WORLD NEWS
Major update in the baffling case of missing Belgian backpacker who disappeared in a remote Australian forest
A phone belonging to missing Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer has been discovered by a private search party in a major development in her baffling disappearance.
Ms Cremer, 31, vanished on a simple one-hour return hike to Philosopher Falls, in the state’s north-east, 73km south of Burnie, in June 2023.
The alarm was raised when she failed to board the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Devonport bound for Victoria on June 21, and never arrived at the terminal.
But on Saturday, police revealed there had been a discovery that could help find the missing woman.
‘Tasmania Police can confirm that a mobile phone located today by a private search party in the Philosopher Falls area has been identified as belonging to missing Belgian woman, Celine Cremer,’ a statement said.
‘Police were notified immediately following the discovery and are attending the scene.
‘The phone will now undergo forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation into Celine’s disappearance.’
The discovery comes just days before a new search of the gloomy, mist-shrouded forest surrounding Philosopher Falls, helmed by leading Australian licensed private investigator Ken Gamble.
Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer did not return from an easy hike at Philosopher Falls in 2023
Ms Cremer’s car was discovered at the trailhead’s car park on June 27
Several searches of the dense, treacherous forest have been undertaken
A police search controller has been working closely with the private search party to ensure safety and that any discoveries are managed appropriately.
Officers remain in close contact with Celine’s family and continue to assess new information ‘to provide them with answers and closure’.
Ms Cremer’s white SUV was discovered by police in the car park at Philosopher Falls on June 27, 2023.
Using mobile phone data, they determined that it had been there since June 20.
Ms Cremer, an experienced hiker, had been travelling around the Apple Isle for six months before she disappeared.
The case baffled police, who called off the search in early July 2023 after medical experts advised she would not have been able to survive the frigid winter conditions.
More to come.
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Major update in the baffling case of missing Belgian backpacker who disappeared in a remote Australian forest
Argentina soccer superstar Lionel Messi arrived Saturday in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, as large crowds of jubilant fans gathered at the airport and lined the streets in the city to welcome him.
Indian news agency ANI said the soccer player, considered the greatest of his generation, was escorted out of the airport via an alternative route because an overwhelming number of people turned out at the airport to catch a glimpse of him.
Messi is visiting India as part of what’s billed as his “GOAT (greatest of all time) Tour” and he is set to tour four cities in total: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
Messi visited Kolkata, the former capital of British-ruled India, for the first time in 2011.
This time, the soccer-mad city built a 70-foot-tall statue to mark his visit. The statue is set to be inaugurated Saturday, and Messi is scheduled to participate in an inauguration ceremony.
Messi in India for less than 72 hours
Messi, who just won Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player award for the second season in a row after leading Inter Miami to MLS Cup glory, is scheduled to visit Hyderabad and Mumbai before concluding the tour in New Delhi on Monday.
In Delhi, Messi is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 2022 World Cup winner is set to cover India in less than 72 hours.
Messi is accompanied on the tour by his Inter Miami clubmates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
Ukraine, US and Europe still seeking common ground in peace talks, French official says
Ukraine, the United States and European powers are still working to find a joint position that would outline the contours of a peace deal, including security guarantees for Kyiv, that could be taken to Russia, a French presidency official said.
“Our goal is to have a common foundation that is solid for negotiation. This common ground must unite Ukrainians, Americans and Europeans,” the official told reporters in a briefing.
“It should allow us, together, to make a negotiating offer, a solid, lasting peace offer that respects international law and Ukraine’s sovereign interests, an offer that American negotiators are willing to bring to the Russians.
“The official said there was no joint document yet, but all sides would carry on negotiations in the coming days through various calls and meetings. He did not say whether Washington had set a deadline.
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 04:15
Kim Jong-Un hails troops returning from Russia mission
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attended a welcoming ceremony for an army engineering unit that had returned home after carrying out duties in Russia, the North’s KCNA news agency reported this morning.
In a speech carried by KCNA, the North Korean dictator praised officers and soldiers of the 528th Regiment of Engineers of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) for “heroic” conduct and “mass heroism” in fulfilling orders issued by the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea during a 120-day overseas deployment.
