WORLD NEWS
Trump promotes attorney and part-time salon owner to oversee visas for people coming to the US
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President Donald Trump has promoted Mora Namdar — an attorney, part-time salon owner and former Project 2025 author — in a senior role that oversees visa approvals, issuing passports, and is responsible for the welfare of U.S. citizens overseas.
Namdar, of Texas, whose parents are Iranian immigrants, was sworn in this week as the State Department’s new assistant secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs after working on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa within the agency.
The 38-year-old’s new role could see her deciding the fates of migrants applying for visas who have been critical of the Trump administration, according to testimony she gave before a Senate committee in October.
“I remain steadfast in supporting our operations at home and abroad to ensure that the privilege of a U.S. visa is granted only to those who meet the qualifications, that visa holders adhere to the terms of their visas, and that individuals who violate these terms or disregard U.S. laws will lose the privilege of holding a U.S. visa,” she said.
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President Donald Trump has promoted Mora Namdar — an attorney, part-time salon owner and former Project 2025 author — in a senior role that oversees visa approvals, issuing passports, and is responsible for the welfare of U.S. citizens overseas (State Department)
She cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio in her Senate statement, signaling that she appears to share his view that criticism of Israel and pro-Palestinian advocacy constitutes a threat to the U.S., which could result in a denial or a visa being revoked.
“It is essential that our consular officers are equipped with the resources and support necessary to perform their duties effectively,” Namdar said. “As Secretary Rubio has emphasized, ‘Consular officers have the responsibility to ensure that visas are issued only to individuals who meet the criteria and do not pose a threat to U.S. interests,’” she quoted Rubio.
“If someone violates the terms of their visa or engages in activities that undermine our foreign policy, consular officers have the authority to revoke their visa,” the Rubio quote continued in her statement.
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Namdar cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio in her Senate statement, signaling that she appears to share his view that criticism of Israel and pro-Palestinian advocacy constitutes a threat to the U.S (AFP via Getty Images)
Namdar ran her own law firm before she entered politics, alongside launching a beauty business called Bam Beauty Bar, with salons located throughout her home state of Texas, The Daily Beast first reported.
“Before rejoining government service, Ms. Namdar founded and ran a successful law practice, worked for a fortune 500 company, and created and ran several successful businesses,” the State Department’s bio of Namdar said. “Ms. Namdar is an attorney licensed in both Texas and Washington D.C. She is a native Texan who is the child of Iranian immigrants.”
Her law firm, Namdar Law, announced on Instagram that it would no longer be active following the promotion.
The political appointee was the author of a section of a 900-page Project 2025 blueprint that accused the media and academia as a “center of Leftist power.”
Namdar wrote a section in the blueprint on the independent U.S. Agency for Global Media, responsible for overseeing media networks that provide news and information in countries where press freedom is most limited, according to the Columbia Journalism Review.
She called for reform of the agency, or for it to be shut down entirely, and accused it of “espionage-related security risks,”according to the outlet.
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Law enforcement are responding to reports of an active shooter in the downtown area of Wallace, Idaho.
The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office said it is dispatching reinforcements to assist in the neighboring county and has asked people to stay away from the downtown area.
“The online reports of an active shooter at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, Idaho are accurate,” Mineral County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook. “We are sending reinforcement to help our neighbor. Please pray for all law enforcement.”
Local news outlets report police are forming a perimeter near the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.
The Shoshone County Courthouse, sheriff’s office and county jail are all located within the same building.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office has deployed SWAT units to the scene, according to Spokane, Washington’s KREM 2 News.
Several local businesses in the downtown area report a heavy law enforcement presence in the area, according to local news outlets.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Ring in the new year in celebrity-worthy style — without blowing your budget.
From glittering sequins to luxe-looking satins, some of our favorite stars have already delivered plenty of outfit inspiration that’s perfect for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Whether you’re hosting a cozy get-together, heading to a glamorous party, or dialing up the sparkle just because, looks worn by Martha Stewart, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jane Seymour, and Reba McEntire prove there’s no single way to shine.
Ahead, we broke down how to recreate each standout ensemble with similar pieces starting at just $20 — so you can toast to 2026 feeling confident, festive, and fabulously dressed.
New Year’s Eve Outfits Inspired by Celebrities
- Martha Stewart: Alltb Sequin Cardigan, $36
- Viligo Faux Leather Pants, $40 (orig. $53)
- Jennifer Aniston: Ever Pretty Floor-Length Glitter Evening Gown, $80 (orig. $85)
- FashionPuzzle Crossbody Clutch with Chain Strap, $25
- Kate Hudson: Phicia Satin Halter-Neck Backless Maxi Dress, $51
- Simplee Faux Fur Coat, $40
- Jane Seymour: Arach & Cloz Pleated Sweater Dress, $51
- Easy Fox Pointed-Toe Knee-High Boots, $69
- Reba McEntire: Anna-Kaci Track Sequin Bomber Jacket, $50 (orig. $59)
- Amazon Essentials Classic-Fit Turtleneck Sweater, $19
Sparkly Cardigan Inspired by Martha Stewart
Todd Owyoung/NBC; Amazon
This New Year’s Eve, consider swapping your go-to cardigan or blazer for a sequined version instead. Recreate Martha Stewart’s effortlessly festive look by layering a chocolate-hued sparkly cardigan over a high-neck blouse, then balance the shine with black leather flare pants. Finish with gold sandals for a party-ready touch — or dress it down with denim for future nights out.
