An NHS Trust unit will hold ‘listening’ events to improve care – after a 13-day-old baby died when staff failed to communicate with a doctor who was working from home. 

Daisy McCoy succumbed to a ‘lack of oxygen or blood flow’ at the Yeovil Hospital in Somerset in February, 2022.

A scan showed that prior to her birth she had sustained at least one brain injury, possibly due to issues with the umbilical cord or placenta.

However, there was a delay in carrying out the C section operation because of a ‘failure to communicate’ between staff, including the consultant who was working remotely.

The NHS Trust has now responded to a coroner’s criticisms, saying it has introduced a ‘professional disagreement policy’ and begun ‘regular walkarounds’ to ensure similar issues do not arise in the future.

The Trust also held ‘listening events’ – but has not revealed the nature of them.

The inquest heard that Daisy was born via Caesarean section at Yeovil Maternity Unit in Somerset on February 9, 2022. 

Daisy’s mother later visited the hospital reporting reduced and unusual fetal movement.

Staff at Yeovil Maternity Unit, pictured, in Somerset failed to escalate the situation, and confusion between medics meant Daisy’s emergency caesarean was delayed

A scan showed the baby had suffered a brain injury due to lack of oxygen or blood flow ‘which on the balance of probabilities had occurred before delivery’. 

The interruption to blood flow was ‘potentially due to a problem with the umbilical cord or placenta’.

Daisy’s parents were then left alone for an hour as they waited for an explanation as to the severity of the injury.

The consultant working remotely did not ‘fully consider’ if she should come in to assist during this time because she was unaware of staffing problems on the ward.

The unit’s guidance also did not include asking a staff member to attend if there was an issue outside of their experience or skill set.

Only the registrar was aware that the abnormal scan required a call to the consultant within 30 minutes and she did not phone in either, leading to a further delay in the procedure.

None of the staff checked the criteria for a normal foetal heartbeat and therefore did not escalate the results of the test.

The consultant told the inquest if she had been aware of the outcome she would have come on to the ward at that point.

Deborah Archer, pictured, area coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, warned there is a ‘gap’ in their policy regarding consultants or midwives attending when understaffing risks patient safety

On February 9 Daisy was moved to the larger Southmead Hospital in Bristol before being transferred at some point to a children’s hospice in Barnstaple, Devon, where she died on February 22.

Deborah Archer, Area Coroner for the County of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, recorded a narrative conclusion that the 13–day–old had died due to an interruption in blood flow to the brain which caused ‘significant damage’ and peri natal asphyxia before her delivery.

After Daisy’s inquest, Ms Archer said: ‘[There is] A lack of adequate communication between different health care professionals on the maternity unit.’

Peter Lewis, Chief Executive of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, also stated his response to Ms Archer’s Prevention of Future Deaths report.

‘Following the sad passing of Daisy… the Trust implemented a series of improvements’, Mr Lewis said.

He said the firm had reviewed ‘Antenatal Foetal Monitoring Guidelines’ and midwives training.

And that they had now had ‘safety walkabouts’ and held ‘listening events’.

Mr Lewis said: ‘SFT Maternity senior leaders have been actively working to understand the culture across both Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital sites.

‘A number of listening events were held in 2023/24 and a programme of cultural improvement efforts rolled out in response.

‘To support improvements, the Trust launched a professional disagreement policy.

‘The trust also utilises Freedom to Speak Up Guardians (FTSU) who provide regular support to staff and conduct regular walkarounds for staff to raise any concerns.

‘The Trust has also recently engaged the national Equity Diversity and Inclusion lead to undertake a culture review diagnostic.

‘The Trust has considered all matters of concern raised… to ensure that reopening plans provide assurance of embedded change made in response to learning from Daisy May’s death.

‘We remain fully committed to embedding the learning from Daisy May’s death into every aspect of our maternity services. Our actions reflect a Trust–wide commitment to safety, transparency, and continuous improvement.’

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Dominic Harrison, better known as Yungblud, has explained on The Howard Stern Show his thoughts on his stage name – as he shares what he’d like to call his future children

Dominic Harrison is known as YungBuld professionally (Image: Redferns)

He’s shared the stage with rock legends like Ozzy Osbourne and Steven Tyler, yet some fans are still in the dark about how Yungblud got his icionic stage name. Dominic Harrison introduced himself to the world with his debut EP, Yungblud, in 2018, followed by his full-length album, 21st Century Liability.

Just a year later, the now 28 year old released his second EP, The Underrated Youth, and his second studio album, Weird!, which ranked the top spot on the UK Albums Chart and number 75 on the US Billboard 200. He’s has taken to the stage at major festivals worldwide, including Coachella in the US, Hurricane Festival in Germany, UNTOLD Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and even his own Bludfest, founded by Yungblud in 2024.

In July this year, he won over Black Sabbath fans with a heartfelt cover of Changes at Ozzy’s final concert, Back to the Beginning, held at Villa Park, Birmingham, UK.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, as seen in a YouTube clip, Dom revealed the origins of his stage name Yungblud, saying: “I thought Dominic Harrison was a bit polite for the music that I make.”

As reported by On Air with Ryan Seacrest, his management team started calling him young blood shortly after signing him, as he was the youngest artist they were representing.

Later in the show, when quizzed about what he’d name his future children, Dom responded: “If I had a girl, I’d name her Ziggy, and if I had a boy, I’d want to call him Iggy. So I’ve got Ziggy and Iggy.”

Fans have been sharing their love for Yungblud on YouTube, with one user commenting: “Absolutely love Dom’s music and the whole YB team. He’s such a kind and talented soul.”

