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Taiwan earthquake LIVE: Tsunami alert as 7.0 magnitude quake rocks Taipei
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has hit Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, with residents reporting intense tremors
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Saudi defence minister urges Yemen’s STC to withdraw “peacefully” from seized provinces, Hadramout and al-Mahra.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it will respond to any separatist military movements that undermine de-escalation efforts in the southern region, as Riyadh doubles down on calls for the group to “peacefully” withdraw from recently seized eastern provinces.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said on X on Saturday that “it’s time” for troops from the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) to “let reason prevail by withdrawing from the two provinces and doing so peacefully”.
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Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said “any military movements that violate these [de-escalation] efforts will be dealt with directly and immediately in order to protect civilian lives and ensure the success of restoring calm,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Al-Maliki also accused the STC separatists of “serious and horrific human rights violations against civilians”, without providing evidence.
The statements came a day after the STC accused Saudi Arabia of launching air strikes on separatist positions in Yemen’s Hadramout province, and after Washington called for restraint in the rapidly escalating conflict.
Earlier this month, forces aligned to the STC took over large chunks from the Saudi-backed government in the provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra. The STC and the government have been allies for years in the fight against the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
Abdullah al-Alimi, a member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, the governing body of the internationally recognised government, welcomed the Saudi defence minister’s remarks, considering them to “clearly reflect the kingdom’s steadfast stance and sincere concern for Yemen’s security and stability”, he said on X.
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said after an emergency meeting late on Friday that STC movements posed “serious violations against civilians”.
The STC, which has previously received military and financial backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is seeking to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen. The group warned on Friday that they were undeterred after strikes it blamed on Saudi Arabia hit their positions.
Diplomacy, de-escalation?
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “We urge restraint and continued diplomacy, with a view to reaching a lasting solution.”
Azerbaijan, meanwhile, said it welcomed efforts led by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE to de-escalate ongoing tensions in Yemen.
Following Friday’s raids, Yemen’s government urged the Saudi-led coalition to support its forces in Hadramout, after separatists seized most of the country’s largest province.
The government asked the coalition to “take all necessary military measures to protect innocent Yemeni civilians in Hadramout province and support the armed forces”, the official Yemeni news agency said.
A Yemeni military official said on Friday that about 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border but had not been given orders to advance on separatist-held territory. The areas where they were deployed are at the edges of territory seized in recent weeks by the STC.
Separatist advances have added pressure on ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, close allies who support rival groups within Yemen’s government.
On Friday, the UAE welcomed Saudi efforts to support security in Yemen, as the two Gulf allies sought to present a united front.
Yemen’s government is a patchwork of groups that includes the separatists, and is held together by shared opposition to the Houthis.
The Houthis pushed the government out of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and secured control over most of the north.
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Poland preparing €2bn anti-drone fortifications along its eastern border amid Russian threat | Poland
Poland plans to complete a new set of anti-drone fortifications along its eastern borders within two years, a top defence official has said, after a massive incursion of unmanned Russian aerial combat vehicles into Polish airspace earlier this year.
“We expect to have the first capabilities of the system in roughly six months, perhaps even sooner. And the full system will take 24 months to complete,” the deputy defence minister, Cezary Tomczyk, told the Guardian in an interview in Warsaw.
Tomczyk said the new air defence systems would be integrated into an older line of protection constructed a decade ago. He said it would involve different layers of defence, including machine guns, cannon, missiles and drone-jamming systems.
“Some of this is for use only in extreme or war conditions. For example, these multi-barrel machine guns are difficult to use in peacetime, because everything that goes up must go down,” he said.
More than a dozen suspected Russian drones entered Polish airspace in September, in an incident that led to airport closures, fighter jets being scrambled, and damage to buildings on the ground as drones were shot down. The foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, told the Guardian at the time that the attacks, which involved drones not carrying any ammunition, were an attempt by Russia “to test us without starting a war”.
The Polish border with Belarus in the Podlasie region, where fortifications will be aimed at preventing any future Russian invasion. Photograph: Jędrzej Nowicki/The Guardian
Since then, Poland has updated plans already in the works to reinforce its eastern borders. While no anti-drone system can be fully effective against the kind of systematic and massive targeting that Ukraine has been subjected to, European nations along the eastern flank are scrambling to upgrade their systems to match the new threat. Tomczyk said the project would cost more than €2bn (£1.75bn), and would be mostly financed with European funds under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) defence loan programme, as well as some contributions for the state budget.
During almost four years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Poland has increasingly put itself on a war footing, as cases of sabotage and arson which Polish services link to Russian intelligence agencies are on the rise. The country has plans to train hundreds of thousands of citizens in survival skills while others are taking voluntary military training.
In addition to the anti-drone wall, Poland is also conducting fortifications along its land borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, known as the Eastern Shield and aimed at preventing a future Russian invasion. Tomczyk said special logistics hubs would be built in every border municipality, where equipment to help block the border would be stored, ready to be deployed in a matter of hours.
Border fence in the Podlasie region; Poland’s eastern border municipalities are to receive logistics hubs. Photograph: Jędrzej Nowicki/The Guardian
“The truth is that as long as Ukraine is defending itself and fighting Russia, Europe is not at risk of war in the conventional, strict sense of the word. What we will face instead are provocations and acts of sabotage,” said Tomczyk. But, he said, if the west allowed Russia to win in Ukraine, it could be not long before the Kremlin set its sights on Europe.
