WORLD NEWS
Three killed after Russia launches ‘massive’ attack across Ukraine
Alex Smithand
Mohamed Madi,Kyiv
Watch: BBC correspondent at the scene of Kyiv drone attack
Russia carried out a “massive” overnight attack on several Ukrainian cities, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, a day after he warned of strikes over the Christmas period.
At least three people were killed, according to Ukrainian officials, including a four-year-old child, while energy infrastructure was also targeted, leaving several regions without power.
Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said, adding that 621 of them were downed.
Zelensky said “people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe” in the run-up to Christmas, and said the strikes sent “an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities” despite ongoing peace talks.
He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “still cannot accept that he must stop killing. And that means that the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia”.
Zelensky had previously warned it was in the Kremlin’s “nature” to “carry out massive attacks” during the festive period.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Local authorities in the central Zhytomyr region confirmed a child’s death.
Regional head Vitaly Bunechko said the child “was taken to hospital, doctors fought for (the child’s) life but could not save (the child) in the end”. Five others were injured in the strike, he added.
Meanwhile, a 76-year-old woman was killed and three people injured when a house in the Kyiv region was struck, according to Ukraine’s state emergencies service.
An attack in Khmelnytskyy, western Ukraine, killed a 72-year-old, regional administration head Serhiy Tyurin said.
Polish fighter jets were scrambled in response to missiles and drones targeting west Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said it had targeted Ukrainian “military-industrial complex plants and supporting energy facilities”. It added that all the designated targets had been hit.
Meanwhile, Ukraine reportedly struck a petrochemical plant in Stravropol, southern Russia.
Videos shared by Russian media channels online showed large flames rising from the direction of the plant.
The region’s governor, Vladimir Vladimirov, said a Ukrainian drone hit the plant and sparked a fire. No casualties were reported and residential buildings were left undamaged.
Reuters
Emergency responders work at the site of a Russian drone strike on an apartment building in the Ukrainian capital
With temperatures expected to fall to as low as -7C on Wednesday, Ukraine’s energy operator warned of emergency power shutdowns “in all regions” and urged people to use energy “sparingly”.
Acting energy minister Artem Nekrasov said it was the ninth large attack on Ukraine’s energy system this year, and that supply in the Rivne, Ternopil and Khmelnytsky regions has been “almost completely” lost.
Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko told the BBC World Service that some areas could be without power “for days”.
The main focus of Russian attacks in recent days has been the southern port city of Odesa, which comes after Vladimir Putin threatened to sever Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea.
The Russian president made the threat in retaliation for Ukrainian drone attacks on tankers belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet”, vessels used to move goods including oil which are under Western sanctions.

In the Ukrainian capital, many suspect the overnight attack is linked to Monday’s killing of a top Russian general after a car bomb exploded in Moscow.
Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov – the head of the armed forces’ operational training department – died in the blast, which Russia has blamed on Ukraine. Kyiv has not commented.
It also comes after the latest round of US-led diplomatic talks in Miami, where envoys from Washington and Kyiv have been drafting detailed proposals to end the war.
According to Zelensky, the US had proposed a Christmas truce but Russia rejected the idea.
Zelensky said he received a progress report on the talks on Tuesday morning, and that “several draft documents have now been prepared”, including a basic framework to end the war, future security guarantees for Ukraine, and on the country’s post-war recovery.
Putin was also due to be briefed by his envoy Kirill Dmitriev on Tuesday on the latest discussions with Washington.
WORLD NEWS
UK police drop probe into Bob Vylan’s chants about Israeli military | Music News
Police say there is ‘insufficient evidence’ to bring charges after investigating comments made at Glastonbury festival.
Published On 23 Dec 2025
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British police have said they will take no further action over comments made by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan about the Israeli military during a performance at the Glastonbury music festival in June.
Avon and Somerset Police said on Tuesday that the remarks did not meet the criminal threshold required for prosecution “for any person to be prosecuted”.
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During the performance, the group’s lead singer – Pascal Robinson-Foster, known by his stage name Bobby Vylan – led chants of “death, death” directed at the Israeli military over its genocidal war in Gaza.
Police said there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction”. The force added that it interviewed a man in his mid-30s and contacted about 200 members of the public as part of the investigation.
The chant, which was livestreamed by the BBC as part of its Glastonbury coverage on June 28, prompted a widespread backlash. The broadcaster later apologised for transmitting what it described as “such offensive and deplorable behaviour”, and its complaints unit found the BBC had breached editorial guidelines.
Avon and Somerset Police said it had considered the intent behind the words, the wider context, relevant case law and freedom of expression issues before concluding the investigation.
“We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated, every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered, and we sought all the advice we could to ensure we made an informed decision,” the statement said.
“The comments made on Saturday 28 June drew widespread anger, proving that words have real-world consequences.”
Following the performance, the United States revoked the visas of Bob Vylan, forcing the cancellation of a planned US tour scheduled to begin in October.
Bob Vylan have launched defamation proceedings against Irish broadcaster RTE, alleging it falsely claimed they led anti-Semitic chants during the Glastonbury performance.
In July, the British police also dropped an investigation into the Irish-language rap group Kneecap after chants of “Free Palestine” during a performance.
Detectives sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service and decided to take no further action, citing “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
WORLD NEWS
Demands for more details from US justice department after newly released Epstein files mention Donald Trump – live | Jeffrey Epstein
Schumer demands DoJ release details on ‘at least ten Epstein co-conspirators’
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has called on the justice department to release details on “at least ten potential Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators” it was looking at and why they did not prosecute.
Schumer said in a statement:
Buried in the Epstein files is an email disclosing the Department of Justice was looking into at least ten potential Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators. The Department of Justice needs to shed more light on who was on the list, how they were involved, and why they chose not to prosecute. Protecting possible co-conspirators is not the transparency the American people and Congress are demanding.