Complete the Look
Sparkly Gown Inspired by Jennifer Aniston
Gilbert Flores/Variety; Amazon
Take cues from Jennifer Aniston’s classic black sequin gown for a timeless New Year’s Eve moment. Since her shoes and accessories aren’t on display, we’d style the look with sleek kitten heels for comfortable elegance and a clutch that converts to a crossbody bag — great for dancing, mingling, and keeping essentials close all night long.
Complete the Look
Satin Dress Inspired by Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson/Instagram; Amazon
Channel Kate Hudson’s old Hollywood-inspired glamour by pairing a champagne satin maxi dress with a coordinating faux fur wrap to stay warm in style. Top off the look with a black rhinestone clutch and pearl drop earrings, which add just the right amount of contrast and polish for a picture-perfect New Year’s Eve ensemble.
Complete the Look
Sweater Dress Inspired by Jane Seymour
Thats4Entertainment/Celeb Photo Ops,LLC/Courtney Kom; Amazon
Make like Jane Seymour and opt for a burgundy sweater dress that feels equal parts cozy and polished. Look for a ribbed style that’s fitted at the waist with elegant pleating and a full-length silhouette. Finish the outfit with pointed-toe black booties, and you’ve got a cute and comfortable New Year’s Eve look with minimal styling required.
Complete the Look
Sparkly Jacket Inspired by Reba McEntire
Trae Patton/NBC; Amazon
Copy Reba McEntire’s The Voice on-set style, where her sequin blazer stole the spotlight. Let it shine by pairing it with a sleek black fitted turtleneck, tall black suede boots, and a long layered silver necklace for extra drama. It’s bold, confident, and made for ringing in the New Year like a star.
Complete the Look
Whether you’re drawn to head-to-toe sparkle or subtle shimmer, these celebrity-inspired looks prove there’s a festive style for every New Year’s Eve plan.
Viligo Faux Leather Pants
Amazon
Amazon Essentials Slim-Fit Sleeveless High-Neck Top
Amazon
Joy in Love Chunky Platform Block Heels, $44 with Prime
Amazon
FashionPuzzle Crossbody Clutch with Chain Strap
Amazon
Genshuo Slingback Pointed-Toe Kitten Heels
Amazon
Boutique De FGG Crystal Evening Bag
Amazon
Simplee Faux Fur Coat
Amazon
Easy Fox Pointed-Toe Knee-High Boots
Amazon
Amazon Essentials Classic-Fit Turtleneck Sweater
Amazon
Dream Paris Chunky Heel Knee-High Boots
Amazon
WORLD NEWS
Taxpayers shell out almost £1m for ‘woke’ project to archive and ‘repatriate’ African films
Almost £1 million of taxpayer cash is being spent on compiling an archive of African films in a ‘reparatory justice’ project.
The UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is paying £850,000 for scholars to explore Africa’s ‘audiovisual heritage’.
A further £250,000 is being provided by Oxford, King’s College and Liverpool universities, which are leading the work.
One of the focuses will be films about ‘decolonisation’ of African countries and exploration of anti-colonial movements.
Scholars also aim to ‘repatriate’ footage currently kept in the ‘Global North’ so that it can be more easily seen by people in Africa.
They will take the archives on tour in Africa to ‘sites of encounter with young African creatives’.
It comes following a long-running campaign at Oxford to tear down a statue of the British Imperialist Cecil Rhodes by those who want ‘decolonisation’ of the university.
The project also comes at a time when public funding is tight.
Almost £1 million of taxpayer cash is been spent on compiling an archive of African films in a ‘reparatory justice’ project (pictured: students marching in a 2020 anti-colonialism protest at Oxford, which is taking part in the research)
AHRC, which hands out £70 million a year in grants, is a subsidiary of UK Research Innovation (UKRI) which is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The three universities are funded by a mixture of Government grants, taxpayer-provided tuition fee loans and some private cash.
Last night, Professor Anthony Glees, politics expert at Buckingham University, said: ‘They are funding this project for cynical political reasons. They are beyond woke.
‘It looks very like they’re trying to use the money to appease the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaigners, building on the idea of systematic racism in British institutions and the UK’s former African colonies.
‘Using films to make a political point and getting almost £1 million for doing so is hardly a sensible use of money when there’s so little of it, especially in some universities.’
William Yarwood at the TaxPayers’ Alliance added: ‘At a time when families are being squeezed from every angle, pouring almost £1 million into an academic project involving “decolonisation film archives” is staggeringly out of touch.
