By KAT WONG FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: 09:13 GMT, 25 December 2025 | Updated: 09:18 GMT, 25 December 2025

Disadvantaged Australians from all walks of life have gathered for Christmas lunch as political leaders offer food and hope.

Armed with gloves, an apron, and a pair of tongs, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spent Christmas morning serving festive fare at the Rev Bill Crews Foundation in his inner-west Sydney electorate.

He was joined by NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, state MP Jo Haylen, and NSW Premier Chris Minns, who smothered plates of ham and potatoes with gravy while reminiscing about his short-lived stint at McDonald’s.

Each politician then took it in turns delivering hot meals to those patiently waiting in the courtyard.

‘Most of the people here have dislocated families and lives,’ Rev Crews said.

‘For them to come and connect with one another shows they can find some hope in a world which is pretty grey at the moment.

‘And to have senior politicians here is really important because it says to people feeling at the lowest of the low, that they matter.’

Diners greeted the prime minister in particular with glee, asking for handshakes and selfies as he ferried plates to their tables.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a Christmas lunch hosted by the Rev Bill Crews Foundation in Sydney on Thursday

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Rev Bill Crews, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a Christmas lunch hosted by the Rev Bill Crews Foundation

The Prime Minister worked away armed with a pair of tongs wearing gloves and a hat saying ‘Bill’s Crew’

While serving the food, Albanese sported a plastic apron

It was the warmest welcome he had received in weeks after a fortnight marked by anger, frustration and fear following a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach.

Volunteer Di King, known as ‘Auntie Di’, has spent the past 11 Christmases cooking at the Rev Bill Crews Foundation and hugged Albanese as soon as he came through the kitchen doors.

‘It’s important to all of us to have community,’ she said.

‘We have a lot of people who have mental health problems, with addiction, lonely old people, people of Chinese ethnicity who’ve come out to look after grandchildren.

‘They really, really need us, and we need them.’

For years, the now-prime minister and his son have regularly volunteered at the kitchen alongside the 81-year-old.

On Thursday his government pledged $10million for the foundation.

‘This is a cause extremely close to my heart,’ Albanese said.

‘I am so proud to call Bill a friend and to have seen up close the impact his work has made.’

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Touching way Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spent Christmas Day

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Jilly Fretwell was left devastated when her black cat Bindi went missing in August 2020

09:07, 25 Dec 2025Updated 09:07, 25 Dec 2025

Bindi was missing for five years(Image: Jilly Fretwell© SWNS)

A cat has finally been reunited with its family five years after disappearing in what’s being called a ‘Christmas miracle’. Black feline Bindi mysteriously disappeared from her home in Haddenham, Cambridgeshire, in August 2020.

Although she had been missing for more than 1,000 days, she finally appeared just before December 25. Owner Jilly Fretwell, 29, said: “She used to go out for a couple of hours and then come straight back, so it was really odd for her to be missing for more than a day.

“We really were left in the dark.” Public appeals and social media posts were made, and months were spent searching for Bindi, but her heartbroken owner simply couldn’t find her.

Jilly searched everywhere for her beloved cat but initially had no luck(Image: Jilly Fretwell© SWNS)

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Jilly, a software project manager, had given up hope of ever seeing her beloved pet again when she received an unexpected phone call from vets on Thursday, December 18. To her surprise, Bindi had been found.

Jilly, who had since moved home, said: “We were just in complete disbelief. It wasn’t really until we saw her that we believed it was her.

“We’re just so glad we had her microchipped and that she was alive and well. I’ve never heard of anyone’s cat going missing for so long and turning up absolutely fine. It did feel like a real Christmas miracle.”

Jilly, a software project manager, had given up hope of ever seeing Bindi again(Image: Jilly Fretwell© SWNS)Pictured: Bindi as a kitten(Image: Jilly Fretwell© SWNS)

In light of her experience, Jilly is now urging other owners to get their cats microchipped. She said there were ‘no clues’ about where Bindi may have been over the last five years – but she was just happy to have her back.

Jilly added: “She is the most cuddly, affectionate cat I’ve ever met. She puts her paws on either of your shoulders to give you a real cuddle.

“She’s very calm and cuddly really. I think she’s been looked after by someone, she looks in great shape. She’s potentially been inside, but I have no idea.”

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Algeria’s parliament unanimously passed a law declaring France’s colonisation a crime. Lawmakers celebrated in the chamber as they demanded an apology, reparations and assigned France legal responsibility for the harms caused during colonial rule.

Published On 25 Dec 202525 Dec 2025

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Historian and political scientist Herfried Münkler recently summed up what he sees as the core foreign policy problem for Germany’s government: “The liberal idealism of a rules-based international order has turned out to be an illusion.”

At the same time, the government continues to view the preservation of multilateralism and a rules‑based international order as its overarching goal. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), warned that “China and Russia are attempting to rewrite the international order that is based on international law.”

CDU Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the rules‑based order was not only being called into question by governments long considered authoritarian. “Unfortunately, this also applies to America,” he said, referring to President Donald Trump. A recent US strategy paper sharply criticizing European allies and the EU has reinforced this impression.

‘Pressure on Europeans’

A major concern among German political and military leaders is that the United States may be distancing itself from Europe on security matters. In early December, General Christian Freuding told the magazine The Atlantic that direct contact with his US counterparts had been “cut off.”

In the past, Freuding told the magazine, communication had been possible “day and night.” He called the loss of rapid-contact channels a “warning sign” — especially in light of the potential for an attack by Russia on eastern NATO states.