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Updated at 18.07 CET
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DOJ ‘looking into validity’ of letter purportedly from Epstein to Larry Nassar that includes reference to Trump
Earlier we reported on a letter that appeared to have been sent by Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar, the US gymnastics team doctor convicted of sexually abusing scores of young gymnasts, while he was in jail.
Moments ago, the Department of Justice said it is looking into the validity of the letter and would follow up as soon as possible. In a post on X, the DOJ added:
In the meantime, three facts stand out:
-The postmark on the envelope is Virginia, not New York, where Jeffrey Epstein was jailed at the time.
-The return address listed the wrong jail where Epstein was held and did not include his inmate number, which is required for outgoing mail.
-The envelope was processed three days AFTER Epstein’s death.
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Updated at 19.41 CET
Edward Helmore
Elsewhere in US politics, former Republican senator Ben Sasse announced that he has terminal stage-four pancreatic cancer in a post on X, calling it a “death sentence”.
Friends – This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.
Ben Sasse in Washington DC in 2020. Photograph: Erin Schaff/Pool via Getty Images
Sasse, 53, represented Nebraska in the US Senate from 2015 to 2023. In 2021, he was among seven Republicans to vote for impeaching Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. The Senate vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.
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Donald Trump also said today in a post on Truth Social that he wanted the next chair of the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates if financial markets are doing well. He added:
Anybody that disagrees with me will never be the Fed Chairman!
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Updated at 19.30 CET
Some Epstein file redactions are being undone with hacks
George Chidi
People examining documents released by the Department of Justice in the Jeffrey Epstein case discovered that some of the file redaction can be undone with Photoshop techniques, or by simply highlighting text to paste into a word processing file.
Un-redacted text from these documents began circulating through social media on Monday evening.
Here’s the full report:
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In other news, the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, hosted by Donald Trump, will be broadcast tonight at 8pm ET. Trump promoted the broadcast of the event, which was recorded earlier this month, earlier today on Truth Social. He wrote:
THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER HONORS will be broadcast tonight, on CBS, and Stream on Paramount+. Tune in at 8 P.M. EST! At the request of the Board, and just about everybody else in America, I am hosting the event. Tell me what you think of my “Master of Ceremony” abilities. If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make “hosting” a full time job? We will be honoring true GREATS in the History of Entertainment: Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, KISS, George Strait, and Gloria Gaynor.
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What we know so far from newly released Epstein files
If you’re just joining us, the day in US politics has been dominated by the latest trove of Jeffrey Epstein documents. Some key things to know include:
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The documents were released overnight on Tuesday and include a claim that Donald Trump was on a flight with Epstein and a 20-year-old woman in the 1990s. There is no indication that the woman was a victim of any crime and being included in the files does not indicate any criminal wrongdoing.
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Another file released is a letter that appears to have been sent by Epstein to Larry Nassar, the US gymnastics team doctor convicted of sexually abusing scores of young gymnasts, while he was in jail.
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The files also include a series of emails between Ghislaine Maxwell and someone who signs himself as “A” and uses the alias “The Invisible Man”. In August 2001, “A” wrote to Maxwell: “I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family”.
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Emails show Maxwell discussing arranging “girls” and “two-legged sight seeing” for a man identified in the correspondence as “The Invisible Man”, who is widely believed to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. In a February 2002 email exchange about a proposed trip to Peru, Maxwell forwards messages from Juan Estoban Ganoza outlining possible activities, including visiting the Nazca Lines.
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The former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley and the ex-US Treasury secretary Larry Summers were appointed as executors of Epstein’s estate, according to a newly released tranche of documents linked to the now-deceased child sex offender.
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Included in the batch of files was a now-deleted fake video that appeared to depict Epstein attempting to end his life. Also in the trove are photos of the fake Austrian passport uncovered from a safe during a 2019 FBI raid of Epstein’s home in Manhattan. There is also a 2021 subpoena to the Mar-a-Lago Club relating to the federal investigation into Maxwell. Also revealed was that the FBI sought to question Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor about his links to a second millionaire sex offender, Peter Nygard.
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The US Department of Justice a rare statement defending the president as it released nearly 30,000 of additional pages of documents related to Epstein. The department said some of the material includes “untrue and sensationalist claims” submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 US election, including allegations made against Trump. The department said the claims are “unfounded and false”.
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Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has called on the justice department to release details on “at least ten potential Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators” it was looking at and why they did not prosecute.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene, a House Republican who is resigning in January after breaking with Donald Trump and many in her party, called the latest Epstein files “horrifying.”
“Trump called me a traitor for fighting him to release the Epstein files and standing with women,” she wrote on X. “Only evil people would hide this and protect those who participated. I pray for these women.”
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The House Democrats on the oversight committee accused the White House of a “cover-up” in a post on X:
The new DOJ documents raise serious questions about the relationship between Epstein and Donald Trump. And why are Epstein’s co-conspirators being protected? What else is the DOJ hiding?
This is a White House cover-up and we are going to end it.
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Updated at 18.40 CET
In another post on X, Chuck Schumer responded to a the letter that appears to have been written by Jeffrey Epstein and sent to Larry Nassar, calling it “disgusting and abhorrent – and just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Everything must be brought to light,” the Democrat wrote.
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Schumer demands DoJ release details on ‘at least ten Epstein co-conspirators’
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has called on the justice department to release details on “at least ten potential Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators” it was looking at and why they did not prosecute.
Schumer said in a statement:
Buried in the Epstein files is an email disclosing the Department of Justice was looking into at least ten potential Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators. The Department of Justice needs to shed more light on who was on the list, how they were involved, and why they chose not to prosecute. Protecting possible co-conspirators is not the transparency the American people and Congress are demanding.
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Updated at 18.07 CET
Nicola Slawson
Newly released Epstein files show that the FBI sought to question Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor about his links to a second millionaire sex offender, Peter Nygard.
In a request for mutual legal assistance sent to UK authorities in April 2020, US officials asked British police to help obtain answers from Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, about visits to Nygard’s Bahamas estate, known as Nygard Cay, and whether he had seen any girls under the age of 18 there.