KCNA said the unit had been dispatched in early August and carried out combat and engineering tasks in the Kursk region of Russia during Moscow’s war with Ukraine.
Last month, Russia’s defence ministry said North Korean troops who helped Russia repel a major Ukrainian incursion into its western Kursk region are now playing an important role in clearing the area of mines.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivering a speech during a welcoming ceremony for the Korean People’s Army’s 528th Regiment of Engineers, which returned from an overseas deployment in Russia’s Kursk region during Moscow’s war with Ukraine (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 03:44
Watch: Vladimir Putin muted for 34 seconds as he gives major speech
Vladimir Putin muted for 34 seconds as he gives major speech
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 03:34
Trump says proposed free economic zone in Donbas would work
Donald Trump has said a US-proposed free economic zone in the Ukraine-controlled parts of the eastern Donbas would work.
The US president did not share further details but his peace proposal to Russia and Ukraine has suggested creating such an economic zone as a compromise.
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 03:24
One dead in Russia’s Saratov region after drone alert
At least one person was killed and infrastructure was damaged in southern Russia’s Saratov region after an air raid alert for drones was issued, regional governor Roman Busargin said in the early hours today.
Busargin gave no details of any strike, but earlier in the evening cited Russia’s defence minister in issuing a warning of impending drone attacks in the region straddling the Volga River.
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 03:13
Trump’s envoy Witkoff to travel to Berlin to meet with Zelensky and European leaders
US envoy Steve Witkoff and president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin this weekend, a US official briefed on the matter said.
Witkoff will also meet with his counterparts from France, Britain and Germany tomorrow and on Monday, the official added.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the meeting.
The choice to send Witkoff, who has led negotiations with Ukraine and Russia regarding a US peace proposal, highlights Washington’s growing urgency to bridge remaining gaps with Kyiv over the plan’s terms.
French president Emmanuel Macron, UK prime minister Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrich Merz were also expected to attend, the WSJ said.
On Thursday, the White House said Trump would only send an official to the meeting if he felt there was enough progress to be made in peace talks.
Arpan Rai13 December 2025 02:54
Ukraine to join EU by 2027 under draft peace proposal, according to reports
A peace proposal presented as part of US-mediated discussions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict could see Ukraine slated to join the European Union by 1 January 2027, according to the Financial Times.
The proposal is being negotiated between US and Ukrainian officials with the help of the EU, according to sources briefed with the document’s contents.
Shaheena Uddin13 December 2025 02:00
Watch: Trump says US will attend Ukraine peace talks with Europe
Trump says US will attend Ukraine peace talks with Europe but doesn’t want to ‘waste time’
Shaheena Uddin13 December 2025 01:00
Russian luge team plans to participate in World Cup race next week despite Ukraine’s objections
Six Russian athletes from their nation’s luge team are planning to participate in the World Cup in Lake Placid, New York next week. This move comes despite Ukrainians strongly objecting.
They have told the International Luge Federation that they have obtained their visas to travel to the US.
They hope to qualify for the Milan Cortina Olympics coming up in February.
However, Russia is not racing at this weekend’s World cup luge competition, despite some claims that they would participate.
Russia has not competed in a World cup luge race since the war began nearly four years ago.
Two bobsledders and seven skeleton sliders from Russia have also been cleared by their sports federations to compete soon too in a list that was published on Friday.
Luge Olympics Russian Ban (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Shaheena Uddin13 December 2025 00:00
Russian police and National Guard will remain in Ukraine’s Donbas postwar
A senior Kremlin official has reported on Friday that Russian police and National Guard wil remain in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region in order to oversee the industry-rich area, even if a peace settlement ends the nearly four-year long war in Ukraine.
The comments come from Yuri Ushakov and showcase Moscow’s ambition to maintain its presence in Donbas post-war. Ukraine is likely to reject such a stance as U.S.-led negotiations continue.