Germany’s high-stakes EU gamble over Russia

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Europeans are also feeling the consequences of the US’s shift in policy on Ukraine. Trump sought a peace arrangement that would accommodate many of the demands made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the US security strategy released in late 2025 sought “strategic stability” with Russia — to the dismay of governments elsewhere in Europe.

“If it comes to the point that the Americans somehow bow out, the pressure on Europeans to be capable of acting and to form a strong counterweight will increase once again,” Henning Hoff, of the German Council on Foreign Relations, told DW.

Merz has worked with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to counterbalance the US’s declining commitment to Ukraine. “No one should doubt support for Ukraine,” Merz declared at a  trilateral meeting in London in early December. Yet all three leaders face tight budgets, domestic pressure from the political right and waning public support for Ukraine in their own countries, as well.

Dependent on China

WithGerman industry reliant on the rare earth elements controlled by China, Berlin has become increasingly dependent on Beijing.

“The Chinese are very successful at becoming leaders in many technological fields and taking positions that traditionally belonged to German industry,” Hoff said. “And, at such a moment, Germany also becomes not quite so important anymore.”

Wadephul: ‘We want to be reliable trading partners’

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Merz plans to visit China in early 2026. At the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Merz told DW: “China could exert a little more pressure on Russia to end this war [in Ukraine]. If necessary, this will also be raised in my talks with the Chinese president [Xi Jinping] next year.” So far, nothing suggests that this hope will be fulfilled.

Germany and Israel

During his December visit to Israel, Merz said: “I come as a friend of Israel who knows that the friendship between Germany and Israel is infinitely valuable and precious.”

Following the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, Israel began a two-year war in Gaza that has killed more than 70,000 people. Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Merz acknowledged that the war has confronted Germany with “some dilemmas.” Merz invoked Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust in saying his government sought to uphold Israel’s security, but he added that he would voice criticism where necessary.

Notably, Merz no longer uses the formulation of his predecessor, Angela Merkel : “The security of Israel is Germany’s reason of state.” Instead, he said, supporting Israel’s existence and security belongs “to the unchangeable core of our relations.”

German Chancellor Merz reaffirms support for Israel

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On key issues, however, the two governments remain far apart — especially on the two‑state solution. Germany continues to support the idea of a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. Netanyahu rejects this, saying: “The purpose of a Palestinian state is to destroy the only Jewish state.”

Hans‑Jakob Schindler, a Middle East and security analyst, said the two‑state solution was “possibly a very, very distant future vision whose practical feasibility is increasingly in question.”

Schindler said Germany and the European Union had largely lost their role as mediators in the Middle East. “It is clear that both the Palestinians and the Israeli side look to Washington as the central mediator and not to Europe,” Schindler said. The European Union will play an important role in reconstruction in Gaza and in humanitarian aid, he said “but, as a central mediator, Europe has, in part, really said goodbye over the last 10 years.”

Germany’s uneasy alliances

Germany must decide how to conduct foreign policy in a world where geopolitical weight is shifting and international rules are increasingly ignored.

Johannes Varwick, a professor of international relations at the University of Halle, told DW via email that seeking partners who still value multilateralism — including difficult partners — is the right approach. “Germany is trying to maintain old alliances while also forging new partnerships and expanding networks with other middle powers worldwide,” Varwick wrote, citing Brazil, Mexico and Vietnam as examples. “Remaining in critical dialogue with one another” is essential, Varwick wrote. “Only talking to those who already agree makes one quite lonely in the reality of international politics.”

How Merz aims to regain Germany’s standing on foreign issues

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Merz has emphasized foreign policy right from the start — and, because of his many trips abroad, he has at times been mockingly referred to as the “foreign-policy chancellor.”

“Overall, one can indeed speak of a certain revitalization,” Hoff said.

He added, however, that “Berlin’s foreign policy is still too slow to respond to this new global situation.” Changes are expected at the Foreign Ministry; among other things, a commission will take up the issue of dependence on China in 2026. “All of this is good,” Hoff said, “but it comes two, three, four, five years too late. And, if they don’t manage to inject more speed into the process, things will get difficult.”

This article was originally written in German.

While you’re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.

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The woman accused of running over a teenage tennis star over the summer has been arrested and charged with murder after an apparent seven-month delay.

Jenia Resha Belt, 33, faces one count of second-degree murder after she allegedly struck and killed 18-year-old Braun Levi in May 2025. 

The fatal hit and run occurred at around 1am on May 4 while Levi was walking around with a friend on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. Levi’s family had relocated there after their home burned down months earlier in the Palisades Fire.

Los Angeles County prosecutors say Belt was under the influence of alcohol and plowed an Infiniti FX35 into Levi, who was set to graduate in a month and then start playing tennis for the University of Virginia.

Belt’s blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit that night, according to court records associated with the Levi family’s $200 million wrongful death lawsuit. 

Authorities determined that Belt’s license had been suspended since January 2024. 

Records also show that she has been previously charged with a DUI from an incident on November 25, 2023, meaning she was not allowed to drive for nearly two years before Levi’s death.

In that case, the DUI charge was dropped in September 2024, when Belt pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage.

Braun Levi was struck and killed by a car in May. He was an 18-year-old high school senior who was set to play tennis at the University of Virginia

Los Angeles County prosecutors say Jenia Resha Belt, 33, was behind the wheel of the Infiniti FX35 that killed Levi over the summer. She was the suspect in a previous DUI incident she pleaded no contest to

Levi was rushed to the hospital and died from his injuries. Belt was arrested at the scene but was released in June.