The documents state that investigators believed he may have information relevant to an inquiry into Nygard’s alleged involvement in an international sex trafficking operation.
Nygard was sentenced last year to 11 years in prison in Canada for sexual assaults committed between the 1980s and early 2000s, with further proceedings ongoing in the US and Canada.
The same request shows US prosecutors were also seeking to question Mountbatten-Windsor about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including any sexual or romantic relationships with women met through them and any financial dealings between the parties.
There is no suggestion that the request indicated criminal wrongdoing.
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Jes Staley and Larry Summers made executors of Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, files reveal
Kalyeena Makortoff
The former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley and the ex-US Treasury secretary Larry Summers were appointed as executors of Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, according to a newly released tranche of documents linked to the now-deceased child sex offender.
Filings published today by the DOJ included various versions of Epstein’s last will and testament, which showed the financier intended to hand responsibility of managing his affairs to associates including the two high-profile men in the event of his death.
Staley’s name initially appears in a 2012 version of Epstein’s will, but as a “successor executor”, meaning he would be required to handle Epstein’s affairs only if others were unable to carry out their duties. However, he appears as a full executor in later versions, dated 2013 and 2014. Summers is also named in the 2014 will as a successor executor, the filings show.
Neither Summers nor Staley are in what appears to be the final version of Epstein’s will in 2019. The well-connected financier died in prison in August 2019, while awaiting trial over child sex trafficking charges.
The newly released filings will raise further questions about the depth of the two men’s relationships with Epstein, with Staley having already been banned from the UK banking sector for playing down his relationship with the convicted child sex offender.
Summers, an economist and former US Treasury secretary, stepped down from a teaching role at Harvard in November after a previous tranche of documents suggested he stayed in contact with Epstein well into 2019, and ceased shortly before Epstein was arrested in July of that year.
More on this story here:
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Updated at 18.06 CET
New trove includes 2021 Mar-a-Lago subpoena related to Maxwell investigation
Included in the new batch of files is a 2021 subpoena to the Mar-a-Lago Club relating to the federal investigation into Ghislaine Maxwell.
Dated 5 October 2021, the subpoena demands “any and all employment records relating to” a person whose name is redacted. Maxwell went on to be convicted on sex trafficking charges in December that year and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
With the documents released without context and explanation, there is no indication whether Mar-a-Lago complied with the demand and what, if anything, was released.
Donald Trump has said that he cut ties with Jeffrey Epstein and expelled him from the private club after he “stole people that worked for me”, later elaborating that they were “people who worked in the spa”. Asked by a reporter if one of the people was Virginia Giuffre, Trump said: “I think that was one of the people, yeah.”
One of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, accused Maxwell of recruiting her from the Mar-a-Lago spa, where she worked when she was 16. It is unclear if the records requested in the subpoena are those of Giuffre.
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US economy grows at fastest pace in two years
Natalie ShermanBusiness reporter
Bloomberg via Getty Images
The US economy picked up speed over the three months to September, as consumer spending jumped and exports increased.
The world’s largest economy expanded at an annual rate of 4.3%, up from 3.8% in the previous quarter. That was better than expected, and marked the strongest growth in two years.
The report, which had been delayed by the US government shutdown, sheds light on an economy that has been buffeted by dramatic changes to trade and immigration policies, as well as persistent inflation and cuts to government spending.
But while that has led to sharp swings in some areas, such as imports and exports, the underlying economy has maintained solid momentum, outperforming many forecasts.
“This is an economy that has defied doom and gloom expectations basically since the beginning of 2022”, said Aditya Bhave, senior economist at Bank of America.
Speaking to the BBC’s Business Today programme, Mr Bhave described the economy as “very very resilient”.
“I don’t see why that wouldn’t continue going forward,” he added.
The overall growth figure for the third quarter of the year was much stronger than expected, with most analysts expecting an annual pace of about 3.2%.
It was lifted by consumer spending that rose at an annual rate of 3.5%, compared with 2.5% in the previous quarter, despite a slowing job market, as households spent more on health care services.
Imports – which count against growth – continued to decline, reflecting the wave of taxes on shipments entering the US that President Donald Trump announced this spring.
Meanwhile exports, which had dropped sharply, bounced back, surging by 7.4%. Government spending also rebounded, driven by defence outlays.
Those gains helped to overcome a slowdown in business investment, including in intellectual property, and a housing market struggling under the weight of still-high interest rates, which have heightened affordability issues and supply constraints.
Michael Pearce, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said the economy was well positioned as it headed into 2026, when it will start to feel the boost from tax cuts and the US central bank’s recent moves to drop interest rates.
“Underlying measures are consistent with a solid expansion,” he said.
In a post on social media, Trump celebrated the figures, saying his tariffs were responsible. He has been on the defensive amid souring consumer confidence and polls indicating dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy.
However, some analysts warned that rising prices faced by some households could make it difficult to sustain the unusually strong pace of growth seen in the most recent quarter.
Over the three months to September, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures price index, ticked up 2.8%, compared with 2.1% in the previous quarter, according to the report.
Analysts have warned that those price increases are weighing on lower and middle income households, even as higher income households continue to spend freely.
Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, noted that some more recent surveys and credit card data suggest that households are reining in their spending.
“The weak labour market, stagnant real incomes, and exhaustion of pandemic-era excess savings all seem finally to be catching up with households,” he said.
WORLD NEWS
Greenland PM ‘sad’ over Trump push for US control of island – DW – 12/23/2025
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Tuesday that he is disappointed that US President Donald Trump has been intensifying a push to take control of the autonomous Arctic territory.
In a post on his Facebook page, Nielsen said he is “sad” because Trump had again “reduced our country to a question of security and power.”
Nielsen said Greenland is responsible for its own future, and that its territorial integrity and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination “cannot simply be ignored.”
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but has its own government and parliament.
A poll in January found a majority of Greenland’s 57,000 people favor independence from Denmark, but do not want to be part of the US.
“Greenland is our country. This is where our decisions are made. And at any time I will fight for our freedom and our right to self-determination and shape our future,” Nielsen said.
