North Korean leader calls for increased production of missiles, shells and more factories to produce them.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his officials to step up production of missiles and artillery shells and construct more factories to meet his military’s growing need for the weapons, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) has reported.

In a visit to munitions plants accompanied by top officials, Kim ordered the factories to prepare for a busy year ahead, KCNA said on Friday.

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“The country’s missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrent,” Kim said, according to KCNA.

“To further expand the overall production capacity” and keep pace with demand from North Korea’s armed forces, Kim also ordered the building of new munitions plants, KCNA said.

Kim’s call for more missiles followed after he was featured on Thursday visiting a shipyard to oversee the construction of what North Korea reports will be an 8,700-tonne nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching surface-to-air missiles.

Photos of Kim at the shipyard showed him inspecting a huge, burgundy-coloured vessel, coated with what appears to be anticorrosion paint, under construction inside an assembly hall with senior officials and his daughter.

It was the first time North Korean state media had released images of the submarine since March, when they mostly showed the lower sections of the vessel.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the construction site of a purported nuclear-powered submarine [KCNA via Reuters]

Hong ‌Min, a senior research fellow at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, wrote in a report on Thursday that the design of the submarine’s hull indicates it has been equipped with a nuclear reactor, and the vessel is almost ready to sail.

During the inspection of the submarine, Kim warned that South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines would “worsen the instability” in the region, describing the move as a threat to North Korea’s national security.

At a summit with United States President Donald Trump in November, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Washington to support South Korea’s efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Trump later said the US was open to sharing closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

Kim orders more missile production

Kim was also reported on Thursday to have overseen the test launch of new-type high-altitude long-range anti-air missiles over the Sea of Japan.

The North’s leader was quoted as saying that “new modernisation and production plans” would be unveiled at his ruling Korean Workers Party’s congress, which is expected in early next year.

Analysts say Kim’s recent focus on stepping up missile testing is aimed at improving precision-strike capabilities, with a view to pressuring both the United States and South Korea as well as testing weapons systems before potential exports to Russia.

This picture taken on December 24, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observing a test-fire of new-type anti-air missiles at an undisclosed location in North Korea [KCNA via KNS/AFP]

Already strong relations between Pyongyang and Moscow have further tightened since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. North Korea has sent troops, artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems to support Russian forces, analysts say, as part of a mutual defence pact signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In exchange for Pyongyang’s military support, Russia has reportedly provided North Korea with financial assistance, military technology and supplies of food and energy.

Washington has also said there is evidence that Moscow’s support includes advanced space and satellite technology.

Ahn Chan-il, a researcher originally from North Korea, said Pyongyang was also expected to “seek advanced military technologies from Russia, including nuclear-powered submarine capabilities and fighter jets”.

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Ministers should legislate to cap political donations to “rebuild voter confidence” in democracy, campaigners have said before the introduction of a landmark elections bill.

The government is being urged to show more ambition as it prepares to publish legislation early next year that will extend the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds.

In a letter sent this week to Steve Reed, the communities secretary, and Samantha Dixon, the democracy minister, 19 civil organisations said “a donations cap is the best way to protect our democracy and to rebuild voter confidence in the system”.

Its signatories include the Electoral Reform Society, Transparency International UK, Hope not Hate and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.

The call comes weeks after Nigel Farage’s Reform UK declared it had received £9m from the Thailand-based crypto investor Christopher Harborne, the largest donation made by a living person to a British political party.

As well as reducing the voting age to 16, ministers are planning to use the elections bill to reduce loopholes in political finance.

Last summer, the government said it would tighten the rules around political donations from shell companies and unincorporated associations and empower the Electoral Commission to issue much bigger fines – increasing the maximum from £20,000 to £500,000.

The campaigners’ letter called on the government to use the bill to ban political donations made in cryptocurrency, after similar action taken by Ireland and Brazil.

The Guardian reported this month that ministers were exploring doing so amid growing concerns that cryptocurrency donations endanger the integrity of the electoral system because it is difficult to establish where they come from. Farage’s party became the first to accept donations in crypto earlier this year.

Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, said in July that banning cryptocurrency donations was “definitely something that the Electoral Commission should be considering” and that it was “very important that we know who is providing the donation”.

However, ministers have so far shied away from legislating to limit political donations after last year assessing a proposal by the Institute for Public Policy Research for a £100,000 cap.

Like other major parties, Labour relies on private fundraising to fund its campaigns. Its biggest donors in recent years have included the former Autoglass boss Gary Lubner and the green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince.

The letter also called on ministers to legislate to introduce automatic voter registration, which is being piloted in Wales. The measure, which Labour officials have been exploring since they were in opposition, would mean voters are added to the electoral roll automatically without needing to actively register.

Campaigners say the move would improve voter turnout and increase electoral participation by renters and people from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds, who are less likely to be registered to vote.

Finally, the letter urged ministers to safeguard the Electoral Commission’s independence after the Conservatives legislated to allow ministers to set strategy and policy for the regulator.