Poland has boosted its defence spending to 4.7% of GDP, one of the highest rates in the European Union, amid continuing fears over Russian hybrid operations and potential military threats to the country.
“Today, Ukraine is spending around 40% of its GDP on the war, and anyone wondering what percentage we should devote to the military ought to ask themselves whether it’s better to raise spending from, say, 2% to 3 or 3.5%, or to let it rise from 2% all the way to 40% later,” Tomczyk said.
A Polish military helicopter patrols the border with Belarus in the Podlasie region. Photograph: Jędrzej Nowicki/The Guardian
Questioned over whether Russia really had military designs on Poland in the same way it did on Ukraine, which the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has long said was central to Russian identity, Tomczyk pointed to the long history of Russian aggression and expansionism in eastern Europe. He said that “like in Orwell’s 1984”, messaging about the enemy of the day could quickly be changed.
“These conquests function mainly as a political tool for maintaining power: a recurring motif in Russian history. The government needs to show that it is strong, that it commands a powerful army, that no one should dare to challenge it. In that sense, an external war becomes a domestic instrument in Russia,” he said.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late on Saturday, the island’s Central Weather Administration said.
The quake, some 32 km (20 miles) off the city of Yilan, hit at 11:05 pm local time (1505 GMT/UTC) and had a depth of 73 km (45 miles), it added.
Residents and local media described how the quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei, as the government sent alerts to public mobile phones.
Local media reported that some ceilings collapsed and supermarket shelves toppled.
Rail operators temporarily slowed some train and high-speed rail services as a precaution.
Within minutes, however, the Taipei city government said there were no immediate reports of major damage.
The quake was not severe enough for officials to issue a tsunami alert, Reuters news agency cited the country’s fire department as saying.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged residents to “stay vigilant.” He encouraged them to check on family and friends and warned of possible aftershocks.
TSMC’s chips power everything from smartphones to AI systemsImage: Ann Wang/REUTERS
Chipmaker TSMC evacuates buildings
However, the shaking did force evacuations at a small number of facilities owned by the world’s largest contract chipmaker, TSMC.
“Prioritising personnel safety, we are conducting outdoor evacuations and headcounts in accordance with emergency response procedures. Work safety systems at all facilities are operating normally,” the company said in a brief statement.
Taiwan is vital to the global technology sector as it produces the most advanced semiconductors, including the cutting-edge chips no other country can currently match.
Any disruption to Taiwan’s chipmakers would jolt global supply chains, crippling industries from smartphones to cars and pushing up tech prices worldwide.
Taiwan prone to earthquakes
Taiwan is prone to earthquakes.
In April 2024, a magnitude-7.2 quake struck the island’s east, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 1,000.
A 7.3 magnitude quake in 1999 killed more than 2,000 people.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
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Fifteen people were injured, and a suspect is in custody following a stabbing spree and chemical attack at a tire factory in central Japan.
The 38-year-old attacker allegedly stabbed eight people and wounded seven others with what was believed to be bleach on Friday at a Yokohama Rubber Co. facility in Mishima, west of Tokyo, officials said.
The motive for the incident is unclear, but the suspect is believed to be a former employee at the factory, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing investigative sources.
The suspect was carrying a survival knife and wearing what appeared to be a gas mask, Japanese newspaper Asahi added.
GEORGIA WOMAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER ATTACKER HURLS CORROSIVE CHEMICAL DURING EVENING WALK
Police officers stand guard at the scene of a stabbing at the Yokohama Rubber Co. facility in Mishima, west of Tokyo on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Yusuke Hashizume/Kyodo News via AP)
The Fujisan Nanto Fire Department told The Associated Press that five of the people who were stabbed were in serious condition.
Images and video taken at the scene showed first responders swarming the factory.
JEWISH STABBING VICTIM ELIAS ROSNER SPEAKS OUT AFTER BROOKLYN ATTACK: ‘I BELIEVE IN STANDING UP TO BULLIES’
A police officer stands guard inside the cordon at the Yokohama factory on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP via Getty Images)
Shizuoka prefecture police said the attacker was arrested for alleged attempted murder.
Media reports described the stabbing victims as all being conscious while being transported to local hospitals.
Fifteen people were injured in a stabbing and chemical attack in central Japan on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP via Getty Images)
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The seven others injured by the bleach thrown at them during the attack were hospitalized as well, the fire department said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
WORLD NEWS
Kennedy Center demands $1M from jazz musician who pulled out of annual New Year’s concert in protest at Trump renaming
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President Donald Trump’s Kennedy Center head is demanding $1 million from a musician who refused to play at the Washington, D.C. arts venue after its recent name change.
Drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd, 67, has been the longtime host for the Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve Jazz Jam, but he canceled the event shorty after the venue’s board announced it would rename the iconic venue to include the president’s name. The venue’s new, currently unofficial, name is the “Donald Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Now, Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell — who also served in Trump’s first administration and was appointed in February after the president most of the board — is threatening to sue the musician for backing out of the performance.
“Your decision to withdraw at the last moment — explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure — is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution,” Grenell reportedly wrote in a letter to Redd, which was obtained by the Washington Post.