Now that she has been formally charged over Levi’s death, Belt is being held on a $2 million bond. 

On top of the murder charge, she faces one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and a misdemeanor count for driving on a suspended or revoked license, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said. 

According to the lawsuit the family filed, Belt went to a bar in Hermosa Beach and consumed ‘excessive quantities of alcohol’ before she got behind the wheel.

‘Defendant Belt voluntarily commenced and thereafter continued to consume alcoholic beverages to the point of intoxication, knowing from the outset that she must thereafter operate a motor vehicle,’ it says.

She then ‘willfully chose to operate the subject vehicle while intoxicated at an unsafe and excessive rate of speed’ before hitting Levi, who the suit says sustained ‘severe injuries to his body and head that ultimately resulted in his death.’

The lawsuit went on to claim that officers who arrived at the scene of the deadly crash noticed Belt smelled of alcohol and was taken into custody for driving under the influence.

Levi’s parents have said all of the proceeds from the lawsuit will go toward their Live Like Braun Foundation to raise money for scholarships and public tennis centers, and raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.  

Levi’s parents (pictured) filed a $200 million wrongful death lawsuit against Belt. The lawsuit claims her blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit when she allegedly hit Levi with her car

At the time of his death, Levi was the captain of Loyola High School’s varsity tennis team. He was described as ‘one of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history’

‘Our family has made the decision to file a civil lawsuit against the individual responsible for taking Braun’s life,’ his mother, Jennifer Levi, said in a statement on November 12, the day they filed the lawsuit.

‘This is not a decision rooted in anger, vengeance or financial gain. It is a decision grounded in accountability, prevention, reform and the unwavering love we have for Braun.’ 

At the time of his death, Levi was the captain of Loyola High School’s varsity tennis team and ‘one of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history,’ according at statement from the school’s athletics department.

He and his tennis partner, Cooper Schwartz, had won the Mission League doubles championship just days before he was killed – marking the star athlete’s fourth big win in a row.

Levi also helped create a peer-to-peer counseling group for other students at the $27,000 Jesuit school in Los Angeles who were impacted by the Palisades fire in January. 

The fire ravaged roughly 6,800 structures on its own. Combined with the devastation caused by the simultaneously burning Eaton Fire, about 16,000 buildings were wrecked. 

Levi’s own family was forced to relocate after the blaze burned down their home in the Pacific Palisades, which was estimated to be valued at $3.2 million to $4.1 million.

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Manchester United misfit Marcus Rashford has looked like his old self since joining Barcelona on loan, but question marks remain as to what lies in store for the England forward next summer

Tom Sunderland Sports Writer

06:00, 25 Dec 2025

Marcus Rashford’s career is back on track ahead of a potential permanent transfer to Barcelona(Image: Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Despite his past heroics for Manchester United, few at Old Trafford will have expected Marcus Rashford to kick on quite so forcefully at Barcelona. But after struggling to find his most talismanic self on home soil, the Englishman could now celebrate the most successful season of his career to date away from the club that made him.

On one hand, neither supporters nor the club itself should be surprised. It’s become a sad sort of ritual in recent years for players to leave the Theatre of Dreams before going on to reach greater heights elsewhere, though football finance expert Kieran Maguire suggests it may be a worthy sacrifice in Rashford’s case.

Scott McTominay did it last season when he joined Napoli en route to becoming Serie A Player of the Year following his first season in Italy. He’s since been joined in Naples by a revitalised Rasmus Hojlund, while the likes of Antony, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Anthony Elanga and Alvaro Carreras have each pulled off similar rebounds in the post-United phases of their careers.

Rashford is perhaps different from most of those examples in that he could still have a future under Ruben Amorim in Manchester. The main question is whether that prospect will even tempt the player now his eyes have been opened as to what’s possible at the Camp Nou.

“I don’t see anything here as like a pressure. It’s just, I’m here to play football,” Rashford told BBC Sport in December. “It’s been amazing. I feel welcome, I feel at home. I’ve just been enjoying every step of the way.”

READ MORE: Spanish media in agreement after Marcus Rashford benched for crucial Barcelona clashREAD MORE: Marcus Rashford moves a step closer to dream transfer as Barcelona make big decision

A permanent signing looks like a no-brainer from Barca’s perspective. La Blaugrana can sign Rashford for the affordable sum of around £30million, a good deal less than the £40m United would reportedly demand from any other club wishing to sign their star.

Indeed, United may in fact hope Barcelona don’t trigger the option in Rashford’s contract in light of his Catalan revival. The club stands to make a much greater profit from any deal if a different side steps up for his signature following what’s been such a successful stint in the shop window to date.

“I think there is a desire there at Barcelona to make some form of statement signing,” Maguire told Mirror Football. “I think Marcus Rashford would fall within that at a relatively cheap price, which gives them sort of a double benefit.”

Maguire, who runs the Price of Football podcast and is highly sought after for his knowledge in football finance, contrasted Barca’s modern model against that of rivals Real Madrid. And whereas Real have sustained an era of success in buying and selling, the Catalan kings have been less reliable maintaining their empire.

“Barcelona are a bit more of a basket case. So, I am concerned with Barcelona’s finances,” he continued. “They have to satisfy La Liga’s cost control rules, which are very onerous.

“Progress in the Champions League, however, could be sufficient to warrant or to free up enough money which would allow them to sign Marcus Rashford, because they could easily make in excess of £100m this year from a good run in the Champions League.”

Rashford is looking the best he has in years(Image: David Ramirez/Getty Images)

There are believed to be reservations from Barca’s side, and understandably so. Rashford is already 28, and Barca’s transfer model in recent years has seen them reluctant to splash out major fees on players over 25, especially those in the forward roles.