The signatories warned that the Tory move “creates serious risks of interference and political capture” and that “while it may seem politically expedient to maintain this power while in government, it is essential that independence be returned”.

Campaign groups that signed the letter to Reed and Dixon included Generation Rent, The 99% Organisation, Make Votes Matter, the Black Equity Organisation and the website Byline Times.

A Transparency International report concluded that in 2023, £56.6m in donations – 66% of the total coming from private sources – came from 19 mega-donors.

An MHCLG spokesperson said: “Our elections strategy sets out tough new rules on political donations including plans to increase transparency and close loopholes for foreign funding as we modernise UK democracy and ensure its protection for generations to come.”

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The United States airstrikes that targeted Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday marked a major escalation in an offensive that Nigeria’s overstretched military has struggled with for years.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the “powerful and deadly” strikes were carried out against Islamic State militants “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria’s security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said the U.S. strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two countries.

The Associated Press could not confirm the extent of the strikes’ impact. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on X about the airstrikes, said: “More to come…”

The militants targeted by US airstrikes

The armed groups in Africa’s most populous country include at least two affiliated with the Islamic State — an offshoot of the Boko Haram extremist group known as the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, and the lesser-known Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) known locally as Lakurawa and prominent in the northwest.

Although officials did not say exactly which group was targeted, security analysts said the target, if indeed against Islamic State militants, was likely members of Lakurawa, which became more lethal in border states like Sokoto and Kebbi in the last year, often targeting remote communities and security forces.

The Nigerian military has said in the past that the group has roots in neighboring Niger and that it became more active in Nigeria’s border communities following a 2023 military coup. That coup resulted in fractured relations between Nigeria and Niger, and affected their multinational military operations along the porous border.

Militants invited to provide security now torment villages

Multiple analysts have said Lakurawa has been active in northwest Nigeria since around 2017 when it was invited by traditional authorities in Sokoto to protect their communities from bandit groups.

The militants, however, “overstayed their welcome, clashing with some of the community leaders … and enforcing a harsh interpretation of sharia law that alienated much of the rural population,” according to James Barnett, an Africa researcher with the Washington-based Hudson Institute.

“Communities now openly say that Lakurawa are more oppressive and dangerous than the bandits they claim to protect them from,” according to Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher with Good Governance Africa.

Lakurawa controls territories in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and has become known for killings, kidnapping, rape and armed robbery, Samuel said.

But some of the attacks blamed on Lakurawa are by the Islamic State Sahel Province, which has expanded from Niger’s Dosso region to northwestern Nigeria, according to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.

“ISSP has maintained a low profile, operating covertly to infiltrate and entrench itself along the Niger-Nigeria border, and is now also expanding its operations toward the Beninese border,” the project said in a recent report.

Nigeria’s insecurity is deep-rooted in social issues

The security woes are more of a governance problem than a military one.

Motives for attacks differ but the gangs are often driven by the near absence of a state and security presence in conflict hot spots, making recruitment easy. Those hot spots, data show, have some of the country’s highest levels of poverty, hunger and lack of jobs.

Nigeria’s Minister of Defense Christopher Musa once said in his past capacity as the defense chief that military action is only 30% of what is needed to fix the country’s security crisis, while the remaining 70% depends on good governance.

“The absence of the state in remote communities is making it easy for non-state actors to come in and present themselves to the people as the best alternative government,” said Samuel.

US strikes seen as crucial support for Nigeria’s military

Thursday’s U.S. strikes were seen as crucial help for Nigeria’s security forces, which are often overstretched and outgunned as they fight multiple security crises across different regions.

In states like Sokoto, the military often carries out airstrikes targeting militant hideouts and Nigeria has embarked on mass recruitment of security forces.

But analysts say military operations targeting the gangs are not usually sustained and the militants easily move on motorcycles to new locations through vast forests that connect several states in the north.

They also often use hostages — including schoolchildren — as cover, making airstrikes difficult.

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Donald Trump announced a ‘powerful and deadly’ Christmas Day strike on ISIS ‘terrorist scum’ in Nigeria and warned that radicals will continue to pay for the persecution of Christians.

The president, who previously threatened to send the US military to the West African nation ‘guns-a-blazing,’ made the announcement in a Truth Social post Thursday evening. 

‘Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!’ he wrote. 

A spokesperson for the Pentagon confirmed to The Daily Mail that the Nigerian government approved of and worked with the US military on the strikes. 

The US Africa Command posted on X that it had ‘conducted a strike at the request of Nigerian authorities in Soboto State killing multiple ISIS terrorists.’ 

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the strikes were carried out as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States, involving intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to target militant groups.

‘This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,’ the ministry said in a post on X.

A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps.

Donald Trump announced a ‘powerful and deadly’ ChristmasDay strike on ISIS ‘terrorist scum’ in Nigeria and warned that radicals will continue to pay for the persecution of Christians

A video posted by the Pentagon showed at least one projectile launched from a warship. A US defense official said the strike targeted multiple militants at known ISIS camps

Trump said in his lengthy post that the ISIS militants have had it coming for some time.