(National Guard of Ukraine)
Shaheena Uddin12 December 2025 23:00
NEED TO KNOW
- Carrie Underwood revealed she is back to brunette in a new Instagram post
- Underwood famously has had blonde hair since her time on American Idol
- She previously tried out the hair color in August
Carrie Underwood revealed a dramatic hair transformation in a new Instagram post.
Underwood, 42, shared a selfie wearing a t-shirt in honor of St. Jude’s on Friday, Dec. 12 — and she revealed her new brunette hair.
“Every child deserves hope. Become a Partner in Hope with @stjude and get your @musicgives shirt at musicgives.org and help kids facing cancer. ❤️,” Underwood wrote in the caption.
The country star, known for her blonde locks throughout her career, made the reveal while wearing a black-and-white t-shirt that read “Music Gives to St. Jude’s Kids.” Fans of the “Before He Cheats” singer were shocked at the hair transformation in the comments.
“Didn’t even look like Carrie,” one Instagram user wrote.
Underwood previously tested out going brunette in August, before ultimately returning to the blonde tresses that she has had since her American Idol days. Underwood shared the Instagram photos on Aug. 5, and explained at the time that she hadn’t been brunette in 30 years.
“Well, the last time I saw my natural hair color, I was probably about 12 years old,” the Grammy winner wrote, “but I thought it might be time to give it a second chance.”
Carrie Underwood’s new hair color.
Carrie Underwood/Instagram
Underwood had an assist from Nashville hairstylist Katelin Megert, who cut, colored and styled her hair into a brown mid-length cut with golden highlighted layers.
“Thanks, @hairbykatelin_ at @parlour3beauty for helping me get back to my roots! #NewOldMe #Bronde,” she added.
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In a 2012 interview with Refinery29, Underwood explained her reasoning for always being blonde. Despite wanting to experiment with her hair color, she felt it was tethered to her music career at the time.
“I’d love to do a little more with hair color. I’ve always been blonde! The problem is, I don’t want to shock people — like if I dyed my hair brown, I don’t want people think I’m turning dark and serious. I wish I had started changing my hair around in the beginning, then it wouldn’t be such a big shock if I did something like that now,” she said.
Underwood will soon join Alan Jackson on tour.
Elwood Jones was convicted of aggravated murder, robbery and burglary in the 1994 beating death of 67-year-old Rhoda Nathan at a hotel in Blue Ash, a Cincinnati suburb
Elwood Jones spent 26 years behind bars
A man who languished on death row for more than 25 years over the robbery and killing of a woman at an Ohio hotel has had his case thrown out by prosecutors on Friday.
Elwood Jones has been walking free since shortly after a judge awarded him a fresh trial in December 2022, after determining that prosecutors had failed to hand over crucial evidence to his legal team years earlier.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich revealed the dismissal of his case came after months of thorough examination of evidence and court documents. “I did not take this extraordinary step lightly,” Pillich said in a statement.
Elwood Jones has been free since shortly after a judge granted him a new trial in December 2022
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“But after reviewing the evidence, I am not convinced that Mr. Jones killed Rhoda Nathan.”
Jones had been found guilty of aggravated murder, robbery and burglary in the 1994 fatal beating of the 67 year old from Toms River, New Jersey, in Blue Ash, a Cincinnati suburb. Under Pillich’s predecessor, Melissa Powers, the prosecutor’s office had challenged the judge’s ruling and that legal battle was still working its way through the courts.
Only last week, the Ohio Supreme Court had determined the appellate court made an error in blocking the challenge and sent it back to the lower court for fresh consideration. Supreme Court Justice Joe Deters, the former Hamilton County prosecutor who obtained the original conviction against Jones, stepped aside from that ruling.
But Pillich said proceeding with a fresh trial without evidence, witnesses or current scientific methods “would be futile.”
Among the issues addressed by her review were: the lack of physical or forensic evidence linking Jones directly to the murder, and several witness statements suggesting other potential suspects that were not adequately pursued. Furthermore, Jones’ defence was not provided with a significant amount of investigation material before the trial.
Modern medical testing has also ruled out Jones as a suspect.