And with good reason, considering finances at the Camp Nou are a touchy topic at the best of times. The club’s ongoing stadium renovation has left the coffers relatively dry, and it was even briefly in doubt as to whether Barcelona would be able to register Rashford this season after he was signed.

The forward even agreed to take a 25 per cent pay cut in order to force through a move to Barca, who are covering his wages for the duration of his loan. That decision only enamoured fans in Spain even more with the player, as if his on-field output hasn’t done enough talking.

But the fact remains Rashford is now in his 11th season of senior football and eking ever closer to 30, often deemed a no-go area for some clubs when it comes to more expensive recruits. United will be all too wary of that fact also, particularly after it seems certain bridges were burned back in Manchester.

“It’s a horrible thing to say, because ultimately he’s a young man in a professional elite career, but from an ownership point of view, he’s a wasting asset,” added Maguire. “In the sense that his market value is only going to go down at this point, because whoever buys him will get no resale value in all probability, if he goes at 28 or 29, so it’s a five-year contract.

“There’s no upside towards the end of that contract. So that has to be taken into consideration. Clearly there’s also a breakdown in the relationship between him and senior management at [United], which normally means that a parting of the ways is best for all. It’s now an issue of price and just how keen are Barcelona to sign him.”

Ruben Amorim was reportedly “no longer on speaking terms” with Rashford prior to his loan exit(Image: Getty Images)

For his part, the player has done nothing to dissuade his new club from temptation. Rashford quickly settled in Hansi Flick’s system and has had 18 direct goal involvements (seven goals, 11 assists) in 23 outings across all competitions this season.

Only Ballon d’Or contender Lamine Yamal (nine goals, 11 assists) has contributed more in front of goal for Flick this term. And given the youngster’s standing in Spain, that serves to illustrate the kind of impact Rashford has had for his temporary employers.

Speaking to ESPN in October, Rashford had already made up his mind on whether he would like the stint to become permanent. When asked if he wished to extend his time in Barcelona beyond this season, he replied: “For sure.

“I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour.”

Things appear happier for Rashford off the field, too. It was reported not long after the move to Spain was confirmed that the England attacker was back with former fiancee, Lucia Loi.

The childhood sweethearts were due to be wed after becoming engaged in 2022, only to split the following year. It was around the same time Rashford went from the highest-scoring season of his career to plumbing new depths amid a miserable run of form.

Around the same time, Rashford was pictured arriving back at his Miami hotel at 5am with fitness trainer Courtney Caldwell in June 2023, per The Sun. His wild spell continued into early 2024 when he was disciplined for United for missing training following a boozy night out in Belfast.

Rashford is reportedly back together with childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi(Image: PA)Lucia is understood to have joined Rashford in Barcelona(Image: Daily Mirror)

So it’s good news for Barca fans that Lucia has reportedly joined Marcus in Spain after patching things up. The Daily Mail cited sources close to the player in August, who suggested Lucia has a huge impact on Rashford’s happiness.

It’s little wonder his form has performed a 180-degree turn in Spain if that is the case. And Barcelona’s loss could prove to be another club’s gain should they reject their first-dibs opportunity to take him up on a long-term deal.

Having only recently turned 28, there’s reason to believe Rashford still has plenty of value left to offer. Even if his signing wouldn’t fit with Barca’s usual recruitment model.

Anyone doubting whether Rashford still had the goods to produce at the highest level has been silenced in recent months. The player’s own comments suggest he’s done with United for good, though there are sure to be plenty who hope that isn’t the case if he can be convinced there’s a future to be had under Amorim.

Either way, Rashford’s resurrection is great news for United, wherever he ends up playing his football next season.

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Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.

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‘Main reason for optimism’ is a belief that war in Ukraine will end in 2026 with Moscow’s ‘objectives’ achieved,’ pollster says.

Published On 25 Dec 202525 Dec 2025

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A majority of Russians expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2026, a state-owned research centre said, as Russian forces make advances on the battlefield and efforts intensify to reach a ceasefire deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

VTsIOM, Russia’s leading public opinion research centre, said on Wednesday that its annual survey of sentiment around the outgoing year and expectations for the coming year found Russians are viewing 2026 with “growing optimism”.

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“Expectations for next year traditionally look much more optimistic … In other words, while the negative perception of the current situation persists, Russians have become more likely to accept (or believe, hope?) future improvements this year, but they still do so with caution,” the organisation said in a review of its survey findings released online.

In a year-end presentation, VTsIOM deputy head Mikhail Mamonov said 70 percent of 1,600 people surveyed ​viewed 2026 as being a more “successful” year for Russia than this year, with 55 percent of respondents linking hope for a better year ‍to a possible end to what Russia officially calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

“The main reason for optimism is the possible completion of the special military operation and the achievement of the stated objectives, in line with the national interests outlined by the president,” Mamonov ‍said at the ⁠presentation.

Mamonov pointed to the Russian military’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine, Washington’s reluctance to finance the Ukraine war and the European Union’s inability to fully replace the ‌United States’ role in Ukraine – financially and militarily – as key factors behind the prospects for an eventual deal to end the fighting.

At the conclusion of the conflict, reintegration of Russian military veterans into society and the reconstruction of Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine, as well as Russian border areas, will be the main priorities, Mamonov added.