Another fan chimed in: “He’s one of the most authentic people you’ll meet.” A third added: “It’s about time Yungblud is on the show.”

Yungblud, hailing from Doncaster, was scheduled to perform his Idols World Tour in the US last month. However, due to health concerns, he had to pull out.

In an emotional social media post, he shared: “This year has been truly unbelievable and I feel so lucky and honoured from everything that has happened.”

He went on to say: “This week when I got home off the road, and went to have some tests done (like I usually do) and my voice and blood tests have raised some concerns. I have been ordered by my doctor to take a break from touring until the end of the year.”

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The UK’s Chief Rabbi has told Sky News that the Bondi Beach terror attack is a tragedy for all societies, caused by “hateful extremism” that threatens “our entire civilisation”.

Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi in the UK and to the Commonwealth, told Sky News correspondent Nicole Johnston that “all Jewish hearts are broken at this time”.

He said he wanted to fly out to Australia to offer his support to those affected by Sunday’s terror attack, where 15 people were killed.

Some 22 victims remain in hospital following the shooting, carried out at an event marking the start of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.

Speaking after landing early on Thursday, Rabbi Mirvis said that as Jewish leader for the Commonwealth: “This is my place. This is where I need to be.”

He added: “I am here as a symbol of the extent that the whole Jewish world’s hearts are broken at this time, and we identify with the Jewish community in Australia. And we’re here to give them support.”

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Bondi Beach shooting: Funerals begin for victims

When asked about the Yom Kippur attack at a synagogue in Greater Manchester earlier this year, where two people were killed, Rabbi Mirvis said the Jewish community felt that “we’re shocked, but we’re not surprised”.

“It was shocking to actually see it happening,” he said, “but because of the tone of the hateful rhetoric on the streets of cities in the UK, and the extent to which it wasn’t always dealt with as emphatically as it should have, therefore, terrorism could thrive.

“I’m hearing the same comments here in Sydney. We’re shocked, but we’re not surprised here. The scale is enormous, and it is such a deep, deep tragedy.

“And it’s not just a tragedy for Jewish people. It’s a tragedy for all of our societies because we need to identify not just the symptoms, but also the root causes and amongst the root causes, hateful extremism, which is a threat to our entire civilisation.”

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10-year-old Bondi victim a ‘beautiful soul’

He then said that Australian jews “don’t need any lectures” on how to come together after the attack, adding: “It’s coming from the heart. Their souls are so active.

“The bonding together, the feeling of togetherness, the connection to Jews and Judaism, love of the State of Israel, recognition of the demonisation of Israel, of Jews and Judaism, which is part of this whole story – of a desire for people out there to know what the real truth is.

“Standing tall as Jews during these exceptionally difficult times and being positive. We are the people of hope. And right here at Bondi Beach, that’s what I’m picking up on. Great hope.”

Read more from Sky News:
Australia announces tougher hate speech laws
Who were the suspected gunmen in terror attack?

His visit comes after Naveed Akram, 24 and one of the alleged gunmen, was charged on 59 counts, including 15 of murder and a terror charge.

The other alleged attacker, his 50-year-old father Sajid, died at the scene in Sydney.

Police have said the two alleged gunmen – who were shot by officers – were motivated by Islamic State ideology.

A recent trip to the Philippines is under investigation. The older Akram used an Indian passport to travel, while his son used an Australian one.

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Thousands protest as EU leaders clash over trade pact farmers fear will flood Europe with cheaper South American goods.

Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025

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Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations they say will destroy their livelihoods.

The demonstrations erupted on Thursday as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance. More than 150 tractors blocked central Brussels, with an estimated 10,000 protesters expected in the European quarter, according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca.

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It made for a twin-tracked day of febrile tension outside and inside at the EU summit as leaders were perhaps more focused on a vote to determine whether they are able to use nearly $200bn in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine over the next two years.

Outside the gilded halls on the streets, farmers hurled potatoes and eggs at police, set off fireworks and firecrackers, and brought traffic to a standstill.

Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannon, setting up roadblocks and closing tunnels around the city. One tractor displayed a sign reading: “Why import sugar from the other side of the world when we produce the best right here?”

“We’re here to say no to Mercosur,” Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille said, accusing European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of trying to “force the deal through” like “Europe has become a dictatorship”.

A protester throws an object, as farmers protest against the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal in Brussels, Belgium [Yves Herman/Reuters]

Protesters fear an influx of cheaper agricultural products from Brazil and neighbouring countries would undercut European producers. Their concerns centre on beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya beans from South American competitors facing less stringent regulations, particularly on pesticides banned in the EU.

“We’ve been protesting since 2024 in France, in Belgium and elsewhere,” said Florian Poncelet of Belgian farm union FJA. “We’d like to be finally listened to.”

France and Italy now lead opposition to the deal, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring that “we are not ready” and the agreement “cannot be signed” in its current form.

France has coordinated with Poland, Belgium, Austria and Ireland to force a postponement, giving critics sufficient votes within the European Council to potentially block the pact.

However, Germany and Spain are pushing hard for approval. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that decisions “must be made now” if the EU wants to “remain credible in global trade policy”, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez argued the deal would give Europe “geo-economic and geopolitical weight” against adversaries.

The agreement, 25 years in the making, would create the world’s largest free-trade area covering 780 million people and a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP).

Supporters say it offers a counterweight to China and would boost European exports of vehicles, machinery and wines amid rising US tariffs.

Despite provisional safeguards negotiated on Wednesday to cap sensitive imports, opposition has intensified. Von der Leyen remains determined to travel to Brazil this weekend to sign the deal, but needs backing from at least two-thirds of EU nations.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, warning that Saturday represents a “now or never” moment, adding that “Brazil won’t make any more agreements while I’m president” if the deal fails.