Trump’s appointment of envoy to Greenland sparks anger
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Why does Trump want Greenland?
Since returning to the White House for his second term, Trump has repeatedly said he wants the US to annex Greenland, despite firm objections from authorities in Greenland and Denmark.
On Sunday, Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the new US special envoy to Greenland to “lead the charge.”
Landry has pledged to make the territory “a part of the US,” even though it is part of Denmark — a US ally and fellow member of NATO.
Copenhagen has since summoned the US ambassador to Denmark over Landry’s remarks.
On Monday, Trump once again insisted that Washington intends to seize Greenland, arguing that the move is meant to protect US interests and not to exploit the territory’s natural resources.
“We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals,” the US leader said. “We have to it.”
Donald Trump continues push for Greenland to join the US
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How have European leaders reacted?
In his Facebook post, Nielsen thanked the people of Greenland for their “calmness and dignity.” He also thanked the territory’s partners and world leaders “who have clearly and unequivocally” backed Greenland.
“The support confirms that we are not alone at home,” he said.
The US’ intentions with Greenland have angered many of its allies in Europe.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Monday that the move to appoint Landry had “deeply angered” him as he warned the White House to respect Danish sovereignty.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union stands in “full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said, “Greenland belongs to its people. Denmark stands as its guarantor. I join my voice to that of Europeans in expressing our full solidarity.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and French President Emmanuel Macron (from L-R) in Greenland, June 2025Image: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP/picture alliance
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
WORLD NEWS
ISIS terror plot targeting UK Jews in Manchester foiled, 3 men convicted
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A foiled ISIS-inspired terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community has renewed fears over Jewish safety in Britain, after three men were convicted on Tuesday of planning a mass-casualty gun attack. English authorities said the Manchester case exposed a highly advanced ISIS-inspired terror plot that could have become the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history
Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted at Preston Crown Court of planning a firearms attack against Jewish targets in Manchester. A third man, Saadaoui’s brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, was convicted of failing to disclose information about the plot, according to the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS.)
Prosecutors said the men planned a marauding gun attack using military-style weapons. Saadaoui paid an initial deposit toward the purchase of four AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, funds raised after selling his home and business. The plot was uncovered through an undercover police operation, and Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take possession of weapons and ammunition, the CPS said.
MOSSAD–EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION LAUNCHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK
Brothers Walid (left) and Bilel Saadaoui (bottom right) and another man, Amar Hussein have been convicted in connection with a foiled terrorist plot intended to target the Jewish community in Greater Manchester. (Greater Manchester Police)
Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the plan could have become “the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history,” warning that an assault on crowded Jewish sites would have had “catastrophic” consequences, according to Sky News.
According to the prosecution, Saadaoui admired Hamid al-Abaoud, the ISIS operative who led the deadly 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, and sought to replicate a similar style of mass murder. The court heard that Saadaoui told an undercover officer he wanted to kill “young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot,” and described Christian victims as “a bonus,” Sky News reported.
Prosecutors said the men planned to move between locations and intended to kill police officers who might respond to the attack. Saadaoui and Hussein also traveled to the White Cliffs of Dover in March and May 2024 to observe port security, believing they were surveilling how weapons would be brought into the U.K., according to the CPS.
The plot was disrupted on May 8, 2024, when Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take delivery of firearms and ammunition during the undercover operation. Sky News reported that police body-worn camera footage showed armed officers arresting him moments after the handover.
POLAND FOILS ISIS-TYPE BOMB PLOT AS SYDNEY ATTACK TRIGGERS UK, EUROPE TERROR ALERTS
Surveillance image showing Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, pictured near Dover, as they have been found guilty at Preston Crown Court of plotting to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community, in Britain, in this handout surveillance image dated May 8, 2025. (Greater Manchester Police/Reuters)
Sky News also reported that intelligence sources said MI5 believed Saadaoui had previously been in contact with a British extremist who left the U.K. to join ISIS in 2013.
Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury the plan “hardly had the innocence of a teddy bear picnic,” describing it as a deliberate attempt to inflict mass civilian casualties, Sky News reported.
The foiled plot revived painful memories in a city that has already suffered major terrorist attacks.
Manchester was the site of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, when an ISIS-inspired suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert, the deadliest terror attack in the U.K. since the July 7, 2007, one in London.
More recently, counterterrorism police responded to an attack outside a synagogue in Manchester in October when an assailant rammed pedestrians and stabbed worshipers during Yom Kippur services, killing two Jewish men. British authorities declared the incident a terrorist attack, according to Reuters.
ISIS, IRAN ESCALATING GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS, ISRAEL SPY CHIEF SAYS
Money seized from the home of Bilel Saadaoui, 36, who has been found guilty of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism as two men, Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, have been found guilty on Tuesday of plotting to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community, in Britain, in this handout picture obtained by Reuters on Dec. 23, 2025. (Greater Manchester Police/Handout via Reuters)
The CPS said the foiled ISIS-inspired gun plot targeted an area of north Manchester predominantly occupied by the Jewish community, heightening concerns among security officials about repeated targeting of the same population.
The convictions come as new polling shows a sharp deterioration in British Jews’ sense of security.
A survey published by the Campaign Against Antisemitism in December 2025 found that 51% of British Jews do not believe they have a long-term future in the United Kingdom. According to the poll, 61% said they had considered leaving the country within the past two years, citing antisemitism and safety concerns.
Weapons seized from the home of Walid Saadaoui, 38, who has been found guilty at Preston Crown Court of plotting to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community, in Britain, in this handout picture obtained by Reuters on December 23, 2025. Greater Manchester. (Police/Handout via Reuters)
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The survey also found that 96% of respondents said Jews are less safe in the U.K. than before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, while 59% said they avoid wearing visible signs of Jewish identity in public due to fear of antisemitism.
Confidence in the police and justice system was also low. Only 14% of respondents said police do enough to protect Jewish communities, 8% said the justice system adequately punishes antisemitic crimes, and 7% said prosecutors do enough to bring offenders to justice, the Campaign Against Antisemitism reported.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.