While the actual level of Russian public fatigue with the war is difficult to measure due to strict state controls on the media, expressions of public dissent as well as the prosecution of those who criticise Moscow’s war on its neighbour, approximately two-thirds of Russians support peace talks, according to independent pollster Levada, the highest number since the start of the war in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in comments released on Wednesday that he would be willing to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Moscow reciprocated by also pulling back its forces and allowed the area to become a demilitarised zone monitored by international forces.

In comments to reporters about an overarching 20-point plan that negotiators from Ukraine and the US had hammered out in Florida in recent days, Zelenskyy also said that a similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control.

Russia has given no indication that it will agree to any kind of withdrawal from land it has seized in Ukraine and has long insisted that Kyiv must give up the remaining territory it still holds in the Donbas industrial area before any discussions on the cessation of fighting.

Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70 percent of Donetsk – the two regions that make up the Donbas.

Zelenskyy also said that figuring out the future control of the Donbas as part of the plan was “the most difficult point”, and creating a demilitarised economic zone in the region would require difficult discussions on how far troops would be required to move back and where international forces would be stationed.

Such discussions should be held at the leaders’ level, he said.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged people to pause, reflect, and draw strength over Christmas, while acknowledging the challenges of his first year in office.

“Christmas is a time to pause, to be grateful, and to draw strength  in the circle of family and friends,” —Merz said in a Christmas message posted on X. “I wish you blessed, peaceful Christmas days and confidence for the new year. May this time strengthen and encourage us.”

In a separate video message lasting just over two minutes, Merz looked back on a year shaped by February’s elections, which brought him to power at the head of Europe’s largest economy. He said governing with his conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats had required compromise.

“There were discussions, and not everything went off completely smoothly,” Merz said.

“We need patience and persistence, just as much as the drive to continue to decide the best for our country every day,” he said.

Merz also stressed his government’s focus on Europe’s future, underlining peace, security, and prosperity as core priorities. “In these months and years, it’s about the peace, about the security and about the prosperity of our entire continent,” he said, reiterating his strong support for Ukraine.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Julius Campbell, a crossing guard in Milwaukee, is celebrating his 100th birthday
• “I am thankful for getting my flowers while I’m alive,” he tells PEOPLE
• Campbell, a World War II veteran and a retired Milwaukee Public Schools teacher, says he has no plans on retiring and hopes to live to 104

A crossing guard in Milwaukee just celebrated his 100th birthday — and he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“I feel very loved,” Julius Campbell tells PEOPLE. “I’m thankful to all who have made me what I am.”

Over the course of his life, Campbell has done a little bit of everything.

In addition to being a World War II veteran who served in the Navy, Campbell founded a church, got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees — and is a retired Milwaukee Public Schools teacher.

And for over 30 years now, he’s worked as a crossing guard — most recently at Yeshiva Elementary.

“I treasure the friendships,” he says, “and the ties, love and respect I have developed with the community that I’ve served for so long.”

Over the decades, Campbell has received several awards for his commitment to the public and was commemorated by the mayor of Milwaukee with his own day in February. At the local police department’s Merit Awards, he was also honored with the Chief’s Superior Leadership Award.

“I am thankful for getting my flowers while I’m alive,” he tells PEOPLE.

Another special moment came on Dec. 6, when loved ones and other special guests celebrated his milestone birthday, which included public tributes from people whose lives he has touched.

But despite all Campbell has achieved, retirement just isn’t on his bingo card.

“I don’t want to miss that love and connection to this wonderful community,” he explains.

Another way he gives back is by consulting and ministering, following a path that began when he first got his calling as a preacher at the age of 14.

“I like to work with the young people that need guidance,” adds Campbell, who says he started his first church back in 1958. “I help families in need with books, clothing and food programs. Serving God and the community is my hobby.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Campbell, who previously told ABC affiliate WISN that his goal was to live to 100, now tells PEOPLE that he has a new one: to live to see 104.

His other goals for the future include staying healthy — mentally and physically — and most importantly, to “continue to serve the community.”

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By SOPHIE GABLE, US REPORTER

Published: 02:40 GMT, 25 December 2025 | Updated: 04:03 GMT, 25 December 2025

A Tennessee cop got into a heated confrontation with a highway patrol trooper after he attempted to pull him over while he was driving a local politician.

The trooper was escorting state House Speaker Cameron Sexton in a black SUV when an officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department issued a traffic stop, alleging the trooper was driving 30mph over the speed limit. 

The police car drove up to the SUV in the left lane while instructing it to pull over, and the trooper finally complied. 

Another officer was heard over the radio saying the SUV refused to stop for them earlier. 

When the police officer got out of his vehicle, he yelled at the highway patrol officer to ‘get over here!’ 

‘I’m highway patrol!’ the trooper replied. 

The altercation then turned physical as the officer pushed the trooper and fired back: ‘I don’t care who you are!’ 

‘Get your freakin’ hands off me,’ the trooper responded. 

The cop attempted to pull the vehicle over after recording it moving 30mph over the speed limit 

The THP officer was escorting state House Speaker Cameron Sexton during the altercation 

The Metro officer threatened the trooper to adhere to the speeding limits before the altercation became physical 

The Metro officer then threatened to lock him up, at which point the highway patrol trooper showed his badge and revealed that he was driving the house speaker. 

‘If you’re going to run 85mph in a 55mph zone, you’re going to have to yield to police. I don’t care who you are,’ the officer said. 

The comment elicited a fiery response from the highway patrol trooper, who replied: ‘I am the police!’ 

The trooper said he put his blue lights on and gave the officer his badge number. ‘I got business to take care of. We got places to go,’ the trooper added. 