‘AHRC’s funding record increasingly looks like a conveyor belt for activist scholarship that delivers no meaningful benefit to British taxpayers. AHRC should be defunded and abolished.’
The UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is paying £850,000 for scholars to explore Africa’s ‘audiovisual heritage’ (pictured: Oxford professor Dan Hodgkinson, who is part of the research team and has campaigned on ‘decolonisation’)
It comes following a long-running campaign at Oxford to tear down a statue of the British Imperialist Cecil Rhodes (pictured) by those who want ‘decolonisation’ of the university
The two-year project looks at films spanning a period from colonial rule to the early 2000s.
It is led by Professor Erica Carter, professor of German and Film at King’s, who will work with 12 international experts including Oxford’s Dr Dan Hodgkinson, who has been involved in ‘decolonising’ activism in the past.
Dr Hodgkinson was among a group of academics at Oxford who carried out an academic boycott of Oriel College in 2021 over its decision to keep the Rhodes statue in place.
The ‘African film heritage restitution’ process will focus on two countries, Ghana and Sudan, with the researchers gathering footage to form new archives.
They will then look for ‘Africa-led solutions’ to overcome copyright and technology issues to make them more accessible to people in those countries.
Scholars, archivists and film makers in Cairo, Accra, Tamale, Berlin, Khartoum and London will develop and test new approaches to audiovisual heritage restitution.
A brief for the project says: ‘For twentieth-century anti-colonial movements and postcolonial states, cinema was a key medium for articulating and popularising decolonisation.
‘Yet years of resource poverty and political inaction have left a film heritage landscape marked by neglect and material destruction.
‘Vast swaths of newsreels, documentary and feature films—films that captured the major events and experiences of the decolonisation years—are either lost, or sequestered in the archives of the Global North.’
Project organisers said it comes in a climate of ‘demands’ for repatriation of treasures taken during ‘British colonial conquest and rule’.
This includes the Benin Bronzes, some of which have been returned to Nigeria from British institutions.
Dr Hodgekinson said: ‘There’s a lot of talk these days about redress, decolonisation, and restitution, relating to all sorts of historical artefacts and issues.
‘But there’s much less clarity on what actually needs to be done.
‘[Our project] tackles these issues head on – and all of us in the project, from Tamale to Cairo, can’t wait to get started.’
Featuring prominently in the project will be the work of Sudanese artist and film-maker Hussein Shariffe, who studied at Cambridge in the 1950s and later went on to make films touching on his both his country’s history and his experience of being in exile.
The African film project is the latest to raise questions about how British taxpayers’ money is being spent in higher education.
Other controversial AHRC grants include nearly £850,000 on a study entitled The Europe that Gay Porn Built, 1945-2000 and funding for PhDs in subjects such as lesbians living on canal boats, performance practice in sex work and the history of ‘queer fat activism’.
Meanwhile another UKRI subsidiary, the Economic and Social Research Council, awarded £668,244 in funding to Pregnant Men: An International Exploration of Trans Male Experiences and Practices of Reproduction.
A recent analysis of around 150,000 grants approved by UKRI since the early 2000s found the terms ‘equity’, ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ rose four-fold in frequency from the mid-2000s to 2020 before doubling again in the four years up to 2024.
The study by Buckingham University Centre for Heterodox Social Science warned that spending on ‘explicitly activist’ research had huge political risks for UKRI given that much of the public does not share its priorities.
A UKRI spokesman said: ‘UKRI’s investments in the arts, humanities and social science research broaden our knowledge, support the growth of key sectors such as the creative industries, and find new and innovative ways to benefit citizens.
‘This includes advancing knowledge by exploring challenging subjects, asking difficult questions about our society and working with international partners to investigate our shared history.’
A King’s College spokesman said: ‘It is not true that this project is about decolonisation, the purpose… is to preserve digital archives that document major events in the 20th century and restore films and documents that may otherwise be lost to authoritarian regimes and war.’
WORLD NEWS
Tragic boxing icon Ricky Hatton left £40m fortune to his three children thanks to property empire
Tragic boxing star Ricky Hatton has left a significant fortune to his children after building a property empire with the earnings from his world champion career
23:01, 26 Dec 2025
Ricky Hatton was a family man and had three children who are now grieving the premature loss of their dad(Image: Instagram)
The late, great Ricky Hatton has left a £40million legacy to his three children after building a property empire before his death. The former boxing world champion has left his family well taken care of, having invested the fruits of his career into a variety of businesses.
Hatton was found dead at his home by his manager and long-time friend Paul Speak, in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on September 14. A full inquest will take place on March 20.
The late Mancunian was survived by his children, Campbell, 24, Millie, 13, and Fearne, 12. Documents have revealed that his fight earnings were used to finance some sound business investments, according to The Sun.
Many of these include financing of freehold and leasehold flats, developments, and houses in Hyde, Greater Manchester, his hometown, as well as areas such as Leicestershire, London, and Kent.
The report claims Hatton was determined to ensure that he had a ‘financial legacy’ from his career.