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Mother of Melodee Buzzard arrested after 9-year-old’s body was found: report
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Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

The mother of missing nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard has been taken into custody after the child’s body was founds months after her disappearance, according to new reports.
Ashlee Buzzard, of Lompoc, California, was taken into custody following the results of a DNA test were returned, ABC News reported Tuesday.
Human remains were found in early December in Utah in an area that it was known the youngster had travelled with her mother. The results have now confirmed the remains to belong to Melodee.
Santa Barbara Sheriff’s County Office have yet to release further details. A press conference is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. PT Monday.
Melodee was first reported missing on October 14 when the Lompoc Unified School District reported her prolonged absence.
Deputies who went to the family’s home following the reports of her disappearance said they spoke with Ashlee Buzzard, but “no verifiable explanation for [Melodee’s] whereabouts was provided,” according to the sheriff’s office. Buzzard had not cooperated with the investigation, they added.
In early November the sheriff’s office announced that they’d narrowed their investigation to the timeframe between October 9 and October 10, while the pair were on a multi-state road trip to Nebraska which also included several stops in Utah.
Surveillance images show Melodee, in what appeared to be a wig, alongside her mother at a Lompoc rental car company on October 7. The last confirmed sighting of Melodee came two days later, on October 9, near the Colorado-Utah border.
When her mother returned home on October 10, Melodee was nowhere to be found.
More follows …
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Jeffrey Epstein Wrote Apparent Note to Larry Nassar Claiming Donald Trump Loved ‘Young, Nubile Girls’
NEED TO KNOW
- A note addressed to Larry Nassar, signed by “J. Epstein,” appears to claim that President Donald Trump loved “young, nubile girls”
- The note was postmarked three days after Jeffrey Epstein’s death and appeared to reference his intention to die by suicide
- Epstein apparently wrote, “As you know by now, I have taken the ‘short route home,'” in the hand-written note
- The White House referred PEOPLE to a statement from the Department of Justice that called claims against Trump unfounded and false
A 2019 note signed “J. Epstein” addressed to Larry Nassar, the disgraced Team USA gymnastics doctor who sexually abused scores of women and girls, appeared to reference then-President Donald Trump and claimed the president loved “young, nubile girls.”
The note, apparently handwritten by Jeffrey Epstein while he was in jail awaiting sex trafficking charges, was postmarked on Aug. 13, 2019, three days after the disgraced financier was found dead by suicide in his cell.
The note, addressed to “L.N.,” seems to reference Epstein’s intention to die by suicide.
Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty; JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty; Andrew Harnik/Getty
“As you know by now, I have taken the ‘short route’ home,” the note reads. “Good luck! We share one thing … our love & caring for young ladies at the hope they’d reach their full potential.”
By the time of Epstein’s death, which was during Trump’s first term as president, Nassar had already been sentenced to decades in prison. It is not clear if the two had any prior connection.
Though the note does not mention Trump by name, it does appear to reference him, as he was president at the time of Epstein’s death.
“Our president shares our love of young, nubile girls,” the note reads. “When a young beauty walked by he loved to ‘grab snatch,’ whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the system. Life is unfair. Yours, J. Epstein.”
Reached for comment, the White House referred PEOPLE to a post on X from the Justice Department, which claimed that some of the newly released Epstein files “contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump.”
“To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false,” the post reads. “And if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.”
The Justice Department has released thousands of files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender since Dec. 19, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress and signed by Trump, though some documents have been heavily redacted.
Some photos show Epstein with individuals who appear to be children. Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking for recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein, also appears in several images.
The photos include a number of high-profile figures, such as former President Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Michael Jackson and Kevin Spacey, none of whom are accused of criminal wrongdoing. The images were released without context and have several faces redacted.
Trump was also pictured with Epstein in photos that were taken down from the official website and eventually put back up following backlash.
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The information contained in the files is separate from the thousands of documents given to the House Oversight Committee by Epstein’s estate.
Trump’s name appears multiple times in the emails, including when Epstein questioned the president’s mental state and implied he “knew about the girls” being trafficked.
WORLD NEWS
All the new photos released in latest Epstein files… including girls in white dresses and pedo’s suicide attempt
Disturbing images have emerged showing the aftermath of a possible suicide attempt by Jeffrey Epstein as part of the latest release of files on the disgraced financier.
The new tranche of documents released Tuesday also feature photographs of young girls posing on beds and in long white dresses, and a white cap with the words ‘Trump Princess’ written across the top.
The partially-redacted photographs do not appear to show any famous figures, and the identities of those pictured are all obscured.
Beside the photos, documents from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York where Epstein was being held denote a ‘possible suicide attempt’ in the early hours of July 23, 2019 – six months before his death on August 10, 2019.
The report gives little more information, but includes a photograph of Epstein looking dazed and disheveled. He is laid on his back with his eyes closed in several images. An apparent suicide note by Epstein mentioning Trump is also included in the files.
Documents unearthed in September revealed that Epstein told prison staff that his cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, attacked him on the night of July 23, 2019 – the date of the ‘possible suicide attempt’ outlined in Tuesday’s documents.
The photographs are the latest documents to be published by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) after Congress passed a law mandating their release.
Several famous faces have appeared in the drop so far, including former President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Nobody is identifiable in the latest tranche.