‘We’re going to see about that, my friend,’ the officer said before retreating to his police vehicle. 

The incident occurred in October, and since then, Sexton’s chief of staff, Kevin Johnson, filed a Citizen Complaint Report against the officer. 

Sexton’s office called the Metro police officer ‘overzealous’ in a statement to local CBS affiliate, WKRN.

The speaker’s office defended the highway patrol officer and maintained that no traffic laws were violated before the tense altercation. 

 Dramatic bodycam and dash camera footage highlights the dramatic clash between the police officer and the highway patrol 

Sexton’s office defended the THP trooper in a statement and called the officer ‘overly aggressive’ and ‘overzealous’ 

The statement claimed that the police officer was ‘overly aggressive’ and placed his hand on the trooper, provoking a reaction. 

‘The THP trooper showed restraint and refrained from escalating the situation further,’ Sexton’s office added. 

‘In the end cooler heads prevailed. We commend THP for their professionalism and dedication to protect and serve.’ 

An internal investigation conducted by Metro police concluded that the officer acted reasonably and didn’t violate the department’s rules. 

‘The Tennessee Highway Patrol maintains a collaborative working relationship with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department built on mutual respect and shared professionalism, and we’re proud of the work our agencies accomplish together to keep Tennesseans safe,’ THP said in a statement. 

Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police President Scottie Delashmit told WKRN that police vehicles performing dignitary detail are still required to adhere to the posted speed limit unless they use emergency lights and sirens. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to THP, MNPD, and Sexton’s office for additional comment.  

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Tense bodycam footage shows cop shove state trooper driving Tennessee House speaker during traffic stop

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Ben Ransome, 29, was at the top of a criminal network which sold drugs in bulk across southeast England and was finally jailed after being extradited from Thailand

A drug baron from Essex who masterminded the distribution of millions of pounds worth of cocaine and ketamine has been jailed.

Ben Ransome, 29, headed a criminal enterprise that flogged drugs in large quantities throughout southeast England. He was arrested on the Thai island of Phuket, where he’d attempted to reinvent himself as a boxer going by the name ‘Billy Roberts’. Ransome was brought back to the UK in July and pleaded guilty to multiple drug-related offences.

The criminal is the last piece of a major crime syndicate to be prosecuted. Ransome will spend 14 years in prison, joining numerous other gang members and clients who have also been jailed.

(Image: Essex Police)

“He watched as we took down each of his associates, one by one,” Detective Inspector Yoni Adler said. “At an early stage, when he realised the net was closing and he likely faced arrest, he simply ran away, seeking to disappear and start a new life abroad. He’s remained on a ticking clock ever since – it was only a matter of time before he faced the music.”

Ransome fled during one of the biggest series of linked investigations ever carried out by Essex Police. He was in charge of orchestrating the supply of enormous amounts of Class A and B drugs throughout the southeast of England, reports Essex Live.

The police were able to trace back to February 2022, when Ransome left his residence in Ethelred Gardens in Wickford and handed a bag to an associate. The courier, Charlie Lancaster, 42, was trailed and intercepted by the police who discovered nine kilograms of cocaine, valued at approximately £900,000, in his vehicle.

He was subsequently sentenced to six years in prison.

Ransome absconded from the UK in March 2022, flying to Malaga in Spain but continued to orchestrate drug supply. By September 2024, he had relocated to Thailand, where he attempted to reinvent himself as a boxer on the island of Phuket under the ring name ‘Billy Roberts’.

While he was abroad, the police continued their crackdown on the crime group. Among those apprehended were a mother and son duo and Kieran Grant, 44, who is believed to have been involved in the distribution or collection of around £20m worth of drugs within a month.

The gang’s primary drug supplier, David Glover, 36, was supplied by Ransome. Glover received a 23-year prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy.

Since the police investigation began, the key figures in Ransome’s criminal network have been handed a combined 50 years behind bars. (Image: Essex Police)

The law finally caught up with Ransome in September 2024, and he was eventually apprehended and extradited back to the UK in July this year. Here, he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to supply cocaine and ketamine, possession of criminal property, and supplying a Class A controlled drug (cocaine).

This followed a complex investigation involving the National Crime Agency and Thai law enforcement.

Since the police investigation began, the key figures in Ransome’s criminal network have been handed a combined 50 years behind bars. Officers have recovered more than £1m in cash, seized almost 49kg of cocaine, and removed 20 firearms from the streets.

DI Adler said: “Ransome tried to turn a substantial profit by running a criminal enterprise that spanned across the southeast of England. This vast supply of illegal substances doubtless fuelled extensive violence, threats and the use of weapons associated with his drug-dealing customer base.

“Distanced from this untold harm as a wholesale supplier, Ransome worked at arm’s length, trying to make a comfortable living out of sight of the misery of the drugs trade.”

He added: “Criminals like Ransome fail to appreciate the extent of the reach and cooperative working of law enforcement both in Essex and the UK, and across the world. Huge credit for Ransome’s ultimate arrest should go to our exemplary partners in the National Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau.

“Closer to home, the public in Essex should feel reassured that we have teams working across the force to tackle the trade in drugs that fuels further violent crime in their county. Through cases like this, we are making a difference.”

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At Christmas, the world can seem a little more humane than usual – even in wartime.

One such glimpse of peace appears each year in what is widely considered the world’s longest-running communist insurgency.

Fought in the Philippines, the guerrilla conflict between the Maoist New People’s Army (NPA) and the government is set to enter its 57th year in 2026 and has claimed some 60,000 lives.

But once a year, the fighting tends to pause as both sides down their arms for Christmas.