Jones was an employee at the hotel where the woman was killed and was on the job that day, police said.
Police had previously stated that Nathan, a grandmother visiting town for her best friend’s grandson’s bar mitzvah over Labour Day weekend, was murdered after interrupting a robbery attempt in her room. Jones, an employee at the hotel, was working that day, according to police.
A request for comment was sent to Jones’ lawyer. In court documents, his defence team argued that the “win-at-all-cost mentality” displayed by the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office resulted in Jones, an innocent man, losing over 28 years of his life and nearly costing him his life.
Pillich announced plans to establish a Conviction Integrity Unit to investigate and review claims of wrongful conviction and unfair sentencing using nationally recognised best practices.
“Had such a unit existed years ago, this decision may have been reached much sooner,” she commented.
Jones becomes the 12th death row prisoner to be cleared in Ohio and the second from Hamilton County, according to Kevin Warner, executive director of Ohioans to Stop Executions, a group campaigning for the abolition of capital punishment.
Warner said the public is becoming increasingly fed up with wrongful convictions. He said: “We’re thinking of the Nathan family and we’re thinking of the Jones family, both… h who were irreparably harmed by Ohio’s death penalty system.”
WORLD NEWS
Cambodia claims Thailand still bombing hours after Trump ceasefire call | Border Disputes News
BREAKINGBREAKING,
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence said Thai F-16 fighter jets continued to bomb targets inside country.
Published On 13 Dec 2025
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Cambodia has accused Thailand of continuing to drop bombs in its territory hours after United States President Donald Trump said Bangkok and Phnom Penh had agreed to stop fighting.
“On December 13, 2025, the Thai military used two F-16 fighter jets to drop seven bombs” on a number of targets, the Cambodian Defence Ministry said in a post on social media on Saturday.
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“Thai forces have not stopped the bombing yet and are still continuing the bombing,” the ministry said, listing aerial attacks on hotel buildings and bridges earlier in the morning.
The reports of continued bombing follow after President Trump said that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed “to cease all shooting” on Friday.
“I had a very good conversation this morning with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, concerning the very unfortunate reawakening of their long-running War,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Friday.
“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump said.
With Thailand’s attacks reportedly ongoing against Cambodia, the current outbreak of violence between the two Southeast Asian neighbours has now entered a sixth day.
The latest cross-border clashes, which broke out on Monday, have so far killed at least 20 civilians and soldiers in both countries and left some 200 more wounded.
An estimated 600,000 people have also been displaced on both sides of the 800-kilometre-long (500-mile) Thai-Cambodia border, where the conflict centres on disputed ownership of centuries-old temples.
House Oversight Committee
US President Donald Trump was among several prominent figures featured in the images released on Friday
Back-to-back batches of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate have been released, revealing private details from the convicted peadophile’s life and his ties to the rich and powerful.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released 19 photos on Friday morning and then later published nearly 80 more, which they said are part of more than 95,000 images the US congressional committee has received from Epstein’s estate after a subpoena.
The photos include never-before-seen images of Epstein on his private island and pictures of him with high-profile figures like US President Donald Trump.
The US justice department is approaching a deadline next week to release all Epstein-related documents.
Watch: Massie and Garcia on latest photos from Epstein estate
The justice department mandate is separate from the files being released by Congress, which is conducting its own investigation into the Epstein case and has been asking his estate for documents and images as part of the probe.
The justice department has until 19 December to release all documents related to the Epstein case. That deadline comes from a bill passed by Congress and signed by Trump last month following months of pressure from his Maga – Make America Great Again – base.
Despite that legal requirement for the justice department, committee Democrats said on Friday: “In the interest of transparency, we will continue to release photos from the Epstein estate.”
The release on Friday marked the second time in a month that the committee has published new images from its investigation into Epstein. These new photos include private images of Epstein, including one of him in a bathtub and another that appears to show sexual toys. They also show him with powerful people, including former President Bill Clinton and tech billionaire Bill Gates.
Epstein’s connection to so many high-profile figures, along with various unanswered questions about the case, and his 2019 suicide in a Manhattan jail as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges, has fuelled online conspiracies and accusations of a government cover-up.