Jeffrey Epstein is pictured after an apparent suicide attempt in July 2019
Epstein is shown in the documents detailing a ‘potential suicide attempt’ in his cell July 2019
The above image shows Epstein’s arms and hands, which appear to be red and swollen after what police believe was a suicide attempt in his cell in July 2019
Beside the photographs, documents from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York where Epstein was being held denote a ‘possible suicide attempt’ in the early hours of July 23, 2019, as shown above – six months before his death on August 10, 2019
A photograph of Epstein’s feet in his cell attached to the document about the ‘possible suicide attempt’
Epstein’s neck and the back of his head after what police believe was a suicide attempt
Newly released Epstein files from the Department of Justice have revealed the disgraced financier’s last correspondence before he was found dead in his cell
The new tranche of documents released Tuesday also feature photographs of young girls
Another image in the Epstein files shows a hat reading ‘Trump Princess’ in an apparent reference to President Donald Trump, who has been pictured with Epstein several times
The images also show some young boys with a man. Nobody can be identified
An image of two young girls with an elephant was also included in the latest Epstein files drop
More disturbing images featuring young girls have emerged in the last drop of the Epstein files
Each person’s identity is obscured by a black rectangle over their face
One image shows a small child standing beside a goat, with a man’s hand on their shoulder
The photographs are the latest documents to be published by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) after Congress passed a law mandating their release
The partially-redacted photographs do not appear to show any famous figures
They show young girls posing on beds and in long white dresses, like the image above
Another tranche of images in the Epstein files was released by the DOJ on Tuesday
The faces of the young women pictured in the latest file release are all redacted
Two men appear in the image above. It’s unclear who they are or when it was taken
Several famous faces have appeared in the drop so far, including President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Nobody is identifiable in the latest tranche
The files include a photograph of the above portraits of a young girl in a vest top, with a note to Epstein reading: ‘Jeffrey – thanks for rocking my world! you’re the best’ written in black marker
None of the young girls can be identified in the images released by the DOJ on Tuesday
Many of the photographs are heavily redacted. Only the shoulders and part of the chest of one unidentified woman is visible in the image above which was released by the DOJ on Tuesday
The image above shows a torso of an unidentified young woman in the latest Epstein file drop
One woman’s legs can be seen as she stands in the ocean in one image from the Epstein files
The images are heavily redacted in the latest Epstein file release by the DOJ on Tuesday
Part of a woman’s legs can be seen as she stands in the ocean in one image from the files
Several more images show young women in the latest Epstein files drop from the DOJ
A woman’s torso is shown in the above image from the release of heavily-redacted photos
WORLD NEWS
Philip Young case police issue urgent update on possible seventh suspect
Cops have said they are hunting a potential seventh suspect in a case in which six men have already been charged with sexual offences against the same woman
SOURCE PAGE
WORLD NEWS
Bondi policeman injured in mass shooting wakes from coma | World News
A police officer injured in the Bondi terror attack has woken from a coma.
Scott Dyson was one of two officers wounded when gunmen opened fire on a crowd at Sydney’s Archer Park on 14 December.
The alleged perpetrators of the attack, which killed 15 people and injured dozens more, were Sajid Akram, 50 – killed by police at the scene – and his 24 year-old son Naveed who was charged with 59 offences.
The pair allegedly threw homemade bombs at the crowd gathering near the beach but these did not detonate.
In a statement, the family of PC Dyson said he had been in a medically-induced coma and undergone surgery “almost daily”.
“Our family would like to share that Scott has been getting stronger each day, and today, he was woken up for the first time,” they said.
“There is still a long way to go in his recovery, but this is a positive sign.
“We would like to thank the public for the support, messages and well wishes shown to Scott and our family during this difficult time.”
More on Bondi Beach Shooting

22-year-old Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert
Pic:State of NSW/PA
Also injured was probationary constable Jack Hibbert, who was just four months into the job when he was shot in the head and shoulder.
He has now been discharged from hospital, his family said.
Read more:
‘Utter panic and chaos’: Site of celebration now a memorial
Timeline of Bondi Beach shooting: How the attack unfolded
“While he is home, he is still recovering and will need space, support, and continued positive thoughts during this time,” they said in a statement.
“As a family, we couldn’t ask for anything more – having our Jack home, especially for Christmas, truly feels like a miracle.”

24-year-old Naveed Akram.
Health bosses said on Tuesday that 12 patients remained in hospital receiving care in the aftermath of the attack.
Four are in a critical but stable condition.
Naveed Akram was transferred from hospital to prison on Monday.
His charges include 40 counts of attempted murder, discharging a firearm intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol, and placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm.
WORLD NEWS
Israel will never fully withdraw from Gaza, defence minister says | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israel Katz says military units will be established inside the Palestinian enclave, in contravention of the truce agreement.
Published On 23 Dec 2025
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Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said the Israeli military will never fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip and that an army unit will be established inside the Palestinian enclave.
Speaking on Tuesday, Katz said Israeli forces would remain deployed throughout Gaza, despite a United States-backed peace plan signed by Israel and Hamas in October that calls for a full Israeli military withdrawal and rules out the re-establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the territory.
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“We are located deep inside Gaza, and we will never leave all of Gaza,” Katz said. “We are there to protect.”
“In due course, we will establish Nahal [an Israeli infantry brigade] outposts in northern Gaza in place of the settlements that were uprooted,” Katz added, according to Israeli media.
Hours later, he issued a statement in English to the Reuters news agency, saying Nahal units would be stationed in Gaza “only for security reasons”. The Israeli media reported that US officials were displeased with Katz’s initial comments and demanded clarification.
Nahal units are military formations that combine civilian service with army enlistment and have historically played a role in the creation of Israeli communities.
Katz was speaking at a ceremony in the occupied West Bank marking the approval of 1,200 housing units in the illegal Israeli settlement of Beit El.
Addressing settlement expansion in the West Bank, Katz said: “Netanyahu’s government is a settlements government … it strives for action. If we can get sovereignty, we will bring about sovereignty. We are in the practical sovereignty era.”
“There are opportunities here that haven’t been here for a long time,” he added.
Israel is expected to head into an election year in 2026, with illegal settlement expansion a key political issue. Far-right and ultranationalist members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition have repeatedly said they intend to reoccupy Gaza and expand illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal. The transfer of an occupying power’s civilian population into occupied territory is considered a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Meanwhile, violence by Israeli forces and settlers has continued across the West Bank, while killings continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire. Palestinian officials say more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed, about 11,000 wounded and more than 21,000 arrested.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that since a ceasefire began on October 11, at least 406 Palestinians have been killed and 1,118 injured. Since the start of Israel’s war on October 7, 2023, the ministry said, 70,942 Palestinians have been killed and 171,195 wounded.