Image:
Filipino insurgents of the New People’s Army showing captured weapons. Pic: Reuters

The tradition has been observed in many years since at least 1986, a rare moment of restraint in a world that is now more violent than at any point since the Second World War.

According to the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the number of conflicts involving states reached its highest level since 1946 at the end of last year. In all, 61 conflicts were active in 2024 – nearly twice as many as 20 years ago.

Last year was also the fourth-most violent since the end of the Cold War, surpassed only by the three preceding years in terms of battle deaths.

The spread of Islamic State franchises since 2014, along with the heavy toll of wars in Ukraine and Gaza, were among the main drivers of these spikes, said Siri Aas Rustad, a researcher at PRIO.

Conflicts now tended to last longer than in the past, she added, while peacekeeping operations and peace processes had declined.

The peace order is fraying

Experts see a discouraging broader trend behind this shift: the moribund state of the Western-grounded liberal order and multilateral institutions like the UN.

That order, grounded in ideas of universal human rights and democracy, encouraged dispute resolution through non-violent means, said Oliver Richmond, a leading peace researcher at the University of Manchester.

But the US-led western allies failed to establish a genuinely fair global system and often prioritised their own interests, inviting challenges, he said.

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Emerging powers such as China, Turkey, Russia and Gulf states had styled themselves as peacemakers but were pursuing their own systems of domination, Mr Richmond argued.

Conflicts from Ukraine to Sudan now grind on as outside actors tolerate – or enable – violence in pursuit of a “victor’s peace”, he added.

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What could be next for Ukraine?

Small pauses can have larger meanings

Against this bleak backdrop, Christmas ceasefires in the Philippines offer a glimpse of an alternative approach.

The tradition of halting hostilities over the holidays – reflecting the biblical message of peace on earth – goes way back. The most famous example came in 1914, when British and German troops crossed trenches during the First World War to celebrate Christmas together.

Image:
Reenactment of the Christmas Truce at the 100th anniversary in Belgium. Pic: PA

Such brief ceasefires rarely ended conflicts, but they aided the “long-term trust building needed to establish long-term… peace agreements”, said Ms Rustad.

In the Philippines, it has become custom that both sides independently declare unilateral Christmas ceasefires without signing an agreement.

Even former president Rodrigo Duterte – notorious for his brutal “war on drugs” and now facing the International Criminal Court – occasionally called Christmas truces, promising “quietude and serenity” for Filipinos during the holidays.

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The motives were not purely altruistic as “Christmas ceasefires were good propaganda on both sides”, said Patricio Abinales, a political historian at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

“With the guns temporarily silenced, rural communities could celebrate Christmas peacefully – as could government troops in their camps and the NPA in their guerrilla zones,” he said.

Peace from the ground up

Mr Richmond, the peace researcher, argued that peacemaking was more successful in any case when informed by such grassroots practices and local communities, rather than driven by meddling geopolitical powers and institutions.

“The victims are directly affected by the conflict and tend to have a clearer understanding of what a peaceful settlement may require,” he said.

In 2023, a Russian-proposed truce for Orthodox Christmas was rejected by Ukraine, which suspected Moscow was seeking time to regroup.

“There was clearly not enough trust to agree on this,” said Ms Rustad. Russia declared a brief unilateral ceasefire in May this year but Ukraine branded it a farce, saying attacks continued.

Image:
Ukrainian soldiers celebrate Orthodox Christmas in 2023. Pic: Reuters

Ultimately, ending protracted conflicts comes down to political will, according to Mr Richmond.

The tools for peace are well-known: major powers could oppose violence and invest in “truly multilateral institutions like the UN, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, mediation and international human rights law”, he added.

“But they are unwilling to do that even as societies clamour for peace,” Mr Richmond said.

A fading tradition?

Away from that geopolitical tug-of-war, the Christmas tradition of peace in the Philippines still survives – just.

This year, as in 2023, the NPA declared a four-day ceasefire covering Christmas and New Year, even if it wasn’t reciprocated by government forces.

Image:
Members of the Filipino New People’s Army show their weapons. Pic: Reuters

Prof Abinales said the insurgency had been badly weakened and was becoming increasingly irrelevant – which may eventually bring the decades-long conflict to an end.

“If the current trend continues, Christmas ceasefires will become a thing of the past,” he said.

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Kim Jong Un made the comments while inspecting a North Korean nuclear submarine facility on Wednesday.

Published On 25 Dec 202525 Dec 2025

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has hit out at a new nuclear submarine deal between the United States and South Korea, describing it as a threat to the stability of the Korean Peninsula as he toured his country’s submarine production facility, according to North Korean state media.

Kim said the deal between Seoul and Washington was an “offensive act severely violating [Pyongyang’s] security and maritime sovereignty and a threat to security that must be countered”, according to state news outlet KCNA.

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It was now urgent to “further accelerate the radical development of the modernisation and nuclear weaponisation of the naval force” of North Korea, Kim said, according to the report.

Kim made the remarks as he toured a facility on Wednesday where Pyongyang is working on an “8,700-tonnage nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine”.

The North Korean leader on Wednesday also oversaw the test firing of a new high-altitude long-range anti-air missile into the Sea of Japan, according to KCNA, which the news outlet referred to as the “East Sea of Korea”.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the construction site of an 8,700-tonne nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching surface-to-air missiles on Wednesday [KCNA via Reuters]

KCNA reported that the test was successful, and the missile successfully hit a mock target at an altitude of 200 kilometres (124 miles).