Grenell wrote that the letter was Redd’s “official notice that we will seek $1 million in damages from you for this political stunt.”
open image in gallery
Workers add President Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell has threatened to sue jazz musician Chuck Redd for canceling a holiday show in response to the venue’s new name (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Redd — who has shared the stage with jazz greats like Charlie Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie, and Barney Kessel — confirmed that he pulled out of the event because he opposed the name change.
“I did choose to cancel our Kennedy Center Christmas Eve Jazz Jam when I saw the name change happening last Friday,” Redd told CNN in a statement. “I’ve been performing at the Kennedy Center since the beginning of my career and I was saddened to see this name change.”
Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, complained in an email to the Washington Post that artists who refuse to perform at the venue over political differences lacked principles.
“Any artist cancelling their show at the Trump Kennedy Center over political differences isn’t courageous or principled — they are selfish, intolerant, and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people,” Daravi said.
Grenell said in an X post that he “will not let” artists cancel Kennedy Center shows “without consequences.”
“The left is boycotting the Arts because Trump is supporting the Arts. But we will not let them cancel shows without consequences,” Grenell wrote. “The Arts are for everyone – and the Left is mad about it.”
open image in gallery
Grenell said in a social media post that he would ‘not let’ artists who cancel shows at the venue over political differences do so ‘without consequence’ (Getty Images)
The Kennedy Center was established by Congress to be both the nation’s cultural arts center, and was later made a memorial when it was given Kennedy’s name in 1964.
Trump hosted the center’s annual honors event last week. That event is typically televised, but this year’s show saw a 35 percent drop in viewership with Trump at the helm, according to a report.
The center’s new, Trump-selected board of trustees voted last week to rename it, adding Trump’s name before Kennedy’s, but the move has already been challenged by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. She filed a lawsuit on Monday claiming that an act of Congress is needed to officially change the center’s name.
Members of the Kennedy family — including the former president’s niece, Maria Shriver, and former Democratic congressman Joe Kennedy — were critical of Trump tacking his own name onto their relative’s memorial.
“It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy. It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable,” Shriver wrote on Instagram. “It is not.”
It’s not just musicians and Kennedy relatives who oppose Trump’s meddling in the Kennedy Center. Ticket sales for events have plummeted since Trump replaced the previous board with loyalists, according to the Washington Post.
The report found that orchestra, theater, and dance performance tickets are lower this year than since before the coronavirus pandemic.
At least 20 productions cancelled or postponed their shows in response to Trump’s board shakeup in February.
I watch Notting Hill every winter for fashion inspiration from Julia Roberts’ character, and the actress just took her ’90s style off-screen in the very same neighborhood.
We spotted Roberts on a real-life walk through Notting Hill, where she channeled Anna Scott in a cozy sweater, ballet flats, a beanie, and wide-leg pants that look straight out of the 26-year-old romcom. I tracked down similar trousers inspired by the star in Amazon’s fashion department and found lookalike pairs starting at just $20. Read on to see how you can copy Roberts’ comfy yet sleek winter wardrobe hack for less.
Julia Roberts-Inspired Wide-Leg Pants
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These top-selling wide-leg pants look so similar to the ones Roberts recently wore — and they’re under $35 today. They have a high-rise silhouette with wide legs that are loose but not baggy, plus pleat detailing that gives them a polished touch.
Another perk? The trousers are made from a soft and stretchy fabric blend that droves of reviewers rave about. One shopper dubbed them “extremely comfortable work pants” before sharing, “They feel just like pajama pants, and I could wear them day after day.” Pair them with a button-down at the office, a T-shirt or turtleneck for a more casual look, or a sweater á la Roberts for a number of winter activities.
Nimin High-Waisted Wide-Leg Pants
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If you’re looking for a more specific size, try these popular wide-leg pants that are available in short, regular, and long lengths. They have a similar silhouette to the style listed above, complete with a cinched, high waistline and pleats along the wide legs. They’re also made from an elasticized fabric blend that reviewers find plenty comfortable, including one customer who described it as substantial yet “not too thick,” making the pants comfortable for year-round wear.
Prettygarden Knit Wide-Leg Pants, $24 with coupon
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Cold weather is rearing its head in many parts of the country right now, and we know how you can make the wide-leg trouser trend extra toasty in its wake. These pants are made from a cozy knit material, so you can look put-together but still feel like you’re wrapped in a blanket on a chilly day. They also have an elastic waistband with an adjustable drawstring for added comfort.
I handpicked even more wide-leg pants inspired by Julia Roberts’ Notting Hill look from Amazon’s fashion hub. Add these finds to your fall closet for under $45.
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Prettygarden High-Rise Pleated Wide-Leg Pants
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WORLD NEWS
Democrat accused of stealing $5million in relief funds trolled for editing out $100k diamond ring in her official portrait
A Democratic congresswoman from Florida accused of stealing $5million in disaster relief funds was blasted online for editing out a flashy diamond ring from her official portrait.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus–McCormick, 46, who represents a heavily–Democratic district in Southeast Florida, uploaded the photo Thursday, as she wished her followers a Merry Christmas.
However, online users were quick to spot that the sparkler typically found on her left hand was completely missing from the holiday postcard.
Last month, Cherfilus–McCormick was charged with stealing federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds, and using the money for her 2021 congressional campaign.