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Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has just popped out to brief Polish journalists briefly on the conversations so far, starkly warning them about the stakes of today’s talks.

He told them that the leaders are engaged “in a very difficult process” of trying to come to an agreement, with a group of more critical countries “theoretically most at risk from some sort of retaliatory or financial action from Russia,” primarily Belgium, asking for clear guarantees and safeguards.

He says there is a “breakthrough” in the sense of getting to a broad agreement about the need to move on this and the leaders are now looking for ways to make all countries comfortable with what’s being proposed.

But Tusk starkly set out what’s at stake in today’s talks, as he tells reporters that “Polish independence would be under threat if it turns out that as a consequence of poor decisions or a lack of action from Europe, Ukraine war forced to surrender.”

“I want this to finally sink in for everyone – not just for our colleagues here in Europe, but for everyone in Poland as well – that when we talk about the necessity of supporting Ukraine using these Russian funds, it is because we know full well that Ukrainian independence pushes the risk of aggression or war away from Polish borders. Conversely, the fall of Ukraine as a result of this war would mean a direct threat to Poland,” he says.

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Updated at 14.12 CET

Key events

• 1h ago

  Legal threats from Russia ‘not as scary as when Russia is at your borders,’ Zelenskyy tells Belgians

• 1h ago

  Ukraine needs decision on frozen funds before ‘end of year,’ Zelenskyy says

• 2h ago

  Ukraine warns of financial difficulties if Ukraine doesn’t secure fresh funding

• 2h ago

  Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

• 2h ago

  EU proposes new draft language to convince Belgium, but it’s all yet to be confirmed – snap analysis

• 3h ago

  Russia warns it will ‘recover damages’ on its assets with ‘lost profits’ on frozen assets

• 3h ago

  Ukraine war must be ‘not simply postponed, but ended,’ EU’s Metsola says

• 3h ago

  ‘Peace is not cheap, it’s priceless,’ European Council’s chair Costa says welcoming Zelenskyy

• 4h ago

  Russia to respond with ‘harshest’ retaliation if Europe moves on frozen assets

• 4h ago

  Belgium’s de Wever wants to see legal risks shared with other countries for reparations loan to work

• 5h ago

  Macron ‘confident’ EU can find compromise on funding for Ukraine

• 5h ago

  Macron says ‘we must bring everyone together’ on funding Ukraine

• 5h ago

  All eyes on Belgium’s de Wever as he faces pressure from all directions

• 5h ago

  Germany’s Merz wants to ‘send signal of strength and resolve’ to Moscow

• 5h ago

  ‘No time to hesitate,’ Lithuania’s Nausėda says

• 5h ago

  No deal on frozen Russian assets would pose ‘big problems for Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy says

• 5h ago

  ‘Don’t think we’re going to move without Belgium feeling comfortable,’ EU’s foreign policy chief Kallas says

• 6h ago

  Work on finding compromise ‘ongoing,’ EU’s von der Leyen says

• 6h ago

  We will not leave without decision to ensure Ukraine’s financial needs are met, EU’s Costa says

• 6h ago

  Ireland’s Martin backs use of frozen Russian assets

• 6h ago

  Idea of using frozen assets is ‘stupid’ and amount to ‘marching into war,’ Orbán says

• 6h ago

  Morning opening: ‘Money today or blood tomorrow’

Show key events only

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Zelenskyy says that if the decision to seize Russian assets is not made now, others “will feel that Europe can be defeated.”

He adds:

I know that Russia is intimidating different countries over this decision. But we should not be afraid of threats – we should be afraid of Europe being weak.

How can anyone believe in future security guarantees if Europe can’t deliver a financial security guarantee for Ukraine in a situation that is morally clear and just?

Defeat isn’t what people of Europe need. They need Europe not to back down before aggressors.

If we know – and if Putin knows – that we can stay resilient, then his reason to drag out this war becomes much weaker.

This is how pressure on the aggressor should work – pressure that brings peace. Thank you to everyone leading Europe in this direction. Europe must be strong.

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Zelenskyy says seizing of frozen Russian assets is like when “authorities confiscate money from drug-traffickers and seize weapons from terrorists”.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy called the use of Russian assets moral, fair and legal.

At the EU Council meeting I said: just like authorities confiscate money from drug-traffickers and seize weapons from terrorists, Russian assets must be used to defend against Russian aggression and rebuild what was destroyed by Russian attacks. It’s moral. It’s fair. It’s legal. pic.twitter.com/y9npXV6AH8

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 18, 2025Share

Watch live: Nato chief Mark Rutte holds a joint press conference with Polish and UK defence ministers

Mark Rutte holds joint presser with Polish and UK defence ministers – watch liveShare

Meanwhile, here’s the latest from the farmers’s protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels, including a rather innovative use of what a photographer described as “a handmade potato cannon.”

Police officers stand in front of the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and trade agreements such as the Mercosur, in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesProtesters use a handmade potato cannon next to Station Europe, near the European Parliament. Photograph: Yves Herman/ReutersFarmers burn car tires outside the European Parliament building, protesting the European Union (EU) policies in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesShare

And that ends Zelenskyy’s press conference.

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Legal threats from Russia ‘not as scary as when Russia is at your borders,’ Zelenskyy tells Belgians

Zelenskyy gets asked by a Belgian broadcaster to try to persuade the Belgian people and respond to their concerns about the use of frozen Russian assets.

He says that from a morality point of view, it’s only fair to use Russian funds against their attacks on a sovereign country.