The developments came as Seoul said it was pursuing a “standalone deal” with the US to acquire nuclear-powered submarine technology, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

US law bans the transfer of nuclear material for military use, but South Korea could receive an exemption from US President Donald Trump, the East Asian country’s national security adviser, Wi Sung-lac, told the media following a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

Australia pursued a similar deal with the US to build its own nuclear-powered submarines, Wi said, and talks with Washington are expected to begin early next year.

A long-range surface-to-air missile is test-fired near the Sea of Japan, December 24, 2025 [KCNA via Reuters]

Separately on Wednesday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin also sent Kim a New Year’s greeting, thanking him for his ongoing military support for the war in Ukraine. North Korea has deployed thousands of soldiers since 2024 to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, and in parts of Russia that Ukrainian soldiers briefly grabbed in counteroffensive operations.

“The heroic entry of soldiers of the Korean People’s Army into the battles for liberating the Kursk region from occupiers and the subsequent activities of Korean engineers in the land of Russia clearly proved the invincible friendship and militant fraternity” between Russia and North Korea, Putin said, according to a report by KCNA.

Putin also hailed the success of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty signed between Moscow and Pyongyang in 2024, KCNA said, stating that in the future, he hoped to “strengthen the relations of friendship and alliance in every way and conduct constructive cooperation on regional and international issues”.

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Nasry Asfura has been declared the winner of Honduras’s presidential election, after weeks of delays following technical problems and allegations of fraud.

The conservative National Party candidate – backed by US President Donald Trump – won with 40.3% of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE), edging out Salvador Nasralla of the centre-right Liberal Party, who got 39.5%.

In a post on X, Asfura said, “Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged all parties to respect the result “so that Honduran authorities may ensure a peaceful transition of authority”.

But the president of the country’s Congress, Luis Redondo, posted saying the result was “completely illegal”.

The vote was held on 30 November but the count was delayed twice by technical outages, which electoral officials called “inexcusable”.

The president of the CNE, Ana Paola Hall, blamed the private company tasked with tabulating the results for the delay.

She said the firm had carried out maintenance without warning or checking with the CNE.

The stoppage came a day after the portal displaying real-time results had crashed.

Results of the election were tight and, due to the tumultuous nature of the processing system, around 15% of the tally sheets had to be counted by hand for the winner to be decided.

There have been tensions in Honduras as a result of the delays with protests held across the country last week.

Thousands of supporters of the governing Libre party demonstrated in the capital Tegucigalpa over what they considered fraud in the vote.

The outgoing President, Xiomara Castro, had alleged that an “electoral coup” was taking place and earlier this month said the election was being marred by “interference” from Trump.

When he endorsed Asfura for president, Trump said there would be “hell to pay” if his very narrow lead was overturned in the count.

He also threatened to withdraw financial support from the US if Asfura didn’t win.

In a surprise move, the US president also pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, a member of Asfura’s National Party, who was serving 45 year jail sentence in the US on drug and weapons charges.

Xiomara Castro was barred by the constitution from standing for a second term.

Nine days after the vote, Nasralla accused “corrupt people” of manipulating the vote count in the Central American nation. He also said Trump’s comments had damaged his chances of winning.

In his statement following the announcement of the result, Rubio said the US would “look forward to working with his incoming administration to advance our bilateral and regional security co-operation”, adding the two countries would “end illegal immigration to the United States”, while strengthening economic ties.

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Conservative candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras’ November 30 presidential election, the country’s national electoral council (CNE) said on Wednesday.

The announcement comes after a multi-week vote count in which Asfura and his main rival, Salvador Nasralla, were neck-and-neck.

What were the results in Honduras’ presidential election?

Asfura, who belongs to the conservative National Party, received 40.27% of the vote, according to the count.

Asfura supporters celebrated after a nail-biting multi-week vote countImage: Fernando Destephen/AP Photo/picture alliance

His challenger, Salvador Nasralla of the conservative Liberal Party, won 39.53%. 

Rixi Moncada, who belongs to outgoing President Xiomara Castro’s leftist LIBRE party, took third place with just 19.19% of the vote.

The incumbent president was elected in 2021 on a promise to tackle corruption and violence in the country.

Asfura previously served as the mayor of Honduras’ capital, Tegucigalpa, from 2014 to 2022. This was the second time he ran for the presidency of the Central American country.

“Honduras: I am prepared to govern,” Asfura said in a post on the platform X after the result was announced. “I will not let you down.”

Asfura wins after Trump endorsement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on his victory in a post on X.

“The people of Honduras have spoken … [US President Donald Trump’s administration] looks forward to working with [Asfura’s] administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere.”

Trump endorsed Asfura just days before the vote, saying he was the only candidate Washington would want to work with. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Nasralla of being a “borderline Communist” who was working to split the anti-LIBRE vote.

Both Nasralla and Moncada have denounced the post as external electoral interference.

On Tuesday night, Nasralla addressed the US President, saying: “Mr. President, your endorsed candidate in Honduras is complicit in silencing the votes of our citizens. If he is truly worthy of your backing, if his hands are clean, if he has nothing to fear, then why doesn’t he allow for every vote to be counted?”

Trump’s administration has aimed to exert its influence in Latin America, and in a November 2025 strategy document affirmed its commitment to the “Monroe Doctrine” that asserts Washington as the hegemonic power in the Western Hemisphere.

The Wednesday result reflects a broader right-wing swing in Latin America, with far-right politician Jose Antonio Kast being elected Chile’s next president last week, defeating leftist incumbent Gabriel Boric.

Edited by: Farah Bahgat

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