‘I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.’

‘The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper,’ Trump added. 

The president signed off with a warning for the terrorists that they will continue to pay if the murder of innocent Christians goes on. 

‘May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.’ 

The president’s post did not include information about how the strike was carried out and what effects it had and the White House did not immediately provide further details. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed the president’s message in a social media post of his own. 

‘The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!’

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Should the US intervene militarily in other countries to protect persecuted religious groups?

Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009 

Trump, 79, had already designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’ but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing it on Fox News

 Nigeria has been roiled by internal violence in the wake of a jihadist insurgency spearheaded by extremist group Boko Haram in the northeast since 2009. 

In November, Trump threatened to take on the terrorists with ‘guns-a-blazing.’

Trump, 79, had already designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’ but he took his condemnation of the situation in the country even further after hearing about it on Fox News, threatening to cut aid and even send in US troops. 

Some Christian communities have welcomed the US president’s menace, believing that foreign armies are needed to restore peace in their homeland. 

Amid the various forms of bloodletting around the country – including ethnic rivalry and banditry – the Islamist militants have been slaughtering Christians as well as Muslims they regard as ‘apostates’ for failing to comply with their brand of Islam. 

There has also been a separate onslaught by Fulani Muslim tribesmen against mainly Christian farming communities, a protracted crisis linked to a tangle of issues like religion, ethnicity and a scramble over the dwindling supply of arable land. 

While Christians are among those targeted, analysts say the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur, according to the Associated Press. 

Trump’s threat, which came after he watched a Fox News segment about the conflict in Nigeria, triggered alarm bells across West Africa. 

Anonymous sources from the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which directs American military operations across the continent, told the Washington Post Trump’s announcement prompted concern. 

They said a US military operation in an area where there is little US intelligence was unlikely to make a difference, and leaders called for their sovereignty to be respected.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has said that the country ‘welcomes’ the US helping

‘We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognizes our territorial integrity,’ Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Tinubu, told Reuters. 

Trump’s explosive announcement also came via Truth Social. 

‘If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,’ he wrote. 

‘I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. 

‘If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!’

Bwala sought to play down tensions between the two states, despite Trump calling Nigeria a ‘disgraced country.’

‘We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria,’ Bwala said.

‘I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,’ he said.

The president previously threatened to send the US military to the West African nation ‘guns-a-blazing’

Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people and around 200 ethnic groups, is divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.

Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in the country for more than 15 years, killing thousands of people, but their attacks have been largely confined to the northeast of the country, which is majority Muslim.

While Christians have been killed, the vast majority of the victims have been Muslims, analysts say.

In central Nigeria there have been frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers over access to water and pasture, while in the northwest of the country, gunmen routinely attack villages, kidnapping residents for ransom.

Nigeria ‘does not discriminate against any tribe or religion in the fight against insecurity,’ Bwala said. ‘There is no Christian genocide.’ 

In mid-December, Trump placed the country on a list of 15 that faced partial travel bans to the US in a response to anti-Christian violence in Nigeria. 

‘The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. 

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Pope Leo has called for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the sides should find the ‘courage’ to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the popemobile before delivering the Urbi et Orbi message (Image: Getty Images)

In his first Christmas address to the gathered faithful at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo urged Russia and Ukraine to show the “courage” required for face-to-face peace negotiations, whilst Moscow’s relentless shelling of Kyiv continues.

During his customary Urbi et Orbi speech, traditionally delivered to worshippers assembled in Vatican City on Christmas Day, he made an impassioned plea for an end to conflicts across the world. Speaking directly about the Ukrainian crisis, the Pope proclaimed: “May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”

His appeal emerges during ongoing American-led diplomatic efforts seeking to establish a ceasefire. Throughout these recent rounds of peace initiatives, direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been notably missing, despite Washington’s efforts to mediate a settlement both nations could accept.

Pope Leo XIV lamented several wars raging across the globe(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

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Pope Leo also voiced his distress over violence and carnage plaguing other regions globally, including Thailand and Cambodia, where fatal frontier confrontations have erupted anew following a July truce, reports the Irish Star.

He called for “reconciliation and peace” and the restoration of the “ancient friendship” between Southeast Asian countries. Earlier during Christmas Day Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo contemplated worldwide displacement and the destruction caused by armed conflict.

“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” he said. He added that the story of Jesus’ birth illustrated how God had “pitched his fragile tent” among humanity.

Pope Leo XIV stands in front of the Virgin Mary as he performs the Christmas mass(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“How, then,” he asked, turning his attention to the Palestinian crisis, “can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?”.

Following Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel launched a military operation that has ravaged Gaza through Israeli shelling.

Winter tempests have exacerbated conditions for the 2.1 million inhabitants in the territory, with nearly all displaced and their homes either damaged or destroyed.