He acknowledges fears about a potential legal action by Russia, but says “it’s not as scary as when Russia is at your borders.”

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Zelenskyy says he is counting on more pressure from the US to bring the war to an end, as he fears that “Putin doesn’t want to stop this war.”

But he says that if the US and president Trump put more pressure on him, beyond just mediating in the talks, it’s possible to get Moscow to move.

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Zelenskyy also briefly confirms he met with Belgium’s de Wever and discussed the issue of frozen assets, and they both told each other what they felt they needed to say.

Was it helpful?

“We will see. We just need a bit more time.”

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Ukraine needs decision on frozen funds before ‘end of year,’ Zelenskyy says

Asked about the timing specifically, Zelenskyy makes it clear that Ukraine needs the decision on the use of frozen assets to come before the end of the year.

“This year,” he stresses.

On EU accession, Zelenskyy talks about the importance of the process not getting blocked by any of the member states (hi, Hungary), as he says that joining the bloc should be considered a part of broader security guarantees for Kyiv.

So, he says, the prospect of joining the EU is of “utmost importance,” as is the principle that it shouldn’t be conditional on Russia’s permission or support.

Asked about the US-led peace talks, he says “there is progress in our dialogue with the American side.” But he raises some concerns about some areas in which Russia is expected to push back on what is being discussed.

He says that includes the presence of European stabilisation force in Ukraine, stressing the importance of that solution so that Kyiv has security guarantees from both the US and Europe.

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Ukraine warns of financial difficulties if Ukraine doesn’t secure fresh funding

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy is now also briefing the journalists.

Zelenskyy tells journalists that he doesn’t know how the talks will end today, but it is getting increasingly urgent for Ukraine to secures fresh funding, as it faces a €45-50bn deficit for next year.

He warns that Ukraine would need to cut its drone production if it doesn’t receive more money by spring.

He says Ukraine is doing everything it can to end the war, but there is no guarantee that this process will succeed, particularly given less than conciliatory comments from the Kremlin.

He says Ukraine must be in a position to remain strong and continue to be able to fight.

He says he had a good conversation with Belgium’s de Wever, and they understand each other’s position, but as Ukraine is at war, it faces even greater risks.

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Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has just popped out to brief Polish journalists briefly on the conversations so far, starkly warning them about the stakes of today’s talks.

He told them that the leaders are engaged “in a very difficult process” of trying to come to an agreement, with a group of more critical countries “theoretically most at risk from some sort of retaliatory or financial action from Russia,” primarily Belgium, asking for clear guarantees and safeguards.

He says there is a “breakthrough” in the sense of getting to a broad agreement about the need to move on this and the leaders are now looking for ways to make all countries comfortable with what’s being proposed.

But Tusk starkly set out what’s at stake in today’s talks, as he tells reporters that “Polish independence would be under threat if it turns out that as a consequence of poor decisions or a lack of action from Europe, Ukraine war forced to surrender.”

“I want this to finally sink in for everyone – not just for our colleagues here in Europe, but for everyone in Poland as well – that when we talk about the necessity of supporting Ukraine using these Russian funds, it is because we know full well that Ukrainian independence pushes the risk of aggression or war away from Polish borders. Conversely, the fall of Ukraine as a result of this war would mean a direct threat to Poland,” he says.

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Updated at 14.12 CET

EU proposes new draft language to convince Belgium, but it’s all yet to be confirmed – snap analysis

Jennifer Rankin

in Brussels

The EU would act in “full solidarity” with Belgium and other member states affected by any fallout from the reparations loan, according to a draft summit text.

Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever reacts as he arrives at a round table ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels. Photograph: John Thys/AFP/Getty Images

Belgium, which holds most of the €210bn frozen Russian assets in the EU, has said it will not sign up to a reparations loan for Ukraine unless it has unlimited guarantees the rest of the union will help pay the bill if Moscow is successful in suing for its money.

The latest version of the summit communique, seen by the Guardian, shows that EU officials striving to convince the Belgians.

“The European Union will act in full solidarity with affected member states and financial institutions in the EU in the context of the reparations loan.”

The text promises “EU solidarity and risk sharing among all member states providing guarantees proportional to the size of their economy” and notes that some support could be for non-military purposes.

This underlines that not all member states, i.e, Hungary and Slovakia, support a reparations loan and therefore the guarantees that go with it. The text also offers a way to involve neutral states, such as Ireland, who provide non-lethal military and civilian aid only to Ukraine.

It also states the guarantees would have no impact on how member states account for their national debt – a crucial point as several EU countries are already in special measures for excessive government debt and deficits.

And it stresses the importance of “burden sharing and coordination of efforts with G7 and other like-minded partners”. That means the EU wants other countries holding Russian assets – the UK, Japan, Canada, Switzerland and Norway, for instance – to follow suit if leaders agree to tap the assets as the basis for a loan.

All these points and many more remain in square brackets, the negotiating shorthand for to be confirmed…

We will find out later, probably much later, if Belgium is convinced.

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Meanwhile, the farmers’s protest in Brussels turned more confrontational, as protesters threw potatoes at the riot police at Esplanade Solidarność 1980 and Place du Luxembourg, near the European Parliament.

A farmer throws a potato near the European Parliament in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesProtesters throw potatoes at the riot police at the entrance to the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and proposed trade agreements, in Brussels. Photograph: Emile Windal/Belga/ShutterstockProtesters throw potatoes at the riot police at the entrance to the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and proposed trade agreements, in Brussels. Photograph: Emile Windal/Belga/ShutterstockFarmers stand next to potatoes and a tractor parked in front of the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesShare

Russia warns it will ‘recover damages’ on its assets with ‘lost profits’ on frozen assets

Meanwhile, and the timing is not accidental I think, Russia’s central bank has just made it very clear what it thinks about the discussions in Brussels.