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Hatton’s tragic death sparked nationwide mourning, and he was laid to rest in October. Fans lined the streets of Manchester before a service was held at Manchester cathedral.
Thousands of mourners paid tribute to Hatton, with the great and good of British boxing turning out. Tyson Fury, Tony Bellew and Frank Bruno, as well as former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff and former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney attended the cathedral.
Hatton’s three children read eulogies during the service and, afterwards, the commemorative march headed to the Etihad Stadium, the home of Hatton’s beloved Manchester City.
Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell before the boxer’s funeral(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Speaking earlier this year, Campbell opened up about his father’s death. In an interview on Good Morning Britain, he said: “Yeah, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind the last few weeks.
“Obviously, we’ve been leading up to the funeral, which was unbelievable to see the amount of love everyone had for my dad. There were thousands in the streets, and there was a lot of comfort to take from that. It has been very up and down, really, but just as a family, we’re trying to take each day at a time, really.”
“He always said he was more proud of his fanbase than all the belts and his titles. Surprised is probably the wrong word because it was obvious how much he was loved by the amount of people that followed him all over the world to watch him box.
“To actually see everyone in the streets, it was a very long route that we went down, and there was never a point where the streets weren’t full. To actually see it in terms of the amount of people, it was surreal really.”
WORLD NEWS
British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah returns to the UK and reunites with family after prison release | UK News
British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah has returned to the UK for the first time since his release after spending six years in prison in Egypt.
Mr Abd El-Fattah, 44, was released in September after being granted a presidential pardon for his charges of spreading false news, but a travel ban was in place until 20 December.
He had become one of Egypt’s most prominent political prisoners after spending much of his life in and out of detention due to his activism. His latest sentence came amid a far-reaching crackdown under president Abdel Fattah al Sisi.
Mr Abd El-Fattah has dual nationality through his mother, Laila Soueif, with whom he has now been reunited in the UK.
In a statement, his family said he would shortly be reunited with his 14-year-old son Khaled, who lives in Brighton with his mother.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah. File pic: Reuters
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Mr Abd El-Fattah’s return, writing on X: “I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief.
“I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.
More on Alaa Abd El-fattah
“Alaa’s case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I’m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon.”
Read more:
One of the men who went missing in sea off Devon coast named
US talk show host targets Trump in alternative Christmas message
Mr Abd El-Fattah became a prominent campaigner during protests in Cairo in 2011 that led to the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak.
In 2014, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison – later reduced to five – for protesting without permission.
He was released in 2019 but arrested again for sharing a Facebook post about human rights abuses in Egyptian prisons.
WORLD NEWS
Israeli forces kill Palestinian in Gaza, carry out raids across West Bank | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Palestinian death toll since the start of the truce in Gaza rises to 411 amid near daily Israeli violations.
Published On 26 Dec 2025
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Israeli forces have fatally shot a Palestinian man east of Gaza City as they continue their ceasefire violations and carry out sweeping raids across the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian news service Wafa reported on Friday that Israeli forces opened fire on Uday al-Maqadma while he was sitting near the entrance of a school in Gaza. He was taken to hospital in critical condition and died of his injuries at the hospital.
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Israel has been waging deadly attacks and placing severe restrictions on aid in Gaza, where at least 411 Palestinians have been killed and 1,112 injured, since the beginning of the truce agreement in October.
Wafa reported earlier this week that two Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers, also east of Gaza City in the Shujayea neighbourhood.
Israeli restrictions on vital humanitarian aid have also persisted in defiance of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, denying displaced Palestinians essential goods and temporary housing during a period of harsh winter storms.
The Gaza Government Media Office said earlier this week that an average of just 244 aid trucks are entering the strip per day, well below the daily rate of 600 mandated by the truce agreement.
Attacks by Israeli settlers and raids by Israeli soldiers have intensified in the occupied West Bank, as well.
Wafa reported that a Palestinian municipal worker was injured after being attacked by a group of settlers outside of Nablus on Friday, while Palestinian farmers trying to work on their land were detained by Israeli forces east of Tubas.
Several Palestinians were also detained during Israeli raids targeting the communities of Yatta and Beit Ummar near Hebron, including a woman, four children, and an elderly man, who Palestinian activists say was arrested after settlers damaged the fence around his home.
Israeli authorities almost never hold settlers accountable for acts of violence against Palestinian communities.
Two people were also killed in northern Israel, where police and emergency authorities say that a Palestinian man from the occupied West Bank rammed his car into a crowd of people in the city of Beit She’an.
The attack comes one day after footage emerged of an Israeli settler running over a Palestinian man praying on the side of the road in the occupied West Bank.
Additionally to the violence against Palestinians, Israel has also been carrying our near daily attacks in Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire there.
United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Friday that they again came under “heavy machinegun fire” from Israeli positions in southern Lebanon. The UN forces said that live ammunition and a grenade made impact “close” to a patrol inspecting a roadblock in the village of Bastara.