Federal prosecutors alleged she stole the funds her family’s health care company received during the COVID–19 pandemic and used them to support her political aspirations and for her personal benefit.
The indictment from Cherfilus–McCormick’s case said she purchased a 3.14–carat ‘Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond’ ring from a New York jeweler for $109,000, per CBS12.
The congresswoman’s official house portrait appears to show a similar piece of jewelry adorning her finger, although no link has been confirmed.
Cherfilus–McCormick’s post was accompanied by a community note – a feature which allows users to add context to potentially misleading posts – saying that her portrait had ‘been altered to remove a ring off of her left hand’.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus–McCormick, 46, was pictured with a large diamond ring on her hand in her official portrait
However, the piece of jewelry was scrubbed from her Christmas greeting posted Thursday. The Florida Democrat was mocked online for the photo alteration
The portrait quickly drew the ire of social media users.
‘Your photoshop skills are lacking,’ one X user said.
One user posted a side–by–side picture showing how the luxury accessory was missing from the Florida Democrat’s hand.
Another user said Cherfilus–McCormick had triggered a ‘Streisand Effect,’ in which attempts to suppress information only draw more attention to it.
The comment section on the congresswoman’s post was flooded with similar accusations and questions about the ring.
‘Where is the ring you bought with stolen funds?’ one user asked.
‘What happened to your ring?’ another insisted.
Cherfilus–McCormick’s chief of staff claimed that the altered image posted on X had not been ‘directed, approved, or authorized by the Congresswoman’
Cherfilus–McCormick’s staff claimed that the edited image had not been ‘directed, approved, or authorized by the Congresswoman.’
‘It was a staff–level decision made by well–intentioned individuals seeking to protect the Member’s reputation,’ Naomie Pierre–Louis, Cherfilus–McCormick’s chief of staff, told CBS12.
She added that the change to the Democrat politician’s photo ‘should not have occurred;.
‘The image is the Congresswoman’s official portrait, and she has no intention of altering or editing it now or in the future,’ Pierre–Louis told the outlet.
In November, federal prosecutors alleged Cherfilus–McCormick was the CEO of her family–run company Trinity Health Care Services when it received a contract at the start of the pandemic to conduct COVID testing and outreach in minority communities.
When the company received an overpayment of $5million in FEMA funds in July 2021, Cherfilus–McCormick and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, allegedly worked to ‘steal’ the cash.
They allegedly ‘routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source’.
Federal prosecutors alleged Cherfilus–McCormick stole the funds her family’s health care company received during the pandemic and used them to support her congressional campaign
The congresswoman allegedly used a ‘substantial portion’ of the funds as ‘campaign contributions to Cherfilus–McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the benefit of the defendants’.
She was also charged with conspiring to file a false federal tax return after having ‘falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions’.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that ‘using disaster relief funds for self–enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime’.
She added: ‘No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.’
Cherfilus–McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted. She has denied the charges.
‘This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent,’ she said in a November 20 statement.
‘The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have fully cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do so until this matter is resolved.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Cherfilus–McCormick’s office for further comment.
Istanbul, Turkiye – Turkish authorities and Libyan officials are conducting an investigation into the crash of a private jet that killed Libya’s army chief, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, and seven other people near Ankara.
The probe, coordinated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, is focusing on technical evidence, flight recordings, crew activity and aircraft maintenance, officials said. The French civil aviation investigations agency, BEA, has announced that it will participate in the probe.
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General al-Haddad had been received in Ankara on Tuesday for talks with his Turkish counterpart, Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and Defence Minister Yasar Guler.
According to officials, the French-made Dassault Falcon 50 took off from Ankara Esenboga Airport at 2:17pm on Tuesday, heading back to Libya, reported an electrical malfunction 16 minutes later and requested an emergency return.
Radar contact was lost shortly after at 2:41 pm (17:41 GMT) while the aircraft was descending towards the runway.
Officials said there was only a two-minute window between the emergency alarm and the crash.
The probe’s many factors
The forensic examination of the bodies of General al-Haddad and his military companions was completed early on Saturday and they have been repatriated to Libya after a ceremony in their honour at an airbase outside Ankara.
The site of Tuesday’s crash – near Kesikkavak village in Haymana district, roughly 70km (43 miles) south of Ankara – has been sealed off by Turkish security forces. All wreckage, including the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, or “black boxes”, has been secured and transported for analysis, according to authorities.
As part of the prosecutor-led investigation, specialists are examining air traffic control recordings, radar data and airport security camera footage.
Authorities have also requested communication logs between the pilots and the control tower and are reviewing the crew’s rest periods, medical history and records of meals or medication taken before the flight.
Maintenance logs and documentation related to the aircraft’s most recent checks are also under scrutiny to identify any possible technical lapses.
Fuel samples have been taken from both the wreckage and airport tanks to rule out contamination or incorrect fuel use, while local weather data from the time of the crash has been requested.
If evidence points to a structural failure or design flaw, investigators said, the inquiry could be expanded to include manufacturers and maintenance contractors.
International rules and reporting timeline
Gursel Tokmakoglu, former head of the Turkish air force’s intelligence agency, said the crash should be viewed as an international case, given the number of actors involved.
“The Libyan government chartered an aircraft from a foreign country. The aircraft was manufactured in another country. The pilots were from elsewhere. The passengers were Libyan, and the crash happened in Turkiye,” he said.