In a short press statement right on cue, it said that “in connection with the ongoing attempts … to illegaly seize and use” its assets, it just wanted to warn everyone that would take legal actions to “recover damages from European banks in a Russian arbitration court,” demanding not just the value of “illegally withheld assets,” but also “lost profits.”

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The leaders have now moved on to discussions on EU enlargement, we’re told.

But fear not, they will come back to Ukraine and loans.

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Metsola also says that if the EU leaders make a decision on the reparations loan today, the European Parliament would be in position to progress it further at its first sitting in January, fast-tracking it through the urgency procedure.

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Ukraine war must be ‘not simply postponed, but ended,’ EU’s Metsola says

Briefing the press after her chat with leaders this morning, European Parliament’s Roberta Metsola says “we need to keep the momentum, we need to stand united with our Ukrainian partners.”

She says the focus is on taking decisive actions to “make sure that this war is not simply postponed, but ended, and it requires strong and robust security guarantees that will ensure Ukraine’s security, and, ultimately, Europe’s security.”

She says today is the “crunch day” for taking decisions on financing Ukraine.

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‘Peace is not cheap, it’s priceless,’ European Council’s chair Costa says welcoming Zelenskyy

Posting a snap from inside the room, European Council president António Costa confirms the “exchange” with Zelenskyy is now under way.

He says:

“Peace is not cheap. It is priceless.

Since the start of Russia’s aggression, the people of Ukraine have been paying the ultimate price for their freedom. Europe remains resolute in supporting them for as long as it takes.

Dear President @ZelenskyyUa, welcome back to the #EUCO.”

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The first item on the agenda, “an exchange” (that’s Brussels speak for, erm, a discussion) with European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, is now done, and so the leaders are now moving on to the second point: their chat with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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Updated at 12.19 CET

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AP Photo/File

Arnett reported on the Vietnam and Gulf Wars during his career (pictured here in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1963)

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and war correspondent Peter Arnett has died at the age of 91, US media has reported.

Arnett won the international prize in 1996 for his Vietnam War coverage at the Associated Press (AP). But he was also well known for his work at CNN, having become a household name while reporting on the first Gulf War.

His career spanned decades and covered several conflicts in countries including Iraq, Vietnam and El Salvador.

The New Zealand-born journalist died on Wednesday surrounded by family and friends in California, his son told reporters. He was receiving hospice care for prostate cancer.

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett also took photographs while on assignment with troops – like this one from Vietnam in 1965

Arnett first worked for AP as a wire-service correspondent in Vietnam, from 1962 until the war’s end in 1975, often accompanying troops on missions.

At a talk in 2013, he recalled the moment he witnessed a soldier being shot in Vietnam as he paused to read a map.

“As the colonel peered at it, I heard four loud shots as bullets tore through the map and into his chest, a few inches from my face,” Arnett told the American Library Association.

“He sank to the ground at my feet.”

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

His reporting and photographs, including this one of workers in Ho Chi Minh City in 1972, showed the reality on the ground

The journalist left AP in 1981 to join US outlet CNN, where he later became known for his work on the first Gulf War.

He was one of the few Western reporters to stay in Baghdad, according to AP, with one of his first broadcasts from the city being interrupted by the sounds of missiles and air-raid sirens.

“There was an explosion right near me, you may have heard,” he once exclaimed live on-air.

While in Iraq, he interviewed then-president Saddam Hussein. Writing about the experience in the Roanoke Times, Arnett said he had decided to be “as tough in my questioning as the situation would allow”.

He continued: “I was not intimidated by the prospect of encountering the man many had called ‘The Butcher of Baghdad’. I figured he could do no worse to me than the constant bombing of Baghdad was threatening to do.”

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett visited Pyongyang, North Korea, in 1979, taking this photograph of children performing for then-UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim

In 1997, Arnett became the first Western journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden at a secret hideout in Afghanistan, a few years before the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US.

According to several US media reports, when asked about his plans, Bin Laden told Arnett: “You’ll see them and hear about them in the media, God willing.”

Arnett later worked for NBC and was famously sacked by the broadcaster after giving an interview on Iraqi state television, in which he was seen as critical of US military strategy.

He was hired by the Daily Mirror hours later and said he was “in shock” at his dismissal.

“I report the truth of what is happening here in Baghdad and will not apologise for it,” he wrote in the UK paper.

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett provided an inside-look of what was happening in Vietnam throughout his career

Born in 1934 in Riverton, New Zealand, Arnett later naturalised as an American citizen and had lived in southern California since 2014.

Edith Lederer, a former colleague who still works at AP, told the agency: “Peter Arnett was one of the greatest war correspondents of his generation – intrepid, fearless, and a beautiful writer and storyteller.

“His reporting in print and on camera will remain a legacy for aspiring journalists and historians for generations to come.”

Meanwhile, Nick Ut, a retired photographer who worked with Arnett in Vietnam, said he was “like a brother”.

“His death will leave a big hole in my life,” he told AP.

Arnett is survived by his wife Nina Nguyen and their children, Andrew and Elsa.

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Inflation spiked 0.2 percent in November and 2.7 percent in the past 12 months, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report.

The number comes despite President Donald Trump’s persistent claims that prices are declining. The president has consistently said that prices are declining despite the fact that his reciprocal tariffs have caused prices to increase for products made outside the United States.

The report is the first Consumer Price Index report since the end of the government shutdown. The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not collect data in October because of the shutdown.