WORLD NEWS
Severe flooding hits towns in south of France – DW – 12/23/2025
Torrential rains set off “exceptional flooding” near the French city of Montpellier, local authorities said on Wednesday.
The floodwaters appear to be receding, but weather alerts are to remain in place until December 24.
No casualties have been reported so far.
What we know about the flooding in southern France
Almost 1,000 homes were left without electricity on Monday evening in the department of Hérault on the south coast, including 520 in Montpellier where parks, gardens, cemeteries, the local zoo and the Christmas market remain closed.
Public transport routes were partly closed off, too, and the prefect of Hérault, Chantal Mauchet, said getting around the region remained difficult.
The highest water levels in the region were recorded just to the south of Montpellier in the coastal town of Agde, where the River Hérault reached more than 11 feet, leading to what forecasters said was likely the worst flooding the region had experienced since November 1994.
Local residents posted footage of flooded promenades along the banks of the river – but no major damage or human casualties were reported.
The French flood warning service Vigicrues reported “exceptional flooding” and issued a red flood warning for the Hérault department – plus orange warnings for the surrounding departments of Aveyron, Lozère and Tarn.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
WORLD NEWS
Europe faces growing backlash over inclusive holiday season changes
‘Modern’ nativity sparks outrage in Belgium
An art installation by German artist Victoria-Maria featuring the Christmas nativity scene with faceless characters. The faceless figures dubbed “zombies” has fueled backlash, vandalism and debate over faith and tradition. (EFE via Reuters Connect.)
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Across Europe, a growing number of local governments, schools and publicly funded institutions are facing backlash over changes to how Christmas is presented, as officials promote what they describe as more “inclusive” approaches to the holiday season.
In Belgium, controversy erupted this month after Brussels unveiled a modern reinterpretation of a traditional nativity scene in the city’s Grand Place. The installation features faceless figures and was promoted as a contemporary and inclusive artistic display. The scene has since been vandalized and sharply criticized by local politicians and residents, according to the Catholic News Agency.
The installation also drew immediate reaction online. Belgian national soccer team player Thomas Meunier sparked widespread reaction on X when he wrote, “We’ve hit rock bottom… and we keep digging,” a post that was shared thousands of times.
TEXAS CHURCH DEPICTS HOLY FAMILY IN CAGE WRAPPED IN BARBED WIRE IN NATIVITY DISPLAY
An artwork by German artist Victoria-Maria featuring the Christmas nativity scene with faceless characters is displayed on the Grand-Place in Brussels on November 28, 2025. (Nicolas TUCAT / AFP via Getty Images)
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close, a member of the Socialist Party, defended the decision at a Friday press conference, arguing that the city was trying to strike a balance during the holiday season. “In this Christmas period, we need to tone it down,” Close said, adding that while Brussels chose to maintain a nativity display, other cities had removed theirs entirely.
“The old Nativity scene had been in use for 25 years and was showing many defects,” Close said. “It was time to take a new direction. We are very happy with Victoria-Maria’s creation, and we want to make sure the artist is not attacked personally.”
The Brussels dispute reflects a broader pattern emerging across Europe as institutions rethink traditional Christmas symbols and language.
Decolonizing Santa
In the United Kingdom, a publicly funded museum sparked outrage after publishing a blog suggesting that Father Christmas should be “decolonized,” according to The Sun. The blog post, which was originally published two years ago, was written by Simone LaCorbinière, the museum’s Joint Head of Culture Change at Brighton and Hove Museums. She argued that the traditional image of Santa Claus was “too white and too male” and criticized the idea of a single figure judging children through a “naughty or nice” list.
CHURCH SPARKS CONTROVERSY WITH EMPTY NATIVITY SCENE AND ICE ENFORCEMENT MESSAGE: ‘POLITICIZING CHRISTMAS’
People take part during the unveiling ceremony of the crib in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on Dec. 24, 2011. (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images)
LaCorbinière urged parents to imagine Santa as a more diverse figure who “celebrates cultural exchange.” “Have Santa learn about different cultures rather than judge them,” she wrote, suggesting stories could show him experiencing different traditions. She also proposed including “Mother Christmases,” arguing that “patriarchy and colonialism went hand in hand.”
The comments drew condemnation from politicians. Senior Conservative Party MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said the initiative was misguided, stating: “At a time of goodwill and festive cheer, it seems woke do-gooders would rather everybody was miserable. This is the worst possible use of taxpayer funds.”
No more Christmas sweaters
Elsewhere in Britain, schools have also faced scrutiny for restricting Christmas-themed clothing or renaming holiday events, according to GB News. Several schools reportedly replaced Christmas sweater days with more generic “winter” or “seasonal” attire to avoid religious references.
People take part in an Ugly Christmas Sweater Run on Dec. 16, 2017 in The Vondelpark in Amsterdam. (Koen Van Weel/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
Christmas music at risk
Debates have also extended to holiday music. According to The Telegraph, Labour’s controversial Employment Rights Bill, which became law last week, places a legal duty on employers to prevent harassment by third parties related to protected characteristics such as religion. Critics argue the law could affect workplace Christmas music, including songs such as “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “Jingle Bells,” all of which have faced renewed criticism in recent years.
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In a statement on X, the head of the U.K.’s Free Speech Union, Lord Young, was quoted as saying, “The Government didn’t listen, insisting we were being alarmist, but a ban on Christmas music and carol singing will be the least of it. Prepare to live in a country in which every hospitality venue is a micromanaged ‘safe space’, overseen by lanyard-wearing banter bouncers. Welcome to Starmer’s Britain.”
Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.
