before kissing and groping her, forcing her to seek safety in a nearby pub, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Now he has been attacked in prison and had three of his front teeth knocked out, Liverpool Crown Court was told. Ken Heckle, defending, said Dorin is originally from Syria and came to he UK legally, fleeing the war in his home country.

He said: “The defendant has been assaulted whilst in custody recently. He is missing three of his front teeth as a result of an assault quite recently within the prison.”

The court heard how Dorin had only been freed from jail following a violent assault a matter of months before he subjected the 14-year-old to a harrowing hour-long ordeal.

At around 10pm the girl was sitting in Chavasse Park in Liverpool city centre when Dorin, of no fixed address, approached her and began talking to her, the court heard.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how a “rather lengthy interaction” followed between the two over the course of roughly an hour. However, during this time, the defendant, “repeatedly asked her if she wished to go for a drink” in spite of being aware of her young age.

Dorin also “said he could help her, said he had money several times and asked her to go back to his house”. The 39-year-old took hold of her hand and began to kiss it “while telling her she was attractive and pretty”.

The shocking incident happened in Chevasse Park in Liverpool

He then “touched her thigh on a couple of occasions” and “told her that she had a good heart” before “using that expression as an excuse to touch her chest or her breasts”. Having left this area, Dorin went on to put his arm around the girl and hug and kiss her before she was able to escape and hide in a nearby pub, before police were called.

Me Heckle said Dorin “bitterly regrets” what he did and “understands that it was wholly inappropriate”. Dorin, who was assisted by an interpreter during the hearing, admitted one count of sexual assault. Appearing in the dock wearing a blue Adidas tracksuit, he was jailed for 18 months.

Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said: “Your behaviour was, to say the very least, sinister and wholly inappropriate. You approached [the girl], who told you she was 14, and she clearly was a young girl.” He added: “She told you to stop, but you did not. You persisted. She was clearly upset about all of this. She was a vulnerable person, and your behaviour was predatory.”

Dorin was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.

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Lionel Messi fans have caused chaos in Kolkata after the football legend appeared at a stadium on the first day of his Indian tour.

Seats were ripped up, the stage was trashed and people invaded the pitch after an event that was abandoned after about 20 minutes.

Pictures also show a Messi billboard hanging precariously from an upper tier and people climbing the fences.

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Pic: Reuters

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Pic: Reuters

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Pic: Reuters

The Inter Miami star was joined at Salt Lake Stadium by teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez.

However, there was a large crowd clustered around the 5ft 7in (170cm) Argentinian, including politicians, media and at least one guard with an automatic weapon.

The unrest got worse after security abandoned a lap of the stadium due to the number of people around Messi, reported India Today.

Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium, but only appeared for 20 minutes.

The event’s chief organiser, Satadru Dutta, has been detained, Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police, said.

He added Mr Dutta has “already pledged in writing that tickets sold for the event should be refunded”.

Supporters said Saturday’s much-anticipated appearance fell well short of what they had paid for.

“Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi… We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees (£99), but we were not even able to see his face,” a fan told news agency ANI.

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Messi was surrounded by a large entourage. Pic: Reuters

West Bengal state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, apologised to Messi and ordered an investigation.

“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Ms Banerjee posted on X.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.

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Fans had bought tickets to see the Argentinian superstar. Pic: Reuters

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People flooded onto the pitch after Messi departed. Pic: Reuters

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Pic: Reuters

Organisers of Messi’s three-day tour have not yet commented.

The Argentinian virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday and is also scheduled to visit Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The 38-year-old will take in youth football events, concerts, a padel tournament, as well as launching charitable initiatives.

West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have large football followings in a country where cricket dominates the sporting agenda.

Argentine legend Diego Maradona visited Kolkata twice, and in 2017 unveiled a statue there of himself holding the World Cup.