Despite President Donald Trump’s claims that ‘prices are down,’ the latest Consumer Price Index report showed inflation jumped. (AP)

The index for food rose by 0.1 percent over the past two months ending in November and by 2.6 percent in the past year. But the increase was more pronounced for products such as bananas, which rose 6.7 percent in the past year; beef and veal, which rose by 15.8 percent; and coffee, which rose 18.8 percent in the last year.

Trump has tried to stave off some of the pinch from the tariffs. Last month, he rolled back tariffs on products including coffee, citrus fruits and other food last month, though continued to defend tariffs.

During his White House address, the president doubled down on his use of tariffs.

“Much of this success has been accomplished by tariffs, my favorite word, tariffs, which for many decades have been used successfully by other countries against us, but not anymore,” he said.

The index for energy also rose 1.1 percent in the past month and increased 4.2 percent in the past 12 months. This comes despite the fact the president has persistently pushed for more oil exploration.

The index for all products except for food and energy rose 0.2 percent in the past two months. The index for shelter rose 0.2 percent.

The index for rent rose 3 percent in the last 12 months and the owner’s equivalent of rent rose 3.4 percent in the past year.

This comes as other economic indicators show signs of an economy slowing down. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its jobs report for November showing the economy added only 64,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate ticking up.

In his address to the nation on Wednesday evening, the president insisted that prices were falling despite evidence to the contrary.

“Wages are up, prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before. We are poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” Trump said in a Wednesday evening address.

This comes as polling shows Americans do not trust the president on inflation.

The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll published this week showed that 57 percent of respondents disapproved of the president’s handling of the economy and only 36 percent of Americans approve of his handling. And only about 30 percent of Americans said the cost of living in their area is affordable.

This comes despite the president persistently saying that “affordability” is a “hoax” as many Democrats ranging from New Jersey’s Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill and New York City’s incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani winning their races because of their persistent campaigning on the subject.

The number also comes as Americans face another potential price increase. At the end of the month, at least 22 million Americans who receive their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchange will see their premiums increase when enhanced tax credits expire.

The House of Representatives is set to leave town on Thursday without holding a vote to extend the credits.

-Andrew Feinberg and Brendan Rascius contributed reporting

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NEED TO KNOW

• Broadway’s 2025 season highlighted bold, risk-taking performances, from solo acts to powerful ensemble casts
• Sarah Snook and Jonathan Groff were among those who delivered standout roles, earning acclaim for their transformative stage presence
• Liberation‘s all-female stars and Purpose‘s perfect cast showcased the power of collective storytelling

Broadway had plenty of big swings this year, but the performances that stuck out weren’t about spectacle alone.

Whether in quiet dramas like John Proctor Is the Villain or crowd-pleasing musicals like Just in Time, the actors who treaded the boards in the second half of the 2024-2025 season and the first half of the 2025-2026 season locked into their roles so fully that everything around them snapped into focus.

These were stars doing work rooted in clarity, confidence and a deep trust in the material; the kind of performances that only lands when there’s no camera between the actor and the audience.

Some of those moments belonged to individual stars who carried their shows on sheer presence and precision, like Jonathan Groff. Others came from ensembles working in perfect sync like the female cast of Liberation, where every performance sharpened the next and the collective impact mattered more than any single turn.

Across the board, 2025 was a year defined by performers willing to take risks and leave every bit of themselves on the stage.

Take a look at PEOPLE’s top 10 Broadway performances (listed in order of their show’s opening):

The Cast of ‘Purpose’

Alana Arenas, Kara Young, Harry Lennix, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Glenn Davis and Jon Michael Hill in ‘Purpose’.

Marc. J. Franklin

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose landed with the force of a revelation — and its power came from an ensemble working at absolute full tilt. LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Harry Lennix, Jon Michael Hill, Alana Arenas, Morgan Jasper, Glenn Davis and Kara Young (who picked up her third consecutive acting Tony Award for the role) built a family drama that simmered and flared in equal measure, charting a Southern Black household confronted with old wounds, buried secrets and the question of who gets to shape their shared legacy. No single performance dominated; instead, the cast moved with uncanny cohesion, each actor sharpening the stakes for the next. It was a masterclass in collaborative storytelling — proof that sometimes the most thrilling performance of the year belongs not to one star, but to an ensemble breathing the same fire.

Sarah Snook in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

Sarah Snook in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’.

Marc Brenner

It wasn’t enough for Sarah Snook to play just one role for her Broadway debut; she had to tackle 26! In this thrilling one-woman production of Oscar Wilde’s gothic horror, the Succession star fearlessly executed a theatrical high-wire act, cycling through every character in the story with razor-sharp precision and breathtaking balance. Technology multiplied her presence, but Snook’s talent remained the centerpiece. It was a mesmerizing, tour-de-force turn that rightfully earned her a Tony and recharged this 135-year-old classic.

Jasmine Amy Rogers in ‘BOOP! The Musical’

Jasmine Amy Rogers in ‘BOOP! The Musical’.

Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

BOOP! revived Betty Boop for a new generation, but its real magic trick was turning Jasmine Amy Rogers into a star right before our eyes. As the iconic cartoon come to life, the newcomer radiated a fizzy, irresistible charm, grounding all of director Jerry Mitchell’s high-concept whimsy with real emotional warmth and a comic charm to irresistible to resist. Her voice was bright, agile and packed with firepower, snapping each number into place with show-stealing confidence. It was a breathtaking Broadway debut; the kind that makes you realize you’re watching a star take shape in real time.

Sadie Sink in ‘John Proctor is the Villain’

Sadie Sink in ‘John Proctor Is the Villain’.