“UNIFIL had informed the [Israeli military] about the activities in those areas in advance, following usual practice for patrols in sensitive areas near the Blue Line,” the UN forces said in a statement.
“Attacks on or near peacekeepers are serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701. We reiterate call to the [Israeli military] to cease aggressive behaviour and attacks on or near peacekeepers working for peace and stability along the Blue Line.”
WORLD NEWS
Call for citizen scientists to monitor threatened turtle species on NSW beaches | New South Wales
The first sea turtle nest discovery of the breeding season has led to a rescue mission and kicked off a campaign to protect an endangered species.
The nest, found recently on the New South Wales north coast, was too close to the water’s edge and the eggs needed to be moved to save them from being inundated by waves and the tides.
Loggerhead turtles are endangered, with very few nesting females in NSW, making every egg precious. Green turtles are listed as a vulnerable species.
TurtleWatch NSW’s Merryn Dunleavy said every nest reported would be safeguarded “and the commitment and care from our coastal communities will be essential in ensuring these nests can survive”.
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“We are asking beachgoers to become citizen scientists and monitor local beaches along the NSW coastline, from the Tweed to Batemans Bay, looking for nesting sea turtles,” she said.
Turtle eggs discovered on a NSW beach. Loggerhead turtles are endangered and green turtles are listed as a vulnerable species. Photograph: Merryn Dunleavy/PR IMAGE
“Walk your local beach early in the morning along the high tide line – as sea turtles generally nest during the night from dusk until dawn – looking for turtle tracks in the sand.”
After the first nest was spotted by a member of the public, trained and licensed TurtleWatch staff carefully placed the eggs into one of the cooler-box incubators used during last season’s incubation success.
There were successful hatchings from a record 18 sea turtle nests last season.
Earlier in 2025, ex-tropical cyclone Alfred reshaped large stretches of the northern NSW coastline, causing many beaches to lose gently rising sandy shores.
Some dunes were cut back several metres, reducing suitable nesting habitat by creating steep drop-offs that nesting females cannot climb.
Because of the turtle team’s vigilance in February, National Parks and Wildlife Service and TurtleWatch staff rescued more than 1,000 eggs from nine nests ahead of the cyclone.
After hatching they were released at their original nest sites, with 1,020 hatchlings swimming free.
Prompt reporting of turtle tracks, low-lying nests and community awareness are key to protecting eggs and giving them the best chance to successfully hatch.
Tracks are usually 80 to 100cm wide and can sometimes be mistaken for tyre tracks.
TurtleWatch needs volunteers to assist with the nesting season, which runs from November to March along the NSW coastline.
NEED TO KNOW
- Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide actor Tylor Chase has reportedly been hospitalized and placed on a 72-hour hold
- Chase is next expected to enter rehab
- Chase has been experiencing homelessness and has received help from his fellow Nickelodeon stars and Mighty Ducks‘ Shaun Weiss
Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide alum Tylor Chase has reportedly been hospitalized and is next expected to enter rehab.
Jacob Harris, owner of Shipwreck Barbershop in Riverside, Calif., told TMZ that he visited Chase, 36, for three hours on Christmas day and was able to find “a crisis center that would come out and do an on-site evaluation.”
After the evaluation, Harris said workers decided Chase needed to receive “medical attention” at a Riverside-area hospital. TMZ reports that Chase is on a 72-hour hold and is being treated before being taken to a rehab facility.
Harris said he got involved with Chase after The Mighty Ducks‘ Shaun Weiss called him and asked him for help locating Chase, who has been experiencing homelessness. Harris was then connected with Chase’s dad, his costars and other family members.
Harris also told the Daily Mail that Chase “is in good care now, and the future is looking bright. He just needed someone to actually do something to help.”
Shaun Weiss.
Bobby Bank/WireImage
On Dec. 22, Weiss, 47, shared in an Instagram video that he’s received “many messages” about Chase and that he’s taken action.
“I reached out to some friends of mine and we have a bed for him at a detox and we have a place for him to go and get long-term treatment,” Weiss said.
The actor has previously opened up about his own past experiences with homelessness, as well as addiction, amid his sobriety journey. He shared on an April episode of Pod Meets World that he benefited from “a tremendous amount of support from people” who were invested in his recovery as fans of his acting.
Chase’s former Ned’s Declassified costar Daniel Curtis Lee also stepped in to help recently, providing Chase with a hotel room.
“It’s the holiday season. It’s raining out, and I just want them to have at least some basic accommodations,” Lee, 34, said in an Instagram video. “He wanted to stay local, and this was the only one that was open and accepted people.”
Lee and Chase’s former costars Devon Werkheiser and Lindsey Shaw previously addressed videos “circulating on the internet” of Chase “going through some stuff” during an episode of Ned’s Declassified Podcast Survival Guide back in September.
“All of us in the Ned’s community are figuring out what it looks like to see him,” Werkheiser said at the time. “How can we help? What can we do?”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
WORLD NEWS
Chilling new discovery after death of doctor wife and her two children gunned down in their Arkansas mansion
A chilling new discovery has been made in an investigation into the deaths of a wife and her two young children in rural Arkansas.