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Last month, I was waiting for a shared taxi at the Nuseirat roundabout when I witnessed a heartbreaking scene. As I stood by the side of the road, I felt a small hand tugging at my clothes.

I looked down and saw a little girl, no older than eight. She was barefoot, her shirt was torn, and her hair was messy and unwashed. Her eyes were beautiful, and her face showed innocence, yet exhaustion and despair clouded it.

She pleaded: “Please, please, give me just one shekel, God bless you.”

Before I gave her the money, I decided to speak with her. I knelt down and asked, “What is your name, my dear?”

She replied in a frightened voice, “My name is Nour, and I am from the north.” Her name, which means “light” in Arabic, stood in stark contrast to the darkness surrounding her.

I asked her, “Why are you asking for money, Nour?”

She looked at me hesitantly, then whispered, “I want to buy an apple… I crave one.”

In Gaza, a single apple now costs $7; before the war, a kilogramme of apples was less than a dollar.

I tried to ignore the pain rising in my chest. I thought about the circumstances we now face, where young children are forced to beg in the street just to buy an apple.

I gave Nour one shekel ($0.30), but as soon as I did, the situation worsened. A large group of children, all Nour’s age or younger, gathered around me, repeating the same request. I felt immense distress.

For more than two years, we have faced genocide. We have witnessed countless tragedies and horrors. But for me, the sight of children begging in the streets is particularly unbearable.

Before the war, Gaza was still a poor place. We used to see child beggars, but they were few, mostly roaming in a few areas. Now, they are everywhere, from the north to the south.

The genocidal war has destroyed families and livelihoods across Gaza. The carnage has orphaned more than 39,000 children, and the enormous destruction has deprived more than 80 percent of the workforce of their jobs, driving countless children into extreme poverty and forcing them to beg for survival.

But child begging is not just a result of poverty; it is a sign of a deep disintegration affecting the family, the education system, and the community. No parent sends their child to beg because they want to. The war has left many families in Gaza without options, and in many cases, there are no surviving parents to keep the children away from the streets.

Child beggars do not just lose their childhood; they also face exploitation, harsh labour, illiteracy and psychological trauma that leaves a lasting effect.

The more begging children increase in number, the more the hope for this generation diminishes. Houses can be rebuilt, infrastructure can be restored, but a young generation that is deprived of education and hope for the future cannot be rehabilitated.

The strength Gaza possessed before the war was not just about military power; it was about human power, the main pillar of which was education. We had one of the highest levels of literacy in the world. The enrolment rate for primary education stood at 95 percent; for higher education, it reached 44 percent.

Education stood as a counterforce to the debilitating siege that dispossessed the people of Gaza and crippled the economy. It nourished skills and ingenuity within the young generations to help them cope with an increasingly harsh economic reality. More importantly, education gave children a sense of direction, security and pride.

The systematic attack on Gaza’s education system – the destruction of schools, universities, libraries and the killing of teachers and professors – has pushed what used to be a remarkably resilient and effective educational system to the brink. The pillar that protected children and guaranteed them a clear future is now falling apart.

After I left the Nuseirat roundabout, Nour’s eyes stayed with me. It was not just because of the pain of seeing an innocent child being forced to beg. It was also because of the realisation that this encounter brought about: That the capacity of the next generation to rebuild Gaza one day is being taken away.

The world allowed Israel to carry out genocide in Gaza for two years. It knew what was going on, and yet it chose complicity and silence. Today, it cannot erase its guilt, but it can choose to redeem itself. It can take all necessary action to save the children of Gaza and to grant them the rights they are inherently given by the Convention on the Rights of Children: The right to food, water, healthcare, a safe environment, education, and protection from violence and abuse.

Anything short of that would mean continuing support for the slow genocide of Gaza.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

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Two more senior Democrats have called for an investigation into a share-buying spree by two fossil fuel billionaires with close ties to the Trump administration, after a Guardian investigation raised questions about potential wrongdoing.