“If you also consider insurance companies and international aviation bodies, this is clearly a multinational incident.”
Earlier, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu had announced that the black boxes may be sent to another country for further analysis, raising some questions about why analysis could not be done in either Turkiye or Libya.
Tokmakoglu said Turkiye could either examine the black boxes domestically or send them abroad for further analysis.
“Transferring the recorders can help ensure greater transparency and a clearer understanding of what happened, especially in a case involving so many international stakeholders,” he said.
Tokmakoglu noted that according to preliminary findings, the aircraft transmitted the 7700 emergency “squawk” code, which indicates an emergency that requires immediate attention, and the crew reported an electrical malfunction.
However, he added, it would be premature to assume that the electrical malfunction was the cause of the aircraft’s crash.
“In aviation, an electrical failure can trigger other problems,” he said, likening such a situation to “being admitted to intensive care for heart failure but dying later from a lung infection”.
Aviation industry analyst Guntay Simsek told Al Jazeera, citing his own sources, that there are no indications so far that the crash was caused by an external factor such as an explosion, adding that the technical investigation remains ongoing.
The probe starting immediately is within general best practices after a crash, aviation industry analyst Guntay Simsek said, pointing to ICAO regulations that govern aircraft accident investigations, which require a preliminary report within 30 days and a final report within 12 months.
Donald Trump has floated the idea of ending the filibuster – a procedural technique in Congress that allows a minority of senators to block legislation from passing – which would make pushing through his political agenda in 2026 much easier.
In an interview with Politico, the president urged Republicans in the Senate to scrap the filibuster, saying it had become an obstacle to effective governing and removing it would prevent another government shutdown and pave the way for his party to push through its legislative priorities.
“The filibuster is hurting the Republican Party,” Trump told Politico. He called on Republican lawmakers to eliminate it “without question”.
“If you get rid of the filibuster, you’re not going to have a shutdown,” Trump added. “You can do everything. You can do great health care if you get rid of the filibuster. We can do everything we want.”
Scraping the arcane-sounding legislative device is sometimes favored by the party with a majority in the Senate, but opposed by the other because it allows them to use their minority status to block legislation from passing.
Senators typically back off from proposals to end it, because they don’t want to get steamrolled by a simple majority when the balance of power shifts again. Centrists in both parties typically oppose ending the filibuster as a way to defend against partisan political excesses.
For Trump, who has 10 months before the midterm elections to push the Republicans agenda along, including requiring voters to present identification, raising the issue has a more immediate purpose: preventing another government shutdown.
“If you get rid of the filibuster, you’re not going to have a shutdown,” he told the outlet.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate to Democrats’ 47, giving them little room to lose members and pass bills with bare majorities. Trump previously called on his party in the Senate to end the filibuster in October so that Republicans could reopen the government without Democratic support.
Republicans did not take up the challenge, leading to a long standoff with Democrats over healthcare costs and paralyzing the government with a 43-day shutdown. But mounting time pressures on the sitting president to push his legislative agenda along could change the calculations.
Elsewhere in Trump’s remarks to Politico, he said he believes the midterm elections will center on “pricing”, an alternative to the Democrats term of “affordability”, which he has said he thinks is a “hoax”. Both terms mean the same thing.
He said he was confident that Americans will be receptive to his message: that he is tidying up a economic mess he inherited from Joe Biden.
“I think it’s going to be about the success of our country. It’ll be about pricing,” Trump told Politico. “Because, you know, they gave us high pricing, and we’re bringing it down.”
The comments come after two positive economic reports showing that inflation is cooling and the economy is growing more quickly than economists expected. But polls also show that American consumers are feeling economically insecure and pessimistic.
New York has woken up to its heaviest snowfall in nearly four years after a winter storm blanketed parts of the US north-east.
New York City’s Central Park recorded 4.3in (11cm) of snow, its highest since January 2022, while other parts of the state saw up to 7.5in of snow, said the US National Weather Service (NWS).
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of counties in the state ahead of the storm.
On Saturday, nearly 700 domestic flights were cancelled, mostly in the New York area, while more than 3,000 were delayed nationwide, according to tracking website FlightAware.
By early Saturday, about 6-10in of snow had fallen from Syracuse in central New York to Long Island in the south-east of the state.
The highest snowfall was recorded in neighbouring New Jersey, where a state of emergency was also declared, and Connecticut, where 9.1in of snow fell in Fairfield County.
The worst of the storm was over by Saturday morning, but temperatures were below freezing and road conditions hazardous.
The state has activated a “code blue” to bring homeless people inside from the cold.
On the other side of the country, meanwhile, California is counting the cost of the worst winter storm to hit the south of the state in recent memory, burying cars in rivers of mud.
The international football player union FIFPRO reviewed how much players are playing, releasing its finidings in a report published in late October.
Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi, as a result of his treble-winning season with PSG and his commitments with the national team, has been under extreme physical strain. Despite an injury a few weeks between the tournament, Hakimi has been selected by Morocco for its Africa Cup of Nationssquad.
Last season, Hakimi, 26, played 69 matches, accumulating 6,371 minutes. This was a noticeable increase from his previous season, when he played 53 games and 4,869 minutes for club and country.