Charity Beallis and her two six-year-old twins were found shot to death on December 3 in their $780,000 mansion in Bonanza earlier this month amid a bitter divorce and custody battle with her abusive doctor husband, who has been cooperating with the police investigation.
Now, it has emerged personal belongings from the slain family were found discarded in a dumpster miles from their home days after the killings, according to local news station KNWA/FOX24.
The items were discovered on December 6 by a dumpster diver in Fort Smith, roughly 15 miles from the family home.
Inside the black trash bag were intimate family keepsakes: printed photographs of Beallis with her children, framed portraits, a child’s painted artwork, handwritten notes and medical paperwork bearing her name and home address.
Also recovered was a delicate gold necklace engraved with the names of Beallis’ children, along with a religious or spiritual art print depicting a woman embracing a robed figure.
The woman who found the bag said she initially pulled it from the dumpster and did not examine its contents until the following morning, when she realized the photographs and paperwork appeared to belong to the slain family. She contacted police immediately.
Charity Beallia and her six-year-old twins (pictured) were found shot dead on December 3
The Bonanza, Arkansas home where Charity Beallis and her two six-year-old twins were found shot to death on December 3
Detectives later collected the items and returned to the dumpster site, which was located near an apartment complex, according to local news.
Charity’s adult son from a previous marriage, John Powell, later corroborated the woman’s account, saying he met her at his attorney’s office and heard the same details firsthand.
Powell said that when he later raised the discovery with a detective assigned to the case, the response caught him off guard.
‘How did you find out?’ the detective allegedly asked.
The discovery comes as the case remains under intense scrutiny following bitter divorce proceedings between Charity Beallis and her estranged husband, Dr Randall Beallis, which had reached a critical stage just days before the killings.
Dr Beallis is a family medicine physician based in the Fort Smith area.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, he still has an active medical license, which does not expire until February 2027
Charity filed for divorce weeks after Randall Beallis was convicted of battery for strangling her in front of their children earlier this year.
She had obtained a restraining order and sought sole custody of the twins, telling the court she feared for her safety despite protective measures being in place.
Following her death, attorneys for Randall Beallis moved to dismiss the divorce on the grounds that it had not been finalized, a move that would legally classify him as a widower.
Printed photographs of Charity Beallis posing with her two young children were among the personal items found inside a black trash bag discarded in a Fort Smith dumpster days after the killings
A framed photograph of Beallis seated beside her husband was found among the items turned over to police
Attorneys representing Charity’s eldest son, John Randall Powell, later sought to have the decree entered and to appoint him administrator of her estate.
Daily Mail further revealed that Randall Beallis’ previous wife also died from a gunshot wound in 2012, a death that was ruled a suicide.
Family members have questioned that conclusion, though no connection to the current case has been established by investigators.
Authorities have not named a suspect, and Randall Beallis has denied any wrongdoing. His attorney has said he is cooperating fully with the investigation.
Officers were sent to the family’s home on First Avenue in Bonanza for a welfare check shortly before 9.30am on December 3.
After receiving no response, they entered the residence with assistance from workers on site and found three people dead, all suffering apparent gunshot wounds.
The bodies were transported to the Arkansas Crime Lab in Little Rock for autopsies to determine the exact cause and timing of death.
The Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office said its Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation.
Multiple search warrants have been executed, and additional interviews are ongoing.
No arrests have been announced.
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New York to require social media platforms to display mental health labels | Social Media News
A new state law mandates warnings for young users on platforms with features that ‘encourage excessive use’.
Published On 26 Dec 2025
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The state of New York will require social media platforms with infinite scrolling, autoplay and algorithmic feeds to display labels about their potential harm to young users’ mental health, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced.
Hochul on Friday signed a bill that mandates the warning against “addictive” features into law.
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“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” Hochul said in a statement.
The governor compared the social media labels to warnings on other products like tobacco, which communicate the risk of cancer, or plastic packaging, which warn of the risk of suffocation for small children.
“Research shows that social media exposure overstimulates reward centers, creating pathways comparable to those of an individual experiencing substance use or gambling addictions,” the law reads.
If social media platforms breach the regulations when they go into effect, the state attorney general would be able to take legal action and seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
The law would apply to conduct occurring partly or wholly in New York but not when the platform is accessed by users physically outside the state.
Spokespeople for TikTok, Snap, Meta and Alphabet have not yet issued statements reacting to the new law.
Through this social media measure, New York is set to join other states in the United States like California and Minnesota that have similar social media laws for young users.
The effect of social media on children’s mental health has become a growing global concern, and some US school districts have already begun suing social media companies.
This month, Australia went a step further and banned children under 16 years old from using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit.
Countries like Malaysia and Denmark have signalled plans to introduce similar bans in the near future while countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and France have tightened social media laws for young users.
Perry Bamonte, longtime guitarist and keyboard player for the Cure, has died aged 65.
The musician, known affectionately as Teddy, passed away after a short illness over Christmas, the band announced on their website.