Robert Pender and Michael Sabel, the founders and co-chairs of Venture Global, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) company headquartered in Virginia, bought more than a million shares worth almost $12m each in March. The trades took place just days after a meeting with senior White House officials, who then issued a key regulatory permit that helped expand the company’s business in Europe.

Ron Wyden, the ranking member of the Senate finance committee and a member of the energy and natural resources committee, said the transactions should be investigated, drawing parallels with previous Trump administration controversies.

“Corrupt pay-to-play schemes are at the heart of everything the Trump administration does,” Wyden said. “There is no doubt in my mind that these new LNG transactions should be investigated so the American people know the full extent of Trump’s corruption and abuse of office.”

Wyden said investigators uncovered in 2020 that Trump’s energy secretary had inappropriately pressured a Ukrainian state-owned natural gas company to benefit campaign donors, and added that neither Trump nor his energy team faced accountability for those abuses.

Senator Chris Van Hollen echoed those concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

“The Trump administration’s blatant use of cronyism and pay-to-play politics knows no limit. It’s clear that they’re padding the pockets of billionaires at the expense of working Americans,” said Van Hollen, senator for Maryland, member of the Senate banking committee and ranking member of the appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Securities and Exchange Commission and justice department.

“These investments absolutely merit further investigation.”

Van Hollen and Wyden’s intervention comes days after Jeff Merkley, senior Democratic member of the Senate appropriations and budget committees, told the Guardian that the stock trades should be investigated for potential wrongdoing.

“Dirty oil-and-gas bucks are fueling the Trump administration, which should outrage all of us. This latest reporting portrays a pattern of pay-to-play donations and favorable actions by the administration,” Merkley said. “The timing of the stock trades certainly merits investigation for potential conflicts of interest and insider trading.”

All parties involved have denied wrongdoing.

Sabel was among about 20 people who attended an event in April 2024 at Trump’s private club, Mar-a-Lago, when the US president reportedly requested $1bn in campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry in return for favorable legislation. Venture Global was among the “top donors” to Trump’s inauguration, donating $1m, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Individuals connected to Venture Global spent $860,000 on lobbying on Capitol Hill in 2024, and another $810,000 so far this year, according to OpenSecrets, a non-profit campaign finance watchdog. This is more than 12-fold the previous high of $70,000 in 2019.

“This is why we need to get money out of politics,” said Ro Khanna, Democratic representative for California and member of the House oversight and accountability committee, who is leading efforts with the representative Summer Lee to ban Super Pacs.

“LNG exports will raise energy prices for American families and businesses. If Trump is really concerned with the affordability crisis, he should prohibit them and prioritize people over greedy fossil fuel executives,” Khanna added.

The billionaire Republican donors took Venture Global public three days after Trump’s inauguration in January. The weeklong share buying took place days after a meeting with members of Trump’s cabinet including energy secretary Chris Wright, who days later granted the company an export license essential for its expansion plans in Europe.

In response to the Guardian’s findings, a spokesperson for Venture Global last week said the share acquisitions “fully complied with SEC rules and regulations” and the company “strictly adhered to all laws, rules and regulations relating to our interactions with government officials”.

The company has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the growing calls on Capitol Hill for an investigation into the Guardian’s findings.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told the Guardian: “The president has never engaged, and will never engage, in conflicts of interest.”

On his first day back in the White House, Trump issued an executive order rolling back regulations to favor fossil fuel production, including LNG export licences, while revoking existing climate and clean-energy policies. He also withdrew the US from the global climate action treaty, the Paris agreement, and boycotted this year’s UN climate negotiations.

Still, 2025 is on track to be the third-hottest year in history, with catastrophic floods, fires and extreme temperatures killing Americans and causing billions of dollars in damages across the US. Energy bills are rising across the US, with electricity bills up more than 15% in 10 states plus the District of Columbia.