Aid organisations have urged Israel to permit more tents and vital supplies into Gaza. According to Cogat, the Israeli military body overseeing Gaza’s border crossings, nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins have been delivered since the ceasefire started in October.

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Record numbers of Swedish retirees are enrolling in a university run “by pensioners for pensioners” amid increased loneliness and a growing appetite for learning and in-person interactions.

Senioruniversitet, a national university that collaborates with Sweden’s adult education institution Folkuniversitetet, has about 30 independent branches around the country which run study circles, lecture series and university courses in subjects including languages, politics, medicine and architecture.

The Stockholm branch, which is Sweden’s largest, has become so popular since it was founded in 1991 that it is now run across multiple venues across the capital by about 100 volunteers. Its most popular event, the Tuesday lectures, gets about 1,000 people each week.

Recent Stockholm lectures have included “The art of awarding Nobel prizes” by a former member of a Nobel committee, “Disinformation and AI – the threat we invented ourselves” and “From soap to cultural heritage/canon and vice versa.”

Inga Sanner, chair of Senioruniversitetet in Stockholm, said membership nationally was at an all-time high. “We had a dip during the pandemic, of course, but we have come up again to the same number and increased even more. Our membership is the highest ever.”

In 2023 there were 2,099 events held across Sweden attended by 161,932 participants, according to Folkuniversitetet. This year, that number is projected to increase to 177,024 participants across 2,391 events.

Gunnar Danielsson, secretary general of Folkuniversitetet, said: “The desire to learn for pleasure’s sake, or for the sake of learning as such, is a joy to experience in a society which is increasingly obsessed with learning and education as preparation for work.”

The increasing popularity of Senioruniversitetet was not reflected by the level of government funding, though, he said, which had “significantly decreased” over the past few years. “More likely it reflects a desire to actually meet other people in real life rather than on the internet.”

Sanner, a retired history professor, said older people were “more and more alert” and that there is a “fantastic hunger for education”. She added: “It’s totally fascinating that there are so many who want to learn more and learn more about the world. It is so very needed in our time.”

The wider societal role that Senioruniversitetet plays is becoming increasingly important, she said, and the learning and wellbeing of its members has a knock-on effect to their families and beyond.

“It is to do with democracy issues and education. Senior citizens don’t live in a vacuum. If nothing else, it has an effect on children and grandchildren,” she said. “You are an example. Not just sitting rocking in a rocking chair, but you are out and want to learn more. Then you can share that with your grandchildren and children.”

She added: “The lectures are fantastic. You become completely fulfilled when you have been to an event and then it bubbles over when you meet others.”

For many of their volunteers, their office in central Stockholm is like a workplace. “It is very meaningful work, but also you have such a lovely time and meet others.”

Sanner said the demographic of its membership does, however, tend to be “too homogenous”, adding that they need to do more to extend their reach to a more diverse audience.

Susanne Abelin, 66, a former journalist from Norrtälje, near Stockholm, volunteers on the university’s newsletter and is learning Italian.

Ageism is rife in Sweden, she said, and palpable in day-to-day life. “You are seen more or less as an idiot. Maybe it’s because we have had it so materially well over generations that we don’t need each other so much – for good and for bad.”

But Senioruniversitetet, where over-55s can learn for a relatively low fee, is “a bit of the Swedish welfare system that is still left”.

Her Italian class has a WhatsApp group so they can stay in touch outside lessons and last year she went to Italy with one of her classmates. “I’m absolutely not fluent in Italian and will never be, but it is inspiring and it keeps your mind alert. Instead of doing crosswords and suduko you can study some verbs.”

Joachim Forsgren, 71, a former physician who now volunteers for the Stockholm branch, has given lectures on “man and drugs” and tuberculosis.

Volunteering, he said, gives people a “sense of meaning and that they are contributing still”. He added: “People can get the feeling that they are not contributing once they leave their jobs. Pensioners is a word I hate.”

By volunteering, he said, “we are contributing to some kind of democracy project. This is really trying, especially in this day and age, to get people interested in what is going on”. Amid the rise of online disinformation and populism, the university helps people to “look critically at the amount of information we are almost drowning in every day”.

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President Donald Trump has said the US launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria.

The US leader described IS as ” terrorist scum”, accusing the group of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.

Trump said the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes”, while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday’s attack was carried out in co-ordination with Nigeria in the Sokoto state.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC it was a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists”, and it “has nothing to do with a particular religion”.

Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, saying this depended on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries”.

In his post on Truth Social late on Thursday, Trump said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper”.

In November, Trump ordered the US military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.

He did not say at the time which killings he was referring to – but claims of a genocide against Nigeria’s Christians have been circulating in recent months in some right-wing US circles.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation”.

“Merry Christmas!” he added, writing on X.

The US Department of Defense later posted an unclassified short video that appeared to show a missile being launched from a military vessel.

On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry said in a statement that the country’s authorities “remain engaged in structured security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism.

“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West,” the statement said.

Groups monitoring violence say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which is roughly evenly divided between followers of the two religions.

An adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu told the BBC at the time that any military action against the jihadist groups should be carried out together.

Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but noted that it was a “sovereign” country.

He also said the jihadists were not targeting members of a particular religion and that they had killed people from all faiths, or none.

President Tinubu has insisted there is religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people “across faiths and regions”.

Trump earlier announced that he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” because of the “existential threat” posed to its Christian population. He said “thousands” had been killed, without providing any evidence.

This is a designation used by the US state department that provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”.

Following this announcement, Tinubu said his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.

Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people – however most of these have been Muslims, according to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world.

In central Nigeria, there are also frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture.

Deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks have also seen thousands killed – but atrocities have been committed on both sides.

Human rights groups say there is no evidence that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.

Last week, the US said it had carried out a “massive strike” against IS in Syria,

The US Central Command (Centcom) said fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery “struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria”. Aircraft from Jordan were also involved.

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After days of relentless torrential rains leading to mudslides and flash floods, California was hit by another powerful storm on Christmas Day.

The storm on Thursday prompted authorities to issue evacuation warnings and high surf advisories.

An evacuation warning was issued for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, a day after rescuing people stuck in cars during a mudslide.

The storm, driven by an atmospheric river known as “the Pineapple Express,” which moves heavy moisture from Hawaii to the US West Coast, is expected to dump months’ worth of rain in California over a few days.

The storm has left thousands of people out of power Image: William Liang/AP Photo/picture alliance

The storm and the accompanying by torrential rains have rendered more than 70,000 people without power on Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.

On Wednesday, at least two people were reported dead due to heavy rains and strong winds.

Poor weather conditions to continue

While there was a pause in the rain in parts of southern California on Thursday, the rain is going to continue through Friday, according to NWS.

It warned of a “broad plume of moisture” producing heavy rain in California on Thursday.

“Numerous flash flooding events are possible. In addition, many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers. The flooding may include debris flows in or near recently burned areas,” the service said, referring to areas affected by wildfires.

The flash floods have left roads covered in debris and rocksImage: William Liang/AP Photo/picture alliance

The NWS has warned that some areas could see winds with gusts of up to 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour). 

State authorities declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Los Angeles.    

“We’re not out of it yet. Rain continues to fall across LA County making roadways, waterways and flood channels extremely dangerous. Check conditions before venturing out today,” Los Angeles County officials said Thursday on X.

Edited by: Farah Bahgat

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Three Palestinians were arrested on accusations of lighting a Christmas tree on fire and damaging part of a Nativity scene at a Catholic church in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Authority Police announced.

The attack happened at around 3 a.m. Monday, according to the church.

Palestinian Authority Police said Wednesday the three were taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage targeting the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools believed to have been used in the attack were seized from the suspects.

Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.

CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM’S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG

Palestinian parishioners check a recently installed Christmas tree after the previous one was destroyed at the Holy Redeemer Latin Church in the West Bank town of Jenin Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP)

The church shared photos on social media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree that had been cleared of the green plastic branches, and red and gold ornaments were scattered across a courtyard.

The torched tree was quickly cleaned up by the church, which erected a new one a day after the attack in time for Christmas Mass.

The church held a special ceremony with local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians in attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the local priest at the church, said the arson was an isolated incident and emphasized the city’s unity.

“This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people,” the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.

Palestinian Authority Police said the trio was taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage. (Getty Images)

The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region.

Christians make up between 1-2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, and the vast majority of the community is Muslim. Across the entire Middle East, the Christian population has been declining as people have fled conflict.

In Israel, some church authorities and monitoring groups have documented a recent uptick in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including in Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers have also reportedly vandalized and torched areas around churches and Christian villages.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank. (Getty Images)

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The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza kicked off a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military’s offensive targeting terrorists killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands. Terrorists have also attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.

The conflict has coincided with an increase in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Warning: This story contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2.

NEED TO KNOW

• Tensions are high between Hopper (David Harbour) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in Volume 2 of Stranger Things season 5
• When it comes to Eleven, Hopper is “more protective than most parents because of his history,” the Duffer Brothers tell PEOPLE
• Volumes 1 and 2 of Stranger Things season 5 are streaming now on Netflix, and the finale drops Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET

Eleven is keeping secrets heading into the Stranger Things finale, and the tension between her and Hopper seems ready to implode.

Things are tense between the father-daughter duo throughout season 5, Volume 2, as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is furious and feels betrayed by Hopper (David Harbour).

In Volume 1, it was revealed that he had a suicide plan that he’d kept to himself for months. Eleven discovered the truth as they broke into the government facility in the Upside Down at the end of Volume 1. Though he claimed it was just a “failsafe,” Eleven was not convinced, and her distrust has lingered into the next round of episodes.

Their tension has left an opening for Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) to convince Eleven to partake in her own self-destructive plan heading into the finale.

The “messy and complicated” dynamic between Hopper and Eleven is a key piece of the puzzle as the final episode of the series approaches, the Duffer Brothers say.