Julieta Cervantes

Sadie Sink brought a different kind of action to Broadway. After fighting monsters in the Upside Down, the Stranger Things star returned to the lights of the rialto for the first time in a decade in John Proctor Is the Villain, playing Shelby — a high school junior caught in a classroom reckoning over power, gender and truth. It was a performance Sink played with a sharply tuned emotional awareness that made every moment of Shelby’s anger, confusion and dawning clarity feel painfully real. By the time the character finally found her voice, Sink had delivered one of the season’s most quietly devastating performances: intimate, fearless and hard to shake.

Jonathan Groff in ‘Just in Time’

Jonathan Groff in ‘Just in Time’.

Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Jonathan Groff tears into Broadway’s hit Bobby Darin bio-musical with a volcanic, full-body performance that never lets up. Sweaty, breathless and gloriously alive, the Tony Award-winning actor electrically captures the “Mack the Knife” crooner’s nightclub-animal magnetism while showing off his own knockout musical talent, emotional range and irresistible presence. Oh, and he does it all while working the room with a fearless, up-close presence, pulling the crowd into the action with him. This is a star working at full burn, who leaves the stage sizzling in his wake.

Catch him in the show through Sunday, March 29, 2026.

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Jinkx Monsoon in ‘Oh, Mary!’

Evan Zimmerman for Murphymade

Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary! is a deliriously unhinged comic fever dream, and Jinkx Monsoon tore through it with total command. As a boozy, attention-hungry Mary Todd Lincoln, the two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner delivered a performance so precisely chaotic, it felt like a master class in comic control. She moved at lightning speed between wounded, wicked and wickedly funny, conducting the audience with every raised eyebrow and deadpan pause. Every line landed with that signature Jinkx timing — sly, lethal and impossibly precise — confirming once again that she’s one of the most versatile talents working on the stage today. 

Monsoon returns to Oh, Mary! from Jan. 8, 2026 to Feb. 1.

Joshua Henry in ‘Ragtime’

Matthew Murphy

Every actor in the Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Ragtime is working at the top of their game, but there’s a moment in “New Music” where Joshua Henry breaks out from the pack. As Coalhouse Walker Jr. tries to get his estranged love Sarah to forgive him, Henry sings a note so resonant that it doesn’t just inspire Sarah to come downstairs and embrace him — it also makes you want to get out of your seat and do the same! From there, Henry’s performance only deepens. He plays Coalhouse with a quiet, righteous resolve that gradually tightens into heartbreak, fury and hard-won grace. And in every song, that unmistakable Henry baritone channels Coalhouse’s passion and pain so clearly, his story becomes the production’s beating heart. 

Ragtime is now playing through June 14, 2026 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.

The Women of ‘Liberation’

Betsy Aidem, Kristolyn Lloyd, Irene Sofia Lucio, Adina Verson, Audrey Corsa and Susannah Flood in the Broadway production of ‘Liberation’.

Little Fang

Liberation thrives on the courage and unity of its ensemble. Led by Susannah Flood and joined by Betsy Aidem, Audrey Corsa, Kayla Davion, Kristolyn Lloyd, Irene Sofia Lucio and Adina Verson, the cast delivers a performance built on trust, precision and shared purpose. Set around a 1970s consciousness-raising group and braided with present-day reflection, the play asks its characters to strip themselves down — emotionally, politically and, at one charged moment, literally — in service of examining power, identity and the cost of hard-won freedom. Each woman brings a distinct voice to the work, moving seamlessly between humor and heartbreak while never losing sight of the collective whole. Together, they make Liberation a powerful reminder that some of the year’s most essential performances come from artists willing to stand fully seen and fully together.

Liberation is in performances at the James Earl Jones Theatre through Feb. 1, 2026.

Kristin Chenoweth in ‘The Queen of Versailles’

Julieta Cervantes

Say what you will about The Queen of Versailles; the musical may have felt like it was still under construction, but Kristin Chenoweth’s performance supplied the Stephen Schwartz show with a sturdy foundation that kept it standing. As Florida socialite Jackie Siegel, the Tony winner opened the show with a glossy, glam promise and then — echoing Siegel’s still-unfinished 90,000-square-foot mansion — let the cracks surface, exposing the desperation, ambition and heartbreak under all that shine. Most impressively, she did all of that while ditching her signature wink-to-the-audience comedic broadness, opting instead for something quieter and more lived-in. It was a sharply focused turn, powered by vocals that cut cleanly through the musical’s excess. Sometimes, one singular performance can still carry a show.

The Queen of Versailles closes at the St. James Theatre on Dec. 21.

Nicholas Christopher in ‘Chess’

Matthew Murphy

Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit may be the marquee names powering this starry revival, but Nicholas Christopher is the one who walks away with the show. As Russian chess champ Anatoly Sergievsky, Christopher carries himself with a controlled, almost haunted calm, as if every move on the chessboard lands somewhere deep inside him. The moment he sings, though, the restraint shatters — his rich, muscular voice rising with such force and clarity you can feel the character’s entire inner life snap into focus. It’s a revelatory, star-making performance that reintroduces the stage veteran as a bankable Broadway talent. 

Honorable Mentions

Natalie Venetia Belcon in ‘Buena Vista Social Club’.

Matthew Murphy 

• Natalie Venetia Belcon, whose Tony-winning performance in Buena Vista Social Club carried quiet authority and gravitas, anchoring the show with a presence that’s both restrained and deeply felt.
• George Clooney showed that his screen charisma translates effortlessly to the stage with his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck.
• Lea Salonga and Bernadette Peters in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, for turning an evening of Sondheim into a celebration of Broadway history in motion while proving that greatness doesn’t dim — it deepens.
• Robyn Hurder proved she’s this generation’s Chita Rivera, embodying the true meaning of being a triple-threat talent with her star-making role in SMASH.
• Louis McCartney, who hurls himself headfirst into Stranger Things: The First Shadow, giving the blockbuster stage event its bruised, human center.