The price hike is mostly due to the rising cost of fossil gas, utilities passing on the cost of upgrade investments to consumers and the rapid unchecked growth of AI and crypto datacenters, which is increasing demand for electricity.

In response to the Guardian’s questions, Leavitt said: “The president has never engaged, and will never engage, in conflicts of interest.”

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NEED TO KNOW

• Jennifer Aniston’s Adidas Sambas are on sale during the brand’s End-of-Year savings event.
• Editor-loved walking shoes, platform styles, and more are up to 60 percent off.

The power of comfortable sneakers can’t be underestimated. Whether you’re running errands or heading to dinner, a good pair can be worn with nearly everything. To help with your search, Adidas marked down its styles up to 60 percent right now during the brand’s end-of-year sale.

Snag Jennifer Aniston’s Sambas that she’s worn on multiple occasions or pick up Jennifer Lawrence’s comfy Taekwondo shoes. We also found editor-loved walking shoes and platform sneakers, but with prices starting at just $28, sizes are selling out fast. If you want to embrace that new year, new sneaker energy, keep scrolling for our favorite finds.

Best Adidas Sneakers on Sale

Samba OG Shoes

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Take a cue from Aniston and style these Sambas with workout gear or a casual day look. They have a durable leather upper accented with a suede toe and Adidas’ signature stripes on the side. Shoppers said they’re “comfortable, stylish, and versatile” and “feel amazing from the first step.”

Cloudfoam Pure Shoes

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I tested this pair of walking shoes months ago and immediately replaced my previous pair with them. I went on a 2-mile walk wearing them right out of the box, and they didn’t need any break in time. Not only are they lightweight and breathable thanks to the mesh upper, but they have just enough support and bounce without feeling bulky. 

Sambae Shoes

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These sneakers are a writer-favorite thanks to their platform design, instant comfort, and versatile style. PEOPLE writer Jacqueline Tempera wore them for 48 hours and over 15,000 steps, and she “experienced zero pain, blisters, or cuts.” They come in multiple colors, run true to size, and can be dressed up or worn with casual looks.

Grand Court Shoes

Adidas

For a mix of style and performance, consider the Grand Court Shoes. They have Adidas’ sleek, classic look with a leather upper, three recognizable stripes, and thick outsole. Inside, they’re designed with a cushioned and bouncy CloudFoam Comfort insole for a more comfortable feel. In fact, shoppers shared that they “feel incredibly supportive throughout the day,” and one person who wore them “for the better part of six hours” said their “feet never hurt.”

Grab a pair of new Adidas sneakers while the sale lasts through the end of the year, and keep scrolling for more discounted styles.

SL 72 OG Shoes

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Gazelle Indoor Shoes

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Handball Spezial Shoes

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Taekwondo Lace Shoes

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Ultra-woke AFL WAG Dee Salmin has slammed Fairfax Media’s coverage of the Silvagni family’s reaction to son Tom’s stunning rape conviction. 

The AFL WAG, 29, who is dating Collingwood captain Darcy Moore, shared an image on Saturday of a Fairfax media headline which had been crossed out and replaced with another headline.

The original headline read ‘AFL Great Stephen Silvagni Speaks Out After Son Faces Court’.

But the amended version was much more inflammatory.

‘Convicted rapist Tom Silvagni’s family ignore victim statement and claim rapist son is innocent after being found guilty of rape,’ the post read. 

Silvagni, the 23-year-old son of Melbourne celebrity couple Stephen and Jo Silvagni, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman inside his family’s luxurious home in the east Melbourne suburb of Balwyn North in January 2024.

His victim, who legally cannot be named, read aloud a victim impact statement to the court on Friday, as Silvagni watched on via video link from remand.

In her impact statement the victim said Silvagni could no longer deny what he had done to her.