The band described the musician as “quiet, intensive, intuitive, constant and hugely creative”, calling him a “vital part of the Cure story”.
“Looking after the band from 1984 through 1989, he became a full member of the Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six-string bass and keyboard on the Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), Bloodflowers (2000), Acoustic Hits (2001), and the Cure (2004) albums,” the band wrote on their website.
Formed in 1976 by lead singer Robert Smith and drummer Lol Tolhurst, the Cure are known for their influence on goth, post-punk and indie music.
Bamonte, who was due to play on the Cure’s UK and European tour in 2026, first joined the band as part of their road crew in 1984 through his brother, Daryl, who was the band’s tour manager at the time.
He became a full-time member of the band after the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell in 1990. Over the next 14 years, he performed more than 400 shows, playing on some of the band’s best-known tracks, such as Friday I’m in Love, High and A Letter to Elise.
Bamonte, who was born in September 1960 in London, left the Cure in 2005 after the band was reconfigured as a trio. In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the Cure.
“He rejoined the Cure in 2022, playing another 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with the Show of a Lost World concert in London on 1 November 2024,” the band wrote on their website, adding, “Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”
Bamonte was also the bass player in supergroup Love Amongst Ruin, alongside former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt and Julian Cope collaborator Donald Ross Skinner. The group have released two studio albums, their self-titled 2010 debut, and Lose Your Way, released in 2015.
The musician was also interested fly fishing and built a career as an illustrator, contributing to the magazine Fly Culture.
In a tribute on Instagram, Bamonte’s former bandmate, drummer Lol Tolhurst, wrote: “So sad to hear about Perry Bamonte passing. Cindy (Tolhurst’s wife) and I send our condolences to all that knew him. Farewell Teddy.”
A Palestinian man rammed his car into a man and then stabbed a young woman in northern Israel, killing both, police said on Friday.
In retaliation, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz quickly ordered military action in what he said was the assailant’s hometown in the occupied West Bank.
What do we know?
The attack began Friday afternoon in the northern city of Beit She’an, in the Jordan Valley.
Police said the Palestinian man crashed his vehicle into people, killing one man and injuring a teenage boy.
He then sped onto a highway, where he fatally stabbed the woman and injured another person near the entrance to the city of Afula.
Authorities said the alleged attacker, a 34-year-old Palestinian, was shot and is in a stable condition in the hospital.
The Israeli military said the suspect had “infiltrated into Israeli territory several days ago.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that he was shocked by the “horrific killing spree.”
Israeli settlers ‘rarely arrested’ for West Bank violence
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Katz orders retaliation by military in West Bank
Israeli police later said the attacker was a resident of Qabatiya and had taken his employer’s vehicle to carry out the attack.
Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to launch an operation in the northern West Bank city.
Katz said that he’d told troops to “act forcefully and immediately” against what he called “terrorist infrastructure” in the Qabatiya.
“Anyone who aids or sponsors terrorism will pay the full price, he said.
It’s common practice for Israel to launch raids in Palestinian attackers’ hometowns, which Israel defends as helping to locate militant infrastructure and preventing future attacks. Human rights watchdogs say these actions constitute collective punishment.
Later Friday, the military said its soldiers had launched an operation in Qabatiya.
Rising violence fuels West Bank tensions
Friday’s attack took place just days after Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the Qabatiya area.
The military has launched a probe after footage emerged showing the teenager not posing any threat or throwing anything at soldiers who shot him.
Friday’s incident also came a day after an Israeli military reservist dressed in civilian clothes rammed his vehicle into a Palestinian man in the West Bank.
Social media footage purporting to show the incident shows the victim praying by the roadside when the ramming occurs.
More than a thousand Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank between October 7, 2023 and October 17, 2025, mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler violence, according to the UN. In the same period, 57 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
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Police said a 12-year-old boy thwarted a burglary at his Long Island home this holiday season in an incident that has been likened to the classic Christmas film Home Alone.
Tristen Taylor, a seventh grader from the hamlet of Medford, was home alone Tuesday afternoon when he heard his kitchen window shatter and footsteps inside his house, according to CBS New York. Taylor was quick on his feet and escaped his home through his bedroom window.
“I said, ‘I have to get out the house, the quickest way possible,'” he told CBS New York.
Once outside, Taylor said he spotted a person inside his house, so he hid behind his garage and called 911, according to the outlet. “I was on the phone with them, waiting for them to get here,” he said.
Officers received the call shortly before 1 p.m. and arrived at his home within three minutes, according to a press release from the Suffolk County Police Department. They found the 12-year-old uninjured.
A 12-year-old boy escaped his home and called 911 after he heard someone break into his Long Island home, police said (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The police department said officers found Christian Garcia, 53, inside the home and arrested him at the scene. Garcia was charged with third-degree burglary and possession of burglars tools. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday.
The Independent has contacted Garcia’s attorney for comment.
The incident has drawn comparisons to Home Alone, which follows eight-year-old Kevin McAllister as he fends off burglars targeting his home after his family forgot him when they left for a vacation.