Hakimi was not alone in playing 69 games in the last campaign. Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich played the same number of matches and almost the same number of minutes, and every member of the top 10 on the FIFPRO list easily surpassed the recommended limit of 55 matches per season.
Hakimi’s 2024-25 season started in Paris, representing his country at the Olympics (July 24 to August 8, 2024), and ended with the Club World Cup (June 15 to July 13, 2025). This meant his season lasted nearly an entire year, and his offseason was just 22 days.
The medical consensus regarding rest periods and season breaks is that players should be guaranteed four weeks between seasons with no commitments. There should also be a minimum four-week retraining period after an offseason break before starting with competition. Sadly, the two are less and less common at the highest level of modern football.
Hakimi’s season started at the Olympics last season and ran nearly an entire year after the Club World Cup the following summerImage: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images
Even more games ahead
This season, Hakimi is on course, should PSG advance to the knockouts of the Champions League and Morocco do well at both the African Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup, to play 74 matches, which is nearly 7,000 minutes.
“People need to understand we’re not machines. To deliver the level of play fans want — intense, competitive matches — we also need time to rest,” Barcelona and France defender Jules Kounde said.
Hakimi’s situation isn’t new either. Earlier in the year, Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae was also the subject of interest after his schedule became untenable.
Hakimi has been pushing the limits of his capacity even before he turned 21. In the FIFPRO report, one of the major fears is the lack of protection currently around young players. Constant competition demands make young players more susceptible to long-term risks than older players, highlighting the real need for safeguards.
The number of minutes Moroccan players have played before turning 21 has risen dramatically in recent years. Before Hakimi turned 21, he had played over 10,000 minutes for club and country. Hakim Ziyech, Hakimi’s national team teammate from 2016 to 2024, hadn’t even played for Morocco and had played just over 3,000 minutes at club level before turning 21. Bilal El Khannouss, who plays in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart, accumulated even more playing time before turning 21, reaching 10,628 minutes for club and country.
Morocco clearly has many exciting young footballers, but managing their playing load will be key to their longevity in the game.
Hope for more action as legal battle begins
In the modern football calendar, players continue to be pushed not just to their limit but beyond it. Hakimi is one of the stars of the modern game and a leading player not just for the country of Morocco but also for the continent of Africa. If his form starts to dip or injuries start to become regular, then Hakimi’s playing load will be one of the places to look.
Failure to better manage player workload is costing every stakeholder in football. FIFPRO have launched legal action against FIFA over the schedule, but if nothing changes soon then those who make the “beautiful game” possible will remain at risk.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold. This article is part of DW Sports’ Best of 2025 series in which we revisit some of our outstanding features from the past year. The article has been updated to reflect the naming of Hakimi in Morocco’s AFCON squad.
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A fresh Russian attack against Kyiv involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles is putting the “true attitude of Putin and his inner circle” on display, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday, as he prepared to meet with President Donald Trump.
The overnight blitz in Ukraine’s capital left at least one person dead and 27 injured, local authorities told the Associated Press. It unfolded as Zelenskyy is set to meet with Trump in Florida on Sunday, where he said he will share a 20-point peace proposal to end the conflict with Russia.
“Another Russian attack is still ongoing: since last night, there have been almost 500 drones – a large number of ‘shaheds’ – as well as 40 missiles, including Kinzhals. The primary target is Kyiv – energy facilities and civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy wrote on X on Saturday morning. “Regrettably, there have been hits, and ordinary residential buildings have been damaged. Rescuers are searching for a person trapped under the rubble of one of them.”
“There have been many questions over the past few days – so where is Russia’s response to the proposals to end the war offered by the United States and the world? Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘shaheds’ speak for them. This is the true attitude of Putin and his inner circle,” Zelenskyy added. “They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world.”
ZELENSKYY SAYS HE WILL MEET WITH TRUMP ‘BEFORE THE NEW YEAR’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and President Donald Trump. (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images; Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP; Alex Brandon/AP)
Zelenskyy also said Saturday that, “If Russia turns even the Christmas and New Year period into a time of destroyed homes and burned apartments, of ruined power plants, then this sick activity can only be responded to with truly strong steps.”
“The United States has this capability. Europe has this capability. Many of our partners have this capability. The key is to use it,” he declared.
Trump, ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, has said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict.
US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA
A drone hits an apartment building in Kyiv during Russia’s attack on Ukraine on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that it carried out a “massive strike” overnight, using “long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles” and drones, on energy infrastructure facilities “used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” as well as “Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises.”
Rescuers work on the scene of a building damaged by a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
The ministry said the strike came in response to Ukraine’s attacks on “civilian objects” in Russia.
Flames rise from a residential building following a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said its air defenses shot down seven Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Krasnodar and Adygeya overnight.
Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancey and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
NEED TO KNOW
- A$AP Rocky’s collaboration with Bilt features an exclusive vinyl designed by the rapper himself
- The collaboration, which celebrates the release of his forthcoming album Don’t Be Dumb, also features a generous donation for the building Rocky grew up in in Harlem
- Don’t Be Dumb is out Jan. 16
As A$AP Rocky gears up to release his first studio album in over seven years, the rapper is in the spirit of giving.
On Saturday, Dec. 27, PEOPLE can exclusively announce the rapper’s collaboration with Bilt, a rewards program that connects where you live with what you love, to celebrate the highly anticipated release of his forthcoming album Don’t Be Dumb.