Dee shared a post created by Tarang Chawla who altered a Fairfax Media headline to ‘help’ the outlet

Dee is going out with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore

She has developed a reputation for speaking out about her very ‘woke’ views

Silvagni’s parents, Stephen and Jo Silvagni, have maintained their son’s innocence throughout the trial

Ms Salmin shared the Instagram story following the court hearing, blasting the entire Silvagni family over the episode. 

The post was originally created by Tarang Chawla who claimed to have uploaded it only to ‘help’ Fairfax strengthen its coverage. 

‘Hello Fairfax Media, I thought I might give you some help,’ Chawla wrote. 

‘It’s not important how great your dad is at sport when you are a convicted rapist which is what Tom Silvagni now is. 

‘The family was not present for the victim’s impact statement and outside court maintained their son is innocent. 

‘Let’s maybe try to improve reporting?’ 

Silvagni was found to have got into bed where his victim was sleeping and pretended to be her boyfriend as he digitally raped her. 

His identity was suppressed from the time he was first charged in June 2024, with lawyers arguing that publication could harm his mental health.

Judge Andrew Palmer lifted the order on Thursday, saying it was no longer necessary after the trial and given Silvagni would be closely monitored in custody.

Silvagni, 23, was found guilty of raping a woman following a 10-day trial 

His victim said Silvagni could no longer deny what he had done to her in a victim impact statement read before the court

Judge Palmer said Silvagni had to come to grips with what he had done.

‘At some point he will have to reconcile himself to the reality that he has committed these offences and there is media interest,’ Judge Palmer said on Thursday.

During the nearly 10-day trial, Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams told jurors the rapes were committed ‘not through threats, not through force… but through deception,’ with Silvagni impersonating his friend to trick the woman.

Salmin has developed a reputation for speaking out about her very ‘woke’ views.

In July last year, she was labelled incredibly woke for her explanation of why she doesn’t want to live with Darcy.

Dee, who hosts Triple J radio’s The Sunday Hook Up sex education programme, went into detail about their romance on the ABC show, Ladies, We Need To Talk… Back.

‘I don’t live with my partner at the moment and we have such different, independent, busy lives,’ she said.

‘We get to have so much of what we had when we were still single in our relationship. But I wonder how much you can actually upkeep that when you do end up living together.’

‘So much of it is hetero-dynamic learnt behaviours you might fall into.’ 

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Police and fire crews raced to the garden of the two-storey property in South Wales, where officers confirmed two people were pronounced dead at the scene following a blast



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VR headsets are offering injured, traumatised Palestinian children some respite from hardship in war-torn Gaza.

Published On 13 Dec 202513 Dec 2025

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Inside a makeshift tent in the heart of the besieged Gaza Strip, Israel’s genocidal war, which has destroyed neighbourhoods, schools and hospitals, decimated families and shattered lives for more than two years, no longer exists.

Virtual reality technology is taking Palestinian children struggling with physical and psychological wounds to a world away, where they can feel safe again.

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“After I was injured in the head, I try to forget the pain,” Salah Abu Rukba, a Palestinian child taking part in the sessions, told Al Jazeera at the VR Tent in az-Zawayda, central Gaza.

“When I put on the headset, I forget the injury. I feel comfort as I forget the destruction, the war, and even the sound of the drones disappears.”

Salah Abu Rukba sustained an injury to his head during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza [Screen grab/ Al Jazeera]

Lama Abu Dalal, communication officer at Gaza MedTech – the technology initiative spearheading the project – said Abu Rukba and the others have constant reminders of the war etched in their bodies.

But the VR headset makes them forget their life-changing wounds and simply be children again, if only for a few moments.

Gaza MedTech was launched by Palestinian innovator Mosab Ali, who used VR to comfort his injured son. Ali was later killed in an Israeli attack.

Studies have confirmed that VR can have beneficial effects in the treatment of mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Offering this service in Gaza is hard to sustain, as spare parts of the equipment are barred from entry into Gaza by Israel’s ongoing punishing blockade.