Taylor’s grandmother, Timothea Taylor, told CBS New York the family is “very proud” of the 12-year-old.
“We were very proud that he was able to keep his composure and call the police as quickly as he did. Without even thinking about it, he automatically called 911,” she said.
Neighbor Mike Campanella also praised Taylor’s quick thinking.
“I would hope my son would have done the same thing. When someone is breaking into the house, caution is to get out and call the police. You just have to be brave and call them,” he told CBS New York.
NEED TO KNOW
- The family of Alexander Pinon alleges in a new lawsuit that a funeral business gave them a bag containing a brain instead of his clothing
- The lawsuit also claims that after Pinon’s family returned the brain to the funeral home, an employee discovered it was stored in a box and left in the business’s courtyard for two months
- “It’s something they’re gonna have to live with forever,” said an attorney for the family
The family of a 27-year-old man is suing a California funeral business after the family says they received a bag containing what they thought was was the young man’s clothing — but turned out to be a brain.
Alexander Pinon died on May 19 at a Santa Clara, Calif., residence, according to a complaint filed by his relatives in Santa Clara Superior Court on Oct. 2.
His family contracted the services of Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel in San Jose for a “full-service memorial tribute package,” to the cost of more than $10,000 and including the embalming, dressing and casketing of Alexander’s body, per the complaint, which was reviewed by PEOPLE.
The suit states that the family did not want Pinon to be dressed in the clothes he wore at the time of his death but rather alternative attire for the visitation and funeral services.
Pinon’s father allegedly met with the funeral home director, Annette Singh, at the mortuary on June 4 to pick up his late son’s previous clothing.
The funeral home director gave Pinon’s father a red bag that indicated “biohazardous material” and purportedly contained the clothes, the complaint states.
Pinon’s dad then drove home with the intention of cleaning his son’s clothes, per the complaint. He “opened up his washing machine, and dumped the contents of the bag straight into the washing machine.”
It was at that moment that he made the macabre discovery.
“The bag did not contain any clothing, but rather, it only contained human brain matter,” according to the suit.
Samer Habbas, an attorney for Pinon’s family, told ABC station KGO in a story posted on Friday, Dec. 12, that they were unaware at the time whether it was their son’s brain in the washing machine.
“They didn’t know if it was mixed up with somebody else’s brain, whether it was their son’s, they had not a single idea,” Habbas said.
Pinon’s father retrieved the brain from the washing machine, put it back in the bag and delivered the contents to Singh with the funeral home that same day, according to the family’s suit.
Habbas alleged that Singh took the bag from Alexander’s father and never explained whose brain it was and didn’t offer an apology.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Service Corporation International — a parent corporation affiliated with Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel — tells PEOPLE that “due to active litigation, we won’t be commenting on this matter.”
Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel and Singh did not respond to PEOPLE’s separate requests for comment.
KGO reported that one of its reporters went to Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel and was told by an office manager that Singh had left the company two weeks ago. After the reporter located Singh at her home, she was seen driving away without answering questions about the allegations.
Alexander’s funeral services occurred on June 5 at Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. Over the next few weeks, his mother repeatedly messaged Singh to inquire about the status of her son’s clothes, the family’s complaint states.
On July 8, Singh allegedly texted Alexander’s mother to say that she would get back to the family that day.
Based on information they received, the family alleges in the complaint that Singh placed a box at the funeral business’s courtyard sometime in June and told staff that it just contained clothing that she was going to have professionally cleaned.
By late August, the box still remained in the courtyard, according to the suit. A funeral employee allegedly opened the box and discovered a red biohazard bag stuffed among other bags.
“The same employee then opened and looked inside the red biohazard bag and immediately [was] overwhelmed with the smell and witnessed a clay-like, light brown, and purple in coloration material that was severely deteriorated,” the complaint states.
Another employee came over to look into the contents of the red biohazard bag and quickly realized that the red bag did not contain any clothing but instead a rotting human brain,” the complaint continues.
Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel.
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Funeral employees later confirmed that the red bag that Singh hid in the courtyard was Alexander’s brain, according to the complaint.
The suit alleges that the family believes Alexander’s brain and clothing are still in the funeral business’ possession.
Alexander’s family claims that the handling of their son’s remains by defendants Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel, Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary and Singh caused them “emotional distress, trauma, and mental anguish.”
“Discovering one’s own child’s brain matter in a washing machine and then having to scoop it out, and later learning that part of your loved one’s body was hidden and left to rot, is a horror no family should ever endure,” the complaint states. “Plaintiffs have suffered shock, grief, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and other lasting psychological injuries as a direct result of DEFENDANTS’ conduct.”
Attorneys for Alexander’s family are attempting to get back the brain they believe to be their son’s, KGO reported. His body has already been buried.
“We don’t know the extent of how much suffering they’re gonna go through for the remainder of their life,” Habbas told the station. “But I can tell you, it’s something that they’re never gonna forget, it’s something they’re gonna have to live with forever.”