“It’s just a dynamic that we really wanted to explore, which is this dynamic of a parent and their child, who’s actually no longer really a child anymore, is actually a young adult, becoming an adult — and how do you deal with that?” Matt Duffer tells PEOPLE. “How do you deal with letting them go, giving them independence, when, especially Hopper, feels protective of her?”

Hopper is even “more protective than most parents because of his history,” having lost his daughter, Sarah, years earlier, to cancer.

David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5.

Courtesy of Netflix

That tricky dynamic between a parent and child is “really a big part, I think, of everyone’s journey in transitioning from childhood or young adulthood to adulthood,” Matt says.

In Hopper’s case, his grief drives him, and “he had to confront it again as he was going to save Will in season 1, and then he had to confront it again over the various seasons as he sort of adopted Eleven as his own daughter,” says Ross Duffer.

Hopper’s “greatest fear” is that “Eleven wouldn’t be able to live happily and that she would die at the end of all this,” Ross says, and that now “seems to be a possibility,” given the suicide pact she makes with Eight.

As episode 7 ends, the gang heads into the Upside Down to begin “Operation Beanstalk,” their plan to defeat Vecna before he brings the Abyss to Earth. Eight tells Eleven that they can’t “leave with the others” and instead must stay behind so that “when the Upside Down vanishes, so will we.”

At first, Eleven is hesitant, but she gives her sister a subtle nod just before the episode ends that seems to indicate she’s in on the secret plan.

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As for what that means for Hopper, Ross teases that his fear “is what we really explore moving into the finale.”

David Harbour as Jim Hopper in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5.

Courtesy of Netflix

In episode 7, Hopper shared his fears for Eleven’s safety with Joyce (Winona Ryder) before their final mission kicked off.

“I can work on repairing things between us when I get on the other side of this, but right now, I need to make sure she gets out of this alive,” he said.

“That Kali makes one false move, I swear to god, I’m gonna kill her. I’m gonna kill her. I will not hesitate. Anything happens to El in that tank, I am pulling her out. I can’t lose her, Joyce,” Hopper said, his voice breaking as he gave voice to his biggest fear. “I can’t.”

Volumes 1 and 2 of Stranger Things season 5 are streaming now on Netflix. The finale drops Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET.

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Former US President Joe Biden shared a family photo to wish followers a happy holiday season, only for online users to quickly note that he was barely visible in the snap.

Biden, 83, posted the image Wednesday night, posing in front of a Christmas tree alongside seven family members.

‘Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas Eve filled with love,’ he wrote on X.

Commenters immediately pointed out that the 46th commander–in–chief was largely obscured by his wife Jill in the unusual festive photo.

‘I saw this photo and thought – No f–ing way that’s real,’ one user wrote.

‘This is surely someone mocking Joe Biden as being photoshopped into the picture,’ he added. ‘But no, it’s real. It’s from his official account. This is mind blowing.’

The curious group image had been viewed more than 3.1million times, as of Thursday afternoon.

Online users were quick to point out that Joe Biden’s Christmas Eve group photo had relegated the former US president to the background, with his face partially blocked by wife Jill

Biden was relegated to the background of the family group photo, with part of his face blocked by his smiling wife.

‘Nice of the lady to stand in front of your head Joe,’ one X user wrote.

‘Why are you in the back,’ another asked. ‘Blocked by Jill.’

Others were even more blunt in their assessments, as they took aim at the former First Lady for obscuring her husband’s face.

‘This is a former president of the United States being shoved in the background and half covered up by his wife in his own photo,’ one X user said. ‘It’s [sic] could almost be a joke but I don’t think it is.’

The ‘classy’ move to not feature Biden more prominently on his own profile was also sarcastically noted by online commenters.

‘Ouch,’ an X user posted. ‘Way to shove the family namesake to the back, cover part of his face, then post it to his social media account.’

Join the debate

Should family photo etiquette change when the person photographed is a former president?

Instead of the former president, it was Biden’s son Hunter, 55, who took center stage in the Christmas Eve portrait.

‘Hunter is the alpha now,’ a separate user noted.

He was accompanied by his daughter, Maisy, 24, on his right and his wife, Melissa Cohen, 39, standing next to Jill Biden. 

The family shot was rounded out by Joe Biden’s daughter Ashley, 44, and his granddaughter Finnegan, 25. 

Joe Biden was the only member of the photo whose face was partially obscured.

‘I think it’s disrespectful to put the eldest family member in the back of a photo taken for the former president’s social media,’ a user wrote.

Another user agreed: ‘His family buried him in the back of the Christmas photo and then posted it on his own account.’

Commenters asked why the former First Lady was obscuring the 46th president’s head. One user sarcastically said it was a ‘classy’ touch on Biden’s own social media account

Since Biden dropped out of the presidential race in 2024, he has taken a back seat in both his public and political life.