No additional context or details were included with the newly released images, so it is not clear when, why or where many of the photos were taken or by whom. Merely being pictured in files related Epstein is not an indication of wrongdoing.
In the first batch of photos released on Friday, Epstein is seen with multiple high-profile figures, none of whom have yet commented. Many of them have previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
In a statement, Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the congressional committee, said: “It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends.”
“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world. We will not rest until the American people get the truth. The Department of Justice must release all the files, NOW,” he added.
Republicans, who are in the majority on the committee, have accused Democrats of “cherry-picking photos and making targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump”.
The White House called the release a “Democrat hoax” against Trump that has been “repeatedly debunked”. Trump had for months argued the Epstein saga was a distraction orchestrated by his critics to take attention away from his administration’s accomplishments.
Trump had been pressuring Republicans to move on but failed to keep his party from approving a measure forcing the justice department to release all files in the investigation.
Trump was friends with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has not been accused of any wrongdoing as part of the investigations into his former friend.
According to Trump, the pair fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested. The White House has also suggested that their fallout was connected to Epstein’s behaviour, and that Trump booted him from his Florida resort for “being a creep”.
Trump appeared in three of the images released on Friday. One image showed him standing next to a woman whose face has been redacted.
Another showed Trump standing next to Epstein while talking to model Ingrid Seynhaeve at a 1997 Victoria’s Secret party in New York – an image that was already publicly available.
House Oversight Committee
A third photo showed Trump smiling with several women, whose faces have also been redacted, flanked on either side of him.
An additional photo showed an illustrated likeness of the president on red packets next to a sign that reads: “Trump Condom”.
House Oversight Committee
House Oversight Committee
Among the photos released on Friday were some that had already been in the public domain for several years.
One such image was a cropped section of a picture originally taken by a photographer working for Getty Images in 2018, which showed King Charles in conversation with the tech billionaire at a London summit.
The image contained in Epstein’s collection was cropped to show only Andrew and Gates. It’s unclear why Epstein had the image or why it was included in his estate.
Andrew, who has faced years of scrutiny over his past relationship with Epstein, was stripped of his “prince” title and left his Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, earier this year. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Getty Images
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was also pictured in some of the images. He was shown speaking with Epstein at a desk, and in another, standing beside him in front of a mirror.
House Oversight Committee
A third image showed him speaking with filmmaker Woody Allen.
A photo featuring former US President Bill Clinton’s showed him standing next to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating the disgraced financier’s abuse.
Two other people the BBC has yet to identify are also in the image, which appeared to have been signed by Clinton.
Clinton has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. In 2019, a spokesperson said he “knows nothing about the terrible crimes” Epstein pleaded guilty to.
House Oversight Committee
Other prominent figures which appear in the images include US economist Larry Summers, lawyer Alan Dershowitz and entrepreneur Richard Branson. Not all the images show those individuals in the company of Epstein.
Also in the newly released photos are images from Epstein’s sunny estate on the US Virgin Islands, showing multiple rooms – including one with a dental chair surrounded by sculptures of moustached men on the walls.
There is an image of an orange pumpkin with a blonde wig that has been carved in the likeness of Trump. Above it, a sign reads: “Trumpkin. Make Halloween Great Again.”
On Friday, Trump was asked about the new photos and told reporters that a lot of people knew and were photographed with Epstein, calling the release “no big deal”.
Watch: “I know nothing about it”, says Trump on recent Epstein photos released
Thousands of people took to the streets across Italy on Friday, for a national strike that was called by the country’s largest union to protest the government’s 2026 budget.
The strike comes as the budget is expected to be discussed next week and must be approved by the country’s parliament by the end of this year.
Italy’s CGIL union has estimated that some 61% of all public and private sector workers participated in the strike.
“The majority of the workers who keep this country going don’t agree with and don’t accept this government’s budget,” CGIL chief Maurizio Landini told a rally in Florence.
“Today shows more clearly than ever that we need a change,” he added.