Gaza MedTech was launched by Palestinian innovator Mosab Ali, who used VR to comfort his injured son [Screen grab/Al Jazeera]

Since a ceasefire formally went into effect on October 10, Israel has allowed slightly more aid in, although far less than Gaza’s needs and what the agreement clearly stipulated. Israel continues to restrict the free flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies.

Authorities in Gaza say the truce has been violated by Israel at least 738 times since taking effect.

The United Nations estimates that more than 90 percent of children in Gaza are showing signs of severe stress driven by the loss of safety and stability, and will require long-term support to heal from the psychological effect of the conflict.

Multiple UN bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN humanitarian office OCHA, and independent UN experts, have called for immediate and unimpeded access to Gaza for essential medical equipment and psychological support.

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Keir Starmer is poised to choose a new ambassador to Washington from a shortlist of three as relations with the US are tested over Ukraine and Donald Trump’s attacks on European leaders.

The prime minister held interviews with three finalists for the role this week, the Guardian has learned, with Downing Street preparing to make an appointment before the end of the year.

The trio of candidates seen by Starmer were Varun Chandra, his business adviser who has helped negotiate a series of deals with the Trump administration, Christian Turner, a diplomat due to become ambassador to the UN, and Nigel Casey, the British ambassador to Russia.

Whoever is chosen will be taking up the role at a critical stage in US-UK relations, with insiders warning of rising tensions over Ukraine and the White House’s pugnacious national security strategy.

Chandra, a former managing partner at the corporate intelligence firm Hakluyt, has played a central role in negotiating bilateral deals with the US on trade, tech and pharmaceuticals and is seen as the frontrunner.

However, the Foreign Office is said to be pushing for a career diplomat to be chosen, with some insiders arguing this carries less political risk.

Varun Chandra. Photograph: The Hollywood Reporter/Getty Images

Turner, who previously served as political director of the Foreign Office and high commissioner to Pakistan, and Casey, who has served as high commissioner to South Africa and private secretary for foreign affairs to David Cameron and Theresa May, are both highly regarded in Whitehall.

Casey was a late entrant to the contest, with his addition seen as a sign that Downing Street was disappointed with the original list put forward by the Foreign Office. If the prime minister is not satisfied with any of the three candidates, he could decide to directly appoint someone else.

Earlier this week Starmer met Warren Stephens, the US ambassador to the UK, in Downing Street to discuss implementing the trade and tech deals announced earlier this year.

Starmer has cultivated a strong personal relationship with Trump but this is constantly being tested by their major policy differences, including on green energy and cultural issues.

Relations between the US and Europe are being severely strained by Trump’s growing impatience at the continuation of the war in Ukraine.

The US president has been pressuring Kyiv to cede territory in order to bring the conflict to a speedy end, and has told Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, that he wants a peace deal done by Christmas.

Donald Trump claims Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not read latest Ukraine war peace proposal – video

European leaders including Starmer are due to hold a fresh set of crisis talks in Berlin on Monday to discuss the US-brokered peace proposal, amid concerns that it is too favourable to Moscow.

Meanwhile, senior British MPs rounded on the Trump administration this week over its national security strategy, which said Europe was facing “civilisational erasure” and hailed the growing influence of “patriotic European parties”.

Trump stepped up his attacks in an interview this week, suggesting that many European states would “not be viable countries any longer” unless they change their border policies and crack down on immigration.

Starmer and his ministers have been careful not to criticise Trump over the document or his interventions, while insisting that Europe is strong and investing more in its own defence.

The US ambassador role fell vacant in September after Peter Mandelson was sacked for failing to disclose the extent of his ties with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Documents and emails published that month disclosed that Mandelson had expressed his love and support for Epstein, and urged him to “fight for early release” in 2008, while the financier was facing charges of soliciting sex from minors.

The episode was damaging to Starmer, as it emerged that he had been briefed on details of Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein as well as other “reputational risks” before choosing him.

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