But when he was president, Biden was put in the spotlight for a series of disastrous debate performances and gaffes – including introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as ‘President Putin’, confusing his vice president Kamala Harris with Trump and calling his defense secretary Lloyd J Austin III ‘that black man’.

At the beginning of the month, Biden tripped on his words as he failed to say ‘America’ in a speech.

The former US president was denouncing ‘the many crises caused by this administration’ when he botched the name of the nation he formerly governed.

‘We’re the United States of Amerigotit,’ Biden said. ‘That’s who we are. We’re the US.’

In May, Biden’s post–presidential office revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones.

Biden completed radiation treatment for the aggressive cancer in late October, and was previously also surrounded by his family during Thanksgiving.

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A huge ‘backpacker Christmas party’ led to a popular beach being littered with rubbish – with more than 20 tonnes of waste left behind after festive celebrations

Revellers at Coogee Beach in Australia(Image: Getty)

Aussie locals have been left fuming after a ‘massive backpacker Christmas bash’ turned an iconic beach into a rubbish dump, forcing the local council into a mammoth cleanup operation.

Sydney’s Coogee beach was packed to the brim with party-goers on December 25, sporting Santa hats and clutching drinks as they basked in the Australian sun celebrating Christmas Day.

But plenty of residents were appalled by the mountains of litter left behind – with others slamming those who turned the scenic spot into an outdoor loo as festivities continued, reports the Express..

Randwick Council announced: “Council staff have commenced the cleanup of Coogee Beach after a large backpacker Christmas party.

“A big thank you to all our lifeguards, rangers and waste and cleansing staff for all your hard work under difficult circumstances on Christmas Day. Thank you.”

The mayor praised council workers for their tireless efforts in a Facebook post. “In total, more than 20 tonnes of rubbish was picked up and sent to the tip in four truck-loads,’ he said.

Cans, food and other rubbish was left behind(Image: Getty)

“Staff used beach rakes, footpath sweepers, high-pressure hoses and hands-on cleaning to clear rubbish and clean toilets, sand and grassed areas.

“While many people behaved responsibly, it’s disappointing that some chose to litter heavily and urinate in public spaces.”

Whilst some came to the defence of those who abandoned their waste, others were gobsmacked by the blatant disrespect shown towards the beloved location. One Facebook user expressed their gratitude, saying: “Thank you to everyone who cleaned up. What a shame our beautiful beach is treated so poorly.”

However, another bloke had a different take, stating: “Stop being a Scrooge. People had a party, yeah there’s a bit of mess but it will get cleaned up. In the current climate I’m glad people can let their hair down and have a dance.

“Big thank you to the clean up crew and Merry Christmas.

“Why don’t you make them clean it up? They made the mess so they should clean it up,” chimed in another.

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These are the key developments from day 1,401 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Published On 26 Dec 202526 Dec 2025

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Here is where things stand on Friday, December 26:

Fighting

• Officials in Russia’s Krasnodar region reported a huge fire following a Ukrainian drone strike on two storage tanks holding oil products in the southern Russian port of Temryuk. The blaze spread across roughly 2,000 square metres (some 21,500 square feet).
• Long-range Ukrainian drones targeted oil storage facilities at Temryuk port, as well as a gas processing plant in Russia’s Orenburg region, Ukraine’s SBU security service said.
• Ukraine’s General Staff said its military also struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region using Storm Shadow missiles, triggering several explosions.
• The General Staff described the Russian refinery as a major supplier of oil products in southern Russia that supports Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced that its forces had taken control of the settlement of Sviato-Pokrovske in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to reports from Russian state news agencies.

Regional security

• Poland sent fighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea and said dozens of objects entered Polish airspace from Belarus overnight, warning the incidents during the holiday season may signal a provocation.
• Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the United States of encouraging what it called “piracy” in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean by blockading Venezuela, while expressing hope that US President Donald Trump’s pragmatism could prevent further escalation.
• Moscow also reiterated its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government and its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty amid threats by the US to remove Maduro from power.

Peace talks

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for about an hour on how to end the war with Russia and “how to bring the real peace closer”.

• “Of course, there is still work to be done on sensitive issues,” the Ukrainian leader said. “But together with the American team, we understand how to put all of this in place. The weeks ahead may also be intensive. Thank you, America!”

• Russia believes negotiations with the US to end the war in Ukraine are making gradual progress, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She described the talks as slow-moving but advancing steadily.

Politics and diplomacy

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had sent the US president a Christmas greeting along with a congratulatory message.
•  Russia said it had put forward a proposal to France concerning Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher imprisoned under Russia’s foreign agent laws, adding that the next steps in the Frenchman’s case now rest with Paris.

Sanctions

• Russia’s target of producing 100 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually has been pushed back by several years due to international sanctions, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in comments aired on state television.

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US President Donald Trump said he had ordered the country’s army to launch a “powerful and deadly” strikes against targets of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in northwestern Nigeria.

The strike comes after months of Trump threatening military action over what he labeled as an “existential threat” for Christianity in Nigeria, a claim the local government rejects.