The partnership features a limited edition vinyl designed by Rocky, which showcases his admiration for his hometown of Harlem and New York. The vinyl is now available through a special pre-order on Bilt’s app and website.
In light of the partnership, Bilt is also making a donation to a Harlem apartment building where Rocky lived as a teenager — and it will cover January 2026 rent for all tenants.
A$AP Rocky.
Bilt
“For me, it’s always been about your community and neighborhood. Harlem made me who I am, from uptown to downtown, and that connection to place is everything,” Rocky said in a press release.
“When Bilt said they wanted to cover rent for everyone in the same building where I grew up, that hit different. That’s not just business, that’s understanding what community really means,” he continued.
The “Praise the Lord” rapper said the vinyl is his “love letter to New York” — and being able to give back to the place that raised him is “the kind of partnership that actually matters.”
Rocky was also featured in a special edition of Bilt’s monthly game show, Rent Free. There, Rocky served as a contestant and offered Bilt Members nationwide the chance to win free rent payments of up to $2,500. The top 10 winners will also receive signed editions of the exclusive vinyl.
A$AP Rocky and Bilt Founder and CEO Ankur Jain.
Bilt
“Rocky embodies what we believe at Bilt: your neighborhood isn’t just where you live, it’s what fuels your creativity, your ambition, your entire trajectory,” Ankur Jain, Founder and CEO of Bilt said in the release.
He added, “His roots in Harlem are inseparable from his success, and this limited-edition vinyl is our way of honoring that connection. It’s a celebration of the community that shaped one of hip-hop’s most influential artists and a reminder of why giving back to your neighborhood matters.”
Earlier this month, Rocky unveiled the cover art for his fourth studio album on Instagram. One day later, he revealed the album would drop on “National Nothing Day,” which falls on Jan. 16.
WORLD NEWS
Snowstorm brings Northeast to a standstill as 60 million face warnings with icy chaos halting holiday travel
The Northeast is in the midst of a severe snowstorm, dampening travel plans for millions of Americans after Christmas, as California recovers from catastrophic flooding, which left three people dead.
Some 60 million people were under winter weather alerts from New York to Philadelphia this weekend, with about 5 to 8 inches of snow is expected throughout the region, according to Fox Weather.
The wintry weather was expected from north-central New Jersey through New York City into southern Connecticut. Higher snowfall amounts may be seen in the lower Hudson Valley, located just north of the Big Apple.
The effects have already been seen at US airports, where there have been more than 1,800 delays and over 600 cancellations as of 8am ET.
All three major airports in America’s biggest city have been impacted by the snow and icy weather. Officials have issued a ground delay at LaGuardia Airport, causing travel delays of nearly one hour, according to the FAA.
A ground stop is currently in effect at Newark Airport, with the FAA reporting that arriving flights are being delayed an average of 48 minutes.
JFK’s AirTrain is also experiencing a service disruption. The airport is offering free shuttle buses to commuters but urged ticketed passengers to allow for extra travel time today.
A winter storm warning is in effect for the tri-state area until 1pm today. Officials across the have warned people to stay off the roads if possible and exercise caution if travel is absolutely necessary.
As of Saturday morning, New York City had received just under three inches of snow. Pictured are snow-covered houses in Brooklyn, New York in the early hours of December 27
Snowplows worked to clear snow at LaGuardia Airport in New York overnight
Pedestrians cross Seventh Avenue near Times Square as snow falls in the early morning on Saturday, December 27, 2025 in New York City.
NYSDOT snow and ice crews worked overnight to plow snow and ice slick roadways across New York state
As of Saturday morning, New York City had received just under three inches of snow – roughly half of what some forecasts had predicted.
At least 1,890 flights were delayed as of Saturday morning and 643 canceled, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways have waived change fees for passengers who may be affected by weather-related disruptions, Reuters reported.
The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages.
Forecasters said the storm was expected to weaken by Saturday morning, with only a few lingering showers predicted. Officials warn a fresh layer of snow on top of the overnight ice could worsen slippery road conditions.
A cold front is moving in Sunday, which forecasters warn could cause significants travel delays in the east and south.
The front, associated with incoming Winter Storm Ezra, could impacted the northeast, midwest and Great Lakes – all of which were hard hit by Friday’s storm system, according to the Weather Channel.
An overview of Brooklyn, New York on December 27, 2025, after a severe winter storm
Workers move a food truck down Seventh Avenue near Times Square as snow falls in the early morning on Saturday, December 27, 2025 in New York City
Winter Storm Ezra is expected to bring freezing rain, sleet or snow to the northeast. Most areas will see rain, expect for New England where snow and colder temperatures are expected.
Heavy lake-effect snow is expected to pummel the midwestern snowbelt, especially in nothern Wisconsin and upper and western Michigan.
Meteorologists warn that if the current forecast persists, airports across the region will experience even more delays.
Commercial vehicle restrictions were issued overnight for several roads, including many interstate highways, across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Ahead of the storm, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state.
Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state emergency for all of New Jersey, ‘due to a severe winter storm causing dangerous weather conditions, including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.’
‘This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,’ Way said in a statement.
‘We are urging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.’