WORLD NEWS
Kate Hudson Talks Discovering Neil Diamond’s Music for ‘Song Sung Blue’ (Exclusive)
NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Hudson tells PEOPLE about leading Song Sung Blue, a biopic about a real-life Neil Diamond tribute band
- Performing and getting to know Diamond’s music was new for Hudson, who says he “wasn’t someone that I grew up with”
- “Having Neil Diamond’s music as the backdrop to play these real-life people, who just were such fans,” says the Golden Globe nominee, was “wonderful”
Kate Hudson’s musical tastes have expanded thanks to none other than Neil Diamond.
The legendary songwriter “wasn’t someone that I grew up with,” the Golden Globe-nominated star of Song Sung Blue admits to PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “So it was a nice discovery for me to get to know his music.”
Hudson got to know the rocker’s music and then some as Claire Sardina, half of the real-life husband-and-wife duo who paid tribute to the “Sweet Caroline” singer by forming a tribute band in the late 1980s.
Starring Hugh Jackman and Hudson, 46, as Mike and Claire Sardina, a.k.a. Milwaukee’s Lightning & Thunder, Song Sung Blue showcases the two actors performing many of Diamond’s hit songs.
“Having Neil Diamond’s music as the backdrop to play these real-life people, who just were such fans,” says Hudson, was “wonderful. And then, watching the movie was just such a joy… I felt like it has a little bit of everything in it. It’s entertaining, but you walk away feeling inspired.”
Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman in ‘Song Sung Blue’.
Courtesy of Focus Features
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“I love that it lacks cynicism. There’s something really pure about this movie,” says Hudson. “It delivers something unexpected to an audience.”
Spoilers for Song Sung Blue‘s true story follow: Written and directed by Craig Brewer and based on Greg Kohs’ documentary of the same name, the biopic chronicles the rise of Lightning & Thunder amid the duo’s romance and hardships. That includes Claire losing part of her leg in a freak car accident and Mike dying in 2006 at age 55 from cardiac issues.
The actress-musician has become close with the real-life Sardina family, including Claire and her kids Rachel and Dayna Cartwright (played onscreen by Ella Anderson and Hudson Hensley). Thanks to Song Sung Blue, she has since met the man behind the music; in August, the star visited Diamond, 84, at his Colorado home.
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in ‘Song Sung Blue’.
Courtesy of Focus Features
“Just sitting on the porch with @neildiamond sharing all kinds of stories,” Hudson wrote in an October Instagram post showing the two of them smiling and talking together. “Sweet Neil, we love you! Thank you for sharing your music with us and for supporting our film.”
Song Sung Blue is in theaters Dec. 25.
WORLD NEWS
Epstein’s sinister note to sex predator Larry Nassar days before his suicide: ‘Our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls’
Jeffrey Epstein claimed that ‘our president’ loves ‘young, nubile girls’ in a chilling 2019 postcard he wrote to serial child molester Larry Nassar just days before his suicide.
While he was not explicitly named in the note, Donald Trump was serving his first term in the White House at the time.
A newly released Epstein file from the Department of Justice has revealed one of the disgraced financier’s last correspondences before he was found dead in his cell at New York’s Metropolitan Correction Center on August 10, 2019.
The letter was mailed to Nassar, a former USA Olympic doctor and convicted sex offender, days after Epstein’s death.
‘As you know by now, I have taken the “short route” home,’ Epstein penned in the handwritten note.
He continued: ‘Good luck! We shared one thing . . . our love & caring for young ladies at the hope they’d reach their full potential.
‘Our president shares our love of young, nubile girls. When a young beauty walked by he loved to “grab snatch,” whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the system. Life is unfair.’
The postcard was signed ‘Yours, J. Epstein’ and written to ‘L.N.’, which are Nassar’s initials.
Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in Epstein’s child sex trafficking scandal.
Newly released Epstein files from the Department of Justice have revealed the disgraced financier’s last correspondence before he was found dead in his cell
Pictured from left to right: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000
Larry Nassar is a former USA Olympic doctor who was found guilty of sexual assault in 2017
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment on the postcard, which was released last night without any further context.
Nassar pleaded guilty to obtaining and possessing child pornography and destroying evidence and was sentenced to 60 years in prison in December 2017.
He abused about 300 athletes under the guise of medical care – the biggest sexual abuse scandal in the history of American sport.
Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and McKayla Maroney were among his many young victims.
While this is the first time the letter was shared with the public amid the DOJ’s sweeping release of Epstein-related evidence, the Associated Press reported on its existence in 2023.
According to the outlet, Epstein’s letter to Nassar, postmarked August 13, 2019, was found returned to sender in the New York prison’s mailroom weeks later.
‘It appeared he mailed it out and it was returned back to him,’ the investigator who discovered the postcard told a prison official at the time, per AP.
‘I am not sure if I should open it or should we hand it over to anyone?’
Trump has repeatedly shot down accusations of being involved in Epstein’s criminal activities.
Epstein killed himself in prison in August 2019, days before the letter to Nassar was postmarked
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing in Epstein’s child sex trafficking scandal
But a trove of evidence has alleged that Trump flew on the pedophile’s private jet ‘many more times than has been previously reported,’ including one journey with a 20-year-old woman.
Among the roughly 8,000 new documents is an email from a New York assistant US attorney, which states that Trump was listed as a passenger on eight flights between 1993 and 1996.
On at least four of these trips, Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell was also present.
The email reads: ‘For your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump travelled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a Maxwell case.
‘On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump and then-20-year-old [redacted].’
On Friday, the initially set deadline for the government to share the Epstein files, the DOJ released about 300,000 documents.
Epstein survivors and lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have criticized the Trump administration for its handling of the files.
Skeptics have also called out how heavily redacted and context-lacking the pieces of evidence have been.
The DOJ has released hundreds of thousands of files of investigative evidence from Epstein’s estate
Congress voted to share the files with the public. Trump, who initially opposed the release, signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on November 19 and gave the Department of Justice a 30-day timeline for the release.
The mandate was supposed to be carried out by Friday, December 19.
But top brass at Trump’s DOJ admit that they were not able to meet the deadline, and that there are still hundreds of thousands of documents to come.