The US army’s Africa Command (AFCOM) said the strike had been conducted at the request of the Nigerian authorities in the northwestern Sokoto State.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said he was “grateful” for the support and cooperation with the Nigerian government.

Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the “precision hits on terrorist targets,” adding that the government is guided by its intention to safeguard all citizens’ life, regardless of faith. 

According to a statement posted on the ministry’s X account, terrorism against any of the country’s religious communities “remains an affront on Nigeria’s values and  to international peace and security.”

Why did the US launch strike in Nigeria?

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the reason for the strike was the Islamist group’s targeting of “primarily innocent Christians,” which he said had reached levels “never seen for many years.”

“Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper,” Trump’s post read.

The US State Department recently announced its intention to restrict visas for Nigerian nationals involved in violence against Christians in the country.

Washington also designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Which militant groups are active in northern Nigeria?

Nigeria has been battling a deadly Islamist insurgency in its northern regions.

According to Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, at least 2,266 people were killed by bandits or insurgents in Nigeria during the first half of 2025 — surpassing the total number of such deaths in all of 2024.

Particularly Boko Haram has concentrated their attacks in the northwestern state of Sokoto.

A splinter group known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap) has also carried out attacks in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in the Borno state.

Iswap has also been involved in clashes with Boko Haram, as it is one of at least three Boko Haram splinter groups active in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s security forces under-resourced amid crisis

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Edited by: Farah Bahgat

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Russian forces appear close to being pushed out of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupyansk, with only a small number of isolated troops remaining and even pro-Kremlin voices acknowledging the setback, according to a report.

The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Ukrainian military officials say Russian units left inside the city are cut off from reliable supply lines and are increasingly surrendering as their position deteriorates.

Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, said Russian forces inside Kupyansk now number only several dozen and include foreign mercenaries fighting alongside Moscow’s troops.

“They are surrendering,” Viktor Trehubov said during a televised briefing carried by Ukrainian state media. “There have even been cases of foreigners – foreign mercenaries for the Russians – giving themselves up.”

ZELENSKYY VISITS FRONTLINE UKRAINIAN CITY WEEKS AFTER RUSSIA CLAIMED IT TOOK CONTROL

An evacuation van drives through the largely destroyed frontline city of Kupiansk, Ukraine, on Jan. 6, 2025. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

According to Ukrainian officials, the remaining Russian units are surviving largely on limited air resupply, a tactic that cannot sustain long-term operations inside the city.

“Supply by air bridge alone is not something that allows them to hold out for long,” Trehubov said.

While Russian forces continue to launch multiple assaults along the Kupyansk axis each day, Ukrainian officials say those attacks lack the manpower and reserves needed to change the balance on the ground.

UKRAINE, US NEAR 20-POINT PEACE DEAL AS PUTIN SPURNS ZELENSKYY CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE OFFER

A Ukrainian army chaplain talks to Ukrainian soldiers in a shelter in the direction of Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine on March 13, 2024.  (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“At this stage, they simply do not have additional capabilities to somehow restore the situation,” Trehubov said.

The Kyiv Post also reported that Russian military bloggers and war correspondents have begun openly conceding that Kupyansk is no longer under Russian control, marking a notable shift in Kremlin-aligned messaging.

“An entire wave of messages appeared saying that Kupyansk is gone,” Trehubov said. “Even Russian propagandists have switched to a line acknowledging that the city is no longer under their control.”

Ukrainian officials stressed that Russia never fully re-established control over Kupyansk after its liberation in September 2022, aside from a brief occupation during the early phase of the invasion.

US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA

Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade fire a 2s22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions at the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)

“In reality, it was never fully taken by them in order to be ‘lost,’ aside from a short period in 2022,” Trehubov said.

Efforts by Russian units to dig in within the city’s northern districts have failed, leaving those forces unable to withdraw or receive reinforcements, Ukrainian officials said.

“They themselves now admit that the defense of the city by the same units that entered and tried to secure positions in the northern districts has failed,” Trehubov said.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE

Ukrainian soldiers from the 115th Brigade Mortar Unit conduct mortar training, as members of the Anti-UAV unit test an FPV drone inhibitor in Lyman, Ukraine. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Combat continues outside the city, particularly from positions across the Oskil River, though Ukrainian forces maintain control of Kupyansk itself.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Russian troops carried out five attacks in the Kupyansk sector on Dec. 24, all of which were repelled near Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Zahryzove and Kupyansk.

Trehubov said a recent Ukrainian counteroffensive further disrupted Russian efforts to stabilize the front.

“The counteroffensive came as a surprise for the enemy,” he said. “Right now, they simply lack the resources to regain control.”

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Kupyansk, a key rail and road hub in the Kharkiv region with a pre-war population of about 27,000, has long been a focal point of Russian territorial claims.

The city was briefly occupied during the opening months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 before being liberated by Ukrainian forces later that year, a history Ukrainian officials say Moscow has repeatedly tried to obscure through disinformation.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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