People wait for their flight at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, on Friday as a winter storm tears through the Northeast
Workers begin shoveling in front of the famous TKTS steps in Times Square on Friday
Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor likened herself to the Grinch during a live broadcast, telling Americans that snowstorms across the country will make traveling even more difficult.
Taylor shared a clip of the Friday newscast on X, saying, ‘Today I got the job of the Christmas grinch- it’s a rough travel day for those trying to get home with thousands of flights canceled and delayed because of winter storms.’
Reporting from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Taylor said it was going to be ‘a rough one’.
‘We’re dealing with weather across the country that’s having an impact on thousands of flights,’ she said.
‘If you live in New York City, forecasters say you are about to see the most snow in years.’
Mayor Eric Adams has issued his own alert as the city faces its first winter storm warning in three years.
‘As New Yorkers continue to celebrate the holidays and prepare to celebrate the new year, they should also prepare for hazardous travel conditions Friday into Saturday,’ Adams said in a statement.
‘New York City agencies have been coordinating and are prepared for the winter weather system, and we continue to monitor conditions closely.’
Pictured: A bundled up woman walks through Times Square as the storm starts
Pictured: A plow cleans the streets in Closter, New Jersey
Pictured: A damaged truck on the westbound side of Highway I-80 on Thursday, Christmas Day
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont had much the same to say for his state, most parts of which are under winter storm warnings.
‘Shortly after sunset tonight, the snow is going to pick up quickly and come down at rates that can be dangerous while driving,’ Lamont said.
‘If you need to travel, we strongly recommend leaving early and getting to where you need to be before sunset tonight. Our fleet of state snowplows are ready to clear the roads, and they can get their jobs done more easily the fewer vehicles there are out driving.’
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has 650 snowplows on standby ready to clear the roads when called upon, Lamont added.
Freezing rain is possible overnight in parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, making highway travel possibly very hazardous come morning.
National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Kienzle said the stretch of Interstate 80 between the Pennsylvania counties of Venango, Clarion and Jefferson are expected to be the hardest hit.
‘Travel along I-80 tomorrow could be unbelievably dangerous … such that if you can avoid traveling on I-80 tomorrow, please do, just because travel up there will be so hazardous,’ Kienzle said.
‘No matter how much ice there is on the roads, any ice on the roads is really impactful and can be especially dangerous for drivers, especially with tomorrow being a pretty big holiday travel day with people heading home from Christmas travel,’ he added.
Thousands of California residents found themselves under evacuation orders on Christmas morning, as disastrous floods and debris flows closed down major highways
Cars are buried in mud after a series of storms. The aftermath is pictured on Christmas Day in Wrightwood, California
This comes as large swathes of California, from the north all the way down to San Diego County, were hit with a record-breaking storm on Christmas day.
The storm dumped rain on the region, which unleashed deadly flooding, falling trees and powerful waves all over the state.
The horrendous weather triggered mudslides and emergency evacuations as families celebrated Christmas Day under flood warnings, power outages and road closures.
Authorities confirmed the three fatalities across different regions of the state as emergency crews scrambled through the holiday to rescue residents trapped by rising water and collapsing hillsides.
Authorities reported widespread road closures, water rescues and door-to-door evacuations as torrents of mud and debris surged through burn-scarred terrain unable to absorb the rainfall.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department ordered evacuations for multiple mountain communities up to the Los Angeles County line Wednesday evening, warning residents of life-threatening mudslides and rushing water.
Similar orders were issued for the Palisades, Sunset, Hurst and Ridgewood areas, where Los Angeles police officers personally knocked on doors of homes deemed most vulnerable.
Officials told The Associated Press that about 380 homes were placed under evacuation orders.
What to know about UK snow bomb bringing ‘one inch per hour’ in just days – The Mirror
Need to know
New snow maps for the UK show a huge band of snow stretching 700 miles set to blanket the UK in January as temperatures are set to turn bitterly cold after a mild start to December
The map shows massive snowfall inbound for the UK and rest of Europe
What you need to know about the UK snow bomb set to bring ‘one inch per hour’ to Brits in days
- New weather maps have shown a huge snow bomb spanning the country set to batter Brits in the coming days. Up to an inch of snow per hour could fall in the wintry blast.
- Temperatures have turned icy in recent days, with weather maps forecasting that the cold spell will strengthen its grip in the new year. Temperatures will drop to just 0C in some places with maximum temperatures of 5C as snow falls across much of the UK.
- Maps from Ventusky, a weather charting service that uses public datasets from major organisations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and DWD (German Weather Service) show the UK and rest of Europe being hit hard on January 8 next year. The snow is set to stretch across more than 700 miles of the country in the first significant snowfall of 2026.
- Snowfall looks set to arrive in the early afternoon, from around 1.30pm, where between 1cm and 5cm of snow is set to be dumped on Brits. The snow spans from Eastbourne to Mellon Udrigle on Scotland’s northeast coast, with the most significant snow hitting the western side of the strip including London, Oxford, Manchester, and Glasgow.
- While Ventusky forecasts significant snowfall for the UK, the Met Office makes no mention of wintry spells beyond “colder and drier” conditions. The Met Office says in its long range forecast that an “area of low pressure” could bring a ” period of wetter and windier weather, especially to the north.”
READ THE FULL STORY: UK snow bomb horror as new weather maps show ‘one inch per hour’ to fall in days
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