Louis McCartney in ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’.

Manuel Harlan

• Andrew Durand, for spending half of Dead Outlaw standing motionless onstage. Who knew stillness could be such a daring performance choice that made the show’s tension and emotional release land even harder?
• Rebecca Naomi Jones offered luminous work in Hadestown, adding a fresh voice to a role audiences thought they already knew.
• Will Harrison, whose ferocious commitment in Punch made the play’s violence, vulnerability and reckoning impossible to ignore.
• Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock‘s fierce, tightly coiled work in Little Bear, Ridge Road turned a family drama — which closes on Dec. 21 — into something quietly devastating.
• Mark Strong and Lesley Manville bring towering gravitas and emotional precision to Oedipus, anchoring the tragedy with devastating authority.
• June Squibb makes history in Marjorie Prime, the 96-year-old filling every moment of the heartbreaking drama with quiet wisdom and aching humanity.

Want to buy a ticket to a Broadway show? Check out PEOPLE’s guide to getting the best seats at the best price — without the drama!

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A ‘diabolical’ Wizard of Oz show charging £75 for tickets was hit with mass audience walk-outs and demands for refunds – as attendees branded it the ‘worst they’ve ever seen’.

Inept performers injuring themselves, random breaks in the action and a bizarrely suggestive cucumber scene were among the complaints from the Brighton performance – and now the producer has spoken out to defend the show.

Wicked Wizard Of Oz: A Cirque Spectacular showed at Brighton Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday this week as part of its UK tour, where tickets cost between £30 and £75.

The production company, World’s Biggest Productions, touted it as a ‘breath-taking’ interpretation where ‘panto meets Cirque’.

But audience members disagreed, complaining they were misled by false advertising and that the spectacle fell well short of their expectations.

The show got off to a flat start, and things only went downhill from there, according to a number of scathing reviews from the first night.

The Wizard himself opened the performance with a rendition of Happy Birthday on the piano whilst ‘technical faults’ were ironed out backstage.

Things finally got moving with an odd scene where two cowboys took turns to stack cardboard boxes on top of each other.

Wicked Wizard Of Oz: A Cirque Spectacular received a barrage of scathing reviews after its showing in Brighton this week

Audience members complained of amateur performers and unexplained lulls in the action at Brighton Centre

David Parker from Crawley, who watched the show with his partner and daughter, said the show was ‘so bad it was laughable’.

‘One performer did six tumbles and got five wrong,’ he told BBC Radio Sussex.

The group walked out ten minutes into the second half at the insistence of Mr Parker’s nine-year-old daughter.

He recalled one actor ‘eating a cucumber and spitting it on another performer’, and another ‘using a cucumber in a very provocative manner’.

Deborah Collins, another unfortunate spectator, made a break for it even earlier.

‘My husband and I left at the interval. I have never left a show early, it was that bad,’ she told The Argus.

‘It was an amateur production, completely mis-advertised. We thought we were sneaking out until we got to the foyer and saw hundreds had also decided to leave.’

Mike Naunton told the publication the show was ‘absolutely diabolical’. 

‘I would guess half the audience left during or before the interval,’ he added.

Meanwhile, James Macmillan said the sound was ‘appalling’ and the dancing was ‘awful’.

‘I have seen better at a holiday hotel in Turkey,’ he said.

Some of the dissatisfied reviews left in Facebook comments

For Georgina Alexandra, the cucumber scene was the final straw – which she referred to as a ‘gloryhole skit’.

Katherine Hollisey-McClean, reviewing the show for Sussex World, lamented having to stay for the whole performance.

She wrote: ‘After just 15 minutes of this bizarre panto/circus/musical, I really wanted to [leave].’

The journalist recalled the performance grinding to a halt for ten minutes while The Greatest Showman blared over an empty stage, before the cast reappeared without explanation.

The audience could reportedly hear panicked shouting from behind the curtain during the lull.

Keely Beecroft from Seaford was equally unimpressed, insisting the ‘awful’ show was a ‘misrepresentation’ of what was advertised.

She told the BBC that the lighting was dodgy and one of the acrobats even injured themselves during their tumbles.

Production company World’s Biggest Productions touted the show as a ‘breath-taking’ interpretation where ‘panto meets Cirque’

One of the performers reportedly injured themselves in a fudged acrobatics move

The disastrous reviews continued on the Ticketmaster website, where on wrote: ‘This must be the worst production I’ve seen in a long time.

‘As I’m writing this, it is only halfway through and so many people have walked out.’

Another wrote: ‘Childish. The “acrobats” were very basic.

‘Lots of people left early and we didn’t even make it to half time. We feel conned.’

As the reviews piled up, Jon Conway, the show’s producer, was forced to speak out and explain the shambles.

He said: ‘Wicked Wizard Of Oz: A Cirque Spectacular opened its tour three weeks ago to great critical acclaim and fantastic audience reviews at the Winter Gardens Blackpool.

‘Due to unforeseen technical issues on the first performance in Brighton last night a number of items had to be cut for safety reasons and the show had to start 25 minutes late.

‘We acknowledge that some audience members were disappointed and will be contacting them.

‘However, more than two thousand people gave the show a rapturous reception at the finale and all issues have been resolved for tonight’s sell out performance.’

Daily Mail has contacted World’s Biggest Productions for comment.

Some had better assessments of the show

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