Unions demand greater investments in healthcare, education and housing rightsImage: Marco Di Gianvito/ZUMA/picture alliance
Demonstrations the latest in a slew of protests to have hit Italy
The demonstrations were the latest in a slew of protests that have hit Italy in recent months. Italians have taken to the streets to reject the government’s economic policies and its support for Israel.
The budget is being put forth by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing Brothers of Italy party.
Although Meloni’s party, which governs under a stable coalition, still tops opinion polls, some recent surveys have shown a decline in the government’s popularity.
What’s the problem with the budget?
CGIL, which represents 5 million workers, half of whom are pensioners, argues that the new budget would “worsen people’s living and working conditions.”
Along with other unions, CGIL has rejected planned increases in defense spending. The unions are calling on the government to invest more in healthcare and education, as well as take measures to bolster salaries and pensions.
Meloni’s government has responded to the discontent by saying the budget has been well-received by financial markets and ratings agencies, arguing that it strengthens Italy’s public finances, while lowering taxes for middle earners.
Meloni and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini responded to the strike plans when they were agreed to last month, making fun of the union for organizing the strike as usual on a Friday, implying that it was an excuse for a long weekend.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
WORLD NEWS
Trump scolds female reporter in Oval Office for trying to ask questions: ‘She’s very aggressive’
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President Donald Trump scolded a female journalist taking part in a press scrum at the White House on Friday for being “very aggressive,” the latest in a string of negative comments the president has made about female reporters in recent weeks.
“You have to be nice and easy, nice and easy,” Trump told the reporter, who appeared to be NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor. “She’s very aggressive.”
The president later called on the reporter, who asked Trump about his reaction to the latest batch of Epstein photos released Friday, which included images of Trump with a large group of women with their faces blurred out.
The Independent has contacted Alcindor for comment.
Trump has gone head-to-head with Alcindor before.
open image in gallery
President Trump called a female reporter ‘very aggressive’ for asking questions in the Oval Office, the latest in a string of recent dismissive remarks toward female reporters the president has made (AP)
In September, he accused the White House correspondent of being “fake news” and “second-rate” when she pressed him about an AI image he shared suggesting the administration was about to declare “war” on Chicago as part of its immigration crackdown.
In 2020, during a Covid briefing, Trump told Alcindor to “be nice” and to not “be threatening” during one exchange, inspiring an outpouring of support for the reporter and the hashtag #WeLoveYamiche.
President Trump has used harsh language to brush off multiple female reporters in recent weeks, labeling them “stupid,” “incapable,” “ugly,” and in one case last month, telling Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey to be “quiet piggy.”
open image in gallery
Yamiche Alcindor is a White House correspondent for NBC News (AFP via Getty Images)
When reached for comment, the White House shared a statement it offered after past criticism of the remarks.
“President Trump has never been politically correct, never holds back, and in large part, the American people re-elected him for his transparency,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “This has nothing to do with gender – it has everything to do with the fact that the President’s and the public’s trust in the media is at all time lows.”
White House officials have pointed to other comments where Trump tangled with male reporters in a similar fashion, including an October comment that a male Reuters reporter was “third-rate” and earlier remarks blasting a Wall Street Journal reporter for being associated with a “rotten” outlet.
Critics argue the president reserves particular venom for female reporters, and female reporters of color even more so.
During his first term, Trump lashed out at a string of African-American female journalists in quick succession, describing questions from CNN’s Abby Phillip as “stupid” and those from Alcindor as “racist.”
Later, during his 2024 campaign, he had a memorable clash with reporters during an event at a National Association of Black Journalists conference.
Trump grew angry when asked how Black voters could trust him after making the inflammatory remark that Vice President Kamala Harris had only recently “happened to turn Black.”
“I don’t think I’ve been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump told ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott. “You don’t even say hello, how are you.”
The president frequently demonizes the press at large, and has called journalists purveyors of “fake news” and the “enemy of the people.”
If you’re still scouring the internet for the perfect holiday present, it’s time to turn your attention to TikTok-viral gifts. The app has time and again brought the best toys to center-stage, and it’s already crowned this year’s hottest find.
The Dusfan AI-Powered Flying Orb Ball is the latest toy to go viral on TikTok — this video alone has 15 million views and more than 87,000 likes. Now that the toy is on sale at Amazon for 66 percent off, it makes for a no-brainer Christmas gift. Equipped with a smart AI chip and gyroscope, the orb hovers, flies, and returns to the user like a boomerang, providing countless hours of entertainment.
Dusfan AI-Powered Flying Orb Ball Toy
Amazon
It’s designed with red, blue, and green LED lights that make it easy to spot in the dark, but are also vibrant in the day. The flying orb ball features a hidden micro-USB plug for quick recharging and, because it’s made from a fall-resistant case, it’s durable enough to withstand plenty of drops and fumbles. Perfect for playing catch and practicing your magic skills on the go, this toy is sure to be a hit this Christmas.
More than 9,000 Amazon shoppers have already purchased the orb in the past few weeks, and it’s easy to see why. One five-star reviewer said it provides “hours of laughter” and “lighthearted fun” as it “floats, spins, and bounces back like magic.” Another person called the toy “the hit of the night,” adding that “it’s surprisingly easy to control once you get the hang of it, and it’s durable — it’s been dropped multiple times and still works perfectly.”
A final shopper enthused, “Once you start playing, it’s hard to stop,” noting that it’s an excellent activity, even for little kids. “It’s fun solo or with friends — definitely a crowd pleaser,” they remarked.
Give the best gift of the season and pick up the Dusfan AI-Powered Flying Orb Ball while it’s still just $27 on Amazon.
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The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has urged stores to do more to help officers bring shoplifters to justice.
Sir Mark Rowley claimed there was evidence of security staff working with gangs to help them steal from shops, as some refused to hand over CCTV or snaps of thugs caught red-handed.
He alleged other stores would not allow employees time off to attend court or to provide statements to the police.
In the year to June, retail crime increased by 13 per cent, reaching 529,994 recorded offences, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Meanwhile, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) estimated there were 20 million cases of shoplifting, implying less than three per cent of thefts were reported.
It comes as Labour were accused of turning Britain into a ‘soft touch for criminals’ as shoplifters continued to run rampant across the country.
And while Sir Mark maintained retailers were right in their criticism of the police, he also insisted they also ‘need to step up more’.
‘The retail sector, a couple of years ago, was right to be cross with policing across the country,’ he told The Telegraph.
Sir Mark Rowley (pictured) claimed there was evidence of security staff working with gangs to help them steal from shops
‘But in London, over the last year or so, we’ve really doubled down on it. We’re making a lot of progress, but I need to challenge back now to the retail sector.
‘They now need to do better.’
Shoplifting dropped by four per cent between April and December, the Police Commissioner claimed, with the help of facial recognition technology.
Sir Mark, a long supporter of the technology, said that in 40 per cent of incidents, the force was able to identify a criminal against databases of previous offenders.
Fines, charges and sanctions for shoplifting also rose by 82 per cent. However, the Met had the lowest rate of crimes being solved in England and Wales.
In the year to June, just nine per cent of shoplifting cases ended in a charge by the police authority.
In one case, private security staff had been communicating with criminals and telling them when it was ‘clear’ to come in, Sir Mark revealed.
He also noted that while some stores cited costs as why they couldn’t provide statements or images, other shops were ‘very supportive’ of employees.
Cambridgeshire Police released CCTV footage of thieves targeting the John Lewis department store in Cambridge earlier this month, amid growing concern over retail crime
The Police Commissioner explained that some shops will give staff the time and pay to attend court and provide statements, while others do not.
‘So if they’re not prepared to roll up their sleeves as corporate victims, it’s going to be tough for us to make progress,’ he added.
Sir Mark also voiced his support for expanding facial technology, which means police would have access to the passport database.
Such access would mean they would be able to use 45 million photos to identify those suspected of committing serious crimes.
He has also supported radical proposals to reduce the number of policing authorities from 43 to 20 – or even less – as well as reforming the ‘broken’ court system.